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What happens when the life you pictured is not the life you are living?

On her 18th birthday in Ireland, Caroline Hales survived an accident that should have ended her life. In the aftermath, she encountered something she still finds difficult to define: a sense of light, presence, and a clear internal shift that brought her back toward living.

From that point on, life felt different.

In the years that followed, Caroline discovered yoga, travelled to Australia as a backpacker, and met the man who would become her husband. Together they dreamed of building a family, but the path to motherhood was marked by heartbreak. Miscarriages, fertility struggles, and the devastating loss of a longed-for child tested everything she believed about herself, her future, and her capacity to keep going.

Through it all, Caroline held onto the idea of becoming a mother, even as each loss reshaped what she thought her life would be.

When she stopped forcing a future and began to surrender to the reality she was actually living, life opened up to her.

This is a story of survival, love, grief, and the quiet transformation that comes when life no longer follows the plan you made for it.

For more information about Caroline, visit her website: https://www.carolinehales.com/

Follow her on Instagram: @carolinehales_

Facebook: Caroline Hales - Integrative Energy Healing

⚠️ Our episodes contain conversations about difficult life experiences. Some episodes include coarse language and themes such as childhood trauma, sexual assault, infant loss and references to suicide. Please take care while listening and prioritise your wellbeing.

If this episode brings up anything for you, support is available:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 46 36
• Headspace – 1800 650 890

Support the show:

• Subscribe for new episodes every week!
• Follow us on Instagram @ThatDayPodcast
• Have a story to share? Email us at hosts@thatdaypodcast.com

Production assistance from John Hresc at Sydney Sound Brewery

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when the carefully made plan falls apart and all you have left is your instinct?

Mary Howley has never been interested in living a small life. When the pull to travel across Europe took hold, she planned it meticulously—researching routes, mapping contingencies, preparing for every possible outcome long before the internet made it easy.

She and a friend set off together, but the trip changed early. Her travel companion decided to stay in London leaving Mary to continue the planned trip alone.

What began as a shared adventure became solo travel through unfamiliar cities, each step demanding more instinct than planning.

In Athens, Mary got into what she believed was a taxi to her accommodation. Instead, the driver continued far beyond the expected route, taking her away from the safety of the city streets and into a situation that quickly felt wrong.

In that moment, everything came down to intuition.

Relying on her instincts and a steady kind of courage, Mary made choices that ultimately helped her escape a situation that could have turned fatal.

And yet, for years she told no one. As the daughter of immigrant parents who had never wanted her to travel, she carried the story quietly, not wanting to add to their fear or confirm their worst worries about the world.

This is a story about solo female travel, intuition, and the constant, invisible negotiation women make with safety everywhere they go.

For more information about Mary, visit her website: https://www.maryhowley.com/ or follow her on instagram @maryhowley_

⚠️ Our episodes contain conversations about difficult life experiences. Some episodes include coarse language and themes such as childhood trauma, sexual assault, infant loss and references to suicide. Please take care while listening and prioritise your wellbeing.

If this episode brings up anything for you, support is available:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 46 36
• Headspace – 1800 650 890

Support the show:

• Subscribe for new episodes every week!
• Follow us on Instagram @ThatDayPodcast
• Have a story to share? Email us at hosts@thatdaypodcast.com

Production assistance from John Hresc at Sydney Sound Brewery

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when life blindsides you just as you think you’ve got it all steady?

Chrissie Bellbrae’s life has been defined by resilience. From family upheavals and raising four children to overseas travels in her fifties, she’s repeatedly faced challenges head-on. But the day she was diagnosed with breast cancer stopped everything in its tracks.

In this episode, Chrissie recounts that moment and the days that followed: the fear, the compartmentalisation, and the determination to take control of her story. She shares the support that carried her, the unexpected things she discovered about herself, and how she began reshaping her life in ways she never imagined.

From stepping out of her comfort zone to trusting her instincts and leaning into nature, Chrissie’s story is one of courage, community, and quiet transformation.

This is a story about finding strength, clarity, and even joy in the middle of crisis.

For more information, visit: https://www.chrissiebellbrae.com

This episode is sponsored by Amoena Australia.

Australian website: https://www.amoena.com/au/

Amoena is the global market leader in breast care products for women who have undergone breast surgery including mastectomies, lumpectomies, reconstructions or other aesthetic procedures. They offer a holistic product portfolio including breast forms & shapers, pocketed lingerie & swimwear, post-surgical recovery care plus comfort & compression bras for lymphoedema. Founded in Germany more than 50 years ago, they are available in more than 80 countries, including Australia.

Social channels:

https://www.facebook.com/AmoenaAustralia

https://www.instagram.com/amoena_australia/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/amoena-australia

⚠️ Our episodes contain conversations about difficult life experiences. Some episodes include coarse language and themes such as childhood trauma, sexual assault, infant loss and references to suicide. Please take care while listening and prioritise your wellbeing.

If this episode brings up anything for you, support is available:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 46 36
• Headspace – 1800 650 890

Support the show:

• Subscribe for new episodes every week!
• Follow us on Instagram @ThatDayPodcast
• Have a story to share? Email us at hosts@thatdaypodcast.com

Production assistance from John Hresc at Sydney Sound Brewery