Today we’re exploring the thought patterns that keep us stuck in cycles of overwhelm, guilt, and inaction, and that block change, prevent peace and clarity, and deny us the spaciousness we desperately need in our lives. 

But these thoughts aren’t yours — they are influenced by broader societal stories and cultural conditioning and we’re going upstream to catch them in the act. So to speak. 

This episode is a follow-up to What Happens When the Space We Need for Our Mental Wellbeing Is Being Sold off to the Highest Bidder? If you haven’t listened to that one yet, I highly recommend it for added context.

Join me to explore:

• The three persistent thoughts blocking space for peace and clarity in your life
• How these thoughts are shaped by invisible societal stories about worth, scarcity, value, and the role of the individual
• How and why rest, clarity, and spaciousness feel like indulgences 
• Why “I’ll have space when…” is a lie (that we always tell ourselves, including me)
• The arrival fallacy and its roots in extractive systems
• What Nature has to say about all this 

Mentioned in this episode:

The F word, at least a couple of times, but it’s essential. Kind of. You'll see

Nature is a fan of Queens of the Stone Age - cool

Other work talking about the transmission of thoughts and stories —how our individual thoughts and experiences and inner narratives are influenced by larger ideologies and societal values is here, here, here and here

Recent episodes connecting our self worth to productivity and busyness: are Is It in Our Nature To Be Restless, Unsettled and Anxious? and Why You Never, Ever Feel Good Enough (Even Though You Are Somewhat Amazing)

To comment, share a story, idea, thought or grumble for the next part of this conversation on Space, email me (let me know if you don’t want your name included anywhere)

If you want, pop yourself on to my Friends List for updates and invitations.

I write on Substack now — come interact there if you like.

Everything I do is by donation or gift. You can donate to support my work here if you want (thank you, amazing person).

Thank you so much for being with me today. You are so fly 🪰

This episode is a re-release from season one that traces a familiar experience: feeling anxious and restless even when there’s ‘nothing to worry about’. Like when one is hiking in the beautiful mountains with a month off work (me).

Originally aired when the podcast was called Inner Peace and Other Cool Shit, this episode is an important reminder of the upstream influences on our feelings and experiences. 

I’m exploring responses to this in upcoming episodes, so this is for the benefit of new listeners (hi, friends) and anyone else needing a refresher. 

If you've heard it already and you totally know where that anxious, restless, unsettled feeling comes from — you are free to go! Go outside. Watch a bird wash themselves in a puddle. It's the best. 

Original show notes for this ep. are below.

Mentioned in this one: 

A belated move to Substack; join me here. 

I mention a piece I am working on about rarely experiencing anxiety and restlessness anymore, and how that’s changed. If you want that when it’s finished get your sweet butt on my Friends’ List here. 
Please note it is NOT a pollyanna how-to for getting rid of anxiety. It's gritty. 

Questions, comments, or ideas, feel free to get in touch with me here

Original show notes:

It's the first episode back after the summer break and I can't wait to talk about horrid feelings with you. 

Join me for an exploration on the birth and evolution of anxious, restless, unsettled feelings, and how understanding this helps ease their ickiness so we can return to peace.
 

This episode will  meander through: 

• A long intro vividly describing my anxious thought storm while on holiday 
• A reminder of the relationship between thoughts and feelings and the outside world
• When it's relevant to look at the content of thought itself, and how understanding this transforms our relationship to it
• An expedition back through history to the origin of our horrid thoughts 
• This will include mentions of anxiety, productivity, overwhelm, being busy, hustle culture, rest and more
• How understanding the creation and evolution of thoughts helps us see them as less personal, giving us more opportunity for freedom and ease 
• Metaphors and comparisons include the climate and soil, soup and croutons and a couple of bad jokes 
• Anxious Alice asks how this historical and evolutionary exploration of thought content reconciles with the orthodox orientation of 'looking upstream to the source of thought'.  Isn't she a wise little squirrel?

We’re poking our sticky fingers into the feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy that so many of us carry. Why do we think we’re not enough? Where do these thoughts come from? Why are they so persistent and stick around, no matter how 'good' we get? And, why did I write I was a worthless piece of sh!t in my journal for many a year?!

Join me as we examine the tangled web of personal thought, cultural narratives, and societal systems that feed these feelings of utter worthlessness–

–and let’s see what it takes to recognise our intrinsic worth and imperfect awesomeness as beings on this astonishing planet (while there's still a few puffs of breathable oxygen available, at least) 

Mentioned

• A lovely metaphor about The Book Of Worthlessness
• The commodification of our humanity and it’s connection with our mental health here
• Poop, a lot, for good reason
• Nature likes Pearl Jam - cool.
• The post about reciprocity in nature, which began life with ‘dick’ in the title
• The Banana taped to a wall 
• Contact me by email here or join my Friends List here for monthly-ish updates and invitations
• Everything I do is by donation or gift. You can donate to support my work here if you can and want to (thank you, amazing person).

 Thanks for being with me today. You rock 🌏

If you feel like your mind, car, house, desk, local supermarket and —everywhere, actually, come to think of it— is chaotic, cluttered, full and busy… 

…you aren’t imagining it. 

This one’s for you. 

Today we’re talking about the crucial need for space in our lives —both internally and externally — and how this is rapidly being sold off, occupied and taken over. 

Join me as we explore:

• How the erasure of space—mentally, physically, and environmentally— makes us feel like crap
• What the psycho-spiritual guidance to connect with ‘inner space’ might be missing in the context of today’s world
• The parallels between natural ecosystems and human wellbeing and why space is vital for both....yes, vital, and not a 'nice to have' when the kids leave home
• Why the fetish for productivity in our society makes you feel anxious and worthless ...and means finding true space nearly impossible
• How structural forces obstruct our ability to connect with the space within and find peace (aka: it's not your fault, friend)
• An invitation to contribute to part two of this conversation — how might we realistically and practically reclaim and honour space in our lives and communities? 

Mentioned

• Last episode here 
• Birds, bees, flies, a cow's head
• The F word, once
• Episodes about productivity here, here, here and here.
•  To comment, share a story, idea, thought or grumble for the second part of this conversation on Space, email me (let me know if you don’t want your name included in the episode)
• The Playshop on this topic has a couple of spaces, but will be expanded if needed. Email me if you’re interested. 
• Everything I do is by donation or gift. You can donate to support my work here if you want (thank you, amazing person).

Thanks for being with me today. You rock 🌏

You know how we humans can fall apart or lose our sh*t when under too much pressure, stress, or neglect? 

Ever noticed that that’s what’s happening to our planet, too? 

The effects of biodiversity loss and climate breakdown are being felt in many places and we humans are breaking down, collapsing, and having meltdowns too. Coincidence? Of course not.

Today we’re looking at the striking parallels between our personal mental health and the planet’s wellbeing. 

Join me to explore: 

• The natural connections that bind us to our world …
• …and why it matters that we wake up to our intimate connection to the planet 
• How the Earth’s limits, boundaries and responses can be seen in our own mental and emotional behaviours and tipping points
• The forces that undermine both planetary and mental flourishing
• How we might even BEGIN to start to turn toward a world where life and health are prioritised over profit, power, accumulation and greed
• What does Nature have to say about all this and what melancholy song will she pick?

Mentioned: 

Be my friend and get updates from me

Question, comment, complaint, idea? You can contact me here. 

Thanks for being with me today. You rock. 

Ok, you want to know what your radically powerful (but highly misunderstood) gift that can transform your experience of a world in chaos is without listening to the whole epiosde? It's GRATITUDE. 

...And if that feels like a disappointing, damp, dribbly answer....then this episode is especially for you. 

Today we’re revealing gratitude as the profound, fierce, and life-affirming force that connects us to the world around us and NOT the superficial, commodified version many of us in the West grew up with.

True gratitude is an enlivening power that counters the emotional fallout of these bewildering times of environmental, mental and social degradation. 

We’ll cover: 

• How true gratitude has been stripped of its deeper meaning in consumerist culture and sold back to us as a shallow practice 
• The implications of this watered-down version of gratitude—how it became just another performative task, often leaving us feeling more inadequate and sh*t 
• How the pressure to be grateful for the trappings of modern life has masked the deeper sources of life and well-being ...leaving us more disconnected from nature and each other 
• How practicing gratitude is an act of resistance in a world that pushes us toward disconnection, apathy, and scarcity
• How real gratitude connects us to each other and the larger web of life...and why this matters especially now
• Paradigm-changing people who help us see the power of true gratitude such as Robin Wall Kimmerer and  Joanna Macy's Work That Reconnects  
• The role of gratitude in mental health and our experiences with anxiety 

Mentioned: 

Joanna Macy and the Work That Reconnects 

Robin Wall Kimmerer and her book, Braiding Sweetgrass 

Be my friend and get updates from me

Question, comment, complaint, idea? You can contact me here. 

Thanks for being with me today. You rock. 

Today we are poking at the slimy, damaging myth of Homo Economicus—the cold, self-interested, rational creature that modern economics says we all are. 

This story has shaped our minds, relationships, structures, behaviours and planets (well, at least one so far: Earth, the best one) and has led to utter catastrophe, inside and out.

If: 

1. you’re tired of being told that selfishness is ’just human nature’ and
2. you suspect it’s not your fault that you feel anxious, worthless, sh*tty and tired, and
3. (crucially) you enjoy your podcast episodes with a faint backdrop of Aotearoa/ New Zealand bird song 

….then this episode is for you.

🦜🦅🐦‍⬛🐦

Join me to explore: 

• Quick recap of last episode and how it connects to this one
• The damaging myth of Homo Economicus -  how, when and why it started (and who it serves)
• How this fictional story ended up shaping……um…everything, including you.
• Why do stories matter anyway?
• If we humans aren’t self-interested, calculating, rational, logical beings...well, what are we like?
• How this story specifically affects our mental and planetary health today
• What does Nature have to say about all this, and what 90's song reminds her of Homo Economicus?

Question, comment, complaint, idea? You can contact me here. 

Thanks for being with me today. You rock. 

This episode discusses lying in the foetal position in a dark room and the desire to drink gin during the day while hiding under a duvet. Can you relate? 

‘Normal’ life has become rather peculiar, what with all of the ecosystem-destroying and mental-health-shredding shenanigans that seem to prop up the economy. 

Join me as we explore:

• The stark contrast between "normal" and "natural"
• The many ways modern life has veered away from natural rhythms and balance
• The implications of our unnatural norms and how they shape our mental health and the planet
• What happens when we are out of sync with our inherent nature
• The role of the individual (that’s you) and the role of everyone else when it comes to our disconnection and dissatisfaction

Mentioned:

We’ve Made up What Mental Illness Is (And Who Decides What’s Normal Anyway?)

"All Of This" (gestures around wildly) "Is Not in Our Nature"

Feedback, questions, comments are welcome via email

Get news, updates and nice things once a month or so, by joining my Friends List
 
Thanks for being with me. 

Looking for fascinating insights into the intersection of human behaviour and our planetary predicament? Curious about the connection between our stories and our systems? This one’s for you.

My guest is Sarah Patterson: President of Common Earth, delightful human, and a catalyst for my own ecological awakening.

Join us as we talk about:

- The dual power of our incredible human gift of imagination—its ability to create and innovate, but also its potential to trap us in false or harmful narratives.

- The importance of systems thinking in understanding, well… everything.

- How our personal and collective stories shape our inner and outer worlds.

- What this all has to do with our climate challenges and our own experiences of being human at this time.

- How meaningful change really happens, no, really

This episode invites you to rethink your relationship with the world and your relationship with your own thinking. That sounds hard, but they go together beautifully.

About Common Earth:  

Common Earth offers education to help build a holistic understanding of the various forces involved in our current climate challenges. They have a series of unique and comprehensive learning programmes coming up, designed to deepen understanding of climate and socio-economic issues from a broad perspective. These courses are funded by Common Earth.  

Next intake is early September, so check them out soon if you are interested:  https://commonearth.com/courses/

Question, comment, idea for the show? Email [email protected].

Thanks for joining us today you wonderful little bean.

Welcome to the first episode of In Our Nature, where we explore the invisible forces, currents and stories shaping our inner and outer worlds.

In the episode today: 
- An intro to the pod, the questions we will ask and how it (and me) wants to serve you
- Reflection on the shift from the Inner Peace & Other Cool Shit podcast and the natural evolution of the podcast’s themes.
- Asking why are we so busy, anxious, and overwhelmed in a world full of time-saving technology?
- The importance of context in shaping our experiences and understanding the world. How context influences our thoughts, beliefs, and the questions we ask.
- Preview of upcoming themes: the role of thought in shaping our world, the invisible currents at play, and how to reconnect with what is truly in our nature.
- Introducing the idea of the cosmological context pie 
- ....and I am joined by a very special guest who has some constructive feedback. 

If you would like to see yourself and the world a little more clearly, please join me for this new season. 

Feedback, questions, comments are welcome via [email protected]. 

Get news, updates and nice things by joining my Friends List: Siobhanfriel.com/subscribe. 

Thanks for being with me.