A New Way of Being

Living with Purpose and Contentment, the Danish Way. In this episode, I’m thrilled to welcome Meik Wiking, the Danish happiness researcher and best-selling author who introduced the world to "hygge"—the Danish art of creating cozy, contented spaces. We dive into Meik’s insights on the true keys to happiness, from fostering deep social connections to redefining success beyond wealth and status.

Meik shares thought-provoking ideas, like Denmark’s culture of collective well-being, and "job crafting"—the practice of making even ordinary tasks more enjoyable. We also discuss the value of autonomy and flexibility at work, the rise of the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, and the potential impact of universal basic income on our sense of happiness.

Don't forget - Denmark is consistently voted the happiest country in the world.

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Headspace founder Andy Puddicombe on How to Make Meditation a Habit. There’s no doubt that meditation has profound benefits for both body and mind. Yet many people struggle to make it a habit—they worry they’re not doing it “right,” or they can’t quiet their thoughts long enough to feel the impact. But meditation is a powerful practice worth mastering, with research highlighting its potential to transform our well-being.

To make mindfulness meditation accessible to everyone, I’m joined today by Andy Puddicombe, founder of Headspace and former Buddhist monk. Andy breaks down the essentials of meditation, sharing simple, practical techniques to help anyone incorporate mindfulness into their daily lives.

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Nobody ever has their sh*t together, it's a myth. Even so, life is a miracle. It can be so easy to overlook this fact - and miss the incredible fact of existence. But life is also full of pain and suffering. If we can make peace with how life really is - rather than how we think it should be - then perhaps we can start to relax and let go of the incessant striving and quest to 'become' sometime in the future. We can find peace in this moment, even in the midst of life's myriad of challenges.

My guest is Dr. Robert Saltzman, author of the excellent books The Ten Thousand Things and Depending on No Thing.

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Professor Paul Dolan on Bringing More Pleasure and Purpose into Everyday Living. This bitesize episode challenges the stories we tell ourselves about happiness—stories that often equate fulfillment with high status, massive social media followings, or endless wealth. But as Professor Paul Dolan reveals, these ideas are often misguided. Real happiness isn’t about chasing society’s markers of success; it’s about tuning into what genuinely brings us joy: spending time with friends, building meaningful connections, practicing kindness, playing sport, or simply enjoying music. It’s time to rethink what truly makes us happy and embrace the power of simple, purposeful moments.

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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How Diet, Diversity, and Lifestyle Shape Your Microbiome and Well-Being. In this episode, I sit down with Tim Spector to dive into the fascinating world of the gut microbiome and its powerful role in our overall health. Tim breaks down how our diets directly shape our gut health, emphasising the benefits of a diverse, plant-rich diet and aiming for 30 different plants a week. We explore why ultra-processed foods can harm the microbiome, while foods like kefir and sauerkraut can give it a healthy boost. Tim also shares insights on how lifestyle factors—like stress and eating speed—impact gut health and discusses the potential benefits of time-restricted eating to support the microbiome and reduce inflammation. We discuss:

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Letting Go of the Future: Finding Peace in the Present Moment.

In this episode, Jonny Wilkinson talks about the endless chase for future goals and why waiting for the next big thing can be a dangerous trap. Jonny shares his thoughts on breaking free from the pressure to ‘arrive’ sometime in the future, and focuses on finding calm in the present, and seeing past the illusion that we’ll one day finally have it all sorted.

Full episode with Jonny: https://pod.fo/e/16ff5e

links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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In this episode, I reflect on the evolution of my podcast from Don't Tell Me the Score to A New Way of Being. This change reflects the shift from simply performance and success to exploring our innate wellbeing, acceptance, and the common struggle with feeling not good enough. I talk about why it’s so important to recognise that we are inherently "enough," beyond our thoughts, beliefs, and achievements.

Over the next weeks and months on my Substack newsletter I am going to be sharing my own experiences and evolution, including with psychedelics and psychotherapy, and would be very grateful if you would join me.

Please do consider subscribing and supporting my Substack newsletter here: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

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Finding balance in a chaotic world. In this episode I sit down with psychologist and author Emma Seppälä to discuss how we can return to our natural state of well-being. Emma shares strategies for breaking free from the overwhelming demands of modern life and the constant and often demoralising chatter of the ego.

Key Topics:

Resources:

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My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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We live in a 'push, push, push' culture that glorifies productivity, and many of us have become experts at ignoring the signals our bodies send us. Why do we keep pushing even when our bodies tell us to slow down? So many of us are living “in our heads” and are out of touch with the signals of our body and nervous system. So this episode is about heeding the signals, and the benefits that can some from when we do slow down and stop.

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My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Why success alone doesn’t bring happiness but truly embracing the now can be transformative. This is a fascinating conversation with one of my favourite tennis players of the last few decades – Dominic Thiem, who is retiring this week in Vienna.

Dominic explains what it’s like to reach the pinnacle of success, and then realise… it didn’t bring the fulfilment it promised. After winning the US Open in 2020, he found himself grappling with a sense of emptiness, which prompted a period of deep introspection and growth.

We talk about the myth of perpetual positivity, dealing with the critical voice in the head and the importance of finding flow—not just in sport but in life. Dominic also shares his insights into mindfulness, meditation, and why smartphones and social media may have hobbled elite athletes born in the 1990s.

We also discuss:

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My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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