Nurture with Nature

Leanne Chlosta - Self care and body positivity in the outdoors

• Leanne Chlosta • Season 1 • Episode 3

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In this episode of 'Nurture with Nature,' host Iona Andean interviews Leanne Chlosta, known as @teamchlosta on Instagram, a passionate advocate for outdoor accessibility. Leanne discusses overcoming mental health challenges and societal stigmas through outdoor activities, including wild swimming and solo adventures. Her journey underscores the importance of balancing adventure with self-care and fostering a supportive community. Leanne's inspiring story encourages listeners to embrace nature, prioritize well-being, and pursue personal growth, regardless of societal judgments.

Follow host Iona on Instagram @iona.adventuring to stay connected.

This episode has been kindly supported by Seasgair Lodges


00:00 Welcome to Nurture with Nature
00:33 Introducing Leanne Chlosta
00:48 Support from Seasgair Lodges
01:36 Leanne's Outdoor Adventures
02:34 Mental Health and Body Positivity
03:48 Leanne's Journey into the Outdoors
04:40 Joining Outdoor Groups
15:34 The Great Glencoe Challenge
21:16 The Mad Piranhas Swimming Group
27:41 Solo Adventures and Personal Growth
35:18 Finding Strength in Parenting Choices
35:55 Recognizing and Managing Anxiety
37:46 The Role of Medication in Mental Health
39:17 Nature as a Healer
45:46 Balancing Work and Adventure
51:26 Making Time for Yourself
58:21 Leanne's Future Plans and Reflections

Iona:

Hello and welcome to Nurture with Nature with me, your host, Iona Andean. This is the show that aims to help encourage and inspire you to seek out the many physical and mental health benefits of time outdoors, truly nurturing yourself with nature This week's guest is someone who truly believes in creating a welcoming, nonjudgmental space for people of all shapes, sizes and abilities to enjoy the outdoors. Leanne Chlosta has a'go for it' attitude that will make you want to plan the adventures you've been putting off for years. I'm so excited to share this episode with you and to take a deeper dive into the mental health and body positivity struggles she's faced along the way. Before we get started, I'm delighted to tell you about Seasgair Lodges, who are supporting this week's episode. Offering stunning self catering accommodation in the Scottish Highlands, each lodge is truly unique, with child friendly, pet friendly and luxury options available, there's somewhere to suit everyone's needs. As a company, their purpose is to share their appreciation for the most special places in Scotland, and give their guests a beautiful, comfortable and straightforward base from which to explore. At the same time, they champion local businesses, create long term jobs, and support surrounding communities. However you like to spend time in nature, you can guarantee that a stay with Seasgair Lodges will elevate your adventures and if you're a brand or business interested in supporting the show, then do get in contact to find out more. Chlosta is one of my favourite people to follow on social media for her seemingly never ending supply of adventures. From wild swimming, paddle boarding, island hopping, camping, bivvying, bothying and hill walking, despite her self confessed continual complaints, As a mum of two wee girls, she co parents with their dad after separating five years ago. Leanne works unsociable hours as a support worker within the learning disability and mental health sector and has a real desire to encourage accessibility in the outdoors and loves to see people being offered the chance to pursue their passions. Describing herself as a plus size woman, Leanne spent years hiding her own body, afraid to do all of the outdoor activities she felt so drawn to. She's now owning her appearance and proudly documents this on social media as@teamchlosta, helping to encourage and inspire so many others. But Leanne was openly judged for her weight during an outdoor challenge and she speaks today about how, as a society, we need to do more to challenge the stigma around size and ability in the outdoors. In this conversation, we speak about Leanne's chronic anxiety and normalising conversations around mental health. We speak about how a combination of time in nature and medication now help her manage this so that she can live life to its fullest. And she certainly seems to be doing that. Get ready to feel inspired and excited to spend more time in nature because Leanne has the most incredible way of captivating a'can do' attitude. You're gonna love this episode. Enjoy the show! We are sitting in a lovely little woodland, sheltered area, surrounded by trees and greenery, and the sun is shining, and it is so, so good to see you. It's

Leanne:

well. It's been a few years.

Iona:

It has, hasn't it? Thanks so much for being here.

Leanne:

No, I'm really chuffed that you asked to speak with me.

Iona:

I think you have got so much to share about the outdoors, adventure, nature, everything. So, let's get started. I would love to know how the outdoors became part of your life. Adventure, connecting with nature, where did that come from?

Leanne:

as I think as a child, I used to camp a lot with my uncle and my sister when we were younger. And we were always outdoorsy, my mum and dad as well. Not necessarily, like, going up hills or anything like that, but we were always out and about places. And that was how it went normal life. And then, as I got older, I went to uni. Life changed a bit, and the kinda only outdoor stuff I did was on holidays and big trips abroad and stuff, so. Then, kids came along, and that pretty much took up my life. and Although I was pursuing all of their outdoors activities, um, I felt like I'd lost a little bit of myself and it was kinda time for me to go and do the things that I wanted to try. And I think it must have been about the of of 2019 and it was a massive step out of my comfort zone. I joined a local cycling group for a women's night only, because I thought, alright, okay, it's, I don't know, it's a bit daunting. And I went along and it wasn't anything mad. but I knew the women who ran it, I knew I'd be fine. And I joined this club. I think by the third week I'd fell off the bike and I thought, once I've cut my leg, I'm good to go, like, how far are we going next? And from there, I think it built on my confidence a little, that I can go and meet new people, and I can start to kind of pursue these outdoor things that I'd like to do, and from there, it's, it's not stopped, I don't think.

Iona:

I actually remember seeing you posting about that group. I don't know if it was when you first went along, or if it was Later down the line and you were sharing it and kind of sharing your experience of it And it just looked like you were having the best time

Leanne:

It was because when I joined it, obviously I joined it and all I knew was the woman who was running it And she's a great woman in our community. She does lots of activities. She's a yoga teacher Um, I've done a couch to 5k program with her as well. She's like a run leader and she's just great So I only knew her and then you go long when you can make these connections with other people and it was great And I think after I'd met You It must have been towards the end of the lockdown as well. I did this big cycle to the Kelpies. I remember sharing it. Because during lockdown you were allowed to go so far in your area. She'd turn up at my door at five o'clock in the morning with a bike. And I'd cycle, I don't know how far, before work. And it kind of went that way and I thought I'm going to do the Kelpies and then after that I'm not going back on a bike again. I'm not doing it. by that point I'd met, um, yourself. I joined your group in 2019 as well. And that would have been about August time. And Between joining the cycling group and joining your group, my marriage had ended. So there was a lot of change in our life. I've got two little kids, um, we'd moved out, stayed with my parents for six months until I bought my little house. And it was just, a lot was up in the air. So I feel like, it's weird, it's not like I intended to go and find outdoors, it's kind of like the outdoors found me at the time and I really needed it.

Iona:

And

Leanne:

And we did that, and then I met your group, and did a couple of group walks, and then from your group Met some others when we signed up for a challenge and from there it's not stopped since and it wasn't just walking. It was, we met some friends and then they enjoy camping, they enjoy bothying, they enjoy going on island trips or there was Munro's, there was, we bought paddleboards, wild swimming and I think it's just, I don't know, you kind of find people who will say yes to the fun stuff that you want to try and it's kind of went like that since.

Iona:

that since. And sometimes you just need to meet somebody that you share that one thing in common with and then all of these other things come from that.

Leanne:

Yeah, it's like networking, in a way. And you're meeting people, like I remember meeting, you'll know Vari, I met Vari, and um, yeah. Vari's had such an experienced life, she's travelled, really, really travelled, and I I feel like my kit throughout the years has developed through Vari, watching Vari with a backpack on top of a Munro and the things she pulled out, I call her Vari Poppins,

Iona:

it's just never ending, and

Leanne:

and I'm like, oh God, I love this girl, and I just think from there I've learned a lot from people, so people, are willing to share their experiences, and give you advice, um, share bits of kit because obviously things aren't always affordable, I don't have lots of money, and it makes that accessible to people like me, and I don't want to give you a chance to go out and start doing these things.

Iona:

Yeah. When you go back to, you said that, you know, you were involved in the kids outdoor activities and their sports and things like that, were you doing anything for yourself in terms of the outdoors and adventure?

Leanne:

Absolutely nothing. I did all the things with them. I took him to forest school and I got to take part in the forest school with him as well, which was great. And it was good to meet other parents through that as well. And I met parents through other kind of toddler groups and other activities we went to. I never really did anything for myself in that time. There was nothing. We did like the old walk places and stuff Or the kids, activities outdoors, And beaches and stuff. Like, they might have been pottering about the, the shore. I would never go in for a swim. Whereas now, I'm probably first, like, we're all racing each other to get in for the water. So things like that. And I think as well, at the time, you know, having two kids. I think I lost a lot of my confidence in my body as well at the time. So it was kinda, I was covered up, the kids were running about and I just felt that flimsy mum. But that was fine, you know, it worked for us at the time, but like I said, I did feel like I lost a part of myself and it took a long time to discover that. But naturally, as a mum, you know, you want your kids to have fun, you're doing all these fun things with them, but also I got to the point of thinking, if I don't look after myself, how can I look after them? And I thought I'm going to prioritise these times and it was maybe an hour or two going at night to go. Cycling, and it was once a week. So I spent all these other times going to the kids clubs and stuff, but nothing for myself. And I think that was important.

Iona:

think that Was important. Was there anything that really prompted you to think that?

Leanne:

I think it was like, a recognition in a way. So, before that, I had my second child in 2015. And she was really sick as a baby. And for about the first year and a half of her life, I was constantly seeing health professionals going, there's something not quite right And the more that was happening, I felt unheard and unseen. She ended up having this diagnosis. It's not that he wants it, she's fine. But, at that point I thought, you know something that was right. I'm advocating for this person. Something was wrong. That's fine. We've established that now and we can move on. But after that, I felt like it really affected me mentally. And I ended up attending some counselling because, I don't know, I just felt, I felt really insignificant. And I think that was a lot to do with how I was feeling, like I'd really lost a part of myself, but as well as that, how I was made to feel by others I'm that person's mum and I know something's not quite right. So I had some counselling and it was the best thing I probably did because I learned how to breathe again. That's the only way I could describe it, is to sit, like, sit back and go, right, okay, is this situation as bad as I'm thinking it is? However, throughout the years that's persisted, and I just, like this is nine years on, and I have this chronic anxiety, but I manage that fine. So I think having this anxiety, and then when my marriage ended as well, obviously that's a huge trigger, and I thought, no, something's got to be done here, I need to do something for myself. I was shared parenting by this point, I had some free time, I thought, I have a choice here, I can stay at home, or I can go out and do stuff. And I chose to do stuff. However, there are some weekends where I'm going like, actually I'm going to stay home, because I need to relax. And that's fine. So it's knowing that I'm choosing to relax, because that's just equally as important as going on an adventure. But I think now I've made this part of my life, I don't see me ever stopping. Because this is the stuff that fulfills me, and you look forward to it. And it's no longer a mundane, just a mum life really.

Iona:

Oh, I think it's amazing. You've spoken about so many different things there that are so important. And watching how passionate you are about it, And the way that you say that now that you've got this lifestyle, you don't see yourself stopping. I think that's so important to realise that you can change your lifestyle and make it work for you. And make it work around family life. around childcare, and around shared parenting, because these are challenges that so many people face, and you just make it work in the best way that you know how to, and by choosing this adventurous, outdoorsy life, you know when you need that, but it sounds like you also know when you maybe need to slow down a little bit as well, rather than striving for adventures all the time, because we know that that can lead to burnout too, so it's finding that balance, isn't it?

Leanne:

time off work. I took ten weeks off work and it was much needed. I was tired. I think because we'd worked right through the COVID pandemic. I was still working in the community and stuff at the time. And we never really got that break. And I just felt tired. And I took that time off, but I took that time off to do things. I remember going to see my GP. And I says this is how I'm feeling. And they're like, it's burnout. And they're like, we recommend you do the things that's going to make you feel well. And I did. And I remember within weeks, of having been signed off. I took myself up a mountain one night when the kids went to their dads and I had my first ever bivvy. It was solo. I had a beautiful sunset. I had this big plan to lie and watch the stars all night, but I fell asleep. I'd go up in the morning and set my GoPro and I'd watch the sunrise and I'm sitting there with my coffee and the sun rose behind me.

Iona:

But that

Leanne:

that experience, when I think about it now, um, those things at the time, I was doing these things that were making me feel well. Although I've got that limited time, and I've got so many things in my head I want to do, there's so many places I want to go, and most of it's in our country, because it's beautiful, I'm biased, I love it, but I also know sometimes, well, things happen, it's about your week, you can make plans, kids could be sick, sleep could be lost, and then you're like, actually no I need some time at home And it's been fine with that, or sometimes when I wake up and the weather's really bad and the ferries get cancelled and you can't go anywhere, I'm like, this is meant to be. So I'm going to stay at home today and I'm going to relax. So it's kind of getting that balance and being able to voice it to others because, you know, you might make plans with a friend, you might make plans with a partner. And it's been able to say, listen, I'm not feeling great today, can we do this another time? And it's great to have so many understanding people around about you who respect that. Because places will always be there to visit and, I don't know, it's just finding that balance. in your life.

Iona:

Yeah, I love that. Going back to 2019 when you said you joined the cycling group and then you joined my walking group. How do you feel those things have impacted you in terms of the people that you've met, the connections that you've made, the places that you've visited?

Leanne:

I think it's impacted me massively. So I would say more so the cycling group for the confidence aspect. You know, I'm going out there. I was a larger lady. I'm on a bike, I'm cycling on roads, which is daunting. It's And I joined it in winter. So I'm going to join a group in wintertime, that's outdoors. You know that was a big challenge, I was getting soaked most nights, it was freezing. So that's a bit of resilience. Like, you don't let the weather defeat you, because if you did that in Scotland, you wouldn't get much done. And then when I joined your walking group, it was just by chance. I'd been up a Munro with friends one day, met some other folk, and they'd mentioned your group.

Iona:

And joined

Leanne:

it, and then from there I went on a couple of group walks. and although. I used to think to myself, I don't visually fit the bill because I'm a larger person and when you go and you would see people on hills, I mean it might take me a lot longer to do a Munro than does some folk, but I was never in a race, but you go and you meet folk and it was kind of like a walking side by side thing and you're not having that pressure to have eye contact with someone, you're sharing different experiences, you're maybe just starting out, you're asking questions and it was really really good at the time to build that confidence and then from there Um, Two of us signed up for this challenge We'd Put it on your walking group page saying does anybody fancy joining us? And from that, our little team, Scrambled Legs, were born. So we were supposed to do this Glencoe challenge in 2020, but it was postponed for a year due to the COVID. And, We had one group walk, and it was great. We met all these different people, and everybody was so, so different. And then the lockdown, so we never seen each other again. But we all had this group chat, and we kept in touch through it, and these friendships developed. And at the end of lockdown, we started going out again. We went camping. We went up Munros and it was like, true friendships were formed

Iona:

For anybody who doesn't know, the Great Glencoe Challenge is a 26 mile walk, um can we talk a little bit about that? Because I remember you and other members of your team posting about it at the time and I remember feeling really disheartened and quite shocked at the way some of you were Treated or spoken to throughout the challenge? Yeah. Can we go there?

Leanne:

Yeah. So, obviously, it's a 26 mile walk in, in a day. And it's long. There's four checkpoints and you've got cut off times that they're expecting you to be in, like anything. But it wasn't a race. You know, it was timed, however it wasn't like a race. There was no, like, first, second, third prize or anything like that. Everybody was getting the same medal. Everybody paid the same to join the challenge. And our team is literally all different shapes and sizes, with one man and the rest were girls. And, you know, when we went for it, people ended up, there was naturally people who worked faster and that was fine. Everybody kind of wished each other well when we kind of went about the challenge. Now, when we got to the second checkpoint, which was the lunch stop, we got in, there was two waves that morning that walked, so two different colours of bibs, and when we got there, you gave in your bib number and stuff, and you had a little tag on your shoe that was kind of watching your timing. And this man come over to us as we were sitting eating and he says, look yous are really going to need to watch, um, your time, you're going to think about if you want to bow out just now because you might not make it in the cut off time. And I'm like, well, what made you think that? we're all sitting on the floor eating, changing our socks, and he says, well, yous are quite far behind. And I'm like, but there's other people standing there with the same colour bib on and you're not talking to them. and he says, well, they're fitter. And I'm like, you're implying they're fitter because visually you see somebody looks fitter. And I remember getting a bit upset about it at the time. And I'm like, oh god, this man's made a judgement purely on my size. But he does not know my abilities. He doesn't know the things I've achieved. And I thought, oh, I was a bit upset about it. I remember sharing about it at the time. because that day I did say, I'm going to share about this challenge throughout the day. And I did so. But there was a man I follow on Instagram. And he messaged, he says, Leanne, use it. Use this and finish this challenge. So I did. I got up. had a wee cry. got up. Finished the challenge and I like crossed that finish line and I says, is that, is this man here? She says, no, he's finished. He finished earlier. And I was like, so I wanted him to give me my medal. I thought it would have been the best way to go actually you know, I completed this challenge. However, what happened from that is one of the girls that heard that, bowed out at that point. Now this girl's much fitter than me. And she took the bus back. And when we got to the finish line, she, she was there, Shower change and everything else. And it was a shame because we were all there celebrating this challenge. And I would never say, I would never patronize her, but I was saying well you did a half marathon today, Cause you did, you did a half marathon. But I felt his words ruined that moment for her and it was really sad So she was more than disheartened. It made her decide, I'm not gonna complete this challenge, it gave her that doubt. So I went to the group, the activity organizer, the event organizer at the time and it just so happened that she knew my manager at work and we got chatting and stuff and I says to her, I'm gonna be honest with you, I feel like your inclusion here isn't that great. You know, if somebody's going to pay almost 100 to enter a challenge, then they're going to do everything they can to commit to finishing that challenge. And I've had this judgement made today. One of our girls has dropped out because of that. I says, nobody knows our abilities or what we can achieve. I says, we might not be as fast as the first group over the line. I says, but we all go over the line. Everybody else go over it. So she kinda took that onboard. She said, let wouldn't let it stop me doing a challenge again. Um, but it did make me think that day. Thinking, you know, there is, and it isn't the only time in the outdoors where I've had that stereotypical judgment. People don't know, but then I think, I don't have to go and say to folk, well I've done actually quite a lot of Munro's, or I've did do this, I don't need to tell folk. All I know is, I'm not racing myself, and I'll get there when I get

Iona:

It's just so disappointing that people feel that they can say things like that, or that they can treat people that way, and you still completed it, and even if you hadn't completed it, it's not necessarily up to somebody else to make that decision for you.

Leanne:

Yeah.

Iona:

And it's so important and I think we see it on social media so much. People passing comment and it's easier to do maybe from behind the screen when it's not face to face. But you see this so much and it's really disheartening. These negative comments and having no idea the impact that that can have on somebody.

Leanne:

I could stop someone doing

Iona:

the

Leanne:

things they want to do

Iona:

Absolutely.

Leanne:

And, I never ever see things as quitting. So, I've been up Munros and turned back. back. And sometimes I turn back because maybe the weather's rubbish, or sometimes I turn back because I thought, actually, do you know what, I'm tired, and that

Iona:

still

Leanne:

there. hmm. So I never ever see things

Iona:

as

Leanne:

quitting. And I feel like, For the girl in our team who did that that day, I felt for her, and she, I know she was annoyed after it, and she did. She got in touch with

Iona:

him and she said is

Leanne:

how this has made me feel, and I was really proud of her saying so,

Iona:

so, for

Leanne:

thought for organisations if they're going to run events. And I think that kind of generally goes into the outdoors and further things, and like brands. You know, brands can have a responsibility as well to be inclusive, and not just event organisers to else, like to make kit in sizes for people, and to make kit in the whole range of colours for people, rather than being limited to black. So I think it goes across the board, um, and there is that more inclusion now. You can see it in some

Iona:

brands, to

Leanne:

a bit further, but I think it's more talked about now. And although we've got the negatives of social media with people making judgment, the positives of social media is there's people out there making people aware that actually there's plus sized folk out there. We're not going away, we're enjoying outdoors

Iona:

much as you.

Leanne:

And then it's enabling brands to engage with them and to make products that maybe meet their sizes

Iona:

so while we're speaking about inclusivity and diversity and everybody getting outside regardless of shape, size, weight, everything let's talk about the Mad Piranhas because this is a group that you set up

Leanne:

Not intentionally, just more people came along and I'm like, we need a name Just went like

Iona:

that So, for anybody who doesn't know who are the Mad Piranhas? What, what is the Mad Piranhas?

Leanne:

So the Mad Piranhas I would call us a wild swimming group, but, you know, it's swim at your own ability or how you want your day to go in that water. And what it is, is as a group, it's literally just been a couple of people who've went for a swim and then we put an open invite out there on social media saying em to want to join join us. Or maybe folk have message saying I would love to come along, however I feel I don't know anybody in my area or um, I'm not sure I getting into water on my own. So it's kinda grown from there. And There might be folk who can't swim, and they're happy just to dip to their knees. There might be folk who are really good swimmers and wanted to swim a distance. And they're just people who want to have fun in the water. And I would really just say, biased probably, that it's just a fun group of people who want to have fun in the water. There's no timing involved, everybody goes at their own limit. Um, people, I don't know, like even some days people turn up and they're like, I'm only feeling it today. Absolutely fine, just do what you want to do. So it's literally this, I don't know, this connection with the water we've got. And I always think when we're in the water it's a chance to escape because you can't think about anything else other than that temperature and breathing and you're not thinking about all your life's worries, your mortgage, your children, your jobs. You're not thinking about all that stuff. So it's a very inclusive group, um, for all. There seems to be more women in it than men. I don't know if it's maybe hard to bring men along to meet a bunch of cackling women. Um, there's the kids, my children. We have mini piranhas, so they'll swim too, they've met other kids through too. I am plus size, there are people who are bigger than me as well, and these people are beautiful, beautiful people. And the majority of us all wear snazzy swimsuits, people can wear what they like. Some people like to wear shorts and t shirt and that's absolutely okay too, people can wear what they like. like However, when, before I started this kind of adventurous part of my life. If I was taking the kids swimming, I would have a swimming costume that covered every bit of me up and I would be reluctant to walk from locker to the

Iona:

the pool.

Leanne:

And I'd always worry in case I met people, like, from my younger days at school and stuff, if they seen me, because obviously I've changed a lot since. And years ago, I had to hide myself away, and even going out and about, I'd cover myself up. Whereas now, like, I'll not bother shaving my legs, maybe. Winter time they don't get shaved. And I'll walk about with the swimming costumes on, and the boobs might hang out a little bit, and there might be a bit of jiggling and shaking and everything and I'm absolutely okay with that Um, I've never seen anything but positive. Like, one of the girls got out of the car yesterday with a new swimming costume on and I guarantee the majority of us will probably buy this. It's beautiful but it's like, I love your costume, you look great. And then there's other people in all different shapes and sizes, like I'm saying, like people who are bigger and they wear these cosies and I'm like, I'm so chuffed, you look fantastic and, I don't know, it's just, it's nice. I think there's never that, nobody cares what you're wearing. We all just care about having fun and being safe in the water.

Iona:

I think the word community gets banded about a lot nowadays but the Mad Piranhas does seem like such an amazing community and just a group of people who support one another, laugh and just have a great time.

Leanne:

We do and I think similar to the Scrambled

Iona:

Legs,

Leanne:

you know, that just wasn't about that challenge. We'd only had a training walk and obviously like the life we've had since and the place we've traveled to since, the similar has happened with the Mad Piranhas as well. and I think the thing with the Mad

Iona:

Piranhas is,

Leanne:

there's more talking gets done. Because there's already been a bit of cake or something after it. And then people have made their wee individual friendships, which is great. But, you can tell when

Iona:

something's wrong.

Leanne:

wrong And people will

Iona:

talk.

Leanne:

Or maybe they don't want to talk, but you can acknowledge it. and That's fine. You need this time of day in the water. and That's fine.

Iona:

Now,

Leanne:

the thing is, there's a lot of people there with shared experiences you wish they'd never experienced. theirs. there are people with us who have been affected by suicide. There are people with us who have been affected by infertility,

Iona:

grief,

Leanne:

just different things that they've got a shared experience you wish nobody

Iona:

shared.

Leanne:

But they've got that support network there and it's not that they want to have it in common but they've got somebody to bounce off of and it makes things normal like that. So I suppose community wise it's definitely there. But from that as

Iona:

well,

Leanne:

we all have that adventurous bit as we've tried new things. And now we're going, like, we go on

Iona:

a trip,

Leanne:

I'm like, we're going to go for a camp, so where could we swim nearby? Can we take the paddleboard? Is there a hill? Where are we eating? Is there cake? And it goes on, all these things, or like, can we hire a boat? Can we go on a boat somewhere from there? How long have we got? before we need to

Iona:

back for the kids.

Leanne:

And from there, I don't know, it's just opened up so many doors to us,

Iona:

and I

Leanne:

think that would then lead on, like, see how much you can fit in in that small amount of time. And then we do it, and it works for us. It was only recently I'd said to two of piranhas. I'm finishing work at ten o'clock, does anybody fancy a bivvy on Conic Hill tonight? They met me in the dark in a car park, and we had a bivvy, it was a full moon, it was beautiful, and in the morning we said cheerio, and we all went our own ways. and it was just great, like, it was

Iona:

So it's,

Leanne:

I don't I don't know, it's a shared interest. Not just a shared interest in different outdoor hobbies, but the shared interest in living life to the full

Iona:

full them. Oh I love the way you put that, living life to

Leanne:

that's true though, it's like making the most

Iona:

that time

Leanne:

time you've got, doing something that really fills your cup, I would say like

Iona:

that. And having people that you can make that suggestion to, and somebody within that group will probably say yes. Yeah.

Leanne:

I also having the confidence to go solo, because there's a lot of

Iona:

like myself and other people in the group who are fine

Leanne:

if nobody joins them. They're fine to open up the offer, but we're also fine to say to each other as well, listen, I'm going to go for a bivvy, and if you say what can I tag along, you could

Iona:

say, listen, but

Leanne:

love that, but can we do that another time? I really fancy a night of my own. People would respect that, so there's that. It's a real understanding of people, and does that make sense?

Iona:

Absolutely. I think that's a really important thing to touch on, because it's being comfortable and confident in your own company and maybe knowing when you need that time and that space to yourself like you say and a lot of us feel like we want somebody there all the time continual shared experiences where it actually is nice to sit in your own company at times and have that head space.

Leanne:

I remember the first time I went on a solo trip and I was was 39 and I had about four days free. And I took myself away, and made this plan. I made a plan A, a plan B and a plan C. Plan B and C was as good as A. But I made this plan, and I was going to go and do some things myself. The Trip was my first solo trip. I was paddleboard, my first solo camp, my first solo Munro. So it was a lot of firsts, and I was very nervous about it. I remember speaking to my my and it, and they were they were like, this is terrible, you're going to have us worried sick. And I'm like, I'm 39, I'm a mum of two, come on, I'm not that daft. And I knew I was going to be safe in the outdoors, because you are generally safe, um, safer than a city. So I made this plan, got in my car, cried the whole way, from Clydebank to Inverness, cried in my car. But it was a liberating cry, as in like, I remember saying to you years ago, in a message, saying I wish I'd started this sooner. And I had to change that mindset, going like that, I'm actually doing this now. And I think that's, that cry I was having was, I don't know, it would be like a revelation really, that actually I've got the confidence to go and do these things and I actually don't need to rely on anybody. So I'm very independent, and always have been, The first place I

Iona:

to was Inverness, to

Leanne:

to this bookshop I'd been desperate to go to, and I went, and I have this crazy sense of awe at times, which is probably a bit excessive to some people, and I'm in this bookshop, it's an old church, and it's a second hand bookshop now. And it's fascinating. Do you know it?

Iona:

No, but I remember seeing you share about this. So, I remember going,

Leanne:

it was like a pilgrimage, in a way, right, to this church. And I love books, and I bought this book, I'd just been in Eriskay at the month before, and I bought this book about Eriskay. I've never read it, it, I bought it, I thought,

Iona:

I'm buying book. And I

Leanne:

I remember going to the counter to pay for it, and I'm like, man, this place is fantastic. And he just looked at my deadpan, and I'm

Iona:

like, okay. But

Leanne:

think, if that's your place you go to work every day, then that's fine. But I'm in awe of this place because I've been so, like, wanting to come here for a long time. It's exactly what I thought it was going to be and more. And then I left there and I went to Findhorn, and I

Iona:

sat

Leanne:

the beach with a a different book I was reading at the time. Cried some more, Then I thought, yeah, that's plenty. And I drove back down the way and I went to Avonmore and I had my first paddleboard board. And it was beautiful. And it was like having the confidence to stand up on my board knowing nobody was about. I did it, it was great. Then I went and camped at a different and camped and it was lovely. and My dad phoned he's like, Look, we're really worried about you Leanne. and I'm like, don't be worried dad, listen to this rain in the tent, it's fantastic. and it's great. And I got up the next morning, did my first solo Munro and I phoned my parents that next night from a car park in Aviemore as sat and ate a chippy. I was honking. And they're like, Look, can you not just come home like that? No, I'm having a great time, thanks. and I did. did And I went on, I went through to Aberdeenshire and I went to, in Burn o' Vat at seven o'clock in the morning. I Had it to myself. Went for a coffee in a wee place and it's a Banchory. Went there, looked at this hill in the distance and I'm like, oh I don't know if I've got the legs or Next thing I know I was on the hill, chatting to a guy about his Munro round

Iona:

Went

Leanne:

Went to Stonehaven, um, conveniently booked it in advance, outdoor pool, so I

Iona:

could And

Leanne:

I slept in my car, overlooking St Cyrus, woke up to a beautiful sunrise and had a great time. My dad's a truck driver. I'm in this great wee quirky shop in Stonehaven and my phone goes, it's my dad, where are you? I'm like, I'm in this shop. He's like, I'm in the next street, Try to park the truck in a taxi rank. And I'm like, that's it. dad, you can't do stuff like this. I says, I'm 39 years old having a great time in this shop you can have a good day

Iona:

at

Leanne:

work. And he was so, he was so annoyed, He's like, your mum's not sleeping, and I'm like And I'm like, I don't sleep having the best sleep ever. So And I went, in the next day, I went home the next day, and he phoned me at lunchtime, and I was home by this point, and showered. And he's like, where are you? I'm home. He's like, thank god, don't do it again. And I'm like, I'm making a point of doing this all the time. So I think, like, I do make a point of trying to do something solo, and they do worry sick. I think, I think because I've had anxiety, they think

Iona:

something's wrong.

Leanne:

Whereas I'm like, this is the stuff that actually fulfills me and makes me less anxious because I'm getting to do stuff on my own timings and get to go places I want to go. And I'm literally just satisfying myself and not having to satisfy the two wee ladies in the back of the car asking how it is until we get somewhere. So I think now they don't say stuff, see when I go and say I'm going to do stuff, they don't even say anything, They just, they expect nothing less. And I think, um, having the courage to do that, to do something solo. and never losing it. Like you can really learn a lot about yourself in that time. It's good. You need a bit of peace with your own thoughts. Yeah, very. Are you proud of the

Iona:

thoughts. Absolutely. I think it's so powerful that you went off and did that first trip and I know you've done other solo adventures since then but hearing you speak about how emotional you were on that drive, it's so cathartic. Like I love the point that you made about changing your mindset. Where you said you wish that you'd done this years before. You can't take back that time, you can't change that. So you just have to be proud of yourself and grateful that you are making those changes now. And you are absolutely living life to the fullest. From what I can see and from what I know of you. But it really does sound like you are.

Leanne:

I am I think. Like I've got the normal background I'm going to work, juggling kids. school runs and stuff like that. that's all the normal part that you don't really see in people's lives. if you're sharing things on social media and stuff. I don't share loads about my kids, because my kids are getting older. And I'm mindful of the fact that they maybe don't want things shared. And That's absolutely fine, I'm proud of them. I'll share the odd thing. But I've had comments made to me before, saying, but when do you ever work? Because they just see that snapshot in time when I'm about doing something. I'm like, well actually I work on sociable hours, have done for, I don't know, since I finished uni. I've not stopped working. and or the kids and stuff like, even when we're talking about having that emotional point going up the, as I was driving up the A9, I'm always going to have that guilt. I remember having this real guilt doing stuff without the kids and it's terrible but I know they're fine with their dad they're having fun with their dad. So it's getting to that place where I'm going like, actually no, this is my time and when they go to their dad's on that Friday of my child free weekend and I wave them away, like have a great time and that's fine, like I don't have that guilt so much anymore because I know that. I've enjoyed my time with the kids, but I equally enjoy my time without the kids And I look forward to that time. And as much as you can include your kids in doing a lot of things that I do, there's some things they don't want to do that I would want to do, and that shouldn't stop

Iona:

Absolutely. Where do you think that mum guilt comes from? Do you think it's something that is just innate within us, or is it seeing the message that other people share about what you should or shouldn't be doing with your kids? What's your take like, I think,

Leanne:

social media for a start, obviously obviously we're living this, this this time, our parents never did it, um, that comparison I think there's a lot people who make comparison and, you know, that really is a thief, because it's not living your life I get inspiration from other people. But I've never dictated something because parenting is tough as it is. Nobody comes and tells you, this is how

Iona:

do it.

Leanne:

it. Nobody tells you how you're feeling. You know, fatigue is real, like that mum tiredness. You know, you're not just thinking about yourself. You've got your child and getting them ready or getting them fed and getting them to bed at night. You've got everything. You've constantly got a list in your head of things to do. And, I think it's maybe part of our nature, but I think not just as a parent who's birthed a child, but as parents, maybe, who are caregivers or parents to kinship children or to adopted children, or whatever else, they've still got that bond where you're going to have that little bit of guilt. Because you just, you want to do everything for this little person. I think society dictates a lot as well. as well. It's getting to a place to be strong enough and going like, that. well actually, that, it's good if that's how you parent. My parents are a bit different, and that's absolutely fine.

Iona:

And coming to terms with a decision that you make is because it's the right decision for you, for your family, and being at peace with that. Yep. And not letting the, you know, external noise come in and influence what you feel is best?

Leanne:

That's it, absolutely that I don't know, it's important to just do what's right for you and your little team, your little team.

Iona:

We're all different, we're all unique, and our families are all different and unique as well, and it's having that understanding and that respect for one another, isn't Yep, as hard as it is. it is. You've spoken a few times about the anxiety that you live with on, I imagine, a daily basis, how do you, how do you recognize when you're mental health? is dipping or you're not feeling in such a good place?

Leanne:

I'll know because I get these palpitations in my chest, so it's a physical feeling, and I can't take anything for that because I have a childhood asthma, So that's fine, so I can, know that, and I know it'll start to affect my sleep. Now, I'm a big believer in a routine for sleep, like 10 o'clock, wifi off, lights out, sleep. And I think that's the biggest important thing in your life is sleep. If you get that

Iona:

right,

Leanne:

then everything else should be okay because I think we live in a culture where so much is expected obvious, especially like an employment people, employers put adverts out and it's like they want you to get the ground running for the get go. There's that much pressure on folk to get x, y and z done in a small amount of time. So I think sleep is. the biggest part and if my sleep starts to get affected then I'll know something's not quite right. Now this is a subconscious thing

Iona:

with

Leanne:

me. There's normally a general trigger, Because it's only really a couple of times in my life where I've experienced real anxiety to the point where I've had to take a break. And one, I can pinpoint to having my second daughter when she wasn't well. The second time my marriage ended, like, that was a few months down the line. So I kinda got to realise, wait a minute, it's normally a couple of months later, there's this knock on effect. And that's through worry, and the unknown, and the sleepless nights, and then obviously eventually it catches up with you. And the burnout, You, I could pinpoint that. So that's three times that I would say that I've had real issues. with my anxiety. Um, recently, and I've no problems saying this, I've never taken medication, and I know medication works for a lot of people, and ironically, I am a mental health and learning disability support worker. So I'm aware of all these medications and therapies and stuff that's out there, but about 3 or 4 months ago, I had to see my GP, because I was at that point, with this heart palpitation, convinced I was having a heart attack. And I went, I had an ECG done, and it was just a pure panic moment But it had been building and building for days, I hardly slept, and we spoke and I was like, I think it's time to try some medication. So I did, start taking medication. I started taking Sertraline, which is a very generic medicine that's given to a lot of folk who have anxiety or also also depression. I don't, know. um,

Iona:

have any

Leanne:

issues with depression. it's purely an anxiety that I can't manage at times. So, I've started taking this.

Iona:

And you know what,

Leanne:

I'm giving it a try. I feel great. Like, I think within weeks of

Iona:

of starting it,

Leanne:

it takes a good four to six weeks before you actually kind of flatten out a bit and it's got that kind of balance in your bloodstream. And I think, um, I felt a difference. I can feel a difference with it. I

Iona:

feel

Leanne:

like my brain's more organised, if

Iona:

that

Leanne:

sense. Like, I can be productive. I don't let things, like, sometimes I wouldn't know where to start So, yeah. with some things, too, like cleaning the house. I'm Like, where do

Iona:

I

Leanne:

start? clearer. That's the only way to describe it. And my GP, she called me a month after

Iona:

it and she says, look,

Leanne:

catch up, how you feeling? And she was really, really lovely. Her time she gave me and everything was great. Because she seen me and I was a very vulnerable person that morning. I put the kids into school like, masked it.

Iona:

it. And

Leanne:

she caught up with me and I says to her how I was feeling. She said, I look good. She says, we normally wait until people are feeling good for about six months, and then we kind of talk about coming off it. And that's what I'll deal with in that time frame. So, I just get up in the morning, take the

Iona:

tablet,

Leanne:

and that's it. Now, as for outdoors,

Iona:

um,

Leanne:

think, I think, seasons, see the change in seasons? Excuse me. I think the change in seasons is always like a, it's usually a beauty in change. So I think, like in winter time, you'll cosy in more, and I'll just relax. And then as spring starts to come I'll start the plans. And then

Iona:

I'm busy

Leanne:

through summer. Autumn you start to wind down. and I kind of go at that on a

Iona:

seasonal basis.

Leanne:

So, I look forward to these things and I look forward to making the plans. And I think because we're in this season now, where you're out and about. when I was driving here

Iona:

today, I'm in a car,

Leanne:

look how green it is. It's so

Iona:

lush and

Leanne:

things like that affect my mood. And it's true because we're sitting

Iona:

in the woods just now.

Leanne:

We're on the ground, ground we're close to nature. You're sitting back

Iona:

against

Leanne:

a tree. The wind's blowing. All these things, honestly, have these massive effects on the chemicals in your brain. And it's so good. So, I feel like I speak about that medication side of things, but then I speak about the outdoor side of things, and things like this, or lying in my tent

Iona:

with the

Leanne:

rain hitting it, or being in a bothy with the crackling woods of a fire, and the stove boiling away, bubbling away, and you're going to have a

Iona:

cup of

Leanne:

tea, all of these noises actually make happy chemicals in your brain. And I think it's part of that feeling grounded, like

Iona:

I

Leanne:

get barefoot in in the sand and into the water, barefoot in the grass, um, smells. All of these things are all connected. And I do, as much as I believe that nature is a healer. and I manage it well most of the time, I'm just getting a little help now from the medicine because I was at a place where I can't regulate that heart rate. And so that's a physical factor that's out of my control. So I'm just doing what needs to make that better. And in the meantime, I'll just keep doing all the things that make my head feel clearer and this is that. And

Iona:

you speak so eloquently about it, Leanne. You absolutely do. And. I can just see that you are just so comfortable in yourself and knowing what is good for you, knowing what works for you and you've said yourself knowing when you just need that little extra help and being open to that. Thank you so much for sharing that, honestly, because No, I'm fine.

Leanne:

It normalises it because, see when I went back to, I remember starting this medication, I remember going for a swim the following week and saying to people, I'm taking sertraline, and it's like, so do I, so do I, so do I. There were so many people I'm like, and I'm like, oh my god, this is

Iona:

actually really, really

Leanne:

because people are struggling. Although people come to tell you some of their story, you don't actually know how deep their story goes or how much they're struggling. So sometimes we'll laugh and we'll joke and

Iona:

maybe somebody will

Leanne:

why are you so giddy? And I'm like, oh, it's a sertraline. like, it's

Iona:

the

Leanne:

water, it's freezing. But we'll just joke about it, but not joke about it in a flippant way where we're being like disregarding it or being disrespectful. You know, mental health is, everybody has mental health. It's either good or it's bad or it's well or you know, it's different parts of it. And I I'm an open book of my own, I'm happy to, speak about it to anybody I think because it's my normal day in day out. Now I know in the past speaking to my mum and dad about it, Their culture, they never spoke about things like that and sometimes they're like, Why do you need to tell people about it? Because it's normal. There's so many people around about us that are the same. And I think if I heard it from somebody else, I'm like, Actually, I can resonate. even if I wasn't, somebody wasn't confident enough to say that to it might make them go home going like that. Actually, there's a reason why I'm thinking the way I'm thinking today. And, you could apply that to lots of other things because that's

Iona:

mental But

Leanne:

I've met loads of folk who are, say, on the spectrum. And then they'll maybe always think a lot of us all have, we've all got our own wee quirks and stuff, but you could probably pinpoint things and go actually there's a reason why I do the things I do, but that's normal. So it's completely normal.

Iona:

Do you know as well, when you speak openly about it, you never know what people are going to take from that. And it's making me think of when you spoke about that guy and his comments during the Great Glencoe Challenge. Those comments had the potential, or they did, they, they had a negative impact. It didn't mean that you didn't finish the challenge, it spurred you on to complete it, but they could have had a really negative impact on you. And it works in reverse. When you speak openly about something, or honestly about something, like mental health. You never know what people are going to take from that, as in, they might feel seen or heard, or they might resonate, or they might be able to have some kind of like, positive impact on themselves, because it might then help them feel a little bit more normal, in inverted commas, because we are all normal in different ways.

Leanne:

If they're not feeling the way that I'm feeling, they're empathising. They can empathise. But then if folk maybe are feeling that way, but feel not in a position to discuss it at that time, it maybe gives them a little bit of comfort to know that they're not Not that you'd wish it on anyone, but comfort to know actually do you know something, I feel like that too, or, and I might speak to somebody about it, or maybe now's not the right time. Things like that. I think, when you go back to speak about the man at the Glencoe Challenge, I think if he'd said that to me a couple of years beforehand, I would have been out. would've left. would have left the challenge there and then. So I think, when we're talking about the mindset thing, mindset's your friend I think because we live in such a world of comparison, and, and a world where people, where there is negativity, and it's a lot of it's behind a keyboard. or, You

Iona:

know,

Leanne:

what harm is there in just saying something positive to somebody? I know, My mum always said growing up, if you've got nothing good to say, don't say it at all, keep your mouth shut. And it's true because, like, what positive are you going to bring to that situation by criticising someone? Because that might be all that person needs and it could ruin their day. it

Iona:

It

Leanne:

could ruin, stop them doing something ever again. So I think, I don't know, I think, it's, I know that I that I surround myself with people who are

Iona:

positive.

Leanne:

positive. and I say that in a way, like, that's not saying people can't have negative days, because negative, like, life's tough. At times, everybody's got their own battles, but they're able to voice that and be safe and not have judgement made on them for that. So I think like that.

Iona:

Yeah. I think that saying sums it up perfectly. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Leanne:

I think sometimes as well, like when you're having discussions and stuff, you don't want to concentrate too much on the negative as well, because I think, like, it is there, and I think you need to give it its sounding block, but as as that, it's not the biggest thing, like, you can put that aside. If you can learn to manage a negativity, or put it aside and get to a place where you can go, actually that doesn't serve me, then, I don't know, it's good.

Iona:

how do you fit adventuring around work? Do you, is it spontaneous? Do you plan it? Do you look at your shifts and think, I've got that morning free or that afternoon or that evening? How do you fit that into everyday life? Well.

Leanne:

So, I work a same two week rolling

Iona:

rota.

Leanne:

And every second long weekend, I work a long weekend at work. So that gets a lot of my contracted hours out the way. And it works for the kids, because David and I have got this good four week pattern with them. And if I'm on this two week rolling rota, then it works. So I do that. And I do early shifts and late shifts during the week. I'll follow the weather. You know, if there's really good weather, if the wind, if we've got a break in the wind, we'd be like, well, let's go paddle boarding. You And I'll maybe put a message out and say to people, or sometimes it's a

Iona:

walk,

Leanne:

or sometimes you've got things to do, but I always keep a Friday

Iona:

for swimming.

Leanne:

So that's my swimming day. Always, always a Friday. And it might not be swimming the whole day, like I always give myself about an hour's drive max, location, we swim in

Iona:

lots of

Leanne:

different places, and then we'll always make sure we've got that hour to come back before the school finishes. So it's working out what time you've got, how far you can go, how's the weather looking, what do we really fancy doing, where's the cake shop nearby. It's always, we always try and incorporate with something along, and then from there we kind of work out things. So, I, a couple of times I did this after work, so I finished work at 10 o'clock on a late shift. And I remember Tommy was coming down to stay at mine's one time, that's my partner. He was coming down to stay last year, and it was like the afternoon, and I was getting ready to go to work. And I looked at the forecast, and it was crystal clear. It was April. And I'm like, it's going to be a beautiful sunrise, I've got a place in mind. like, pack your bivvy. And he's like, what? And I'm like, pack your bivvy, I'm on my way to work, I'll see you later. So I literally just go to my camping cupboard, X, Y and Z in my bag, and bag, go. And I met him on road. Half past ten that night, head torch on. We walked up this small hill, set up the bivvies, put a tarp up. He put his camera up and he was taking pictures and stuff. went to sleep. Set my alarm for half past five. Thought I'll watch that bit before the sun comes up. It was a beautiful sunrise. He's faffing with his camera and it was just beautiful. And I thought, actually, I packed my bag away and

Iona:

I

Leanne:

thought my bed, but I loved that at the night. So it was

Iona:

really, really good.

Leanne:

So then I went home, and I took the kids to school and I had an adventure before school even started. So I think those little moments and the same when meeting the girls recently going like, It's a full moon. Do you fancy Conic Hill to go for a camp or for a bivvy? We'll just go halfway up. So it's nothing mad, and it was just a really, really nice night. So you fit little bits in like that. Or sometimes I'll finish up, when I finish up in the afternoon, if I've not got the kids, then I'll just go away and do something. And it's just making it work. I'll look at my calendar, I'll see how the weather's looking in places, and if there's a real good opportunity then I'll just go for it. Like I've been brought like, and in fact, when was it, a couple, a couple of

Iona:

weeks ago,

Leanne:

put the kids

Iona:

to

Leanne:

school school on a Tuesday. Some of us piranhas would, I'd mentioned I wanted to go to the Corryvreckian Whirlpool. It's somewhere I've wanted to go for ages. It fascinates me. And it's

Iona:

literally,

Leanne:

um, these tides. Really, really fast tides. And it creates

Iona:

this waves,

Leanne:

it's just great. And I said I really fancy doing this. And by that point, a few interests. And then people were looking into, like, companies that had tours on. And then we found this company who'd let you charter a boat for half a day. And then like, well how many people does it take? It takes 12. How much is that? So it worked out, see, the same price to go for a short one and a half hour tour, the same price per person to have this boat and a skipper for

Iona:

half a

Leanne:

day. So, we all booked it, it, the kids into school at 2 school at at 9 o'clock that morning, sorry. I took off that Tuesday night at work. So we drove from Clydebank to Crinan, four of us in a car, to meet everybody else at this canal. And we got this boat and it took us out on that tour. We managed to land on a small island that's in a, like, you can't go to yet. We went up, we did the trig point, we came back down, we'd been to the whirlpool, we, um, we'd been to Jura, we were in Scarborough, so it was literally a

Iona:

four

Leanne:

hour trip. And what we did is we made, because we were not having to go home for kids that night, we were not having to go to work that night, we then went and booked a restaurant, went for some beautiful seafood, and then we took ourselves, I was like, I've camped at this place before and I think we should camp there again. And it was

Iona:

literally

Leanne:

five minute drive, got to this place, very little reception for people, so there was no distraction. Facing onto the Sound of Jura, a couple of the girls swam. We pitched our tents. Fire pit was lit. Some people had like a wee beer and stuff. I was sitting in my cup of tea, happy as Larry. And then we went then we went to bed. And then the next morning, we'd made a plan. We Don't have to be back to school until three o'clock. We could do Eastdale Island and go and jump in the quarries because we're swimmers. That's what we're here for. So So we're up. Porridge for everybody. I'm on the stove. Water, water, water to everybody. Porridge, teas, cars packed up. And we went up to the Isle of Seal and we got the short ferry over to Eastdale And we were soon jumping in the quarries and it was beautiful. And that was like a bucket list moment for everybody because everybody wanted to go go there. Back in the car, quick sandwich and open, in Oban, and then home. And when I picked the kids back up again, I'm like, Hi! And

Iona:

they're like, what What have

Leanne:

I been up to? Let me tell you! But But I thought in that short amount of time because it's just managing it and things like that sometimes need plans in advance. The bivvies and stuff you can do spontaneous because you're literally packing a few bits of kit. But that's obviously childcare that needs sorted, it's works, it needs annual leave, and Those trips are good.

Iona:

And,

Leanne:

I don't know, you make it work. You plan the things, with

Iona:

the notice,

Leanne:

and then see the little spontaneous moments, you'll see like sitting in your house and going like that, oh it looks like it's going to be a nice sunset, and just heading to the the loch, the chucking of wood in the car, like always have stuff ready to go. And, I don't I don't know, those little moments, see the unplanned moments, they tend to be the best times, and they're really, really nice. It's just managing time like that.

Iona:

Yeah. What would you say to anybody who feels like they don't have time? Make it,

Leanne:

make it time. So I don't do overtime at work anymore. I Stopped doing it when I had my second child. And I have this clear rule at work. When I return to work after the burnout, I have this rule. I remember doing my return to work form, speaking with my line manager and saying, listen, do not contact me outside of work. Um, I work the same hours every two weeks. You know, the times you can contact me. That's, I need a separate work life balance, and that was fine, and it's great. I work my hours and I do more than 100 percent when I'm at work. I says, my free time's my free time and I have two kids and and I have a life outwith work. So I'm firm about that. that. And although some people will be like, Oh, I need to do work extra to get the money and stuff, I've learned to live with the money that I make. And I've, over the years, it's took me years to buy a tent, buy a family tent and buy a bit at a time. And I actually did a wee thing recently when I was away family camping with the kids, talking about my kitchen that I absolutely love. And how I'd like to buy the bigger stove, however that's something that's quite a way to go. I'll wait to buy things. I'm not going to go and get myself into debt to go and buy things to go and do the outdoor activities I want to do. So it's literally been years of me building bits. And I started

Iona:

off

Leanne:

with a with a 30 pair of shoes and they done me loads of Munros. And it's not about having all this expensive stuff. It's literally just just doing what you can, with what you have, and making it work. So when people say they don't have

Iona:

the

Leanne:

time, you know, You need to think back to why you've not got the time, and why do you need the extra money and like, simple things, like I've cut back on simple things I'd buy. I haven't bought a single major chain coffee this year. It sounds silly. I love to go for a small shop, coffee, like a small business coffee, and I love to sit on my diary or a book or my friends and have brunch and catch up, that's good business. My kids live, their school's near a a shop, and I was going in there in the mornings buying a five pound coffee, constant and see when it was building up I thought what am I doing? Like I'm lining this some rich person's pocket. I'm not actually getting the fulfilment from this coffee that I would be going to sitting in a small shop and having a blether with somebody or sitting in my book. That money that I saved, and

Iona:

I'm a single parent,

Leanne:

is paid for that, um, Corryvreckan trip and it paid for my flight to Jura on a seaplane in two weeks time. So it sounds trivial but that's like 200, eh? like if I was, I could work out what I was spending on coffee per month. And so it's things, small changes, to work, to make the time, and it might be like, some people who think they don't have time and they want to do this stuff,

Iona:

it,

Leanne:

it might be years in the making, because it's been that for me, it's like, little bits of small time, like me joining that cycle club, couple hours on a Monday night, once that's how it's led to that. and It's just making that time. That was a free club, it was fully funded. Find out what's in your community, like if you're struggling for money. There's loads of things happening that maybe run free. There was a free to programme in my community and it's good to get people

Iona:

active.

Leanne:

We spoke about barriers to sport in some local communities because I live in a really deprived community. Like there's not a lot of money in it. So things like that, there's things happening. Just get talking to people. I think sometimes you make too many excuses not to do something and it's just getting the push for yourself to go and do it.

Iona:

Oh my god, you speak so brilliantly about it. I feel so inspired and I just feel like this excitement for adventure just from sitting here chatting to you. Honestly, because you I've just made so much effort. And like you say, it's almost like this drip drip effect over years and years. And I think in this day and age, we're so used to everything being so instant that we expect that from lots of aspects of our life. Whereas like you say, you've saved up money or you've built things up over time, even things like building up confidence over time. There are some things that we need to work at over time and we're just not used to that in this day and age, but it's so important. And it's like building those foundations, saving that money, doing the things over time to achieve your goal, when you might not be able to do it instantly.

Leanne:

that's the world we live in, because it's such a materialistic world we live in, it's that gratification, because you're getting stuff immediately. probably similar and it's a long process, you know, you're going to see results, it's just sticking with it. And although I'm not athletic, I've stuck with my process, and I've had a goal that I've

Iona:

wanted

Leanne:

to get to, or the things I've wanted to do. And, like you're saying, just that drip effect, having to do a little bit at a time to get to where you're And that's it. So, if I think about it, 2019 seems like a long, long

Iona:

time ago.

Leanne:

It's not really. And if I think about what I've achieved in those five years, then there's loads. And that's not, like, I always say to people, like, people are like, I don't

Iona:

to blow

Leanne:

trumpet. I'm like, absolutely blow it. Like, you've done so much in such a little space of time, you've achieved the things you want to do, you've got these goals you're setting yourself, like, the goals are never endless now.

Iona:

It's just going

Leanne:

to keep going and going and going. Like, I keep thinking, oh god, I've got all these places I'd love to go and next thing you know you've added another

Iona:

another

Leanne:

places And then you're going to some places and, I don't know, know, it's just I want to do what I can, while I can. While

Iona:

I'm able to do it.

Leanne:

Because nobody knows

Iona:

what

Leanne:

life's got store for them. And I

Iona:

don't to be one

Leanne:

these people who, I always, sometimes put it back to the example of being

Iona:

in

Leanne:

a nursery home and going like that, wish I did that, or

Iona:

that, or

Leanne:

I wish I in my nursing home going like that. You wouldn't have seen me that time I went Skinny dipping And the

Iona:

midges bit me everywhere,

Leanne:

but it was liberating, and I'd seen all my friends boobies as well, and now to talk openly, like, I want to be able to tell stories if I'm still

Iona:

to

Leanne:

to do it.

Iona:

You're very open and very candid. I would think a lot of things that you've said today aren't a surprise to anybody that does follow you on social media, but that's what I want people to take away from this, is a little bit of a deeper dive, more of an insight into people's lives and how unique and beautiful and special we all are. can see,

Leanne:

like you said earlier on about the being normal, you know, we're all normal, but unique. And it is that, like everybody's got something. Different to bring and, I don't know, I think it's well, it's finding people, surrounding yourself with people like that too.

Iona:

Yeah. What would you like somebody to take away from this episode with you, if there's one thing that you really want to stick in somebody's mind from hearing you chat?

Leanne:

I would say, make time for yourself. You

Iona:

so

Leanne:

important. You are the most important person in your life. And that There's regardless of the fact if you've got children, or if you've not got children, or parents, or you're caring for other people. You are number one. And it's not selfish, it's self care. And just go after the things you want. like Why wait? Make a list of what you want to do. Make small steps to doing that. Um, if you need to do it with other people, look out in your local communities, see what's happening. And as daunting as that

Iona:

be.

Leanne:

be. They're probably feeling

Iona:

the same. new face.

Leanne:

So we all start somewhere. And I think I would just say, that's it. go and live your life, Go have the fun.

Iona:

Wow, isn't Leanne incredible? I wonder what our conversation has inspired you to do. Let Instagram, where you'll find me as@iona.Adventuring. If you're wondering what's next for Leanne, well, her exciting summer plans came to an abrupt halt just days after I met to record with her. While out walking on a Corbett with her partner, Leanne had a split second fall which left her with a broken ankle and two broken bones in her leg. The bones have since healed, but the ligaments need a little longer, so she's walking, resting, and walking some more. With some upcoming island trips, she told me she's going to take the time to simply be present in nature, to breathe the forest air, dip her feet in the lochs and seas, and listen to the rainfall in her tent. The simple things that she actually mentioned at one point in our conversation, when speaking about mental health, leanne then plans to visit more Bothies over autumn and winter, before next year aiming to walk the West Highland Way in a timeframe that suits her pace. She also let me know that afterwards she plans to go to Norway to walk, swim and paddleboard. And all of this will be surrounded by the everyday adventures and time in nature that Leanne has such an appreciation for. If you've enjoyed this episode, then please go and share it with a friend. I'm so grateful as always for your support and encouragement and you're helping this podcast reach so many more people so that we can all find a way of feeling nurtured with nature. I'll see you next time.

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Iona Andean

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