December 11, 2025 • 54 mins
EPISODE 16: F*ck, Let’s End the Year on Purpose! with Shannah Kennedy
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In this episode of F*ck, I’m Nearly 50!, I’m joined (again!) by the brilliant Shannah Kennedy - master coach, best-selling author, queen of clarity and the most listened-to guest on the podcast so far.
Back by popular demand and in person, Shannah is here to help us close out the year with intention, not exhaustion.
We talk about how to actually feel good at the end of the year (instead of dragging ourselves to the finish line), why you need stillness more than another strategy, and how to build a 2026 that reflects you - not just your to-do list.
✨ And if you’ve ever felt like you’re running on empty, stuck in people-pleasing, or putting yourself last - this one’s for you.
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This episode gets into:
🧘♀️ Why stillness isn’t indulgent - it’s essential
💭 How to reflect on 2025 without spiralling into what you didn’t do
📅 The 3 things to ask yourself before the year ends
🥵 Why “busy” is burning you out and what to do instead
💫 How to reset your nervous system in 5 minutes (yes, in the car park counts!)
📈 How to plan a values-aligned 2026 that feels like a “f*ck yes”
🫶 Why midlife isn’t a crisis - it’s a reset
Shannah helped me redefine what success looked like after selling WiTH Collective. She helped me stop reacting to life and start designing it - based on what actually matters to me: health, family happiness, pleasure, adventure, and fun.
Now, she’s back to remind all of us:
✨ Clarity isn’t a luxury - it’s a tool.
✨ You don’t need a meltdown to make a change.
✨ Stillness is the place where real decisions come from.
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MYTH-BUSTING MINI-ROUND with Shannah Kennedy:
❌ “Burnout is just part of being successful.”
❌ “You need to hit rock bottom to reinvent.”
❌ “Saying no makes you selfish.”
❌ “Planning ruins spontaneity.”
❌ “If you’re not busy, you’re falling behind.”
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🎯 The “Try This Before 50” Challenge
Last time, Shannah dared us to define our values and start saying no to the things draining us. This time? She’s taking us even deeper…
If you’ve been meaning to stop, reflect, reset - or even just breathe - this episode is your invitation to do it.
Because f*ck, we’re nearly 50 and isn’t it amazing when we give ourselves permission to do it differently?
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🌐 Learn more: shannahkennedy.com
📲 Follow Shannah: @shannahkennedy
🎧 Listen now: https://fckimnearly50.buzzsprout.com
📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FckImnearly50
Let me know what you'd love to hear about next.
🔥 Let’s keep the conversation going! 🔥
📺 Watch the episodes on YouTube – Subscribe here!
💬 Join the community – Follow me on Instagram @fckimnearlyfifty and share your thoughts on this episode. Or connect with me on LinkedIn.
🎧 Never miss an episode – Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
📢 Spread the word – If you loved this episode, share it with a friend (or 10). Because midlife is better when we figure it out together.
Because f*ck, we’re nearly 50, and isn’t that amazing? 🚀
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dom Hind (00:00):
Hi, I'm Dom Hind, and f*ck, I'm nearly 50.
Actually, I'm nearly 48 andcharging towards the next
chapter, like I mean it.
And today's guest, you alreadyknow her.
Shannah Kennedy was on thispodcast earlier this year, and
that episode quickly became themost listened to.
Why?
Because she doesn't just helpyou make vision boards or set
(00:23):
fluffy goals.
She helps you take control ofyour life on your terms.
So as the year wraps up, Iwanted to bring her back for a
special in-person episode totalk about exactly that.
How you close the year withoutregret and plan the next one
with purpose.
Because too often we roll intothe new year, burnt out,
(00:44):
reactive, and unclear, promisingwe'll figure it out later.
But Shanna's here to remind us,tomorrow starts today.
Saying yes to one thing meanssaying no to another.
You are the asset.
You need to protect it.
And in this episode, we talkabout how to reflect on the year
that's been, honestly andgently.
(01:04):
What questions to ask yourselfbefore the year ends, how to
stop people pleasing and startprotecting your energy, or why
clarity is your best friendgoing into 2026, what you can do
in the next few weeks to closethe year feeling proud, not
panicked, and then make surethat the new one is set to
(01:25):
perform its goals.
What we really need is thatclarity.
And that clarity helps you makesure that you are not drifting
into the next year.
So let's get into it.
Let's go.
Because f*ck, I'm nearly 50,and isn't it amazing?
Some guests just leave a mark.
(01:55):
And for this show, that was100% Shanna Kennedy.
Her first episode was the mostlistened to of the series so
far.
And if you heard it, you'd knowwhy.
She's a master coach,best-selling author, and the
queen of clarity.
She helps people design theirlives on purpose and not on auto
(02:18):
autopilot.
Shanna taught me to define myvalues, protect my energy, and
stop saying yes to everythingout of guilt.
Although I'm being crap at thatat the moment.
And now she's back in person.
Yes, in person, to help usclose out the year with
intention and set up the nextone without the panic, pressure,
(02:41):
or people pleasing.
Shanna, welcome back to FuckI'm Nearly 50.
Shannah Kennedy (02:47):
Oh, it's so good to be here in real life.
In person.
I'm like, oh, these people getto see you in person.
I've got to come back inperson.
Dom Hind (02:54):
Yep.
And I'm so glad that you arehere.
Um, let's start here.
What's the one thing you do atthe end of each year to reset
your mindset?
Shannah Kennedy (03:06):
I think the end of the year is a silly season
for everybody, and everybody islimping, got that limping to
Christmas feeling.
And that's where I take a wholeday off.
Like one day.
And go down to the beach, or Icall it like Soaks Day, where
you're soaking rather thandrinking soaking.
You're soaking maybe in a hotspring, or you're gone to a
(03:30):
health center for the day orsome massage for the day.
To just press pause for amoment.
Just give yourself one day toreflect.
Dom Hind (03:40):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (03:41):
To actually sit down with a pen and paper and
reflect on wow, how am Ifeeling?
What went well, what didn't gosome well, maybe lessons I might
have learnt.
What was my word of the year?
Did I stick to it?
What am I learning aboutmyself?
Because we keep evolving.
And right in the middle of thecraziness, when everyone thinks
they can't take a day, I bet ifI booked a day out for you,
(04:04):
you'd do it.
Dom Hind (04:05):
Yeah, wow.
That's a great thing, isn't it?
Yeah.
Because you do, you literallydo.
Shannah Kennedy (04:10):
Yeah.
It's like stealing a day foryourself and everyone's
finishing up at school orwhatever.
And um, yeah, it's it's luxury.
That's what I call luxury.
Dom Hind (04:21):
Yeah, it is luxury.
Well, time is actually luxury.
So having that day to yourselfto just sit there.
See, even as you said that, I'mlike, oh, Camp Cove Beach in
the sun, with your little chair,with a pen and paper, yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (04:39):
Maybe with some nice music, not a podcast
music.
Yeah.
Like just be a human being forone day out of the 365 to just
be you and to just maybe even begrateful for the year.
Dom Hind (04:53):
Yeah.
I think it's important.
I think it is, yeah, to begrateful.
We don't, we're not gratefulenough.
Even just the little things,even just giving yourself that
time is a good thing to begrateful for.
Shannah Kennedy (05:03):
Yeah, and and grateful for being healthy or
maybe not visiting a hospital orgrateful that, you know, my
family's healthy, or you know,it's not how many clients did
you have and how many books didyou sell?
And it's actually not aboutthat.
When you sit still, you go alot deeper.
Dom Hind (05:22):
Yes.
What's the first thing yourecommend people to do,
honestly, when they reflect onthe year?
Shannah Kennedy (05:30):
Is not focus on what I didn't do so well.
Because a lot of people say,Oh, it's another year and I
didn't lose weight, or I didn'tpay off the mortgage, or I
didn't do what I said I wasgoing to do.
None of that's helpful.
So maybe focus on a couple ofthe wins that really resonate in
your heart that you're proud ofand sit in that, sit in and
(05:52):
bathe in that for a little whilefirst.
But I find a lot of people justsay, Well, I didn't do that and
I didn't do that.
The win might be a work win,but maybe think about yourself
because we work for the businessof self.
Dom Hind (06:05):
Yeah.
And even if it is the holidayor, you know, last week I got to
spend my Nan's 93rd birthdaywith her in Tasmania.
And it was amazing.
And you know, like for me,reflecting, that is a win.
That's a huge win.
It's a huge win.
It's a real human win.
It is a human win.
Yeah.
Okay.
Good.
Yeah.
How do we close out the yearwithout focusing only on what we
(06:30):
didn't do?
Shannah Kennedy (06:31):
Yeah, which was said, yeah, focus on what you
did, but also maybe how you'refeeling.
Yeah, okay.
You know, because we have toget out of our head and into our
body.
And I find that I get in myhead very quickly, like all of
us.
Dom Hind (06:45):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (06:46):
Um, the head's pretty foggy also because of,
you know, menopause at themoment.
But when I allow myselfstillness, it's like sitting the
glass of water down.
Yeah.
And you know, if you stopstirring it and let it sit, the
sediment drops to the bottom andwe have clarity.
And all of a sudden we're like,well, why am I doing that?
And why did I say yes to that?
(07:08):
And yep, I'm just gonna backoff a little bit.
So yeah, stillness, stillnessfirst.
Dom Hind (07:13):
Yeah, okay.
I I think that is yeah, a nicething to think about too.
Just being still.
When were you still last?
Shannah Kennedy (07:21):
Yeah.
Like with nothing, like notwith Netflix, not with you know.
I often one of my little hacksis I sit in my car.
So I'm in the supermarket, carpark, and I might stay there for
15 minutes, just still,perfectly, because no one can
bother me there.
Dom Hind (07:40):
No, unless someone touched me.
Are you okay?
Are you okay?
Shannah Kennedy (07:43):
But no one's gonna bother you there.
So I can actually sit there andjust let go and just breathe
and just be still and just feelwhat's going on in my world
rather than just what's on theto-do list.
Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up.
Dom Hind (07:57):
It's also um one of um uh guests on here, Dr.
Craig, he said not only isbeing still great for your mind,
but it's also getting you tofeel what's going on in your
body as well.
So, you know, that stillnessactually allows you to listen to
your body.
Shannah Kennedy (08:13):
It means the body can catch up to the brain.
It's like the Gatorade Station.
It's that stopping, it's takinga few beautiful breaths for
yourself.
I've got this amazing app,which is free by the way, called
the breathing app.
Funny that.
Dom Hind (08:27):
Yeah, yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (08:28):
And I set it for five minutes to do five by
five, five in, five out, whichis very hard for people to do,
slow breathing.
And it's the one breath patternthat regulates your whole
nervous system.
Yeah.
I'm like, oh, surely I can dothat in the car park.
Yeah so I've got I love it.
I just do it all the time, andnobody knows I'm doing it.
So the breathing app.
(08:49):
They're my brain, there mybrain breaks and it lets my body
catch up.
And it's like stopping at theGatorade stations in a marathon
because we run a marathon everyday.
Yes.
We're all athletes of life, aswe talk about.
We're athletes of, you know,leading the family, leading the
job, leading everything.
We need to stop at the Gatoradestations and just take a
(09:10):
breath.
And that breath is beautiful,it's so beautiful.
And you might make a differentdecision after you've taken the
breath.
Dom Hind (09:17):
Yes, where you're coming from a a different place
where it's probably a little bitcalmer than one of reaction.
Shannah Kennedy (09:24):
Yeah, it's a response rather than a reaction.
And it's it's is this good forme?
Does this serve me?
Is this what I need to put onmy plate right now?
Why am I doing this?
For a pat on the back?
Or am I doing this because Itruly feel it's really important
to me?
Dom Hind (09:41):
Yep.
Okay.
I've had two people now thisweek say to me, you need to be
honest and actually be reallyclear on is this serving me and
is this not?
Because stop saying yes tothings.
Yes.
Yes.
And it's on a day.
It's unease.
Yeah.
Sease to please.
Yes, that is it.
Um, how do you know when it'stime to say no and protect your
(10:07):
energy, which is a good lead-on?
Shannah Kennedy (10:09):
Yeah.
Well, if you're an athlete andyou're feeling a sore knee
coming on or your calf iscramping and you don't address
it, um, it gets worse and worseand worse.
So as we have that disease toplease, it's just that tank,
that oxygen tank is just goingdown and down and down and down
and down, and then all of asudden you're burnt.
Yeah.
(10:29):
So that burnout becomes ahealth scare, usually a health
scare.
It's if you don't listen toyour body, your body will make
you listen.
Yes.
So there's people with, youknow, lumps in their breasts,
there's people with fatigue,there's people with now
presenting autoimmune diseases.
That's all happening inmidlife.
Yeah.
Because we're addicted toachievement and we're addicted
(10:51):
to the to-do list.
And we need to learn to pace alittle bit more.
Yeah.
And breathe.
And breathe.
And stop.
So I did study breathing allyear this year.
That was my goal.
Is what is something that I canstudy that's actually going to
help me for the rest of my lifein any situation, whether it be
to fire myself up or to calmmyself down.
(11:13):
Because the breath is like aremote control.
And it's the only system thatyou can override in your whole
body is the breath.
So I thought, wow, that's themost powerful tool.
I think I'll study that.
So just doing some breath workthis year has really helped my
energy a lot.
Really?
(11:33):
Yeah.
No burnout.
Dom Hind (11:35):
None.
Shannah Kennedy (11:35):
Zero.
Dom Hind (11:36):
Right.
How often do you give yourselfthat time to breathe?
Shannah Kennedy (11:43):
Well, I don't have time to meditate.
Yes.
I'm not going to meditate ifI'm honest with myself.
Really, really honest.
But I can afford three times aday, morning, noon, and night,
to do five minutes.
Dom Hind (11:57):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (11:58):
Okay.
And that could be before yourschool pickup.
Yes.
It could be, you know, afterschool pickup.
It could be when you wake up,when you go to sleep.
I put it on to go to sleep,that pattern.
Yeah.
Dom Hind (12:08):
Right.
Shannah Kennedy (12:08):
Okay.
And that's all I'm going to do.
Yeah.
I know myself.
Yeah.
I'm not going to sit there for20 minutes.
It's not going to happen.
Dom Hind (12:15):
See, it's funny.
Like I'm three quarters of theway through a 66-day meditation
challenge.
And I'm supposed to meditatetwice a day.
And I can get the first one in,but I just can't like the
second one.
It's just tricky.
And I try and commit to it, butit's hard.
But every time I do it and justhave a you know that time to be
(12:35):
still and breathe, it'samazing.
But it's the time.
Shannah Kennedy (12:40):
Yeah, it's the time and it's the commitment
when you're in a really busytime of life.
Dom Hind (12:44):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (12:44):
Um, unless you're really obsessed.
If you're really obsessed bythat's your thing, meditation,
but your thing is also exerciseand being social.
And if it's just your thing,you can do it.
But if you've got multiplethings, I think it's a bit, it's
a bit much.
Yeah.
Um, and you've got to alsothink about your personality.
Dom Hind (13:04):
Yes.
What are you saying now?
Um, you uh you always saytomorrow starts today, and it's
one of my favorite things in theworld.
How does that apply as we enterinto 2026?
Oh my goodness.
Shannah Kennedy (13:24):
I know.
I think it's focusing on yournighttime routine.
You know how everybody talksabout your morning routine and
you get up and you win the day.
And we do that with the threeM's, the make your bed, move
your body, mindfully breathe.
Then we pace the day, themarathon with the breath work in
between.
Yes.
But then how do you finish?
It's actually how do you set uptomorrow to win?
(13:46):
So, what are the structures youput in place?
So, you know, after dinner Ibrush my teeth because then
otherwise I'll eat on the couch.
Yeah.
You know, for sure.
It'll be 8:30 and I'll belooking for some morsel of
something.
So I already feel good that I'mnot going to do that.
And then a bit of stretching, abit of legs up the wall while
(14:08):
I'm watching Netflix, becausethat's what I want to do.
Yeah.
I want to watch Netflix.
I love it.
Yeah.
Um, so how can I make myroutines get me ready for
tomorrow?
And part of it is we have tohonor recovery.
So if we're going to be thesereally fast super duper
achievers, we have to build in alittle bit of recovery that's a
(14:30):
doable, not time out.
Yeah, yeah.
That's actually on top of whatI'm already watching TV.
So I can stretch and put mylegs up the wall.
Dom Hind (14:38):
Double track it.
Shannah Kennedy (14:39):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Dom Hind (14:40):
How how can you make the nighttime routine stick when
every night is different?
And you know, in the morningswe've got our alarms that set us
to wake up, which we then cango through and m make the day
work.
Yeah.
But what is how can we do it atnight?
Is it the same thing?
(15:01):
Set an alarm.
Shannah Kennedy (15:02):
Like we all we all have dinner.
Yes.
Right?
So anything that you can tieinto your dinner routine.
So when you have dinner, youmight be doing the dishes.
Um, what do you do after thedishes?
So I would prep my breakfast,soak my oats tomorrow, brush my
teeth, might write in mygratitude, might put my face
cream on so that when I'mfinished watching TV, you're
(15:25):
ready.
Stay to bed.
I don't want to start all thatstuff.
Yeah, yeah.
It's too hard.
So tie it with something thatis already done all the time.
Dom Hind (15:33):
See, it's interesting for me because with kids still
needing to be, you know, I putthem to bed, like you know, put
them to bed, do a meditationwith them, all that stuff.
It's every night is differentbecause sometimes they finish at
different times and you know,there needs to be that
flexibility.
Shannah Kennedy (15:50):
But I think maybe asked to dinner, you do
you first.
Dom Hind (15:53):
Yeah, okay.
And then the kids.
Shannah Kennedy (15:55):
So yeah, uh it's finding what your recipe
is.
And I think for next yearthat's a challenge for people is
to not only win the morning,but if athletes don't do their
nighttime stuff correctly, theycan't show up the next day well
anyway.
So I'd love people to stopdoing what's sabotaging them.
Yes.
Which is maybe ladylike couch.
(16:16):
Yeah, yeah.
Watching the fifth episode I'vebeen watching.
Like have a time where you dostop, like nine o'clock, and
then do what you need to do.
It's not starting to do more,it's actually dropping off
things that are not serving youas well.
Dom Hind (16:33):
Okay.
Yeah, I think that's a goodthing.
Um, why is it important to planlife, not just goals or
resolutions?
Shannah Kennedy (16:43):
Because goals are just a little map for the
brain.
Life is the big picture.
Life is, but how do you want tofeel?
Yeah.
Do you want to feel connectedto people?
Um, how do you want to feelphysically, mentally,
emotionally, spiritually?
It's bigger.
It's so much bigger than agoal.
So the life thing is, you know,when you do a vision board or
(17:06):
something, you're putting uppictures of how you want to
feel.
Dom Hind (17:09):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (17:09):
Oh, that that woman up there, she's 20 years
older than me.
I'm 55.
So I always think of my65-year-old self, 75-year-old
self.
What am I doing for her?
That's bigger than just a goal.
Goal is short term for me.
You set a goal every season, aswe talked about last time.
Yeah.
One goal per season every 12weeks.
That's it.
That's enough.
Dom Hind (17:30):
Yeah.
Um, I I love how you alwayssay, what does my I use my
80-year-old self because Ialways do that.
And even at the gym when we'relifting weights and we're asked,
do we want to do another set?
I'm like, uh no, but my80-year-old self really wants
to.
So let's do it.
Isn't it amazing?
Shannah Kennedy (17:50):
It overrides your brain.
It overrides your brain.
I know.
I do the same.
I'm at, I don't feel like goingfor a walk in Melbourne today
because it's raining sideways.
And my 75-year-old self says,Move.
You need to move for me.
You need agility, you need tobe out there, you need to
constantly be moving.
Um, take the stairs.
(18:11):
She gives me a pat on the back.
So when you really focus on it,it sounds quite weird, but
psychology, you have a new bestfriend, which is your
10-year-old self.
And that's who you're workingfor and serving and deciding why
you're not going to waste thatmoney because she wants that
either for her personal traineror whatever she might want.
(18:32):
So it makes the brain justthink a lot bigger than next
year.
Dom Hind (18:37):
Yes.
Yeah.
I like that.
What does a values-aligned yearactually look like in practice?
Shannah Kennedy (18:47):
I think knowing your values is always number
one, which we've always talkedabout, which is asking yourself,
what is the most importantthing to you in the world today?
Yeah.
And it's usually your health,your family, achievement, in
harmony, freedom, creativity,something like that.
But and where are you going tosay no?
Where are you going to protectyour boundaries this year?
(19:10):
Yes.
Where are you going to shut thegate and stop giving the we
talked about the tomato plantbefore?
I'm going to write a book abouttomato plants.
And people just keep givingaway their tomatoes.
Yeah.
And there's none left.
Yeah.
For the right people.
The people that really matterto you get the worst side of you
because you've just been tryingto do too much on your to-do
(19:32):
list.
And yeah, I think it's reallyimportant.
If you want to be valuesaligned, you have to create a
structure or a guidelines foryourself for the year ahead.
Dom Hind (19:42):
Yeah, I I think that that is very important.
Um, what's the biggest mistakepeople make when setting goals
for the new year?
They're not committed.
Shannah Kennedy (19:53):
So say you with your meditation for example.
Dom Hind (19:56):
Yes, thanks.
Just pick up me for that.
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (19:59):
Um try.
Trying means I'm going to tryand do it, but I'll maybe allow
some excuses to come into play.
So I've had to pick up the kidsor I'm a bit tired.
So I'm not going to do it.
Too busy, not going to do it.
But when you commit tosomething wholeheartedly, you
just do it.
And what people do is maybecome think they're committing to
(20:19):
things that they're not reallycommitted to.
So if you're going to write agoal or set an intention, only
set one.
But make sure you're real.
Because what happens to yourconfidence when you don't do
things?
Yeah.
You get angry at yourself.
Yes.
It does.
So I'd rather set one.
So I said, I'm going to learnhow to breathe this year.
Yes.
That's it.
Dom Hind (20:38):
Okay.
Shannah Kennedy (20:40):
Signed up for a 20-week immersive.
Oh, wow.
I had to show up every week.
Um, I had to go and live ingingerbine for four days, in the
bush, and become certified andmaster it.
So I only had one goal.
Yes.
For the year.
That was it.
So if you have one goal for theyear and you create a structure
(21:00):
to support it, your confidencegoes through the roof because
you're winning all the time.
Dom Hind (21:04):
Yeah.
How did you feel at the end ofbeing certified?
Shannah Kennedy (21:07):
Oh, amazing.
I'm like, I'm 55 and I'm stilllearning.
This is so exciting.
What can I study next?
And it was connection withlike-minded people also
interested in it.
Dom Hind (21:18):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (21:19):
Um, it was very community focused.
I can now go and teach it atschools to kids.
Oh, wow.
I can go to hospitals and teachit.
I can teach all of my clients,which I already sort of do
anyway.
Um, but I could take it intoprisons, I can take it anywhere
now.
So women in domestic violencewho may not have taken a breath
for 10 years.
Dom Hind (21:40):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (21:40):
A safe breath.
Dom Hind (21:41):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (21:42):
To be able to hold space for them and teach
them how to breathe.
Um just be incredible for me inthe future.
So there's so much opportunity.
So only commit to things thatreally light you up.
Dom Hind (21:54):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (21:54):
Okay.
Dom Hind (21:55):
Good.
Um, how do you plan for thingsthat don't fit into a
spreadsheet?
Like joy, connection, and rest.
Shannah Kennedy (22:04):
Oh, yeah.
Dom Hind (22:05):
I love those.
Shannah Kennedy (22:06):
Well, if you have a spreadsheet.
Dom Hind (22:10):
Or a diary.
Or a diary diary.
Or a plan.
Right, yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (22:14):
You should be free to be joyful and creative
and spontaneous.
So a lot of creative peoplethat I coach balk at.
I don't want to do a plan or a12-week plan or a life plan or a
10-year plan.
But when we get them into itand they do it, they actually
find that there's so much lessin their head that they become
(22:36):
more creative, more joyful.
Yeah.
Because they're not worryingabout anything.
It's all on paper.
Yeah.
And our job as humans on theplanet is to collect, I call
them balloons or day ofgratitude, let go of the dark
ones.
Yeah.
We've got beautiful water, youknow, we've got amazing
equipment here.
We've got lovely lady overthere producing.
(22:58):
Thanks, Mario.
Thank you very much.
Um, and we've got thisopportunity to have a
conversation, to share itglobally.
I mean, there's so much to begrateful for.
That we have a car, a pillow,yeah, a bed, food, a
refrigerator, a kettle.
So I go around just collectingmy balloons all day.
I'm so joyful.
Dom Hind (23:19):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (23:20):
So lightness and joy are two words for me
that are very important everymorning.
Approach today with lightnessand joy.
Yes.
Just show up.
Yeah.
For a plate aid on the planet.
Dom Hind (23:32):
Yeah.
Plate aid on the planet.
Shannah Kennedy (23:33):
And we're not surviving, we're not, we're not,
you know, miracle workershealing people and doing heart
surgery.
Dom Hind (23:41):
No.
Shannah Kennedy (23:41):
I'm not saving lives.
No.
But I think what we can do isenjoy this day on the planet and
spread joy and be creative andlet go of some of the black
balloons.
Dom Hind (23:53):
Yeah.
Do you know what?
I think it it's um so when wefirst met was in 2017 and just
sold with collective.
And even then it was so much ofthe unknown.
And back then, I think I waswearing so much black and navy,
and just because that was theuniform, that was what you had
(24:17):
to do.
But I think by you introducingthe light and joy is when I
started wearing colour and justmaking sure that it's
fascinating how colour doesbring joy.
But not only joy, it also makespeople come and talk to you if
(24:38):
you're wearing colour.
And it's fascinating becauseyou have so many interesting
conversations that you wouldnormally not have had.
Shannah Kennedy (24:45):
Yeah, and you're such a role model for
that.
Like you are this colour.
But it's all it looks like joy.
Yeah.
It's creative.
Yeah.
It's expressive.
It lightens you up.
Yeah.
Completely.
Yes.
If you put it on, you feelgood.
Yeah.
Um, it's exciting.
Dom Hind (25:03):
Yeah.
Yeah.
It is.
Shannah Kennedy (25:05):
You need a plan for that.
No, just show up with it.
Show up and do it.
So I every morning I'm like,okay, I've got to collect
balloons.
Because last night I put themall away.
Yeah, right.
Every day is a new collection.
Every day.
So how many did I collecttoday?
Oh, not many.
Oh, that's not good.
You weren't you weren't livinga grateful life then.
Yeah, right.
So part of my passion is tolive a grateful life because I
(25:28):
think we live in an incrediblecountry.
Yes.
So incredibly safe.
We have a lot of opportunity.
So to live a grateful life, youhave to constantly be
collecting moments of gratitude.
So the visual for me is justthe girl running around with the
balloons who's light and joyfuland colourful.
No black one means.
Dom Hind (25:48):
Are they all the same colour balloons or are they
different colours?
Shannah Kennedy (25:50):
Different.
And so I even painted a picturethis year in I saw that.
Yes.
I do paint by numbers becauseit has to look good.
So paint by numbers, this girlrunning through the fields with
all of her balloons.
And even painting that made itbe a part of me.
Yes.
Really a part of me.
(26:12):
Every stroke was, yep, this iswhat I'm really committed to,
living a life of gratitude.
And so, you know, I'm in thetaxi, I'm on the plane, there's
a metal tube that's taking meinto the sky.
And don't know how to begrateful for, right?
Yeah.
A lot.
Yeah.
So when you really um wake upand live wide awake like that,
(26:33):
you don't need to set big goals.
Dom Hind (26:35):
No.
No, yeah, you get the joy andthe small sum.
Okay, I like that.
Um, what does your personal2026 plan look like?
And can you share a sneak peek?
Shannah Kennedy (26:48):
Well, it is a year of big change because my
husband is finishing his jobafter 24 years.
Yes.
And we will have a bit ofanother gap sabbatical, which is
always very hard becausethey're scary where you actually
don't work for a period oftime.
Yes.
(27:08):
Um, so he is committed to atleast six months to a year.
Wow.
Um, to fully recover, torestore, to come from a place of
overflow, to see what unfoldsand not plan it.
Um, so I'm very excited forhim, and I will go on lots of
trips with him.
Yeah, um, as I will.
(27:29):
So it is a year to not be superfocused for me.
Yes.
It's actually going to be ayear of spontaneous.
Yeah, right.
Dom Hind (27:37):
So you're living in flow.
Shannah Kennedy (27:39):
I'm gonna just flow wherever it takes me, which
is really unusual because everyyear it is quite structured,
and but that's all been becauseI've had school kids and now my
both of my kids have finishedschool.
Yes.
I want to run around andcollect balloons and be free.
And then that next decade, whatwill that be about?
And and I think you need a bitof stillness and a bit of joy,
(28:02):
and then you create again.
Yeah, you probably need abreak.
It's a little bit like athletesafter the Olympics.
Yeah.
They don't sit down the dayafter the Olympics and plan the
next four year schedule.
No, they go and be free for abit.
You know, all the footballersare overseas now being free
because football's finishedbefore they come back.
And I think everyday peopledon't allow themselves to do
(28:24):
that.
Dom Hind (28:24):
I think you're right.
Even between like when you arebetween jobs, you have minimal
amount of time.
Or if you do, it's panic.
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (28:32):
So the gift of the gap is to give yourself
space to create stillness, tofind joy, to come home to self
and then create from there.
Yeah, okay.
And not panic.
And you you've been throughthis.
Yes.
Don't panic.
There's a lot of rides in theplayground.
Yeah.
There's a lot of jobs outthere, there's a lot that we can
(28:53):
create.
We don't have to do it all thisyear.
No.
We think we do.
We've got 20 years to achieve alot.
We don't have to try and doeverything all at once.
Dom Hind (29:03):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (29:04):
Yes.
Dom Hind (29:05):
Pace the race.
Pace the race.
Okay, good.
Um, what rituals or habits helpyou reset at the end of the
year?
Shannah Kennedy (29:14):
Well, it is taking that day off to really
sit down and just be a human andfeel my body.
And am I, you know, I'm stillhere.
Dom Hind (29:23):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (29:23):
Um, I like to um definitely do an end-of-year
sort of summary for myself inthe journal.
Dom Hind (29:31):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (29:31):
I also like to look what Chinese year ahead it
is.
So this year was Year of theSnake.
Yep.
Shedding.
Yes.
Next year is the horse, whichis embodying.
Dom Hind (29:41):
Okay, I am a horse.
Okay.
Shannah Kennedy (29:43):
Right.
Dom Hind (29:43):
So what's uh what does the embodying mean?
Shannah Kennedy (29:45):
Well, I have to do a bit of research about
that.
But it's about you've you'vethis year was a year of pruning
and tidying up and shedding.
It was, you know, stop doingthings that don't serve you
anymore and sabotage you, orpeople, you know, like just
gently moving away from somepeople that don't serve you.
Dom Hind (30:03):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (30:03):
So next year it's like really being your true
self.
So I'm looking forward to it.
I'm really looking forward toit.
Dom Hind (30:09):
Well, that'll be good if you're in flow in that state
as well.
Shannah Kennedy (30:13):
Yeah.
And I think we can't be in flowall the time.
No.
Dom Hind (30:17):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (30:17):
It's a gap.
It is the pause part because ifyou're in flow all the time,
you sort of don't know whereyou're going.
Yes.
And the brain does need a map.
So when you are having a stopat a big um town on the map,
it's like, let's just stop andenjoy the town a bit.
Let's not drive through.
So give yourself timesometimes.
(30:38):
And there are pivotal points inlife.
Midlife.
Midlife is the chrysalis.
Yes.
Caterpillar.
Uh no more.
I'm not a school mum anymore.
Yes.
We have to dissolve that partbefore we become the butterfly.
So there are certain points inlife where it is good to flow
and let go and then reset.
Dom Hind (30:58):
Are you mentally prepared for not being a school
mum?
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (31:02):
I am.
Because I have a life plan,remember?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Okay, okay.
So probably five years ago at50, or even before 50, I think
it was maybe nine, 10 years agowhen I was going, okay, I'm 45,
I'm going to be 50.
By the time I'm 55, I have nokids at school.
Yes.
So my mind was already seated.
(31:24):
So I was already talking towomen who had no kids at school.
Yes.
What do you how did how wasthat for you?
How did you do that?
What did you do?
I was talking to women who weregoing through menopause because
nobody was talking about it.
Dom Hind (31:39):
No, not back then.
No.
Shannah Kennedy (31:40):
Back then.
Even five years ago, it was 50.
Nobody talked about it.
So I was at health retreatsasking Chinese doctors about it.
I was I was preparing.
I was really preparing myself.
So I've actually really enjoyedthe whole thing.
Yeah.
The whole transition because Idid quite a bit of research.
Dom Hind (31:59):
Yeah.
Because it's interesting.
There's so many women that Iknow that when their kids finish
school, they just fall off acliff.
Because they have invested somuch of themselves in their kids
and need not do the work thatthey don't know what to do.
Send them to me.
Shannah Kennedy (32:18):
Yes.
Yeah, yeah.
We need a plan.
So, so but for that, I think isyes, it is very normal for our
identity to be in our title,which is the school mum that
does everything or your job, butthat's not, that's really
dangerous.
So we need to be a whole personwho also is a school mum.
Yes.
(32:39):
Um, or also goes to work, butwe need to come back to self,
really come home to self.
Dom Hind (32:45):
Yeah.
And I think that's that issomething that we tend to forget
at times is that you have to behappy with you before you can
actually be giving.
Shannah Kennedy (32:55):
And my daughter finished year 12, and within
three weeks, she said, I thinkI'm going to do a gap here, and
moved out.
Oh, and I thought, oh, hang on,hang on.
You're supposed to be home toyour 26, remember?
27.
And she said, No, no, I've gotan opportunity to go and live on
the Gold Coast.
So I'm I really want to takeit.
(33:17):
Mum, what would you do if youwere 19 years old?
Was her question.
Very smart girl.
Dom Hind (33:22):
Yeah, yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (33:22):
I said, Oh, honey, I would have already
gone.
Dom Hind (33:25):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (33:25):
So off you go.
Um, but that would that washard for me because it was extra
quick.
Yes.
Whereas my son, who's 21, stilllives at home, but he's hardly
ever home.
He's so it's really my husbandand I.
But it happened overnightrather than a I thought it was
gonna take four or five yearsand it didn't.
Yeah, it was quick.
And she's thriving.
So that's good.
Healthy birds leave the nest,they say.
(33:47):
So I must have raisedindependent, adventurous kids.
But that that was tricky forme, but I brought I took a lot
of breaths.
Dom Hind (33:56):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, you were trained in it.
Yeah, so it was a perfect.
Shannah Kennedy (34:00):
It was a good distraction.
So I think for a lot of womenwho are experiencing this
change, yes, study is anincredible distraction to all of
the emotions that you'refeeling that you don't want to
ruminate in for too long.
Yeah.
So just by focusing on thestudy, I had a new purpose that
was fresh and new and different.
(34:20):
Yeah.
So I didn't have a lot of timeto feel sorry for myself.
Dom Hind (34:24):
Yeah.
Okay.
That's a great tip.
What are you saying yes to inthe new year?
And what are you leavingbehind?
Shannah Kennedy (34:36):
Oh, that's a big one.
I'm definitely saying yes tomore adventure.
So more trips, more going away,because I can now.
Yeah.
So my all my old excuses don'tstack up anymore because my
husband likes to travel a lot.
Um, I do have to look after mydad, though.
He's 85.
(34:56):
So that's the other positionthat women find themselves in in
their 50s, is also lookingafter the parents.
So that's a consideration.
But yes, to a lot more a lotmore spontaneous fun because
we're in our year of flow.
Yeah.
And just saying, well, why thehell not?
Yes.
Um and no, I'm going to let goof probably just being the good
(35:21):
girl all the time, you know.
I have let go of a lot of that,but I still do a bit of that.
Dom Hind (35:26):
What as in the people pleaser?
Yeah, right.
It's it is hard.
Doing what's right.
It is hard to let go of that.
Even though you know you shouldbe doing what's right for you,
it's still hard.
Shannah Kennedy (35:39):
But you still want to see you're still
pleasing your parents.
Dom Hind (35:42):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (35:43):
Right?
It's it's and they seem to losetheir filter a little bit.
I know my dad will never listento this.
So but they do lose theirfilter a little bit, yes, and
and need you more, and it can bequite brutal.
It can be quite brutal.
And I I think we just get thisfreedom of not being a school
mum, but then you've got theyou've got the other side.
(36:05):
So it's a tricky time tonavigate.
So just to flow a little bitand ease up on yourself having
to achieve all of this stuffright at this minute.
Yeah, that will come lateragain.
I think.
I think post-menopause, whichnobody talks about, is when we
can come into our great wisdom.
We can achieve enormous things,incredible things in our 60s.
(36:26):
Um, and I'm really excited forthat to come.
Dom Hind (36:29):
Yeah, that's good.
It's it's funny.
Um you say that the parents uhremove their filter.
I've totally removed my filterfrom my parents now, and I'm
just like, no, that's just notgood enough.
No, no, no.
I don't think I know how tohandle it, but it's it's you
know, good.
I think I need it too.
Shannah Kennedy (36:50):
Yeah, sometimes you need to.
You have to set your boundary.
You have to set the boundary,which is really important.
Um, but yeah, it's a trickytime to navigate the 50s, I
think, in so many differentareas.
There's so much happening,there's so much change
happening.
Your body, you get a new brainwith menopause.
Yeah.
You've got aging parents,you've got kids trying to be
(37:11):
adults, and who am I without theschool system?
Dom Hind (37:14):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (37:14):
Which is a really big transition for them
where they have to find theiridentity.
Very tricky.
The first year out of school,very tricky for kids until they
find, oh, I don't see my friendsevery day at school.
Dom Hind (37:27):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (37:27):
It's all taken away, the structure's taken
away.
So everybody is going into thatcyclone at the same time.
Um, but that's what I reallyprepared myself for.
Dom Hind (37:40):
Okay.
Get ready for the cyclone.
I've still got a few years.
Yeah, flow, flow.
Um, okay, a few true or falsequestions.
Yeah.
Burnout is just part of beingsuccessful.
Oh, totally false.
Shannah Kennedy (37:56):
Totally false.
You know, I'm gonna say falsearound that because that means
you haven't cared for yourselfproperly.
Yeah, and you haven't hadboundaries, and that means
you're not a high performer.
Because athletes haveboundaries, they don't burn out,
they're quite selfish.
Yeah, but that's why they'regreat.
So we need to take a little bitof that.
Dom Hind (38:15):
Yeah, okay.
Uh yes.
Uh, you need to hit rock bottomto reinvent your life.
Shannah Kennedy (38:22):
Disagree.
That's false.
Yeah.
Yes.
I think we can reinvent every12 weeks, every season, like
nature.
And I love, I really lovetaking nature into account when
we're thinking about ourselvesand how transitions are slow,
but seasonal.
Yes.
Dom Hind (38:40):
Yeah.
It is it's a great way to thinkabout it.
Saying no makes you selfish.
Shannah Kennedy (38:48):
No, saying no makes you um self-empowered.
Okay, good.
I like that.
Yeah.
Dom Hind (38:54):
Good reframing.
Shannah Kennedy (38:55):
Yeah, yeah.
Dom Hind (38:55):
Self-care is not selfish.
Yes.
Midlife is too too late tostart over.
Shannah Kennedy (39:03):
I think we're just beginning.
Yeah.
You know, I it's funny.
I said to someone the otherday, I feel like, you know, I've
written eight books.
I've taken women walking aroundthe world, I've raised my kids.
That was the runway.
And I'm about to do my bestwork.
It actually feels like that'sbubbling inside me.
That this was all like thepre-run, the warm-up.
(39:25):
Yeah.
The best stuff's coming.
So yeah, no, I think midlife isit's incredible.
Dom Hind (39:30):
Yeah, I do too.
Um, if you're not busy, you'refalling behind.
Shannah Kennedy (39:37):
That's that's a wonderful society sort of word
that we're addicted to, busy.
Yeah.
Um, I think slow and steadyrins the waste, and we need to
pace ourselves, and we'll dogreat things.
Because just because you'veticked more off your list, it
doesn't matter.
No one cares.
No one cares.
Dom Hind (39:56):
What do you what do you think?
Because whenever I uh say toanyone, how is your Weekend or
busy.
Like, I don't care.
Like, everyone's busy.
Like, what is a better responsethan saying terrific?
Yeah, terrific.
I had a great time.
Shannah Kennedy (40:09):
You're in charge of your diary and booked
all of those things in, correct?
So you're the creator of yourlife, you're the creator of your
list.
So could you find a new wordfor describing how you have
created your life?
So I always say terrific.
Yes.
That's terrific.
It was great.
Yeah.
Because I chose that.
Yes.
I booked that in.
(40:30):
I said yes to that.
So when you say busy, you justtold your whole body that it's
exhausted.
Yeah.
Okay.
So be careful what you trainthe brain with.
So whatever words that we'resaying has a direct impact into
your energy and your health.
So I'm very protective of that.
I do not want that in my body.
Dom Hind (40:50):
No, busy equals exhausted.
Shannah Kennedy (40:52):
And it's it is.
So think of all the supplementseverybody's taking.
Yes.
And then you say you're busy,you just undid all of those
supplements.
Yeah, right.
So just be careful of language.
Language is really powerful.
Yeah.
Dom Hind (41:06):
Okay.
Planning takes the spontaneityout of life.
Shannah Kennedy (41:11):
Well, we know that's not true.
Dom Hind (41:12):
Yeah.
It allows it in.
I agree with that.
I do agree that it I could, andI I think I was probably one of
the people that said, what?
I'm not going to write down my10, 20 year plan, but it does
because you can actually go,okay, when are the kids going to
be in their year 10, year 11,12?
Okay, can't do big trips onthose in those years, or if I do
(41:36):
need to be at this times, whenare they going to stop wanting
to come on holiday?
And it does give you thatstructure of what you can do and
what you can plan for.
Shannah Kennedy (41:47):
So imagine if you didn't have a plan.
Dom Hind (41:49):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (41:50):
And you're driving along.
Yeah.
And you just want to stopwherever you feel like.
In the long term, you wouldn'tbe going anywhere.
You wouldn't get anywhere.
So we sort of need a bit of aplan for the brain, a bit of a
structure, because the brainneeds a roadmap.
And once we've got our planplotted out in the GPS in the
car, you can relax and drive.
(42:11):
You're relaxed.
Yeah.
Because you're not thinkingabout where to turn.
It's going to tell you.
So if you're relaxed, you'regoing to notice the scenery and
you're going to notice thatgreat donut shop over there.
And you're going to stop.
Yes.
And be spontaneous becauseyou're not worried about the
rest moving forward.
So people live with an enormousamount of underlying worry.
(42:32):
Am I going to have enough moneyto retire on?
Yes.
What's going to happen to myhealth?
When am I starting that diet?
Because if I'm 60 and I'm stillcarrying lots of weight or I'm
not fit, it's not going to begreat.
But I haven't got a plan, so Ilive in worry.
So when we have the plan, wecan be spontaneous.
And you know, our radars outthere looking for things to add
(42:54):
to our plan.
Yes.
So it becomes really exciting.
Dom Hind (42:57):
Yeah, okay, good.
I like that.
Your worth is tied to how muchyou do.
Shannah Kennedy (43:03):
You know, I think the worth is tied on how
you impact others.
Yes.
You know, even the barista.
Dom Hind (43:10):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (43:11):
You know, you might smile at the barista and
say, I always say thank you.
I love, I love your coffee.
I love how you make my coffee.
And it's like I'm the firstperson that's spoken to them for
a week.
Yeah.
Because I just see disgruntledpeople who are tired, angry,
hurry up with my coffee.
Coffee.
I'm busy.
I'm and I just take a moment tosay thank you.
(43:34):
And that's when we talked aboutgoals, living a life of
gratitude.
It's just being kind.
It's maybe doing some randomacts of kindness and those kinds
of things is better than beingbusy.
Yeah.
Because it's soulful and youhave to lie down with yourself
every night.
Yeah.
I I agree.
I think that's a good thing.
Dom Hind (43:54):
Okay.
So the last question.
Um, try this before you're 50.
So last time you came on, yeah,your uh thing was to create a
life plan, but also to trysomething and push yourself a
little bit harder.
Yeah.
Define the values, get clear onwhat you actually want, and
(44:14):
start saying no to the thingsthat drain us, which I I just I
work on that every day.
I try to work on that everyday.
Um what do you think, now thatyou're back here in person for
the second time, what do youthink a try this before I'm 50
challenge should be?
Shannah Kennedy (44:36):
I think stillness, because I think it's
the one thing that's missing.
And it's causing autoimmuneissues for people, cancer in
people, disease in people, it'sall gotten very fast.
Um everything's at ourfingertips now, except for
stillness.
And the minute that anyone isstill, they reach over their
(44:58):
phone.
Yeah, absolutely.
So I've been challenging myselfto be like the dog a bit and
just sit still.
And maybe just look at thegarden or notice the plant, or I
think if we're a little bitstill occasionally, we're going
to make much better choices andplan better things for ourselves
because we're not going toreact.
(45:19):
We're going to sit there, getout of the head, into the belly,
through the breath.
What does it feel like in mygut to commit to this?
Yes.
In my belly.
Dom Hind (45:29):
Yeah.
But I think it's it'sinteresting.
The the stillness for people,like even for me, I know that uh
being still can beuncomfortable at times because
it makes me start thinking.
And you know, at times I wouldmuch prefer to have a hundred
(45:52):
things on my to-do list than tosit in the stillness.
Shannah Kennedy (45:55):
It's very uncomfortable.
Dom Hind (45:56):
It's very uncomfortable being still.
Shannah Kennedy (45:58):
So Louise Hay, you know, beautiful Louise Hay,
who started Hay House Publishingat 60, by the way.
Yeah.
Right.
Um, she said you're growth onlyhappens when you're
uncomfortable.
So get comfortable with beinguncomfortable.
So when I sit still and it'sreally uncomfortable, yes, I
challenge myself for anotherminute to sit in the
(46:18):
uncomfortable and everythingstarts settling.
Yeah.
It's really strange.
And that's where the gold is,and that's where I make better
decisions.
Dom Hind (46:29):
I know, I I do, yes, it is something that I need to
start doing.
And I mean, even with themeditation, it is it's different
than being still.
Shannah Kennedy (46:39):
No, being still is nothing to do.
You might be in the cafeinstead of standing in the queue
with your phone swiping, youcould be just being still.
And you could just be absorbingthe world and noticing what's
around you.
And I actually find that morepeople come and talk to you and
(47:00):
want to be near you when you'recalm and you're confident and
you're grounded than when you'rehyped up.
Being a crazy overachiever.
And I'm addicted to achieving,as you know.
Yeah, yeah.
I achieve a lot in my days andin my months, but it's doing it
like Roger Federer.
Dom Hind (47:18):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (47:20):
Calm pace, confident pace, just being in
control of myself.
It's a nice place to be.
It's actually a really niceplace to live inside.
Yeah.
And when we get out of the headand into the belly, the only
way we can do that is throughthe lung.
The lung opens the door andsays, I've been waiting for you.
Take a breath, please.
(47:41):
Um, that's why I gave you thesticky notes.
Yeah, yeah.
You know, even three beautifulbreaths, beautiful sticky notes.
Dom Hind (47:49):
Beautiful sticky notes that say stop one minute reset,
stop and pause, take threebreaths, open your awareness,
proceed with calm clarity,breathe.
Shannah Kennedy (48:00):
There's Gatorade stations.
So I've got them in my car.
I've got reminders, visualreminders, because we need
signposts.
Yeah, we do.
Without the signposts, we keepdriving past everything all the
time.
So, yeah, it's been a reallyinteresting year this year for
me of change.
Yes.
But really soulful andexciting.
Dom Hind (48:22):
That's good.
Um, is there anything that wedidn't cover that you wanted to
cover?
Shannah Kennedy (48:29):
I think that rather than being afraid of the
50s, lean in.
It's beautiful, it's deep, it'ssoulful, it's coming home to
self, it's a little bit messy.
Yes.
And it's okay because it'sactually in that time when you
sit still that you come home toself.
I think it is a remarkable timeof life that nobody tells you
(48:53):
about.
Dom Hind (48:54):
Okay.
Yes.
I know, and and they're onlyjust starting to talk about it.
Shannah Kennedy (48:58):
And a lot of them are, you know, it's going
to be terrible.
It's not.
Dom Hind (49:02):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (49:02):
It's not if you do some of the pre-work, you
know, if you do a bit of awarm-up and you do a bit of
research for yourself and you doa bit of a plan of how you want
to feel during thosetransitions and what your
promise is to yourself.
It's a magnificent time oflife.
Dom Hind (49:19):
Yes.
I think, yes, I think it is.
But you do, you have to takethe time.
You have to take the time.
You have to take the time.
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (49:26):
If you don't, you will be walloped.
Dom Hind (49:28):
Yeah.
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (49:29):
And forgotten.
And forgotten.
And walloped.
And it might be really messy.
So yeah, take your time, do thethinking, do the stillness.
Yeah.
Take a day off occasionallyjust to be unbelievably
uncomfortable.
And go and sit on your chair atthe beach or whatever.
Dom Hind (49:46):
And I do think, yeah, don't have your phone.
Just don't have your phone.
My phone.
Have a notepad, pencil.
Shannah Kennedy (49:53):
Yeah.
And just be.
Yeah.
It's unbelievable what willpour out of you if you give
yourself space, safe space.
I can already feel the sun.
Dom Hind (50:02):
No.
Thank you.
Thank you again.
Thank you for being here inperson.
Um, lovely to see you.
Shannah Kennedy (50:10):
We could talk for hours.
You know that.
I know, I know.
Hours and hours.
But I think for the listeners,it is an exciting time.
You know, there's so much tolearn.
We we've got our brain fog andall those things going on, but
we do take in a lot.
And I think be very careful whoyour role models are and and
(50:31):
and how you want to show up inthe future.
Dom Hind (50:33):
And who you spend the time with as well.
Shannah Kennedy (50:35):
I think big one.
It's a good time for pruning.
Dom Hind (50:38):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tomato and look after the soil.
And look after the soil.
Um, so thank you for comingback and reminding us that
midlife isn't a crisis and thatit is a choice, and a choice
that we can make an amazing nextfew decades.
Um, I do love thinking aboutthe future self, and I always
(51:02):
will make a decision based on myfuture self.
It's why I stopped runningbecause my future self would
just not like it.
No, the joints, just not atall.
Exactly.
Um, and it was a powerfulreminder that clarity isn't a
luxury, it's a tool.
Same with taking the time andthe space that you do actually
need.
Shannah Kennedy (51:21):
And clarity only comes in stillness.
Dom Hind (51:24):
Clarity only comes in still message.
Okay, good.
Uh, and if it's one, if it itis one thing that we can close
the year out on, it's makingsure that we do make that time
for ourselves and sit and bestill.
So even in the supermarket carpark.
Shannah Kennedy (51:41):
Like just stop.
Yeah.
Just sometimes my kids say,they used to say, Mum, you're so
long at the supermarket.
I say it's so busy.
It's so busy down there, but itwasn't.
I spent 20 minutes in my carjust being still.
Oh, taking a breath, you know,just letting my body catch up to
(52:02):
my crazy brain.
Yes.
It's it's my stolen secretmoments.
Dom Hind (52:06):
They're beautiful.
And I I even when I went topick up my kids from school, I
can always remember you saying,take the moments before you pick
them up to settle yourself.
Because as soon as they get inthe car, it's going to be crazy.
It's crazy, too.
It's crazy.
So you need, I used to steal,well, I still do.
(52:27):
I think I did it three weeksago, that I stole the moments
when just before I picked themup, I had 10 minutes and I was
like, that's it.
I'm just gonna do I did a10-minute meditation, but I
thought great.
That's yeah, good.
Shannah Kennedy (52:40):
And then when the kids get in the car, don't
ask them any questions.
No, wait.
Yeah, let them have somestillness, settle into the car,
drive off.
Hi, kids.
10 minutes later I'll say,How's your day?
Dom Hind (52:52):
Yeah, I think that is a big one too.
It's too much for them.
They don't well, you're thesafe space, and then they're in
there and they don't really wantto talk to you right away.
Shannah Kennedy (53:01):
No, they don't want 25 questions when they've
just survived the schoolplayground.
Like, just give people spaceand teach them stillness.
Dom Hind (53:10):
Yeah, yeah.
Amazing.
It is a good skill to have tohave.
Okay, so as we close out 2025and the snake, we've shed we're
shedding.
We've shed it this year intothe year of the horse.
Um, if you do want to learnmore about Shanna's work and the
books and the amazing thingsthat she's doing, all the links
(53:34):
will be in the show notes.
Uh, if you've enjoyed thisepisode, hit subscribe, share it
with your friends, and justtake a moment to be still and
even just have a day toyourself.
Just for you.
No one else.
No one else.
Just for you.
Because f*ck, I'm nearly 50,and isn't it amazing?
Hi, I'm Dom Hind, and f*ck, I'm nearly 50.
Actually, I'm nearly 48 andcharging towards the next
chapter, like I mean it.
And today's guest, you alreadyknow her.
Shannah Kennedy was on thispodcast earlier this year, and
that episode quickly became themost listened to.
Why?
Because she doesn't just helpyou make vision boards or set
(00:23):
fluffy goals.
She helps you take control ofyour life on your terms.
So as the year wraps up, Iwanted to bring her back for a
special in-person episode totalk about exactly that.
How you close the year withoutregret and plan the next one
with purpose.
Because too often we roll intothe new year, burnt out,
(00:44):
reactive, and unclear, promisingwe'll figure it out later.
But Shanna's here to remind us,tomorrow starts today.
Saying yes to one thing meanssaying no to another.
You are the asset.
You need to protect it.
And in this episode, we talkabout how to reflect on the year
that's been, honestly andgently.
(01:04):
What questions to ask yourselfbefore the year ends, how to
stop people pleasing and startprotecting your energy, or why
clarity is your best friendgoing into 2026, what you can do
in the next few weeks to closethe year feeling proud, not
panicked, and then make surethat the new one is set to
(01:25):
perform its goals.
What we really need is thatclarity.
And that clarity helps you makesure that you are not drifting
into the next year.
So let's get into it.
Let's go.
Because f*ck, I'm nearly 50,and isn't it amazing?
Some guests just leave a mark.
(01:55):
And for this show, that was100% Shanna Kennedy.
Her first episode was the mostlistened to of the series so
far.
And if you heard it, you'd knowwhy.
She's a master coach,best-selling author, and the
queen of clarity.
She helps people design theirlives on purpose and not on auto
(02:18):
autopilot.
Shanna taught me to define myvalues, protect my energy, and
stop saying yes to everythingout of guilt.
Although I'm being crap at thatat the moment.
And now she's back in person.
Yes, in person, to help usclose out the year with
intention and set up the nextone without the panic, pressure,
(02:41):
or people pleasing.
Shanna, welcome back to FuckI'm Nearly 50.
Shannah Kennedy (02:47):
Oh, it's so good to be here in real life.
In person.
I'm like, oh, these people getto see you in person.
I've got to come back inperson.
Dom Hind (02:54):
Yep.
And I'm so glad that you arehere.
Um, let's start here.
What's the one thing you do atthe end of each year to reset
your mindset?
Shannah Kennedy (03:06):
I think the end of the year is a silly season
for everybody, and everybody islimping, got that limping to
Christmas feeling.
And that's where I take a wholeday off.
Like one day.
And go down to the beach, or Icall it like Soaks Day, where
you're soaking rather thandrinking soaking.
You're soaking maybe in a hotspring, or you're gone to a
(03:30):
health center for the day orsome massage for the day.
To just press pause for amoment.
Just give yourself one day toreflect.
Dom Hind (03:40):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (03:41):
To actually sit down with a pen and paper and
reflect on wow, how am Ifeeling?
What went well, what didn't gosome well, maybe lessons I might
have learnt.
What was my word of the year?
Did I stick to it?
What am I learning aboutmyself?
Because we keep evolving.
And right in the middle of thecraziness, when everyone thinks
they can't take a day, I bet ifI booked a day out for you,
(04:04):
you'd do it.
Dom Hind (04:05):
Yeah, wow.
That's a great thing, isn't it?
Yeah.
Because you do, you literallydo.
Shannah Kennedy (04:10):
Yeah.
It's like stealing a day foryourself and everyone's
finishing up at school orwhatever.
And um, yeah, it's it's luxury.
That's what I call luxury.
Dom Hind (04:21):
Yeah, it is luxury.
Well, time is actually luxury.
So having that day to yourselfto just sit there.
See, even as you said that, I'mlike, oh, Camp Cove Beach in
the sun, with your little chair,with a pen and paper, yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (04:39):
Maybe with some nice music, not a podcast
music.
Yeah.
Like just be a human being forone day out of the 365 to just
be you and to just maybe even begrateful for the year.
Dom Hind (04:53):
Yeah.
I think it's important.
I think it is, yeah, to begrateful.
We don't, we're not gratefulenough.
Even just the little things,even just giving yourself that
time is a good thing to begrateful for.
Shannah Kennedy (05:03):
Yeah, and and grateful for being healthy or
maybe not visiting a hospital orgrateful that, you know, my
family's healthy, or you know,it's not how many clients did
you have and how many books didyou sell?
And it's actually not aboutthat.
When you sit still, you go alot deeper.
Dom Hind (05:22):
Yes.
What's the first thing yourecommend people to do,
honestly, when they reflect onthe year?
Shannah Kennedy (05:30):
Is not focus on what I didn't do so well.
Because a lot of people say,Oh, it's another year and I
didn't lose weight, or I didn'tpay off the mortgage, or I
didn't do what I said I wasgoing to do.
None of that's helpful.
So maybe focus on a couple ofthe wins that really resonate in
your heart that you're proud ofand sit in that, sit in and
(05:52):
bathe in that for a little whilefirst.
But I find a lot of people justsay, Well, I didn't do that and
I didn't do that.
The win might be a work win,but maybe think about yourself
because we work for the businessof self.
Dom Hind (06:05):
Yeah.
And even if it is the holidayor, you know, last week I got to
spend my Nan's 93rd birthdaywith her in Tasmania.
And it was amazing.
And you know, like for me,reflecting, that is a win.
That's a huge win.
It's a huge win.
It's a real human win.
It is a human win.
Yeah.
Okay.
Good.
Yeah.
How do we close out the yearwithout focusing only on what we
(06:30):
didn't do?
Shannah Kennedy (06:31):
Yeah, which was said, yeah, focus on what you
did, but also maybe how you'refeeling.
Yeah, okay.
You know, because we have toget out of our head and into our
body.
And I find that I get in myhead very quickly, like all of
us.
Dom Hind (06:45):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (06:46):
Um, the head's pretty foggy also because of,
you know, menopause at themoment.
But when I allow myselfstillness, it's like sitting the
glass of water down.
Yeah.
And you know, if you stopstirring it and let it sit, the
sediment drops to the bottom andwe have clarity.
And all of a sudden we're like,well, why am I doing that?
And why did I say yes to that?
(07:08):
And yep, I'm just gonna backoff a little bit.
So yeah, stillness, stillnessfirst.
Dom Hind (07:13):
Yeah, okay.
I I think that is yeah, a nicething to think about too.
Just being still.
When were you still last?
Shannah Kennedy (07:21):
Yeah.
Like with nothing, like notwith Netflix, not with you know.
I often one of my little hacksis I sit in my car.
So I'm in the supermarket, carpark, and I might stay there for
15 minutes, just still,perfectly, because no one can
bother me there.
Dom Hind (07:40):
No, unless someone touched me.
Are you okay?
Are you okay?
Shannah Kennedy (07:43):
But no one's gonna bother you there.
So I can actually sit there andjust let go and just breathe
and just be still and just feelwhat's going on in my world
rather than just what's on theto-do list.
Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up.
Dom Hind (07:57):
It's also um one of um uh guests on here, Dr.
Craig, he said not only isbeing still great for your mind,
but it's also getting you tofeel what's going on in your
body as well.
So, you know, that stillnessactually allows you to listen to
your body.
Shannah Kennedy (08:13):
It means the body can catch up to the brain.
It's like the Gatorade Station.
It's that stopping, it's takinga few beautiful breaths for
yourself.
I've got this amazing app,which is free by the way, called
the breathing app.
Funny that.
Dom Hind (08:27):
Yeah, yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (08:28):
And I set it for five minutes to do five by
five, five in, five out, whichis very hard for people to do,
slow breathing.
And it's the one breath patternthat regulates your whole
nervous system.
Yeah.
I'm like, oh, surely I can dothat in the car park.
Yeah so I've got I love it.
I just do it all the time, andnobody knows I'm doing it.
So the breathing app.
(08:49):
They're my brain, there mybrain breaks and it lets my body
catch up.
And it's like stopping at theGatorade stations in a marathon
because we run a marathon everyday.
Yes.
We're all athletes of life, aswe talk about.
We're athletes of, you know,leading the family, leading the
job, leading everything.
We need to stop at the Gatoradestations and just take a
(09:10):
breath.
And that breath is beautiful,it's so beautiful.
And you might make a differentdecision after you've taken the
breath.
Dom Hind (09:17):
Yes, where you're coming from a a different place
where it's probably a little bitcalmer than one of reaction.
Shannah Kennedy (09:24):
Yeah, it's a response rather than a reaction.
And it's it's is this good forme?
Does this serve me?
Is this what I need to put onmy plate right now?
Why am I doing this?
For a pat on the back?
Or am I doing this because Itruly feel it's really important
to me?
Dom Hind (09:41):
Yep.
Okay.
I've had two people now thisweek say to me, you need to be
honest and actually be reallyclear on is this serving me and
is this not?
Because stop saying yes tothings.
Yes.
Yes.
And it's on a day.
It's unease.
Yeah.
Sease to please.
Yes, that is it.
Um, how do you know when it'stime to say no and protect your
(10:07):
energy, which is a good lead-on?
Shannah Kennedy (10:09):
Yeah.
Well, if you're an athlete andyou're feeling a sore knee
coming on or your calf iscramping and you don't address
it, um, it gets worse and worseand worse.
So as we have that disease toplease, it's just that tank,
that oxygen tank is just goingdown and down and down and down
and down, and then all of asudden you're burnt.
Yeah.
(10:29):
So that burnout becomes ahealth scare, usually a health
scare.
It's if you don't listen toyour body, your body will make
you listen.
Yes.
So there's people with, youknow, lumps in their breasts,
there's people with fatigue,there's people with now
presenting autoimmune diseases.
That's all happening inmidlife.
Yeah.
Because we're addicted toachievement and we're addicted
(10:51):
to the to-do list.
And we need to learn to pace alittle bit more.
Yeah.
And breathe.
And breathe.
And stop.
So I did study breathing allyear this year.
That was my goal.
Is what is something that I canstudy that's actually going to
help me for the rest of my lifein any situation, whether it be
to fire myself up or to calmmyself down.
(11:13):
Because the breath is like aremote control.
And it's the only system thatyou can override in your whole
body is the breath.
So I thought, wow, that's themost powerful tool.
I think I'll study that.
So just doing some breath workthis year has really helped my
energy a lot.
Really?
(11:33):
Yeah.
No burnout.
Dom Hind (11:35):
None.
Shannah Kennedy (11:35):
Zero.
Dom Hind (11:36):
Right.
How often do you give yourselfthat time to breathe?
Shannah Kennedy (11:43):
Well, I don't have time to meditate.
Yes.
I'm not going to meditate ifI'm honest with myself.
Really, really honest.
But I can afford three times aday, morning, noon, and night,
to do five minutes.
Dom Hind (11:57):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (11:58):
Okay.
And that could be before yourschool pickup.
Yes.
It could be, you know, afterschool pickup.
It could be when you wake up,when you go to sleep.
I put it on to go to sleep,that pattern.
Yeah.
Dom Hind (12:08):
Right.
Shannah Kennedy (12:08):
Okay.
And that's all I'm going to do.
Yeah.
I know myself.
Yeah.
I'm not going to sit there for20 minutes.
It's not going to happen.
Dom Hind (12:15):
See, it's funny.
Like I'm three quarters of theway through a 66-day meditation
challenge.
And I'm supposed to meditatetwice a day.
And I can get the first one in,but I just can't like the
second one.
It's just tricky.
And I try and commit to it, butit's hard.
But every time I do it and justhave a you know that time to be
(12:35):
still and breathe, it'samazing.
But it's the time.
Shannah Kennedy (12:40):
Yeah, it's the time and it's the commitment
when you're in a really busytime of life.
Dom Hind (12:44):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (12:44):
Um, unless you're really obsessed.
If you're really obsessed bythat's your thing, meditation,
but your thing is also exerciseand being social.
And if it's just your thing,you can do it.
But if you've got multiplethings, I think it's a bit, it's
a bit much.
Yeah.
Um, and you've got to alsothink about your personality.
Dom Hind (13:04):
Yes.
What are you saying now?
Um, you uh you always saytomorrow starts today, and it's
one of my favorite things in theworld.
How does that apply as we enterinto 2026?
Oh my goodness.
Shannah Kennedy (13:24):
I know.
I think it's focusing on yournighttime routine.
You know how everybody talksabout your morning routine and
you get up and you win the day.
And we do that with the threeM's, the make your bed, move
your body, mindfully breathe.
Then we pace the day, themarathon with the breath work in
between.
Yes.
But then how do you finish?
It's actually how do you set uptomorrow to win?
(13:46):
So, what are the structures youput in place?
So, you know, after dinner Ibrush my teeth because then
otherwise I'll eat on the couch.
Yeah.
You know, for sure.
It'll be 8:30 and I'll belooking for some morsel of
something.
So I already feel good that I'mnot going to do that.
And then a bit of stretching, abit of legs up the wall while
(14:08):
I'm watching Netflix, becausethat's what I want to do.
Yeah.
I want to watch Netflix.
I love it.
Yeah.
Um, so how can I make myroutines get me ready for
tomorrow?
And part of it is we have tohonor recovery.
So if we're going to be thesereally fast super duper
achievers, we have to build in alittle bit of recovery that's a
(14:30):
doable, not time out.
Yeah, yeah.
That's actually on top of whatI'm already watching TV.
So I can stretch and put mylegs up the wall.
Dom Hind (14:38):
Double track it.
Shannah Kennedy (14:39):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Dom Hind (14:40):
How how can you make the nighttime routine stick when
every night is different?
And you know, in the morningswe've got our alarms that set us
to wake up, which we then cango through and m make the day
work.
Yeah.
But what is how can we do it atnight?
Is it the same thing?
(15:01):
Set an alarm.
Shannah Kennedy (15:02):
Like we all we all have dinner.
Yes.
Right?
So anything that you can tieinto your dinner routine.
So when you have dinner, youmight be doing the dishes.
Um, what do you do after thedishes?
So I would prep my breakfast,soak my oats tomorrow, brush my
teeth, might write in mygratitude, might put my face
cream on so that when I'mfinished watching TV, you're
(15:25):
ready.
Stay to bed.
I don't want to start all thatstuff.
Yeah, yeah.
It's too hard.
So tie it with something thatis already done all the time.
Dom Hind (15:33):
See, it's interesting for me because with kids still
needing to be, you know, I putthem to bed, like you know, put
them to bed, do a meditationwith them, all that stuff.
It's every night is differentbecause sometimes they finish at
different times and you know,there needs to be that
flexibility.
Shannah Kennedy (15:50):
But I think maybe asked to dinner, you do
you first.
Dom Hind (15:53):
Yeah, okay.
And then the kids.
Shannah Kennedy (15:55):
So yeah, uh it's finding what your recipe
is.
And I think for next yearthat's a challenge for people is
to not only win the morning,but if athletes don't do their
nighttime stuff correctly, theycan't show up the next day well
anyway.
So I'd love people to stopdoing what's sabotaging them.
Yes.
Which is maybe ladylike couch.
(16:16):
Yeah, yeah.
Watching the fifth episode I'vebeen watching.
Like have a time where you dostop, like nine o'clock, and
then do what you need to do.
It's not starting to do more,it's actually dropping off
things that are not serving youas well.
Dom Hind (16:33):
Okay.
Yeah, I think that's a goodthing.
Um, why is it important to planlife, not just goals or
resolutions?
Shannah Kennedy (16:43):
Because goals are just a little map for the
brain.
Life is the big picture.
Life is, but how do you want tofeel?
Yeah.
Do you want to feel connectedto people?
Um, how do you want to feelphysically, mentally,
emotionally, spiritually?
It's bigger.
It's so much bigger than agoal.
So the life thing is, you know,when you do a vision board or
(17:06):
something, you're putting uppictures of how you want to
feel.
Dom Hind (17:09):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (17:09):
Oh, that that woman up there, she's 20 years
older than me.
I'm 55.
So I always think of my65-year-old self, 75-year-old
self.
What am I doing for her?
That's bigger than just a goal.
Goal is short term for me.
You set a goal every season, aswe talked about last time.
Yeah.
One goal per season every 12weeks.
That's it.
That's enough.
Dom Hind (17:30):
Yeah.
Um, I I love how you alwayssay, what does my I use my
80-year-old self because Ialways do that.
And even at the gym when we'relifting weights and we're asked,
do we want to do another set?
I'm like, uh no, but my80-year-old self really wants
to.
So let's do it.
Isn't it amazing?
Shannah Kennedy (17:50):
It overrides your brain.
It overrides your brain.
I know.
I do the same.
I'm at, I don't feel like goingfor a walk in Melbourne today
because it's raining sideways.
And my 75-year-old self says,Move.
You need to move for me.
You need agility, you need tobe out there, you need to
constantly be moving.
Um, take the stairs.
(18:11):
She gives me a pat on the back.
So when you really focus on it,it sounds quite weird, but
psychology, you have a new bestfriend, which is your
10-year-old self.
And that's who you're workingfor and serving and deciding why
you're not going to waste thatmoney because she wants that
either for her personal traineror whatever she might want.
(18:32):
So it makes the brain justthink a lot bigger than next
year.
Dom Hind (18:37):
Yes.
Yeah.
I like that.
What does a values-aligned yearactually look like in practice?
Shannah Kennedy (18:47):
I think knowing your values is always number
one, which we've always talkedabout, which is asking yourself,
what is the most importantthing to you in the world today?
Yeah.
And it's usually your health,your family, achievement, in
harmony, freedom, creativity,something like that.
But and where are you going tosay no?
Where are you going to protectyour boundaries this year?
(19:10):
Yes.
Where are you going to shut thegate and stop giving the we
talked about the tomato plantbefore?
I'm going to write a book abouttomato plants.
And people just keep givingaway their tomatoes.
Yeah.
And there's none left.
Yeah.
For the right people.
The people that really matterto you get the worst side of you
because you've just been tryingto do too much on your to-do
(19:32):
list.
And yeah, I think it's reallyimportant.
If you want to be valuesaligned, you have to create a
structure or a guidelines foryourself for the year ahead.
Dom Hind (19:42):
Yeah, I I think that that is very important.
Um, what's the biggest mistakepeople make when setting goals
for the new year?
They're not committed.
Shannah Kennedy (19:53):
So say you with your meditation for example.
Dom Hind (19:56):
Yes, thanks.
Just pick up me for that.
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (19:59):
Um try.
Trying means I'm going to tryand do it, but I'll maybe allow
some excuses to come into play.
So I've had to pick up the kidsor I'm a bit tired.
So I'm not going to do it.
Too busy, not going to do it.
But when you commit tosomething wholeheartedly, you
just do it.
And what people do is maybecome think they're committing to
(20:19):
things that they're not reallycommitted to.
So if you're going to write agoal or set an intention, only
set one.
But make sure you're real.
Because what happens to yourconfidence when you don't do
things?
Yeah.
You get angry at yourself.
Yes.
It does.
So I'd rather set one.
So I said, I'm going to learnhow to breathe this year.
Yes.
That's it.
Dom Hind (20:38):
Okay.
Shannah Kennedy (20:40):
Signed up for a 20-week immersive.
Oh, wow.
I had to show up every week.
Um, I had to go and live ingingerbine for four days, in the
bush, and become certified andmaster it.
So I only had one goal.
Yes.
For the year.
That was it.
So if you have one goal for theyear and you create a structure
(21:00):
to support it, your confidencegoes through the roof because
you're winning all the time.
Dom Hind (21:04):
Yeah.
How did you feel at the end ofbeing certified?
Shannah Kennedy (21:07):
Oh, amazing.
I'm like, I'm 55 and I'm stilllearning.
This is so exciting.
What can I study next?
And it was connection withlike-minded people also
interested in it.
Dom Hind (21:18):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (21:19):
Um, it was very community focused.
I can now go and teach it atschools to kids.
Oh, wow.
I can go to hospitals and teachit.
I can teach all of my clients,which I already sort of do
anyway.
Um, but I could take it intoprisons, I can take it anywhere
now.
So women in domestic violencewho may not have taken a breath
for 10 years.
Dom Hind (21:40):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (21:40):
A safe breath.
Dom Hind (21:41):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (21:42):
To be able to hold space for them and teach
them how to breathe.
Um just be incredible for me inthe future.
So there's so much opportunity.
So only commit to things thatreally light you up.
Dom Hind (21:54):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (21:54):
Okay.
Dom Hind (21:55):
Good.
Um, how do you plan for thingsthat don't fit into a
spreadsheet?
Like joy, connection, and rest.
Shannah Kennedy (22:04):
Oh, yeah.
Dom Hind (22:05):
I love those.
Shannah Kennedy (22:06):
Well, if you have a spreadsheet.
Dom Hind (22:10):
Or a diary.
Or a diary diary.
Or a plan.
Right, yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (22:14):
You should be free to be joyful and creative
and spontaneous.
So a lot of creative peoplethat I coach balk at.
I don't want to do a plan or a12-week plan or a life plan or a
10-year plan.
But when we get them into itand they do it, they actually
find that there's so much lessin their head that they become
(22:36):
more creative, more joyful.
Yeah.
Because they're not worryingabout anything.
It's all on paper.
Yeah.
And our job as humans on theplanet is to collect, I call
them balloons or day ofgratitude, let go of the dark
ones.
Yeah.
We've got beautiful water, youknow, we've got amazing
equipment here.
We've got lovely lady overthere producing.
(22:58):
Thanks, Mario.
Thank you very much.
Um, and we've got thisopportunity to have a
conversation, to share itglobally.
I mean, there's so much to begrateful for.
That we have a car, a pillow,yeah, a bed, food, a
refrigerator, a kettle.
So I go around just collectingmy balloons all day.
I'm so joyful.
Dom Hind (23:19):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (23:20):
So lightness and joy are two words for me
that are very important everymorning.
Approach today with lightnessand joy.
Yes.
Just show up.
Yeah.
For a plate aid on the planet.
Dom Hind (23:32):
Yeah.
Plate aid on the planet.
Shannah Kennedy (23:33):
And we're not surviving, we're not, we're not,
you know, miracle workershealing people and doing heart
surgery.
Dom Hind (23:41):
No.
Shannah Kennedy (23:41):
I'm not saving lives.
No.
But I think what we can do isenjoy this day on the planet and
spread joy and be creative andlet go of some of the black
balloons.
Dom Hind (23:53):
Yeah.
Do you know what?
I think it it's um so when wefirst met was in 2017 and just
sold with collective.
And even then it was so much ofthe unknown.
And back then, I think I waswearing so much black and navy,
and just because that was theuniform, that was what you had
(24:17):
to do.
But I think by you introducingthe light and joy is when I
started wearing colour and justmaking sure that it's
fascinating how colour doesbring joy.
But not only joy, it also makespeople come and talk to you if
(24:38):
you're wearing colour.
And it's fascinating becauseyou have so many interesting
conversations that you wouldnormally not have had.
Shannah Kennedy (24:45):
Yeah, and you're such a role model for
that.
Like you are this colour.
But it's all it looks like joy.
Yeah.
It's creative.
Yeah.
It's expressive.
It lightens you up.
Yeah.
Completely.
Yes.
If you put it on, you feelgood.
Yeah.
Um, it's exciting.
Dom Hind (25:03):
Yeah.
Yeah.
It is.
Shannah Kennedy (25:05):
You need a plan for that.
No, just show up with it.
Show up and do it.
So I every morning I'm like,okay, I've got to collect
balloons.
Because last night I put themall away.
Yeah, right.
Every day is a new collection.
Every day.
So how many did I collecttoday?
Oh, not many.
Oh, that's not good.
You weren't you weren't livinga grateful life then.
Yeah, right.
So part of my passion is tolive a grateful life because I
(25:28):
think we live in an incrediblecountry.
Yes.
So incredibly safe.
We have a lot of opportunity.
So to live a grateful life, youhave to constantly be
collecting moments of gratitude.
So the visual for me is justthe girl running around with the
balloons who's light and joyfuland colourful.
No black one means.
Dom Hind (25:48):
Are they all the same colour balloons or are they
different colours?
Shannah Kennedy (25:50):
Different.
And so I even painted a picturethis year in I saw that.
Yes.
I do paint by numbers becauseit has to look good.
So paint by numbers, this girlrunning through the fields with
all of her balloons.
And even painting that made itbe a part of me.
Yes.
Really a part of me.
(26:12):
Every stroke was, yep, this iswhat I'm really committed to,
living a life of gratitude.
And so, you know, I'm in thetaxi, I'm on the plane, there's
a metal tube that's taking meinto the sky.
And don't know how to begrateful for, right?
Yeah.
A lot.
Yeah.
So when you really um wake upand live wide awake like that,
(26:33):
you don't need to set big goals.
Dom Hind (26:35):
No.
No, yeah, you get the joy andthe small sum.
Okay, I like that.
Um, what does your personal2026 plan look like?
And can you share a sneak peek?
Shannah Kennedy (26:48):
Well, it is a year of big change because my
husband is finishing his jobafter 24 years.
Yes.
And we will have a bit ofanother gap sabbatical, which is
always very hard becausethey're scary where you actually
don't work for a period oftime.
Yes.
(27:08):
Um, so he is committed to atleast six months to a year.
Wow.
Um, to fully recover, torestore, to come from a place of
overflow, to see what unfoldsand not plan it.
Um, so I'm very excited forhim, and I will go on lots of
trips with him.
Yeah, um, as I will.
(27:29):
So it is a year to not be superfocused for me.
Yes.
It's actually going to be ayear of spontaneous.
Yeah, right.
Dom Hind (27:37):
So you're living in flow.
Shannah Kennedy (27:39):
I'm gonna just flow wherever it takes me, which
is really unusual because everyyear it is quite structured,
and but that's all been becauseI've had school kids and now my
both of my kids have finishedschool.
Yes.
I want to run around andcollect balloons and be free.
And then that next decade, whatwill that be about?
And and I think you need a bitof stillness and a bit of joy,
(28:02):
and then you create again.
Yeah, you probably need abreak.
It's a little bit like athletesafter the Olympics.
Yeah.
They don't sit down the dayafter the Olympics and plan the
next four year schedule.
No, they go and be free for abit.
You know, all the footballersare overseas now being free
because football's finishedbefore they come back.
And I think everyday peopledon't allow themselves to do
(28:24):
that.
Dom Hind (28:24):
I think you're right.
Even between like when you arebetween jobs, you have minimal
amount of time.
Or if you do, it's panic.
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (28:32):
So the gift of the gap is to give yourself
space to create stillness, tofind joy, to come home to self
and then create from there.
Yeah, okay.
And not panic.
And you you've been throughthis.
Yes.
Don't panic.
There's a lot of rides in theplayground.
Yeah.
There's a lot of jobs outthere, there's a lot that we can
(28:53):
create.
We don't have to do it all thisyear.
No.
We think we do.
We've got 20 years to achieve alot.
We don't have to try and doeverything all at once.
Dom Hind (29:03):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (29:04):
Yes.
Dom Hind (29:05):
Pace the race.
Pace the race.
Okay, good.
Um, what rituals or habits helpyou reset at the end of the
year?
Shannah Kennedy (29:14):
Well, it is taking that day off to really
sit down and just be a human andfeel my body.
And am I, you know, I'm stillhere.
Dom Hind (29:23):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (29:23):
Um, I like to um definitely do an end-of-year
sort of summary for myself inthe journal.
Dom Hind (29:31):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (29:31):
I also like to look what Chinese year ahead it
is.
So this year was Year of theSnake.
Yep.
Shedding.
Yes.
Next year is the horse, whichis embodying.
Dom Hind (29:41):
Okay, I am a horse.
Okay.
Shannah Kennedy (29:43):
Right.
Dom Hind (29:43):
So what's uh what does the embodying mean?
Shannah Kennedy (29:45):
Well, I have to do a bit of research about
that.
But it's about you've you'vethis year was a year of pruning
and tidying up and shedding.
It was, you know, stop doingthings that don't serve you
anymore and sabotage you, orpeople, you know, like just
gently moving away from somepeople that don't serve you.
Dom Hind (30:03):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (30:03):
So next year it's like really being your true
self.
So I'm looking forward to it.
I'm really looking forward toit.
Dom Hind (30:09):
Well, that'll be good if you're in flow in that state
as well.
Shannah Kennedy (30:13):
Yeah.
And I think we can't be in flowall the time.
No.
Dom Hind (30:17):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (30:17):
It's a gap.
It is the pause part because ifyou're in flow all the time,
you sort of don't know whereyou're going.
Yes.
And the brain does need a map.
So when you are having a stopat a big um town on the map,
it's like, let's just stop andenjoy the town a bit.
Let's not drive through.
So give yourself timesometimes.
(30:38):
And there are pivotal points inlife.
Midlife.
Midlife is the chrysalis.
Yes.
Caterpillar.
Uh no more.
I'm not a school mum anymore.
Yes.
We have to dissolve that partbefore we become the butterfly.
So there are certain points inlife where it is good to flow
and let go and then reset.
Dom Hind (30:58):
Are you mentally prepared for not being a school
mum?
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (31:02):
I am.
Because I have a life plan,remember?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Okay, okay.
So probably five years ago at50, or even before 50, I think
it was maybe nine, 10 years agowhen I was going, okay, I'm 45,
I'm going to be 50.
By the time I'm 55, I have nokids at school.
Yes.
So my mind was already seated.
(31:24):
So I was already talking towomen who had no kids at school.
Yes.
What do you how did how wasthat for you?
How did you do that?
What did you do?
I was talking to women who weregoing through menopause because
nobody was talking about it.
Dom Hind (31:39):
No, not back then.
No.
Shannah Kennedy (31:40):
Back then.
Even five years ago, it was 50.
Nobody talked about it.
So I was at health retreatsasking Chinese doctors about it.
I was I was preparing.
I was really preparing myself.
So I've actually really enjoyedthe whole thing.
Yeah.
The whole transition because Idid quite a bit of research.
Dom Hind (31:59):
Yeah.
Because it's interesting.
There's so many women that Iknow that when their kids finish
school, they just fall off acliff.
Because they have invested somuch of themselves in their kids
and need not do the work thatthey don't know what to do.
Send them to me.
Shannah Kennedy (32:18):
Yes.
Yeah, yeah.
We need a plan.
So, so but for that, I think isyes, it is very normal for our
identity to be in our title,which is the school mum that
does everything or your job, butthat's not, that's really
dangerous.
So we need to be a whole personwho also is a school mum.
Yes.
(32:39):
Um, or also goes to work, butwe need to come back to self,
really come home to self.
Dom Hind (32:45):
Yeah.
And I think that's that issomething that we tend to forget
at times is that you have to behappy with you before you can
actually be giving.
Shannah Kennedy (32:55):
And my daughter finished year 12, and within
three weeks, she said, I thinkI'm going to do a gap here, and
moved out.
Oh, and I thought, oh, hang on,hang on.
You're supposed to be home toyour 26, remember?
27.
And she said, No, no, I've gotan opportunity to go and live on
the Gold Coast.
So I'm I really want to takeit.
(33:17):
Mum, what would you do if youwere 19 years old?
Was her question.
Very smart girl.
Dom Hind (33:22):
Yeah, yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (33:22):
I said, Oh, honey, I would have already
gone.
Dom Hind (33:25):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (33:25):
So off you go.
Um, but that would that washard for me because it was extra
quick.
Yes.
Whereas my son, who's 21, stilllives at home, but he's hardly
ever home.
He's so it's really my husbandand I.
But it happened overnightrather than a I thought it was
gonna take four or five yearsand it didn't.
Yeah, it was quick.
And she's thriving.
So that's good.
Healthy birds leave the nest,they say.
(33:47):
So I must have raisedindependent, adventurous kids.
But that that was tricky forme, but I brought I took a lot
of breaths.
Dom Hind (33:56):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, you were trained in it.
Yeah, so it was a perfect.
Shannah Kennedy (34:00):
It was a good distraction.
So I think for a lot of womenwho are experiencing this
change, yes, study is anincredible distraction to all of
the emotions that you'refeeling that you don't want to
ruminate in for too long.
Yeah.
So just by focusing on thestudy, I had a new purpose that
was fresh and new and different.
(34:20):
Yeah.
So I didn't have a lot of timeto feel sorry for myself.
Dom Hind (34:24):
Yeah.
Okay.
That's a great tip.
What are you saying yes to inthe new year?
And what are you leavingbehind?
Shannah Kennedy (34:36):
Oh, that's a big one.
I'm definitely saying yes tomore adventure.
So more trips, more going away,because I can now.
Yeah.
So my all my old excuses don'tstack up anymore because my
husband likes to travel a lot.
Um, I do have to look after mydad, though.
He's 85.
(34:56):
So that's the other positionthat women find themselves in in
their 50s, is also lookingafter the parents.
So that's a consideration.
But yes, to a lot more a lotmore spontaneous fun because
we're in our year of flow.
Yeah.
And just saying, well, why thehell not?
Yes.
Um and no, I'm going to let goof probably just being the good
(35:21):
girl all the time, you know.
I have let go of a lot of that,but I still do a bit of that.
Dom Hind (35:26):
What as in the people pleaser?
Yeah, right.
It's it is hard.
Doing what's right.
It is hard to let go of that.
Even though you know you shouldbe doing what's right for you,
it's still hard.
Shannah Kennedy (35:39):
But you still want to see you're still
pleasing your parents.
Dom Hind (35:42):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (35:43):
Right?
It's it's and they seem to losetheir filter a little bit.
I know my dad will never listento this.
So but they do lose theirfilter a little bit, yes, and
and need you more, and it can bequite brutal.
It can be quite brutal.
And I I think we just get thisfreedom of not being a school
mum, but then you've got theyou've got the other side.
(36:05):
So it's a tricky time tonavigate.
So just to flow a little bitand ease up on yourself having
to achieve all of this stuffright at this minute.
Yeah, that will come lateragain.
I think.
I think post-menopause, whichnobody talks about, is when we
can come into our great wisdom.
We can achieve enormous things,incredible things in our 60s.
(36:26):
Um, and I'm really excited forthat to come.
Dom Hind (36:29):
Yeah, that's good.
It's it's funny.
Um you say that the parents uhremove their filter.
I've totally removed my filterfrom my parents now, and I'm
just like, no, that's just notgood enough.
No, no, no.
I don't think I know how tohandle it, but it's it's you
know, good.
I think I need it too.
Shannah Kennedy (36:50):
Yeah, sometimes you need to.
You have to set your boundary.
You have to set the boundary,which is really important.
Um, but yeah, it's a trickytime to navigate the 50s, I
think, in so many differentareas.
There's so much happening,there's so much change
happening.
Your body, you get a new brainwith menopause.
Yeah.
You've got aging parents,you've got kids trying to be
(37:11):
adults, and who am I without theschool system?
Dom Hind (37:14):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (37:14):
Which is a really big transition for them
where they have to find theiridentity.
Very tricky.
The first year out of school,very tricky for kids until they
find, oh, I don't see my friendsevery day at school.
Dom Hind (37:27):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (37:27):
It's all taken away, the structure's taken
away.
So everybody is going into thatcyclone at the same time.
Um, but that's what I reallyprepared myself for.
Dom Hind (37:40):
Okay.
Get ready for the cyclone.
I've still got a few years.
Yeah, flow, flow.
Um, okay, a few true or falsequestions.
Yeah.
Burnout is just part of beingsuccessful.
Oh, totally false.
Shannah Kennedy (37:56):
Totally false.
You know, I'm gonna say falsearound that because that means
you haven't cared for yourselfproperly.
Yeah, and you haven't hadboundaries, and that means
you're not a high performer.
Because athletes haveboundaries, they don't burn out,
they're quite selfish.
Yeah, but that's why they'regreat.
So we need to take a little bitof that.
Dom Hind (38:15):
Yeah, okay.
Uh yes.
Uh, you need to hit rock bottomto reinvent your life.
Shannah Kennedy (38:22):
Disagree.
That's false.
Yeah.
Yes.
I think we can reinvent every12 weeks, every season, like
nature.
And I love, I really lovetaking nature into account when
we're thinking about ourselvesand how transitions are slow,
but seasonal.
Yes.
Dom Hind (38:40):
Yeah.
It is it's a great way to thinkabout it.
Saying no makes you selfish.
Shannah Kennedy (38:48):
No, saying no makes you um self-empowered.
Okay, good.
I like that.
Yeah.
Dom Hind (38:54):
Good reframing.
Shannah Kennedy (38:55):
Yeah, yeah.
Dom Hind (38:55):
Self-care is not selfish.
Yes.
Midlife is too too late tostart over.
Shannah Kennedy (39:03):
I think we're just beginning.
Yeah.
You know, I it's funny.
I said to someone the otherday, I feel like, you know, I've
written eight books.
I've taken women walking aroundthe world, I've raised my kids.
That was the runway.
And I'm about to do my bestwork.
It actually feels like that'sbubbling inside me.
That this was all like thepre-run, the warm-up.
(39:25):
Yeah.
The best stuff's coming.
So yeah, no, I think midlife isit's incredible.
Dom Hind (39:30):
Yeah, I do too.
Um, if you're not busy, you'refalling behind.
Shannah Kennedy (39:37):
That's that's a wonderful society sort of word
that we're addicted to, busy.
Yeah.
Um, I think slow and steadyrins the waste, and we need to
pace ourselves, and we'll dogreat things.
Because just because you'veticked more off your list, it
doesn't matter.
No one cares.
No one cares.
Dom Hind (39:56):
What do you what do you think?
Because whenever I uh say toanyone, how is your Weekend or
busy.
Like, I don't care.
Like, everyone's busy.
Like, what is a better responsethan saying terrific?
Yeah, terrific.
I had a great time.
Shannah Kennedy (40:09):
You're in charge of your diary and booked
all of those things in, correct?
So you're the creator of yourlife, you're the creator of your
list.
So could you find a new wordfor describing how you have
created your life?
So I always say terrific.
Yes.
That's terrific.
It was great.
Yeah.
Because I chose that.
Yes.
I booked that in.
(40:30):
I said yes to that.
So when you say busy, you justtold your whole body that it's
exhausted.
Yeah.
Okay.
So be careful what you trainthe brain with.
So whatever words that we'resaying has a direct impact into
your energy and your health.
So I'm very protective of that.
I do not want that in my body.
Dom Hind (40:50):
No, busy equals exhausted.
Shannah Kennedy (40:52):
And it's it is.
So think of all the supplementseverybody's taking.
Yes.
And then you say you're busy,you just undid all of those
supplements.
Yeah, right.
So just be careful of language.
Language is really powerful.
Yeah.
Dom Hind (41:06):
Okay.
Planning takes the spontaneityout of life.
Shannah Kennedy (41:11):
Well, we know that's not true.
Dom Hind (41:12):
Yeah.
It allows it in.
I agree with that.
I do agree that it I could, andI I think I was probably one of
the people that said, what?
I'm not going to write down my10, 20 year plan, but it does
because you can actually go,okay, when are the kids going to
be in their year 10, year 11,12?
Okay, can't do big trips onthose in those years, or if I do
(41:36):
need to be at this times, whenare they going to stop wanting
to come on holiday?
And it does give you thatstructure of what you can do and
what you can plan for.
Shannah Kennedy (41:47):
So imagine if you didn't have a plan.
Dom Hind (41:49):
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (41:50):
And you're driving along.
Yeah.
And you just want to stopwherever you feel like.
In the long term, you wouldn'tbe going anywhere.
You wouldn't get anywhere.
So we sort of need a bit of aplan for the brain, a bit of a
structure, because the brainneeds a roadmap.
And once we've got our planplotted out in the GPS in the
car, you can relax and drive.
(42:11):
You're relaxed.
Yeah.
Because you're not thinkingabout where to turn.
It's going to tell you.
So if you're relaxed, you'regoing to notice the scenery and
you're going to notice thatgreat donut shop over there.
And you're going to stop.
Yes.
And be spontaneous becauseyou're not worried about the
rest moving forward.
So people live with an enormousamount of underlying worry.
(42:32):
Am I going to have enough moneyto retire on?
Yes.
What's going to happen to myhealth?
When am I starting that diet?
Because if I'm 60 and I'm stillcarrying lots of weight or I'm
not fit, it's not going to begreat.
But I haven't got a plan, so Ilive in worry.
So when we have the plan, wecan be spontaneous.
And you know, our radars outthere looking for things to add
(42:54):
to our plan.
Yes.
So it becomes really exciting.
Dom Hind (42:57):
Yeah, okay, good.
I like that.
Your worth is tied to how muchyou do.
Shannah Kennedy (43:03):
You know, I think the worth is tied on how
you impact others.
Yes.
You know, even the barista.
Dom Hind (43:10):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (43:11):
You know, you might smile at the barista and
say, I always say thank you.
I love, I love your coffee.
I love how you make my coffee.
And it's like I'm the firstperson that's spoken to them for
a week.
Yeah.
Because I just see disgruntledpeople who are tired, angry,
hurry up with my coffee.
Coffee.
I'm busy.
I'm and I just take a moment tosay thank you.
(43:34):
And that's when we talked aboutgoals, living a life of
gratitude.
It's just being kind.
It's maybe doing some randomacts of kindness and those kinds
of things is better than beingbusy.
Yeah.
Because it's soulful and youhave to lie down with yourself
every night.
Yeah.
I I agree.
I think that's a good thing.
Dom Hind (43:54):
Okay.
So the last question.
Um, try this before you're 50.
So last time you came on, yeah,your uh thing was to create a
life plan, but also to trysomething and push yourself a
little bit harder.
Yeah.
Define the values, get clear onwhat you actually want, and
(44:14):
start saying no to the thingsthat drain us, which I I just I
work on that every day.
I try to work on that everyday.
Um what do you think, now thatyou're back here in person for
the second time, what do youthink a try this before I'm 50
challenge should be?
Shannah Kennedy (44:36):
I think stillness, because I think it's
the one thing that's missing.
And it's causing autoimmuneissues for people, cancer in
people, disease in people, it'sall gotten very fast.
Um everything's at ourfingertips now, except for
stillness.
And the minute that anyone isstill, they reach over their
(44:58):
phone.
Yeah, absolutely.
So I've been challenging myselfto be like the dog a bit and
just sit still.
And maybe just look at thegarden or notice the plant, or I
think if we're a little bitstill occasionally, we're going
to make much better choices andplan better things for ourselves
because we're not going toreact.
(45:19):
We're going to sit there, getout of the head, into the belly,
through the breath.
What does it feel like in mygut to commit to this?
Yes.
In my belly.
Dom Hind (45:29):
Yeah.
But I think it's it'sinteresting.
The the stillness for people,like even for me, I know that uh
being still can beuncomfortable at times because
it makes me start thinking.
And you know, at times I wouldmuch prefer to have a hundred
(45:52):
things on my to-do list than tosit in the stillness.
Shannah Kennedy (45:55):
It's very uncomfortable.
Dom Hind (45:56):
It's very uncomfortable being still.
Shannah Kennedy (45:58):
So Louise Hay, you know, beautiful Louise Hay,
who started Hay House Publishingat 60, by the way.
Yeah.
Right.
Um, she said you're growth onlyhappens when you're
uncomfortable.
So get comfortable with beinguncomfortable.
So when I sit still and it'sreally uncomfortable, yes, I
challenge myself for anotherminute to sit in the
(46:18):
uncomfortable and everythingstarts settling.
Yeah.
It's really strange.
And that's where the gold is,and that's where I make better
decisions.
Dom Hind (46:29):
I know, I I do, yes, it is something that I need to
start doing.
And I mean, even with themeditation, it is it's different
than being still.
Shannah Kennedy (46:39):
No, being still is nothing to do.
You might be in the cafeinstead of standing in the queue
with your phone swiping, youcould be just being still.
And you could just be absorbingthe world and noticing what's
around you.
And I actually find that morepeople come and talk to you and
(47:00):
want to be near you when you'recalm and you're confident and
you're grounded than when you'rehyped up.
Being a crazy overachiever.
And I'm addicted to achieving,as you know.
Yeah, yeah.
I achieve a lot in my days andin my months, but it's doing it
like Roger Federer.
Dom Hind (47:18):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (47:20):
Calm pace, confident pace, just being in
control of myself.
It's a nice place to be.
It's actually a really niceplace to live inside.
Yeah.
And when we get out of the headand into the belly, the only
way we can do that is throughthe lung.
The lung opens the door andsays, I've been waiting for you.
Take a breath, please.
(47:41):
Um, that's why I gave you thesticky notes.
Yeah, yeah.
You know, even three beautifulbreaths, beautiful sticky notes.
Dom Hind (47:49):
Beautiful sticky notes that say stop one minute reset,
stop and pause, take threebreaths, open your awareness,
proceed with calm clarity,breathe.
Shannah Kennedy (48:00):
There's Gatorade stations.
So I've got them in my car.
I've got reminders, visualreminders, because we need
signposts.
Yeah, we do.
Without the signposts, we keepdriving past everything all the
time.
So, yeah, it's been a reallyinteresting year this year for
me of change.
Yes.
But really soulful andexciting.
Dom Hind (48:22):
That's good.
Um, is there anything that wedidn't cover that you wanted to
cover?
Shannah Kennedy (48:29):
I think that rather than being afraid of the
50s, lean in.
It's beautiful, it's deep, it'ssoulful, it's coming home to
self, it's a little bit messy.
Yes.
And it's okay because it'sactually in that time when you
sit still that you come home toself.
I think it is a remarkable timeof life that nobody tells you
(48:53):
about.
Dom Hind (48:54):
Okay.
Yes.
I know, and and they're onlyjust starting to talk about it.
Shannah Kennedy (48:58):
And a lot of them are, you know, it's going
to be terrible.
It's not.
Dom Hind (49:02):
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (49:02):
It's not if you do some of the pre-work, you
know, if you do a bit of awarm-up and you do a bit of
research for yourself and you doa bit of a plan of how you want
to feel during thosetransitions and what your
promise is to yourself.
It's a magnificent time oflife.
Dom Hind (49:19):
Yes.
I think, yes, I think it is.
But you do, you have to takethe time.
You have to take the time.
You have to take the time.
Yeah.
Shannah Kennedy (49:26):
If you don't, you will be walloped.
Dom Hind (49:28):
Yeah.
Yes.
Shannah Kennedy (49:29):
And forgotten.
And forgotten.
And walloped.
And it might be really messy.
So yeah, take your time, do thethinking, do the stillness.
Yeah.
Take a day off occasionallyjust to be unbelievably
uncomfortable.
And go and sit on your chair atthe beach or whatever.
Dom Hind (49:46):
And I do think, yeah, don't have your phone.
Just don't have your phone.
My phone.
Have a notepad, pencil.
Shannah Kennedy (49:53):
Yeah.
And just be.
Yeah.
It's unbelievable what willpour out of you if you give
yourself space, safe space.
I can already feel the sun.
Dom Hind (50:02):
No.
Thank you.
Thank you again.
Thank you for being here inperson.
Um, lovely to see you.
Shannah Kennedy (50:10):
We could talk for hours.
You know that.
I know, I know.
Hours and hours.
But I think for the listeners,it is an exciting time.
You know, there's so much tolearn.
We we've got our brain fog andall those things going on, but
we do take in a lot.
And I think be very careful whoyour role models are and and
(50:31):
and how you want to show up inthe future.
Dom Hind (50:33):
And who you spend the time with as well.
Shannah Kennedy (50:35):
I think big one.
It's a good time for pruning.
Dom Hind (50:38):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tomato and look after the soil.
And look after the soil.
Um, so thank you for comingback and reminding us that
midlife isn't a crisis and thatit is a choice, and a choice
that we can make an amazing nextfew decades.
Um, I do love thinking aboutthe future self, and I always
(51:02):
will make a decision based on myfuture self.
It's why I stopped runningbecause my future self would
just not like it.
No, the joints, just not atall.
Exactly.
Um, and it was a powerfulreminder that clarity isn't a
luxury, it's a tool.
Same with taking the time andthe space that you do actually
need.
Shannah Kennedy (51:21):
And clarity only comes in stillness.
Dom Hind (51:24):
Clarity only comes in still message.
Okay, good.
Uh, and if it's one, if it itis one thing that we can close
the year out on, it's makingsure that we do make that time
for ourselves and sit and bestill.
So even in the supermarket carpark.
Shannah Kennedy (51:41):
Like just stop.
Yeah.
Just sometimes my kids say,they used to say, Mum, you're so
long at the supermarket.
I say it's so busy.
It's so busy down there, but itwasn't.
I spent 20 minutes in my carjust being still.
Oh, taking a breath, you know,just letting my body catch up to
(52:02):
my crazy brain.
Yes.
It's it's my stolen secretmoments.
Dom Hind (52:06):
They're beautiful.
And I I even when I went topick up my kids from school, I
can always remember you saying,take the moments before you pick
them up to settle yourself.
Because as soon as they get inthe car, it's going to be crazy.
It's crazy, too.
It's crazy.
So you need, I used to steal,well, I still do.
(52:27):
I think I did it three weeksago, that I stole the moments
when just before I picked themup, I had 10 minutes and I was
like, that's it.
I'm just gonna do I did a10-minute meditation, but I
thought great.
That's yeah, good.
Shannah Kennedy (52:40):
And then when the kids get in the car, don't
ask them any questions.
No, wait.
Yeah, let them have somestillness, settle into the car,
drive off.
Hi, kids.
10 minutes later I'll say,How's your day?
Dom Hind (52:52):
Yeah, I think that is a big one too.
It's too much for them.
They don't well, you're thesafe space, and then they're in
there and they don't really wantto talk to you right away.
Shannah Kennedy (53:01):
No, they don't want 25 questions when they've
just survived the schoolplayground.
Like, just give people spaceand teach them stillness.
Dom Hind (53:10):
Yeah, yeah.
Amazing.
It is a good skill to have tohave.
Okay, so as we close out 2025and the snake, we've shed we're
shedding.
We've shed it this year intothe year of the horse.
Um, if you do want to learnmore about Shanna's work and the
books and the amazing thingsthat she's doing, all the links
(53:34):
will be in the show notes.
Uh, if you've enjoyed thisepisode, hit subscribe, share it
with your friends, and justtake a moment to be still and
even just have a day toyourself.
Just for you.
No one else.
No one else.
Just for you.
Because f*ck, I'm nearly 50,and isn't it amazing?
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