We talk a lot about women’s cycles — hormonal, emotional, seasonal — but rarely about men’s. In this episode, Jed Diamond helps bring men into the conversation.

With over 50 years of experience working with men and families, Jed explains how men move through powerful biological and emotional rhythms across their lives. From daily and seasonal hormonal shifts to the deeper transition of male menopause, these cycles influence mood, energy, libido, relationships, and identity — often without men or their partners realising what’s happening.

Rather than framing midlife as a crisis, Jed offers a different lens: a threshold. A moment where the first half of life gives way to a second mountain — one shaped less by proving and producing, and more by purpose, connection, and contribution.

We also explore Irritable Male Syndrome, unpacking why irritability, anger, withdrawal, and low mood can emerge at any age, and how stress, diet, isolation, and unresolved trauma interact with male biology. Throughout the conversation, the emphasis is practical and compassionate, grounded in real-life patterns rather than blame or stigma.

This episode is an invitation to build literacy around men’s inner lives — for men themselves, and for anyone who lives, works, or loves alongside them.

In This Episode, We Explore

• How men’s hormones fluctuate and influence mood, energy, and behaviour

• What male menopause is — and why it’s often misunderstood

• The relationship between testosterone, irritability, depression, and withdrawal

• Irritable Male Syndrome and its biological, psychological, and cultural roots

• How stress, diet, sleep, and connection affect men’s emotional wellbeing

• Why midlife can be a transition rather than a crisis

• The role of friendship, vulnerability, and emotional awareness in men’s health

Chapters:

• 00:00 – Midlife, hormones, and men’s health
• 02:25 – Jed Diamond’s story and why this work matters
• 09:30 – Do men have cycles?
• 18:40 – Male menopause and midlife change
• 29:20 – Irritable Male Syndrome
• 39:15 – Relationships and emotional wellbeing
• 50:20 – Purpose, ageing, and the second half of life

Guest Bio: Jed Diamond
Jed Diamond, PhD, is a leading voice in men’s health, hormones, and emotional wellbeing. He is the founder of MenAlive and the author of 17 books, including Surviving Male Menopause and The Irritable Male Syndrome. For more than five decades, his work has focused on helping men understand life transitions, emotional health, and relationships.

https://menalive.com/

About the Bountifull Podcast
The Bountifull Podcast is where we explore what it means to live a bountiful life. Through thoughtful, honest conversations with interesting people from diverse backgrounds, the podcast explores joy, resilience, health, purpose, and the small choices that shape how we live every day — especially in a world that often rewards more, faster, and louder.

Over on email every week we share a question for reflection and conversation — you’re welcome to join if that feels useful, sign up here.

In this episode of the Bountifull Podcast, we explore the often-hidden role of shame and stigma in shaping how we live, relate, and see ourselves — and why understanding them is essential to living a truly bountiful life. Through a thoughtful, grounded conversation with clinical psychologist Magenta Silberman, we unpack how shame differs from guilt, how it quietly embeds itself into identity and self-worth, and how it can limit joy, connection, and meaning when left unexamined.

Shame is an internal and deeply personal experience — less about what we’ve done and more about who we believe we are. Unlike guilt, which can motivate repair and help us grow, shame tends to drive silence, withdrawal, and disconnection. We explore how shame can be adaptive in small doses, helping guide behaviour and social belonging, but becomes harmful when internalised or amplified by stigma, cultural expectations, or environments that clash with our values.

The conversation looks closely at where shame shows up: in relationships, work, achievement, identity, parenting, mental health, and especially during the vulnerable transition into adulthood. We also examine how stigma — around mental illness, therapy, trauma, substance use, or identity — compounds shame and prevents people from seeking support, particularly in rural or conservative communities.

Importantly, the discussion moves beyond theory into lived experience, including the gap between performance and self-worth, the pressure of “shoulds,” and the quiet shame of feeling unfulfilled even when life looks successful on paper. We explore the body–mind connection through the lens of trauma and the nervous system, highlighting how shame can be felt viscerally and why avoidance so often becomes a coping strategy.

Ultimately, this episode offers a compassionate reframe: naming shame is the first step to loosening its grip. By bringing shame into awareness — rather than silence — we create space for connection, self-trust, and a more expansive, bountiful way of living.

Episode Highlights:

• The difference between shame and guilt — and why it matters

• How shame shows up in work, relationships, identity, and achievement

• Why shame thrives in silence and isolation

• The role of stigma in mental health and help-seeking

• How shame lives in the body and nervous system

• The pressure of “shoulds” and performance-based self-worth

• Why naming shame is a powerful step toward freedom and connection

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Why we avoid naming shame
• 05:00 – Identity, achievement, and living a bountiful life
• 11:30 – Shame vs guilt and why the difference matters
• 17:40 – When shame helps us — and when it harms us
• 25:45 – Performance, “shoulds,” and self-worth
• 30:40 – Stigma, silence, and asking for help
• 34:10 – Shame in the body and nervous system
• 45:30 – Naming shame and choosing connection

Guest Bio:

Magenta Silberman is a clinical psychologist based in Utah who works across assessment and therapy, supporting people through a wide range of mental health experiences. Her work is grounded in a trauma-informed approach, with a particular interest in identity, self-worth, and how shame and stigma shape our lives.

About the Bountifull Podcast:

The Bountifull Podcast explores what it means to live a bountiful life through thoughtful conversations focused on personal growth, mental health, and everyday self-improvement. Each episode offers practical insights and reflective “how-to” ideas to help listeners build more joyful, resilient, and meaningful lives.

https://bountifullworld.com/

In this episode, Michael Breus, widely known as The Sleep Doctor, explores why sleep is not just a health habit, but the foundation of how we feel, think, and experience life.

Michael explains that sleep underpins our ability to experience joy, regulate emotions, focus, and build resilience. When we’re sleep deprived, positive emotions are dampened, negative thinking intensifies, and even small challenges can feel overwhelming. In his clinical work, he’s seen how improving sleep can create rapid, life-changing shifts—often faster than almost any other intervention.

The conversation moves beyond basic sleep hygiene to address the psychology of sleep, particularly anxiety and fear. Michael shares that many sleep issues are driven not by biology alone, but by emotional and nervous-system safety. When fear—financial, relational, or psychological—is present, heart rate stays elevated, making true rest impossible. Addressing the root cause, rather than simply medicating symptoms, is often where real healing begins.

Michael outlines five small, evidence-based changes that can dramatically improve sleep: waking at the same time every day, hydrating before caffeine, stopping caffeine by early afternoon, limiting alcohol in the evening, exercising daily (but not too late), and getting morning sunlight. He also emphasises the often-overlooked role of environment—especially pillows, air quality, and allergens—in sleep quality.

A key highlight is Michael’s chronotype framework—Lions, Bears, Wolves, and Dolphins—which helps people understand their natural sleep rhythms. Rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all schedule, he encourages aligning sleep, work, and relationships with individual biology.

Ultimately, this episode reframes sleep not as a problem to fix, but as a relationship to tend. When sleep improves, life doesn’t just feel easier—it becomes more spacious, joyful, and bountiful.

Episode Highlights

• How sleep supports emotional balance, focus, and everyday joy
• Why working with your natural sleep rhythm matters more than optimisation
• The connection between sleep, calmness, and nervous system regulation
• Simple, realistic habits that support better sleep over time
• Why rest helps us show up more fully in our lives and relationships
  

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Why Sleep Shapes How We Feel, Think, and Experience Life. Sleep as the foundation for mood, focus, energy, and joy.

• 07:45 – Why Sleep Advice Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All. Chronotypes, circadian rhythms, and working with your biology.

• 15:20 – How Sleep Affects Mood, Emotions, and Joy. Why sleep deprivation amplifies negativity and dulls positive emotion.

• 24:10 – Sleep, Anxiety, and Nervous System Safety.

How fear, stress, and emotional load keep the body from resting.

• 36:30 – Simple Ways to Improve Sleep Without Perfection. Small, realistic changes that make a meaningful difference.

• 47:50 – Sleep, Relationships, and Shared Rhythms. Navigating different sleep patterns with partners and families.

• 55:30 – How Better Sleep Changes Resilience and Everyday Life. What becomes possible when we’re truly well rested.

Guest Bio

Michael Breus, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, board-certified sleep specialist, and best-selling author, widely known as The Sleep Doctor. With over 25 years of experience in sleep research and clinical practice, he is one of the few psychologists to pass the American Board of Sleep Medicine exam. Michael is the author of The Power of When and Good Night, and regularly appears in global media including The Today Show, Oprah, and CNN, sharing accessible, science-based insights on sleep and wellbeing.

https://sleepdoctor.com/

About Bountifull Podcast

The Bountifull Podcast explores what it means to live a bountiful life through honest, thoughtful conversations with interesting people from diverse backgrounds, sharing real stories, lessons, and reflections on work, life, and meaning.
https://bountifullworld.com/

In this episode, Cheryl Sew Hoy explains how gut health affects immunity, mental health, hormones, and resilience, drawing on both microbiome science and her own experience building Tiny Health. She shares how a deeply personal journey into motherhood led her to rethink gut health as a foundation for lifelong wellbeing, and why the microbiome - particularly in the first 1,000 days of a babies life - plays a critical role in immune health, resilience, and mental health.The conversation moves through what the gut actually does, why balance and diversity matter more than eliminating bacteria, and how the gut–brain connection works, including the surprising number of key hormones produced in the gut. Cheryl also explains why testing and education offer clearer direction than supplements or guesswork, and how factors like birth interventions, antibiotics, diet, sleep, and stress shape gut health over time.

Alongside this, she reflects on entrepreneurship, parenting, and sleep, and what it means to live a bountiful life that feels full, without taking life too seriously.

Episode Highlights

• How gut health influences immunity, mental health, energy, and resilience

• The gut–brain connection and the surprising number of hormones produced in the gut

• Why the first 1,000 days of a babies life matters for expecting parents, mothers and fathers.

• Testing versus guessing in a crowded wellness landscape

• What entrepreneurship teaches us about patience, perspective, and long-term thinking

• Living a bountiful life as something full, complex, and ongoing

Timestamps

• 00:00 — Why gut health matters and what sparked Tiny Health

• 09:00 — What living a bountiful life means to Cheryl

• 12:30 — Gut health basics and why balance matters more than trends

• 18:00 — The gut–brain connection and hormones made in the gut

• 26:00 — Diet, fibre, fermented foods, and supporting gut health

• 33:00 — The first 1,000 days and why gut health matters for parents

• 55:00 — Entrepreneurship, long-term thinking, and perspective

• 01:02:00 — Sleep, resilience, and not taking life too seriously

Guest Bio: Cheryl Sew Hoy is an entrepreneur, speaker, angel investor, and founder & CEO of Tiny Health, a health-tech company focused on evidence-based gut microbiome testing for families. She launched Tiny Health in 2020 after her first child faced eczema, sleep challenges, and food sensitivities, which led her deep into microbiome science and the importance of the first 1,000 days of life. Cheryl holds a bachelor’s degree in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering and a master’s in Engineering Management and Data Mining from Cornell University. Before Tiny Health, she co-founded the software startup Reclip.It, which was acquired by Walmart Labs, and served as the founding CEO of the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC), building the region’s startup ecosystem. She’s known for blending technical expertise with a systems perspective on health, startups, and resilient living.

About the Bountifull Podcast

The Bountifull Podcast explores what it means to live a bountiful life through honest, thoughtful conversations with interesting people from diverse backgrounds, sharing real stories, lessons, and reflections on work, life, and meaning.

https://www.bountifullworld.com/

In this episode of the Bountifull Podcast, we sit down with Tasman Denize, the creator behind NZ Wild Adventures, to talk about life lived close to the land - hunting, fishing, boating, camping, and many very remote solo adventures. Raised in the remote Marlborough Sounds, Tasman grew up with solitude, self-reliance, and a deep connection to nature as everyday realities.

Our conversation explores what the wild teaches you about patience, risk, and responsibility, and why simplicity matters. Tasman shares how time alone helps him feel clearer and more grounded, why he works as little as possible to support the life he wants, and how adventure doesn’t require expensive gear—just preparation, awareness, and respect for your limits.

This episode is a quiet reflection on freedom, self-trust, and the kind of peace that comes from slowing down and paying attention — and as Tasman says, the word that describes his life? Free. How absolutely inspiring is that.

What talk about:

• Growing up remote in the Marlborough Sounds and learning self-reliance early

• Life shaped by solitude, correspondence schooling, and time outdoors

• Why Tasman chooses simplicity over excess — in gear, work, and lifestyle

• Long solo trips, including extended time in Fiordland

• Risk, safety, and knowing where the line is between bravery and recklessness

• Hunting and gathering for food, and Tasman’s philosophy around eating what you catch

• Working as little as possible to spend more time in nature

• Why expensive gear isn’t necessary — preparation and awareness matter more

• How time alone helps Tasman feel clearer, calmer, and more grounded

• Freedom, family, and spending time where it really matters

Key Themes

• Simplicity

• Self-trust

• Solitude

• Freedom

• Nature as a grounding force

One Line That Stays With Us

When asked what word best describes his life, Tasman’s answer is simple: Free.

About the Bountifull Podcast

The Bountifull Podcast explores what it means to live a bountiful life through honest, thoughtful conversations with interesting people from diverse backgrounds, sharing real stories, lessons, and reflections on work, life, and meaning.

⁠https://www.bountifullworld.com/

Hayden Paddon is one of the world’s top rally drivers, but this conversation goes well beyond motorsport. It’s about what happens inside a person when the pressure is high, the stakes are real, and nothing is guaranteed.

Hayden grew up around racing and has spent most of his life pushing cars — and himself — to their limits. From winning a World Championship in Argentina to losing his seat, his confidence, and his enjoyment of the sport, he speaks openly about the moments that shaped him. What stands out is his honesty about doubt, fear, patience, and the long road back when things fall apart. This isn’t a polished success story; it’s a grounded reflection on what it takes to keep going.

Much of the conversation centres on self-trust. Hayden explains how he prepares his mind for extreme conditions, why staying present matters more than visualising outcomes, and how experience — not bravado — has made him a better driver over time. He talks about flow states, anger as a surprising motivator, and why accepting who you are can sometimes be more powerful than trying to fix yourself.

We also explore the personal cost of success: years spent away from home, the loneliness of professional sport, and the moment he realised he’d stopped enjoying the thing that once saved him. Hayden reflects on what it took to reset, strip everything back, and reconnect with why he started racing in the first place.

Now in a new chapter, Hayden is focused on building a team, challenging convention, and pushing innovation through electric and alternative-fuel rally cars. Throughout the episode, he returns to the same ideas: patience, loyalty, honesty, and learning to stay in the moment — whether you’re driving at 200 kilometres an hour or navigating a difficult season of life.

This is a thoughtful, grounded conversation about pressure, identity, resilience, and what it really means to keep going. Hayden’s story challenges romanticised ideas of success and reminds us that meaning isn’t borrowed or inherited — it’s earned over time, often through doing rather than thinking. A bountiful life doesn’t have to look gentle, but it does need to be honest.

You can find Hayden on social media here:

https://www.instagram.com/haydenpaddon/

About the Bountifull Podcast

The Bountifull Podcast explores what it means to live a bountiful life through honest, thoughtful conversations with interesting people from diverse backgrounds, sharing real stories, lessons, and reflections on work, life, and meaning.

https://www.bountifullworld.com/

What if defiance wasn’t a flaw, but a skill? In this episode, Dr. Sunita Sah—physician, behavioural scientist, and author of Defy—shares how reclaiming agency and redefining what it means to say “no” can change the trajectory of our lives. Raised to equate goodness with compliance, Sunita’s journey is a powerful reminder that being agreeable often comes at a cost: to our integrity, our well-being, and our sense of self.

We explore the psychology behind why we say yes when we mean no, the invisible social pressures that shape our decisions, and why discomfort is a sign—not of weakness, but of wisdom. Sunita offers a practical five-stage framework for living in alignment with your values, and explains how simple tools like pausing before responding or speaking to yourself in the third person can help you make braver, truer choices.

This conversation is a compassionate guide for people-pleasers, quiet rebels, and anyone who has ever struggled to hold their ground. A bountiful life, as Sunita reveals, isn’t lived without tension—it’s one where that tension is honoured, examined, and transformed into something meaningful.

Episode Highlights

• Why defiance is essential to a meaningful life

• The difference between compliance, consent, and true defiance

• How to find and clarify your personal values

• The hidden social pressures behind people-pleasing and “yes” culture

• Five stages of ethical defiance (from tension to action)

What if the simplest acts of giving could transform your confidence, resilience, and sense of purpose? In this inspiring episode, resilience psychologist Dr Alia Bojilova shares why contribution—small acts of meaningful generosity—can profoundly shape our lives, communities, and well-being.

Drawing from her diverse background—from a childhood in post-communist Bulgaria to her distinguished career as an Army Officer and Lead Psychologist with the elite New Zealand Special Air Service (1NZSAS), and now as a global resilience expert—Alia redefines contribution not as grand gestures, but as everyday actions that connect us deeply to others and ourselves. She reveals how contribution boosts self-worth, builds genuine resilience, strengthens relationships, and guides us toward purpose and meaning.

Together, we explore the science behind why contribution matters, how even tiny gestures create powerful ripple effects, and how to integrate this practice into our daily lives. Alia reminds us that true abundance isn't about what we accumulate—it's about how generously we share our lives.

✨ Episode Highlights:

🌱 Contribution Builds Identity – Small acts of giving offer immediate emotional feedback that reinforces your sense of worth, capability, and agency.

✨ Excitement Is a Compass – Alia shares how fleeting moments of excitement have guided some of her most meaningful life decisions—and why listening to those sparks matters.

🌦️ We Are Somebody’s Weather – Our emotional state affects everyone around us. Alia explores how being intentional about your presence can shape relationships and environments.

⚖️ Equilibrium Is Essential – A bountiful life balances challenge and rest. Alia opens up about learning to say yes to pause, not just productivity.

🌀 Purpose Emerges Through Action – Purpose isn't something you need to define before you begin—it grows out of contribution, curiosity, and consistent engagement.

🧠 Awareness Fuels Resilience – Resilience starts with noticing how you feel and taking ownership of your state. Contribution is one of the most powerful tools for shifting it.

🧃 Scarcity Can Spark Creativity – Alia’s upbringing taught her that limitations can lead to resourcefulness, joy, and deep connection—not deprivation.

🤝 Contribution Creates Belonging – Belonging isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you generate through thoughtful action and care.

⏳ Busyness Isn’t the Goal – Alia invites us to question what we’re actually busy with, and whether those efforts align with meaning and joy.

🫶 Leadership Is Human, Not Heroic – Great leaders don’t perform—they notice, care, and contribute to the wellbeing of others in small, consistent ways.

🔍 Curiosity Is a Daily Practice – In every context, from military to family life, curiosity helps us challenge assumptions and uncover what really matters.

👶 Teach Contribution Through Doing – Alia’s daily practice with her son—doing something kind for someone else—offers a simple but powerful way to raise resilient, generous kids.

👤 About Dr. Alia Bojilova

Dr Alia Bojilova is a Registered Psychologist with a focus on organizational, team, and individual resilience, leadership, and curiosity. Her extensive career includes serving as an Army Officer and Lead Psychologist with the elite New Zealand Special Air Service (1NZSAS) and the Counter Terrorist Tactics Group. Her operational experience spans Afghanistan, Syria, Israel, the wider Middle East, East Timor, and the Solomon Islands. She was awarded the NZDF Meritorious Service Medal and the United Nations Commendation for her leadership through critical incidents in Syria. Alia is also the author of The Resilience Toolkit, providing practical tools for lasting resilience and well-being.

About the Bountifull:

The Bountifull Podcast explores how to live a more purposeful, resilient life. Host Sian Simpson connects with interesting people from diverse backgrounds to dive into personal growth, emotional wellness, and creativity.

“So much of what’s meaningful about science is the process of discovering something that nobody else knew.”

What can the universe teach us about being human? For astrophysicist and NASA program scientist Joshua Pepper, the answer lies in curiosity, contribution, and learning to sit with the unknown. In this episode of the Bountifull Podcast, we talk about exoplanets, randomness, and the emotional realities of life in science—from funding cycles and impostor syndrome to the joy of a good spreadsheet. Joshua reflects on the long arc of discovery, the privilege of asking big questions, and why we should make time to look up.

This is an episode about wonder and meaning, but also one about endurance. Because sometimes a bountiful life isn’t about answers—it’s about the people you meet, the questions that stay with you, and the quiet courage it takes to keep going.

✨ Episode Highlights

🌍 How Randomness Shapes Our Paths – From unplanned encounters to last-minute applications, Joshua talks about the role of luck, openness, and decision-making in his life and career.

🛰️ What a NASA Program Scientist Actually Does – A behind-the-scenes look at Joshua’s role supporting researchers, managing grants, and helping guide missions like KELT and LEAP.

🪐 Exoplanets, Time, and Big Questions – Why the search for planets beyond our solar system isn’t just scientific—it’s philosophical. Joshua explains what these distant worlds can teach us about scale, meaning, and hope.

💭 The Emotional Reality of Science – We talk about mental health in academia, impostor syndrome, and what it takes to stay committed to long-term research that may not be recognised for decades.

🧠 What Curiosity Feels Like – Joshua shares what lights him up about spreadsheets, problem-solving, and the joy of discovering something truly new.

⏳ Living on a Longer Timeline – Reflections on working in a field where timelines stretch across generations—and why it’s still worth it.

Guest Bio:
Dr. Joshua Pepper is a NASA Program Scientist and Associate Professor of Physics at Lehigh University. He supports several major space science initiatives, including the TESS mission (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), the Exoplanet Exploration Program, and NASA’s Open-Source Science Initiative. Josh co-founded the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope (KELT) project, which has discovered more than two dozen exoplanets, and helped build the TESS Input Catalog guiding NASA’s search for new worlds. His work blends curiosity, discovery, and a deep commitment to exploring the universe through science.

About Bountifull Podcast

The Bountifull Podcast explores how to live a more purposeful and joyful life through meaningful conversations with interesting people from diverse backgrounds. This week, Joshua Pepper, a NASA Program Scientist and astrophysicist, joins us to explore the intersection of curiosity, discovery, and resilience. From exoplanets to impostor syndrome, Joshua reflects on the emotional realities of life in science, the endurance it takes to keep asking big questions, and why sometimes a bountiful life isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about embracing the unknown and continuing the journey. This episode reminds us that meaning can be found in the questions we ask, the people we meet, and the quiet courage it takes to keep going.

“I wanted more stuff that felt like it was mine.”

Zara Davidson’s life has been defined by excellence — elite basketballer, top of her class, and a rising force in AI. But behind the accolades is a story of transition, questioning, and quiet reinvention. In this episode, she opens up about the intensity of her athletic and corporate years, the quarter-life unraveling that followed, and the slow, tender process of rediscovering joy through Pilates, friendship, and shell-painting on the beach. Zara reminds us that identity isn’t fixed — it’s shaped, stretched, and sometimes surrendered.

Zara’s journey invites us to reimagine success not as achievement, but as ownership — of time, energy, and joy. She shows us that a bountiful life isn’t found in the grand gestures, but in the intentional details: planking in your living room, spotting bunnies on your morning walk, or making something with your hands just for the fun of it. Through her honesty and humour, she nudges us to let go of who we think we should be, and instead ask: What actually feels like mine?

🎧 Episode Highlights – Zara Davidson

• Redefining identity after high achievement Zara shares what it was like to step away from elite sport and a fast-paced tech career, and how she began to rediscover who she was beyond being “good” at things.

• From burnout to bunnies and Pilates She opens up about her quarter-life crisis, the slow process of creating space for joy, and how simple practices like outdoor walks and creative hobbies helped her reconnect with herself.

• “You never regret a swim.” Zara reflects on the healing power of nature, movement, and the outdoors — and why going for a swim is her go-to reset.

• Letting go of the ‘shoulds’ She discusses the pressure of external expectations, and how she’s learned to ask: “Do I want to do this, or do I just feel like I should?”