Sam Cowen gets back on the air

Veteran radio personality Sam Cowen has a voice that’s familiar to millions of South Africans. But after 23 years on radio as the host of Rude Awakening and her own show on 702, took some time out. She returned to the airwaves in August on Hot 91.9, lured back by a station she says she genuinely loves.

The Citizen was lucky enough to get some time with Cowen to find out what she’s been up to.

What were you up to away from radio?

I was very ill for the year after I left radio and that gave me time to do a lot of self discovery. I’d written a book, From Whiskey to Water, about my journey to sobriety over 14 years and started doing talks about addiction, self worth and how to be happy.

You also hosted a reality show. What was that like?

While I was hosting Married At First Sight [for two seasons] the children were curious. Both of them were furious I wouldn’t tell them how it ended! I’ve been very lucky, though, that I work flexible hours, so I can take them to school which, after 18 years in breakfast radio, they really weren’t used to!

You get a lot of perspective watching the world through their eyes. There was a billboard for a new strip club on the way to school. My teenage boy was mortified at the sight of the scantily clad woman on the pole. My daughter sighed every day over how much she wished her hair was that long.

You’ve also set up a life-coaching practice. Tell us about that.

I’ve been practicing for over a year now and I love it. After I was ill, I had a lot of self-doubt and time, which is a terrible combination but it forced me to look at where I was in my life and how to move forward.

A couple of years previously I had swum a Robben Island crossing which is 7.5km from the historic island to Bloubergstrand in an average temperature of 11oC. Only about 500 people have done it. I sat working out what mental habits I had formed to change myself from a non-swimmer to a finisher and the biggest one was constantly reminding myself that anything is possible when you want it badly enough, if I was accountable.

Coaching was a natural process because it’s all about moving forward to a desired future state. No matter how you got to where you were, you can always change
habits and patterns to move forward, it’s about accountability and action.

How much are you prepared to change to get what you want and how uncomfortable are you prepared to make yourself? And the principles apply to everyone.

Jeremy Mansfield is set to join you next week. Are you excited that the ‘Rude Awakening” band is getting back together? Will it be similar or can we expect something different?

It’s funny how things work out, Jeremy and I stayed friends on and off air so, of course, I’m excited to be back with him on air but off air it’s always been the same. I think there will be a very similar dynamic but Jeremy is never content doing things the same way for long so watch this space. Look forward to a lot of laughter, heart and naughtiness!

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