Courageous Me

Kim Payne

Hi, I’m Kim Payne. Welcome to the Courageous Me podcast—your go-to for incredible stories and practical tips to add more courage to your life. Imagine what’s possible if courage wasn’t reserved for heroic moments but became part of your everyday life. Whether you're dreaming big, going through a rough patch, or are ready to reignite the fire in your belly, this podcast is for you. Because courage is life’s secret source—it turns the ordinary into magic. And it all starts with you.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Ep 147. What happens when someone finally turns their someday into today with Kim Payne

    In this deeply reflective episode, I share a series of powerful stories that have emerged in the weeks following the launch of my book Courageous Me.  From a conversation on a boat in Vietnam to unexpected moments on stage at my book launch, I unpack something that has completely blown my mind…the ripple effect that one courageous decision can create. What started as messages from listeners and readers quickly revealed a bigger pattern—small moments of courage are quietly changing people’s lives in ways no one could have predicted. Along the way, I share the surprising connections that formed because someone years ago had the courage to bring an idea to life, the unexpected influence our actions can have on people watching from the sidelines, and a deeply moving moment when my 16-year-old son stepped onto the stage at my book launch and revealed just how much he had been paying attention all along. This episode is a powerful reminder that when one person chooses courage, it gives others permission to do the same… and sometimes the biggest impact of what we do is unfolding long before we ever realise it. If you’ve ever wondered whether your actions truly matter, this conversation might just change the way you see courage forever.   Key Takeaways o   How one courageous decision can quietly set off a ripple effect far beyond your own life. o   Why revisiting the things that once lit you up as a child can unlock unexpected new chapters. o   The powerful reminder that your courage may be shaping someone else’s choices from the sidelines. o   Why courage gets easier once you take the very first step. o   How courage doesn’t just inspire strangers…it shapes the people closest to you.   COURAGEOUS ME – THE BOOK  Grab your copy of Courageous Me – The courage to turn someday into today.   Podcast episodes mentioned:  Ruth Fae: Episode 13: Rediscovering your identity through hope, healing, and storytelling AND Episode 120 Unlocking The Author in You Tennille Chambers:  Episode 10 Turning a passion for dance into a thriving business  Shantelle Lay: Episode 31 Determination can get you what you want    Where to find me:  Website: Kim Payne    LinkedIn: Kim Payne Instagram: @iamkimpayne   Facebook: KimPayneBiz     COURAGEOUS SHIFT Want to make the impact you know is possible without having everything figured out?  Get access now to The Courageous Shift – a FREE 90 min audio mini-series to work out your next move.

    31 min
  2. 4 MAR

    146. The quiet reinvention from World Champion to starting again with Lourene Bevaart

    If you’ve ever wondered what happens when the medals are won, the spotlight fades… and life knocks you flat on the kitchen floor, this is for you. In this deeply honest and powerful conversation, I sit down with five-time world karate champion, former Gladiators winner, and entrepreneur Lourene Bevaart to explore the kind of courage that isn’t loud but absolutely packs a punch. You’ll hear how one spontaneous “yes” opened doors she never could have predicted…eventually leading to international travel and becoming Shane Warne and Russell Crowe’s personal trainer. But the real story isn’t about trophies or titles.  It’s about the moments when your identity is tested and what it takes to rebuild a life when the only person coming to save you is you. From rebuilding financially while raising two young daughters, to retraining her mindset after knockdowns, to redefining what winning looks like at any age—Lourene is a walking billboard for what it means to live a truly world-class life. This episode is about grit, growth, health, boundaries, and the discipline of choosing who you want to be. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can rebuild after a setback, questioned if it’s too late to start again, or felt there might be something more waiting for you, this conversation could be the inspiration you need.   Key takeaways: o   Why saying “yes” before you feel ready can open doors you could never have predicted. o   What it really feels like when your identity collapses overnight, and how you begin to rebuild. o   The mindset shifts that carry you through life’s unexpected blows. o   Why surrounding yourself with people ahead of you is the fastest way to rise. o   How she stayed true to a declaration she made as a teenager, and how she made it real. o   The non-negotiable life principles every woman needs to hear to get the most out of her body (especially after 40). o   Why reinvention is about consistently choosing and showing up for who you want to become.   Find out more about Lourene: Instagram: @lourenebevaart     Facebook: Lourene Bevaart      LinkedIn:  Lourene Bevaart      Website: Lourene Bevaart        COURAGEOUS ME – THE BOOK  Grab your copy of Courageous Me – The courage to turn someday into today.   Where to find me:  Website: Kim Payne    LinkedIn: Kim Payne Instagram: @iamkimpayne   Facebook: KimPayneBiz     COURAGEOUS SHIFT Want to make the impact you know is possible without having everything figured out?  Get access now to The Courageous Shift – a FREE 90 min audio mini-series to work out your next move.  Want to get clear on your next steps in your business or career? Book a FREE 45 min Call to Action to help you get to the starting line.

    59 min
  3. 25 FEB

    145. When your intuition screams “Don’t” and you do it anyway with Lisa Pagotto

    What happens when your intuition screams “don’t do it”… and you do it anyway? In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, I sit down with travel entrepreneur and keynote speaker Lisa Pagotto, founder of Crooked Compass, to unpack the kind of courage that isn’t glamorous, polished, or predictable. From pitching on Shark Tank at 29, to discovering via an accidental email that a life-changing deal had fallen through…Lisa shares one of the most defining lessons of her career—the exact moment her business nearly collapsed, just weeks before she was due to become a mother. We explore what intuition really feels like in your body, how ego can quietly disguise itself as ambition, and what alignment looks like after you’ve learned the hard way. This episode is about backing yourself even after you’ve made a costly mistake.  It’s about the price of ignoring your gut, no matter how loudly it screams.  And it’s about the extraordinary power of one small, courageous action that can change everything. If you’ve ever overridden your instincts or needed to rebuild your confidence after getting it wrong…this conversation is for you.   Key takeaways: o   How your intuition tries to warn you, and what happens when you override it. o   The hard-earned lesson from one decision that nearly destroyed a thriving business. o   How a single, simple act of courage created an extraordinary ripple effect. o   The surprising link between ego, ambition, and the need to prove yourself. o   What alignment truly feels like, and how it reshapes all you do. o   How to transform fear into performance fuel instead of letting it shut you down. And stick around as Lisa reveals her favourite adventure destination and the remote location at the top of her list that she’s not quite ready to face… yet.   Find out more about Lisa: or her Crooked Compass: Personal LinkedIn: Lisa Pagotto   Instagram:  @lisapagotto_   Website: Lisa Pagotto     Facebook: Lisa Pagotto   Company - Crooked Compass LinkedIn: Crooked Compass Instagram: @crooked_compass     Website: Crooked Compass   Facebook: Crooked Compass Youtube: Crooked Compass   Company - Crooked Compass By Air LinkedIn: Crooked Compass by Air    Instagram: @crookedcompassbyair Website: Crooked Compass by Air    Facebook: Crooked Compass by Air   Where to find me:  Website: Kim Payne    LinkedIn: Kim Payne Instagram: @iamkimpayne   Facebook: KimPayneBiz     COURAGEOUS ME – THE BOOK  Grab your copy of Courageous Me – The courage to turn someday into today.   COURAGEOUS SHIFT Want to make the impact you know is possible without having everything figured out?  Get access now to The Courageous Shift – a FREE 90 min audio mini-series to work out your next move.  Want to get clear on your next steps in your business or career? Book a FREE 45 min Call to Action to help you get to the starting line.

    59 min
  4. 18 FEB

    144. How writing a book became the antidote to my perfectionism with Kim Payne

    Today is the day. After 15 years of saying “someday,” my book Courageous Me officially went live on Amazon…and wow, what a mixed bag of emotions. In this deeply personal episode, recorded on the day my book was released into the world, I pull back the curtain on something I’ve wrestled with for most of my life: perfectionism. Not the cute, colour-coded, high-achieving version. The exhausting, identity-wrapping, action-blocking version. I read a powerful section from Part Four of the book, Your Permission Slip, where I unpack what it was like growing up believing I had to be perfect, how that belief shaped my decisions, and the surprising childhood nickname that cracked the illusion wide open. This is a story about masks, overachievement, control… and the moment I realised perfection wasn’t protecting me—it was quietly holding me back. It’s about what happens when you can’t edit anymore. When the stage isn’t scripted. When the armour has to come off. If you’ve ever waited for the perfect time, the perfect conditions, or the “perfect” version of you… this conversation might be the whispering you didn’t know you needed.   Key takeaways: o   What if perfection isn’t your strength… and what it might be quietly costing you. o   How a childhood label can shape a lifetime, and not in a good way. o   Why perfection feels safe — until it becomes your biggest liability. o   What happens when you can’t revise, rehearse, or control the outcome. o   The hidden reason “someday” keeps getting postponed, and what it takes to turn it into today.   COURAGEOUS ME – THE BOOK  Grab your copy of Courageous Me – The courage to turn someday into today.   Where to find me:  Website: Kim Payne    LinkedIn: Kim Payne Instagram: @iamkimpayne   Facebook: KimPayneBiz

    18 min
  5. 11 FEB

    143. How money, identity, and values shape true wealth with Natallia Smith

    If you want to understand what courage really looks like when it comes to money, identity, and life transitions, this episode is for you. In this conversation, we meet financial adviser and business owner Natallia Smith, founder of TruWealth Advice, for a deeply human exploration of the quiet, often invisible courage women draw on every day. From migrating to Australia at 22 with no English and no safety net, to building a business that supports single women over 50 through divorce, loss, retirement, and reinvention—Natallia shares how values, identity, and lived experience shape the decisions we make… especially the hard ones. This episode goes far beyond money.  It explores why women delay seeking financial advice, how fear and bias quietly influence choices, and what happens when courage isn’t loud or dramatic, but steady, values-led, and deeply personal. You’ll hear about ethical courage in business, the emotional weight of financial truth-telling, the link between identity shifts and money decisions, and why confidence doesn’t come before action—it’s built through it. If you’ve ever avoided a financial conversation because it felt uncomfortable, questioned whether you “should know more by now,” or felt the ground shift beneath you during a major life change… this episode might be exactly what the doctor ordered.   Key takeaways: o   Why women delay financial decisions even when they know something needs to change. o   What it takes to tell the truth when the answer isn’t what someone wants to hear. o   How migrating, starting over, and rebuilding identity shape our relationship with money. o   The hidden link between values, courage, and the decisions we avoid the longest. o   What makes a woman feel safe when talking about money. o   Why confidence with money is built after action, not before it. o   What shifts when women stop judging themselves for what they “should” know.   Find out more or get in touch with Natallia: Website: TruWealth Advice     Instagram: @truwealthadvice     Facebook: TruWealth Advice      LinkedIn: Natallia Smith       COURAGEOUS ME – THE BOOK  Grab your copy of Courageous Me – The courage to turn someday into today.   Where to find me:  Website: Kim Payne    LinkedIn: Kim Payne Instagram: @iamkimpayne   Facebook: KimPayneBiz     COURAGEOUS SHIFT Want to make the impact you know is possible without having everything figured out?  Get access now to The Courageous Shift – a FREE 90 min audio mini-series to work out your next move.  Want to get clear on your next steps in your business or career? Book a FREE 45 min Call to Action to help you get to the starting line.    More about Natallia: Natallia Smith is all about empowering women and redefining wealth. As a financial adviser, mentor, and advocate for women rewriting their next chapter, she specialises in helping single women over 50 feel safe and confident with their money through tailored, empathetic advice. With over 20 years of experience, a background in psychology, and a deep understanding of life’s transitions, she guides clients through the complex and emotional side of finance—from separation and retirement to inheritance and reinvention.  Whether it’s in a client meeting, a community centre, or a national conference, she brings strategy, integrity, and heart to every conversation. Because she knows financial security is more than numbers—it’s peace of mind, freedom, and the confidence to say, “I’m going to be okay.”   Natallia works with women who: ✔ Are navigating separation, divorce, or widowhood and need financial clarity ✔ Are preparing for retirement and want financial security ✔ Have received an inheritance or financial settlement and need guidance ✔ Want to work with a trusted adviser who understands their unique needs

    45 min
  6. 4 FEB

    142. Why learning to receive makes you a more generous giver with Kim Payne

    Receiving sounds simple, and yet for many capable, generous, high-achieving women, it can feel deeply uncomfortable. In this episode, I explore why receiving can trigger guilt, resistance, and that unexplained urge to “even the score.” We unpack the unspoken rules many of us live by when it comes to asking for, accepting, receiving, and allowing ourselves to be supported — and how our giving behaviours and discomfort with receiving are often tangled up with self-worth, identity, and the need to prove our value. I talk about why receiving is not a passive skill but an active one and why it takes courage.  And I share how learning to receive gracefully can change the way you give, lead, relate, and sustain yourself—personally and professionally. If you’ve ever brushed off a compliment, felt uneasy accepting help, kept mental tabs, or struggled to ask for what you really want… this episode is for you.   Key takeaways: o   Why asking for what you want can feel more challenging than doing everything yourself. o   What your reaction to compliments, help, or generosity can quietly reveal about your self-worth. o   How generosity can become depleting when it isn’t balanced with receiving.  o   What makes receiving a skill that takes practice. o   What happens to leadership, energy, and sustainability when receiving is resisted. o   How allowing yourself to receive can actually make you a more generous giver.   Book referenced: Give and Take by Adam Grant       COURAGEOUS ME – THE BOOK  Grab your copy of Courageous Me – The courage to turn someday into today.   Where to find me:  Website: Kim Payne    LinkedIn: Kim Payne Instagram: @iamkimpayne   Facebook: KimPayneBiz     COURAGEOUS SHIFT Want to make the impact you know is possible without having everything figured out?  Get access now to The Courageous Shift – a FREE 90 min audio mini-series to work out your next move.  Want to get clear on your next steps in your business or career? Book a FREE 45 min Call to Action to help you get to the starting line.

    29 min
  7. 28 JAN

    141. Calling the shots for a magnetic life with Helen Oswald

    In this episode, I chat to event photographer and self-confessed “professional people-watcher” Helen Oswald to explore how small, instinctive choices can lead to deeply fulfilling work, creative expansion, and a life that feels rich and full.  We talk about how one simple idea became the doorway into her business, why she’s not chasing growth for growth’s sake, and what travelling solo in her 40s revealed that never showed up when she was younger.  We also explore why creativity matters more as we age—from revisiting old passions to learning something completely new—and how the things you do for yourself shape how you show up everywhere… and honesty, make you a lot more interesting to talk to.  Insightful, fun, and full of those “oh… that’s cool” moments, this episode will get your mind ticking and wondering what might be possible for you next. If you’ve been feeling drawn to do something that doesn’t neatly fit your current life, this conversation is for you.   Key takeaways: o   How being a lifelong “people watcher” can be a professional superpower . o   How one small idea can become the doorway into a new venture. o   What travelling solo in your 40s can stir up.  o   Why building the “biggest” business is not as important as building the right one.  o   Why doing something creative for yourself can impact your whole life. o   How courage compounds when you learn something new or revisit a past interest. o   Why the things you do outside your work may be the very things that deepen your impact within it.   Find out more about Helen and her business Magnetic Shots: Website: Magnetic Shots Instagram: @magneticshots Instagram: @magneticportraits Facebook: Magnetic Shots     LinkedIn: Helen Oswald       Where to find me:  Website: Kim Payne    LinkedIn: Kim Payne Instagram: @iamkimpayne   Facebook: KimPayneBiz   COURAGEOUS ME – THE BOOK  Grab your copy of Courageous Me – The courage to turn someday into today.   COURAGEOUS SHIFT Want to make the impact you know is possible without having everything figured out?  Get access now to The Courageous Shift – a FREE 90 min audio mini-series to work out your next move.    Want to get clear on your next steps in your business or career? Book a FREE 45 min Call to Action to help you get to the starting line.

    55 min
  8. 21 JAN

    140. Why her money matters more than ever with Naomi Holmes

    What happens when life hands you a sliding-doors moment and you choose courage instead of certainty? In this deeply relatable and energising conversation, I sit down with Naomi Holmes, founder of Her Money Matters, to explore what it really looks like to start over in your 50s. After a 30-year corporate career and an unexpected redundancy, Naomi found herself at a crossroads many women quietly face: return to what’s familiar or listen to the pull towards a burning desire.  What followed was a deep reckoning and the decision to build a business on her own terms. This episode goes far beyond money. It’s about the stories we inherit, the beliefs that keep us playing safe, what happens when your “who-ness” gets rattled, and why Gen X women are uniquely positioned to create powerful second acts…if they’re willing to take the courage pill and step into the unknown. We also unpack why women are so often sidelined in money conversations, how “not deciding” shapes our future, and what becomes possible when money feels lighter and less intimidating. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late, too risky, or too uncomfortable to choose something new… this conversation might help you see what’s possible.   Key takeaways: o   How everything shifts when a long-held corporate identity suddenly disappears. o   Why women over 50 are starting businesses faster than ever and why this stage is so powerful. o   How your early money story shapes your confidence, decisions, and sense of control. o   Why imposter syndrome often appears right before real growth. o   How women can stop being sidelined in money conversations. o   Why choosing not to learn about money is a decision which has real consequences. o   How making money lighter and more human can change your entire relationship with it.   Get in touch with Naomi: Website: Her Money Matters LinkedIn: Naomi Holmes Instagram:  @her_moneymatters     Facebook:  Her Money Matters   Podcast: Her Money Matters   Find out more about Her Money Matters courses.     COURAGEOUS ME – THE BOOK  Grab your copy of Courageous Me – The courage to turn someday into today.   Where to find me:  Website: Kim Payne    LinkedIn: Kim Payne Instagram: @iamkimpayne   Facebook: KimPayneBiz   COURAGEOUS SHIFT Want to make the impact you know is possible without having everything figured out?  Get access now to The Courageous Shift – a FREE 90 min audio mini-series to work out your next move.    Want to get clear on your next steps in your business or career? Book a FREE 45 min Call to Action to help you get to the starting line.

    59 min

About

Hi, I’m Kim Payne. Welcome to the Courageous Me podcast—your go-to for incredible stories and practical tips to add more courage to your life. Imagine what’s possible if courage wasn’t reserved for heroic moments but became part of your everyday life. Whether you're dreaming big, going through a rough patch, or are ready to reignite the fire in your belly, this podcast is for you. Because courage is life’s secret source—it turns the ordinary into magic. And it all starts with you.