Somewhere between Edinburgh Airport and a set of stairs I had no business descending with a suitcase, I had a reckoning with my body. Specifically, with the part of me who thinks pain is just the price of doing business. Her name is Patty Pusher, and she and I are currently in negotiations.

In This Episode

• Why so many of us experience our bodies as the enemy — and where that actually comes from

• What objectification theory has to do with the way you feel in your own skin

• The moment a set of stairs and a suitcase named Gertrude forced a real reckoning

• Meet Patty Pusher: the alter ego who pushes past every limit — and the new motto that's keeping her in check

• A laughter toolbox tool for when things go sideways: how to find the funny and then find the opportunity

• The Fort William Bus Driver story — which involves wrong directions, a cryptic warning, a near-mugging, and a Jamie Fraser sighting

Episode Highlights with Timestamps

[00:10] — Introduction: solo travel, week one, and a question worth asking

[00:36] — "I have been at war with my body" — Marla opens up about a lifetime of pushing too hard

[01:25] — Eating disorders, injuries, and the cost of not listening to your body

[02:40] — Objectification theory: why we experience our bodies as something we watch, not something we live in

[03:28] — Social media, impossible standards, and being between a rock and a hard place

[05:46] — Gertrude, 25 stairs, and a knee that said absolutely not

[07:32] — Meet Patty Pusher: the alter ego with a motto that would make a physiotherapist weep

[08:19] — The new motto: built to last, not to trash

[09:21] — The Laughter Lounge opens: shout-outs, feedback, and the Fort William bus driver story

[9:55] — Laughter toolbox tool: how to find the funny when things go wrong

[10:44] — The Fort William bus driver story begins (brace yourself)

[14:54] — Finding the opportunity: what a disastrous bus ride gave Marla instead

[15:07] — Jamie Fraser's grandson. That is all.

Links and Resources Mentioned

Objectification theory — Marla references this concept in passing; no specific source cited in episode

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon — referenced for the Jamie Fraser moment

marlasimlett.com — episode page, newsletter signup

Laughter Revolution Digest — newsletter, subscribe at marlasimlett.com

Let's connect

If any of this landed for you — the body stuff, the Patty Pusher stuff, or finding yourself going in the wrong direction - I'd love to hear from you. Reach out at info@marlasimlett.com or find me on Instagram and Facebook.

And if you haven't yet, hit subscribe on your podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

You can also join the Laughter Revolution Digest at marlasimlett.com. It's where I share the stories that don't quite make it into the podcast, plus pics of trip sights and things that make me laugh!

Most of us have had that moment. Sitting at your desk, calendar full, inbox worse, thinking: surely this cannot be it.

After almost 20 years in corporate HR, I decided to find out. So I left. What followed was two naps a day, a lot of body listening, and eventually, a six-month solo trip to Scotland with almost no plans.

This episode is about spirit being versus human doing, with your body as your best guide. And why the Dastardly Das are probably running more of your life than you think. There is also a truly terrible hotel in Turkey, an underwhelming Mona Lisa, and a whole lot of Laughter IntelligenceTM.

Come for the stories. Stay for the mindset shift. Hit play at marlasimlett.com.

Have you ever felt completely paralysed by something that should be simple? Packing a suitcase. Choosing an outfit. Showing up as yourself. If you’ve ever spiralled over what other people might think of you, this episode is for you.

Marla is packing for a six-month solo adventure, which sounds exciting, until Polly Packer shows up. Polly is that relentless inner critic who turns packing a bag into a full emotional workout. In this episode, Marla traces that anxiety all the way back to its roots: shame.

Through two wonderfully mortifying stories, Marla unpacks how our brains turn moments of what should be just embarrassment into beliefs we carry for decades. She explores where shame comes from, why it has such a grip on us, and most importantly, how to loosen that grip with some honesty, a reality check, and a healthy dose of laughter.

Key Insights:

·Shame is not the same as guilt.

·Shame has ancient roots.

·Naming it takes away some of its power.

·Shame shrinks in the light.

Have a Polly Packer of your own? I’d love to hear about her. Send me a message at info@marlasimlett.com or find me on Instagram. And if this episode hit close to home, share it with someone who needs it. When you’ve got a revolution, the more the merrier.

Subscribe to the Laughter Revolution Digest at marlasimlett.com to follow along on Marla’s six-month solo journey, including what she’s learning and laughing about along the way.