"I See You": Shanti on Anxiety, Identity, and Starting Over in Gisborne

"I See You": Shanti on Anxiety, Identity, and Starting Over in Gisborne

Earlier this year, I was knitting in the dark. Literally. Chronic migraines meant no screens, no music, no reading, just me, two needles, and trying to finish something small enough to feel like a win. So when Shanti looked me in the eyes at a local event and said, "I see you", I knew I had to have her on. Because she's been in her own version of that darkness, too. Severe anxiety so bad she couldn't grocery shop in daylight. A body that stopped working with no explanation. A life that looked completely fine from the outside, and felt anything but. Two women, two different rock bottoms, one really honest conversation. In this episode, we talk about: * What severe anxiety actually feels like from the inside * How Shanti went from housebound in Auckland to co-creating Tatapouri, one of NZ's most loved coastal spaces * The tiny wins that actually pull you through * How community and place can become part of your healing * Why your world sometimes has to get very small before it opens back up If you're in a hard season right now, this one is for you. 🤍 Follow Shanti on Instagram and go visit her at Tatapouri - trust me, it feels like walking into a friend's beach house. https://www.instagram.com/shanti.bayleys.gisborne/ https://www.instagram.com/tatapouri/ https://tatapouri.co.nz/ 🎧 If this episode resonated, share it with someone who needs it and leave a five star review, it means everything.

The Episode I Saved for Myself: Urzila Carlson

This is one of the most special conversations I have had on me.vibes, so special, in fact, that I quietly kept it to myself for a little while before sharing it. In this episode, I sit down with the incredible Urzila Carlson for a conversation that is funny, honest, deep, and beautifully human. We talk about comedy, trauma, success, privacy, motherhood, immigration, building a career from the ground up, and why being funny should never mean punching down. Urzila shares how humour has helped her survive, connect, and make sense of the world - while also protecting her private life and staying grounded as a mum. We also get into the very real business of laundry, why women need to stop apologising for the state of their house, and the life-changing power of not folding your children’s clothes. This episode made me laugh, think, and feel deeply grateful for conversations that go somewhere unexpected. It is funny, wise, slightly unhinged in the best way, and full of the kind of truth that stays with you. And Urzila, I am still waiting for your mum to come and help me with the laundry. Please. My washing pile is now a legal entity. Follow Urzula: https://www.urzilacarlson.com/ [https://www.urzilacarlson.com/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urzilacarlson/ [https://www.instagram.com/urzilacarlson/] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrzilaCarlsonComedian [https://www.facebook.com/UrzilaCarlsonComedian] * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsx8teTghBzXpu_6xrLuUtA [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsx8teTghBzXpu_6xrLuUtA] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1q44ROcDkioKfgpd7AZKpt [https://open.spotify.com/show/1q44ROcDkioKfgpd7AZKpt] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@urzilacarlson?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@urzilacarlson?lang=en] * Get Her Book (it's epic): Rolling with the Punchlines [https://www.amazon.com.au/Rolling-Punchlines-Urzila-Carlson/dp/1988547725]

The Rituals That Bring You Back to Yourself with Renee Brown

This episode is a little bit glitchy , and I promise, this time it was not me over-editing it within an inch of its life. Kate from Oria Skin would be proud. I genuinely think it was the tool I used, so please give me grace and pretend we are all just sitting in a slightly chaotic wellness lounge with matcha and good intentions. In this episode of the me.vibes podcast, I chat with the beautiful Renee from ByRae Wellness, nutritionist, mum, founder, and the woman behind High Vibe Matcha. We talk about motherhood, postpartum, wellness, nervous system support, food, rituals, social media, business, body image, comparison, and the reality of trying to look after yourself when the laundry is winning and everyone needs something from you. Renee shares how her own postpartum journey led her to adaptogens, daily rituals, and creating products that help women feel nourished without adding another impossible standard to their lives. We also talk about the pressure to “do wellness properly”, why sleep matters more than forcing a 5 am routine, and how small rituals can bring you back to yourself. This conversation is honest, practical, funny, and full of permission slips - especially for the mums, business owners, and women trying to hold many things at once. Grab your matcha, coffee, cacao, or whatever is keeping you upright today, and enjoy this beautiful conversation with Renee. You can find Renee on Instagram at @byreneewellness [xhttps://www.instagram.com/byreneebrown]and @byrewellness [https://www.instagram.com/byrewellness/]. For the best matcha: https://byrewellness.com/ [https://byrewellness.com/]

Built on Mud, Love and a Broken Ankle with Nigel Abercrombie

In this episode of the me.vibes podcast, Maria sits down with her husband, Nigel Abercrombie, surfer, dad, landscaper, broken-ankled legend, and the heart behind Sustainable Scapes. Recorded while Nigel was lying in the office with a pink glitter cast after a surfing injury, this conversation is honest, funny and full of the real stuff that comes with building a business from the ground up. Maria and Nigel talk about moving to Gisborne, starting Sustainable Scapes, what people often misunderstand about landscaping, why gardens matter, and what it really takes to run a business when life, clients, staff, weather and cash flow all decide to have opinions. They also get into the messy, beautiful side of working together as husband and wife, the support, the stress, the laughs, the “are we broke or are we manifesting?” moments, and what their kids might learn from watching them build something with heart. This episode is about business, family, sustainability, resilience, trades, gardens, and the magic that happens when you keep going, even when life knocks you off your feet. Warning: contains swear words, business honesty, glitter cast commentary and one very passionate takedown of agapanthus. In this episode, we cover: * How Nigel broke his ankle surfing and what it forced the business to rethink * The real story behind starting Sustainable Scapes * Why landscaping is so much more than “just putting plants in the ground” * The hidden work behind gardens, paving, drainage, soil and structure * What sustainability means in landscaping * The reality of running a business with your partner * Why people are both the best and hardest part of business * What success looks like now: bills paid, family happy, surf included * What Nigel hopes their kids learn from watching the business grow A funny, grounded and heartfelt conversation about building a business, creating beautiful spaces, and surviving the chaos with love, grit and a decent sense of humour.

Intentional Ambition: Building a Business Without Losing Yourself with Courtney Henderson

In this episode of the me.vibes podcast, Maria sits down with Courtney Henderson, founder of Think Folk, a boutique marketing and communications business based in Hawke’s Bay. Courtney shares her journey from working in marketing roles across New Zealand, the UK and Australia, to starting her own business after becoming a mum of three. We talk about ambition, motherhood, identity, marketing, confidence, and what it means to build a business that actually fits your life. This conversation is such a beautiful reminder that you do not need to be everywhere, do everything, or follow every trend to build something meaningful. Courtney brings such a grounded and thoughtful perspective on marketing — one that is less about noise, and more about clarity, strategy and connection. We also talk about AI, creativity and the future of business. Courtney shares her honest thoughts on using AI for the busy work, while protecting the human thinking, taste and creativity that make a brand feel real. This episode is for anyone building a business, growing a brand, navigating motherhood and ambition, or trying to do things in a way that feels more intentional. In this episode, we chat about: * Courtney’s career journey and the stepping stones that led to Think Folk * Starting a business after having three young children * Why marketing does not need to mean being everywhere at once * The pressure of social media and vanity metrics * Building a business with intention and commercial ambition * The difference between personal brand and professional presence * AI, creativity and keeping business human * Finding joy, creativity and space outside of work You can connect with Courtney and learn more about Think Folk here: Instagram: @thinkfolk [https://www.instagram.com/think.folk]LinkedIn: Courtney Henderson [linkedin.com/in/courtneyjhenderson/?skipRedirect=true]Website: thinkfolk.co.nz [https://www.thinkfolk.co.nz/] Email: courtney@thinkfolk.co.nz [courtney@thinkfolk.co.nz?] A warm, honest and thoughtful conversation about building something slowly, strategically and in a way that still feels like you.