Tag: podcast

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What’s New?

Though school is at last out for most on this side of the pond, it is about to resume for some on the other side. Regardless, you might do with a few tips on online well-being, whether it is to make sure you are doing exciting and interesting things to keep you brain ticking over the heated summer or it is to find a happy medium between your social life, school and family. Our latest podcast is a must listen to over and over again.

Podcasts are like that—keepers like good friends, full of tips, encouragement and so on. That’s why we are kicking off a new podcast season come September, delving into some hot topics and offering lots of need to know info, such as tips on Rising Above Odds.

Whether the odds are stacked against you in academics, athletics, or your social life, you can win. More on that next week as we talk a little bit more about that particular podcast. Also, on the schedule is the huge topic of Identity. Having a strong sense of identity is crucial to high self-esteem and entwined with values. Still, identity can be ever so confusing. Tell you something new, right?  Unfortunately, it is what it is but we can shed a huge spotlight on the illusive subject.

And that’s not all. We will also feature a podcast on Dating this term. Big topic, if I must say so myself. Stay tuned for more on the new series and also announcements of our upcoming guests, all very special ladies who know more than a thing or two about the subjects they’ll be talking to with us about.

Meanwhile, don’t forget that there is still time for you to get your questions in about the new topics or any topics for that matter. Write to me from the UIO podcast page, Send Me Your Questions and get your concerns aired. To listen subscribe via our RSS feed and stay tuned to UIO as we cover topics about you inside out.

 

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UIO Launches Instagram Page

More excitement to cheer about at UIO: You Inside Out, the podcast for teenage girls.  Today, we launched our Instagram business page @uiopodcast. Follow us, like us, join us on Instagram.

This page follows the recent launch of our Facebook and Twitter pages.

With three dedicated social media pages, UIO aims to celebrate what it means to be a teenage girl today while advocating and campaigning on their behalf.

We’ll highlight great inspirational quotes and hot tips from our special guests—women featured in the podcasts: Cheryl Grace, Judit Ressinka, Jenny Hawkins, Laura Miles, Joy Miller, Jane and Molly Goldberg, Jenny Garrett, Rachel Gardener, Helen Lewis and Natalie Savvides–as well as creative photographs of teenage girls from both the US and UK.

Again join us, follow us, like our posts. Message us directly @uiopodcast or email UIO@sonjalewis.com. See you on Instagram.

Meanwhile, stay tuned for more UIO news.

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UIO Gets Dedicated Twitter Page

So many exciting things in the pipeline for UIO: You Inside Out, the new #podcastforteengirls. From the launch of ten episodes over the spring and summer to the unveiling of our first dedicated social media page on Facebook a couple of weeks ago, UIO is growing.

This week, we introduce UIO Twitter, user name @UIOPodcast, on which we look forward to joining important conversations to do with teenage girls and leading on some too.

Via our social media, we aim to celebrate what it means to be a teenage girl today while advocating and campaigning on their behalf. Thus, whether it’s to do with self confidence, values or peer pressure, we’ll be talking about it and listening, too.

In addition, we’ll highlight great inspirational quotes and hot tips from our special guests—women featured in the podcasts: Cheryl Grace, Judit Ressinka, Jenny Hawkins, Laura Miles, Joy Miller, Jane and Molly Goldberg, Jenny Garrett, Rachel Gardener, Helen Lewis and Natalie Savvides.

So join us, follow us, re-tweet our tweets. Message us directly @UIOPodcast or email UIO@sonjalewis.com. See you on Twitter.

Meanwhile, stay tuned for more UIO news.

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UIO Gets Dedicated Facebook Page

Earlier this year when I launched UIO, the new podcast for teenage girls, I was bouncing off the walls with passion for the project. Not something necessarily to be proud of, as it was annoying for some—the persistent phone calls, asking for this and that, the constant nattering about it all the time.

Thankfully, however, for many, including the ten women who agreed to an interview, it was a really good idea, something they wanted to see take off, too.

One thing that we could all agree on, to paraphrase one of them ‘anything for teenage girls.’ We’re all connected to a teenage girl or two in some way. And as women, we’ve been there done that and can relate to many of the growing pains.

And here we are months later, announcing our first UIO social media page on Facebook. Others are soon to follow. Until then, any and everything UIO can be found here, including a little background.

On that note, as I watch my niece grow into a young lady, seemingly under a misty day, I can’t help feeling that I owe it to her and her generation to not only try to put a few things right that are ever so wrong but also to stand along side them as they clear up the mist, if you will.

With UIO, I have chosen a single sex platform to give girls a space to deal with issues that are either exclusive to them or impact them disproportionately. For example, research shows that girls are sexualised earlier and more often than boys.

But I do think boys can enjoy the podcasts, too. They are just not aimed at them. In any case, UIO relies on Christian ethics and principles. My faith is at the engine of the podcast. Nonetheless, UIO is not solely for Christian girls. Listen to Prelude One for more on UIO’s roots and to hear more about my desire to support all girls.

The idea is to celebrate what it means to be a teenage girl today while advocating and campaigning with a view to influencing positive change. I call it straight talk because so many of the subjects are hush hush, even if the world has become more explicit. Most people don’t want to talk about tough topics such as sex, sexuality, body image and so on. At UIO, it is the real deal.

To this end, we invite you to like our page, join in the conversations, listen to the podcasts, tells us what you want to hear about, suggest a guest—anything you can think of that serves teenage girls. More podcasts are to come in 2018. In the meantime, check out the 2017 series.

 

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The UIO New Look Is Out

UIO: You Inside Out announces a new look , emphasising the voice of teenage girls.

Created by Dominque Ozturk, an accomplished designer who has years of experience in working with girls of all ages, the new look will be featured across all platforms where the podcast is aired, including iTunes and the UIO dedicated podcast page.

Also you can see the new look and listen to the podcast via Libsyn   Stitcher, Tunein and on Google Play music.

Created as a versatile medium for teenage girls with their input, UIO relies on sound principles and values, and offers a safe and responsible platform to provide insight into topics relevant to teenage girls today.

The 2017 pilot series includes ten shows, featuring a range of talented women with special interest, experience and expertise on a particular topic:

Episode 1 – Your Confidence Inside Out with Cheryl Grace

Episode 2 – Your Body Inside Out with Judit Ressinka

Episode 3 – Your Skin Inside Out with Jenny Hawkins

Episode 4 – Your Body Image Inside Out with Laura Miles

Episode 5 – Your Hair Inside Out with Joy Miller

Episode 6 – Your Mind Inside Out with Jane and Molly Goldberg

Episode 7 – Your Values Inside Out with Jenny Garrett

Episode 8 – On Sex and Sexuality with Rachel Gardner

Episode 9 – Your Family Inside with Helen Lewis

Episode 10 – Peer Pressure Inside Out with Natalie Savvides

Stay tuned for more UIO announcements in the coming days and for new episodes in 2018.

‘I find the subjects and experts are good for parents to hear too, said one listening parent. ‘The podcast raises many points  for conversations with my daughter.’

For more info or enquiries about UIO, write to info@sonjalewis.com

 

 

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Live Life Wherever You Are

Depending on who you ask, autumn is closer than you think.  While astronomers maintain that fall begins September 22, meteorologists say its tomorrow–the first day of September. I vote for the latter for a number of reasons. From fresher days to earlier nights, there is a newness out and about. Even if one isn’t fortunate enough to see it in the colour of bright leaves falling, it is in the air–the whiff of newness that begins with new beginnings. Back to school, back to work, back to life after a long summer holiday, old ways, whether local or global, seem a bit stale. Time to look ahead.

That’s me! After taking off a month or so, I am looking ahead to next week’s official return to my desk. In the meantime, I have a thing or two the say about life as an expat. In short,  Live Life Where You Are (as written about in latest Huff Post blog)…Seems like an obvious thing to do, doesn’t it? But living life to the fullest when transitioning to a new city, a new country, for example, isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

Undeniably, so much has been left behind both physically and mentally. At least that is the way I felt when I moved to London nearly twenty years ago, but holding close to my chest some savvy advice from my brother, a Retired US Airforce Chief Master Sergeant, who had already travelled the world, I got looking ahead fairly early on instead of always looking over my shoulder.

See the thing is: looking ahead doesn’t always mean forgetting the life lived previously, but it does mean adding to it and living life in the present.  Read more in the Huff Post about making a smooth transition from one country to another.

And follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Sonjalewis.com as I continue and complete my podcast series, You Inside and Out, dare to write more perceptive commentary and transition into a the next phase of living life to the fullest, right here in jolly old England.

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What Really Matters to Teen Girls

Reflecting upon my own teenage years, I remember valuing what I wore to school, the condition of my hair and its length, and what car my parents would use to collect me after cheerleader practice. Likely, the latter came from feeling embarrassed when my dad picked me up one day in an old collectors car that he had purchased out of obsession. Never mind that it was cool to him and probably would be worth a lot of money today, I was thrilled when he finally sold that ole blue thing; I think it was a Chevy.

Of course, these are all superficial values and on some level they were influenced by the signs of my time. Still, much of what I cared about has stuck with me til this day, particularly my obsession with the condition of my hair. These days I don’t mind so much about the length but to some degree parts of even my most superficial values have found their way into core of my existence. For example, the hair value has to do more with what’s health nowadays, as well as how it looks.

On a deeper level, however, I valued friendship, honesty and actually doing the right thing. I did not like the idea of doing the wrong thing, whatever that meant to me. And when I fell short, it haunted me for days, if not for years. And until this day, I am still a bit pollyannaish.

A few years ago when I was doing some work for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, I remember pointing out the bright side of a dire situation and a colleague saying: you have an answer for everything, don’t you. Never mind

The point is this: our core values tend to form early on in life and can steer us from the teenage years—often chalked up as a time of discovery and rebellion—to adulthood during the best and worst of times. Thus, knowing what really matters is important.

In my latest podcast with awarding winning coach Jenny Garrett, UIO: Your Values Inside Out, Jenny points out that it was her strong values that likely saw her through her teenage years.

In retrospect, I have to agree. Often when facing tough decisions or even life changing situations, what it came down to for me is: what really mattered to me, not what everyone else thought mattered.

To listen to Episode 7, click here or check it out on iTunes, Stitcher, Tunein or Soundcloud. Truly, there is no better time than the present to think about what you really value for a happier healthier existence. UIO: Your Values Inside Out explores the topic for today’s teenage girl.

 

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New Podcast for Teenage Girls Coming Soon!

A new project is a bit like a new relationship in that it is top priority. It comes first and all too often other things that matter equally as much happen last or they don’t happen at all.

At least that it is the it way has been for me lately, having been silent on the blogging, writing front for a few months now, not to mention other bits of life that takeover one’s world.

Still today, I return with the announcement of a new development: a podcast, of all things, for teenage girls! And though it doesn’t come to life fully until mid-April, not that long from now, need I remind myself, it has sort of been the apple of my eye. No offence to my dear husband but UIO, You Inside Out, the new podcast for teenage girls, has been all I have managed to string a decent sentence together about over the last several months. Worse yet, it is pretty much what I have talked about, thought about, even dreamt about. And might I add, tossed and turned about, too.

Heck I have just about roped everyone in that I know to help me get this thing out there, but there is still plenty of roping to do. You haven’t escaped yet – my lovely connections. Though it all sounds a bit obsessive, I find it of extreme importance and a bit urgent, too.

I say this because as the world turns, youth in particular, are on the firing lines of what I call a new world disorder. And to my mind corroborated by a few stats, girls are feeling the pressure in certain areas of life at a disproportionate rate to boys. No I haven’t quite gotten my head around Brexit, or the outcome of the US Presidential election, and the smudges such events have imprinted in history (I don’t have to go into detail here – all you have to do is read the papers, watch the news, go on Twitter to see what I mean).

But here is the thing, history is history and we are meant to learn from it, make lemonade out of lemons and so on, rather than wasting time wallowing in it and worrying about it. Admittedly, I haven’t whacked the worry yet and but I’m pressing on all the same.

But why a podcast for girls: It all started long before the two big events mention with a desire to be a part of my niece’s upbringing, who was then just shy of a teen. The idea was just to serve her in any way I could and that I did successfully, quite frankly sometimes overbearingly I am sure she would agree, as reported in my Huff Post blog.  And having worked with plenty of girl orgs, I kind of think girls really are my business, like it or not. Hey, I owe it to you. Don’t we all.

Anyhow, I toyed with the idea of a blog, a book, a business and then one morning on a slow run by the river, the words you I owe, a play on I owe you, appeared to me as bright as the morning sunshine. And as I soaked it up, I forgot I was even running and by the time I made it home, I had it, UIO, You Inside Out, the podcast for teenage girls.

For months I told people about the idea and recruited women for interviews but it was only after the two aforementioned events that I knew UIO was relevant and timely. So there you have it, UIO, the new podcast for teenage girls.

What more can I say? Listen to the podcast in mid-April. In the meantime, for more information, check out the webpage right here and do have a listen to the Intro Episode, posted there.

And if you think you can help don’t wait for me to call you, though I might. Do connect with me via social media or email info@sonjalewis.com. Oh and yes, if you have a teenage daughter, or you are a teenage girl reading this, complete the UIO survey on the UIO webpage and also on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. If nothing else, you’ll get to have your say.

Well, that’s a wrap, at least for now. Back to the grindstone, anticipating stellar results.