The Art of Living Boldly: Celebrating a Year of Breaking Free with The Mischief Movement

Ever feel like you're just ticking boxes in life without actually enjoying the ride? This episode is your antidote to the ordinary, an invitation to put fun at the helm of your existence! Join me, Zoe, as I wrap up a phenomenal first year of the Mischief Movement podcast, sharing insights on how to craft a life bursting with adventure, freedom, and those hell-yeah moments. We're not just reviewing; we're revolutionizing the way you think about your goals by looking back at a year's worth of stories from guests who've ditched convention for passion.

Prepare to be inspired by rebels like Gemma of Geoff Leopard, Jennie of Ride Like a Girl, and Clare's cutting-edge fashion consultancy. These game-changers didn't just dream; they dared to make their visions a reality. And they're not alone. Get a dose of creative courage from Sarah Belle's musical journey, Max McMurdo's sustainable designs, Oli Dunn's chocolatey ventures, and Liz Mosley's graphic design prowess. Let their stories fan the flames of your own aspirations, as we explore the transformative power of confidence and the thrill of chasing what truly ignites your spirit. It's time to break free from the mundane and leap into a life you love – no parachute needed.

Transcript

Zoe: 0:00

Before you sit down and follow along with everybody else who is setting their goals and making their quarterly plans, just take 15 minutes to listen to this episode and ask yourself some key questions. How about we stop trying to put the money goals in and get the promotion, or quit the horrible job and put fun back at number one? Isn't that what life's all about? Hello, it's Zoe and welcome, or welcome, back to the Mischief Movement podcast, your weekly inspo for people looking for more hell yeah in their life. Consider this you're one way to get out of midlife mediocrity towards fun and positive impact via playful disruption. Wouldn't you love to wake up and feel like a total badass? How about breaking some rules, throwing two fingers up to society and doing more of the things you love? I'm talking full on freedom, adventure and those meaningful connections I know you've been craving. Stop waiting for your amazing life to happen and go get it. I'll be picking the brains of some true game changers and mischief makers so I can share what I find and hopefully inspire you to shake things up, do more of what makes you feel alive and boldly rebel against the ordinary. I've no idea what I'm doing, to be honest, but I've got a mission and I'm here to start a movement. It's going to be quite the adventure. Care to join me? Okay, here goes. Right, you lot.

Zoe: 1:35

I've been trying to work out how to wrap up not just the third series of the podcast, but actually the whole first year of episodes. I could just reflect back over some of the key takeaways, but I'd rather actually give you a fresh perspective on things instead. After all, this podcast is not really about me, it's about you, and so I really want to consider where you're at and what you might need. By the time this goes out, I'm guessing you'll be a bit sick of all the Christmas stuff, the sale emails telling you to buy things, and probably just as sick of all the goal-setting content that emerges straight after. Am I right? Because I love having a dream and setting intentions, but I do not like to feel under pressure, especially when it's coming from other people. So I'm guessing what you'd like right now is not another podcast telling you about last year and how to plan out the perfect 2024, but actually somewhere to escape to and something different to think about. So let's put the focus back on fun, because the mischief movement exists to bring you more hell, yeah, in your life, and for me, that means shaking things up in some way, rebelling against the ordinary and rewriting the rulebook on what your life gets to look like.

Zoe: 2:53

I often interview people who are creating a life on their terms and inspiring us to think differently. So what can we take away from an entire year's worth of podcast episodes? A lot of the themes that came up were recurring. There was a strong sense of my guests having to gain a new level of confidence and self-belief in order to pull their dreams and goals out of their back pocket and instead turn them into a compass for steering their lives forward. Many episodes also brought up the idea of getting uncomfortable or feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Off the top of my head, I can already think of the episode with Gemma, founder of the rock inspired brand, Geoff Leopard, Jennie from Ride Like a Girl, Clare, who started a fashion consultancy, and Sarah Belle leaning into her passion for creating music. Truthfully, I have interviewed some absolutely badass humans this year, and it has been an amazing privilege to share in their vulnerability and offer their insights and experience to you. I also count myself among those who had to put their fears aside in order to get started because, as you know, that was exactly what blocked me from launching this podcast for more than three years.

Zoe: 4:12

Another big theme I've taken away from 2023 is that designing a life we don't want to escape from is absolutely possible. Max McMurdo has done it through designing and making and his passion for sustainability and the outdoors. Oli Dunn has done it through his family chocolate business that he has developed with a unique twist, creating parties and experiences, bringing people together and using his creativity to drive connection. Liz Mosley has done it through her creative design studio and built her business around her family, despite her initial feelings of not belonging in the graphic design world. So what's the secret? What are they all doing that we can take and apply to our own lives?

Zoe: 4:56

Well, firstly, I think pursuing anything that goes slightly against the grain all requires us to step away from the standard path of education, and I to five two kids in a mortgage is bold and rebellious. If you're going to do it, I think you've got to have a minimum level of self-confidence and self-belief, because you know that you're the only one you can count on to make this work. Coach Alex Pett and founder of Soul Productions, Nikita Dare, really hit this point home when they both talked about being more resilient. It's that self-belief part that's going to carry you through, even when the world around you doesn't quite get it, or your family want you to take the safe route, or the toxic work environment has you crying in desperation. The good news is that, if you're already listening to this and getting a bit angsty because you don't feel that confident, confidence is a skill that can be learned and it's something I'm really keen to explore in my coaching.

Zoe: 5:58

Confidence was a real problem for me growing up, and I feel like I wasted so much time hesitating because I couldn't back myself. Despite always being a high achiever, I didn't have that level of trust in my own abilities and I didn't value myself and the knowledge and experience I had enough to press go on my ideas. I don't want that for you. I want you to have an idea, love the idea and pursue the idea without worrying about whether you're good enough or have enough skills. Your dreams are worth getting uncomfortable for, and one of the big aha moments I've had in later life is that for a long time I was waiting to feel confident. That's not how it works. Confidence comes when you take uncomfortable action. That's the piece that I was missing. So that's the next thing that my guests did. They took a punt on themselves and something they loved with scrappy action.

Zoe: 6:58

Many of my interviews were with people who are not yet full time in their pursuits or perhaps don't even want to be. I'm thinking of Hayley Dawson from The Blocks and Mickey James from Girls to the Front, who both run their communities alongside their main jobs as researchers. I'm thinking of AJ, The Honest Biker, who is leaning into her passion for travel and motorcycles and just seeing what opportunities come up as a result. And then there's Georgia Luck, who literally went from a 9-5 to a freelance lifestyle, specifically so she could dedicate more time to a hobby of longboarding. The outcome was starting a community, travelling more, connecting with other longboarders across the world and even becoming a professional athlete.

Zoe: 7:45

So could we just take a minute to think about the things that really light us up and ask ourselves am I doing enough of them? If not, how can I incorporate more of them in my life? Perhaps this is where we can focus for 2024. Not setting these big, impressive goals that we probably won't keep, but just getting intentional about where we want to spend our time and what we want to do more of. It doesn't have to involve a money goal, it doesn't have to involve a promotion and it doesn't have to involve making a terrifying career change. It just requires you to get honest with yourself and ask the question if money and time were no obstacle, how would I love to be spending my time?

Zoe: 8:34

Are there things that you did as a child that was so much fun, but you haven't pursued them because, well, life? Now's your chance to pick up where you left off, and I'll tell you why. Because time is so short and precious. There are far too many people in the world spending most of their days in a job they don't feel fulfilled by. Just think about the numbers, right, say that's 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, for an average of 50 weeks a year, and you know how many hours you've just given over to the thing you don't like 2000 hours. I have a lot of friends who dislike their jobs, which makes me really sad. At best, they are side hustling around them. At worst, they are absolutely hating what they're doing and feel depleted of all energy, leaving nothing left to dedicate to the things they genuinely love doing. So my wish for you is simply this First of all, please continue listening to the podcast so you can remind yourself that you're not alone in wanting more and feel reassured that doing more of the things you love is possible.

Zoe: 9:46

Next, have a look at that confidence piece. Instead of getting all tied up on your monthly goals and quarterly objectives, just start by asking yourself if you feel worthy and if you have enough self-esteem in the bank to pursue your big dreams. 2024 could be the year you stop burying your head in the sand and address this one thing, because taking action and building confidence are intrinsically linked and simultaneously have the power to totally transform your life. In order to create a life that lights us up, we will be required to make some bold moves, take a few risks and believe, believe. Believe that we have it in us to make it happen. I would love to support you more with this, so please send me a DM on Instagram if you'd like to have a chat about coaching.

Zoe: 10:37

Get honest with yourself about how much time you spend actually doing things you really enjoy. Remember the flow state fun I talked about in episode 2? Have you found yours? If not, I urge you to give it some serious thought. Yes, get serious about having fun. I know that's ironic. Maybe all you do is come up with a list of things you want to spend more time on or less time on. That can be enough to guide your life in 2024, because it helps you figure out what to say yes to and what to say no to.

Zoe: 11:13

Then, my friend, you've got to take some action. No, don't go and quit your job. That's going to add stress. I can't plan bye. Once you've got a plan, you will already feel better and this can really help boost your positive mindset. Could you reduce your hours? Could you spend a couple of hours a week on your favorite hobby? Could you ask for some help or some support? Could you literally plan your week around that thing you enjoy, instead of leaving it to chance? What micro steps could you take to integrate more of the parts you love and eliminate the parts you don't?

Zoe: 11:52

Personally, my day job is not my dream job, but I don't mind admitting that as Outside of work, I'm putting my focus on podcasting, mentoring and coaching, and these things literally Fill me with joy. I'm happy because I know that every time I'm putting a podcast into the world or coaching someone Towards the life they truly desire or showing up for the mischief makers over on Instagram. I am another step closer to making these things my full-time reality, and I know it's gonna happen. I Am well on my way towards living my life on my terms and, at the end of the day, this is what it all boils down to, so please give it some thought. It might feel like a lot of things are out of your control, but your attitude, your intentions and your subsequent actions are yours to own.

Zoe: 12:46

I even recorded an episode this year called the mischief makers guide to becoming the leader of your own life, urging you to take responsibility for your past decisions so you can take action from a place of Empowerment in the present moment. This was a total game changer for me in my own self-development journey, as I realized I'd been living like a victim and I refused to go on being one, preferring instead to call upon my inner warrior and Tapping into that rebellious streak, deciding to start doing things differently. So I think this is how I'd like to leave you as we end one year and start another, reflecting a little on the lessons learned and getting intentional about how to move forward. Find that rebellious streak inside of you. I'm pretty sure you must have one because you're here listening to this. We are all a little unconventional, a bit quirky Mavericks and misfits, renegades and risk takers carving out our own paths and, as such, our journeys will never Be linear or smooth. That's just the nature of the beast. That's why we call life an adventure.

Zoe: 13:59

Right Time to wrap this one up, I guess. As this episode goes out, I'm offering 10 short intensive coaching sessions throughout January. So if you've ever wanted to experience working with a coach but found the idea of a monthly package or 12 week program a bit much, come and dip your toe in with me over a 90 minute video call and we'll examine some of those blocks You've been coming up against in 2023, removing those obstacles together so that you can do 2024 differently and on your terms. Please drop me a DM on Instagram if you would like to know more and Standby for series 4, which will be hitting your ears mid January. So keep your ideas, feedback and suggestions for guests or sponsors coming in. Stay mischievous, friends, and I will be back again with you very, very soon, take care.

Zoe: 14:56

Oh, I hope you love today's episode and it made you think differently or perhaps nudged you into changing something in your life that's not working for you. I'd love to give you a shout out right here on the podcast too, so do let me know what you think, what you'd like to hear more of or how you've been inspired. Let's keep in touch over on Instagram at the mischief movement. It's changed, did you see that? I'll click the link in the show notes to sign up to my mischief mail newsletter, where you'll get exclusive insights on Upcoming episodes and your chance to submit questions to future guests. But shh, don't tell anyone, it's our secret. Now, please keep spreading the word about the podcast. You're doing an amazing job, and I'm also super grateful for your five star ratings on Apple podcasts or Spotify, because these seriously help my mission to inspire and empower more people like us to choose mischief over mediocre. Have a great week and keep making mischief, ciao.