Tracy Vo on Adrenaline, Grief, and The Media

In this episode, Kris sits down with a seasoned Australian journalist to talk about finding your calling early, staying composed in high-pressure environments, and what it really means to be “the calm in the chaos.”

From deciding on a journalism career at just 14 years old, to coming full circle working alongside mentors years later, this conversation explores how instinct, curiosity, and resilience can quietly shape a life’s work.

They unpack the reality of working in news, the adrenaline of deadlines, reporting on bushfires, floods, cyclones, crime scenes, and breaking stories and the discipline required to remain grounded when everything around you is urgent and emotional.

A powerful reminder emerges throughout the conversation: you are the conduit, not the story. Staying neutral, composed, and emotionally regulated isn’t about suppression; it's a skill built through experience, repetition, and self-awareness.

The episode also touches on:

Being told as a teenager you’d “get nowhere” and proving otherwise

How curiosity (not nosiness) makes a great journalist

Learning to regulate adrenaline and nerves in live, high-stakes moments

The difference between being composed in the moment vs processing emotion after

Navigating instant feedback and public scrutiny in the age of social media

Grief

This is an honest, affirming conversation about trusting the pull you feel early in life, learning emotional regulation in demanding roles, and understanding your place when you’re holding space for others’ stories.

A grounded conversation about purpose, pressure, and finding calm when it matters most.