Fearless Forward

You are what you absorb, not just what you eat.

In other words, however well you eat, if your gut isn’t functioning well your brain and body won’t get the nutrients they need.

Nutritional therapist Sarah Bayliss’s expertise is rooted in personal experience. After years in a high-stress marketing job, she suffered from sleep issues, hormonal imbalances, and gut problems that eventually led her to burnout. Her recovery began with small, consistent changes that led to a profound personal transformation.

In this information-rich conversation, we hear that the gut-brain axis - formed of the vagus nerve, the gut microbiome, and the immune and hormonal pathways - is the bidirectional communication network linking our digestive system and our brain. The gut-brain axis supports brain function, mood, and stress management.

Sarah also explains how our gut health, nutrition, circadian rhythms, blood sugar stability, and recovery, have a powerful impact on our mental resilience. For example, when we eat foods that cause a blood sugar spike and subsequent crash, our body seeks rebalance by activating the stress response. In a state of physiological stress, the brain function shifts away from the pre-frontal cortex (our thinking brain) and into survival mode - which inhibits our capacity to face our fears clearly and calmly.

If you’ve ever felt “off” and couldn’t put your finger on why, or if you’re looking for practical ways to feel more grounded and less reactive, this episode gives you some powerful answers.

This episode will help you:

• Understand how blood sugar dysregulation activates your stress response multiple times daily, leaving you less equipped to think clearly and handle challenges.
• Recognise the bidirectional relationship between gut health and brain function, including how inflammation and "leaky gut" can compromise your mental clarity and emotional regulation.
• Learn practical strategies for building physiological resilience through circadian rhythm alignment, strategic meal timing, and micro-recovery practices that support clearer thinking under pressure.

Highlights

• [00:02:17] You Are What You Absorb
• [00:03:08] The Role of Gut Bacteria
• [00:04:19] Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain 
• [00:06:41] Nutrition and Lifestyle's Impact on Gut Health 
• [00:08:26] Where to Start When Feeling Unwell 
• [00:10:27] A Holistic Approach: Nutrition and Lifestyle 
• [00:13:13] Recognising Your Body's Signals 
• [00:15:32] Resilience and Facing Fear 
• [00:18:05] The Physiological Link Between Nutrition and Fear
• [00:23:10] How Gut Health Feeds Clarity
• [00:24:41] Aging, Hormones, and Resilience 
• [00:27:21] The Optimal Way to Start Your Day 
• [00:33:21] Sarah's Personal Journey
• [00:36:17] Overcoming Fear Through Passion 
• [00:39:42] What "Fearless Forward" Means 
• [00:41:47] The Power of Slowing Down

Resources

• Sarah Bayliss Nutrition
• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
• Connect with Sarah on Instagram
• Connect with Sally-Anne on LinkedIn

In this episode, we journey with Joss Thompson - a mechanical engineer, seasoned mountaineer, and expert snowboarder - through his expedition to climb Denali, North America’s highest peak.

This is more than a tale of adventure; it’s a masterclass in preparation, resilience, and the nuanced art of pushing human limits.

Joss shares his early mistakes with acclimatisation, his preparation alongside friend Todd Ainsworth, and the logistics of the unguided climb. He recounts standout moments, such as participating in a dramatic high-altitude rescue of two stricken climbers, observing a fatal avalanche, reaching the summit in -50°C conditions, and snowboarding part of the descent.

Whether you’re an aspiring mountaineer, an outdoor enthusiast, or someone seeking inspiration for tackling your own “summits,” Joss Thompson’s story is full of wise advice and actionable tips.

This episode will help you:

• How someone assesses risk and makes  critical decisions under pressure when facing unfamiliar or dangerous situations.
• Learn the importance of checking in with teammates during challenging moments, as people process difficulty differently.
• Joss's story about when confidence becomes overconfidence and how small misjudgments can have serious consequences.

Highlights

[00:02:00] The Spark of Fascination
[00:02:50] Early Altitude Mistakes
[00:04:28] Exploring Personal Limits
[00:05:10] The Denali Decision and The Seven Summits
[00:08:00] Knowing When You're Ready
[00:08:55] Arrival in Alaska
[00:12:20] The First Push to Camp One
[00:15:44] High-Altitude Survival Basics
[00:18:50] Life on the Glacier
[00:20:34] Navigating a Whiteout
[00:28:26] The Engineer's Mindset
[00:32:27] Expedition Highlights
[00:35:53] The Fear of Failure
[00:40:21] Reaching the Summit
[00:44:09] The View from the Top
[00:45:30] The Snowboard Descent Begins
[00:50:25] A Dangerous Traverse and a Lesson Learned
[00:57:37] A Dramatic Helicopter Rescue
[01:09:38] Constant Risk Assessment
[01:11:46] Witnessing a Tragedy
[01:18:29] Lessons from the Mountains

Resources

• Connect with Joss via Instagram
• Connect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

Nothing is in insurmountable, if you’re open to finding a way through.

One way through is to find refuge in what you love. Love helps you stay grounded in the present, and keeps hope alive.

It can also give you the strength to navigate even the most traumatic circumstances, as it did for Liia Dmytrenko, one of the millions of victims of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and of the ensuing war, now in its 5th year. At just 19 years of age, she has already lived through more fear, uncertainty, and upheaval than many of us experience in a lifetime.

“When my life turned upside down”, she says, “I quickly realised what mattered most was not what I owned but the people I loved.”

Soon after Kyiv came under attack, Liia and her family escaped to western Ukraine. Three months later, she and her mother made their way to the UK. And with barely any English, Liia joined a top school in her GCSE year. Her mother returned to Kyiv to support the war effort.

Liia’s move to the UK deprived her of her voice. Lacking the vocabulary to express what she was really feeling, she found a path to self-expression through art: sketching scenes of Kyiv from memory. 

During her short visits home she captured her observations of the war in Kyiv through a series of photographs that became the subject of a school exhibition inviting people to imagine their reactions to actually being there. This work was also featured in an ITV documentary.

Today, Liia’s in the second year of a graphic design course at Oxford Brookes University. She’s learning to live a “double life”: lectures, parties, and relative safety in Oxford; danger, fear, and drones exploding outside her window in Kyiv. 

Her creativity has become both a lifeline and a vehicle in which to process the trauma of war and displacement, and find stability and meaning in it all.

She cannot escape the fear. Instead, she chooses to believe in the future.

This episode will help you:

• Understand how to find stability and meaning when everything you've built suddenly disappears.
• Discover how creativity can become a lifeline for processing trauma and reconnecting with yourself.
• Learn to hold conflicting realities simultaneously without letting fear paralyse your forward momentum.

Highlights

• [00:00:00] Introduction
• [00:02:14] The Day War Began
• [00:03:58] Leaving Everything Behind
• [00:07:53] Escaping Kyiv
• [00:10:00] A New Path Beyond Ballet[00:14:12] A Mother's Blessing
• [00:21:49] Arriving in the UK
• [00:30:17] Finding a Voice Through Art
• [00:35:21] Living a Double Life
• [00:42:16] Fearless Forward
• [00:43:03] Closing Reflections

Resources

• Connect with Liia via LinkedIn
• Connect with Liia via Instagram
• Connect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

True leadership requires the moral courage to act on your principles, even when it costs you everything you've worked for. The fear of making decisions that might harm others is far more significant than any physical danger we might face ourselves.

Oliver Lee is a former Royal Marines officer whose extraordinary career took him from Cambridge to the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan. Decorated three times for his service and the youngest full colonel in the Royal Marines since World War II, Oliver led through some of the most challenging circumstances imaginable.

In 2013, he made the difficult choice to resign on a matter of moral principle, walking away from a glittering military career. Having lost his youngest brother in 2003, Oliver has since become a powerful advocate for mental health and suicide awareness. Now leading organisations through complex change as a CEO and performance consultant, he brings hard-won insights about courage, responsibility, and what it truly means to lead when everything is at stake.

This episode will help you

• Understand how to lead through extreme adversity by reconciling your own mortality and focusing on the wellbeing of those you're responsible for
• Recognise when moral courage demands you stand up against institutional failure, even when it costs you everything you've worked for
• Learn to channel fear as a motivator rather than letting it paralyse you, especially when facing decisions that affect others

Highlights

• [00:09:38] Oliver's biggest fear in command
• [00:12:40] Being prepared to die
• [00:16:25] Telic 1
• [00:20:51] A moment of profound personal loss
• [00:30:31] Challenges off the battlefield
• [00:34:30] Leaving the Royal Marines
• [00:46:58] Oliver's biggest fear right now
• [00:49:25] What Fearless Forward means to Oliver
• [00:51:24] Takeaways from Sally-Anne

Resources

• Connect with Oliver via LinkedIn
• Lunan Performance – Oliver’s coaching practice
• Connect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

We need to share the messy, emotional reality of our own experiences with young people, not just the polished outcomes. When we sanitise our stories and skip over the struggle, uncertainty and fear we felt whilst figuring things out, we leave young people feeling isolated in their own difficulties and rob them of the most valuable lesson: that not having it all worked out is completely normal and part of the process.

Alexis Redding is faculty co-chair of Higher Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she researches, teaches, and advises on student development, mental health, and the transition from college to work.

Before her academic career, she worked as a college counsellor for 10 years, and her research focuses on making the American college experience more supportive for students navigating the challenges of young adulthood.

This episode will help you

• Understand why sharing the messy, emotional parts of your own journey matters more than offering tidy success stories when supporting young people through uncertainty
• Recognise the difference between caring deeply and over-managing, particularly when fear drives you to track, fix, or solve problems that young people need to navigate themselves
• Learn specific ways to ask questions that open possibilities rather than prescribe answers, helping others develop self-authorship instead of seeking external validation

Highlights

• [00:07:04] Resisting the urge to remove all struggle from young people's lives
• [00:10:52] How Alexis manages relationships
• [00:12:40] Self-authorship
• [00:17:06] ?We study what we're trying to make sense of
• [00:23:25] Allowing young people to make their own mistakes
• [00:26:58] Shifting away from majors and singular career paths
• [00:30:07] The development effects of parental tech
• [00:34:45] How parents can manage their fears
• [00:39:47] How Alexis manages her resources
• [00:41:31] Alexis' fears in her work
• [00:42:39] Taking the TEDx stage
• [00:47:33] What Fearless Forward means to Alexis
• [00:48:05] Takeaways from Sally-Anne

Resources

• Connect with Alexis via LinkedIn
• Connect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn
• Why We Keep Telling Young Pdults the Wrong Stories – Alexis’ TEDx talk
• The End of Adolescence, by Alexis Redding and Nancy Hill
• Mental Health in College, by Alexis Redding

Fear doesn't have to be eliminated or conquered. Instead, we can befriend it, stay curious about its messages, and move forward with purpose alongside it, rather than waiting for it to disappear before taking action.

Liz Hall is a journalist, coach, mindfulness teacher, and editor of Coaching at Work magazine for the past 20 years. She is a recognised thought leader in psychological safety, race equity in coaching, and the climate emergency, and has pioneered the integration of mindfulness into coaching practice. She initiated Climate Coaching Action Day in 2020 and established the Round Table for Race Equity and Coaching, bringing together professional bodies to advance equity in the field.

This episode will help you

• Understand how connecting with your deeper purpose can help you move forward alongside fear rather than waiting for it to disappear.
• Discover practical ways to befriend your inner critic and develop self-compassion as a renewable resource rather than a depleting one.
• Learn specific mindfulness practices you can use to stay present and grounded when navigating difficult conversations or systemic change.

Resources

• Connect with Liz via LinkedIn
• Connect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

Highlights

• [00:05:06] Finding purpose
• [00:09:42] The future of coaching
• [00:12:37] Compassion in coaching
• [00:22:59] Leading a conscious life
• [00:28:21] Relational mindfulness
• [00:34:41] Befriending fear
• [00:39:41] What Fearless Forward means to Liz
• [00:40:12] Takeaways from Sally-Anne

Embracing our wholeness – including our fears, grief, and uncertainty – while staying connected to what brings us alive can lead us to unexpected renewal and purpose, even in the darkest moments.

Bruce Cryer is a multifaceted professional with a career spanning creativity, science, leadership, and wellness. He’s the former CEO of HeartMath, a research-based organisation focused on stress management and heart-brain coherence, where he led for 11 years and taught courses on wellbeing and leadership at Stanford University.

Before his work with HeartMath, Bruce trained at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and had a professional performing career in New York. After facing serious health challenges in 2009, he returned to his creative roots in singing, dancing, and photography.

This episode will help you

• Understand how heart coherence – a scientifically validated state of physiological alignment – can reduce stress, improve decision-making, and create more resilient leadership in high-pressure environments
• Learn practical approaches for navigating major life transitions and health crises by staying connected to what truly matters, rather than being paralysed by fear or uncertainty
• Discover how integrating creative expression and emotional authenticity into professional life can unlock new possibilities and prevent burnout, even after decades in demanding roles

Resources

• Connect with Bruce via LinkedIn
• Connect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

Highlights

• [00:10:20] Physiological coherence
• [00:16:45] Bringing data to personal development
• [00:19:06] "Will I ever dance again?"
• [00:29:28] A voice that needs to be heard
• [00:36:16] "Just love the people"
• [00:42:58] A new direction
• [00:46:01] What Fearless Forward means to Bruce
• [00:48:50] Takeaways from Sally-Anne

The behaviours and strategies that bring us success may not be the same ones that lead to fulfilment. Pausing to listen to our fears, rather than constantly outrunning them through action, can reveal what truly matters and guide us towards more meaningful leadership and life choices.

Peter Whealy is a learning and development professional with nearly 30 years of experience working in various learning consultancies. He joined one of the big four consultancies in 2014, where his work took him from London to San Francisco, and finally to Geneva, supporting clients with learning strategy, workforce transformation projects, and leadership development.

He has recently published a book which offers a framework for leaders and organisations to navigate AI adoption while maintaining a people-first approach. His work focuses on ensuring AI is used to amplify human talent rather than simply as an efficiency and cost-cutting tool.

This episode will help you

• Understand how pausing to listen to fear can lead to greater clarity and fulfilment in leadership
• Learn why centring human connection and purpose creates better long-term business outcomes
• Discover a practical framework for evolving your leadership identity from providing answers to asking better questions

Highlights

• [00:07:28] From lying in a hospital bed to running a tiathlon
• [00:10:55] A moment of pause in the mountains
• [00:15:30] "Lead with AI, stay human"
• [00:18:40] Strengthen, Partner, Amplify, Reshape
• [00:23:09] What humans need to create change
• [00:27:39] Navigating difficult choices posed by the emergence of AI
• [00:33:40] The biggest challenges faced by leaders today
• [00:38:24] What Fearless Forward means to Peter
• [00:40:12] Takeaways from Sally-Anne

Resources

• Connect with Peter via LinkedIn
• Lead with AI. Stay Human – Peter’s book
• Connect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

Slowing down and trusting your intuition can help you navigate life's challenges with greater clarity. When we step away from our screens and reconnect with nature, we gain perspective, access our deeper wisdom, and find the courage to pursue meaningful work despite fear.

Jack Hubbard is a creative entrepreneur and co-founder of three successful businesses: PropellerNet, CoverageBook, and Answer the Public. His current focus is Dream Valley House, a community clubhouse in one of the oldest villages in the French Alps, designed as a mountain basecamp for founders, entrepreneurs, and creatives.

After moving to the mountains with his family, Jack experienced what he calls a "midlife retirement" due to Lyme disease, which led him to step back, slow down, and focus on family and health. Now recovered, he's working to create a space where work and life can fuel each other, and where people can gather to think, make, and move in nature.

This episode will help you

• Learn how slowing down and practicing patience can lead to clearer vision and better decision-making in long-term projects
• Discover how nature and mountain environments can foster creativity, meaningful connections, and access to deeper intuition
• Understand how to use technology as a liberating tool rather than allowing it to consume more of your time and energy

Highlights

• [00:06:55] What is Dream Valley?
• [00:13:31] Navigating moments of frustration
• [00:16:28] Taking time and slowing down
• [00:21:38] Jack's medical setback
• [00:27:33] Time to find purpose
• [00:30:24] Jack's vision for Dream Valley
• [00:33:29] Trust in the mountains
• [00:37:08] The human algorithm
• [00:42:13] What Fearless Forward means to Jack
• [00:44:21] Takeaways from Sally-Anne

Resources

• Connect with Jack via LinkedIn
• Connect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn
• Bucketlist Business Planning – Jack’s Summercamp talk

In times of overwhelming challenge and uncertainty, the ability to silence the noise, listen deeply, and connect with something larger than ourselves – whether through faith, values, or inner wisdom – is what carries us through and reveals the path forward, transforming our struggles into purpose and our pain into the power to help others.

Ronel Hentschel’s work has been deeply influenced by her personal experience as the mother of a son diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a toddler. This shaped her career path towards supporting other families facing similar challenges, and led her to found Washing Parent, a digital publishing platform serving families in the Washington DC area with resources for education, support, and activities.

Ronel’s unshakeable faith has guided her through multiple personal challenges, and it creates for her a deep sense of trust that things will be OK, and the storm will settle.

This conversation will help you

• Quieten the noise during crises so you can hear the guidance that's already there
• Transform personal pain into purpose by channelling your hard-won knowledge and experience into meaningful support for others
• Create inner peace during turbulence by stepping back, abiding in what matters most to you, and trusting that clarity will emerge when you stop forcing solutions

Highlights

• [00:08:52] Silence the storm
• [00:12:32] The healing power of helping
• [00:17:40] Living a faith-based life
• [00:20:16] The conspiracy of improbabilities
• [00:22:16] How Ronnel sees God
• [00:29:36] When doors close, there is a reason
• [00:32:25] What it takes to trust unconditionally
• [00:38:07] Do you choose to be a victim or a warrior?
• [00:41:03] Forgiveness
• [00:45:48] What Fearless Forward means for Ronel

Resources

• Connect with Ronel via LinkedIn
• Connect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn
• The Seven Spiritual Laws Of Success, by Deepak Chopra