Episodes

  • Fire Horse: Going Through Fire to Become Pure Gold | Ingrid Hu Dahl | Grit Diaries

    Fire Horse: Going Through Fire to Become Pure Gold | Ingrid Hu Dahl | Grit Diaries
    Jun 16 2026
    Fire Horse: Going Through Fire to Become Pure Gold | Ingrid Hu Dahl | Grit Diaries⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses grief & loss, which some listeners may find distressing.If you need support, you're not alone — help is available:• Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 · lifeline.org.au• GriefLine: 1300 845 745 · griefline.org.auIngrid grew up as a mixed-race child in New Jersey, retreating into horses and later punk rock music to survive feeling othered by adults and society. She came out as a lesbian in her mid-20s, facing rejection from her mother. Years later, after moving apart and her mother's battle with cancer, they reconciled through open-heartedness and forgiveness. In her mother's final years, despite COVID restrictions limiting visits, they rebuilt their relationship from soul to soul. After her mother's passing, Ingrid wrote her memoir and became a grief coach, learning that walking through fire refines us into gold.Ingrid Hu Dahl is an American TEDx speaker, author, ICF-certified leadership and grief coach, and lifelong musician who has toured internationally with multiple bands. She wrote Sun Shining on Morning Snow, a memoir exploring identity, grief, and reconciliation with her mother, and has directed short films on mixed-race representation and experience.In this Grit Diaries conversation with Mon & Mazz, Ingrid shares the story behind the moments below.🎙️ IN THIS CONVERSATION:• Being othered as a child for your identity teaches you to read subtlety and energy, skills that later become invaluable in coaching and human connection.• Coming out authentically, even when facing rejection, creates the possibility for deeper reconciliation later because you refuse to diminish yourself.• Grief and identity loss can catalyze profound growth, especially when you're willing to write your story and integrate what you've learned.• Forgiveness and reconciliation often require the person who rejected you to choose openness first, but you can still hold the door…🕒 CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and Ingrid's Background04:35 Growing Up Mixed-Race on the East Coast06:44 Horses as Refuge and Nonverbal Communication10:13 Finding Voice Through Punk, Grunge and Riot Grrrl13:40 Coming Out and Complex Family Dynamics17:33 Mother's Rejection and the Long Separation22:33 The Reconciliation Begins: Mother Reaches Out24:35 Cancer, COVID, and Final Moments Together26:30 The Book and Its Symbolism28:22 Fire, Gold and the Year of the Fire Horse31:13 Leadership Lessons and Writing Through Grief36:34 Closing Thoughts on Authenticity and Hope🎧 If this story moved you, follow Kintsugi Heroes in your podcast app so you never miss an episode.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ABOUT KINTSUGI HEROES━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Welcome.We're glad you found your way here.Kintsugi Heroes was created from a simple belief: every person has a story worth sharing, and sometimes the story we need to hear arrives exactly when we need it most.Our name comes from the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold. Rather than hiding the cracks, they are honoured as part of the object's history. We believe people are much the same. The experiences that challenge us, break us, shape us, and help us grow are often the very things that connect us to one another.This channel is home to honest conversations about resilience, hope, grief, recovery, courage, love, and what it means to keep moving forward when life doesn't go to plan.Here you'll find six podcast series, each sharing stories through a different lens:• Kintsugi Heroes, hosted by John Milham• Animals & Us, hosted by Natalie Stockdale• Grit Diaries: From Grit to Grace, hosted by Simone Allan and Maryan Bova• From There to Here, hosted by Emma Bellamy-Dodd• Golden Threads: Stories of Disability & ResilienceEvery story shared here is offered with the hope that it helps someone feel a little less alone. A little more understood. A little more connected.Whether you're navigating a difficult season, supporting someone you love, or simply looking for meaningful conversations, you're welcome here.New episodes are released fortnightly.If you'd like to help us continue sharing these stories and keeping them freely available to everyone, you can support our work here: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/donate#donateThank you for being part of this community.We help people tell the stories they need to share so others can discover the story they need to hear.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌐 https://kintsugiheroes.com.au▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes📘 https://www.facebook.com...
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    40 mins
  • Locked Out: How a Senior Public Servant Sued Parliament House — Jo Tarnawsky | Grit Diaries

    Locked Out: How a Senior Public Servant Sued Parliament House — Jo Tarnawsky | Grit Diaries
    Jun 2 2026
    Locked Out: How a Senior Public Servant Sued Parliament House | Jo Tarnawsky | Grit DiariesJo Tarnawsky entered Parliament House at 12 after winning a TV competition, carrying a dream forged in that single afternoon. She built a two-decade career as a diplomat and political operative, thriving in crisis zones and complex postings. In 2022, she returned to Australia as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Prime Minister—her childhood dream role. Within two years, she was locked out of her office, barred from her workplace, and pushed toward silence. Rather than slip away quietly, she chose to speak publicly, eventually filing suit against the Deputy PM, the PM's Chief of Staff, and the Commonwealth. The case settled on a no-liability basis in early 2025. Since then, she has redirected her energy into helping others navigate toxic workplaces through educational resources, videos, and advocacy work.Jo Tarnawsky is a career diplomat and political staffer who worked for the Australian Government across multiple continents—from Iraq to Italy to Zimbabwe—before returning to Australia as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Prime Minister. In 2024, she took the federal government to court over workplace bullying in Parliament House.In this Grit Diaries conversation with Mon & Mazz, Jo shares the story behind the moments below.🎙️ IN THIS CONVERSATION:• Workplace bullying in institutional settings is often covert and sophisticated—exclusion, email omission, and exclusion from meetings rather than overt aggression—making it harder to name and easier to doubt yourself.• High performers and ethical people are targeted specifically because they pose a threat to systems that want to remain unchanged; the bullier's insecurity manifests as a need to neutralize those who shine a light.• Early intervention with human dignity, apology, and reasonable accommodation can prevent escalation to litigation; institutions that default to legal protection and risk management often create the very crisis they're trying to avoid.• Isolation is the most damaging weapon in workplace bullying; when you cannot eat in the cafeteria, access your own office, or know what's happening in your own portfolio, the psychological toll accelerates rapidly.• Children offer clarity in moments of despair; a child's simple suggestion to tell someone what is happening can become the permission slip to stop protecting the system that harmed you.• Speaking publicly about a painful experience does…🕒 CHAPTERS:00:31 Introduction: Workplace bullying in Parliament House04:12 The moment at Parliament House that changed everything09:11 Falling into diplomatic career with DFAT12:11 Deputy Ambassador posting to Italy and family15:42 Starting dream job and initial success20:00 Locked out of Parliament House24:30 The choice: be pushed out quietly or call them out29:13 First press conference and initial requests35:12 Final return to office and settlement38:25 Pivoting to purposeful work helping others42:39 Upcoming resources for safe work transitions48:11 Book-ending: starting and ending career at Parliament with press conference🎧 If this story moved you, follow Kintsugi Heroes in your podcast app so you never miss an episode.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🎙️ ABOUT KINTSUGI HEROES━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Kintsugi Heroes is a not-for-profit Australian podcast network sharing real stories of resilience and transformation.Named after the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold — the philosophy that what's been broken can become more beautiful for the mending — every episode honours the cracks, the rebuild, and the human underneath.We believe every story matters. Every scar has something to say. And every person quietly finding their way through deserves to be heard.📺 Series on this channel:– Kintsugi Heroes — real stories of resilience | hosted by John Milham– Animals & Us | hosted by Natalie Stockdale– Grit Diaries: from Grit to Grace | hosted by Simone Allan & Maryan Bova– Golden Threads — stories of disability & resilience | hosted by Dan Dougherty━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🔗 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌐 https://kintsugiheroes.com.au▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes📘 https://www.facebook.com/kintsugiheroes📸 https://www.instagram.com/kintsugi.heroes💼 https://www.linkedin.com/company/kintsugi-heroes━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━💛 SUPPORT THE NETWORK━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Kintsugi Heroes is listener-supported and run entirely by ...
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    50 mins
  • Lindsay Ziehl: From Grief and Cancer to Humanitarian Change-Maker

    Lindsay Ziehl: From Grief and Cancer to Humanitarian Change-Maker
    May 19 2026

    Episode Summary

    Lindsay Ziehl has lived enough lives for ten people — and at 77, she’s still not done. Born in Britain and raised across Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, Lindsay survived two cancers, raised her son Andrew alone after her husband walked out, and was stranded in South Africa during COVID when she received the phone call every parent dreads. Rather than be consumed by grief, she channelled it into the Andrew Ziehl Foundation and a lifetime of frontline humanitarian work — training over 3,000 women escaping domestic violence and personally intervening to secure the release of trafficked women. In this conversation with Mon and Mazz, Lindsay shares two unforgettable pieces of wisdom: a rabbi’s three-word reframe, and a little cat with a frozen chicken that changed the way she saw her own strength.

    Episode Pillars

    • The Nomadic Foundation: How a childhood of constant movement across Australia, the UK and Africa shaped Lindsay’s resilience and her lifelong instinct to help others.

    • A Son Called Andrew: Raising him alone, letting him fly back to Australia, and receiving the phone call no parent ever expects — during a global pandemic, unable to travel.

    • Turning Grief Into Purpose: The rabbi’s three-word reframe — “Not why, but what now?” — and how that single shift led to founding the Andrew Ziehl Foundation.

    • Two Cancers and a Cat: Surviving Paget’s disease and breast cancer, riding a four-hour bus to chemo alone, and the moment a tiny cat with a frozen chicken reminded her to get back up.

    • Domestic Violence Frontlines: Over 25 years running shelters, training 3,000 women, and securing the release of trafficked women just one day before they were sent abroad.

    The Kintsugi Connection

    To see the visual story of Lindsay’s journey and explore more episodes of resilience, visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes/videos

    If Lindsay’s story moved you, explore these related Hero conversations:

    • Navigating grief and loss? Explore another Grit Diaries episode on life after unimaginable loss. • Finding purpose after adversity? Explore another episode on turning pain into action

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    45 mins
  • Sarah de Jong: From a Childhood Without Mum to a Global Kindness Movement

    Sarah de Jong: From a Childhood Without Mum to a Global Kindness Movement
    May 5 2026

    Episode Summary

    Sarah de Jong grew up in rural Tasmania with a mother who left for Greece when Sarah was almost four — not out of abandonment, but out of her own battle with anorexia and mental illness. From that early experience of love stretched across distance and grief, Sarah built something quietly extraordinary: A Thousand Hearts, a global kindness movement now in its tenth year, delivering handmade pocket hearts to hospitals, palliative care settings, schools, and communities across the world. In this episode of Grit Diaries, Sarah unpacks what kindness actually means — the science behind it, the difference between being kind and being nice, and why inhabiting kindness as a daily practice might be the most powerful thing any of us can do.

    Episode Pillars

    • Humble Beginnings, Global Reach: How a handful of handmade pocket hearts given away for free in 2015 grew into a global kindness movement across the US, UK, Japan, Greece, Mexico, and beyond.
    • The Science of Kindness: Why kindness works on the brain like a natural antidepressant — boosting serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins — and why even witnessing kindness has the same effect.
    • Kind vs Nice — A Crucial Distinction: Niceness is transactional and external. Kindness comes from your core values and sometimes means saying what needs to be said. Sarah unpacks why we confuse the two and what we lose when we do.
    • Stop Pushing the River: The wisdom Sarah's dad gave her during a difficult marriage — and how it became a guiding philosophy for learning to let go, say no, and stop mistaking busyness for purpose.
    • Self-Kindness as a Practice: Why self-compassion goes far beyond bubble baths and treats — and how learning to look after yourself is one of the kindest things you can do for the people who love you.

    The Kintsugi Connection

    To see the visual story of Sarah's journey and explore more episodes of resilience, visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes/videos

    If Sarah's story moved you, explore these related Hero conversations:

    Exploring purpose and community?

    Listen to Ian Westmoreland's story of building Kintsugi Heroes from a place of personal adversity.

    Turning pain into purpose?

    Discover how Daniel Lloyd's journey of resilience inspires millions to find meaning after hardship.

    About Kintsugi Heroes: An Australian not-for-profit (DGR endorsed) dedicated to strengthening mental wellbeing through the power of storytelling. Partner with Us: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/partners/ Donate (tax-deductible): https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/donate/#donate Website: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kintsugi-heroes/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kintsugi.heroes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Kintsugi-Heroes-100084850387170/
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    39 mins
  • Siobhan Wilson: Turning Anaphylaxis and Adversity Into Advocacy at 16

    Siobhan Wilson: Turning Anaphylaxis and Adversity Into Advocacy at 16
    Apr 21 2026

    Episode Summary

    Siobhan Wilson was born at 27 weeks, weighing less than a kilogram. By 16, she had survived open heart surgery at one month old, roughly 130 resuscitations in the NICU, seven anaphylaxis episodes — including one where paramedics ran out of adrenaline — and founded her own social enterprise at age 6.

    In this episode of Grit Diaries, Siobhan shares what it takes to turn a lifetime of medical complexity into a mission to make Australia safer for everyone living with anaphylaxis.

    Episode Pillars

    ● Finding Magic in the Hard Stuff: How Siobhan's mum raised her to see possibility in the world despite a

    childhood filled with hospital visits, trauma, and medical uncertainty.

    ● The Night She Nearly Didn't Come Home: Siobhan recounts the 2024 awards dinner where she won Young

    Entrepreneur of the Year — and spent the ride home in an ambulance needing the equivalent of 12 EpiPens.

    ● What Australia's Labelling Laws Are Missing: Why 'dairy free' on a packet doesn't mean what you think it

    does — and how a mashed potato nearly cost Siobhan her life.

    ● Shame, EpiPens, and Why People Wait Too Long: The embarrassment that stops people with anaphylaxis

    from acting in time, and why that silence is deadly.

    ● What Actually Helps: From breathwork and hand pan music to becoming a sports medic — the unexpected

    tools Siobhan uses to heal her brain and show up for others.

    The Kintsugi Connection

    To see the visual story of Siobhan's journey and explore more episodes of resilience, visit our YouTube channel:

    https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes/videos

    If Siobhan's story moved you, explore these related Hero conversations:

    ● Navigating a serious health diagnosis? Listen to Ian Westmoreland's story of launching Kintsugi Heroes while

    facing melanoma.

    About Kintsugi Heroes: An Australian not-for-profit (DGR endorsed) dedicated to strengthening mental wellbeing through the

    power of storytelling.

    Partner with Us: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/partners/

    Donate (tax-deductible): https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/donate/#donate

    Website: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kintsugi-heroes/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kintsugi.heroes/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Kintsugi-Heroes-100084850387170/
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    42 mins
  • Why Most Leaders Get It Wrong (And How to Fix It) | Dave Chauhan

    Why Most Leaders Get It Wrong (And How to Fix It) | Dave Chauhan
    Apr 7 2026
    Episode Summary

    In this episode of The Grit Diaries, we sit down with Dave Chauhan — author, leadership consultant, and former corporate executive — to explore what leadership really means in today’s world.

    After nearly two decades in the corporate world, Dave realised that traditional definitions of success — titles, income, and status — weren’t aligned with what truly matters. Shaped by a childhood between two very different value systems, he began questioning everything he thought he knew about leadership.

    This conversation challenges outdated leadership models and explores what it takes to lead with purpose, empathy, and responsibility.

    Episode Pillars

    ● Two Worlds, One Identity

    Growing up between two sets of parents and conflicting values — and how this shaped Dave’s leadership philosophy

    ● Success vs Purpose

    The moment Dave realised corporate success wasn’t enough — and chose a different path

    ● Why Leadership Is Broken

    How outdated, KPI-driven leadership models are failing people and organisations

    ● The Captain Set Sail Framework

    Beacon (purpose), Wayfinder (adaptability), and Seafarer (courage) — a new way to lead

    ● The Hidden Weight of Leadership

    Decision fatigue, emotional pressure, and the responsibility leaders carry every day

    The Kintsugi Connection

    Dave’s journey reflects the essence of Kintsugi — where life’s fractures become the foundation for growth, purpose, and impact.

    Rather than being defined by pressure or misalignment, Dave used those experiences to rebuild a new understanding of leadership grounded in values and humanity.

    About Kintsugi Heroes

    Kintsugi Heroes is an Australian not-for-profit (DGR endorsed) dedicated to strengthening mental wellbeing through the power of storytelling.

    We believe that lived experience is a gift to be shared, not a scar to be hidden.

    Partner with Us

    https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/partners/

    Donate

    https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/donate/#donate

    Connect With Us

    Website: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kintsugi-heroes/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kintsugi.heroes/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Kintsugi-Heroes-100084850387170/
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    47 mins
  • When Life Changes Overnight (Julie Randall) | Grit Diaries | Season 2 | Episode 11

    When Life Changes Overnight (Julie Randall) | Grit Diaries | Season 2 | Episode 11
    Mar 24 2026
    In this episode of Grit Diaries, we sit down with Julie Randall, a Stage 4 Melanoma survivor who defied a terminal diagnosis to find a life-saving clinical trial...Episode SummaryWhat would you do if you were given 72 hours to live? When Julie Randall was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Melanoma that had spread to her brain, she refused to accept a terminal "no." In this powerful episode of Grit Diaries, Mon & Mazz explore Julie’s extraordinary journey of tenacity—from the moment her life changed overnight to her global search for a life-saving clinical trial. Julie’s story is a masterclass in the "Grit" required to find a Plan B when the world says there isn't one.Episode PillarsThe 72-Hour Turning Point: Facing a terminal diagnosis with two young daughters and choosing to "not go quietly."The Global Search for a Miracle: The relentless pursuit of a US-based clinical trial and the bureaucratic hurdles of the medical system.Mindset as Medicine: How Julie managed the mental "white noise" of trauma to stay focused on survival.Patient Advocacy: Why Julie now dedicates her life to helping others navigate the "broken" parts of the healthcare system.The Kintsugi Connection: Finding the gold in the repair and why scars are a testament to a life fought for and won.Topics Covered: > Julie Randall, Stage 4 Melanoma, Grit Diaries, Kintsugi Heroes, Cancer Survivor Stories, Clinical Trials, Patient 71, Resilience, Overcoming Terminal Diagnosis, Patient Advocacy, Australia Podcast, Metastatic Melanoma, Mental Wellbeing, Simone Allan, Maryan Bova.The Kintsugi ConnectionTo see the visual story of Julie's journey and explore more episodes of resilience, visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugiheroes/videosIf Julie’s story moved you, explore these related Hero conversations:Dealing with Illness? Listen to Ian Westmoreland’s story of launching Kintsugi Heroes while facing his own melanoma journey.Seeking Resilience? Discover how Cameron reframed a terminal prognosis into a life of peace and flight.About Kintsugi HeroesKintsugi Heroes is an Australian not-for-profit (DGR endorsed) dedicated to strengthening mental wellbeing through the power of storytelling. We believe that lived experience is a gift to be shared, not a scar to be hidden.Partner with UsAlign your organisation with resilience and social responsibility. Help us amplify voices that inspire change. https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/partners/DonateYour tax-deductible contribution helps us reach over 6 million Australians via community radio and continue sharing these vital stories. https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/donate/#donateConnect With UsWebsite: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.auLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kintsugi-heroes/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kintsugi.heroes/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Kintsugi-Heroes-100084850387170/
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    44 mins
  • How elite sports built her mindset, stress resilience, & career in law + politics with Zali Steggall

    How elite sports built her mindset, stress resilience, & career in law + politics with Zali Steggall
    Jan 27 2026

    In this episode, we sit down with Zali Steggall, Olympian, barrister, and Member for Warringah, to explore her extraordinary journey from the slopes of the French Alps to the halls of Australian Parliament.

    Born in Manly in 1974, Zali grew up between the Northern Beaches and the French Alps, where she discovered her love for skiing. Coming from a sporting family, with a grandfather who represented Australia in rugby and a father active in rugby and surf lifesaving, it was perhaps no surprise that Zali would go on to compete in four Winter Olympic Games, achieving medal success against the odds.


    After retiring from sport, Zali built a remarkable career in law, completing her studies by correspondence while competing, practising as a barrister specialising in sport and family law, and serving on the International Court of Arbitration for Sport. Her contributions to sport and charity earned her an Order of Australia Medal in 2007 and induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.


    Beyond career achievements, Zali is passionate about family and community. She and her family love raising their children in Warringah, taking part in local schools, sports, and activities, while Zali works tirelessly in Parliament to address issues like cost of living, climate, governance, and environmental protection.


    In this conversation, we dive into the values that shaped her — courage, commitment, and determination — and how she brings the same drive from the slopes to representing her community in politics.
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    42 mins