There’s a version of strength the world rewards – capable, tireless, always fine. And then there’s the cost.

Gorgi Coghlan is someone I’ve adored from the moment we met. She’s formidable, warm, wildly accomplished, and the kind of person who makes you feel seen immediately.

We talk about the imprints that drive us – the little girl who worked hard to be seen by a father whose love came through providing, not presence. The woman who learned early to carry everyone else’s emotional load, and what happens when that pattern follows you all the way into your 50s. Gorgi shares something I found incredibly moving about reconciling with her father before he passed – the gap she had to create, the forgiveness that became possible because of it, and the relationship she says is even more beautiful now. We also end up exactly where I love being: talking about possibility. About not waiting. About why 50 is not the beginning of the end, but what Gorgi calls a magnificent ignition.

We explore:

• The fear that stops you putting creative work into the world – and what actually happens when you finally do it anyway
• “Juvenile condition” – the Adlerian psychology concept that explains why so many adults are still waiting for permission to start their own lives
• Laughter as a nervous system response – and why it shows up in the strangest, most inconvenient moments
• The “three-sided column” from The Courage to Be Happy – and how it changes who you think is responsible for your life
• Why silliness might be the most underrated form of connection and healing we have right now

Gorgi talks about who’s advocating for her. Here is this extraordinary woman – accomplished, giving, deeply loved – and she still needs to hear herself say it out loud. YES. You are allowed to need something. You are allowed to ask for it. Even if – especially if – you’ve spent a long time being the one who doesn’t.

About Gorgi Coghlan:

Gorgi Coghlan is a former Year 12 science and biology teacher turned broadcaster, presenter, and performer. She spent over a decade as co-host of The Project and The Circle on Channel Ten, and as a reporter and presenter on the Today Show on Channel Nine. An extraordinary singer, Gorgi performs live with her friend in their show, Songbird, and is now also a voice on ABC Radio. She runs a hospitality business with her husband Simon, and is a devoted mum to her teenage daughter Molly.

Connect with Gorgi:

• Instagram: @gorgicoghlan
• Radio: 774 ABC Melbourne
• Biz: The Buninyong Hotel
• Songbirds: Theatre Royal, Hobart, Jul 5. Tickets