The Art of Connection

22. Redefining Success

In this episode, Yana explores the inherited scripts we follow, including the paths of career and home that many adopt before they are old enough to question them. She shares her personal journey of ticking every box only to find her life force energy leaking, and the unexpected liberation she discovered when her world cracked open and allowed her to begin again. It is a story of moving from doggy paddling through time to being truly submerged in the beauty of the present. This episode is an invitation to redefine success by how it feels within your own body and nervous system rather than how it looks from the outside. Drawing on the parable of the fisherman, Yana explores how we often strive for a future freedom that is already within reach and discusses using envy as a compass to point toward our truest desires. A tender reminder to trade what you want for what you truly need, prioritising time, presence, and the courage to design a life that feels nourishing to live inside.

21. The Art of Becoming with Kim Cousins

In this special cross-podcast episode, Yana is joined by parenting mentor and registered nurse Kim Cousins, host of the Baby It’s You podcast. Together they explore Yana’s unfolding journey as a woman, mother, and creator — from the early shaping of her identity to building Oak and Haven, a much-loved community store in Melbourne’s east. The conversation moves through creative expression as a pathway to self-discovery, the impact of diagnosis and self-acceptance, and the ways motherhood can both crack us open and invite us into deeper truth. Kim and Yana also speak candidly about mental health, pregnancy, self-care, relationships, and how our own upbringing inevitably shapes the way we mother. At the heart of the conversation is Yana’s newest project, Blood to Bone magazine — a printed publication honouring women’s lived stories, creativity, and wisdom across the seasons of maidenhood, motherhood, and matriarchy. This is an honest conversation about becoming, shedding old identities, telling the truth in partnership, and choosing empowerment even when it feels uncomfortable.

20. Blood to Bone Introduction

In this episode, Yana returns to the microphone to introduce a project that has been over a year in the making: Blood to Bone magazine. After a brief hiatus from recording, she shares the vision behind this new print publication designed to hold women's stories with reverence, clarity, and without judgment. Yana discusses the "drop-in" moment of inspiration that led to this venture and her commitment to creating a physical home for the raw, unfiltered voices of womanhood. From the metaphor of ceramics to the importance of preserving human expression, this episode is an invitation to join a growing community archive. You do not need to be a professional writer or have a large platform to contribute. If you have a lived experience of womanhood, your voice is welcome here. * Submissions Close: March 23rd at 11:59 PM (or until the 100-page limit is reached). * Submit at: bloodtobonemagazine.com.au [https://bloodtobonemagazine.com.au]. * Follow the Journey: @bloodtobonemagazine [https://www.instagram.com/bloodtobonemagazine] on Instagram.

19. Celebrating the Last 12 Months and My Personal Success

In this episode, Yana reflects on two years of Oak & Haven and what success truly means beyond numbers and productivity. She shares the quiet wins that shaped the past year; sustained energy, mental wellbeing, present motherhood and creative expansion, and invites you to pause and honour your own journey. A reminder that success can be spacious, nourishing and deeply human.

18. Exploring Connections in the Creative Cupboard with Yaz Del Mar Part 2

In Part 2 of a conversation recorded in 2023, we return to where we left off with Yaz Del Mar of Tiny Cupboard Creatives. This episode explores creativity as a lifeline through change. We reflect on art as a place of safety, self-trust, and resilience, and on the natural cycles of destruction, maintenance, and creation that shape our lives. Yaz shares openly about navigating separation, cancer survivorship, single motherhood, neurodivergence, and building a creative life that remains aligned and regenerative. This is a conversation about choosing yourself, staying in motion, and letting art carry you home, again and again. ✨ Find out more about Yaz and her work here: @ [https://www.instagram.com/tiny_cupboard_creatives/?hl=en]tiny_cupboard_creatives [https://www.instagram.com/tiny_cupboard_creatives/?hl=en] / tinycupboardcreatives.com.au [https://www.tinycupboardcreatives.com.au/]