The Beauty Load - How to feel good enough in your body

My guest on this episode of the Beauty Load podcast is Dr Anita Vandyke, a qualified rocket scientist and medical Dr who has put on yet another hat, as an Instagram influencer over on @rocket_science where she channels her passion for sustainability and zero waste living. ​Anita has written 2 books A Zero Waste Life and A Zero Waste Family. Highly recommend.But As you will hear, Anita wasn’t always a minimalist – in fact she says in her early twenties she was a stiletto shoe wearing, designer bag chasing maximalist! She lived a life of excess, thinking that material goods would lead to happiness, but surprise surprise, it didn't!  I only mentioned the environmental impacts of beauty related consumerism and fast fashion a tiny bit in my book despite it being something I am personally passionate about. So, I am so grateful to be able to explore the topic and share this conversation with Anita. I hope you find a spark of inspiration in this chat to edge a little closer to zero waste for you.There is trigger warning on this episode. Anita tragically lost her husband earlier in 2022, the year we recorded the episode. We talk about this loss in our conversation.Where to find AnitaInstagram @rocket_scienceWebsite www.anitavandyke.com/Books www.anitavandyke.com/booksAbout NicoleNicole Mathieson has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing,speaking, podcasts and work as a counsellor.In the therapy room, Nicole sees the Beauty Load doing its self-esteem-stealing damage inreal time as she helps her clients grapple with not feeling good enough to love. By sharing her own awkward stories and negative self-talk, Nicole inspires a deep exhaleof recognition from her clients and readers alike, who, for possibly the first time, realise theyare not alone, not crazy and absolutely not inadequate. The Beauty Load is Nicole’s first book.About the BookDo you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others, and feeling likeyou don’t measure up?This is the Beauty Load in action, and here’s the thing: it’s not personal, in factit is inevitable in this world obsessed with beauty.Our personal perception of our beauty, or the lack of it, can make us feel anythingfrom numb to anxious, stressed and ashamed, and at worst like we don’t belong andthat we are not worthy of being loved. In the Beauty Load, counsellor Nicole Mathieson exposes the damaging andunrealistic beauty pressures society places on women, and shares how to lighten theload for good through awareness, self-compassion and a realignment with yourdeepest values.Reclaim your freedom, confidence and self-love.Website nicolemathieson.com/Instagram @nicole.mathieson @the.beautyloadBuy the book nicolemathieson.com/thebeautyload

My guest on this episode is my friend, author, mentor, healer and way shower, Kris Franken. Kris is a spiritual teacher who has a background in psychology as well as in the magazine publishing world and is the author of 2 books and creator of multiple oracle card sets. One of the reasons that I really wanted to share her with you and get her wisdom into the Beauty Load is that Kris is having a deep love affair with mother earth – her take on beauty comes from a place of being deeply deeply connected in the experience of living in her body as a spiritual being in amongst nature and the miracle of life.In this episode, Kris shares her take on the Beauty Load and how the whole concept of beauty that we are exposed to in the mainstream is an illusion that we can choose not to partake in. She shares a beautiful practice with us and guides us how to come back to ourselves, our wild and free in just being who we areWhere to find KrisCheck Kris out on Instagram @kris_frankenKris has her second book Wild hearted purpose coming out really soon and if you pre-order before Feb 8th, which is publication day, you will receive a bundle of goodness just for being awesome. All details are at: https://www.krisfranken.com/wildheartedpurpose/ And here is her website: krisfranken.comAbout NicoleNicole Mathieson has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing,speaking, podcasts and work as a counsellor.In the therapy room, Nicole sees the Beauty Load doing its self-esteem-stealing damage inreal time as she helps her clients grapple with not feeling good enough to love. By sharing her own awkward stories and negative self-talk, Nicole inspires a deep exhaleof recognition from her clients and readers alike, who, for possibly the first time, realise theyare not alone, not crazy and absolutely not inadequate. The Beauty Load is Nicole’s first book.About the BookDo you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others, and feeling likeyou don’t measure up?This is the Beauty Load in action, and here’s the thing: it’s not personal, in factit is inevitable in this world obsessed with beauty.Our personal perception of our beauty, or the lack of it, can make us feel anythingfrom numb to anxious, stressed and ashamed, and at worst like we don’t belong andthat we are not worthy of being loved. In the Beauty Load, counsellor Nicole Mathieson exposes the damaging andunrealistic beauty pressures society places on women, and shares how to lighten theload for good through awareness, self-compassion and a realignment with yourdeepest values.Reclaim your freedom, confidence and self-love.Website nicolemathieson.com/Instagram @nicole.mathieson @the.beautyloadBuy the book nicolemathieson.com/thebeautyload

My guest on this episode of the Beauty Load podcast is model with curves, Caitlin Robertson.As a little girl Caitlin always wanted to be a model, she loved dancing and posing and was always trying to be photographed, but she was a bigger bodied girl, so she thought her dream could not possibly come true. But now, thanks to a shift in diversity and the trail blazer models who went before her, Caitlin finds herself joyfully doing the job of her dreams.I couldn’t wait to interview Catilin, because I wanted to hear how you can become confident and comfortable enough in this world obsessed with a certain ideal of beauty, aka a thin one and be different to that. Caitlin and I talk about the importance of representation, diet culture, fitting sizes (or not) and the behind the scenes reality of modelling.Enjoy. More about CaitlinCaitlin Robertson is a model with Bella Management AustraliaYou can find her on Instagram @caitlin_robertson__About NicoleNicole Mathieson has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing,speaking, podcasts and work as a counsellor.In the therapy room, Nicole sees the Beauty Load doing its self-esteem-stealing damage inreal time as she helps her clients grapple with not feeling good enough to love. By sharing her own awkward stories and negative self-talk, Nicole inspires a deep exhaleof recognition from her clients and readers alike, who, for possibly the first time, realise theyare not alone, not crazy and absolutely not inadequate. The Beauty Load is Nicole’s first book.About the BookDo you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others, and feeling likeyou don’t measure up?This is the Beauty Load in action, and here’s the thing: it’s not personal, in factit is inevitable in this world obsessed with beauty.Our personal perception of our beauty, or the lack of it, can make us feel anythingfrom numb to anxious, stressed and ashamed, and at worst like we don’t belong andthat we are not worthy of being loved. In the Beauty Load, counsellor Nicole Mathieson exposes the damaging andunrealistic beauty pressures society places on women, and shares how to lighten theload for good through awareness, self-compassion and a realignment with yourdeepest values.Reclaim your freedom, confidence and self-love.Website nicolemathieson.com/Instagram @nicole.mathieson @the.beautyloadBuy the book nicolemathieson.com/thebeautyload

8. The scale and heirarchy of privilege serves none of us with Louise O'ReillyI know for myself that the Beauty Load has kicked my butt. It has been and still is a "journey" let's say, to come to accept my body and beauty. And I also know that this is in the context of my privilege. Today's guest is helping me and all of us get our heads around our privilege, whiteness and this scale, the heirarchy that kicks all of our butts and serves none of us.In this episode we talk about;Louise's work as an inclusivity and diversity coach and what her inspired this work.The politics of appearance and beautyWhy we fear the dismantling of oppressionHow we can be good/better alliesHow more acceptance and less judgement towards ourselves is creating a better world for marginalised peopleAWhat a vision of the world looks like without discriminationMore about Louise O'ReillyLouise offers inclusion, diversity and anti-racism coaching and mentoring for entrepreneurs and business owners who are comfortable being coached through the power of the feminine energy.The oppressive status quo is something Louise refuses to swallow. This mumma-bear won’t stop until she’s changed the world for her babies. With her unique self-expression, heart-centred rebelliousness, and clarity of her vision of the inclusive world we could be enjoying. It’s no wonder Louise is an inclusion, diversity, equity & allyship coach, mentor and course creator for heart-centered & socially-conscious entrepreneurs.  Louise is a Warrwa-Noongar Aboriginal woman who focuses on cultural inclusion, diversity and anti-racism work for entrepreneurs. Offering the Inclusion Creators Collective membership. It’s filled with courses, live trainings, group coaching and more. Website louiseoreilly.com.au/Instagram @louise.oreilly.shieldandconch/Courses louise-oreilly.thinkific.com/About NicoleNicole Mathieson has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing,speaking, podcasts and work as a counsellor.In the therapy room, Nicole sees the Beauty Load doing its self-esteem-stealing damage inreal time as she helps her clients grapple with not feeling good enough to love. By sharing her own awkward stories and negative self-talk, Nicole inspires a deep exhaleof recognition from her clients and readers alike, who, for possibly the first time, realise theyare not alone, not crazy and absolutely not inadequate. The Beauty Load is Nicole’s first book.About the BookDo you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others, and feeling likeyou don’t measure up?This is the Beauty Load in action, and here’s the thing: it’s not personal, in factit is inevitable in this world obsessed with beauty.Our personal perception of our beauty, or the lack of it, can make us feel anythingfrom numb to anxious, stressed and ashamed, and at worst like we don’t belong andthat we are not worthy of being loved. In the Beauty Load, counsellor Nicole Mathieson exposes the damaging andunrealistic beauty pressures society places on women, and shares how to lighten theload for good through awareness, self-compassion and a realignment with yourdeepest values.Reclaim your freedom, confidence and self-love.Website nicolemathieson.com/Instagram @nicole.mathieson @the.beautyloadBuy the book nicolemathieson.com/thebeautyload

In this episode I chat with disability and inclusion advocate Lisa Cox. At the age of 24, Lisa had a sudden brain haemorrhage in Melbourne airport one morning. Lisa nearly died, nearly had all of her limbs amputated and had to learn to move, speak and eat again. What I love about speaking to Lisa is that this experience has filled her with perspective and fuelled her with passion for life and for her mission to change the way pop culture represents those who do not fit the able and ideal standards portrayed in the media.About LisaLisa Cox is a fierce, passionate disability advocate who wants to disrupt the way disability is represented in popular culture by fusing her professional background in writing, advertising, media, branding and communications with her acquired disabilities. Lisa is a vocal advocate for change with a solutions-focused approach. She has collaborated with peak bodies, national and international groups plus individuals who share her vision for real results. Changing social attitudes, stopping stereotypes and altering the narrative around disability is what fuels Lisa’s mission to muse, educate, challenge convention and create tangible change in the way disability is represented in mainstream popular culture.Where to find Lisawebsite www.lisacox.co/aboutInstagram @lisacox.co About NicoleNicole Mathieson has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing,speaking, podcasts and work as a counsellor.In the therapy room, Nicole sees the Beauty Load doing its self-esteem-stealing damage inreal time as she helps her clients grapple with not feeling good enough to love. By sharing her own awkward stories and negative self-talk, Nicole inspires a deep exhaleof recognition from her clients and readers alike, who, for possibly the first time, realise theyare not alone, not crazy and absolutely not inadequate. The Beauty Load is Nicole’s first book.About the BookDo you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others, and feeling likeyou don’t measure up?This is the Beauty Load in action, and here’s the thing: it’s not personal, in factit is inevitable in this world obsessed with beauty.Our personal perception of our beauty, or the lack of it, can make us feel anythingfrom numb to anxious, stressed and ashamed, and at worst like we don’t belong andthat we are not worthy of being loved. In the Beauty Load, counsellor Nicole Mathieson exposes the damaging andunrealistic beauty pressures society places on women, and shares how to lighten theload for good through awareness, self-compassion and a realignment with yourdeepest values.Reclaim your freedom, confidence and self-love.Website nicolemathieson.com/Instagram @nicole.mathieson @the.beautyloadBuy the book nicolemathieson.com/thebeautyload

In this episode I chat with anthropologist, Mair Underwood who specialises in studying the culture of bodies. After this chat, I honestly want to go back to uni and study anthropology! It is just fascinating. Mair tells us about her research into the world of body building and what she experienced in relation to her own body image as a result of 'dipping her toe' into that world. Mair also gives me a lifelong aha / validation moment in regards to women's struggles with femininity and breast size.About MairMair Underwood is an anthropologist of the body and lecturer in the School of Social Science at the University of Queensland. She is passionate about understanding body practices and the relationships people have with their bodies. Her research has focussed on body-self relations at different ages, tattooing, and bodybuilding. In recent years she has been focussed on bodybuilding and image and performance enhancing drug use, which led to interests in performances of masculinity, and muscle dysmorphia.Where to find MairContactEmail: thinkingaboutbodies@gmail.comYouTube: Body of thoughts About NicoleNicole Mathieson has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing,speaking, podcasts and work as a counsellor.In the therapy room, Nicole sees the Beauty Load doing its self-esteem-stealing damage inreal time as she helps her clients grapple with not feeling good enough to love. By sharing her own awkward stories and negative self-talk, Nicole inspires a deep exhaleof recognition from her clients and readers alike, who, for possibly the first time, realise theyare not alone, not crazy and absolutely not inadequate. The Beauty Load is Nicole’s first book.About the BookDo you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others, and feeling likeyou don’t measure up?This is the Beauty Load in action, and here’s the thing: it’s not personal, in factit is inevitable in this world obsessed with beauty.Our personal perception of our beauty, or the lack of it, can make us feel anythingfrom numb to anxious, stressed and ashamed, and at worst like we don’t belong andthat we are not worthy of being loved. In the Beauty Load, counsellor Nicole Mathieson exposes the damaging andunrealistic beauty pressures society places on women, and shares how to lighten theload for good through awareness, self-compassion and a realignment with yourdeepest values.Reclaim your freedom, confidence and self-love.Website nicolemathieson.com/Instagram @nicole.mathieson @the.beautyloadBuy the book nicolemathieson.com/thebeautyload

There are few moments in a woman's life in which her relationship with her body is catalysed into change more potent than the journey into motherhood. The media and instagram tell us of women bouncing back to their pre baby body, but is this real and is it necessary? In this episode I speak to matrescence expert, leader and activist Amy Taylor-Kabbaz about the pressures of matrescence and where it overlaps with the pressure to always look good, aka the Beauty Load. Amy shares some of the struggles she has observed and some beautiful rituals and tools she has shared with the women in her communities. Amy is passionate, fired up and a wealth of knowledge in this area and we dive deep into this topic. About Amy Amy Taylor-Kabbaz is a Best-Selling Author, Speaker, Journalist, Matrescence Activist and  Mama of three. After more than a decade covering breaking news and current affairs for the ABC around the country, her 'traditional' career took an unexpected turn when she found herself lost, overwhelmed and diagnosed with a thyroid condition after the birth of her first daughter. 14 years - and two more babies - later, she is now the best-selling Hay House author of Mama Rising, the host of the ‘The Happy Mama Movement’ podcast (with more than 400,000 downloads), an internationally awarded Life Coach and runs numerous online programs for mothers all over the world, expert contributor to media outlets around the globe.Where to find Amywebsite - amytaylorkabbaz.comHappy Mama podcast with Nicole as guest- amytaylorkabbaz.com/captivate-podcast/211Instagram - instagram.com/amytaylorkabbazAbout NicoleNicole Mathieson has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing,speaking, podcasts and work as a counsellor.In the therapy room, Nicole sees the Beauty Load doing its self-esteem-stealing damage inreal time as she helps her clients grapple with not feeling good enough to love. By sharing her own awkward stories and negative self-talk, Nicole inspires a deep exhaleof recognition from her clients and readers alike, who, for possibly the first time, realise theyare not alone, not crazy and absolutely not inadequate. The Beauty Load is Nicole’s first book.About the BookDo you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others, and feeling likeyou don’t measure up?This is the Beauty Load in action, and here’s the thing: it’s not personal, in factit is inevitable in this world obsessed with beauty.Our personal perception of our beauty, or the lack of it, can make us feel anythingfrom numb to anxious, stressed and ashamed, and at worst like we don’t belong andthat we are not worthy of being loved. In the Beauty Load, counsellor Nicole Mathieson exposes the damaging andunrealistic beauty pressures society places on women, and shares how to lighten theload for good through awareness, self-compassion and a realignment with yourdeepest values.Reclaim your freedom, confidence and self-love.Website nicolemathieson.com/Instagram @nicole.mathieson @the.beautyloadBuy the book nicolemathieson.com/thebeautyload

How can we be more encouraging to our teens when they are struggling through the difficult Beauty Load terrain of adolescence? I spoke to Amanda Rootsey, a youth mentor, to get her ideas about how to support and encourage our teens and I have to say, she made me feel a whole lot less worried. In this episode I chat to Amanda about her work as a teen and youth mentor, her journey with the life and body image changing experience of cancer and her time as an international model. I found Amanda to be so calm and centred, that by the end of this chat, even though we discussed big and hard things, the world felt less scary and daunting especially for our teens. About AmandaAmanda Rootsey is the author of Shine from Within; a teen girl’s guide to life (Hay House), a youth mentor and a certified life and business coach. Through her holistic training school in Australia, Shine From Within, Amanda has helped thousands of teens and tweens to develop their confidence and now trains adult around the world to be inspiring youth mentors through the award-winning online Youth Mentor Training. Amanda has appeared on The Today Show (Channel 9), been interviewed on morning radio and many podcasts and has been mentioned as a ‘game-changer’ in The Collective magazine, an ‘all round advocate for Mother Earth’ by Peppermint Magazine and has appeared in countless other publications including CLEO, Vogue Australia, Nature & Health and Wellbeing Magazine. It was a 2-year battle with cancer in her mid-twenties that changed Amanda’s perspective on life and inspired her to go vegan, simplify (living off-the-grid in a shipping container for over a year), start meditating, enjoy each moment and encourage youth to shine from within. You can find her at:www.shinefromwithin.com.auINSTAGRAM:@shinefromwithinhq@amandarootseyAbout NicoleNicole Mathieson has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing,speaking, podcasts and work as a counsellor.In the therapy room, Nicole sees the Beauty Load doing its self-esteem-stealing damage inreal time as she helps her clients grapple with not feeling good enough to love. By sharing her own awkward stories and negative self-talk, Nicole inspires a deep exhaleof recognition from her clients and readers alike, who, for possibly the first time, realise theyare not alone, not crazy and absolutely not inadequate. The Beauty Load is Nicole’s first book.About the BookDo you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others, and feeling likeyou don’t measure up?This is the Beauty Load in action, and here’s the thing: it’s not personal, in factit is inevitable in this world obsessed with beauty.Our personal perception of our beauty, or the lack of it, can make us feel anythingfrom numb to anxious, stressed and ashamed, and at worst like we don’t belong andthat we are not worthy of being loved. In the Beauty Load, counsellor Nicole Mathieson exposes the damaging andunrealistic beauty pressures society places on women, and shares how to lighten theload for good through awareness, self-compassion and a realignment with yourdeepest values.Reclaim your freedom, confidence and self-love.Website nicolemathieson.com/Instagram @nicole.mathieson @the.beautyloadBuy the book nicolemathieson.com/thebeautyload

How much of our worth and identity is attached to our beauty, our body and our appearance?In this episode I chat with body image coach and behaviour scientist, Dr Kirsty Seward. I have to say that our work is so deeply aligned, that talking to Kirsty was just such a thrill. Kirsty's work is all about getting her clients back to a deep, loving acceptance of who they are. Kirsty talks about beauty being the goodness that radiates from us when we accept who we are, which is exactly what I am saying in my book!In this episode we talk about Kirsty's breast implant and then explant surgery, about the shred, 10 week challenge world and about the problems Kirsty sees her clients struggle with.About KirstyDr Kirsty Seward is a behavior scientist (PhD), dietitian and body image coach with over a decade of coaching experience in the health and wellness industry. Kirsty has supported over 10,000 clients to break free from diet culture, discover their purpose, values and identity – outside of ‘superficial beauty ideals’, overcome body shame, shift out the ‘all or nothing’ mentality and honour their body from a place of acceptance and radical self-love. Kirsty combines her decade of coaching experience with her own lived experience of body image concerns and explant surgery, to offer impactful 1:1 & group coaching programs, plus her signature 'RADIANCE' online course and community. Website: drkirstyseward.com.auInstagram: @drkirstysewardAbout NicoleNicole Mathieson has impacted the lives of thousands of women through her writing,speaking, podcasts and work as a counsellor.In the therapy room, Nicole sees the Beauty Load doing its self-esteem-stealing damage inreal time as she helps her clients grapple with not feeling good enough to love. By sharing her own awkward stories and negative self-talk, Nicole inspires a deep exhaleof recognition from her clients and readers alike, who, for possibly the first time, realise theyare not alone, not crazy and absolutely not inadequate. The Beauty Load is Nicole’s first book.About the BookDo you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others, and feeling likeyou don’t measure up?This is the Beauty Load in action, and here’s the thing: it’s not personal, in factit is inevitable in this world obsessed with beauty.Our personal perception of our beauty, or the lack of it, can make us feel anythingfrom numb to anxious, stressed and ashamed, and at worst like we don’t belong andthat we are not worthy of being loved. In the Beauty Load, counsellor Nicole Mathieson exposes the damaging andunrealistic beauty pressures society places on women, and shares how to lighten theload for good through awareness, self-compassion and a realignment with yourdeepest values.Reclaim your freedom, confidence and self-love.Website nicolemathieson.com/Instagram @nicole.mathieson @the.beautyloadBuy the book nicolemathieson.com/thebeautyload