Another Way

Since the rise of the wellness industry over the past two decades, during which the capitalist machine has commodified wellbeing and turned it into a multi-trillion-dollar industry- one that too often preys on our insecurities and our desire to feel well - it has become increasingly easy for people to get caught in the trap of buying lots of things that they are promised will help them feel better, only to find themselves feeling more lost and anxious than ever before.

That is why it is SO important that we amplify the voices that help us find our own pathways to feeling well - with guidance that encourages curiosity, connection and self-compassion, rather than leaving us feeling we need to buy more or try harder.

And that is why I wanted to invite today’s guest, wellbeing writer and coach, Claire Fitzsimmmons onto the podcast.

Claire has co-created a truly gorgeous journal called If Lost, Start Here: Wellbeing for the Anxious, Disconnected or Uncertain - that meets you where you are, amid the pressures of daily life, the juggle of work and home and helps you to explore and discover pathways to wellbeing that really work for you.

And I got to have such a juicy conversation with Claire.

We explored the distinction between wellness and wellbeing, how creativity and play can help us reconnect with ourselves, and why kindness - one of the journal’s pathways that particularly spoke to me - needs to include boundaries and kindness towards ourselves.

Claire also shares how her own experiences of perimenopause and chronic fatigue have shaped her approach to wellbeing, and how she is learning to listen to her body and what it needs.

I really loved having this conversation with Claire and it was a wonderful reminder that the things that nourish us and really make a difference to how we feel day to day, can be small, within reach and don’t have to cost a penny.

Grab yourself a cuppa, settle in and join us as we explore the different pathways to wellbeing.

🎧 Where to listen

Listen to the conversation on Spotify, Apple, Substack or wherever you like to listen to your podcasts.

And then here are all the links you need to buy the journal and connect with Claire and her work 😍

Links

Book: www.ifloststarthere.com/book

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

A Thought I Kept: www.buzzsprout.com/2521342

Substack More Good Days

Newsletter: https://iflost.myflodesk.com/ge9axhtvis

And here is the conversation I had with Claire, when I was a guest on her podcast ‘A Thought I Kept’

x Selina

If you want to see a room full of big-hearted women suddenly get all hot and bothered, say the word VISIBILITY.

Women in particular, tend to have an inbuilt fear around being seen and yet if we want to advance and grow in our careers and businesses, we have to remain visible.

So how can we do it in a way that feels safe - and enjoyable - and doesn’t make us want to run and hide? Is that even possible?

Well that is what we dive into in this week’s conversation with Antonia Taylor, a PR, communications and content strategist, poet and author of the white paper ‘Being Seen’ which highlights the visibility paradox: “women’s contributions remain overlooked at work, impacting their professional advancement and creating a gender imbalance at senior organisational levels. But when women step into visibility, they risk being exposed to the consequences of breaching unspoken codes of expectations and behaviours”.

In a nutshell, we’re screwed.

Or are we? While I started this conversation with Antonia feeling increasingly angry and upset as she told me how far we are from gender parity (like 117 years away!), by the end of the conversation I felt fired up, hopefully and inspired.

So I hope you will do too!

🎧 LISTEN on Apple, Spotify, Substack or wherever you listen to your podcasts

And you can download Antonia’s white paper: Being Seen here

Subscribe to her newsletter here

And follow her on instagram

And as ever - I’d love to know what you think!

x Selina

The Summer of 2026 will always be remembered by me as the summer I read ‘No Fair Maidens’ by Kim Willis

I had known that Kim had been writing this book for the past few years and when I first heard that it was about a wild journey with the lost goddesses of Britain - I couldn’t wait for her to be finished so that I could get my hands on it.

This summer it was finally published and it’s no exaggeration to say that reading it has been transformational. In fact, I didn’t read it, I listened to it on Audible and can really recommend experiencing it that way, because Kim is a bewitching story-teller.

And I’m not the only one obsessed with this book. Published by Penguin, it has already become a best-seller, and I’m sure it’s because women all over Britain and beyond have spent the summer whispering to other women ‘you must read this book’.

And you really must.

Here is what I said about it in my review on Audible (always leave a review if you love a book…or a journal 😉).

So I was thrilled when Kim said she would come onto the podcast to talk about her book, the journey that lead her to write it and how reconnecting with the myths of our ancestors and the land, can help us reconnect with ourselves and remember who we are.

And if you want to follow and find out more about Kim and the events she has in the upcoming months visit her website: www.kim-willis.com

Follow her on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__kimwillis

On Substack - Kim Willis

And, of course, buy the book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/468042/no-fair-maidens-by-willis-kim/9781529947847

x Selina

This episode talks about death, grief, and diagnoses of Motor Neurone Disease and dementia. If those are topics that feel like more than you have capacity for right now, please take care of yourself and come back to this conversation when the time feels right.

I can’t wait for you you to hear this conversation. Yes, it’s about grief, death and how to na…

Oh my goodness, this was such a rich and inspiring conversation and I now cannot WAIT to go through Toni’s debut book ‘You (A Beginner’s Guide)’ - with Toni’s Shelf-Help community.

In fact before I say anything more, order your copy of ‘You’ BEFORE 26th MAY - it is a limited edition and you won’t get a chance to get on your hands on it after that!

If you haven’t come across Toni Jones before, she is a former journalist turned bibliotherapist and the founder of the Shelf Help Club - the world’s first dedicated self-help book club, which has been running for almost a decade.

And over the past ten years she’s read 1,000+ self-help books (yes. ONE THOUSAND), interviewed hundreds of authors and wellbeing experts, and built a global community inspiring 25,000+ to read, reflect, and apply self-development.

And now she has written a book - published by the brilliant The Pound Project - called YOU (The Beginner’s Guide), which distils the most important lessons from that decade immersed in the world of self-help.

But not only that, she herself has developed a three-step framework designed to help people get to know themselves better and design lives they get to really enjoy - and hearing her talk about this three-step framework got me so excited to read and DO the book.

So dive in and join us for this juicy conversation - my first Substack Live! There are a few moments where the internet glitches a little - but I guess that is the nature of LIVE recordings and it doesn’t take away from the power of the conversation.

Thank you Eva Lydon 🌿, Claire Venus ✨, Ruth, Sharon Bernard and many others for tuning into the live video.

Let’s all go and order Toni’s book and do it together!

x Selina

Hi lovelies,

I have such a gorgeous conversation for you today - I’m joined by the wonderful, magnetic Emma Pruen - a speaker, author and alchemist whose new book ‘Wild Self: 400 Transformational Nature Experiences in Britain’ is out on 1st May.

It was such a joy to dive into conversation with Emma about Britain’s spiritual and shamanic traditions that so many of us don’t know about - and why, despite living in a place rich with ancient wisdom, so many of us have completely lost touch with it.

We talk about:

* Why spirituality doesn’t have to look a certain way

* How to reconnect with it in a way that actually feels real to you

* And how to access it even in the middle of a busy city

I learnt so much from this conversation and Emma gave me a tip at the end about how I can tap into that spiritual energy and connection - even when I’m living in a concrete city - that has really stuck with me.

So dive into this conversation with us - and come and let me know in the comments what you do to tap into spiritual energy and connection. I’d love to know!

And treat yourself to a copy of Wild Self and check out all the wonderful work you can do with Emma - from Family Systemic Constellations, to Shamanic Healing to Wellbeing Retreats.

x Selina

Following on from last week’s topic of rest and recovery (which it seems a lot of you are craving too) I have an interview that I think you are going to love - all about how to take care of yourself when life is going at full speed.

My guest is Dr Jillian Bybee, MD a busy paediatric ICU physician (with a seriously hardcore schedule, dealing with life and death every day), as well as being a mother, transformational speaker, leader, and mindset coach who is dedicated to helping others live the lives they desire.

I have been a huge fan of Dr Jillian and her Substack Humans Leading ever since I came across her a few years ago. She is such a wise, warm and incredibly smart human, with so much to teach us about how to live a full on life without burning out.

And so I was delighted to finally get the chance to sit down with her and dive deep into the topic of how to take care of yourself when life is full on.

In this conversation we talk about:

* Why Jillian was drawn to the Goodbye Hello Journal as an anchor - not because her life is quiet, but because it’s full (hospital shifts, leadership, parenting, and everything in between) - and so the journal helps her return to the question ‘how can I take care of myself?’

* What it looks like to recover from burnout without giving up ambition (and without making yourself ‘selfish’)

* Grief, and the way loss can completely reorder your definition of success

* The micro-tools that make a big difference: the ‘check your pulse’ practice, five-minute resets, why ice cold water can calm your stress response, and why eating lunch with a knife and fork can be a surprisingly powerful tool to help you slow down

* How medical training encourages people to become “brains in jars”… and why Jillian is actively helping to change that culture from the inside

* Jillian’s tips on switching off after an intense day (and why she has a Spotify playlist called Songs to Cry To that her colleagues now request 😭)

I left this conversation feeling so inspired, nourished and fired up. There is so much that needs to change about the way we work - especially in the care industries - and it’s so. heartening to hear from someone who’s not just talking about it, but actively helping to shift the culture and leading by example.

If you’re someone with a lot on your plate, who wants to live a full life, without burning out, then this conversation is for you.

Put it on while you’re getting ready in the morning or cooking your dinner. And try out some of the tips that Dr Jillian shares with us. I can guarantee that they will make a difference.

And if you want to follow Dr Jillian (and I strongly recommend you do), » you’ll find her over on her brilliant Substack publication Humans Leading» and she’s also on Instagram at @lifeandpicu

x Selina

Welcome to February!

I like to think of this month as the one where we start laying the foundations for the dreams we want to bring to life over the next 11 months. Just as the seeds are still underground, but starting to stir, I like to think of our dreams and intentions doing the same - quietly moving from imagination into possibility, from dreaming into doing.

It’s a month for planning and starting to take gentle action, but it’s still not a month for pushing, particularly if you are in the Northern hemisphere and deep in winter.

And if, like me, you’ve been non-stop since before Christmas (small product businesses - I see you!), this could be an important month for recharging your batteries before stepping fully into your next chapter.

Which is why this Pep-Talk is dedicated to the essential — and still wildly underestimated — art of rest and recovery:

* why we’re so bad at it

* why we consistently underestimate its power

* and what it actually looks like to do it properly (not just collapsing on the sofa while mentally running through your to-do list)

Because while we’re brilliant at pushing through - even when we’re running on empty, even when our bodies and minds are quietly waving red flags - we rarely bring that same level of dedication to rest. And if we want to truly thrive, that has to change.

Which is why this February, I’m doing something that feels genuinely radical to me: I am dedicating myself to rest and recovery and letting my mind go fallow. No brainstorming. No planning what’s next. No creative pushing. Just deliberate, unapologetic rest. In fact I already started doing it last week and I have been loving it.

So in this episode, I’m sharing how I’m doing it and how you can do it too - whether you do it now in February or save this for the next time you find yourself in need of recharging your batteries.

But before we dive in - there’s a favour I want to ask:

If you love the Goodbye, Hello journal then I’d be so so so grateful if you could leave a review.

Those reviews make an enormous difference to small businesses like mine - and I’ve got a little thank-you prize draw happening this week for anyone who does.

Here are the links to make it super easy for you:

>> ​projectyoushop.com​ >> ​Amazon.com​ >> ​Amazon.co.uk​

This week in the ​Project You Club​ (TODAY IS THE LAST DAY YOU CAN ​JOIN!​)

Here is what we have coming up in Feb (click on the links to find out more):

Monday 2nd Feb 1-2pm GMT: ​✍️MONTHLY REFLECT & PLAN​ +Monday 2nd Feb 2-2.30pm GMT: BONUS PLANNING SESSION - take all the commitments from the Reflect and Plan session and schedule them into your calendar (Light and Full Membership) 📺 REPLAY AVAILABLE

Wednesday 4th Feb - all day: ✅ ​BONUS FINALLY GET IT DONE DAY​ A whole day dedicated to clearing the clutter of boring life admin so you can feel lighter, clearer, and proud of yourself for finally ticking them off. (Full Membership)​

I hope to see you there!

Not a member? There is still time to join, but be quick - doors close today!

JOIN THE CLUB!

x Selina

Hello lovelies,

In this week’s Pep-Talk, I’m exploring the importance of having anchors in your life that connect you to your dreams, goals and desires on a regular basis.

And how, without them, we can find ourselves permanently lost in a swirl of to-do lists, house admin, work responsibilities and other people’s needs - with our dreams getting further and further away.

What I mean by anchor points is intentional pause points in our lives – moments where we step out of the rush of life and ask ourselves:

How am I doing - really?What do I need right now to help me to thrive?What dreams do I most want to go after - and what steps can I take?What do I need to schedule into my calendar to help me design the life I want to be living?

And they make a HUGE difference.

I have realised that anchor points are the key when it comes to going after your dreams, staying on track with your goals and designing a life you love.

When you get anchor points scheduled firmly into your life - on a quarterly, monthly or week basis - you will see a significant increase in how many of your dreams come true and how much of your life starts to fill up with the ingredients that bring you joy.

And so, in today’s Pep-Talk, I talk about:

* Why anchors are SO important in keeping ourselves connected to what really matters to us

* Why creative, busy or neurodivergent minds especially benefit from them

* The many different forms anchors can take and how to find the right ones for you and your life

* And why structure, rhythm and (for many of us) accountability are essential for those anchors to work

🤩 Come and try the Project You Club for a month!

If you want to come and try the monthly anchor (the Project You Club Reflect and Plan Session) that has made a HUGE difference to my life and a 100+ members in the Project You Club, then now is your chance to try it!

🗓️ The next February Reflect & Plan Session is on MONDAY, 2ND FEBRUARY, 1-2pm GMT

You can sign up for as little as £9.95/month and unsubscribe at any time.

I hope to see you in there!

x Selina

P.S. Doors to the Project You Club close NEXT WEEK - so if you want to give it a try, subscribe today!

Today I want to talk about an important topic - one that we can forget about when we’re swept up in the dreaming, vision boarding and intention setting at the start of the year. And that is how we’re going to make sure those dreams and desires don’t just remain stuck in the pages of our journals, but actually become a reality.

And no, this is not about manifesting. This is about the very practical art of life design. A topic I’ve been dedicated to learning and teaching for the past two decades.

In particular I’ve always been interested in how you take the steps you need, to go after your dreams and design the life you really want to be living - when you have a hell of a lot of other stuff going on and a deeply rooted belief that to be a good person you should be looking after the needs of others - and not your own.

And so in today’s Pep-Talk I am talking you through the key ingredients that I have found make the biggest difference when it comes to designing your life and turning your dreams into reality.

And I also tell you all about the Project You Club - the online membership that is dedicated to helping you turn your dreams into reality.

The Project You Club is on its way!

The doors open tomorrow night after the Goodbye 2025, Hello 2026 Big Online Share and I’ve added a new Project You Club Light membership option for those of you that are short on time, but want that regular monthly Reflect and Plan Session to help you return to what is important to you at the start of every month and create a plan of how you’re going to take steps towards your dreams and fill your life with the ingredients that help you to thrive. It’s a total game changer.

So hit play today to hear what the key ingredients are that will help you take the dreams from the pages of your journal and turn them into reality.

And how the Project You Club could help you this year in getting the support, structure and accountability you need to stay on track and designing a life you love 🥰

x Selina

P.S. Doors to the Project You Club are opening after the Big Online Share on 20th Jan - if you want to be first to hear and you’re NOT on my newsletter list, you can sign up here

If you’re reading this and it’s already the 22nd Jan or later, then you can check out the Club and join right away over on projectyoushop.com