Episode 1: A journey through wellness

Hey, welcome to the Seven Sisters podcast. My name is Caitlin and this is episode one. I am so excited to get this episode recorded and put it out to the world. It is my first podcast and let's be real, I found the process completely intimidating and confronting, but we pushed through. We got here and you're listening and I am so grateful.

This podcast was born from experiences that I've had within the health and wellness scene. Disclaimer, I don't actually work in the industry, but I just love exploring and experiencing modalities that I really truly believe help our vitality and mindfulness and wellbeing. There is a lot out there. It's mind blowing.

how much is out there and to navigate it is tricky. If we don't know too much about something, how do we know if it's gonna be beneficial for us or how it works? And sometimes when we have so many options, it's overwhelming and we don't do anything at all. So I guess,

without realizing it over the last couple of years, I've sort of plunged myself into being open and trying new things. And I love talking about it. And so I thought that it would be a wonderful opportunity to share the experiences and the conversations that I have with the practitioners on a podcast to help you navigate the wellness industry and what

might actually really work for you. Seven Sisters is a name that I felt was so right for this podcast. Yes, to anyone who's into astrology out there, there is a nod to the star constellation, which I am so intrigued by. But ironically, when I sat down and started putting pen to paper for the podcast,

I wrote down the names of all the women who surrounded me in a really challenging time. And yes, there were seven of them. So it just felt really fitting to call this podcast Seven Sisters. I am here doing this podcast today because I feel wholeheartedly passionate.

to share my journey with you and introduce you to these seven women and many more that I've met.

When I first had the idea and I was dreaming up, you know, how the podcast would sound, who would be on it, how it would look, you know, all the things, I felt quite clear that I didn't want the podcast to be about me.

but you know, rather the women in the wellness space. But the longer I sat with this idea of the podcast, the more I realized how important it was for me to share a little bit about myself and explain how I got to this point and what started this, I guess, journey, so to speak. I haven't always been this like explorer of wellness. Yes, I...

Loved getting a massage and you know, I did a bit of Cairo and yoga on and off. but I never really knew what was out there until a little over two years ago. It was when my marriage broke down and I think of this time, like one day I had my two feet on the ground and the next minute they're in the deep blue sea.

Some days the sea was rough and treacherous and really scary. And other days the water was calmer, but you know, nonetheless, I was still treading water and I was exhausted. I think it was being a mother of two little ones that sort of jolted me to realize that this was not a good place to stay in, to be in. You know, treading water, no matter.

what the conditions, it wasn't sustainable. And at that time, I guess I instinctively tuned into something that I found a lot of joy in once upon a time, and that was yoga. I was about 18, I think, when I first discovered yoga. It was my mentor at the time, Tammy Mallion. She introduced me to it. Thank you so much, Tammy.

Shout out to you. And I absolutely loved it. I couldn't get enough. was, you know, I was hooked. And I guess when times are tough, we tend to gravitate to what we know. And I knew this would be so good for me. It was exactly what I needed. so 10 o 'clock at night, start Googling yoga studios in my area. And...

To be completely transparent with you, I hadn't done yoga in a while. I guess I was, I guess embarking on motherhood, I put myself at the bottom of the priority list. And looking back, I didn't even realize that this was a moment in life. I needed it more than ever, which was prioritizing myself and my mental health.

So I found this beautiful yoga studio called Swell in Margaret River. And I looked at their classes and I had no idea what they were like. But know, reading each description, I thought that Yin sounded nice. I'd never done Yin yoga. I knew nothing about it. But the description, described it to be a slow practice for all levels.

So I took a leap of faith and, you know, hoping it was the right fit. I booked it. I don't know if you can relate to this, but it was on the verge of doing something that I knew would be so good for me. When I, that internal dialogue, that internal negative dialogue kicked in. You know the one? You're not fit enough.

You're out of touch. You have nothing to wear. You're not flexible anymore. What if they stare at you, Caitlin, because you're the new girl? You know, like, what do I take? Do I take my mat? Are there mats there? Where are the mats? how early should I rock up? What if I'm in the front row? Just all the thoughts, all the thoughts to block and create doubt.

in my mind were firing.

Talking to you now about it just makes me remember how intense and powerful those thoughts were. And I wish I could tell you how I pushed through it, but I guess it was just sheer grit and determination that pushed me through and hushed those negative thoughts. And...

I guess it came down to the fact that I didn't want this situation to swallow me whole. I wasn't coping and I was desperate to get through this for my kids. So I got my butt to that YIN class and thank my lucky stars I did because looking back it seems like such a small thing to do but it was actually a massive step in the right direction.

because that one act of self -worth led me to seeking more. And this is when the wheel started moving. And, after that Yin class, I booked another Yin class. And then the flow on from that, and then I created a little bit of routine in my life where I knew at four o 'clock on a Thursday or whatever it was, that was when I was going to go to Yin.

and I'd organized my kids to be picked up. You know, just that was my little Caitlin time. And it felt so good. And that's the wheel. That was the wheel of motion where I thought, I need more of this. I would like more of this. This is great.

So what came next?

Prior to my marriage breakdown, I had done a couple of kinesiology sessions and I really liked it. I thought it brought a lot of positivity to me, but it wasn't a consistent thing. I think I went two or three times at random times. It was because a friend had recommended me. And yeah, I guess that...

that came up for me and I thought I think kinesiology would be a good fit for me right now. I'm really stressed. I'm not sleeping well. I'm overthinking all the time. you know, that sort of, I was in that anxious kind of state. And so I reached out to Jess,

a kinesiologist who at the time was in Margaret River and I booked my first appointment. I haven't looked back since.

I think for me.

Sorry, I just have to compose myself.

I think for me...

Yoga was like seeing the lighthouse. I knew that there was land and there was light.

and kinesiology.

was my raft.

I found land again and my feet touched the ground.

It was.

It was just what I needed at that time. And I'm very, grateful for it.

And so this is the happy part.

And this is, this is the exciting part. This is the, this is the happy time. And this is where things sort of, I guess, started evolving for me.

I remained open -minded and brave to try new things and was fascinated by how they worked. And, you know, I would try one thing and it was kind of giving me a perspective and I'd try another thing and that would give me bit of a perspective. And then I just felt like, you know, my world was just opening up.

Since the Yin class, I've tried all sorts of things from Cairo, Aravada, Bowen, hypnosis, breathwork, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, Reiki. The list is long and you will hear all about them in episodes to come, which is what this is all about.

I've been truly humbled by this journey and I feel really grateful to have been given an opportunity to immerse myself in it. And I love it. I absolutely love it.

This podcast is in ode to all the women who have dedicated their lives to learning and practicing a modality to help others. The conversations I've had with these women on my journey, listening to their perspective, it's just been awe -inspiring. And that has inspired me to do this podcast. That's why I am here today. I really hope that by sharing the conversations and talking about the modalities,

that maybe you've never heard of before, or maybe you have, but you don't know too much about it, it will help you break down some barriers, maybe some internal dialogue that perhaps is holding you back. I hope that this podcast can help and support someone listening that's on their own wellness journey as we navigate life. And yes, I am still practicing yoga.

I still check in with my kinesiologist, but I just want to say here that I'm certainly not preaching that if you partake in yoga and kinesiology, it will invigorate your life. I wish it was that easy, but you know, life is layered and our journey is tailor -made. I guess what I'm preaching though is to keep an open mind, stay open -minded.

Give things a go and if they don't work for you, try something else. You are worthy. You are worthy of self -love, happiness and wellness. You'll know when something resonates with you And I hope that you're able to seek it out in your community too.