When we launched She Story in January 2017, we had a vision of enabling women in the local community to share their stories. A year in, we're proud to launch a brand new, online Q&A series, called The She Speaks Series.

She Speaks aims to share, one-by-one, one woman's (or man's) answer to a question that reflects a little of them and their experience.

Our hope is to tell a small piece of many women's stories. Let's start a conversation. Let's better understand each other (and our...

A: "In 2017, I'm proud of my business and start-up social enterprises, all the while still managing the needs of my family and friends. I've looked after myself 'just enough' to get through it all - BUT, with so much on my plate, I let things slide health-wise (like good food and exercise). I’m most proud that I've recently corrected that and my challenge for 2018 is to keep that up, while I’m in the thick of 'doing' stuff!"

What are you most proud of in your 2017?

A: "My 2017 was full of big milestones. Some belonged to my whole family, others just to me. I'm proud of all of them, but particularly proud of choosing to do a few things this year that were personally fulfilling (even if it meant I had to put myself first to achieve them). While I was absent, doing the daily tasks it takes to reach each of these big milestones, life carried on; the kids ate, our businesses flourished, I still saw friends and made it to family occasions, and..."

A: "I love to set myself some challenges, so in 2018 I'm going to smash out these!
1. Take part in a Spartan obstacle race
2. Make an outdoor area to relax with my friends and family
3. Go one month without alcohol
4. Run a massive Metafit session in support of my Salsa Squad sister (in a red leotard!)
5. Be healthy, strong and happy
6. Live everyday to the full
7. Not going to sweat the small stuff"

We ❤️ your determination, Fee!

What are you going to smash out in 2018?

A: "Getting married later in life has many wonderful emotions. For me, it is filled with happiness, hope, joy, trust, respect and, of course, true love.

Some people struggle to deal with hurt and challenges that life unfortunately throws their way. However, I am always positive and my glass is always half full.

I've had my fair share of heartache, but I can honestly say that I have not let adversity tarnish my future. If anything, it gave me the strength and confidence to believe in what I wan

A: "In 2018 I am starting high school, which I am feeling excited, but a little nervous about. This year I want to not be so shy around new people and learn to share my feelings and thoughts with them, even if I don’t know them." - Teah 12

What do you want to accomplish in 2018?

#2018 #TheSheSpeaksSeries #SheSpeaks #SheStory #accomplishyourdreams #thelittlethingscanbethebigsthings

A: "I'm older now and a homely person, and I'm quite content with what I have. I'd like to think that I had an easy road ahead, with not too many bumps, and that I have time for my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren. And that they're all healthy and happy, too." - Netta, 84

What do you hope for this year?

#shestory #theshespeaksseries #shespeaks #hope #2018 #themostimportantthingsinlife #whatmattersmosttoyou

A: "Mostly, I just want to get better at drawing mermaids. I can't really draw their tails properly yet, so I'm just going to work on that!" - Symi, 6

What do you want to learn this year?

#shestory #theshespeaksseries #shespeaks #newskills #keepitsimple #mermaids #masteronethingatatime #focus

A: "Terrified, shocked, but mostly excited! It was a confronting experience going through IVF in a same sex relationship. A lot of of things, both personal and together we had to overcome. A fair bit of worry went into the entire experience... Would it work? How long will it take? What will family think? What will the community think? To find out at 7 weeks that there was even a heart beat made it all worth it, then to realise there were 2 was indescribable. Identical twins, less than 1%...

A: "There are so many things I’d like to tell my 20 year old self... like getting bangs is never going to work for you. But if I could choose a top three, these would be it.

1. Get to know yourself. Accept and love what you are, quirks and all.

2. Don’t ignore those feelings you get. That voice of warning and reason. Your intuition is always right, it also says I told you so.

3. You’ll get thrown some curve balls. But you are strong. You have more strength and resilience than you could...

A: "Lonely. I believed there was something wrong with me and I wasn't good enough and that when I shared my experiences I wasn't believed and that I was exaggerating.

I felt unsupported by teachers which contributed to the isolation.
Now being an educator myself, I support my children to find resilience, to know their voices are heard and important and that they are understood.
School wasn't an environment I could shine, once leaving school I found my strengths, talents and passions, I..."

A: “When I was 23, I started planning an overseas trip with a boyfriend. Halfway through making plans, he bailed on the idea. I was left with three weeks of annual leave, a whole bunch of savings and nothing to do. So, I booked a Contiki trip through Europe, solo. He was stunned I was going alone, but I thought, “What the heck do you expect me to do, sit around and wait for you?”

That was the moment I learned you can’t always rely on other people to go out and explore what your heart desires...

A: "Through the immediate end of my marriage, it was like the world as I had known it ended. And I had no control over it and had to dig deep to get through it. It’s not a day to day journey. At the time, it was an hourly thing, up and down and up and down.

But, at some point you have to say to yourself, “enough”.
And instead of focusing on the pain, rejection, negativity, the failure of the ma..

A: "The easiest part is getting started! I remember typing out my resignation and fearfully scuttling over to the interim CEO of the company I was currently working for (the confidence slowly fading as that office door drew closer). Then it was done.

Once the decision was made it was simple - let's get this little business up and running and changing the world! Now, reflecting back over the last four and half years, I've made a tonne of mistakes, I've learned from them all. I've gone from being

A: “My initial response was “NO WAY!", but Miss 15 inspired me with such compelling arguments, I had to step out of my mummy shoes and see her point of view! How could I stop this very determined and driven young lady! And why should I?! Because I would miss her! How very selfish of me! The lead up to her Finland departure was exciting for her, but I was scared. I gave her a million ‘what to do and not do’ speeches before she left. Waving goodbye, I knew my job was done. I had nurtured her..."

A: "My name is Julie, I'm 57, a mother of 3 sons and a grandmother of 4 little beauties. I have a dream (apart from the one I have a lot about losing my credit cards!) that every woman, no matter of age, gender, background, qualification, ethnicity, faith or preference has options.

Sounds easy I suppose, but for me it’s about purpose. I have always been driven, everything has a purpose and I have created my options with purpose. I have been married twice - first husband was a physical ..."

A: "That’s easy, my mum and my sister are not only my family but my best friends. There is nothing we wouldn’t do for each other! It really is true the saying, ‘you can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends’, and I choose to have an everlasting friendship with my sister and my Mum! The bond we have is rock solid and I am very thankful to have them both in my lives!" - Rebecca, 32

We love this, Rebecca. We think a relationship that is unconditional - be it with family or friends..."

A: "I was diagnosed with MS in 2004 and by 2014 I was given three months until I was permanently in a wheel chair. I was devastated, not only for myself, but for my family and 2 young children. I was trying to pull together funds to go to Russia in January 2015 for a new treatment when, at the last minute, I was accepted on to a HSCT (Hematopoietic Stem Cell Therapy) Trial at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney.

During my 4 week stay, I had chemo for 8 hours a day, 5 days straight..."

A: "For the past four years, I have set a mantra or intention for the year, usually on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. I put it in big letters in my room and it is the first thing I see every morning when I wake.

This year, I have set my intention that ‘2018 is the year for love’. Not just the romantic type (which I am totally open to, of course) but love in general. Work love. Friend love. Family love. Self love. All types of love. I really want to make sure I am totally and..."

A: "Getting married later in life has many wonderful emotions. For me, it is filled with happiness, hope, joy, trust, respect and, of course, true love.

Some people struggle to deal with hurt and challenges that life unfortunately throws their way. However, I am always positive and my glass is always half full.

I've had my fair share of heartache, but I can honestly say that I have not let adversity tarnish my future. If anything, it gave me the strength and confidence to believe in..."

A: “You know the song that goes, ‘First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in a baby carriage’?
If only it was that simple.

I met my husband in my late 20s. We dated for over four years and married in our 30s. We talked about starting a family, but after a year of unsuccessfully trying to conceive, we ended up with a referral to IVF Australia.

I just wanted some answers and guidance, but we went through some simple tests and the results came back that my egg reserves..."