Episódios
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You know how we humans can fall apart or lose our sh*t when under too much pressure, stress, or neglect?
Ever noticed that that’s what’s happening to our planet, too?
The effects of biodiversity loss and climate breakdown are being felt in many places and we humans are breaking down, collapsing, and having meltdowns too. Coincidence? Of course not.
Today we’re looking at the striking parallels between our personal mental health and the planet’s wellbeing.
Join me to explore:
The natural connections that bind us to our world ……and why it matters that we wake up to our intimate connection to the planet How the Earth’s limits, boundaries and responses can be seen in our own mental and emotional behaviours and tipping pointsThe forces that undermine both planetary and mental flourishingHow we might even BEGIN to start to turn toward a world where life and health are prioritised over profit, power, accumulation and greedWhat does Nature have to say about all this and what melancholy song will she pick?
Mentioned:Be my friend and get updates from me
Question, comment, complaint, idea? You can contact me here.
Thanks for being with me today. You rock. -
Ok, you want to know what your radically powerful (but highly misunderstood) gift that can transform your experience of a world in chaos is without listening to the whole epiosde? It's GRATITUDE.
...And if that feels like a disappointing, damp, dribbly answer....then this episode is especially for you.Today we’re revealing gratitude as the profound, fierce, and life-affirming force that connects us to the world around us and NOT the superficial, commodified version many of us in the West grew up with.
True gratitude is an enlivening power that counters the emotional fallout of these bewildering times of environmental, mental and social degradation.
We’ll cover:
How true gratitude has been stripped of its deeper meaning in consumerist culture and sold back to us as a shallow practice The implications of this watered-down version of gratitude—how it became just another performative task, often leaving us feeling more inadequate and sh*t How the pressure to be grateful for the trappings of modern life has masked the deeper sources of life and well-being ...leaving us more disconnected from nature and each other How practicing gratitude is an act of resistance in a world that pushes us toward disconnection, apathy, and scarcityHow real gratitude connects us to each other and the larger web of life...and why this matters especially nowParadigm-changing people who help us see the power of true gratitude such as Robin Wall Kimmerer and Joanna Macy's Work That Reconnects The role of gratitude in mental health and our experiences with anxietyMentioned:
Joanna Macy and the Work That Reconnects
Robin Wall Kimmerer and her book, Braiding Sweetgrass
Be my friend and get updates from me
Question, comment, complaint, idea? You can contact me here.
Thanks for being with me today. You rock.
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Today we are poking at the slimy, damaging myth of Homo Economicus—the cold, self-interested, rational creature that modern economics says we all are.
This story has shaped our minds, relationships, structures, behaviours and planets (well, at least one so far: Earth, the best one) and has led to utter catastrophe, inside and out.
If:
you’re tired of being told that selfishness is ’just human nature’ andyou suspect it’s not your fault that you feel anxious, worthless, sh*tty and tired, and(crucially) you enjoy your podcast episodes with a faint backdrop of Aotearoa/ New Zealand bird song….then this episode is for you.
🦜🦅🐦⬛🐦Join me to explore:
Quick recap of last episode and how it connects to this oneThe damaging myth of Homo Economicus - how, when and why it started (and who it serves)How this fictional story ended up shaping……um…everything, including you.Why do stories matter anyway?If we humans aren’t self-interested, calculating, rational, logical beings...well, what are we like?How this story specifically affects our mental and planetary health todayWhat does Nature have to say about all this, and what 90's song reminds her of Homo Economicus?Question, comment, complaint, idea? You can contact me here.
Thanks for being with me today. You rock.
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This episode discusses lying in the foetal position in a dark room and the desire to drink gin during the day while hiding under a duvet. Can you relate?
‘Normal’ life has become rather peculiar, what with all of the ecosystem-destroying and mental-health-shredding shenanigans that seem to prop up the economy.
Join me as we explore:
The stark contrast between "normal" and "natural"The many ways modern life has veered away from natural rhythms and balanceThe implications of our unnatural norms and how they shape our mental health and the planetWhat happens when we are out of sync with our inherent natureThe role of the individual (that’s you) and the role of everyone else when it comes to our disconnection and dissatisfaction
Mentioned:
We’ve Made up What Mental Illness Is (And Who Decides What’s Normal Anyway?)"All Of This" (gestures around wildly) "Is Not in Our Nature"
Feedback, questions, comments are welcome via email
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Thanks for being with me. -
Looking for fascinating insights into the intersection of human behaviour and our planetary predicament? Curious about the connection between our stories and our systems? This one’s for you.
My guest is Sarah Patterson: President of Common Earth, delightful human, and a catalyst for my own ecological awakening.
Join us as we talk about:- The dual power of our incredible human gift of imagination—its ability to create and innovate, but also its potential to trap us in false or harmful narratives.
- The importance of systems thinking in understanding, well… everything.
- How our personal and collective stories shape our inner and outer worlds.
- What this all has to do with our climate challenges and our own experiences of being human at this time.
- How meaningful change really happens, no, really
This episode invites you to rethink your relationship with the world and your relationship with your own thinking. That sounds hard, but they go together beautifully.
About Common Earth:
Common Earth offers education to help build a holistic understanding of the various forces involved in our current climate challenges. They have a series of unique and comprehensive learning programmes coming up, designed to deepen understanding of climate and socio-economic issues from a broad perspective. These courses are funded by Common Earth.
Next intake is early September, so check them out soon if you are interested: https://commonearth.com/courses/
Question, comment, idea for the show? Email [email protected].
Thanks for joining us today you wonderful little bean.
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Welcome to the first episode of In Our Nature, where we explore the invisible forces, currents and stories shaping our inner and outer worlds.
In the episode today:
- An intro to the pod, the questions we will ask and how it (and me) wants to serve you
- Reflection on the shift from the Inner Peace & Other Cool Shit podcast and the natural evolution of the podcast’s themes.
- Asking why are we so busy, anxious, and overwhelmed in a world full of time-saving technology?
- The importance of context in shaping our experiences and understanding the world. How context influences our thoughts, beliefs, and the questions we ask.
- Preview of upcoming themes: the role of thought in shaping our world, the invisible currents at play, and how to reconnect with what is truly in our nature.
- Introducing the idea of the cosmological context pie
- ....and I am joined by a very special guest who has some constructive feedback.
If you would like to see yourself and the world a little more clearly, please join me for this new season.
Feedback, questions, comments are welcome via [email protected].
Get news, updates and nice things by joining my Friends List: Siobhanfriel.com/subscribe.
Thanks for being with me. -
Absolutely everything is interconnected in astonishing dynamic ways that we are only beginning to understand. The In Our Nature explores these connections, along with the unseen but profoundly influential currents, systems, cycles, patterns, stories, and constructs that shape both our inner lives and the world around us.
Join me as we look beyond our personal experience and our individual thoughts and feelings, to the place where environmental, societal, historical, ecological and mythological contexts meet and mingle with our mental health and planetary moment.
The In Our Nature pod wants to shed light on the hidden connections and deeper patterns that are shaping this extraordinary time we are in, helping us see more clearly as we make our way forth. I hope you'll join me.
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Today's episode is asking you to check in with yourself to see if the podcasts, courses, books and so on are helping with your enjoyment of life and your journey of less anxiety and more peace.
And if not? I’m offering you a sneaky exit.
Join me to explore:
Why you might want to leave behind the “helpful consumption” of solutions to anxiety and other feelings How real insights and epiphanies often come from lived experiences rather than theoretical understandingSigns you might be ready to just take what you have and get out there, including an overemphasis on understanding concepts before taking action, attempting to reconcile different ideas and paradigms and feeling the need to have an insight before making changes in lifeRealising you have a “magic car” and what that means for the ride of lifeOk, the above sounded like an icky cliche but I shall leave it in…And Anxious Alice says a wise thingThanks for listening. You rock.
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Today I am joined by Certified Change Coach, meditation teacher, loving mother and delightful human Rebecca Gardner.
Becca guides people in transforming their relationship with their minds and came to the work she now does through her own journey of anxiety, overthinking and worry which many listeners may resonate with.
Join us to explore:
The role of thought in creating our fear of the future How an understanding of our minds might help when it comes to navigating longer term, enormous issues such as economic and climate breakdownThe inner compass and voice of wisdom that each of us hasRecognising, trusting and cultivating the wisdom of our children in particularThe nature of overwhelm …and much more, including musing on what a turtle might say is the secret to life.Find Becca at her website (https://www.themissingpeacecotswolds.com/) or Instagram @missingpeacecotswolds or on Insight Timer where she is a mentor and teacher:
Got a question for an upcoming guest or a question, comment or idea about anything else? Email Siobhán at [email protected]. -
Today we're poking at the power of teeny, innocent-seeming words in creating enormous, perilous towers of thought stories.
Join me to meander through:
My research project on inner peace and how it led to a little tangent on the power of wordsHow seeing the creation of Big Collective Thought releases you from taking your personal, individual thought too seriouslyExploring how casual historical labels can shape our modern thinkingNoticing how the recency bias in historical narratives has implications on societal values and norms in the present day (including around productivity, anxiety and progress)Links between this and our individual experiences of inadequacy, stress, worry and overwhelm.The freedom that comes with recognising how thought patterns are shaped beyond your control - and how seeing your innocence in this can unclip you from your own inadequacies Several questionable analogies 'Nothingburger' is used on the show for the first timeAnxious Alice is in a sulk
Mentioned:Episosde: We’ve Made up What Mental Illness Is (And Who Decides What’s Normal Anyway?)
Episosde: Expanding the Conversation to Meet These Extraordinarily Precarious TimesEpisosde: How That Anxious, Restless, Unsettled Feeling Is Originally Created (Clue: It’s Nothing to Do with You)
Email me with questions, comments, ideas or if you need support.
Pop your name on my Friends List here for a monthly email with updates, news and suchlike.
Thanks for listening. You're my favourite. -
In today's episode we are exploring how our concepts of mental health and illness are not fixed truths but socially constructed ideas. What’s normal and what’s not is made up via thought and is always changing.
Those with a diagnosis that doesn’t feel quite right might especially like this episode, along with those who always feel a bit out of place or like they don’t fit in with ‘normal people’ (like me)
Join me to meander through:
My bent-double moment of laughing in the bathroom that inspired the episodeHow everything in society has “Rules” which are completely made up with our thoughts (but still have real-world implications) Who decides what’s ‘normal’ and what’s a disorder anyway, and why this mattersHow this relates specifically to anxiety disorders, panic disorders, eating disorders and moreWhy recognising the constructed nature of our diagnoses is pretty cool for personal and collective freedom.A few funnies from the pastAnd Anxious Alice has an insight around this in the realm of parenting
Mentioned:If Books Could Kill - The Rules
The Rules book
Email me with questions, commens or ideas
Pop your name on my Friends List here for a monthly email with updates, news and suchlike.
Thanks for listening. You rock. -
You know how we say that peace and wellbeing are our true nature? Well, have you ever wondered why we are living in times of perilous uncertainty, unprecedented inequality, lack of trust, and political, social and ecological breakdown, not to mention sustained war and conflict?
Me too.
This episode explains some upcoming modifications to the podcast and in the way I work, and I'll be sharing the education, lessons and insights that impelled the changes, mostly inspired by the above question.
Join me to explore:
- The quest which began as an innocent desire to get more of my to-do list done
- How it morphed into a journey which would span the globe (kinda) and touch ecology, politics, history, anthropology, education, mythology, biology and more (and a fair bit of ornithology - birds are cool)
- An illumination of the astonishing role of thought, from creating systems of oppression and destruction down to our the puddle of worry we feel before a work meeting
- Why understanding the power of thought at a collective level is particularly useful and needed in these times.
- How things are changing in the way I work and share as a result of my lessons and insights
- And is Anxious Alice being made redundant?!
Mentioned:
I mentioned in the episode that I am coincidentally moving website and domain host providers and experiencing some downtime as result.
If you want to respond to the episode or pop your name on my Friends List for updates as invited in the show, you can do that here in this google form for the time being.
Thanks for being with me. -
Tired? Yep. Seems many of us are struggling with tiredness as the speed of society gathers pace each year. This episode is about 34 minutes. Take a nap and we'll wake you at the end. There's nothing new here. You know it all already. You just don't like it (and me too).
We'll explore:
The increase in tiredness and exhaustion in modern society - is this a thing?My experience with tiredness (clue: I did not "coach" myself out of it or transcend tiredness through realisation or insight)What place does an understanding about the nature of thought have in a conversation about tiredness?Why resting is not as simple as it once was, and why we look beyond naps and sleep to our thoughts, instead, for relief and solutionsThe interconnectedness of all things and why this matters when we are tired (well - it always matters)Why understanding the interconnected relationship between mind, body, environment and society is crucialAnxious Alice gets freshMentioned
The article I mention on The 18 Types of Rest We Need
The previous episode discussing the role of society and institutionalised thought in influencing our own experiences: Episode 63: How That Anxious, Restless, Unsettled Feeling Is Originally Created (Clue: It’s Nothing to Do with You)
Also
Pop on to my Friends List here if you want to hear from me every month-ish.
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It's the first episode back after the summer break and I can't wait to talk about horrid feelings with you.
Join me for an exploration on the birth and evolution of anxious, restless, unsettled feelings, and how understanding this helps ease their ickiness so we can return to peace.
This episode will meander through:
A long intro vividly describing my anxious thought storm while on holiday A reminder of the relationship between thoughts and feelings and the outside worldWhen it's relevant to look at the content of thought itself, and how understanding this transforms our relationship to itAn expedition back through history to the origin of our horrid thoughts This will include mentions of anxiety, productivity, overwhelm, being busy, hustle culture, rest and moreHow understanding the creation and evolution of thoughts helps us see them as less personal, giving us more opportunity for freedom and ease Metaphors and comparisons include the climate and soil, soup and croutons and a couple of bad jokes Anxious Alice asks how this historical and evolutionary exploration of thought content reconciles with the orthodox orientation of 'looking upstream to the source of thought'. Isn't she a wise little squirrel?
Pop on to my Friends List here for monthly-ish news, invites, updates and free things
Question, comment, thought, idea, anything else? Contact me here.
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Join me to explore how we can answer our questions, solve our problems and get clarity and guidance from within.
We often want to seek guidance and counsel from others when we're unsure of the way forward, but getting a feel for our own inner guide, and learning to trust it, can be transformative.
Luckily, we humans are perfectly equipped with the features that guide us to clarity... although very few of us know or trust this.
This episode will explore:
Where do solutions and answers come from?What's your role in finding clarity (and what is most certainly NOT your role)?How there is no 'right way' to solve our problems and answer our questions ...but we'll explore some steps anyway as a jumping-off pointA bonus step for those that need a little extra rigour when it comes to understanding the nature of thoughtLots of metaphors including blueprints, ingredients and axe-man ice sculptures Anxious Alice has a cool insight
I'm on summer break! Back in 2024.Episode: Freedom From Anxiety Begins With This Unsexy Little WordEpisode: “We are Never Stuck... Life is Always Flowing" with Stephen LaddPop on to my Friends List here for monthly-ish news, invites, updates and free things (resuming in NZ autumn after the summer break mentioned in the show)Question, comment, thought, idea, anything else? Contact me here.
Mentioned in the show: -
What an honour to have Sarah Armitage and Michelle McCartan as my special guests on the Inner Peace & Other Cool Shit podcast.
Both Sarah and Michelle are masterful coaches and facilitators with their own practices working with leaders and organisations. In 2023 they came together to create Pure Potential, a unique offering designed to explore the limitless potential of humans through a shared developmental experience.
Sarah and Michelle have a special synergy and I love knowing there are people like these two in the world.
The principles behind the work Sarah and Michelle do with leaders and organisations, and why their approach is particularly impactfulThe implications of these principles when it comes to realising our own experience of peace, ease and flow How to manage the ubiquity of labels and concepts in life Recognising the innate intelligence we all shareThe power of 'obviousness' when it comes to being guided in lifeHow some of these ideas might help communities, and why that even mattersWhere one might start exploring these ideas...and so, so much more
Please join us to explore:Sarah and Michelle also make me laugh with delight - and splutter with shocked speechlessness - with their clear and simple wisdom, and eloquent descriptions and reflections. They also offer an insightful and thoughtful response to a listener's question about a debilitating workplace culture.
More about my guests:Michelle McCartan is a Leadership and Peak Performance Coach and Consultant who combines her expertise in organisational strategy, human potential and coaching to guide organisations, teams, communities and individuals to access their full potential and thrive.
Sarah Armitage is an experienced coach and facilitator of cultural change who combines qualifications and experience in strategic Human Resources, psychology, organisational development, and system leadership. With over 20 years of coaching and facilitation experience and a clear grounding in how the mind works, she’s committed to helping people and teams wake up to their full potential and enjoy what they do.
Over to you:Got a question you want answered by an upcoming guest? Pop me an email here.
Comment, question, idea or anything else for me? Get in touch!
For new things from me, updates about events, free stuff and other cool shit, be my friend here and get an email every month-ish.
Thanks for hanging out with us today. You rock
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I loved having Lisa Esile as my special guest on the Inner Peace & Other Cool Shit podcast.
As well as being a writer and author, Lisa specialises in helping people navigate challenges, understand what their mind is really up to, and tap into their inner strengths and insights. Lisa is also the founder of the Do Nothing meditation school.
She is also bloody delightful and I loved hanging out with her. This conversation lingered with me long after we said goodbye.
Please join us to explore:
A heartfelt discussion on the incessant chatter of the mind and its desire to control, narrate and manage every darn thing Lisa’s "Year of Silence" experiment and the challenge of quieting the mindHow our pursuit of peace is impacted by the societal emphasis on constant productivityHow our inner calm is a lot closer than we think and how we need to do a lot less to uncover itHow intuition is an overlooked yet powerful force in a productivity-driven society that reveres intellectual analysisHow and why to tune in to your own inner voiceLisa also offers beautiful responses to questions about managing energy levels when one has a family, chronic illness and business, and how the themes that this episode (and show) are based on can even help with the global challenges we all face now.
Mentioned in the show
For more Lisa, head to her website, read her book Whose Mind Is It Anyway? Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life or pop over to the Do-Nothing Meditation School (which you can try for free)
Got a question you want answered by an upcoming guest? Pop me an email here.
Comment, question, idea or anything else for me? Get in touch!
For new things from me, updates about events, free stuff and other cool shit, be my friend here and get an email every month-ish.
Thanks for hanging out with us today. You rock
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Have you ever been musing on the inside-out nature of the human experience and thought...
"Feelings come from thoughts, so you say? OK. Maybe. But my thoughts come from the problems in my life anyway. So how does all this stuff about understanding the human experience help me?"
If so, me too! And many others. This episode is for you.
YAY! My feelings aren't created by my job/partner/lack of worth - they are created by thoughts! But wait - my thoughts are created by those things - huh?Why it looks like thoughts are created by the outside world The habits and patterns that lock us into thatHow to see through the illusion of thought to experience less anxiety and more peaceThe 100% reliable help and guidance you have along the way (your feelings)Lots of metaphors including tea bags and tapsAnxious Alice has something to say
We'll cover:Mentioned in the show:
Episode 14: Thought: How to Use This Mind-Boggling Superpower
Episode 16: Catastrophising Is The Brain’s Love Language
Pop on to my Friends List here for monthly-ish news, invites, updates and free things
Question, comment, thought, idea, anything else? Contact me here.Bye for now ✌🏼
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I'm plucking a popular early episode out of the archives, dusting it off and serving it with a side of my fresh-this-morning opinion.
Why it SEEMS like we are stuck in life, and how it's actually impossible to actually BE stuckHow seeing the constantly changing nature of ....every darn thing ever!....helps us relate to anxiety, panic and overwhelm in a completely new wayHow to explore this more in your own life to find a new freedom Anxious Alice makes up a new term (bucket-gazing)
Everything is always changing: out there in the world and inside you. Our thoughts, feelings, moods, perspectives, ideas, emotions, opinions and everything else are constantly on the move.
For those that haven't heard this one, join me-from-ages-ago to explore:
Also:
What's your relationship style with your brain? Take the quiz and find out.
Got a question, comment, idea or suggestion? Email me
Wanna to hear from me every month/ish with new things? Pop your name onto my Friends List here
Back again soon with a new episode ✌🏼 -
Today we are taking a look at the cool clues and hidden hints in everyday life that point to our human design...and why we ignore them or miss them to live in suffering instead!
Join me to explore:
The incredible powers that we humans have available to us to heal from anxiety, stress and worry and live in more peace and calmThe everyday, hidden-in-plain-sight, ordinary clues surrounding us that can help us recognise and build trust in these powers Why we ignore the clues, or miss them, or not realise their significance How exploring this in your own life can help ease anxiety and worry, and help you reconnect with your innate peace and clarityWhat Anxious Alice has to say - she's super grumpy todayQuestion, comment, thought, idea, anything else? Contact me here.
If you want the latest news, invites, free stuff and other bits and bobs all about the human experience, hop on to my Friends List here.
Thanks for listening👂🏽 - Mostrar mais
