Coffee and Contemplation with Susan Dunlop

I met Lucy Holland , senior social work clinician, psychologist, researcher, personal and professional coach at an International Coaching Federation #ICF members event recently.  Lucy, now a Sunshine Coast local, is founder of Simplify Coaching & Consulting, a woman in her 30s, with a background of 15 years working in health and adolescent health. Lucy's specific expertise is in social wo...

Part 2 of 2 Parts: Mish Thurlow wrote her first book in the year of 2020 when everything was topsy-turvy in our world, and her support network back home in South Africa, seemed more distant than ever before. Through the process of writing her book "Truth Seeker - finding your light" Mish explored her own inner truth, and on reflection, came upon a significant acknowledgement of her truest sel...

Part 1 of 2 parts: Mish was introduced to me by our mutual friend, Rae (Episode 3). At the same time as I was inviting Mish onto the podcast show, I heard that her book "Truth Seeker' was being launched here on the Sunshine Coast. I was intrigued to find out more. Today we speak on all manners of important life decisions and serendipitous moments that led to Mish turning all the rich ingredie...

Jodie was referred to me for the podcast episode by her sister, Lisa Williams (Episode 11) as a woman doing purposeful, extraordinary things for her community.  Jodie Williams, is the founder of Black Ant Gourmet , commercial kitchen, cafe and store in Kin Kin; co-owner of Mayan Farm , accommodation her partner and his team have built from rammed earth and recycled timber, with a Tuscan / ant...

'The way the body functions or nature functions are all miracles, despite our ability to name the individual aspects. Just because we are now able to name them, they are no less awe-inspiring (or at least they shouldn’t be). The deeper I get into this, my ideas of healing and practice continue to evolve, and have lead me to the energy work and an appreciation for the quantum.' - Marti Marti Davis...

Marti Davis MD of Denver Colorado shared with me that her path into medicine, her studies to become an Emergency Doctor, and then what led to her departure from that profession, has been circuitous. Her words made me visualise one of those childhood dot-to-dots; which then led me to think about Steve Jobs’ words: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwa...

Making Sobriety Sexy? Yes, Rebecca (Bex) Weller is doing just that!  One day Bex took a leap of faith in herself and left her old life behind. She embarked on a 3-month sobriety experiment that became a quest for self-discovery, and transformed her entire life. Bex shares her own story for the benefit of others. How she took her own experiment in sobriety to creating a growing business that w...

'I think if you are unhappy, try and talk to somebody positive. Ask, because people are happy to share with you, if you’re nervous.' This week's guest is octogenarian, Jill Shaw, from Tewantin, on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Jill lives in a residential aged care facility, Carramar, one of the 2 facilities owned by not-for-profit, Noosa Care Inc. Jill was referred to me as a positive, happy 8...

This week's Podcast Guest is Ann Harrap who shares just a few wise words, including "things often don't turn out the way you planned and you need to be flexible, adaptable and resilient. Because the way in which you cope with challenges or things, that aren't going according to plan, is actually what will define you”  Ann had always wanted to be a journalist, and when backpacking as a young g...

Nikki Creber is my guest this week on Coffee & Contemplation with Susan.  This Episode focuses on what Nikki called "my mission - my everything". In 2019 Nikki was awarded a Community Hero for her work. Nikki is a Parkinson's Advocate and Coach on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. What is Parkinson's Disease? It's a disease of the central nervous system, which includes the brain...

A short lesson shared by Susan about Spinners and Sailors. From a chapter I read in a book, "Life's Golden Ticket", written by Brendan Burchard. It came as a lesson at just the right time. You’ve maybe heard the saying ‘when the student is ready, the teacher appears’. It is a simple lesson, written in the form of a parable, and now it’s something I read to coaching clients, who are stuck or spinni...

Today is International Podcast Day.  This week's Coffee & Contemplation with Susan podcast guest is Megan D'Elton, CEO of Noosa Care.  Megan is a recognised leader in aged care, responsible for ensuring high quality care of 229 people, across 2 sites: Kabara Hostel in the hinterland town of Cooroy, and Carramar, in Tewantin, just over the bridge from Noosa, Queensland.  Megan shares today about th...

The Feather, the Brick and the Truck is Susan's story about the messages the universe sends to us, in all areas of our life. In this instance, Susan talks about an example of each message in relation to one major business upheaval experienced and, thankfully, survived! The lessons learnt, massive changes, determined focus on a desired outcome, and growth is the upside of this particular set of Fea...

Today’s guest is Clare Stewart, the recently sworn in, first woman, to become the Mayor of Noosa, in Queensland, Australia.  In my planning today’s coffee and contemplation episode, curious to hear Clare's story, the thought I had was in relation to a statement we often hear: “Believe in yourself and never give up!” As a life coach, I find that people often can't see how they might apply that...

Sandy Bolton is the Independent Member for Noosa, in Queensland, Australia. For the purpose of this podcast series of interviews with women from every decade of life, Sandy is a quinquagenarian, a woman in her 50s. Sandy has got 2 mantras that get her through: a long-held one of "It's Not What Happens To You, It's How You Respond" and Sandy believes that "it is now the time where I don't want to h...

The episode most listened to; take-aways women have shared; guests coming up soon and how to join me as a guest if you or someone you know has a story to share... and we all do have stories to share. Thank you for following the episodes so far. Very grateful for your feedback.  (Note: the other reason for this interlude is, as my 100-year old guest doesn't have a computer to meet me via Zoom,...

This took some time to come together and in all stories I share there is patience. Beth intrigued me as the owner of her registered charity, Miss Piggy's Guinea Pig Lair, at Eudlo on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. I've watched Beth love and advocate for guinea pigs, or as she put it, be their voice, because they can't speak.  Beth shares some insights into her starting the guinea pig adoption...

This week's guest on Susan Dunlop's Coffee and Contemplation with Women is Madi, a tricenarian, 30, from Noosa, Queensland. Madi's Favourite Quote: (1) as a teen “this too shall pass”; and (2) now “growth requires accountability” Madi's Favourite Song: Piano Man, Billy Joel – always brings happiness and happy memories. Madi shares the identity crisis experienced when becoming a new mum and how imp...

Today's guest is Lois Ronsisvalle, 91,  of Neutral Bay in Sydney. Lois is my first guest in the nonagenarian decade of life. I asked, via my mum, if she could line up Lois to join me on the podcast. I recalled Lois always to be a positive, laughing, keep it sensationally simple, kind of lady. Lois lived across the road from me during my childhood in Beverly Hills, Sydney. Her family of 4 chil...

This week's podcast took a more focused format, rather than a variety of questions across a woman’s whole life journey.  Meet one extraordinary real woman, who shares how she developed a passion, the knowledge and experience of working with craft beer, via a rich tapestry of 9 years' travel and work internationally, between the time she left school and now. Sianna Lucas, 26, of the Sunshine C...

Marg is our first brave Nanna, put forward by her granddaughter, Sianna (pictured) to share her story.  Marg simply began with "I think my life has been fortunate... like everybody I've had ups and downs,  but more ups than downs. I think as you get older you learn to roll with the punches and I do think of myself as a survivor, so maybe that helps." Marg, our first septuagenarian, or wo...

We timed this episode very nicely, without even knowing it!  Given my guest, Lynde McKinley's nursing career has evolved to far greater heights than she'd ever have imagined, and today being the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. Florence having blessed us with establishing the nursing profession, it was perfect timing!  Lynde lives in Saskatchewan (say that 5 times)...

Lisa Williams is this week's guest on Susan Dunlop's Coffee and Contemplation with Women.  A little background on Lisa: Lisa is a quinquagenarian, or woman in her 50s, whom I met 10 years ago court-side at Noosa Basketball, whilst we cheered on our young daughters' team early one Saturday morning. At that time, underneath the friendly chat, I could feel Lisa's struggle to remain strong and po...

Today's guest on Coffee and Contemplation with Women is Lucy Wilkie-Boulus, our youngest guest so far. Lucy is a denarian, or 18 year old woman, from Dalby, Queensland, Australia.  Lucy is the daughter of Lyndalee Wilkie (episode 8) who spoke on christianity, sexuality and the magic of her country town. In helping us set up the Zoom call that day, Lucy put her hand up and said "I've got a sto...

Today's guest on Coffee and Contemplation with Women is Naomi Peake, a vicenarian, or 25 year old woman, from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.   Naomi shares that she began to travel the path as an apprentice chef, from the early age of 16, and switched paths, by choice, a few years into that career. Putting the importance of her intimate relationship and her social life also on the table, Na...