Extraordinary Stories

In this episode, Liz Ellis sits down with author, athlete, coach and entrepreneur Turia Pitt. Known across Australia as a beacon of fierce resilience, Turia reveals a candid, hilariously unfiltered side of herself as she opens up about the chaotic reality of parenting two young boys while running a business.
She shares how she had to unlearn her hyper-competitive athlete mindset to survive the daily grind, diving into a period of severe burnout that led her to seek therapy and discover the magic of asking herself, "What's going to make this day a little bit easier?"
The conversation also explores her heritage, reflecting on growing up with a Tahitian mother whose home-cooked fish, rice, and lentils were decades ahead of the trend, alongside a raw look back at her Ironman days when toxic societal pressures forced her to under-fuel her body.
From raw-dogging chia seeds to her controversial morning "badass coffee" routine, this chat is a funny, reassuring look at learning to let yourself off the hook.
Watch Turia & Liz teach you how to make their (very funny) fave coffees here.
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Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au
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CREDITS:
Host: Liz Ellis
Guest: Turia Pitt
Group Executive Producers: Naima Brown & Courtney Ammenhauser
Video Producer: Marlena Cacciotti
Social Producer: Keeley Mercieca
Audio Producer: Thom Lion
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.
Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedian Lizzy Hoo has a very full plate.
Host Liz Ellis, former netball champion turned busy mum, sits down with comedy star Lizzy Hoo to talk about life at "game on" pace. Trading a corporate 9-to-5 for the unpredictable chaos of the stage, Lizzy discusses balancing a high-octane career with the everyday messiness of her 40s. They explore how she manages a "full plate" when she's mid-tour, performing late nights and surviving on whatever food she can find on the road.
The two dive into the survival strategies of a traveling comic, from Lizzy's "liquid diet" during festival season to her accidental airport yogurt-eating mishaps. Reflecting on her Chinese-Malaysian and Irish heritage, Lizzy shares how her palate has space for both pub food and spicy home cooking. It’s a hilarious look at staying nourished under pressure, featuring everything from gourmet sandwich press hacks to the truth about life on the comedy circuit.
Watch Lizzy Hoo teach you how to make her sandwich press potato rostis here.
Discover more Mamamia Podcasts here.
Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au
Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.
Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.
If you want to support independent women's media, become a Mamamia subscriber. Get an all-access pass to everything we make, including exclusive podcasts, articles, videos and our exercise app, MOVE.
CREDITS:
Host: Liz Ellis
Guest: Lizzy Hoo
Group Executive Producers: Naima Brown & Courtney Ammenhauser
Audio Producer: Thom Lion
Video Producer: Marlena Cacciotti
Social Producer: Keeley Mercieca
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.
Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes, a pivot isn’t triggered by a failure.
Sometimes, it happens because you keep looking for a way to make the world a little bit fairer.
Anne Aly was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Australia when she was just two years old. Her parents worked hard in factory jobs to give their family a foothold here - and those early experiences of displacement, resilience and possibility stayed with her.
By her late twenties, Anne was a single working mother raising two young boys in Perth on the minimum wage. She knew what it meant to juggle life’s demands with no safety net - and she used that as fuel to keep pushing forward.
She went back to study - and then studied some more, earning a Master’s and a PhD focused on countering violent extremism. From there, Anne became a globally recognised expert in her field - advising the United Nations, publishing hundreds of academic works, and even being the only Australian invited to speak at President Obama’s White House summit on countering violent extremism.
But academia was never where her story stopped.
In 2016, Anne took another monumental pivot - into politics. She was elected as the Federal Member for Cowan, becoming the first Muslim woman in the Australian Parliament, and then a minister in federal government, shaping policy on multicultural affairs, small business and international development.
Along the way, she has championed issues close to her heart - from community safety to meaningful support for domestic and family violence survivors, turning her own life experience into public purpose.
In this episode, Anne talks about how she navigated seismic life shifts with grit, compassion, and that same drive to make space for voices too often overlooked - and how she keeps pivoting even when the stakes are high.
THE END BITS:
Want more from Sarah Davidson? Check out her podcast Seize The Yay.
Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.
Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au
Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.
Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.
CREDITS:
Guest: Anne Aly
Host: Sarah Davidson
Executive Producer: Courtney Ammenhauser
Senior Producer: Sally Best

This show was brought to you in partnership with Charles Sturt University. Australia's largest and most experienced online uni. Take the next step. Search Charles Sturt University online.

Complete our short survey about education for for a chance to win a $1,000 gift voucher in our quarterly draw! https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8467038/Ch
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when your entire identity is built on being the best in the world? For Jana Pittman, one of Australia's most famous athletes, the singular goal of Olympic gold was repeatedly torn away by devastating injuries and gut-wrenching losses.
You might think her biggest pivot was swapping the running track for the bobsled, becoming one of the very few athletes in history to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
But that wasn't it. Her real pivot was walking away entirely from being an elite athlete to become a doctor - all while raising six children.
In this episode of Pivot Club, Sarah Davidson speaks with Jana about this massive career change. They unpack how you cope with failure when your mindset is "silver is the first loser", and how you go from being one of the best in the world to a complete beginner back at the bottom of the ladder, surrounded by people half your age.
Jana shares the unfiltered story about how this profound pivot emerged from a period of intense personal and professional struggle - through divorce, miscarriages, failed exams and the financial lows of moving back into her own garage to make ends meet.
Join us for a raw lesson in resilience, a look into the unseen "messy middle," and a powerful reminder that your lowest moments can be the fuel for your greatest chapter yet.

THE END BITS:
Want more from Sarah Davidson? Check out her podcast Seize The Yay.
Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.
Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au
Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.
Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.
CREDITS:
Guest: Jana Pittman
Host: Sarah Davidson
Executive Producer: Courtney Ammenhauser
Senior Producer: Sally Best

This show was brought to you in partnership with Charles Sturt University. Australia's largest and most experienced online uni. Take the next step. Search Charles Sturt University online.

Complete our short survey about education for for a chance to win a $1,000 gift voucher in our quarterly draw! https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8467038/Ch
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when you achieve the biggest dream of your life at 16? After national treasure Jessica Watson sailed around the world solo at 16, she had to figure out what to do next. The world expected more adventure, more record-breaking, something bigger and more dramatic.
But, her first pivot was one no one saw coming: she went back to school, went to uni, got an MBA and built a career as a management consultant. After being homeschooled, study was a daunting prospect, but Jess didn’t let fear get in the way of making change.
But that’s not the only pivot this conversation is about. Years after her voyage, Jess faced a challenge far greater than any storm at sea: the sudden, catastrophic loss of her long-term partner, Cam. That, she says, was her real pivot.
In this episode of Pivot Club, Sarah Davidson speaks with Jess to find out how she navigated both of these life-altering changes. They discuss handling the crushing weight of expectation, building an identity separate from the one thing everyone knows you for, and the "messy, human kind" of resilience required to rebuild your entire "compass" after it’s been shattered by grief.
Join us for this story of strength that is a profound reminder that sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is to find joy in a quiet life, right where you are.

THE END BITS:
Want more from Sarah Davidson? Check out her podcast Seize The Yay.
Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.
Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au
Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.
Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.
CREDITS:
Guest: Jessica Watson
Host: Sarah Davidson
Executive Producer: Courtney Ammenhauser
Senior Producer: Sally Best
Audio Producer: Jacob Round

This show was brought to you in partnership with Charles Sturt University. Australia's largest and most experienced online uni. Take the next step. Search Charles Sturt University online.

Complete our short survey about education for for a chance to win a $1,000 gift voucher in our quarterly draw! https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8467038/Ch
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Subscribe to Mamamia: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.