Beyond the basement

If there’s one thing humans resist, it’s not knowing - stepping into a void of uncertainty (a.k.a being alive).

In this episode, I explore our very human relationship with the unknown. I reflect on how your mind instinctively scrambles to make meaning when we find ourselves in unfamiliar territory - and how that effort to “work it out” can sometimes get in the way of effectively navigating what unfolds, and even thriving and creating in it.

Borrowing lessons from improvisation, I talk about the discomfort of not-knowing, the urge to assign a story, and the subtle fear that can creep in when nothing makes sense yet. This is me making the case for more curiosity instead of control, when we don’t know what to do next.

In this episode, I explore a condition I call Seriousness Fatigue™ - a surprisingly common but under-diagnosed affliction affecting grown-ups everywhere. Symptoms include: chronic joylessness, relentless productivity, and a general heaviness that makes life feel like a spreadsheet.

It’s a playful diagnosis, but a real experience. I look at how fun deficit disorder (FDD) links to perfectionism, mental over-exertion, and emotional and physical disconnection. I also offer a few suggested treatments (side effects may include relief, pleasure and feeling alive again).

If life has felt a bit grey lately, and you crave lightness or escape - this might be just what the doctor (didn’t) order.

If you’re a regular listener, you’ll know Laurie (my dog) was a robust presence in my life, and our relationship was both loving and incredibly challenging. It wasn’t simple. It stretched me, frustrated me, entertained me, taught me. Living with him, and later rehoming him, pushed me to my limits - but that was only the beginning of the journey. I had no idea what would happen next…

This is me sharing a story and reflecting on the experience - what it taught me about navigating boundaries and grief through the lens of Perfectionism. And just so you know, there are themes of death in this podcast.

It’s been about a month since Laurie left, and I’ve been slowly processing the grief, the fallout, and the meaning in that loss. Only now do I feel ready to speak about it - and share what this period is still teaching me.

In this episode we’ll explore the nature of ‘doing the right thing’ - even when that only seems to create more pain for you and for others. This is a raw, honest and hopefully fair reflection on navigating the paradoxes in love, loss and being human.

Ever questioned your trust in yourself or doubted your capacity to do brave things? Ever felt weak or ashamed because of that?

In this episode I share reflections from periods of my life when I’ve felt raw, alone and unsupported - when I had to rebuild trust with myself as a matter of self-preservation. And what I’ve discovered is that self-trust doesn’t come from pushing through, ‘man-ing-up’, or performing confidence. It grows quietly, in moments of honesty, in choosing gentleness, and deliberately noticing how I keep showing up for myself (imperfectly) - especially when life gets challenging.

For me, trust is about how you are in relationship with yourself. And like all relationships, that requires healing. It’s a thing we ‘do’ (as well as say and feel) through our bodies. It comes from a sense of inner peace and wholeness that’s quite possible to nurture, in small acts of kindness, curiosity and compassion towards our noisy inner world.

Modern life really isn’t set up for being slow and still. It can feel uncomfortable, even pointless. Yet beyond the resistance, I’ve been discovering something tender, alive and a source of great relief. This episode is me sharing that process with you.

In this episode, I talk about something very simple - but not always easy: sitting still and being with myself. No fixing, no doing, just being with myself and noticing what’s there. That simple.

It started as an experiment, but it’s been surprisingly rich. I’ve found that when I stop to really listen, there’s a kind of release or healing that starts to happen. It’s not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be either, and it’s putting me in touch with deeper, quieter truths about myself and what next.

Here I’m exploring the terrain of desire - not the surface-level kind, but the deep, bodily knowing of what you truly want and need. Speaking from a clearing in the woods, I reflect on the difference between external striving and inner attunement, and how perfectionism can cut us off from our own instincts.

This is a meditation on listening, gently, to the signals in your body, the ache of unmet needs, and the quiet internal whispers of what you might really be here for. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your desires or unsure how to meet them, this episode invites curiosity over easy answers.

Join me for walk in the Austrian Alps, reflecting on a question few of us ever dare to ask, let alone answer: “How do you want to spend your time on Earth?” From the beauty of retreat to the discomfort of liminal space, I explore the tension between desire and guilt, perfectionism and possibility. Expect honest musings, playful techniques (like divergent thinking and ‘sensing’ into your response), plus heartfelt encouragement to live the question, rather than force an answer. This is a nice companion for anyone at a point of change, reorienting, or wondering what’s next.

What does wild swimming in an alpine lake have to do with improvisation? Everything, it turns out.

In this episode, I tell the story of standing on the edge of a glacial lake in Austria, feeling the pull of aliveness and the grip of fear, all at once. I notice how familiar the pattern is: the hesitation, the mental noise, the search for the “right” way in. Just like improv.

This is honest reflections on what it means to take a risk - whether it’s stepping into cold water or stepping into the unknown with a new scene partner. I explore how our nervous systems respond, how our patterns show up, and how we can meet them with more awareness, self-leadership, and maybe even joy.

Because the way you do one thing really is the way you do everything.

Some Perfectionists think they’re pretty easy-going. They don’t make a fuss. They go with the flow. Or do they?

In this episode, I explore the subtle difference between genuinely flowing with life and quietly complying with it. If you’ve ever mistaken your ability to ‘just get on with things’ as calmness, this one’s for you. I unpack the hidden self-abandonment that can sit under so-called flexibility - and how to tell the difference.

You’ll hear reflections from my own journey, what I’ve noticed in others, and how to shift from going along with life to moving through it with agency, dignity, and real calm.

Ever wondered why you’re so hard on yourself?

In this episode, I share the story of how I became a Perfectionist - from the early signs I didn’t have a name for, to the moment it all clicked, and the ways it’s shaped every part of my life. Career, creativity, relationships, rest… nothing has escaped its grip.

I talk about what I’ve learned along the way, how my understanding of Perfectionism has deepened, and how that might relate to your own experience - even if you’ve never used the word “Perfectionist” before.

And if you’re curious to discover your unique flavour of Perfectionism, I also share early access to a new personality test I’ve been creating.

This one’s personal — and it might help make a few things make more sense for you, too.