Episódios
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In many modern cultures, we find ourselves spending ever more time indoors, sitting down and separated from nature - both the nature within us and the nature all around us. At the same time, we're drawn to want to spend time outdoors and in natural environments, and we have a deep sense of ease when connected to nature. So why is it so hard?
In this week's episode, we explore the inconvenience of nature connection in a modern world and the many ways that our ways of living keep us in separation - sometimes isolation - from the natural world. We explore the impact of a sedentary, indoor lifestyle on our physical, emotional and spiritual health; explore how connecting to nature is infinitely good for our holistic wellbeing - as well as supporting the health of the natural world in return - and reflect on the many different ways to welcome more nature connection into our lives and learning spaces.
In this episode we reference the following:
Time in Nature report - Eden Project (website)National Trust nature connection report (website)Green Social Prescribing - NHS (website)Harmony - HRH Prince of Wales (Book)The Harmony Project (website & learning resources)Soil & Public Health - Soils Association (website)Guide to forest bathing - Forestry England (website)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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It's one thing to be brazenly hypocritical but it's another thing entirely when you're having to unwillingly be a hypocrite. And yet so often in our current context we find ourselves faced with impossible choices that mean we have to take actions that completely misalign with our positive intentions. Why? Because our cultural stories as they stand limit so many of the choices we make whilst life is never that simple, it is full of nuance.
This week we explore the inconvenience of hypocrisy in a modern world and the deeply uncomfortable - sometimes existential - crises that can be faced when having to act in ways which are at odds with our values. We dive into the complexity of being an activist and working to change systems whilst also having to live within them as they stand; the importance of awareness and compassion and the myriad ways we can keep shifting, pivoting and transforming our lives to move towards healthier, more easeful ways of living together.
In this episode we reference the following:
Force of Nature - Confessions of a Climate Activist - Clover Hogan (podcast)The Hypocrite (film)Transforming Leadership Course (online course)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In the final of this 'triplet' of podcasts, Holly and Rachel are this week talking about the inconvenience of systems thinking.
From the very get-go at ThoughtBox, we've had systems thinking as one of the three pillars of our work to encourage a deeply relational experience of the world (Thinking, Feeling, Connecting) by connecting with others, connecting with the wider world, and feeling deeply connected with ourselves.
Thinking in systems has started being given a lot of attention - you can take multiple courses in systems-thinking, whilst systems-change is all the range. But what is a system? What does it mean to transform systems? And what is systems thinking anyway?
This week we unpick the inconvenience of systems thinking by going right back to the roots and appreciating how this is not a 'thing to learn about' but simply how life works. We are all of us part of infinite, interconnected systems and 'thinking in systems' simply means knowing and noticing the connections that we are a part of and influenced by. This is as simple and as profound as it gets.
In this episode we reference the following:
Donella Meadows - Thinking in systems (website / book)The Blind men and the elephant parable (video)Transforming Leadership Course (website page)Nostrils & systems - Chapter 1: The Story of Triple WellBeing - Rachel Musson (free ebook)Donut Economics - Kate Raworth (website, book, framework)How Wolves Change Rivers (video)Manfred Max-Neef - Human Needs Matrix (video)Gross National Happiness (alternative to GDP) - (website / approach)Peter Senge - introduction to systems thinking (video)'From Domination to Restoration' - Jon Conradi (article)adrienne maree brown and Toshi Reagon (Octavia's Parables podcast)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In the second of this 'triplet' of podcasts, Holly and Rachel are this week talking about the inconvenience of empathy.
Empathy is a muscle, something that we can strengthen the more we practice. Yet the spaces and places where empathy is developed, practised and actively encouraged in our dominant societies are dwindling, whilst at the same time it is a skill being championed as foundational for our changing world.
From the very get-go at ThoughtBox, we've had empathy as one of the three pillars of our work to encourage a deeply felt experience of the world (Thinking, Feeling, Connecting) by feeling with others, feeling with the wider world, and feeling deeply within ourselves. All of our programmes to support the practice, and yet this is another skill that is subtly being removed from our education systems, whilst our dominant media and globalised culture is actively encouraging it out of us.
This week we discuss questions such as: ‘What is the difference between empathy, sympathy and compassion? Where and how can we practise empathy? 'Do we all practise empathy in the same way? How can we be empathic with some of the people currently 'leading' our world?'
In this episode we reference the following:
Brené Brown on Empathy (RSA animation)Empathy as a core skill (article)Empathy Studios (website /organisation)The Future of Jobs Report (World Economic Forum)The Heart of Trauma - Bonnie Badenoch (Book)Wild Goose Coaching (organisation)The Guesthouse - Rumi (poem)Diary of a teacher: Week 49 Entropy and Empathy - Melody Bird (blog)Plus we reference research from some of the recent leading reports into a future-fit education:
Future of Education (UNESCO)Times Education Commission (UK)Human Flourishing Report (PISA)Rebooting Education Report 2023 (UK)The Future of Education & Skills (OEDC)School Report – Pearson (UK)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this week’s episode of Two Inconvenient Women, Holly and Rachel talk about the inconvenience of critical thinking – for many reasons, one being its growing absence in our schools, despite the fact that leading reports into future-fit education all concur that it is a foundational skill needed for our changing world.
From the very get-go at ThoughtBox, we've had critical thinking as one of the three pillars of our work (Thinking, Feeling, Connecting) and designed all of our programmes to support the practice. One of the very first ThoughtBox slogans was 'Learning how (not what) to think'. Our very name as an organisation is a subtle invitation to be thinking 'outside of the box'. And yet it this is a skill that is both subtly and blatantly being removed from our education systems, whilst our dominant globalised culture is actively encouraging it out of us.
This week we discuss questions such as ‘What does it mean to think critically? Why is stepping back to ask deeper, more challenging questions becoming a lost art? What is being lost when we lose our ability to think outside of the box?’
In this episode we reference the following:
UK Government's AI Plan - Guardian (news article)1984 - George Orwell (novel)Online safety bill report - BBC (news article)The Divided Brain - Ian McGilchrist (TED video)Transforming Leadership course (online training)Plus we reference research from some of the recent leading reports into a future-fit education:
Future of Education (UNESCO)Times Education Commission (UK)Human Flourishing Report (PISA)Rebooting Education Report 2023 (UK)The Future of Education & Skills (OEDC)School Report – Pearson (UK)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In many cultures around the world, we are entering a new calendar year and with that often comes a sense of renewal, hope and possibility. But where does hope sit in a world that seems so overwhelmingly fraught with problems? What place do 'resolutions' or 'good intentions' have in our lives when facing so many obstacles? How can we reclaim hope from being seen as something ephemeral and return it to what it truly is - an active verb with its sleeves rolled up, ready to take action?
In this conversation, Rachel and Holly talk about active hope and the process of actively creating a healthier, more hopeful future. We explore some of the ways that new habits can become life-long changes in our lives and help create healthier ways of living, as well as how we can re-think our relationship to hope, by seeing it as something we do, rather than something we have.
In this episode we reference the following:
Nick Cave - The Red Hand Files (website)Morgan Phillip's Learning Lunch - Our Shared World (webinar recording) David Whyte - Everything is waiting for you poem) Kim's Stories of Triple WellBeing episode (podcast)Hope is the thing with feathers - Emily Dickinson (poem)Fixer Upper - Frozen (song)Triple WellBeing Card Deck (resource)Triple WellBeing Practitioners (training course)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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As 2024 comes to a close, we thought we'd take a moment to reflect on what's unfolded this year and - more significantly - what's been unfolding through our organisation over the past 9 years to make us do what we do in the way that we do it.
In this episode, Holly and Rachel explore ideas such as: What does success look like? What does it mean to run an organisation 'regeneratively'? How does our business strategy reflect our values? How is showing up as our authentic selves part of the impact of our organisation? What does it mean to practise what we preach?
During the conversation, we reference the following:
The Triple WellBeing Manifesto (website page)School for Social Entrepreneurs (website)Stories of Triple WellBeing (podcast)Frédéric Laloux - organisational Structures (model / website)The Story of Triple WellBeing (ebook)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us, and within each of us sits a deeply primal need to gather together. But what does gathering look like in our modern world?
In this week's episode, Holly and Rachel explore the many facets of gathering and where and how we are all seeking to find places to belong. We explore questions such as: How and why do we gather? What does gathering offer us on a conscious and unconscious level? What do we need to feel safe when we gather? What is gained and what is being lost when we gather online? How can we enable gathering spaces which allow everyone to feel welcome?
During the episode we reference the following:
Intraconnected, Dr Dan Siegel (article & website)The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker (book & website)Where and how we have gathered over time (video)All that we share (short advert)Spirals of belonging (ThoughtBox)Belong, Radha Agrawal (book)Inside out QuestionsTransforming Education Summit, ThoughtBoxTriple WellBeing® Fellowship, ThoughtBoxHolly’s Head - her part in the play! (picture)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In the UK we're coming up to Christmas, and with that the cultural pressure to consume, buy gifts and accumulate lots of 'stuff'. In this episode we explore some of the narratives around our consumer culture, thinking about where this has come from and how we can actively disrupt our cultural stories to shift from 'consumer' to 'citizen'. We explore the meaning behind gift-giving, the impact of giving, receiving and witnessing acts of care and kindness, the scarcity versus abundance mindset and the many, many ways we can show people we care above and beyond just buying stuff.
In this episode we referenced the following:
Jon Alexander - Citizens (Book & website)Common Cause Foundation (non-profit organisation)ThoughtBox Care Calculator (free resource)ThoughtBox Food & Clothes curriculum (teaching resource)Rachel & Holly's homemade gifts!Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This week saw the conclusion of COP29 - the 29th annual UN Conference of Parties summit on climate change. The fact that we're now on our 29th conference and global emissions are still rising is perhaps an indication that this is not working. This year in particular saw a lot of people from inside the conference speaking out about its flaws.
In this episode Holly and Rachel explore some of the inconvenient truths about the business as usual story of 'leaders saving the world', discussing the flaws of this current system of climate negotiations and reflect on why and how this current model of COP just doesn't work. We turn attention and discussions onto the role of 'citizening' as an active verb, and reflect on how more and more people are no longer waiting for 'them' to fix things, but are instead quietly and loudly just getting on with 'us' changing the world.
In this episode we reference the following:
The history of climate negotiations in 83 seconds (video)COP26 Tuvalu address (video)Open letter from inside COP 29 (letter)Climate Majority Project (citizens movement)Three stories of our time - Joanna Macy (website)Alok Sharma COP26 (video)Jon Alexander - Citizens (website /book)Rebecca Solnit research (article)The Hypocrite (short film)Transforming Leadership Course (online course)Re-Action Collective: Citizen Friday (movement)How to Citizen (Podcast)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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What on earth are we eating? This is a topic we've wanted to explore deeply over time, recognising that there are many episodes that will unravel under the title of 'food'. In this episode we spend time thinking about our changing relationship with food and how our abilities to make healthy food choices are hampered by so many broken systems around us. From the lack of learning about growing or cooking in schools to the rise of GMO crops and the link between UPFs (ultra-processed foods) and health issues, we explore some of the complexities of our global food systems and reflect on where and how we have lost our relationship with food.
In this episode we reference the following:
Triple WellBeing Curriculum - Exploring FoodSeeds of Freedom (website & films)UK's unhealthy food habits (article)Ultra Processed People - Chris van Tullekan (book)Care Calculator (resource)Michael Pollen on cooking (RSA video)Clarkson's Farm (TV series)Chefs in Schools (Social enterprise)Inglorious fruits and veg (campaign)Tristram Stuart - The global food-waste scandal (Ted Talk)Gut - Guilia Enders (Ted Talk and Book)Rachel's favourite carrot (image)Quasimodo the Cucumber (image)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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One of the most inconvenient truths for many people in the world is that 'we are nature', and that we (like all natural beings) are heavily influenced by the rhythms of the natural world; whether that is the sun and moon, the light and the seasons, the climate or the foods we eat. So what happens when we actively ignore - or even fight against - these natural rhythms and the needs of our mammalian selves? What is the impact on our bodies, our minds, our health and our wellbeing?
In this episode we explore some of life's rhythms that govern our lives and help us to navigate our way in the world, and think about why and how our dominant culture is actively ignoring these in our structures and systems, and what some of the ramifications of this somewhat imbalanced way of living may be.
In this episode we reference the following:
The Wheel of the Year (visual)Laurence Winram (land artist)Circadian Rhythms (short video explainer)Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall Kimmerer (book)Ffyona Campbell - Author, traveller & foragerAnti-light pollution movement (French protest)In time of Daffodils - EE Cummings (poem)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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We recorded this podcast on the morning of the US Presidential election results, with Donald Trump re-elected into office for another 4 years. Recognising the enormity of this moment in time, and the wide-rippling influences that US politics and policies have on so much of the world, this conversation felt important to have live and in-the-moment as the results were unfolding.
Disclaimer: This is not a political analysis podcast as we are not deconstructing the resonance of the politics or the voting decisions being made. Instead, we wrangle with the complexities of this moment in human history. We explore the inconvenience of nuance in a world fixated on binaries; we discuss the role and resonance of leadership; we reflect on the influences on our cultural narratives and the capacity to keep holding onto active hope in the face of such adversities.
In this episode we reference the following:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - JK Rowling (book)The Fellowship of the Ring - JRR Tolkien (book)The Master and His Emissary - Dr Iain McGilchrist (book)The Divided Brain - Dr Iain McGilchrist (TedTalk)The Peace of Wild Things - Wendell Berry (poem)Yawanawá community elder's headdress - the harpy bird (image)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This week in the UK it’s the school half term holiday and the ThoughtBox team are slowing down too, taking time for some reading, research and essential time in nature. We aren't recording a podcast this week, so we wanted to take this opportunity to share a gift with you instead.
For those of you who haven’t had a chance to check out our other podcast series yet, here is the first episode of Stories of Triple WellBeing® where I’m joined by two other wonderfully inconvenient women - Tina Farr and Clare Whyles of St Ebbe’s School in Oxford, UK sharing how they're positively disrupting their school culture to put Triple WellBeing at the heart of learning.
Rachel and I will return again next week for another episode...
You can listen to the rest of the Stories of Triple WellBeing® podcast on:
✳️ Spotify
✳️ Acast
✳️ Apple Podcasts
And most other podcasting platforms.
In the episode, we refer to:
St Ebbe's Primary SchoolKen Robinson - Do Schools Kill Creativity?ThoughtBox - Transforming Education Leadership SummitDebra Kidd - Pedagogue in ResidenceMatthew Syed - Rebel IdeasOtto Scharmer - The Essentials of Theory UBrené Brown: Listening to shameThoughtBox - Triple WellBeing® FellowshipForest SchoolThe Harmony ProjectOPAL - Outdoor Play and LearningHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this week's episode we explore the role of stories in shaping the lives we are living. Each of us is born into a story. It forms our perspective on the world, shaped by the culture we're part of, the education we receive and the values and mindsets that we are taught. These stories help us to make sense of the world around us and our place within it and shape the world in which we live. In this episode, we explore the ever-growing appreciation that the dominant story of human progress is actually limiting our capacity to thrive and pushing us into a world of personal, social and ecological crisis. So what happens when we change the story? What other stories are out there, creating healthier futures for people and planet? How can we feed ourselves different stories? What happens when we live our lives by these stories instead?
In this episode we reference the following:
Three Stories of our Times - Joanna Macy (Website)Two Loops Theory - Berkana Institute (Framework)Do we live in a selfish world - Global Action Plan (Video)Common Cause Foundation (organisation)The Danger of a Single Story - Chimamanda Adiche (Ted Talk)Utopia for Realists (and how we can get there) - Rutger Bregman (book)The Story of Triple WellBeing - Rachel Musson (free ebook)Stories of Triple WellBeing (ThoughtBox podcast)Vinted & Depop (Second hand clothes apps)The Lord of the Rings - J R Tolkein (book)2040 - The Regenerators (documentary)Naughty from Matilda the Musical (song by Tim Minchin)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this week's inconvenient conversation we start to unravel some of the challenges, complexities and issues of the education system and why it needs to transform. Diving into the painful truth behind the impact of the education system on our world, and exploring the responses that we're seeing from teachers, pupils and wider societies, join Rachel and Holly as we hold this space with deep care and support for us all in this complex time and these spaces of change, and with celebration for all those out there working to create healthier ways of living and learning together.
This won't be the last time we take a dive into the realities and complexities of our education system, so see this as a part one of a series of conversations.
During this episode we reference the following:
Schooling the World (1 hour documentary)Changing Education Paradigms - Ken Robinson (TED Talk)The Transforming Education Summit (a ThoughtBox programme)Global Action Plan - A three-thirds curriculum (article)The Story of Triple WellBeing (free ebook of research into the education system)Citizens - Jon Alexander (book)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This week’s conversation explores the idea of ‘unlearning’ and what it means to widen our perspectives, change our minds, shift our behaviours and ‘update’ our knowledge about the world. Unlearning can be something of a provocative term for some people, and yet holds the invitation for us to shift some of the habits, behaviours and mindsets that are contributing to so many of the crises we face in order to enable a healthier future for people and planet.
In this conversation we explore some of the different resonances of unlearning in our cultural contexts, think about what and why we need to unlearn, and talk about what it looks like as a process for healthy growth.
During this episode we reference the following:
The Blind Men and the ElephantThe Death of the Author - Roland BarthesThe Amritsar massacreThe Danger of a Single Story - Chimamanda AdicheControversy around teaching Of Mice & MenDoughnut Economics - Kate RaworthThinking in circles not straight lines - Blogpost (Rachel Musson)Can changing our perspective change everything - Blogpost (Rachel Musson)Neuroplasticity in action (2 minute video)The Work That Reconnects - Joanna MacyFrom domination to restoration - Article (Jon Conradi)Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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When we allow ourselves to fall in love with the world, everything changes. But sometimes we need someone to help us to fall in love in the first place...
This special episode is a dedication to the life, work, wisdom and utter brilliance of Dr Stephan Harding, a globally renowned ecologist, teacher, elder and truly beautiful soul who recently passed away. His work has had a profound influence on both of us and a significant influence on the work we do at ThoughtBox. We therefore wanted to give this episode to Stephan in order to share our appreciation and to reflect a little on some of the magic he weaved during his lifetime; in particular the infectious way he inspired hundreds of thousands of people to fall in love with the world.
Dr Stephan Harding | 8th July 1953 - 2nd September 2024
In this episode we reference the following:
Wild Podcast - Why settling Mars is a really dumb idea - Kelly Weinersmith Why You Want a Physicist to Speak at Your Funeral, Aaron FreemanCosmic Eye video The Deep Time Walk AppOutrage & Optimism Podcast with Dr Stephan HardingHow flowers talk to bees (David Attenborough)Wild Geese - Mary Oliver poemHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This week's conversation opens the box on the multiple crises we're facing in this moment in time. It's big, scary and overwhelming to face up to just some of the things happening around us - and yet not looking and not talking about them is also part of the problem.
In this conversation we speak about some of the elephants in the room - from the climate and nature crisis to the genocide in Palestine to the growing global refugee crisis - and the different responses happening around the world. In particular we explore why it is we're not talking about these complex problems and dig into understanding the way our nervous systems are responding. We explore the importance of resourcing and resilience, of partnering our nervous systems and how to find the courage to face the mess we're in and do something about it.
DISCLAIMER: This conversation is big, complex and honest. We share it with care for however we're each feeling in the world right now - and with deep consideration of and energy for the capacity that exists to change the stories we're a part of.
In this episode we reference the following:
The Polyvagal TheoryHow to imagine a better future, TED Talk, adrienne maree brown & Barantunde ThurstonRobin Wall KimmererDr Bonny Badenoch - The Heart of TraumaThe Truth and Reconciliation CommissionWise Goose CoachingHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This week's conversation is all about the power of rest to positively disrupt the status quo. Together, Rachel and Holly explore some of the following thoughts:
What is rest? Who benefits when we rest? What happens when we stop ‘doing’? How can we be human beings, not just human doings?
How is rest an act of resistance against the legacy of colonialism and a capitalist culture? Is rest a privilege?
Join us as we wrangle with these and many other ideas over a cup of tea and conversation.
During the podcast, we refer to the following:
PACTS (a new education initiative empowering UK students to engage in democracy)The Rebelliousness of Rest by Rachel Musson (blog article)Rest is Resistance: Free yourself from grind culture and reclaim your life by Tricia Hersey (book)Bayo Akomolafe (writer and speaker)Frederick by Leo Lionni (children's book)The Language of Emotions by Karla McLaren (book)The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck : A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson (book)If you'd like to continue the conversation with us, we run a free weekly(ish) group on Thursdays, 13.00-13.30 UK Time, where we explore key questions about co-creating a healthier world for people and planet. It's open to everyone and we'd love to see you there. Find out more at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/thoughtclub-3671229
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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