Andrea Louisa Glazier is a native of the UK, has lived in New Zealand and currently lives on the northern beaches in Sydney, Australia.

Andrea thinks she has the best life ever! She wakes up excited, packs her bag for an adventure, heads down to the beach, walks with her feet in the water, camera in hand, takes photos, meditates, exercises, does whatever she likes, eats breakfast in local cafes and the returns home and begins client work around midday.  Around 5.30pm she picks up her camera and returns to the beach to take photos of the sunset.

It wasn’t always this way. She used to live in London and kill herself on the daily commute rushing to appointments and working late. For twenty years she worked in the media as a TV presenter, producer, director and journalist and switched to starting her own business after suffering from adrenal-fatigue and burnout after working 90-hour weeks.

Andrea lives a childfree life by conscious choice and is always ready to boldly affirm her decision. Join us for Andrea’s story!

You will learn the following in this episode:

The niche of childfree women is a growing sector of the population and a target market for many advertisers.

Almost 25% of western women over 40 don’t have children.

Andrea made the choice NOT to have children at age 11, and has been re-making that choice for 31 years.

Andrea loves the freedom and control she has in her life. She has never regretted the decision NOT to devote her life to having and raising children.

She has created a life that feels “really good” and is deeply satisfying.

People with children often don’t understand how a childfree life can be equally fulfilling.

To Andrea, the whole idea of having a man, children, and the conventional lifestyle seemed like a life lacking imagination.

No matter our choices, we all need to realise that people are entitled to different priorities and paths to fulfilment.

Andrea shares that she did become pregnant once but decided not to continue when she realised bearing children was not right for her.

Andrea doesn’t buy into the stereotypic myth of needing to procreate and that the purpose of a woman is motherhood.

Andrea shares details of the population growth and strain on earth’s natural resources. She believes all women should carefully consider the kind of world into which they are bringing children.

Andrea shares the purpose and fulfilment in her life.

Connect with Andrea and her stunning photography on Instagram at andrea.louisa.glazier

I would love to hear your comments below. If you found this helpful and interesting then I would love you to share with a friend who may also benefit. Thank you!

Justine Brooks Froelker is a Licensed Professional Counselor, who has a private practice in St. Louis, Missouri.  She is the author of the book and blog, Ever Upward.  She is an advocate for breaking the shamed silence surrounding infertility, loss, and recovery.  Justine writes for St. Louis Health and Wellness and Huffington Post and makes regular TV appearances on the midday show, Great Day St. Louis.  She went through costly infertility treatments and now lives “child-free,” but not by choice. 

In this episode, you will learn the following:

• How Justine reacts to the ever-present question, “Well, why don’t you just adopt?”
• How to apply the grieving process to loss that isn’t commonly acknowledged or understood.
• How Justine recommends navigating through a journey like hers.
• How relationships can become “casualties” of the journey and what true empathy is.
• Why people don’t know how to respond to infertility that doesn’t end with a happy, bouncing baby.
• Two “Motherhood Myths” that are prevalent in today’s society, and how to respond to them.
• How unexpected “mothering roles” can bring fulfillment to the nurturing desire, even to the point of raising butterflies-----yes, butterflies!
• How a “child-free” life can bring a deep sense of meaning and purpose so that you can choose your legacy and impact the lives of others.
• What Justine refers to as the “complicated gray” of life, where nothing is all-black or all-white.
• How Justine advises other women who live their lives without children of their own.  “YOU are the only one who knows what is right for your family.”
• Find Justine on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and at her blog, www.everupward.org. 

Karen Malone Wright is the creator of TheNotMom.com  She's an experienced writer and communications strategist who launched her website in 2012 as a resource for and about women without children in a mom-centered world.  This October, Karen will host The Not Mom Summit, which is a groundbreaking international conference for childless and child-free women.  Previously, she worked independently at her own business, The Odyssey Creative Communications Consultancy.  Karen has worked for clients as diverse as Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice in the Netherlands and Goodwill Industries of Ohio.  Karen is an example of someone who created the resource she was trying to find.  She is dedicated to helping and guiding women around the world who would otherwise feel unsupported.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Like many women without children, Karen assumed she would have children during her first marriage.  Ambivalence to the idea of children began during her second marriage when she was in her late 30’s.
• She was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes and realised she could be subject to a high-risk pregnancy.
• Karen talks candidly about the “active grief” that consumed her for 1-2 years as a result of the loss of her dream of pregnancy and children.
• It was a day-long retreat for women with pregnancy loss that finally taught her, through labyrinth work, to let go of the grief.
• Karen has found that women’s experiences of life without motherhood can be very different across regions and cultures.
• Karen discusses various reasons for the ambivalence many women feel about having a child.
• Building a life without kids CAN be rewarding and satisfying.
• Historically, women’s attitudes about motherhood began to change as women pursued college degrees.
• This is a trend that could have long-term effects on the population for the future.
• Women without children have to consider alternative care arrangements for their long-term care as they grow older.
• From Day One of launching her website, Karen knew she wanted to connect with women going through the same thing---and wanted to connect them with each other.
• One of the challenges is to figure out what legacy means when it doesn’t involve leaving a child behind.
• One of the major benefits to NOT having a child, Karen says, is having your own money and spending it as you wish—and NOT having to pay for college!

Resources Mentioned:

www.thenotmom.com

www.notmomcon2015.sched.org

I'm happy to share this lovely interview today with Nicola Newman, based on the Sunshine Coast in Australia.

Nicola is an award-winning artist. She’s an organic gardening teacher, author and entrepreneur. Her mission is to help women explore their creativity and inspire them to live an authentic life that supports their heart's deepest desires to be self-expressive and enjoy even greater well-being. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and she’s produced and directed three documentaries on contemporary Australian artists.  Her paintings are featured in a multitude of public and private collections all around the world. She is the author of Grow Abundant Herbs and Greens in Pots and the creator of two acclaimed online training courses, The Abundant Veggie Patch System and Grow Organic Food in Pots. Nicola has taught hundreds of beginner gardeners worldwide to grow their own organic food and nurture their health. She’s currently working on a new project, Flourish with Painting and Creativity, which is an online mentorship program dedicated to teaching practical, soulful and nurturing ways to explore painting with acrylic and oil paints and express your innate creativity.  In Nicola's words "I want to inspire you to create things. Whether it’s a garden, a painting, a business or a life that supports you, it would be my honour to share the tools & inspiration I’ve found to push past creative blocks and see the results of your heart and hands unfold before your eyes."

Nicola never felt that yearning to have children that some women feel.  She thought that maybe it would kick in when she was ready to have children.  For some reason, that never happened.  Today, Nicola has allowed herself to be liberated in being childfree.  It has given her the opportunity to pursue her passions, and in turn, impact the world in a much bigger way.

In this episode you will learn:

• How being childfree has liberated Nicola;

• The morning creative exercise that Nicola practices and recommends;

• When Nicola first discovered her creativity;

• What it really takes to make a living as an artist;

• The role her Mother played in accepting her childfree situation;

• Why Nicola is open to not being childfree forever;

• How to put the opinion of others regarding children,in perspective;

• Why having children is no guarantee of “being taken care of” when you are aging;

• Why having step-children can change your perspective;

• Tips for navigating a new Step-Mother relationship.

• The positive and negative lessons she learned in Step Parenting.

Nicola’s Advice for Reigniting Your Creativity Within:

• Don’t believe the stories in your head

• Keep focusing on what’s coming up in front of you

• Be open to all sorts of possibilities

• Take short courses

• Find what makes you happy

• Allow yourself to explore and go to the things that you are interested in

• Give yourself permission.

I really enjoyed this down to earth and practical conversation with Nicola and I hope you did too! Find out more about Nicola's work here.

 Resources:

• Morning Pages by Julia Cameron

• Grow Abundance Herbs and Greens in Pots

• The Abundant Veggie Patch System

• Grow Organic Food in Pots

• Flourish with Painting and Creativity

I would love to hear your comments below. If you found this helpful and interesting then I would love you to share with a friend who may also benefit. Thank you!