The Rise and Hive

This week’s Question of the Week is a serious one… if you could live inside or outside for the rest of your life, which would you choose? Melissa, a fully fledged fresh-air lover, is all about outdoor living. Obviously, she’s already started trying to bend the rules because apparently living outside comes with terms and conditions . Call the police! Liane, meanwhile, is veering firmly towards indo...

This week we’re pulling back the curtain on what happens when the person who is usually holding everyone else up suddenly doesn’t have the capacity to hold herself up. After a tough Great North Run, Melissa found herself unwell, struggling and unable to be the motivator, energiser and cheerleader she’s always been. For the first time in 11 Great North Runs, it really knocked her confidence and bro...

This week’s Question of the Week is a shower-based dilemma: do you face towards the shower or away from it? And, as it turns out, it very much depends on whether there’s a hair wash involved. Liane and Melissa are both firmly in the hybrid camp, with plenty of switching around. We revisit last week’s icks and uncover some unexpected disclosures involving vapes, Crocs, Lycra and noise… plus, becaus...

This week we’re talking about how we can be same same, but different. Rooted together, growing in different directions. We share the same core values, but our lives have taken very different paths, and that’s exactly where some of the magic happens. Our daily podcast gives us a chance to stop, reflect and see things from a different perspective, and we’re realising more and more how much that matt...

We’re moving on from last week’s Ick List and getting into the real deal… actual icks. Those little moments, habits or behaviours that can instantly change how you see someone. Including the slightly more painful category of all: giving yourself the ick . We confess to a few restaurant faux pas that have made us question our own behaviour, while poor Liam finds himself firmly in the spotlight for...

This week is a proper Rise and Hive love-in as we’re joined by the brilliant Kylie Dixon, MBE! 💛 Liane shares how Kylie played a pivotal role in the development of The Rise and Hive Podcast following a coaching session that helped set some pretty significant wheels in motion. We talk about Kylie’s own evolution, peeling back the layers, discovering the environments where she truly shines and givi...

We revisit last week’s superstition debate and discover that Melissa may actually be the fourth emergency service. Whenever she sees an emergency services vehicle, she performs a cross and sends her best wishes. Lives saved? Possibly. Scientific evidence? Absolutely not. We hear more of your wonderfully specific superstitions and quirks, from refusing to cut nails on a Sunday, to odd numbers appar...

It’s been an emotional time for Melissa as her son Christopher turns 18 and she starts to prepare for the very real reality of him leaving for university. There are big milestones, big feelings and plenty of moments that have caught her by surprise. It gets us talking about how often we’re taught to gloss over the hard stuff, keep going and put on a brave face rather than actually feeling what’s t...

This week’s question comes from listener Chris, who wants to know: is there something you do for luck that you think is completely normal, but other people might find a little bit odd? Are you a believer in old wives’ tales, superstitions and lucky rituals, or do you think it’s all nonsense? Melissa is firmly in the believer camp, saluting magpies and picking up pennies whenever she finds them. Li...

⚠️ Warning: There is swearing in this episode. This week we’re joined by Hannah F#cking Holt, speaker, coach and breathwork practitioner. Hannah has spent August challenging herself to show up, put herself out there and say yes to the opportunities that scare her a little. And it’s already paying off. She’s applied to TEDx because, in her words, she’s going to be on that stage. You miss 100% of th...

This week we're checking into the hotel and asking a very important question... where exactly is the line between complimentary and criminal? What’s fair game to take from your hotel room? Tea, coffee, biscuits, toiletries? And what about the dressing gown? Surely nobody genuinely thinks that belongs in your suitcase... do they? We also revisit last week's emoji debate and discover there i...

This week we're reflecting on the joy of women coming together without ego, competition or the need to prove anything. After a lovely catch-up with an old work colleague, we're celebrating the glory of being a secure woman in your 40s who can genuinely champion other women, dress for happiness and still experience the girlhood joy of messaging your pals before an event to ask... "what...

This week we're asking a question that says more about you than you might think... what's your favourite emoji? Are you loyal to a classic 😂? Throwing hearts around like confetti? Or are you one of those people using a 👍 and completely unaware that some people consider it the rudest response known to mankind? We also revisit last week's question about bedtime cuddles and can confirm...

This week we're talking about miscommunication, assumptions and the simple fact that, despite what we might expect, none of us are actually mind readers. When Melissa changed the podcast recording plans without telling Liane, we both made our own assumptions and a minor misunderstanding became a reminder of just how often miscommunication happens when we don't simply say what we mean. Ther...

This week's question comes from listener Kylie, who has a theory... bedtime cuddles are purely a Hollywood invention and nobody is actually doing it in real life. For Kylie, it's a hard no. No nightly snuggling, no romantic falling asleep in each other's arms, thank you very much. But what about you? Are bedtime cuddles a genuine part of your evening routine, a fleeting moment before someone rolls...

This week we're talking about the different seasons of life we're all moving through and how strange it can feel when the people around you seem to be in completely different chapters. We unpack society's obsession with the life checklist: house, marriage, kids, career... and how easy it is to convince yourself you're somehow behind if your life doesn't follow the expected time...

This week's question comes from listener Lisa, and it's safe to say she's not messing about when it comes to efficiency. She wants to know... do you wee in the shower? Lisa admits she's fully embraced the art of multitasking. Since getting a new bathroom (and no longer having a shower over the bath), she's not only weeing in the shower but brushing her teeth at the same time. P...

This week we’re talking about the power of your environment and how the right people and places can completely change how you show up. Some environments make you question yourself, play small and shrink. Others make you feel seen, supported and able to shine. We reflect on our different holiday styles and how there isn’t a “right” way to spend your time, only the way that fills your cup. From lazy...

This week we’re making a splash and asking one very important question… What’s your signature swimming stroke? Are you a graceful breaststroker, determined to keep your hair dry at all costs? A committed front crawler with no concern for preserving your make-up? Or are you one of the elite few confidently knocking out a butterfly like you’re heading for Olympic qualification? We also take a nostal...

This week we’re reflecting on what we’ve learned about ourselves over the last seven days and the uncomfortable truth that every new level seems to bring a new devil. From Melissa’s relationship with time, to Liane’s people-pleasing tendencies, money mindset and how easily an innocent challenge can be interpreted as something much bigger, we explore the self-awareness that comes from noticing our...

Would you be thrilled or furious to arrive at a beige buffet? Sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, quiche, sandwiches… are you all in, or secretly hoping someone’s brought something a bit more exciting? We unpack the holy trinity of pastry, butter and mayo, while Liane campaigns (once again) for a buffet that’s a little more veggie-friendly. We also revisit last week’s condiment debate and discover o...

This week we’re joined by our very first guest, Camila Horner from Prosperous Horizons. Cam shares the inspiration behind her new programme, The Art of the Possible , and together we explore what it really takes to step into something bigger than yourself. We also pull back the curtain on the stories we often tell ourselves about people who seem to have it all together. Confident. Successful. Ambi...

This week we're diving into the important stuff... your condiments. Are they living in the fridge, or are they happily residing in the cupboard? Is ketchup allowed out? What about brown sauce? Mayo is surely non-negotiable... isn't it? We also want to know your condiment of choice. Are you drowning your food in sauce, or are you a bit of a dry lover? There are no wrong answers... although there ma...

This week we’re talking about what happens when you stop waiting for the perfect moment and start saying yes to the opportunities in front of you. From unexpected connections to exciting conversations, we’ve had one of those weeks where everything seemed to flow. It got us reflecting on a simple truth: you can. Because when you commit to taking the first step, it’s amazing how often the world seem...

This week we revisit last week's debate about taking your shoes off on a plane... and specifically those of you who claim you've never ventured to the toilet barefoot. We're not entirely convinced. We smell a rat. Then onto this week's important question... Are you a tea person or a coffee person? Or are you bucking the trend completely with a fruit tea or a hot chocolate? Do your...