Getting to Know … Marija Castellari of Rumble Rise Thrive

Marija Castellari is the owner of coaching business Rumble Rise Thrive, helping stay-at-home mums to reconnect with themselves and bring more joy to their parenting journey. She offers live workshops, one-on-one coaching and online programs. It was Marija’s own experiences as a mother that motivated her to retrain as a life coach, with the aim of assisting as many mums as possible to feel confident and fulfilled.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m the founder of the coaching company Rumble Rise Thrive. I help stay-at-home mums with young children who are feeling lonely, stressed and disconnected to reconnect with their identity and bring more joy back to their parenting. I do this through workshops, online learning and one-on-one coaching programs.
My mission is to eliminate the phrase ‘I’m just a stay-at-home mum’, by helping mothers enjoy their experience and value their role. Whether they stay at home with their kids for a few months or years, I want mums to be confident and happy.
I am married with three children plus a fur baby, who is my shadow when I’m at home! About a year ago, we returned to Sydney after living in Italy for over three years and our kids now speak Italian fluently.

What did you do prior to launching Rumble Rise Thrive?
I’ve been coaching since 2011; however, I previously worked as a qualified management accountant before having kids. I also love all things creative and I’ve completed lots of writing courses which led me to work as a website editor for a parenting magazine.

What inspired you to become a coach?
After my second daughter was born in 2004, I suffered postnatal depression. My daughter had silent reflux and I literally held her all day and she barely slept at night. I felt a huge sense of overwhelm and a loss of control – I couldn’t get anything done. This helplessness pushed me to eventually get some help. After my third child was born, I felt something was missing in my life – a sense of purpose – and I ended up retraining to become a life coach. Now, I want to help as many mums as I can to feel fulfilled. Whether they stay at home or go back to work, I want them to feel good about their choices.

What services do you offer?
I run live workshops and provide one-on-one coaching. I’m also in the process of launching some online courses and webinars. I’ll be launching a podcast soon too.

What do your clients have to say about you?
This is how some previous clients have described me:
‘Marija is warm, friendly, open and trustworthy as well as challenging, intelligent and accountable. She has great clarity and certainty.’
‘Marija was fantastic – she is a great listener. When I had a session with her I could really feel that I was her number one in that moment; she was very focused. She was asking a lot of questions so I could find out a lot about myself from my own answers.’

What is the most inspiring experience you have had with a client?
I am always humbled and joyful when clients give me feedback at the end of their coaching programs, especially because they are responsible for their outcomes. Although I facilitate their journey, they do all the work.
One particular client gave me this feedback, which I absolutely loved:
‘Marija taught me so many things, including […] the art of forgiveness and how to find true internal peace and happiness so for this I am eternally grateful. It changed my whole outlook on how I look at myself and the others in my life so I cannot thank Marija enough for this experience. We spend far too much time thinking about others when we should be thinking about ourselves, we are our number one priority so we must nurture ourselves first. As a wife, mother and friend we forget sometimes and we lose the ability to be able to do this.’

Best piece of advice you can offer to someone who is considering engaging a coach?
Do you know the top thing parents want for their children? It’s for their child to be happy. We need to model happiness for our children – how can they be happy, if we’re not happy? If you’re not feeling happy right now, know that things can be different if you reach out for support, even if you can’t articulate exactly what you need right now to feel better – my role is to help you work that out.

As a mother, what advice can you offer new parents?
When you get to the end of the day after looking after your newborn or toddler, it can feel as though you’ve done ‘nothing’ all day. You’re not given a salary for raising your child and there isn’t anyone ready to give you a performance review or a pay rise. My favourite quote by Kate Northrup sums up all that a mother does beautifully: ‘… if you measure the value of your time in love … I’m in the most productive phase of my life.’
So, remember to recognise and celebrate the number of hugs, smiles, nursery rhymes and hours spent caring and loving your child each day because it’s the most important job in the world. Self-care and self-compassion are really important too.

Have you ever read a book that has changed your perspective or path in life?
I love everything that Brené Brown has written, especially The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. I now understand that creating strong boundaries helps me be more compassionate with others and prevents resentment. I know that I don’t have to do it all and be everything to everyone.

Favourite places in the Inner West?
The Watershed Kitchen on the Bay at Drummoyne is great because I love a delicious breakfast – it’s my favourite time of the day to catch up with friends.
I also enjoy taking my dog to Five Dock Park. It’s great to be outdoors and unwind at the end of the day.

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