I bridge science and soul to help people make choices that feed their spirit, expand their future, and close the gap between who they are and who they can be. You can read my newsletter below.
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Luceat Lux Vestra
Greetings from Assisi.
August 24, 2026
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When Humility Becomes Your Hiding Place
“I never want to be one of those egomaniacs jostling for position,” said Sandra, her brow furrowing.
August 24, 2026
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Hope is a risk that must be run.
Today is Good Friday, a sacred day in the Christian calendar and one that holds special significance for me and my family.
August 24, 2026
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Don’t betray your future self. Bet on them.
Ever sold yourself short?
August 24, 2026
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Look For The Good
In my twenties, two things happened in close succession that brought me to my knees.
August 24, 2026
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If we don’t manage anxiety, we spread it. Be the Thermostat!
I was driving my newly minted teenage son, Ben to the ‘drop off’ location for him to go skydiving.
August 24, 2026
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Welcome to Choose Braver
Start Here
August 24, 2026
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Post
Permission to Belong
When I left my parents’ farm for university in the “big city” of Melbourne, I had no clue what lay ahead. But I was determined to make my way. The first in…
July 17, 2026 · 4 min
Post
What To Do When Life Punches You in the Face
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” – Mike Tyson I’ll never forget the day my husband called me with the news. He was in Houston, Texas. I…
April 7, 2026 · 3 min
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Depth Over Speed: Making Space For Wisdom.
One of the most special parts of my trip to Egypt was cruising down the Nile, watching life unfold on its banks the way it has for thousands of years. I couldn’t…
January 29, 2026 · 2 min
Post
The Illusion of Permanence
Thirty years ago, I backpacked around Egypt and the Middle East—armed with a few traveler’s checks and wide open to whatever the future might hold. Two weeks ago, I returned with my…
January 15, 2026 · 4 min
Post
From bunk bed to private jet: A lesson on ego taming and claiming your truest source of freedom and power.
Some days are surreal, glamorous, and ironic. Last Friday was one of them. WEDNESDAY: A booking glitch landed me in the smallest hotel room in New York… in a bunk bed! My…
December 17, 2025 · 2 min
Post
What dad taught me about true wealth – what we appreciate, appreciates.
While I didn’t grow up with the Thanksgiving holiday in Australia, I’ve come to treasure this American tradition dedicated to practicing gratitude in a world that constantly pulls our attention toward what’s…
November 26, 2025 · 4 min
202511 posts
- Brave the Awkward: Forging Real Connection In A Digital World10/15
- The 100th Monkey Effect: What Ripple Will You Spread?09/16
- As the world speeds up, walk at the pace of wisdom, not urgency09/03
- What’s your ‘helicopter moment’? Why courage compounds.08/29
- Rewrite the Story Fear Wrote Long Ago08/08
- When “It’s Fine” Isn’t Fine at All07/15
- The Power of Your Presence in a Noisy, Fast World07/04
- When Fear Becomes Fatal05/22
- Now The Real Curriculum Begins: A Guide For New Grads05/20
- Dear Fellow Women, You don’t need to prove your worth – just own it.03/06
- My Lesson from the Trapeze: Courage is a Decision, not a Feeling.01/17
20247 posts
- Five Years On from Fire: Finding Courage When Fear Looms Large12/30
- Embrace the hard yards and run your own best race: Insights to my first marathon!12/30
- Disagreement Doesn’t Have To Divide: Navigating Family Tensions11/24
- Be the captain of your life, not captive of your circumstances06/28
- When to Lean in to Uncertainty and Trust Yourself05/12
- You think failure is hard? Not near as hard as learning from it01/31
- What’s your ‘growth edge’ for 2024?01/05
20235 posts
20225 posts
202114 posts
- Choose Courage Over Comfort12/17
- Practice Gratitude. What You Appreciate, Appreciates11/22
- Give More Grace – To Yourself, To Others11/17
- How To Thrive Under Pressure10/20
- Growth And Comfort Can’t Ride The Same Horse09/15
- Choose Faith Over Fear09/08
- Live The Life You Have, Not The One You Want08/25
- Turn Your Compassion Inward08/05
- Is Your Story Shrinking Or Expanding Your Future?07/13
- Trust Your Wings. You Can Do Hard Things.05/24
- Risk More Rejection04/16
- How To Regroup After A Bad Day Week, Month—Or Year04/01
- #ChooseToChallenge Gender Biases That Hold Women Back03/06
- Post Pandemic Growth: Bounce Forward Strong, Braver, Better01/27
20207 posts
- Trust That Life Is Working FOR You11/25
- Lessons From Life’s End: Dare To Live The Life YOU Want08/18
- Toxic Positivity: It’s Okay Not To Feel Okay07/24
- Just take the next step: Lessons from climbing Kilimanjaro with my four kids07/06
- Find Purpose In This Pandemic04/20
- When Fear Runs High03/24
- Strength In Adversity01/20
201912 posts
- 2020 Vision: Set Your Life Compass!12/17
- Be Brave In Your Conversations12/06
- Courage Amid Grief09/13
- The Soul Of Money08/08
- Leading Change From The Inside Out07/15
- Speak with Power, Poise & Impact05/30
- Who’s In Your Tribe?05/09
- Unleash Your Power04/15
- Train the Brave03/19
- Don’t Let Doubt Win02/11
- Lead From Within02/02
- Embrace The Gift In Your Struggles01/24
201829 posts
- Set Your Sights On A Brave New Year12/31
- Pursue A Cause Bigger Than Yourself!12/12
- Forge Your Own Path11/29
- What Makes A Great Marriage11/08
- Don’t Let Fear Rob Your Future10/08
- Got imposter syndrome? Get over your fear of being uncovered as a fraud.09/28
- Kristina Karlsson | Dare to dream the boldest vision for your life09/25
- Success Through Service09/24
- LAYNE BEACHLEY: YOU CAN NEVER BE ENOUGH WHEN YOU’RE DRIVEN BY FEAR09/24
- Plans derailed? Fear not. You are exactly where you’re supposed to be.09/21
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar | Creating peace from the inside out09/20
- Your Playing Small Serves No-one09/13
- Overthinking it but afraid to just wing it? Why ‘doing’ beats planning every time with Emma Isaacs09/11
- Is our quest for happiness making us unhappy? with Professor Tal Ben-Shahar09/11
- Confront your deepest fear, change the world with Marianne Williamson09/11
- Dare To Do More Than You Think You Can08/22
- Kibera Slum – Be At Cause, Not Effect07/31
- Handling Change When Plans Derail07/30
- What Makes You Feel Alive?07/17
- Dare to Wing It07/04
- Reset Your Compass07/04
- Ditch Looking Good For Doing Good06/28
- Mental Illness: Let’s Extend Compassion and Remove the Stigma06/15
- The Deathbed Test04/25
- WomenWill Press For Progress04/04
- Move From Dreaming To Doing03/23
- Message From Myanmar: Be The Change03/20
- Own Your ‘Enoughness’03/05
- 5 Intuitive Ways to Discern Good Advice From Bad01/30
201728 posts
- 7 Keys To Make Changes That Stick In 2018!12/26
- Shelve The Shoulds12/18
- Quiet Your Inner Critic12/06
- What Dad Taught Me About Thanksgiving11/23
- Live From Purpose11/15
- Dealing with Emotional Vampires10/29
- Who’s In Your Tribe?10/19
- Overcome Negativity Bias10/05
- Suffering From ‘Best-Self’ Fatigue?09/15
- Lower Your Mask, Let People In08/22
- Upgrade Your Mental Maps07/22
- Handle Criticism Better07/10
- Conquer Impostor Syndrome07/02
- Embrace the Discomfort of Change06/21
- Let No One Play You Small06/15
- Parent From Faith, Not Fear06/09
- Your Words Shape Your Reality05/15
- Lean Into The Curves05/01
- Failure Isn’t Final04/19
- Don’t Sweat Small Decisions04/07
- Dial Up Your Courage03/18
- Women: Be Bold For Change!03/06
- When Bravery Doesn’t Pay Off02/21
- Don’t Be Too Proud02/06
- Don’t assume. Ask!01/24
- Lean Toward Discomfort01/10
- Build Your Courage Muscles01/10
- How Will You Show Up For Life?01/04
201633 posts
- Risk More Rejection12/19
- Five Powerful Questions To End 2016 Strong12/13
- Spread Joy, Not Stress12/01
- Women Going Global11/03
- Make The Best Of Your Mistakes10/20
- Be Trust-Worthy: Stand By Your Beliefs10/05
- Make Big Plans, Just Use Pencil09/29
- Rethink Possible09/22
- How To Raise Brave Girls09/10
- Run Your Own Best Race08/22
- Time To Tell A New Story?08/18
- What Would You Write On The Courage Wall? Don’t Wish It. Do It.08/11
- Win The War On Terror: Don’t Fuel Fear07/20
- Listen Up! You May Just Learn Something07/20
- Your Failures Don’t Define You07/14
- Choose Growth Over Comfort07/13
- Kilimanjaro: Testing your limits expands them07/01
- Marianne Williamson: Don’t run from pain06/09
- Focus on what brings out your best05/30
- Underestimating yourself? Dare to dive in!05/17
- Don’t spread your stress! Sage advice from Kathy Calvin, President, UNF05/11
- Lift as we climb… up Mt Kilimanjaro04/29
- Embrace Change, Risk Mistakes: My interview with Bill Marriott04/25
- #TalkToMe: Dad’s wisdom on life, love & loss04/04
- Don’t hide behind technology03/23
- Is unconscious bias derailing your decisions?02/26
- Richard Branson: My Time With The Man Behind The Brand02/19
- Stop selling yourself short!02/08
- Less hate, more humanity02/05
- Grow Your Kids Muscles For Life01/26
- Slipped Up? Now Get Up & Stay The Course!01/18
- Be Intimidated By No-One01/13
- Don’t Major In Minoring01/07
201541 posts
- Who Will You Be In 2016? #ThreeWords12/29
- Sit With Your Sadness12/08
- My Night With Oprah12/02
- Teach Your Kids To Handle Failure11/25
- Be Kinder To Yourself11/04
- What are your beliefs costing you?10/19
- Name Fear To Tame Fear10/14
- Stop Comparing! It’s A Race You’ll Never Win!10/11
- The Power Of Daily Rituals10/01
- Need To Call It Quits?09/14
- Deep Roots, Strong Wings.09/02
- Resilience: Build “Muscles For Life”08/31
- Challenge Your Default08/24
- What Makes A Marriage Last?08/21
- Forget Doing It Perfectly. JUST-DO-IT!08/10
- For The Sake Of What?08/10
- Forgive Yourself. It’s Cheaper Than Therapy.07/30
- Five Leadership Lessons From A Week With Richard Branson07/29
- The Agony Of Indecision06/15
- Are You Living By Design, Or By Default?06/10
- Your Words Create Your Reality05/27
- Avoiding Change? Making Changes That Stick05/19
- Turn Setbacks Into Comebacks05/13
- To All Imperfect (But Awesome) Mothers This Mother’s Day05/09
- Take The Train The Brave Challenge05/07
- Walk With Giants05/05
- Renew Your Sense Of Adventure!04/30
- Talk More, Text Less04/20
- Stop Being So Hard On Yourself04/15
- Doubt Yourself Less. Back Yourself More.04/07
- A Reflection: Five Years Since My Brother’s Death03/31
- Is Fear of Rejection Holding You Back?03/31
- Call Out Sexism When You See It03/15
- Everyday Courage03/11
- Asking for Help is a Sign of Strength, Not Weakness!03/06
- Stand up for yourself. You teach people how to treat you!02/24
- Hard-won Wisdom: Resilience Isn’t What You Have, It’s The Mindset You Choose02/17
- Embrace your difference. Own your individuality.02/10
- Layne Beachley: How to own your fear so it doesn’t own you02/03
- Introducing Raw Courage TV01/27
- Decide what you want. Then make it happen.01/13
201423 posts
- How To Make New Year Resolutions That Stick12/29
- A Christmas Reflection: On a week, and year, that’s wrenched at the heart12/21
- Got a “Story” that’s limiting you? 4 steps to rewriting it!12/08
- Gratitude is Powerful. Not just in good times; at all times.11/24
- Done is better than perfect. Just get on with it!11/10
- Fear is not less contagious than Ebola10/21
- It’s not what you THINK you fear, it’s what you LINK to fear09/29
- Mother Courage: Learning a new ‘Brand of Brave’ as my son spreads his wings08/26
- Prioritize what matters most… then say no to the rest.08/05
- World Cup Wisdom: Play To Win vs. To Not Lose07/13
- Hate your job? Either change WHAT you do or change HOW you do it.06/15
- Are you making yourself miserable? What you focus on expands!06/01
- Beyond Facebook: Why it’s important to share our struggles, not just status updates05/22
- Wish you felt more self-confidence? How to build it & banish the doubt05/13
- Don’t wait to know everything before you do something04/22
- Stand for something… or fall for anything.04/14
- Do you care too much about what others think?03/25
- Sheryl Sandberg, Beyonce, We Need To Embrace Bossy, Not Ban Bossy03/20
- Be Bold & Brave: The Call to Courage on International Women’s Day03/07
- Mental Illness: Extend compassion, not judgement02/28
- “Love Is As Love Does”: Spread a little this Valentines!02/13
- Are you charting a course that inspires you? If not, why not? If not now, then when?02/10
- Are you stuck in default mode? Why flexibility is so crucial in the game of life01/16
201345 posts
- Wishing You A Wholehearted New Year!12/31
- What Will You Focus On In 2014?12/27
- Festive Family Feuds: Ten Ways To Stay Merry When Relatives Push Your Buttons12/24
- Feeling more frazzled than festive? Time to unplug & play!12/18
- Q&A with Margie: Acting with courage in an increasingly busy & cautious world.12/11
- Nelson Mandela: His Life Was His Message12/05
- Are Women More Emotionally Intelligent Than Men?12/03
- Personal Responsibility: Time to look in the mirror?11/20
- Avoiding a difficult conversation? 7 keys to speaking up about things that weigh you down10/29
- Embrace uncertainty. It lines your path to security.10/14
- Twenty years married. Keepin’ love alive over the long haul!10/07
- Holding a grudge? How to let it go (for your own sake!)09/22
- What’s Your Everest? Diana Nyad’s Message: NEVER GIVE UP09/04
- Need to toot your horn? Why self promotion isn’t conceited but crucial!09/01
- What would you do if you were being courageous? The question that’s inspired my last 10 years08/26
- BUSY-BUSY-BUSY… For the sake of what? Why there’s more to life than increasing its speed08/20
- Lead From Within: 7 Acts Of Courage For Career Women08/18
- My morning with Wayne Dyer: Our way of being speaks more loudly than our words.08/12
- Five Ways To Bolster Your Resilience For Tough Times08/05
- Oh, how easily we can veer off the path of integrity.07/25
- Hardships needn’t harden the heart. A lesson from Cambodia.07/17
- Is “False Pride” doing you a profound disservice?06/23
- Nigella Lawson, Domestic Abuse and Saying “Enough!”06/17
- Do your big dreams overwhelm you? Focus on the step directly ahead06/11
- Is Facebook making us lonely? Why we mustn’t hide behind technology05/29
- Why you are wired for inaction!05/23
- Angelina Jolie’s Choice: Being Decisive Amidst Uncertainty05/20
- How do you define success?05/14
- Moving the apostrophe in MOTHERS’ DAY!05/10
- Are you “shoulding” on yourself?05/03
- Say No to the GOOD to make room for the GREAT!04/22
- Are you living by default or design?04/21
- A Marathon Like No Other: The Ultimate Call To Courage04/16
- Out of work? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers04/11
- Margaret Thatcher – An icon of Courage04/08
- “Courage is…”04/03
- Ten years. Four kids. Five homes. Seven lessons learned.04/02
- Know any “Emotional Vampires?” Surround yourself with energy givers, not takers03/24
- Do you have a Risk-Ready or Risk-Averse Mindset?03/18
- My Message to Women on International Women’s Day: Don’t Wait For Courage!03/06
- Parmenides Fallacy: Are you downplaying the cost of inaction?02/24
- Life outside my comfort zone. Often scary. Always rewarding.02/19
- Seven Strategies for Highly Effective New Year’s Resolutions02/12
- Ita Buttrose: Lessons on Courage from the Australian of the Year01/26
- Lance Armstrong: A Human Lesson from a Fallen Hero01/23
201224 posts
- Finding joy amidst sadness this festive season12/18
- “The right to bear arms.” Yes, but at what cost?12/14
- Sometimes just ‘showing up’ is enough (particularly at 6am)11/27
- Navigate your uncertain future – less the anxiety!11/25
- Know What to Fear: Where are misplacing your fear?10/29
- Could you be misdiagnosing your problems? (Hint: If they keep recurring,you probably are!)10/12
- Over-committed? Three questions to ask before saying yes.09/21
- Does your life bring you energy… or drain you of it?09/17
- Motivation Running Low? Maintaining it for the long haul climb toward your goals.09/16
- Disappointment: Why you should never let one go to waste.08/05
- “Faster, Higher, Stronger!” The Olympics challenge us all to raise the bar.07/30
- What do your judgments say about you? What a week in Borneo taught me.07/18
- Trusting gut instinct. Does fear cloud your better judgement?06/24
- “The Official Body”: The Profound Cost of Conformity06/21
- I.Q. Matters. But Your E.Q. Matters More.06/12
- Connected, alone. Is technology making you lonely?05/23
- Bouncing Back from Job Loss… Faster, Wiser & Better Off05/04
- What world will you inhabit a decade from now?04/30
- Who Knows What You Know?!04/10
- Are Your Habits Helping or Hindering?03/23
- Why You Must Risk Vulnerability.03/07
- Need to cut yourself some slack? Staying upright when life throws you off balance.02/23
- Moving to Australia… Changes Abound!01/16
- A time for Audacity, not Austerity… and some Tall Poppy Courage!01/09
201129 posts
- What courageous changes will you make in 2012?12/29
- “New Year, New… Hemisphere!”12/21
- Do you need to trade some of your answers for questions?12/12
- Do the holidays really need to be so stressful? Press “Pause”11/22
- Sex, Power, Courage: Combatting Sexual Harassment & Abuse11/20
- “Working hard at work worth doing.” Are you?11/09
- Women in Leadership: Are we confining ourselves to a “Glass Cage”?10/23
- Perfectionism: Are you stuck on the perfectionist merry-go-round?10/17
- Ten years ago today I moved to America… what a ride it’s been!10/07
- If your life were a sermon, what would it say?09/27
- 9/11 Remembered… a Profound Lesson in Courage09/11
- Are your assumptions limiting your possibilities?09/09
- Are you living today by default or design?08/24
- Choosing courage in fearful times08/10
- Do you allow yourself to be intimidated?07/22
- How powerful are you? Become Your Own Super Hero.06/24
- Neuro-Plasticity: Want To Outsmart Your Brain?06/09
- The Ultimate Productivity Tool To Focus On05/31
- Are you tip-toeing through life?05/27
- Forgiveness: Is holding on to anger holding you back?05/18
- Got Tall Poppy Courage?04/28
- Procrastination: How is it costing you?04/19
- Want to build more trust in your relationships?04/01
- What the Japanese can teach us about courage in crisis03/16
- Wisdom from Sorrow, Lessons from Loss… the Gift of Sadness.03/01
- The single biggest factor that holds people back…02/24
- Letting our kids (family & friends) walk their own path02/16
- Does Fear Cloud Your Intuition? The 5 Gut Instincts You Should Never Ignore01/30
- Will 2012 be your year of living boldly? Here’s to New Year’s Resolve that Sticks!01/03
201012 posts
- Presents and Presence This Holiday Season12/04
- It’s Beef Tenderloin For Me This Thanksgiving11/19
- Burning the Qu’ran: Why righteousness drives people to act like idiots.09/09
- The Power of Optimism: 7 Strategies for Becoming a Glass Half-Full Person07/09
- Get What You Want: 6 Tips To Make Bold Requests06/21
- Lessons from the BP Oil Spill05/22
- Find Your Courage: 5 Simple Steps to Stop Fear From Running Your Life05/07
- Embracing Sorrow So We Can Savor Joy04/19
- How to Keep Your Cool When Anger Takes Over03/01
- Life’s Interruptions: Are You Making the Most of Them?02/08
- How to Stay Up When Your Job Search Has You Feeling Down01/20
- Are Your Goals for 2010 BIG Enough?01/04
200931 posts
- A Reflection on What Christmas Represents12/23
- The One Gift That Matters Most This Holiday Season12/17
- What You Can Learn from Tiger’s Mistakes12/04
- The Fort Hood tragedy: what emotions has it triggered in you?11/15
- Are Your Comfort Zones Holding You Back?11/05
- Is There Something You Genuinely Need To Say?10/04
- An Emotional Stimulus Plan: Have You Got One?09/23
- How are your excuses costing you?09/11
- Are You Stepping Up to the Leadership Plate?08/26
- Do you need to step up your persistence level?08/17
- Could you be making bigger, better and BOLDER requests?08/09
- Where could you be upping your integrity?07/20
- NBC Philadelphia: Where could you be saying No?06/19
- What life story are you writing?06/12
- Are you short changing yourself?05/14
- Are you living your life by design or by accident?05/08
- Where’s the common sense in the gun debate?05/06
- What would the courageous version of you do?05/01
- Do you act BIG when others act small?04/06
- A year ago today and what I’ve learned since03/20
- My Today Show Interview02/24
- The Today Show, TOMORROW!02/23
- Fires devastate my home state in the Sunburnt Country02/10
- Where’s Your Daring?02/01
- Is Fear of Stuffing Up Stifling You?01/29
- Oprah…still overcoming her fears!01/22
- Inauguration Day…yes, I was there!01/21
- Are you underestimating yourself, again?01/16
- 5 Steps to Speaking Up About the Stuff that Weighs you Down01/15
- Will the bloodshed ever end?01/08
- Are you going to be happier or harpier this new year?01/05
20089 posts
- Got More Answers than Questions?12/11
- 6 steps to finding what every entrepreneur needs most!12/03
- Praise & encouragement: are you a miser or a giver?11/26
- Do you embrace change or resist it?11/25
- Four Steps to Harnessing the Power of Vision11/22
- Are you in need of more passion?11/20
- What’s the quality of your excuses? 8 steps to raising the bar!11/20
- Do You Need to Say NO to Something (or Someone)?11/19
- Here I Am!11/19
Margie writes something new every week
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Margie speaks on courage, resilience, and leading bravely to organizations around the world — and her newest posts now land on Substack every week.