Happy Birthday to you…Happy Birthday to you…Happy Birthday dear…yes, that’s right, this week we’re talking about Birthdays!

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, we all have them every single year (unless, of course, you were born on February 29th). In this entertaining episode, Bev and Marina chat about their birthdays in both the distant and more recent past, how much birthdays mean to them, and what's important when it comes to celebrating (or not celebrating) them. Topics of discussion include children’s birthday parties, brilliant and not-so-brilliant birthdays, as well as whether or not it’s ok to forget a friend’s birthday. The ladies both share some amusing anecdotes, not least Bev's story of the year she didn’t get around to throwing a joint birthday party for her girls - who were born in April and May - until December; as for Marina, her 40th birthday party was somewhat overshadowed by her husband who had recently returned from scaling Mount Everest! As you do...

When it comes to making life As Good As It Gets, we could all do worse than to bear in mind a quote from Bev’s Dad who has always told her this: “Beverley, it’s how you treat people all year round that matters, not how you treat them on one day.” As we head into 2022, this might just be the best New Year's resolution we can make.  

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Do you consider yourself the type of person who speaks out when you’ve been treated unfairly or received bad service? Or are you the one cringing while your other half makes a fuss about something insignificant to a shop assistant? In this week’s episode, the topic at hand is...complaining. 

Nobody likes the person who is constantly moaning, but there are times when complaining is acceptable, appropriate and, in some cases, necessary. So how do we distinguish between when we should and shouldn’t complain? Bev and Marina ponder over these and other questions, as well as sharing stories of times when they’ve been a bit, well, Karen-ish. Unless you want to feel their wrath, you should avoid going into a Sports Direct with Bev, and ensure that your car engine is switched off - not idling - if Marina is anywhere in the vicinity.  

When it comes to making life As Good As It Gets, perhaps the most important thing is for us to recognise when to complain, and learn how to to complain with grace. But also learn to take complaints and use them constructively where we can, discard them when they’re not constructive, and be aware of the difference.

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This week, the topic of discussion is a slightly more lighthearted subject - although one that still applies to us all (apart from the naturists among us) - it's How We Dress.

Bev and Marina reveal how they decide what to wear and how important (or not) it is to them. They also reminisce about their outfit choices back in the day - you may not be surprised to learn that Marina spent most of her time in jodhpurs, whereas Bev tended to dress more like Sporty Spice back in the 90s. Other talking points include navigating our kids' clothes choices, how we feel about swimwear, and Bev’s penchant for Tesco jewellery.

Whilst the way we dress isn't necessarily something we give too much thought to, it is a reflection of who we are, and how we want to be seen by the world. The clothes we wear are certainly one of the factors that others use when forming their initial impression of us, and how they perceive - on some level - what kind of person we are. That said, in terms of making life As Good As It Gets, the most important thing to note is how confident our outfit makes us feel when we step out into the world. Because that, after all, will determine how we show up in it.

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The topic of this week's episode is...Alcohol. Yes, our favourite vice. Or is it...? In this week's episode, Bev and Marina spill the beans on their drinking habits, and frankly it's worth a listen if only to discover Marina's magical hangover cure...

Do you like a drink, or are you perhaps teetotal? Do you stop at one glass of wine, or are you beginning to wonder whether a visit to AA might be in order? Whatever your drinking habits, we've got you covered in this revealing episode. The ladies discuss everything from teenagers and booze, to having a hangover when you've got small children to deal with, to people who seem to change dramatically when they're under the influence. They also share some of their own drinking-related stories which include Bev having her photo taken whilst on the toilet in a Leeds nightclub, and Marina constructing a trap involving a CD rack for an imagined intruder.

Of course, there is a serious side to the subject of alcohol too, which Bev and Marina discuss with sensitivity and candour. When it comes to making life As Good As It Gets, alcohol can bring both fun times and not-so-fun times, depending on your relationship with it. Only you can know whether it's something that might need addressing.

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What is your definition of a tough person? Is it someone who takes a cold shower every morning, someone who stands up and gives a speech, someone who does a skydive? Do you think of mental toughness, physical toughness, emotional toughness, or all of the above? Whatever your definition of toughness - our topic for this week - Bev and Marina chat about the term within an array of different contexts.

Would you be flattered to be described as tough, or would you take it as an insult? And in terms of your kids, would you rather they were tough or sensitive? Of course, the two are not mutually exclusive and so perhaps in an ideal world we would all be a combination of both.

Toughness can manifest in many ways, from having a brutally honest conversation with a friend, to going for a run in the cold and rain, to stepping anywhere outside of our usual zone of comfort. Perhaps in its truest form, being tough simply means that we keep getting back up every time we fall, both literally and metaphorically. When it comes to making life As Good As It Gets, it may be that we could all benefit from toughening up so that when life throws us those inevitable curve balls, we're better equipped to deal with them.

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This week's episode is an uplifting conversation about reading. Join Bev and Marina on a trip down memory lane as they remember their favourite books from childhood, their teens, and the present day. From Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and Judy Blume, to Lisa Jewell, Louis de Berniere and Allison Pearson, a myriad of different authors and genres are covered.

The ladies bring their usual mix of insight and humour to the many different aspects of books and reading, including how to help our children embrace books, the benefits of Audible, and how to decide which books to keep and which to chuck!

Whether you're an avid reader, or you never seem to find the time to pick up a book, there is something for everyone in this episode. You may just feel inspired to curl up on the sofa with a book this evening, instead of turning to Netflix or Social Media. Because isn't it true that there's just something about a good book that provides nourishment for the soul in a way that a TV show or a film can't? When it comes to making life As Good As It Gets, perhaps it's actually when we feel we don't have the time to read that it's most important for us to make the time.

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What do you dream about? What do you aspire to? Or does the busyness of your day-to-day life prevent you from even thinking about your hopes for the future? Now is the time to give it some thought because this week’s topic is Looking Ahead. 

How many of us actually take the time to look ahead and think seriously about what we want our life to look like in the future? In this episode, Bev and Marina mull over their thoughts on the subject, and whilst Bev comes out in hives even thinking about planning her next holiday, Marina has more of a vision of her life in years to come because she's a planner.

Are we scared to look ahead because of the possibility of failure? Maybe it’s just easier to bumble along in life without questioning where we are or where we’re going; after all it takes effort to sit down and think about our goals and aspirations. In an effort to make life As Good as It Gets, perhaps we should prioritise some quality time for dreaming, imagining, and taking baby steps in the direction of the life we know would make us truly happy.

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Do you have a tendency to blame other people for the things that go wrong in your life? Or are you more likely to take the blame for something that you haven’t done? In this week’s episode, Bev and Marina contemplate the notion of Blame, looking at the topic within a number of different contexts.

Marina admits that she has a tendency to blame other people, things or situations, and has even been known to blame the stairs after she’s tripped up on them. And Bev has, on occasion, blamed James 2 for forgetting to bring the milk up to the bedroom in preparation for her morning cuppa from her beloved teasmade. Joking aside, the ladies also discuss blame in some more serious contexts, including politics, the Grenfell Tower fire and modelling blame to our children.

Depending on the situation, blame can be both helpful and utterly unhelpful. When it comes to making life As Good As It Gets, perhaps the key is just to think before we place blame. Rather than automatically blaming other people, let's take responsibility for ourselves, and accountability for our actions, even - especially - when we’re in the wrong.

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