When we learn about Australia’s history oftentimes it centers on notable political figures – the men statues are made of – and business folk who laid the foundations of colonised Australia.

However, nestled between some of our more iconized figures and moments are many women who, mostly without recognition, quietly set about serving their communities and shaping history themselves.

In 2021 Sita Sargeant intended to be working in foreign policy, but the pandemic grounded her in Canberra where an Australian policy role saw her engaging with Australian history for the first time.

“It was so much more interesting than anyone ever told me,” Sita said.

“Then I found myself asking that question, ‘[where] are the women?’

“I started looking for women’s stories – and they weren’t hard to find – they were just never pictured as main characters in the story of Australia.”

Sita’s curiosity led her to start weekly walking tours about the women who’d shaped the area, starting in Canberra and then expanding her research to the rest of the country.

“Women who were problem solvers in their local community,” Sita said.

“Who ran small businesses, who ran charities, who showed up and founded things – they’re the women who rarely get recognised as shaping history.

“Even though that is shaping history.

“You don’t have to go to parliament house, [you] can do a lot in shaping the culture where you live.”

In She Shapes History Sita’s compiled a series of walking trails spanning the country, following the footsteps of women who influenced the particular region.

From the first Aboriginal woman to speak on radio in NSW, to women in Adelaide who helped build the Lutheran church and entrepreneurs who ran many of Australia’s pubs, She Shapes History honours forgotten handiwork of so many.

“Who we recognise historically says so much about who we respect today,” Sita said.

“Learning about so many stories, particularly of women of colour, left me feeling a lot more connected to Australia.

“I went from being someone who always saw myself as leaving [Australia] to someone who wants to make this country better.

“I want to shape history here, and I think that’s because I feel a connection to history.”

Sita Sargeant’s book She Shapes History is out now.

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

About the Author: Laura Bennett is a media professional, broadcaster and writer from Sydney, Australia.

Feature image: Supplied

While heart disease is often seen as a man’s issue, the reality is that it affects women just as much.

“Women are 10 times more likely to die from heart disease than from breast cancer,” said consultant dietitian and longevity medicine practitioner Dr. Naras Lapsys.

This is a wake-up call for women to take their heart health seriously, especially after 40, when hormonal changes increase the risk.

Dr. Amelia Haines explains that menopause can shift hormone levels, removing the natural protective effect women have against heart disease. 

As a result, it’s more important than ever to raise awareness and take proactive measures to safeguard our hearts.

Omega 3 fatty acids is a key nutrient, essential for maintaining heart health and helpful in regulating the heart’s electrical impulses, reducing inflammation, and improving blood viscosity. 

These fats can also reduce the risk of irregular heartbeats and conditions like atrial fibrillation. 

While oily fish, like salmon and sardines are great sources (those on plant-based diets can turn to algal supplements as an alternative).

Cholesterol is another common concern when it comes to heart health. 

Dr. Naras clears up a lot of confusion by revealing that most of the cholesterol in our bodies is produced naturally, rather than coming from our diet. 

So, while dietary cholesterol can impact heart health, it’s not as significant as we once thought. 

Instead, knowing your lipid profile—including LDL and triglyceride levels—is a more accurate way to assess your cardiovascular risk.

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

Feature image: Canva

About the Author: Joni Boyd is a writer, based in the Hawkesbury Region of NSW. She is passionate about the power of stories shared, to transform lives.

More and more women are discovering they are on the autism spectrum later in life—often after 40.

For women diagnosed with autism later in life, understanding the condition is often part of a larger journey of self-growth. 

Dr. Terry Lim explains that autism is not a one-size-fits-all condition; it’s a spectrum. 

“People on the spectrum do get exhausted by social interaction… it’s about recognising the traits that may manifest and understanding how they impact one’s life,” he said.

Increased access to mental health information means more adults are being diagnosed, with one in 40 Australians on the spectrum.

However, for many women, the signs of autism were overlooked in childhood, as their traits were more subtle and didn’t fit the traditional mould. 

This growing awareness is key to recognising how autism presents differently in women compared to men.

Women are often expected to “mask” their traits, which can lead to internal struggles, such as anxiety or depression.

“They kind of go under the radar as children… people assume the quiet girl in the corner is just normal,” Dr Amelia Haines said, highlighting the importance of gender-sensitive diagnostics and support systems. 

With the right tools, autism can be redefined as a different neurotype, not a limitation.

Creating inclusive environments is essential for supporting autistic individuals Dr Lim explains. 

It’s vital that workplaces foster a supportive culture, offering flexible arrangements and low-stimulus environments. 

In personal relationships, self-acceptance is the first step, with familial and partner support being crucial for growth.

By embracing neurodiversity, we move closer to a world where everyone, no matter their neurotype, can thrive. 

As Dr. Lim says, “If one finds a diagnosis helpful in accepting and understanding oneself, then that’s helpful.”

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

Feature image: Canva

About the Author: Joni Boyd is a writer, based in the Hawkesbury Region of NSW. She is passionate about the power of stories shared, to transform lives.

It’s an accepted attitude that aging means getting tired, feeling mentally foggy or just flat, but health and fitness expert Michelle Bridges thinks a lack of understanding about perimenopause is leaving women with misguided beliefs about aging.

After numerous visits to her GP because of erratic sleep patterns, Michelle was recommended anti-depressants but wasn’t convinced they were the right solution.

“My sleep was having knock-on effects onto everything,” Michelle said.

Researching perimenopause – the years leading up to a woman’s last period (menopause) – Michelle found sleep deprivation, moods swings, weight gain and fatigue weren’t just symptoms of aging, but signals of our bodies changing state.

“I self-diagnosed myself as being in perimenopause,” Michelle said.

“[Being offered anti-depressants] is a really common story that I hear.

“And not to say there’s anything wrong with antidepressants, but maybe there’s other things at play.”

Michelle’s discovery led her to develop The Perimenopause Method program and informed the launch of her We Have a Situation podcast, where she talks with doctors, researchers and women about the “myths of menopause” and the symptoms we suffer through in silence.

“For most women they actually don’t know much about it,” says Michelle.

“Three years ago I didn’t even know [perimenopause] was a thing.”

The reality is, 1 in 5 women will experience symptoms of perimenopause before the age of 40 and for a third it will include depression and anxiety. 

The narrative though that it has to be all downhill and can’t be managed, is outdated and inaccurate.

“Life changes as you move through the chapters, there’s no question,” Michelle said.

“But while [perimenopause] is inevitable, suffering isn’t.”

Many of the medical experts Michelle’s spoken with so far shared that perimenopause was overlooked in their academic study.

“The whole reason why I’ve done this program is to bring the education piece to women using a microphone as big as I can find,” Michelle said.

“Now that I’ve spoken to so many women that have given their personal stories and doctor and so on, I now think, ‘OK, I can handle this’.

“We’re women, we’re tough, we are resilient.

“I feel very empowered as a woman in this age category – I’m 54 – and I love being 54.

“Now that I’ve got this information to support me, I’m good. We’ve got this.”

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

Feature image: Canva

About the Author: Laura Bennett is a media professional, broadcaster and writer from Sydney, Australia.

A fitness teacher of mine (Bec’s) always starts our class with a word of encouragement for the participants.

He tells us not to worry too much if we don’t do as well as we did yesterday, or if we need to rest a little bit longer today. No two days are the same. Being kinder to ourselves today – so we can practice again tomorrow.

These words really struck a chord with me. It got me thinking about how this can be transferred to the rest of my life. How being kinder to myself could have a more positive impact on my relationships, life perspective and overall mental health and fitness.

Kindness and the noisy inner critic

Sometimes I have a very noisy inner critic. To give you some examples: “You told yourself you would clean the house today and here you are scrolling through social media”. “You said you’d run the full 30km and here you are, pulling out half way”. My inner critic tends to harp on about my laziness or lack of fitness or dedication. It tells me that’s why I haven’t achieved all I wanted to do that day.

This voice is louder, and gets more airtime, than the voice congratulating me for what I have achieved in a day – such as working a full time job, getting the washing done and actually cooking a meal rather than just getting takeaway for dinner.

This voice isn’t kind, and it’s loud because achievement is important to me. Which is not surprising really, given my:

• Comparisons with others. Whether I am conscious of comparing myself or not, scrolling through social media gives me the impression that everyone else is achieving more than I am. I know it’s just the highlight reel of people’s lives…but I still fall for it.
• External pressures. When I stop and think about it, I feel pressure from my peers, family and even society to conform to a particular standard. To hold down a demanding job, keep a tidy house and be a caring and committed family member and friend. There are times when I feel inadequate or like I am failing at this.
• Personal values. Achievement is important to me. It’s one of my personal values. Personal values motivate our behaviour, but are also the measure by which we judge it. So it can easily become the gate-keeper to my self-worth.
• Noticing the negative. I notice failure more easily than I notice success. Which is why I notice the cleaning I haven’t done, rather than the washing I have done.

How to be kinder to yourself

To be kinder to myself I have realised I need to reframe my thinking. I need to embrace variability. What I mean is…

• Variability between people. Everyone is different. I will only ever be me. So it’s important that I “stay in my lane” and do my best not to compare myself with others.
• Variability within me. I am also a human being. I am not a machine. There is a natural ebb and flow of productivity levels, energy and focus. Some days I am brimming with energy, ready to tackle any challenge. Other days I struggle to concentrate and feel less motivated.

When I embrace my variability, it has some very practical implications. For example, I can then:

• Be ok with having an off day. Acknowledging when I don’t feel up to something, and not just making up excuses.
• Celebrate the small wins – however minor they are. Celebrating when I see them, and just when other people point them out.
• “Stay in my lane” and resist the urge to compare myself with others. Practically I’m not trying to use social media for research purposes rather than mindless scrolling.
• Remember all my values – and not just privilege some. Achievement is one of my personal values – but so is health. If I remember them both then I’m ok to pull out half way on a 30km run. I don’t want to push and injure myself. If I only lean into achievement, then that’s fodder for my inner critic.
• Be present to notice and address the negative self-talk. I want to challenge it before it festers.
• Be ok with slow progress. Change takes time and where is the fun if I’m able to tick everything off straight away?

So Many Benefits

I can see how working on being kinder to myself has helped my mental fitness in terms of:

• Reducing stress
• Improving mood
• Increasing resilience
• Boosting confidence

So I wasn’t able to achieve all I wanted to in the day – that’s ok! Being kinder to myself is not only good for me but makes me a much more positive person to be around.

Being kinder to ourselves is an ongoing journey that requires self-awareness and patience. By being kinder to ourselves today, we create a space for personal growth, allowing us to come back even stronger tomorrow.

Kindness and self-worth

I (Caroline) have loved reading Bec’s writing above, because so much of it resonates with me!

“You told yourself you would clean the house today and here you are still watching that Netflix show” is what my inner critic says to me too! (Fortunately it doesn’t say anything about running!)

It’s got me thinking that it is easier to show kindness to ourselves when we are convinced our self-worth isn’t at stake.

As a follower of Jesus, I am reminded that my self-worth is defined by something other than myself.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” [Luke 12:6-7]

I am intimately known (God knows the number of hairs on my head!) and infinitely loved (worth more than the tiny sparrow, who God cares for too). That gives me my worth.

I might struggle to be kind to myself at times because I get caught up in an achievement loop. What shakes me free is remembering that God is kind to me in the life he has given me. I can acknowledge the limits of my humanity, and resist the temptation to compare myself. Embrace the God-given variability.

Time For Reflection

• In reading this blog, what stands out for you?
• Can you think of a recent scenario where you could have been kinder to yourself?
• Are there periods of the day or week or month where it is harder to demonstrate kindness to yourself?
• Is there an impact on others or do you just internalise it all?
• How do your personal values play into this?
• How do you think you could practice more self-kindness?

Article supplied with thanks to City Bible Forum.

Feature image: Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash