Against The Grain

There’s this misconception about LEADERSHIP - that only the chosen few are leaders, that the title of leader has been reserved for the top ranks only. There’s also this belief that to be a great leader you need to change the world.  Not true! We are ALL leaders. It doesn't matter if you're the president, a professor or a humble parent, you ARE a leader. You see leadership has nothing to...

Perseverance is a quality highly valued in our society. Some like to say it’s the secret sauce to lifelong success. And yet, while it is a valuable trait, it isn’t the sole determinant of success. There are many factors that contribute to success - there’s also focus, consistency, passion, attitude, and a willingness to learn, grow & adapt. However having a solid commitment to yourself to stic...

Hosting a ‘holy crap this is the best retreat I've ever been to’ is less about your itinerary and inclusions and more about how you make your participants FEEL. So while gift bags and monogrammed journals are definitely nice they're not going to create such a lasting impression that your guests trip over themselves to come back for more of whatever it is you’re offering. You wanna know w...

When you first envision running your own retreats you don’t quite grasp the extent of what you’re getting yourself into. Sure you might have a general idea of what you think you need to do to organise and bring to life an in-person event, but in reality running retreats is like an iceberg. There’s the bit you see floating above the water, the best part and most fun which is hosting your retreat, a...

Having the vision for an incredible retreat and deciding you’re ready to run one, is one thing. Actually planning and preparing your in-person event is another thing entirely. Before you get to step into the limelight and play host to your retreat attendees, at least 90% of your time, effort & energy will be consumed by all of the planning and organising that has to come FIRST. And it’s here w...

EVERYONE wants to run a retreat, you can see that from the bazillion retreats available. But not everyone does it well. There's A LOT to consider when facilitating in-person events, and trying to plan and organise it all yourself can very quickly become overwhelming. Hot tip from a professional planner [AKA: me!]… if you intend to deliver a popping retreat your people will love, you absolutel...

Over the span of my lifetime I've journeyed through a heap of change and have been handed a tonne of teachings along the way. And while most of the big changes I've endured have been intentional, absolutely my choice, some of them haven't ended as I would've wished. Yet all of them, positive or not, have been memorable! Every change we encounter imprints something on us - a les...

“Off To Live My Dreams” It sounds like a slogan splashed across the mug you gift to your colleague on their last day working together right? Even though you wish the very best for them, you know they're probably not going to end up living their dream in their new company and role. I mean does that reality even exist? Well it did for me! In my 30’s I landed myself one of these desirable ‘dream...

Do you ever wonder what people mean when they say retreats hit different? How? Aren’t they just an indulgent holiday that’s been organised for people with deep pockets desperate to get away from it all? Not entirely true... sure the bulk of the organising and planning has been done on a retreat allowing you to lounge back and relax... But the difference is in the PURPOSE. Retreats are for those wa...

Once upon a time going on a holiday and sipping cocktails poolside was the remedy prescribed to help us escape and reset. But not anymore. It’s no longer enough. People are craving more. No longer simply seeking mojitos and massages, they are seeking CHANGE. While there are various tools and techniques to build self-awareness and take charge of your mental narrative when it comes to making change...

Ask any professional planner what it really takes to prepare, plan and put on an awesome event and they’ll tell you it’s a freakin’ lot. Whether it’s a conference or a concert, a fete or fundraiser, a rodeo or a RETREAT , there's lots of blood, sweat and tears that go into pulling off a successful event. Events in general are complex to plan and handle so it’s not at all surprising that many...

How is it that we skip into the new year feeling pumped and with the greatest of intentions yet it doesn’t take long at all, sometimes just a few weeks, to notice we’re not keeping those promises we made to ourselves? We’re not leading our life as we had initially intended, and we’re now casually being swept along by society… again. In this episode of Against The Grain I share my list of What’s Ou...

Did you know most New Year’s Eve resolutions are on life support by January 15th… and completely dead and buried by February? Which makes me wonder, now that we’ve entered February, how ALIVE are your 2024 goals and aspirations? Are you still eagerly pushing forward with them, or have you fallen out of sync and already experiencing the wobbles? It’s no secret that it can be hard to find the motiva...

There's something refreshing about a new year… don't you think? Maybe it's the sense of permission we feel to start over, to call in something great, or to make a change to something. It's like we get to wipe away the haze that's clouded our vision throughout the year, and with fresh eyes we once again can see the opportunities and possibilities in front of us. No matter h...

It can be both courageous and impressive when you bravely bite the bullet and make a big change in your life. When you finally make that bold move. And it can also be tough, really tough, to then have things go to shit and it doesn’t work out as you had hoped or expected. On this episode of Against The Grain I’m discussing the dilemma of dealing with changes that don’t go to plan. The challenges w...

Welcome to the  third and final installment of this 3 part mini series 15 Signs It's Time To Make A Change. It’s the end of the year and it’s a time when many of us are thinking about next year and contemplating the changes we’d like to see happen. But you might be feeling cautious at the moment, wondering if NOW really is the best time to take action towards change. If you're feeling th...

Welcome to the second episode of this 3 part mini series where I share with you 15 Signs It's Time To Make A Change. EVERYONE’S life could use a little change. But, it can be HARD to know when it’s the best time to make a change.  On today’s episode of Against The Grain I reveal another 5 fairly common, but often overlooked signs that scream IT’S TIME TO MAKE A SHIFT! If you want to be able t...

I’m a big believer that your ability to recognise when change is calling , and your willingness to change , plays a huge part in whether you reach your full potential and live out your best life. But, it can be HARD to know when it’s the best time to make a change. Am I right? If you're nodding along here then this 3 part mini-series, designed to help you recognise if NOW really is the right...

How it is that you can be right on the edge of making change but then you back out last minute? You never take the leap. Have you ever wondered what it is exactly that is blocking you from blasting forward? Well hold onto your hats guys because I’m about to serve this to you straight.  It’s your bullshit beliefs! Yep, I'm talking about the way you see yourself. The biggest block to people fac...

You're often told "having it all" looks like the luxury lifestyle - a mansion with all the modern toys, sailing in Seychelles, private parties, Louboutin loafers and Hermes handbags. But what if I told you, you've been lied to? That the shiny shit that smothers Instagram isn’t a real replica of success. In this episode of Against The Grain we’re diving into the concept of &quot...

What if I told you that YOU have the power to shape your own success story and to do it in a way that feels good to you? No more being caught up in the rat race and the endless pursuit of chasing and consuming. Would you want to know how? In this episode I share my personal formula for building a soul-driven successful life. I call it my 4 P’s of Success: Planning, Prioritising, Pivoting & Per...

In this episode we’re deep diving into Self-Leadership and why this skill, yes it’s a skill , is so important to us pursuing the lives we desperately yearn for.  You’ll come to understand how self-leadership differs from regular leadership, because there's a misconception that they are one and the same thing. They're not! You’ll also learn why it’s the foundation to leading your life you...

Welcome friends to the very first episode of Against The Grain. Thank you so much for tuning in. I'm so happy to have your support here and super chuffed to be able to connect with you in this new way. This opening episode is where I share a bite-sized bit of my story and what you can expect listening to Against The Grain, the podcast. So hey there, I’m Louise, your host… and I’m coming to yo...

Welcome to Against The Grain. A podcast centred around self-exploration , leadership , lifestyle change and soul-driven success . Your host Louise Fuster, is a self-leadership coach, retreat facilitator and skilled practitioner in the art of change. And her mission is to help you expand your capacity to adapt to change, and guide you towards leading your life your way. Join her as she explores wha...