Today I am interviewing Melissa Browne, who is an ex-accountant, ex financial advisor, ex-working till she drops, bestselling author, business strategist & mentor and entrepreneur who is passionate about helping women particularly live a life by design and not by default.

We want to make sure we are out living our best life and money is just one area that can help make that happen. In this episode, we bust open those money myths, discuss money habits we should be employing to get us further ahead financially, we talk about sexually transmitted debt and what we can do to protect ourselves plus much more.

We are all about empowering you and Mel is here to empower you financially.

If you would like to know more about Mel, work with Mel or if you would like to access all of the info we discussed today, then please head to: www.melissabrowne.com.au/kiyspodcast

Can't get enough of us? Check out:

Instagram: @womens_self_defence_network/

Facebook: @selfdefencenetwork

LinkedIn: Rachel Kealy - Women's Self Defence Network

Website: www.wsdn.com.au

A big part of Self Defence is learning how to avoid a violent encounter.

We talk a lot about de-escalating a situation as we want to avoid violence at all costs as anything can happen in a violent encounter. No one wants to get into a fight (well, most of us don't anyway) but unknowingly we can set ourselves up for a fight in a split second when we allow our ego to run free. This is where a situation can escalate and lead to a devasting outcome. We need to keep our ego in check and work towards de-escalating the situation.

In today's episode, we talk about the importance of de-escalation and changing the narrative so that we can avoid an ego-based violent encounter.

We also focus on unwanted attention and the best way to handle this. Wanting to yell back at someone catcalling us is something we would love to do. Stand our ground you could say but is this the safest way to deal with this situation. There is quite the debate about how to deal with this situation but let me say that your safety is at the forefront of our minds, making sure you get home safe is what we care about.

Can't get enough of us? Check out:

Instagram: @womens_self_defence_network/

Facebook: @selfdefencenetwork

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kealy-380674198/

Website: www.wsdn.com.au

We are all about avoiding violence and the best way to do that is to give ourselves options. We want to make sure that the places we are hanging out provide us with maximum visibility, space to move plus many exit points so that we can leave a situation if we need to.

Think of it as a room with one door, you have just one exit point which is not ideal, the same goes for when you are out and you have limited options. Just taking a moment to assess our surroundings and seeing what options are available to us can make all the difference.

Can't get enough of us? Check out:

Instagram: @womens_self_defence_network/

Facebook: @selfdefencenetwork

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kealy-380674198/

Website: www.wsdn.com.au

We cannot be perfect all the time but there are so many things we can do in our day-to-day life that are EASY and put us ahead of the game when it comes to our safety. Today's episode is to point out the easy side of Self Defence as sometimes we forget that a little change in our life can make all the difference.

The easy is so damn easy compared to the hard, the violence. It is extremely hard from a mental and physical aspect to fight for your life which is why we bang on today about the easy.

Now, maybe you are already doing some of these things or maybe you just need this little reminder of how we can change our daily habits that allow you to live a safer life. At the end of the day, the choice is yours alone how you live your life. We just want to present you with the information and its benefits and you can take it from there. Take care and stay safe.

Can't get enough of us? Check out:

Instagram: @womens_self_defence_network/

Facebook: @selfdefencenetwork

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kealy-380674198/

Website: www.wsdn.com.au

What is your inner chatter like when it comes to your safety? Do you instantly think "shit, shit, shit" or do you tell yourself "I've got this"?

Today I talk about the importance of having the right mindset, living your best life in the safest way possible. Focusing on the things we can control, will make all the difference. We must think about the environment we actually live in and not the one we would like to live in. We can all say "I should be able to do this or that" but we really need to think about what we can actually do in regards to our safety. We have to be making smart choices when navigating our day so that we can go and live our best life. Living in a state of worry and panic is not living. I want you to feel empowered when it comes to your safety, you are the one controlling your actions.

Can't get enough of us? Check out:

Instagram: @womens_self_defence_network/

Facebook: @selfdefencenetwork

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kealy-380674198/

Website: www.wsdn.com.au

There are lots of ideas out there about how to use your phone when it comes to self-defence and today I want to share our thoughts on when we feel your phone is needed.

Tristan and I talk about how we would use our phone if we were confronted with a potential threat, just one on one. We also look at what role our phone can play in a third party situation where we are witnessing a violent encounter.

We have many tools at our disposal when we find ourselves in a violent encounter, is the phone one of them?

Can't get enough of us? Check out:

Instagram: @womens_self_defence_network/

Facebook: @selfdefencenetwork

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kealy-380674198/

Website: www.wsdn.com.au

I have had so many messages sliding into my DM's about how to stay safe when you're out with babies and kids. I get it, I have been there, I have two boys and I know what it feels like when all you want to do is protect these tiny people from everything in the world and you can feel quite vulnerable when doing it.

In this episode, Tristan and I talk about what you can do to not only feel safer when you're out with babies and kids but actually be safer. Planning plays a large role but the type of planning will differ depending on the age of the child. We run through each stage, starting with Infants working our way up to 12-year-olds, which covers the primary school years.

You know your child best, so apply these tips and strategies when you feel your child is ready. Self-protection is a life journey and one that evolves with the various stages of your life. We have one life so make sure you are living it to the max in the safest way possible.

Can't get enough of us? Check out:

Instagram: @womens_self_defence_network/

Facebook: @selfdefencenetwork

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kealy-380674198/

Website: www.wsdn.com.au

WARNING - Some people may find this episode disturbing as we are talking about Domestic Violence and I would like you to listen at your discretion.

Today Rachel talks with Caroline McGuinness who is doing amazing things to bring more awareness to domestic violence. She is a qualified social worker with a wealth of expertise in human behaviour, trauma and engagement. She is the founder of McGuinness Consultancy, Empowering Leading Women, and The WHY Campaign which kicked off last year during the pandemic. Caroline is so passionate about bringing an end to domestic and today she talks about how she is going to make this happen.

If you find this episode overwhelming at any time and you would like to speak to someone, support is available. If you are in Australia:

Call 1800RESPECT for 24/7 support

Call 000 if you are in danger

If you are not in Australia, please find your local support services hotline.

For more information on Caroline, please visit:

Website: www.thewhycampaign.com/

Email: info@empoweringleadingwomen.com

Instagram: @empoweringleadingwomen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-mc-guinness/

Can't get enough of us? Check out:

Instagram: @womens_self_defence_network/

Facebook: @selfdefencenetwork

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kealy-380674198/

Website: www.wsdn.com.au