Welcome to Episode Two of the Stepping Sideways Podcast. This week is a change of pace from last week as I talk to Peta Hudson. Peta’s recently made the huge switch from ending one career to enable her to embark on a brand new one.

I don’t mind admitting that I got a bit teary when I was chatting to Peta. The move she’s made is seriously gutsy!

Each episode I’ll be talking with another woman about her experiences in life, business and the workforce.

The theme of the podcast is inspired by Sheryl Sandberg’s international bestseller Lean In. I felt quite confronted when I picked it up for the first time. Women juggle so many things in the modern world and sometimes we need to take some steps sideways to allow us to lean in.

Please Enjoy!

Download the Episode

Links from the Podcast

Denzel Washington’s Goals Speech

Sheryl Sandberg’s TED Talks

Lean In, Shery Sandberg

Light is the New Black, Rebecca Campbell

See below for complete transcript of interview

Tatum Woodroffe:         

Hello and welcome to Stepping Sideways. I’m Tatum Woodroffe, creative director of Hardwood Digital. Stepping Sideways is a podcast dedicated to exploring the roles of women both in business and the workforce. Each episode, I’ll be talking with my guest about their experiences, their trials and triumphs, and all the stories they’ve collected along the way throughout their career.

[00:00:30] Welcome to Stepping Sideways. I’m Tatum Woodroffe and today I have Peta Hudson here with me. Now, Peta has made a massive change in her career path. She was working in construction and has made the shift to going back to Uni and studying nursing and midwifery. Welcome Peta. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do, a bit more of your background?

Peta Hudson:

[00:01:00] Sure. Thank you for having me. I have recently turned 40. I’m a mum of two, and as you said, I’m currently studying midwifery. I am just at the end of my first year. Had my last lecture yesterday for the year, which is great. Now I’ve got four weeks left to go placement.

Yeah, I did make the big change from construction through to studying midwifery.

Tatum Woodroffe:

Wow. Excellent. Thank you so much for talking with me today [00:01:30] because I think that your story is going to be really interesting to a lot of people, because what you’re doing I see as being something that takes a whole lot of guts to do, because you’re moving from a successful career to really starting again. Following your passion is hugely inspiring, I think.

Peta Hudson:

Thank you.

Tatum Woodroffe:

My first question, can you imagine that you’re 15 again? The [00:02:00] reason I say 15 is because that’s when we often start thinking about our career path because we have to make those subject selections at school. How did you imagine your career then?

Peta Hudson:

Oh my goodness. As far back as I can remember I always thought I would be a lawyer. I’m not quite sure how that came about or why, but particularly in family law. I always had this thing that I wanted to work with children and for some reason [00:02:30] a lawyer stuck.

Back as early as nine people would say, “What is it that you want to be?” and I’d be, “Oh, a lawyer.” When I was 15 I did tailor my subjects around that to the point where my high school didn’t offer legal studies so I had to go to another high school which was on the same campus to study that for the two years.

I never really had a career path mapped out, as such. It [00:03:00] was just this kind of notion that I wanted to be a lawyer. Very different.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

From that point, being 15, if you fast forward to now can you share a big of the highlight reel of your career?

Peta Hudson:                   

Unfortunately for me, year 12 was a bit of a disaster. I wasn’t accepted into Uni and I certainly didn’t get the grades to be accepted at law level. I remember my parents saying [00:03:30] to me, “To live at home you either need to go back and do year 13 or get a job,” so a job it was.

I started in telecommunications in a call centre. That took me to Melbourne where I lived for three years, and then after that I came back to Adelaide in the late 90s, and met my now husband, and we went and travelled, and lived overseas in London for two years. I just kind of fell into PA work.

When we got home, I [00:04:00] suppose I became a career temp, which was great for me because I could have this whole range of diversity of jobs and careers.

I suppose, fell into that sort of project, contract, admin work from industries from food to construction and [to do things 00:04:20] my career in construction.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

Cool. Very diverse and lots of different elements to that so obviously you’re very adaptable.

Peta Hudson:                   

[00:04:30] Yes, and I craved the change and the diversity in my jobs and so temping and contracting was perfect for me because I could change my jobs every 12 to 18 months legitimately, because I’d take a short six-month assignment, or a twelve-month assignment, so for me that was just perfect.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

Awesome. The idea of having variety in your job, that’s something that very much resonates with me.

Peta Hudson:                   

Yeah, I do. I need that variety [00:05:00] too.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

What was it that made you decide that you wanted to make this big shift and go back to Uni and study?

Peta Hudson:                   

I’m not quite sure. Looking back, I don’t think I ever had that ah-ha moment where I needed to all of a sudden want to become a midwife. I thought that being a career temp by having change in jobs so often that I would eventually find [00:05:30] the perfect job for me, but nothing seemed to really resonate and, in particular, whenever I had the opportunity to take a permanent job, they resonated even less. Eventually, I would leave that place of employment after six to twelve months, which wasn’t great for them, but it just never sat right with me.

I do remember, it might have been about seven, eight years ago, I had this conversation with my [00:06:00] husband, he’s very goal-driven and outcome-driven, about where our careers were heading.

In that stage his career was really taking off, and he was being promoted at quicker rates than we anticipated, and he was achieving his goals quicker than we ever thought. As a result of that, we were like, “What? Your career is taking off. We’ll focus on your career and we’ll take, I suppose [00:06:30] for a better word, I don’t like to use this word, backseat for now,” because we did have two small, young children. In that timeframe, we made the timeframe of when I turned 40, he’s got til then to get his career where it needed to be, us in a financial position, so then it’s my turn.

I believe, I really do believe, that conversation set the wheels in motion for where we are now. We put the plan in. We verbalised [00:07:00] it. I wrote it down.

Still back then I didn’t think I was going to be a midwife because I didn’t know what my career was going to look like. I didn’t know what it smelt like, what it felt like, or I had no idea still even back then of what I wanted to do.

All I knew was I had time and a commitment from my husband that when I turned 40 then it would be my turn.

Tatum Woodroffe:

That’s awesome. It’s such an important thing to have in [00:07:30] a relationship, or in your life, is to have that support network of somebody who is there, has got your back to help you achieve those things that you want to achieve.

Peta Hudson:                   

Oh, absolutely. Absolutely, yeah.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

How are you finding the change from working full time in your old career and now studying, and starting all over again?

Peta Hudson:                   

It was such a nasty change. We had really prepared for [00:08:00] this.

We got to this point and I had put my application in and my first hurdle was that I didn’t get in to midwifery the first time. That was a bit of a knock back, I suppose. Then we put another plan in place and after speaking to Uni, they said, “Study nursing part time. Two of the subjects cross over. Maintain a high grade point average. Reapply the following year and then go from there.” I did. I worked [00:08:30] really hard last year (2015) and was able to be accepted into midwifery this year (2016).

Even though we had planned for it, my brain was prepared for it, the family was prepared for it, I don’t think emotionally I was prepared for it.

I stopped working full time and, as we all know, with a young family you often operate at break neck speed trying to get everything done and maintain that balance. Then, for a little while there, I had about [00:09:00] 12 weeks off with the kids over school holidays and it was great. I was like, “I have nothing to do.”

I don’t mean that in a bad way. It was just, my body just went from operating at such a high level to preparing for Uni, and that was a really big shock, and I never anticipated that.

It did take some adjustment but now that we’re into the swing of it, it’s a nice routine. It is hard work. It is challenging, [00:09:30] especially when I go on placement and I have workshops and things like that, but we make it work. A lot of communicating.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

Yes, lots of planning and all of that.

Peta Hudson:                   

That’s right. That’s correct.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

What is it that inspires you to keep on growing and climbing?

Peta Hudson:                   

I think there’s probably two or three things that do.

One is my desire to be the best version of myself. [00:10:00] I think I owe it to women that I will be looking after that I need to keep my knowledge up and so that’s where that drive comes from.

The second one is, I’ve got two small, young children. I have a ten-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son that I like to think that I’m being a role model for that you can achieve whatever your dreams are at whatever age and that [00:10:30] anything is possible.

For me, the third thing for my husband and I, it’s the end goal. What is it going to look like for us when we’re 50 or 60? We’re very goal outcome and there’s this great YouTube clip, which my brother introduced me to with Denzel Washington, and he talks about goals and dreams.

For me he hits the nail [00:11:00] on the head. Dreams without goals are just dreams. That’s what keeps driving me is, I suppose, it’s the end result.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

Can you tell us about a time when you’ve looked back at something you’ve achieved and just had this complete holy cow moment and it’s taken your breath away?

Peta Hudson:                   

I think, for me, when I turned 40.

[00:11:30] I was 40 at the start of the year (2016) and we had this beautiful dinner party at our place. I stood up, and I gave a speech, and I really recounted back over the last decade. I was talking about the goals and the plans and, I suppose, the dreams that my husband and I had put into place both together and individually, and it wasn’t until I sort of recounted that and I sat down and I looked at my husband and I had tears in my eyes.

I was like, [00:12:00] “Holy crap. We did all that. We said we were going to, but man, we did it.”

Then the next day I was like, “Right, we need to sit down and work out what the next 10 years are going to look like.”

I think that, for me, was just like wow. It felt pie in the sky eight years ago, eight to ten year ago, and then when I recounted it was like, “Wow. We really did [00:12:30] make it happen.” I am a very firm believer of goal setting, and putting it into writing, and to verbalising it, and things like that, because you can make anything happen.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

Wow. That’s awesome. You’re actually making me all goose bumpy and teary listening to you telling your story. Fantastic.

Peta Hudson:                   

I even now, just talking to you, I think it has been really an emotional journey for the last year, and [00:13:00] even the process to get here, because it does take a lot of commitment and it does take a lot of organisation and time from everybody.

It’s not just from me, it’s from my husband and it’s from my mum, and it’s from my kids, and it’s everybody else that surrounds and supports me so that I can do this.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

You probably know that part of the inspiration for me starting these [00:13:30] podcasts was Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In. Have you read it?

Peta Hudson:                   

No, I haven’t read it, but I have watched her TED Talks and especially the last one about Leaning In, What Next.

I think it hit a raw nerve with some people.

I think her ideas are … I don’t [00:14:00] know. I think they’re a nice idea there, especially the notion of women having it all and being equal in the workplace. I think that is nice, but I do think that success means different things to different people. It’s all good and well to be pushing for this, but yeah, I’m a firm believer that regardless of what gender you are, if you want it bad enough [00:14:30] and with realistic goals, you’re going to succeed.

I keep going back to that goal setting and goal outcome but I do firmly believe that it works. If you really stick to it, they’ve got to be fluid, and yes they’re ever-changing and they don’t have to be massive goals, but it’s just whatever is important to you as a person.

It is on [00:15:00] my list to go and purchase and to read. I think it would generate a whole other conversation, but yeah, I can see how it would spark some emotions in people.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

There are my big questions for you and I really appreciate your answers. It’s been fantastic. I have been sitting here absolutely mesmerised listening to you.

I’ve got five quick questions before we go. [00:15:30] I’m running a bit of a poll. Here in the Hardwood Digital office we’re Android all the way. Are you an iPhone or an Android user?

Peta Hudson:                   

I’m an iPhone. I’m a creature of habit. I [did say 00:15:44] once at my last change, “I will swap to Android,” and I never do. I’m an iPhone.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

What’s your most highly recommended book when people ask you for a book recommendation?

Peta Hudson:                   

For me it’s a very personal, personal one because this is quite a spiritual [00:16:00] book, and through my journey this year it’s kind of been my go to. It’s a book written by Rebecca Campbell, and it’s called Light is the New Black. It’s not for everybody and that’s okay, but it really resonated with me about finding your true self, being true to yourself and following your dreams I suppose.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

That’s not a book that I’ve heard of before. I think I might have to track that one down.

Peta Hudson:                   

No, it’s not mainstream. Like I said, it’s more of a [00:16:30] spiritual book but it did really resonate with me this year.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

Obviously, you’ve probably got a few of these, but what’s your most useful productivity tool or tip?

Peta Hudson:                   

For me, I’d like to say that I’ve got some fancy app that I use, but no, it’s not [inaudible 00:16:49]. My husband and I, if it’s not on email, if it’s not in the calendar, it doesn’t exist. I also do have, I’m very old fashioned, [00:17:00] I do have a paper desktop calendar. It’s a big one that I plot everything out for the month.

Communication, that’s the other thing in our house. We’re very strong on communicating where each other’s at.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Peta Hudson:                   

I think, for me, the one piece of advice that always stands true is from my mum. For as long as I can remember she’s always [00:17:30] said to me,

“Peta Jane, you can do whatever you want as long as you put your mind to it,” because she knows I’m a determined little thing and I think she’s right.

It didn’t matter what my academic ability was, as long as I set my mind to it I could achieve it, which I think for me, goes hand in hand with the quote that I have up in my study, which is, “She believed she could so she did.” Those two kind of go hand [00:18:00] in hand for me.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

That’s good. That’s excellent mum advice. I’m pretty sure that my mum’s given me plenty of that same thing.

Peta Hudson:                   

Definitely. You can’t beat mum advice, really.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

I think my mum had visions of me being the first female prime minister of Australia or something like that. It won’t be happening because…

Peta Hudson:                   

…I think you got beaten to that.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

I did. I did. How do you celebrate your wins, whether they’re study or career?

Peta Hudson:                   

[00:18:30] I suppose, I literally, with a glass of wine with hubby, will celebrate our little wins that way and then we write the next one.

On a study level, I’ve formed a close bond with four other girls in my cohort and we celebrate all of our little wins together because of the nature of what we do.

Whether it’s our first live births, [00:19:00] or taking blood, or whatever, good grades on assignments or things like that, we celebrate those little wins together. That’s really nice as well.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

Thank you so much for your time today. I really appreciate you spending some time chatting with me.

Peta Hudson:                   

Oh, you’re welcome. It’s been lots of fun.

Tatum Woodroffe:         

I’m glad. I’m glad.

Thank you so much for joining Peta and I here today on Stepping Sideways. I’ll be back again soon with my next guest. Make sure [00:19:30] that you subscribe so you never miss an episode.