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 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