Chenin Madden

Fear is one of our oldest survival tools, rooted in the brain’s natural instinct to protect us from danger. Sometimes, though, what we fear isn’t life-threatening at all—it’s the unknown, failure, rejection, or even our own potential. These fears often grow from the beliefs we’ve carried with us: “I’m not good enough,” “I might get it wrong,” or “It’s safer not to try.” The truth is, fear shrinks when we turn to face it. By getting curious about our fears—asking where they come from, what...

What if you stopped trying to change everything at once? There’s a Japanese philosophy called Kaizen, which roughly translates to continuous improvement — making small, intentional changes over time. It’s often used in business and workplaces, but I think there’s something incredibly powerful about applying Kaizen to ourselves. We can be so focused on the big transformation. The new year. The new job. The new body. The new relationship. The version of ourselves we think we should become. And...

I wish I’d seen this 10 years ago I’ve just watched Robyn Malcolm: Menopause and Us on TVNZ, and I really wanted to share it with you. At 48, and having experienced perimenopause for a number of years now, I found myself nodding along, reflecting, and thinking: I wish I’d known this 10 years ago. What I really appreciated about this documentary was seeing Robyn Malcolm — someone so recognisable to most Kiwi women — openly share her own experience and then create space for other women to talk...