Jane Martino on Smiling Mind, raising boys and self-care in the midst of the mother juggle

Since my early days in journalism, and as a profuse reader and writer who devours books long into the night, I’ve always been deeply fascinated by the stories we tell ourselves that make us who we are.

From fairytales to fables, campfires to Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, it is story that allows us to see patterns where there is chaos, meaning where there is randomness, and portals to existential problem-solving.

We all use stories to make sense of our lens on the world, and to share that understanding with others. Stories are the signals through the white noise of our now.

So when Sabina Read and I first knocked our heads together and decided to create a podcast, we had no plan and no gear, but a solid hunch that way too many of us humans are living lives and truths and stories that others don’t see. That there are so many conversations we should be having but aren’t. And that there are way too many ordinary extraordinary people out there whose stories go untold.

Human Cogs Podcast is about all that.

The human stuff. Real people. Raw stories. Big truths. Without the small talk.

We’ve interviewed some truly amazing humans already, and have stacks more to come!

Our latest episode with Jane Martino is the kind of conversation we know is worth having.

Jane is a polymathic, award-winning Australian entrepreneur who’s built multiple companies and is the Cofounder of globally recognised not-for-profit organisation Smiling Mind – a free online Mindfulness Meditation program that has more than 4 million regular users.

Jane has been on the Board of the Melbourne Football Club, is a powerhouse business woman, and the author of multiple books including a series of children’s books on wellbeing that will be released in October 2020. And yep – she is also quietly brewing another startup!

In this episode of Human Cogs my Cohost Sabina Read and I chat to Jane about being a disruptor, the price one pays for professional attainment, and the work she has done to push back on societal and systemic norms to live her personal and professional story more intentionally, and authentically.

We also explore how she and her ex-husband, Matt Martino, found a way forward together to create positive shared-parenting strategies after their separation, and how raising her three boys with intentional transparency has helped anchor her during this time of life transition, and personal transformation.

Available on Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts or listen via our website.

And if you like these conversations, PLEASE LEAVE US A QUICK REVIEW so we can share these stories with more people! Thank you.