Welcome to LIVED

Welcome to the very first episode of LIVED with Maryanne Sayers and Tara Steinwede.

In this introduction episode, we share a little about who we are, why we created this podcast, and what you can expect from the conversations ahead. LIVED is all about real stories, honest reflections, and the experiences that shape us.

Life can be beautiful, messy, challenging and everything in between - and this podcast is a space to talk about it all. Along the way we’ll also be joined by some incredible guests sharing their own journeys and insights.

It’s been months in the making and now it’s finally here!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Hello everyone and welcome to our podcast Lived. I am Marianne Sayers. And I'm Tara Steinlade. Here we go, Tara. Our first episode of Lived.

SPEAKER_01 0:17

It's so exciting to be here. It is. I think we've got a lot to share. We do. We're going to be talking about all the real, raw, beautiful, and sometimes messy parts of life. Yep. We have uh different experiences and different perspectives. We do. I'm 31 and Marianne, you're 55.

SPEAKER_00 0:38

Nearly 55, another month to go, but I'm nearly getting there. Yep. Yeah. So I just think I think it's going to be great because we bring different perspectives. Um we're at different life stages. Um, and our listeners will be at different life stages as well. And I think that's what's going to make our conversations so interesting because you're, you know, early 30s and me mid-50s. It's um quite the difference, but I'm really looking forward to it. Um, each episode, Tara, you and I are going to be having some candid conversations, authentic conversations as well. We've always said about Lived that it's going to be unscripted and real. And sometimes the conversations will just be between um yourself and I. Um, other times we're going to bring some guests in.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

We do. We have a few exciting guests that are locked in to come on.

SPEAKER_00 1:27

We do, and they'll be opening up and sharing their stories. Um, in terms of the topics and themes that we're going to be covering, it is so widespread. We really didn't want this to be a specific genre, like we just talk about parenting or we just talk about relationships. We wanted to really open it up and really broaden out what lived is about. Um, you know, we will be covering things around parenting and families and relationships, um, grief and loss, um, life transitions, um, health and nutrition. There's just so much that we want to talk about. Um, and the thing that I really love is hearing people's stories. I've always loved hearing people's stories. And what I really find fascinating is that every single one of us, every single day, is living our lives as we as we do. So there's all these different experiences, and everyone's experience of life is different. And I just love the idea of you know hearing people's experiences and stories. And I'm really, really looking forward to it. Me too. Yep. So do you think we should now at this stage give our listeners a bit of a background? I think so.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

I think, yes. Mary Ann, why don't you share a little bit about yourself? Well keep it short and sweet.

SPEAKER_00 2:44

Short and sweet. I am yet nearly 55. I live here on the New South Wales Central Coast. I am married. I have two children, adult children, um, a son who's nearly 18 and a daughter who is 22. Um, I'm married. My to my it's my second husband. My first husband passed away in 2010. Um, I'm a baby sleep consultant, and actually that's how Tara and I actually met. It is. Came into contact. Um, so I've been helping families for nearly, oh, it would be over 20 years now. Um, you know, but aside from that, you know, I've had my own personal challenges in life as well. Um, some of that I'll open up on as we get through the podcast. But yeah, that's me in a nutshell.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

What about you, Tara? There you go. I'm 31, as we've said. I am also married. I have a two-year-old daughter who I'm just obsessed with. Yes. And six stepchildren. Um, I'm a stay-at-home mum. And as you'll probably hear throughout a few episodes, I do have ADHD, so I'll try and reel that one in. Um, but yeah, I've also had my own life experiences as you know, grief, loss, fertility, many things actually that you and I have both gone through. So we will touch on those in future episodes.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Future episodes. Future episodes, absolutely. Um well, we're really looking forward to it. One of the other things that we've talked about is a segment that I have come up with. And it's called What's on Our Mind. And this is really interesting, actually. So this episode here that we're doing now is an introduction to it. We're obviously going to be delving into the topics and themes and stories as we go um further into our podcast series. So, this little introduction to Lived to the Lived Podcast and to myself and Tara. But one of the ideas that I came up with that I ran past Tara is I said, I'd love to have a segment at the end of each episode called What's on Our Mind.

SPEAKER_01 4:49

Oh, this could go one way or another. This could go anywhere.

SPEAKER_00 4:53

And then keep it PG rated today. Just for today. Yes. But the idea that I had around um what's on our mind is that we just share a little um observation and a life observation or something that's happened to us or something that we've been thinking about. And the idea was that Tara and I were not going to share what that was beforehand. So To one another. To one another. We would be hearing it for the first time. And we thought that would be a really fun little segment to add in. But it could be, like I said, it could be anything, could be humorous, could be serious, it could be anything, could be anything at all. Well, let's get into it, Marianne. What's on your mind? So I've got a really interesting one for this week, actually, for our introduction episode. And I think about this a lot. I don't know if this is an age thing, right? So I don't know. So this would be interesting to see what what your thoughts are. I mean three. Yeah. Okay, here we go. So what I realize now in my mid-50s is that um, you know, you move through different stages of life, right? And along the way, you have different connections and different friends. And when you're in that stage of life, you kind of can't ever imagine not having those people in your life. Like they're they're your friends. Do you know what I mean? Like they're your friends, they're your contacts. And I look back now and I realize that my circle uh of kind of friends and contacts is getting smaller as life goes on. So I there's all of these friendships and connections that I've had over the years that I will likely, the likelihood is that I'm never going to see those people again. Even though if I was to bump into them into the street, I of course I'd, you know, speak to them. But I I realize that things, particularly those sorts of kind of connections and friendships, even though they're very important and valuable at the time, they're not permanent. Like nothing is really permanent. Do you know what I mean? And I think I would love to go back to some of those people and just say, I hope you have a great life. Do you know what I mean? Because I realize now, I think about people perhaps that I used to work with because before I was a baby sleep consultant, I was in corporate world and had so many great friends, you know. But I think back now and I wonder what they're doing and where they are, and I think I'm never going to see them again.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

I think that's the beauty of social media though. Yeah, to stay to maybe that really is showing the age difference here because social media will really became big around what say 2010.

SPEAKER_00 7:22

Yeah, correct.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

So, in terms of all of your schooling friends, yeah, that would be a lot harder for you to stay in contact with them unless you were reaching out directly.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Well, that's what I mean. I guess, and when I first started my career, that was sort of in the you know, late 80s, into the 90s and into the early 2000s. And so, yeah, I would love to reach out to so many of them, but I'm obviously you're not going to do that because life, you know, you've got still life's in the way kind of thing. But I think about that a lot. Like I think about my I talked to her about with my son and my daughter, how their friends right now are their world. Yes. Right. Um, it's kind of like I remember when my son left um preschool and he had these great little friendships. And I was devastated when he finished up at preschool and he was, you know, moving into big school. And I just remember thinking, oh, these some of these friends, I mean, actually a couple of them he has stayed in contact with, but some of them he will never see them again. But at the time that was such important little friendships for him. I don't know. I think about it a lot, and I think about, yeah, I think about, I just want to go back and I just would love to go back and and reach out to everyone I've ever been a friend with and just say, I hope you have a great life. Because the reality is I'm not going to see many, most of those people again. And it kind of, I don't know, like I said, I don't know if it's an It's a funny feeling though. Yeah. It is, it is. Um, so that's yeah, I I I just it's not about thinking about it's it's probably as my time as I get older, I think about the past, I reflect, and I've had such a good life in so many ways and had so many amazing friendships. Um, but those friendships just through the passage of time sort of move on for sure.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

I think yeah, you all go off in different directions and are doing different things, and people change. Like I have a few friends that I thought I would be friends forever, and it didn't quite work out for various reasons, really. Um, not necessarily, you know, we've got into a fight and it hasn't worked out that way.

SPEAKER_00 9:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

Um, interesting though, I will just quickly share with you um my school friends. So I've been out of school going on 14 years. Yeah. Um, my school friends, the group that I was in, we are still very close. Yes. It wasn't always that way. In our 20s, we all, you know, some moved away, we were doing different things, some went to university. Um, but we recently, I think it's coming up to two years now, we're still kept in contact, but not as close as what we are now. We actually started a Instagram group chat, and it's called uh Wednesday Waffle. And so we're all very much committed to it. And I thought when it first started, oh it this will die off after after a couple of weeks. But no, every single Wednesday, all seven of us, including myself, will do uh you know, some I think the videos go for 30 seconds or whatnot, but basically just an update um on our week that's been or our week that's to come. And we've also started a bank account that we all put in ten dollars a week, and that's our bank account that we use as a waffle girls trip once a year. That is so good. So you do uh like a getaway or something each year or a trip. Yeah, because a majority of us are all mums now, so life gets in the way, but we really are all committed to that Wednesday. So it's just I think when you catch up only, you know, once every six months, even, or if even if it's more than that, you just say, Hi, how are you? Yeah, I'm really good. Yeah, the kids are good. It's hard to get depth and understand what your friends are actually going through because realistically you don't have you know 10 hours to sit there and go into detail of everything that's going on in your life or what you really do want to share or confide in those friends about. Yeah. Um, whereas this way with our Wednesday waffle, you you see all of the ups and downs that are going on with your friends, and I think it just makes us so much closer and understanding.

SPEAKER_00 11:32

Yeah, that bond continues because, as you said, social media is such an easy way to keep in contact with people, but to be honest, it it lacks a bit of like depth. Do you know what I mean? Like you can send messages and whatnot, but to have that kind of a um arrangement in place where you guys are like, right, we're doing this and you stay in touch and you're having these meaningful connections and continuing on the friendship in that way. Because I think that, and oh gosh, there's a whole gamut I'm just thinking about in social media, which will have to form one of the topics of one of our future episodes all around social media. But I think there is so much lost connection. Um, and yeah, it's interesting because I've kind of I guess I kind of um you know, I was born in 1971 and social media, as you said, came in in around 2010. Technology, I didn't grow up with social, like social media wasn't part of my teenage years. Yes, and I think there is so much lost connection, real connection with people. So to hear that you guys are doing that is beautiful. That is amazing.

SPEAKER_01 12:41

Yeah, I'm very grateful for those group of friends.

SPEAKER_00 12:44

Yeah, and and though like I think about school friends, and there's a there's probably two or three that I am still in very regular contact with, um, which I cherish because they've been with you from you know, from such an early age. So yeah, it's interesting, isn't it, thinking about, you know, different stages of your life and different friendships and them running their course. Yeah. And then I just think, oh, I'm not gonna see them again.

SPEAKER_01 13:12

I just but anyway, that's and I think you never really know the last time you are going to see them. I think that's the whole crazy part about it as to what you're saying is you didn't know that that was going to be the last time you were going to catch up with that person.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

Exactly, exactly that. I think you never know exactly when you're when you've when your last contact with that person is. You only realize that after you look back and think, oh my god, I haven't seen such and such for five years. Yeah, interesting. Anyway, that so there you go. That was my what's on your mind. Let's go over to Tara now. I'm I'm looking forward to yours. What's yours? What's on your mind this week?

SPEAKER_01 13:49

I had two in mind actually, but I'll keep I'll keep it short and sweet for this one. Yeah. Um it's very a very simple one, but do you beep at other people in the car? When you're annoyed, when they've done something wrong. Anything. Okay, give me an example. Give me anything. I'll give you an example. Okay. If anyone ever beeps at me, whether I've pulled out in front of them or for any reason, I'm probably a bit bit better now. Yep. But I would get so upset to the point where I'd want to cry. So I will never beep at someone, no matter what they've done.

SPEAKER_00 14:26

Oh, so that's your so you're saying that because of how you felt when someone beeped at you for whatever reason, yeah, you've made a conscious decision that you're not going to do, even if they've cut in front of you?

SPEAKER_01 14:37

No.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

No.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

Is this a recent thing or is this something? No, it's been it's been since I've had my license. Yeah. I just get really upset if someone beeps at me. Yeah. And so, oh, not to say I've never ever beeped at someone. And I think there can be a little polite beep, you know, at the lights if you're sitting there for a long time, but not 0.5 seconds. Well, do you think people like hit the horn? Like you're literally, you're just about to put your foot from the brake on the accelerator and they're already bipping you. That's right. And I think it goes from me, if I'm the one getting beeped at, I go into, I get really upset, like I want to cry. Right. And then I get so angry, I get really bad road rage, and I want to drive and follow them and be like, what is your problem? Are you really that much in a rush to get somewhere? Yeah. Um, I just think I don't know, it just upsets me. I think we all need to have a little bit more understanding of people on the road, really. No, I agree. Just the impatience in driving, to be honest, not even just beeping. Um, I'll just give you a quick example. The other day, um, I was away with my stepdaughter and my daughter Summer, and I was putting Summer in the car, and this car was dropping off another person. They were an Uber driver, and they had to wait, I'm going to say maximum 10 seconds for me to finish clipping summer into her car seat. Yeah. And they bit at me. Yeah, that's and I'm just like, I am a mum putting my daughter in the car. Are you really that much in a rush?

SPEAKER_00 16:07

Yeah, that you can't just take a breath and just wait.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:11

It is so true. And it is, it it's this is where these road rage incidents start from. You know what I mean? Like, people get, I think you're a hundred percent right. I think it's a great thing to actually thinking about it, like just the aggression on the roads and impatience. It's not even impatience, it's it's gone past that now. Like, yeah, people are really aggressive on the roads. Um, people tailgating you, like getting-cause it's just a little bit more kindness, really.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Yeah, kindness. You don't know what that person's going through, or if they're having a bad morning, or you know, if they've just lost someone, or you just don't know what people are going through. Yeah. Um, I mean, you know, it doesn't give you the excuse to be a really bad driver.

SPEAKER_00 16:53

No, no.

SPEAKER_01 16:54

But I just think the amount of times people beep or what you were saying, tailgate you, or yeah, throw their hands up in the air. It's just unnecessary, really.

SPEAKER_00 17:03

Yeah, I'm trying to think if I'm a bit I don't think I am a beep. I I'm I am an observer of a lot of aggressive driving on the roads, and I don't get it. Um people just need to just chill and just drive and not be so aggressive. I don't know, people are just always in a hurry to get somewhere and feel it's their right. Yeah, I don't think I'm a beeper. I'm trying to think. Am I a beeper? I don't think I am. I don't that's not really my my job.

SPEAKER_01 17:32

People are in a hurry. I actually, one of um my friends, she's um from New Zealand, and she was she just actually had to go back over for a few days, and she was saying how much slower it is over there. Yeah. And quieter, and just but just in general, like workers and driving, everything's just a lot more calm. Yeah, they're not so rushed. Yeah. But is it funny? You go to Bali and they beep every second of the day because it's it's doesn't mean the same thing as what it does here over the streets.

SPEAKER_00 18:03

But it's it's it's kind of control chaos in a way, or it's just yeah, it's aggression, it's aggressiveness here. And I think people are bringing their home or their work lives and taking it into the car, which is a real problem. Oh, well, there you go. That was that was good. I like that. Well, we're planning on having these episodes fortnightly. We are, um, and our next episode, which will be really the first topic that we delve into, is going to be around the topic of IVF.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

I think it's a great one.

SPEAKER_00 18:36

We've both had experience with IVF. We have.

SPEAKER_01 18:39

Um, and I think it's becoming a lot more um common.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

Yep, yep, absolutely. And I'm sure a lot of our listeners, so it'd be great to hear. I mean, I will be able to certainly give my um um experience, although it was a while ago now, um, but really interested to hear your story as well around IVF. And I'm excited to share. Okay, lovely. Well, that'll be just about wrap us up, I think, for this episode. Um, thank you everyone for joining us. It is our first episode, um, and we are looking forward to sharing the journey ahead with you. And as we said, we've got so many different ideas and topics around lived, because as we say, every day everyone is having a lived experience. We've all lived through something. That's so true. Looking forward to it. Thank you, Marianne. Okay, bye for now. See you next time. Bye.