Maga Woman Magazine - issue #4

— #4
Lifestyle Magazine for Women Over 45
Changing the world
with shoes
The Roseto Effect –
Living longer
and healthier
Facing
Your Fears
Patient 71 -
Fighting for Life
Triggering your
sub-conscious mind

Editor
Angela Counsel
angela@angelacounsel.com
Graphic Design
Rusdi Saleh
Contributor Enquiries
http://bit.ly/mwp_magazine_contributor
Advertiser Enquiries
http://bit.ly/mwp_magazine_contributor
Photo Credits
Images supplied by contributors
Stock Images by Unsplash.com
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Maga Women Magazine

Welcome
I
hope that you had a great Easter and managed to get
some downtime over the break. This issue of the
Maga Woman magazine is themed “Making a
Difference”. I am very excited to bring you some
inspirational stories this month.
Firstly, a big thanks to Kathy Wong who is on
the cover. Kathy is one woman who is making a massive
difference with her business Moeloco. Moeloco sells thongs
(or flipflops/jandals for the non-Aussies) and for every pair
that are sold they provide a child in India with a pair of school
shoes. I never realised the impact that a pair of shoes could
have until I met Kathy. You will learn more about in the article
Kathy has written and the interview that I did with her, pop over
to page 6 for more.
Next, I am proud to bring you an interview with Julie Randall who is
the author of the book Patient 71. Julie’s story is one of perseverance against
all odds, she showed true Aussie grit to get herself included on a closed medical trial in
the US which would eventually save her life. At the end of the article you will find a link to
an interview that 60 Minutes did with Julie, I highly recommend that you watch it (have
some tissues on hand).
And thirdly over the next few issues of the Maga Woman Magazine different women
will be sharing their story. For some women like Tara Lock, who is our Maga Woman of
the month, the story is inspirational and helping others. For other women the story is
more personal and one of discovery as the woman transitions into her Maga Woman
stage of life. All stories are significant and important and if you have a story to share
simply drop me an email and maybe it will be included in an upcoming issue.
As you can see there is a lot going on in Maga Woman headquarters as I build
a community to support you as you embrace your inner Maga.
Until next month
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Maga Women Magazine

Contributors
We would like to thank all our contributors to this issue of the Maga Woman Magazine,
with their support we would not be able to share so much great information with you.
If you liked any specific article and would be interested in learning more, please visit
the website of the contributor to see what they have to offer.
Angela Counsel
Women’s Transformation Coach
www.angelacounsel.com
Julie Randall
Author Patient 71
www.facebook.com/julierandallpatient71
Kathy Wong
Change Maker & Social Entrepreneur
www.moeloco.com
Tara Lock
Creator of Chilly Towels
www.chillytowel.com.au
Tegan Marshall
Author Facing Fears
www.facingfears.com
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Maga Women Magazine

Content
6
Making a difference
with Shoes
22
Subconscious
Mind Triggers —
what sets you off?
10
The Woman Who Refused
to take No for an Answer
24
Gluten Free
Brownies
18
Facing fears
when you don’t feel
brave or strong
14
My Story
Tara Lock
26
The Roseto Effect
The Key to a Longer
and Healthier Life
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Maga Women Magazine

Making a difference
with Shoes
Written by: Kathy Wong
More and more women are
discovering who they truly are:
their values, life purpose and
what they stand for, after perhaps
decades of living by the
beliefs and values of others. I know because
I am one of these women. I now run the social
enterprise Moeloco, which donates shoes
to children in India through sales of flip flops
(thongs in Australia), but it took many years to
find my true calling.
I still carry some of the beliefs and values I
was taught as a young girl: family, hard work,
respect and kindness. Others, however, were
very fear-based: money and security were
everything too. I also was taught to believe
that a good person was a martyr, like millions
of women around the world. As these beliefs
came from the difficult lives my parents led, I
have learnt that people often teach and speak
from their stories, not ours, but we should never
hold this against them.
For 19 years I had a design business, which I
loved until I became burnt out, but being financially
successful was all that mattered. Material
wealth and retiring at 45 were my goals, and
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Maga Women Magazine

escuing others even at a cost to myself was
the other priority. I was the “good girl”and the
“rich girl”; passion and health were secondary.
The burnout I experienced was how I learnt
that self-care comes first, not last.
After a nine-year break of personal development
and exploring my other interests, I had
the epiphany that my true purpose is to make a
difference, by giving back in a way that uses my
other passions in life. If you feel the same way
right now, if there is a cause or an idea that’s
calling out to you, my advice is to listen, do not
ignore it.
A few months later, I decided on starting
my own line of thongs, or flip flops as they are
known internationally, which became the Moeloco
brand. They would both incorporate my
love of art and design, while breaking the cycle
of extreme poverty. Each sale of ethically-produced
flip flops donates one pair of school-appropriate
shoes to a child in India who does
not own any. Moeloco has donated over seven
thousand pairs of shoes to children so far.
Think about it for a moment: seven thousand
children now able to attend school, providing
them with the tools to chase their dreams and
escape extreme poverty, instead of them and
their families being trapped in its vicious cycle.
Seven thousand children safer from human
trafficking, safer from often-fatal infectious diseases.
Many would have never expected these
changes to happen to them.
Through Moeloco, I am also now building
a community to support current and future
changemakers. We are focused particularly on
the market of teenagers. I am so in-spired by
their creative ideas, curiosity, awareness and
desire to want to make a difference. However,
I could not have achieved and of this alone.
No woman is an island, as they say, and making
a difference or beginning any new path is
so much easier and more enjoyable when we
work together. Many friends, family and even
complete strangers have offered much-needed
resources and services once they found out
about the cause I have been working for.
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Just remember to be true to yourself,
and never feel that you have to go it alone.
Another important lesson I learnt from becoming
a social entrepreneur is that not everyone
will understand your true path in life, and
that’s okay. I have been told that Moeloco had
“really changed”me, by someone who did not
understand why I would want to invest so much
in helping people far removed from Sydney life.
However, we are still close; we all have different
ideas on caring and different paths, and
this does not mean hiding who we are in order
to please others. On the other hand, I have
made so many new and exciting friendships
with people around the world, who are committed
to making a difference. When you find
out what your values and purpose are, the best
friendships are likely to follow. One of the other
social enterprises I have connected with is Sue
Mason’s Sacred by Design, whose LOVEBomb
line of jewelry is bringing work to artisans in
Laos, as well as aiding education and sanitation
projects in their region.
Another is Juliette Jones’ CSJ LeMoNAiD, a
line of lemon products born out of her drive
to help find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease,
after sadly losing her Nonno to the same
illness. All started with a dream and a desire
for change, not millions of dollars in funding. In
fact, smaller businesses can often have a bigger
impact when driven by passion over profits.
Finally, I must say that it’s never too early or
too late to find your values and purpose. Just
remember to be true to yourself, and never feel
that you have to go it alone.
To purchase a pair of Moeloco flip flops or to
learn more about how we can all make a difference,
visit www.moeloco.com.
I am also looking for opportunities to keynote
at corporate, business, youth and school
events. With the creation of our Dream Crazy
TV show we are also looking for more social entrepreneurs
to interview, otherwise
connect with us on any of
our social channels below.
Dream Crazy,
Kathy Wong
Like me on Facebook at:
Follow me on Instagram at:
Connect with me on Linkedin at:
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Maga Women Magazine

The Woman Who Refused
to take No
for an Answer
(Patient 71 – Author Interview)
Written by: Jo Duff
Author Julie Randall faced aggressive
terminal cancer in the face, and although
she may have been frightened, she chose to
stare down the big C and say “Not yet”.
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Just four days after her fiftieth birthday
celebrations, Julie Randall suffered
a very sudden and severe seizure at
work. Out of the blue, she went from a
fit, healthy, fun-loving wife and mother, to not
knowing what had happened. Or why. Julie was
rushed to hospital where it was discovered she
had a malignant brain tumour. Diagnosed with
Stage 4 Metastatic Advanced Melanoma, she
was told to get her affairs in order because she
didn’t have long to live.
Her world fell apart, but not for long. There
wasn’t time, and she made a promise to her
daughters that she would live. Julie then embarked
on a crusade to find a treatment that
would work and became Patient 71.
Julie Randall is an open book when it comes
to her story, sharing it with the public to give
hope, inspiration, and some much-needed
laughs to women who are fighting the same
battle.
When you were going through treatment
and had down days, what were the things
you did to pull yourself out of the darkness?
Or did you just push through each day?
Some days were push and some days were
pull. On the down days, I would sit for a while,
give myself a stern talking to and move forward.
I kept fit and healthy and stuck to a strict diet.
I worked hard to train my mind to focus on
living. I made a mood board about my future
and stared at it every day believing I would be
in that future for a long time to come. I certainly
wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows every day, but
having these tools helped me overcome the
dark days quicker.
Do you feel that cancer robbed you temporarily
of feeling like a woman? Do you have
any self-care tips to women who may be
going through treatment?
Yes, I did. If it isn’t bad enough that you are given
a death sentence, you then lose your looks
and your femininity as well. It’s cruel beyond
measure, but as they say ‘It is what it is!’ So, you
just have to get through it the best way you can.
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Maga Women Magazine

I’ve heard from all
kinds of women who are
in the dealing not just
cancer, but divorce,
financial hardship and
family pressures.
Exercise is incredibly important.
You need those endorphins running
through your veins! Yoga and
meditation were also vital to my
wellbeing. You may think sitting still
with a clear mind is impossible when
you are going through something as
traumatic as a cancer diagnosis, but,
just sit, close your eyes and breathe
deeply for 10 minutes imagining
your cells in perfect harmony. Don’t
fight against your own body. Keep
reminding yourself that your hair will
grow back in time. Mine is now longer
than my husband’s, which was
one of my goals!
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Maga Women Magazine

You are proof to every Australian
woman over 40 that
whatever is thrown at you,
no matter how bad, it
can get better and it can
turn around. What are
the common themes
and stories you hear
from other Australian
women?
I’ve heard from all kinds of
women who are in the dealing
not just cancer, but divorce, financial
hardship and family pressures such as
caring for a relative or child. I believe that great
women always turn pain into power. There is always
a lesson to be learned through suffering,
and I’ve witnessed so many women help each
other walk that journey and come out the other
side.
Do you ever feel conflicted when you think
about becoming such a positive inspiration
to people and making a difference by sharing
your personal story, considering you
had to go through hell and back and share
such a tough time in your life?
Great question. Yes, I absolutely do. I had to
think long and hard about sharing my story
publicly. It wasn’t just my
emotions that needed to
be considered. I had to
think about those of my
husband and children
who had been on the
ride to hell and back
with me. But, there was
a nagging voice in my
head that said it was my
responsibility, almost my
civic duty, to share my story
and offer hope and inspiration
to those who needed it. When I
sat the family down and explained that
to them, they were very supportive and really
proud of me for taking that path.
They are three amazing humans.
How will you keep making
a difference in 2018?
My motto is LAUGH, LIVE & GIVE so I will be doing
plenty of that this year. I will also be investing
time in mentoring those who need support
to stay on track with their goals, whatever they
may be. I also hope to connect with Maga readers
and women facing a similar battle too!
Watch Julie’s 60 Minutes Interview
Interview conducted and
written by Jo-AnnDuff,
A writer, book reviewer and
avid movie watcher
based in Sydney.
Patient 71 is available in Kindle and paperback from Amazon.com.au
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My Story
Tara Lock
My name is Tara Lock and I feel lucky to be alive
after being diagnosed with stage 3 Non-Hodgkin’s
Lymphoma in 2015. As a mum-of-three, in my 40s,
I believed the night sweats I was suffering from were
signs I was going through early menopause, not realising
it was a symptom of the cancer. I was shocked to learn
I was ‘probably walking around with cancer for a year
& a half ’ before my diagnosis. I am pleased to say
I fought the battle and won and will be three years
in remission this year.
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Maga Women Magazine

During my cancer battle - I continued
to suffer from hot flushes,
going into instant menopause
from chemotherapy - I tried to
find a fabric that would keep
me cool when I overheated. The same year, I
created the Chilly Towel - a towel which is made
up of hyper-evaporative fibres that retain water
that keeps you cool but stays dry to touch.
‘Overheating is so debilitating, as many
women going through menopause would
know. I still suffer from night sweats and
overheating even though I’ve finished treatment.’
It assists when sleeping and doesn’t
saturate your bed linen.
Overheating and excessive sweating can
often be a side effect of chemotherapyand
menopause, so I wanted to help others try
and be comfortable during their own treatments.
After finishing my treatment, I got to
work on perfecting the Chilly Towel which
helped me to help others. I probably dealt
with 200 emails and tested out 30 different
fabrics before I got what I wanted. As soon
as I became well again, I started selling Chilly
Towels at local and country markets. It kept
me busy and, kept my mind active, pushing
myself further, whilst recovering from treatment.
Chilly Towel is useful for anyone, not just
those who are going through menopause.
People with fevers, hot flushes, medical conditions,
bad circulation, all sports, travel and
heat stress, or just hot weather in general,
can use the Chilly Towel.
We’ve recently added a towel for children
to our range, as it is ideal for kiddies when
outdoors or on hotSummer nights.
Chilly Towel is my passion, I’m enjoying
watching the business grow, and the most
rewarding part is, people are being helped
and that’s all I ever wanted from this.’
Chilly Towel is stocked in various pharmacies,
sports stores, gift stores and recommended
through Breast Care Nurses in
hospitals throughout Australia. You can also
get your Chilly Towel from our online store.
Chilly Towel is a proud supporter of
National Breast Cancer Foundation, for each
pink towel that is sold, $2 is donated to
NBCF. I chose NBCF because many women
going through breast cancer also experience
menopausal problems. I love that I have created
a product that I know the product can
help them feel better.
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Maga Women Magazine

Sometimes life does something to
shake things up, rattle you to the
core and lead you to question
everything about yourself and your
beliefs. You know what I’m talking
about–the end of something, a sudden and
unexpected change, a bit of life just giving you
a work over like a boxer in a ring.
Th
Ideal to use for women
suffering from hot flushes
Use at night to get
a good night’s sleep
Won’t saturate your
clothing or bed linen
Great for travel
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Visit www.chillytowel.com.au to receive 10% off your first order
Maga Women Magazine

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Maga Women Magazine

Facing fears
when you don’t feel
brave or strong
Written by: Tegan Marshall
When things are going great, everything is falling into place,
and you’re feeling on top of the world it’s easy to be courageous.
But what about facing fears when you don’t feel brave or strong?
When you aren’t your usual superwoman self?
This is usually when your fears show
up the most because you’re tired,
over committed, and vulnerable. The
fear monkey that sits on your shoulder,
starts filling your head with un—truths.
“You’re not good enough”, “You’re unlovable”,
“There’s no way you are going to get all of this
done!” This then spirals you down further into
self-destructive behaviours and that dream,
true love, opportunity, or promotion, begins
to vanish before your eyes. You start believing
those negative thoughts she is telling you.
It’s not your fear monkey’s fault though. She
is just there to protect you from potential pain.
To keep you small and consequently safe. To let
you know when you need to take action, and to
ensure you are always prepared.
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Fear is often
described as
False Evidence
Appearing Real
because we tend to
worry about things
that feel very real
but in reality either
aren’t true or could
never happen.
She makes it seem easier to just stay small
and unfulfilled because then it makes her job
easier. If you aren’t out there climbing mountains,
slaying dragons, and changing the world
then it minimises the risk of you getting hurt.
The problem is, your heart yearns for something
more.
Within you are your dreams, passions, loves,
and aspirations? If these remain unfulfilled then
that inner torment you feel will continue. That
battle between your heart and your self-doubt.
Reducing your chance of ever finding the
peace, harmony and happiness you desire.
So how do you find the courage for facing
fears when you don’t feel brave or strong?
By recognising fear for what it is. It’s not
something to be feared. Simply a message that
needs to be heard and acknowledged. Look for
the signs such as procrastination, people pleasing,
overcommitting, and over indulging. These
are all fear responses.
Take a moment to ask yourself, “What is it
that I am afraid of here?” Be willing to dig a little
deeper and discover the cause. Sometimes
just by asking the question and acknowledging
what comes up, it’s enough to make that fear
go away.
Once you know what it is you are afraid is
going to happen, the next step is to determine
if what has you rattled is real or not. Fear is
often described as False Evidence Appearing
Real because we tend to worry about things
that feel very real but in reality either aren’t true
or could never happen.
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Maga Women Magazine

Of course, if there is a portion of truth to
what you are afraid of then you may need to
take immediate action. For example, if you have
a public speaking engagement and you are
afraid of making a fool of yourself, that could
actually become a reality of you chose not to
prepare your speech and practice it. Therefore,
you had best get going on writing that speech.
More often than not though, what it is you
are afraid of isn’t real. You then get the opportunity
to practice a bit of self-love and truth
bombs. Choose to feed your fear monkey some
positive affirmations, use EFT tapping to reduce
the energetic effect, write a list of what are the
truths of the situation.
For example, in the case of public speaking
most people are afraid what they have to say
won’t be interesting for their audience. The
truth is, you wouldn’t have been invited to
speak if you didn’t have anything interesting
to say. Therefore, write a list of all the positive
things customers, friends, colleagues of yours
have said about you.
For some of the larger fears such as public
speaking I also recommend breaking it down
and making a plan to tackle them one step at a
time. As Mark Twain said, “The best way to eat
an elephant is one bite at a time”. Otherwise,
you run the risk of becoming overwhelmed.
The last thing I recommend if you are having
difficulty facing fears when you don’t feel brave
or strong is to enlist support. This can be in
the form of friends, family, professionals, or a
mentor or coach.
Having support can boost your courage and
enable you to do a lot more than you could on
your own. Surround yourself with those who
believe in you and you’ll find it much easier to
be brave and strong.
Also, don’t forget to always be grateful and
to acknowledge yourself for the steps you take.
Courage builds courage. Even if it’s the smallest
step forward, it’s still further ahead than you
were yesterday. Before you know it, you will be
back feeling like superwoman again.
Tegan Marshall is the
author and founder of
Facing Fears. She is an
award-winning speaker,
and serial entrepreneur,
who started her first business
at fourteen after having
the courage to escape a childhood of
extreme abuse. Tegan believes it is fear
that holds us back from being all we can
be, and she is on a mission to provide
the education, tools and support for
women to make friends with and master
their fears.
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Subconscious
Mind Triggers —
what sets
you off?
Written by: Angela Counsel
We live busy lives. There is so
much going on. Work, life,
family, meetings, managing
a household, being in the
right place in the right time,
squishing some exercise and me time in there
somewhere – it gets crazy. I get that.
But if you find yourself in a continual pattern
of reaction – irritability, being stressed, being
fearful or in pain – it’s important to look at what
might be triggering these negative emotions.
What makes things really tricky is that it may
be subconscious triggers.
Some people may cope well at work but fall
apart at home. Or vice versa. It depends on the
sort of person you are.
A trigger may also be related to colours,
smells, tastes, sound.
So, let’s ask why. Why do we have these
things that set us off? Why does the subconscious
mind trigger certain reactions in us? A lot
of the time it’s to do with situations that have
happened in the past.
Let’s talk about smell. I know my grandmother
used to smell of lavender. Every time
I smell lavender, it takes me back to spending
time with her. It triggers a positive reaction. It
reminds me of love and being nurtured at a
young age.
But what happens if the opposite happens?
What if a smell or sound or a colour take us
back to something scary or stressful that happened
in our past? Sometimes we can’t remember
that far back. As children, we may have
been in a particularly stressful situation – saw
something, heard something, felt something, or
smelt something – and now it sits in our subconscious
mind unable to process.
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When something in our present lives triggers
us, we go back to that feeling of when we were
a child at that point in time. We go back to the
behaviour. Fear, terror, anger, hurt…..whatever
it may be.
The thing to remember is that you can’t
change the environment, the people around
you or the situations that do trigger negative
reactions in you. What you CAN do, is change
the way you react.
Here are three ways you can manage your
subconscious triggers.
1. Observation
How do you act when you are with certain
people or situations? Observe your own reactions
and behaviour. Is it a family gathering
like Christmas that makes you feel uneasy? Or
doing a presentation at work? Observe and
think about it.
2. Forgiveness
If it’s a person that triggers a negative response
for you, forgive them. If there are people in
your past who have caused you pain and continue
to cause you stress, the first thing you
can do is forgive them. You don’t have to face
them or speak to them. Forgive them in your
heart. Write them a letter that you may not ever
send. Get it on paper and then practice mindful
forgiveness. And more importantly, forgive
yourself. Many people hang on to situations in
the past believing they are responsible when
they’re not. Forgive yourself for feeling that way
and move on.
3. Mindfulness
When a subconscious trigger has kicked off a
negative reaction in you, sit with it. Notice that
it is there. Sit with the emotion, close your eyes,
and notice any images that might come up for
you. Notice where you are feeling the emotion
in your body, how does it feel? Listen to the
words that come into your mind as you experience
these emotions. As
you are immersed in
the emotions, place
your hand on
your heart and
repeat the words
“Infinite Love
and Gratitude”
until you notice
a shift. Once the
shift has occurred
you will experience
another emotion which
could be love, compassion,
peace, calm etc.
If you think that you might need more help
in being mindful or managing those emotional
triggers, there is still time for you to join the
Mindful in May Challenge to bring more mindfulness
into your life.
If you find that you are constantly being
triggered and would like some guidance in
processing your emotions, please book a complimentary
call with me so that we can discuss
different ways I might be able to help you.
Click here to book some time with me.
Infinite Love and Gratitude.
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Maga Women Magazine

Gluten Free
Brownies
These brownies taste to great that your family will never be able to guess the secret
ingredient. The brownies are not overly sweet so if you like your chocolate treats fairly
sweet you might need to add a little bit of maple syrup or honey to the recipe.
This is a very quick and easy recipe.
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Maga Women Magazine

Ingredients
1.5 cups cooked/ mashed sweet potato
(or roughly 1 medium-large in size)
2 eggs
1/2 cup Changing Habits Coconut Oil, melted
15-20 Changing Habits Dates, chopped
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup Changing Habits Cacao Melts, melted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2-3 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp coconut flour
A pinch of Changing Habits Seaweed Salt
Steps
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a slice tin.
Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together
until evenly combined
Pour the mixture into the pre-prepared tin and
spread it out evenly.
Place it in the oven and bake it for 40-45 minutes,
or until cooked through.
Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool,
you can transfer it to a wire rack after 15 minutes.
Place it in the fridge or serve warm with cream
and berries.
I love the products that I can get from
Changing Habits, I can always be guaranteed
that everything I purchase from them has
been ethically and sustainably sourced and
is the best organic quality available.
If you want to check out some of the great
products in the Changing Habits store
then click here.
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Maga Women Magazine

The Roseto Effect
The Key to a Longer
and Healthier Life
Can you remember
the last time when you
were feeing low and
you called a close friend
for a chat?
Written by: Angela Counsel
S
ometimes she doesn’t even need
to say anything, you simply felt
better in her presence. That chat
not only helped you emotionally,
it also helped your health as well.
These days catching up with one
or more women is the equivalent of the village
gathering and we need it on so many levels.
In a 50-year longitudinal study in Roseto,
Pennsylvania, it was found that being a part of
a community where elders were respected, and
community members were nurtured and lead
by others lead to a significantly lower incidence
of heart disease and other stress related diseases.
This is known as the Roseto Effect.
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Another recent Harvard study found that
women who had close friendships were less
likely to have physical impairments as they
aged, and they lived more vital, exciting, and
longer lives. In reverse it was found that not
having close female friends was as detrimental
to your health and smoking or being overweight.
To understand the reason for the outcomes
in these studies we need to take a step back
into the past. In the past humans lived in tribes
and the women were always gathered together.
They raised the children, they gathered food,
they cooked, they did everything together. They
had strong traditions around menstruation
and childbirth, in fact menstrual cycles often
synchronised. Women needed to do this to
survive, particularly when the men were away
hunting.
Unfortunately, many modern women don’t
have these strong tribal connections anymore,
but that doesn’t mean that we don’t need it.
This need for community and connection is
bred into our DNA, as a survival technique.
Women are natural nurturers and it is vital for
them to not only nurture others but to be nurtured
as well, and this nurturing needs to come
from other women.
Women share a special bond. They need to
feel safe opening their hearts and being vulnerable.When
a woman doesn’t feel safe and
supported the flight or fight stress response will
be triggered which results in numerous physiological
changes in the body, including lowered
immune system, poor digestion and much
more. Luckily women have a hormone called
Oxytocin which can help to buffer the effects of
these stressors.
Oxytocin is a hormone that is commonly associated
with pregnancy and child birth, but it is
also known as the ‘love’ hormone. It is secreted
in times of stress and encourages a woman
to gather other women around her for support
and nurturing. This is the reason why you
want to call your friends when you are feeling
overwhelmed, it is instinctual. Oxytocin is the
hormone for calming women down (wine helps
sometimes too) and has often been called the
‘tend and befriend’ hormone.
It is very common for women to ignore long
term friendships in favour of raising a family,
climbing the corporate ladder, or building a
business. This often happens more as we move
to different areas for work or other reasons.
Living without a supportive network around you
can increase your risk of depression, cause you
to gain weight and can lead to substance abuse
or addiction.
Tips for finding your
Circle of Women
If you are feeling like you are missing your circle
of women, then the following tips might help
you to not only become a part of a circle but
also improve your health as well.
1. Set your Intention
Get clarity around the type of women you
would like in your life. What interest’s do you
have? What is your cultural background? What
would you like to experience in your life? Ask
yourself questions like these and seek out
groups of women that meant these criteria.
There are plenty of Meetup groups around all
different topics e.g. photography, dancing, over
50s etc. Try to separate your work/business
and social circles so that you get a wide variety
of support.
27
Maga Women Magazine

Get clarity
around the type
of women you
would like in
your life.
2. Be open to new ideas
Often we can get stuck in our ways, old belief
systems. These belief systems can separate you
from others. The need to be seen as independent
is one such belief system that many
women might have, particularly if they have
been without a partner for a while or have had
a management role in corporate. This sense
of independence is often masculine energy
dominant and results in the feminine nurturing
energy being supressed. If life isn’t working for
you right now, then be open to doing something
differently.
3. Start by building
a community online
For many women it can be difficult going to
social events where they don’t know anyone,
if this is you then maybe joining some on-line
groups might be a great way to start. On-line
groups can take away some of the fear that can
come with face to face encounters. While it is
not recommended that you stay solely with online
groups it is a good place to start. Why not
join the Maga Woman Community, we are on
facebook (click here to join)
4. Practice meeting other women
If you are not used to being part of a community,
start small. Offer to set up a coffee morning
for members of the online community you are
a part of (see above). Find an event or activity
where you will be occupied and don’t have to
spend the entire time making small talk with
women you don’t know. Every time that you go
to an event have the intention before you arrive
that you will meet and talk to at least one new
woman, after attending a few times you will
then know a handful of women and you never
know you might just meet your new best friend.
5. Be Yourself
Forget about thinking how you ‘should’ act.
Forget about thinking that you are different to
everyone else in the room. Forget about judging
how others are acting. Simply turn up and
be yourself, you will either find that you fit in or
you don’t. If the group is not for you (after you
have given it a good try), then move on and try
another group. It won’t find you long to find
your circle who accept you for you.
6. Join the Maga Woman Circle
On the first Friday night of every month a group
of Maga Woman come together on-line to
form the Maga Woman Circle. In this circle we
discuss different topics, we laugh and we most
importantly we listen and support each other.
The circle is conducted on-line so you don’t
need to leave the comfort of your home. The
Maga Woman Circle is quite small and intimate,
this allows you to connect with everyone on
the call. If you want to learn more and register
for an upcoming Maga Woman Circle
click here to join
Images Credit: The Forest Photo
28
Maga Women Magazine

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