💌 what would it feel like to NOT have to 'fix' everything?

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Welcome to my imperfect email.

As always, every week, we’ll send a question that will help you reflect on your own imperfect life, inspired by this week’s episode.

We’re back!!!!! It’s, officially, the first episode of the 2026 season and of course we carved out the first episode for none other than Australian Entertainment Royalty.

It’s Claudia Karvan day.

You can thank us later (or now, up to you),

Bell

We'd love to hear your answer to this question. If you're in the mood to get vulnerable and share your writing, send it through.

Claudia’s life itself feels like a movie (no one else grew up in a nightclub, did they?) and it was an absolute privilege to listen to all the lessons that she has learnt along the way.

With incredible grace, Claudia talks to Hugh, Ryan and Josh about playing the long game during divorce, and how she came to the realisation that it wasn’t up to her to fix everything.

Claudia speaks openly about separating the person from the diagnosis, and how, and why, she thinks so often about death.

This is one for the highlight reel.

“We are our choices” - Jean-Paul Sartre (58:11-59:33)

^{Finding agency and identity through this quote, Claudia has repeated this mantra to herself, friends and kids too.}

Play the long game. (1:00:57-1:01:51)

^{During her divorce, the idea of ‘playing the long game’ helped Claudia to maintain love and respect within her family unit.}

Meet people where they’re at. (1:21:57 - 1:22:54)

^{People aren’t problems to be solved. And extracting the person from their diagnosis can lead to more authentic connection.}

Or send them your unique signup link: {{rp_refer_url}}

I found peace.

My dream was to have a career where I was living up to my potential, using my brain, helping people, and making good money.

For various reasons I did not end up with a profession, a career. My longest job is as a mother, over 20 years now. I loved being a stay-at-home mum, I felt extremely fortunate that I was able to be the one to raise my children and not have to do paid work or put them in childcare.

When my younger daughter was in prep, I went back to working part time in administration, the only job I could get. Fast forward 10 years and I found myself, at 46, at university, studying Public Health. It took getting into university, getting excellent grades (and a $10,000 HECS debt) to prove to myself that I was smart. I was on my way to becoming ‘something’.

After one semester my daughter got sick, and I withdrew from university. Six months later I ended my marriage due to domestic violence and spent the next 2 years treading water, whilst keeping my two daughters afloat, merely surviving. Any hope of a career, a profession, drifted away and sank down to the bottom of the endless ocean. 

Even if my daughters had been well, I couldn't study because my mind was mush. I couldn't sleep, couldn't concentrate. Turns out I was going through menopause at the same time and didn't even realise.

Another six months passed, and, out of necessity, I found myself working full time for the first time in over 20 years. Still in administration, this time in a busy veterinary hospital.

I felt pathetic, nearly 50 years old and still working as a receptionist. The nurses, some young enough to be my daughters, can do my job AND theirs; you don’t need any qualifications to be a medical receptionist. I envied them their more important jobs. 

I had been comparing myself to others for decades and one day I said “Enough”. I made a vow to myself then to be the best receptionist I could be. To be really good at my job, take pride in my job. Support the vets and nurses. I stopped comparing myself so much.

I still hope to do something ‘more’ with my life and I believe I will. But for now, I am at peace with my ‘career’. I’m proud to be me. I like me. Because I am so much more than just “a receptionist”.

Lisa

Thank you so much to Lisa for sharing their reflection with us, and with all of you! Always vulnerable responsibly.

Have you ever wondered who you connect with the most?

As in, who are you most imperfectly aligned to?

Are you Hugh; empathetic, leader, loose grip on time management?

Ryan; creative, witty and low-key emo with an unhealthy need for validation?

Josh; curious, musically talented and high-key emo?

or Dr Emily; infinitely wise, incredibly empathic, with a penchant for Balwyn Cinema anecdotes?

Take this QUIZ to find out. No take-backs.

Things you missed this week on A Little More Imperfects

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