Big Stuff With Danielle Colley

• Two Feet In: The Woman Who Applied for a One-Way Ticket to Mars

  Enjoyed this and want to let us know? Drop us a textWhat would you do if offered the adventure of a lifetime - knowing you could never come home again?Dr. Dianne McGrath said yes. Out of 200,000 applicants worldwide, she made it to the final 100 candidates for Mars One - a one-way mission to colonize Mars. For eight years, Dianne prepared to leave Earth forever, knowing she'd never see her family again.This is the story of what happens when you stop asking "Am I qualified?" and start asking "What am I capable of?" Despite having no astrophysics background, Dianne refused to disqualify herself from humanity's next giant leap. She biohacked her way to incredible bone density, had difficult conversations with family about never coming home, and built mental resilience for the isolation of space.This conversation explores the psychology of extreme goals, the power of calculated risk-taking, and how the hardest challenges bring out our best selves. Dianne's warmth and wisdom will challenge everything you think you know about limits and what's truly possible when you commit with "two feet in."Connect with Dr. Dianne McGrath - On The WebsiteOn Her InstagramOn her LinkedInBecause sometimes the biggest risk isn't taking the leap - it's never finding out what we're truly capable of.Enjoyed this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear about the power of audacious goals. Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Big Stuff.What's your Mars? Drop us a message about the big dream you've been telling yourself you're not ready for.Connect with Danielle via her website here.Follow her Instagram here.Listen to her audio book, The Chocolate Bar Life on SpotifyAbout this episode - 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage00:40 Meet Dr. Dianne McGrath: Mars One Candidate01:41 The Mars One Journey Begins02:07 Dianne's Determination and Mindset03:42 The Mars One Application Process06:31 Training and Preparation for Mars13:53 Public and Personal Reactions22:50 Health and Fitness Challenges35:37 Reflecting on Generational Differences36:40 Preparing for a One-Way Trip to Mars38:13 Mental Health and Astronaut Challenges39:43 Conversations About Death and Loss44:09 The End of the Mars One Dream55:46 Finding New Challenges and Adventures01:03:53 Embracing New Opportunities01:06:08 Final Thoughts and Reflections 

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• HAYR? The Sausage Mincer of Midlife

  Enjoyed this and want to let us know? Drop us a textIf you're hiding in your car in a supermarket car park stealing five minutes of peace, this How Are You Really? episode is just for you.Welcome to what Danielle is calling "The Sausage Mincer of Midlife" - that brutal life stage where you're finally winning at work just as your teenagers turn feral and your parents need more support than ever. It's when everything demands 100% of your attention but you're maxed out at 60% because that's literally all you have.She recently asked her AI assistant Claude for advice about this impossible juggle. His response? "Yeah, that's a lot. Keep going."  She wanted a silver bullet. The brutal truth? There isn't one.This isn't another episode about better systems or time management hacks. This is about accepting that some seasons can't be optimised - they can only be survived. Danielle is sharing why it's okay to resent how hard this is, permission to be mediocre, and the survival strategies that are actually getting her through.From the strategic "no" that makes angels sing to understanding glass balls versus rubber balls, this episode is for anyone drowning in the impossible math of midlife demands.You're not broken. You don't need fixing. You just need to know you're not alone in the mincer.Key Topics: Midlife overwhelm, parenting teenagers, caring for aging parents, relationship survival, permission to struggle, practical coping strategies00:00 Introduction and Purpose00:54 The Sausage Mincer of Midlife02:33 Parenting Challenges03:27 Caring for Aging Parents04:51 Struggles and Realizations13:38 Permission to Be Mediocre17:06 Triage Approach to Life18:58 Micro Moments of Connection22:23 Conclusion and Encouragement22:57 Closing Remarks and Call to ActionConnect: Instagram - @iamdaniellecolley Website - daniellecolley.com.auBook - The Chocolate Bar Life; Creating a delicious balance between work, res and play 

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• Your Life Is Your Own (and other hards truths about backing yourself)

  Enjoyed this and want to let us know? Drop us a textWhat do you do when you have a burning dream, two kids depending on you, and absolutely no safety net? You ship it anyway.Jessica Mudditt knows a thing or two about backing yourself when the stakes are high. As a journalist who spent a decade navigating international media across London, Bangladesh, and Myanmar—including being the only foreign journalist at a propaganda newspaper during Myanmar's most politically volatile period—Jess has faced real danger and lived to tell the tale.Now she's channeling that same fearless energy into revolutionising the publishing world as founder of hybrid publishing company Hembury Books, proving that sometimes the best business decisions come from those who've already stared down genuine fear.In this raw and inspiring conversation, Jess shares why she started her business the day after her father's funeral, how living through political uncertainty taught her to distinguish between real danger and limiting beliefs, and why her motto "ship it" has become the foundation of everything she does.This isn't just another entrepreneur success story—it's a masterclass in resilience, risk-taking, and what it really means to make your life your own.Website - ⁠Hembury Books⁠Instagram - ⁠@hembury_books⁠Books: Available on Amazon and BooktopiaOliver Berkman's "Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals"If this episode resonated with you:Ask yourself: What's the one thing you've been waiting to start? What would "shipping it" look like for you?Try Jessica's fear test: Will you remember this decision in five years? If yes, it's worth the nerves.Remember: Your life is your own. What would you do if you truly believed that?Ready to take the next step? Book a discovery call with Danielle to explore what's possible when you finally back yourself.Subscribe so you never miss an episode of real talk about success, resilience, and living life on your own terms.Leave a review if this episode gave you the push you needed to back yourself.Share with someone who needs to hear Jessica's story—because sometimes we all need permission to make our lives our own.00:00 Welcome and Introduction01:03 Taking the Leap: From Freelance Journalism to Publishing02:18 The Birth of Hembury Books03:58 Overcoming Challenges and Finding Success05:01 The Importance of Iteration and Risk-Taking06:19 Personal Journey and High-Risk Appetite11:06 Experiences in Myanmar23:48 Navigating Financial Anxiety as an Entrepreneur27:33 Resilience and Self-Kindness30:30 Disrupting the Publishing Industry35:13 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

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• HAYR? The Elephant In The Wine Glass

  Enjoyed this and want to let us know? Drop us a textHow Are You Really? From blackout drunk at 14 to four months alcohol-free at 49 - this isn't your typical sobriety story. Hell, she's not even sure if she's sober. This episode of Big Stuff asks How Are You Really? about Danielle's complicated relationship with alcohol, from teenage rebellion to mummy wine culture to perimenopause reality checks.Danielle explores the socially acceptable way we've been taught to cope with everything from Tuesday to triumph, and what happens when you start asking uncomfortable questions about habits that once served you but now don't.Spoiler alert: You don't need to hit rock bottom to reassess your relationship with alcohol. And you definitely don't need to commit to forever.If you're questioning your own relationship with alcohol (or any habit that's stopped serving you), ask yourself:What is this giving to my life and what is this taking from my life?How do I want to be? Who do I want to be? How do I want to show up?Remember: You don't need all the answers figured out. You just need to ask some questions.This episode is part of How Are You Really? - where listeners can share what's going on for them and receive real-time coaching. No conversation, just honest answers and evidence-based guidance.If you want real support with how you really are, get in touch: [email protected]⁠Hit Danielle's website to learn more⁠Buy Danielle's award winning book - ⁠The Chocolate Bar Life⁠⁠Follow her on Instagram⁠Remember: As long as you are self-reflecting, you'll always be moving in the right direction.00:00 Introduction: The Elephant in the Wine Glass00:24 Personal Journey: From Blackout Drunk to Sober02:20 Teenage Drinking: Setting Patterns04:37 Alcohol and Parenthood: A Coping Mechanism05:20 Shifting Perspectives: Alcohol and Wellness07:28 Physical Reactions: The Impact of Alcohol09:15 Relationship Dynamics: Alcohol and Marriage11:17 Experimenting with Sobriety: Six Weeks Challenge15:03 Sober Curious: Influences and Reflections25:29 Concluding Thoughts: Reassessing Alcohol

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• When Standing Out Becomes Your Super Power

  Enjoyed this and want to let us know? Drop us a textSix years ago, my friend Carolyn was a successful TV executive who liked to blend into the background. Then she lost every single hair on her body to alopecia - and it forced her to become the most confident version of herself she'd ever been.Carolyn Ozkoseoglu is the Vice President of Sales and Distribution at Sony Pictures Television, working in an industry notoriously obsessed with appearance. When Alopecia Universalis stripped away every hair on her body, she faced a choice: hide from the world or own her new reality.What followed was a journey from shame and fear to unexpected confidence and empowerment. In this conversation, Carolyn shares how losing the thing she thought defined her actually helped her discover who she really was - and why standing out became her greatest strength. This conversation is for anyone who's ever felt like they had to hide parts of themselves, anyone facing their own identity transformation, or anyone who simply wants to understand what real confidence looks like. Carolyn's journey proves that sometimes the thing we fear most becomes the thing that sets us free.While Carolyn keeps a relatively private social media presence, you can follow Sony Pictures Television's work in the Australian market through industry publications.This conversation was deeply personal for me to share, as Carolyn isn't just a podcast guest - she's one of my dearest friends and the godmother to my children. Her courage in sharing this story, and in living it so authentically, continues to inspire me every day.00:00 Welcome to Big Stuff00:30 Understanding the Role in Film and Television02:58 The Importance of Appearance in the Industry04:34 Alopecia Diagnosis and Initial Reactions10:43 Coping with Hair Loss and Finding Support15:49 Embracing a New Identity22:43 Living with Alopecia: Challenges and Insights30:23 Confidence and Self-Development38:56 Eyebrow Adventures and Nasal Hair Woes40:12 The Irony of Hair Loss and Beauty Standards45:42 Empathy and Visible Differences53:16 The Journey of Alopecia

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