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Scotland's Women

Never Looking Back

Season 6, Ep. 6
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You can change your life at any point in your journey — no matter the age, no matter the circumstance.


She married at nineteen to a man eleven years older. For fifteen years, she was told she was nothing without him. Then she packed two suitcases and never looked back. This is Martyna's story — a woman who arrived in Scotland from Poland at twenty-seven, unable to speak a word of English, and built an entirely new life from scratch. From cleaner to career woman to burnout survivor to founder of the Academy of Confidence, Martyna's journey is proof that reinvention is always possible.


This episode is real and raw. There are no filters, no rehearsed lines — just a woman telling it exactly as it happened, from the small, quiet moments of self-doubt to the moment she finally stood up and said "that's enough." If you've ever felt trapped in a life you didn't choose, if you've ever been told you're not enough, if you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start over — Martyna's story will stay with you long after you stop listening.


What you'll take from this episode is the understanding that confidence isn't something you're born with — it's something you build, step by step, every time you choose to leave your comfort zone. That the voice telling you "I can't" is one you trained yourself to hear, and one you can untrain. And that no matter how long it takes you to reach your turning point, what matters is that you take the step.


Martyna opens up about growing up with zero confidence — the shy girl who introduced herself as "the new one" at swimming class because she couldn't say her own name. She talks about marrying at nineteen to escape, and slowly realising she was living inside a cycle of gaslighting, manipulation, and control. She describes how her husband questioned everything — what she wore, who she fixed her teeth for, whether her questions were "stupid." She shares the moment she packed two suitcases and moved in with her mum in Edinburgh. The heartbreak of her fifteen-year-old son choosing to stay behind. The train ride where she cried — not from fear, but from freedom. Rebuilding everything: a new home, a new career in property, a new life for her and her son. Hitting burnout two years ago and finally understanding what it means to "do things for yourself." And founding the Academy of Confidence to help other women believe they can change their lives at any point in their journey.


Her golden rule: leave your comfort zone — because confidence isn't something you're born with, it's something you build, like a muscle.


Connect with Martyna:Instagram: @academyofconfidence Website: www.academyofconfidence.uk

Join the revolution of Scotland's Women, a podcast celebrating the voices and experiences of women from all across Scotland. Each episode features inspiring, honest and unfiltered conversations with women from all walks of life - sharing their journeys, challenges, triumphs and perspectives.


These are real stories of women shaping modern Scotland - leaders, creators, dreamers and change makers - offering insight, advice and inspiration to listeners everywhere. Whether you're looking for empowerment, wisdom, or simply a connection to authentic stories, this podcast reminds us that every woman has a voice!


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