The People's Choice - Vote now!

About My Business

Kia ora, I’m Julia Grace - keynote speaker, educator, author, and recording artist. Like David, my journey has been all about resilience, persistence, and the drive to make a difference in the face of challenging circumstances. After being diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2014, I had the honour of turning my journey into an opportunity to help others. Over the next few years I dug deep into research and recovery and started sharing my story publicly to support others in dealing with and managing their mental health. From that season, Be Kind to Your Mind was born. When COVID hit, my calendar suffered but once again (like David), I wasn’t ready to quit - I grabbed what I had in my hand to use and kept going. With patience, perseverance and an amazing group of family and friends cheering me on, I threw my energy into the business and my schedule filled up fast. One of the highlights? A nationwide tour with NYLD Young Leaders Days, where I spoke to 9,500 pre-teens across New Zealand about anxiety - what an honour! Since then, Be Kind to Your Mind has flourished with all kinds of audiences – from corporate clients like Coca-Cola, ASB, and the Auckland Business Chamber, to principals, teachers, and students at every level of education. I’ve had the privilege of speaking to retirement village residents, women’s events, and community halls across New Zealand, as well as presenting in India, Australia, the UK, Bali, Singapore, and Fiji. Every event is a chance to connect, share, and inspire others to care for their mental health and wellbeing – and the positive feedback keeps me motivated to keep going every single day. As a business owner, I’ve proven that one person with supportive cheerleaders, can make a big impact in the lives of many. I’ve been honoured with awards like PSANZ Educator of the Year, GIFEW International Women’s Award, and VSAInternational Breakthrough Speaker of the Year. In 2024, I published Be Kind to Your Mind, a book that shares my practical approach to mental health and wellbeing. It’s available in bookshops and libraries across Aotearoa and is part of my mission to help people manage stress, build resilience, and take care of their wellbeing. The David Awards celebrate resilience and impact, and as an entrant, I’m honoured to be nominated and proud to be making a big impact – one David-sized step at a time.

Why We Should Win The Peoples Choice Award

To my amazing audiences, fans, friends and whanau. Why should you vote for me? Because my business epitomises the David spirit, combining persistence, perseverance and striving for excellence. Though I'm small, I make a big mark with hundreds of thousands of people impacted over the years, doing a job that I truly love, continuously humbled and honoured to help others to Be Kind to Their Minds, but I couldn't do it without you all! If I win, I will use the award to further my goals of reaching more people with a positive message of mental health and wellbeing. I strive every day to be the voice that I wish I had been able to hear when I first received my diagnosis and am committed to being a positive voice of lived experience. I’d actually love to leave the job of convincing you to vote for me, to the people who have benefitted from my work. Here are some amazing feedback comments that have blown me away from recent events. Thanks for your vote! 'Not only was Julia inspirational, funny and informative, she helped challenge me personally to share my own personal journey with mental health. Julia's talk helped me take the stigma out of mental health - thank you for giving me the confidence to accept my own personal challenges and to share them with my colleagues.’ ‘The way Julia talked so candidly and openly about mental health, led me to opening up to my mum about my journey and I know it wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t started the conversation for us.’ ‘My grandad made me go to a thing that had a guy talking who was a psychologist and an expert on depression and anxiety in teenagers. Yeah it was ok, but Julia’s talk was WAY BETTER!’ ‘Julia’s practical strategies for managing stress and mental well-being resonated with everyone, offering simple yet powerful tools we could immediately apply in both our personal and professional lives’ ‘If transformation was going to happen, it would have been at that moment when Julia had the audience captivated and totally in awe. If the girl on the kitchen floor can get back up, what's stopping others from doing so?’ ‘Julia’s presentation has sparked conversations and a newfound eagerness among us to prioritise mental health in our professional and personal lives. It stands as a testament to her effectiveness as a communicator and dedication as an educator.’ ‘Julia made us feel comfortable by being her unique self and the humour in her stories encouraged us to laugh in the midst of the storms knowing that things will get better! She gave inspiring tools to carry on.’ ‘Julia's honesty and openness about her struggles and also to see how she has made it through the other side, is such an encouragement for those struggling with broken relationships. Her Radio Clips about mental wellness have helped so many.’