Mindful Poetic Stories Podcast

Reflections; on a Self Love Journey

The Power of the Pause on A Year of Self-Welcoming, Self-Love & Inner Wisdom

Episode 52 marks one full year of podcasting, and instead of rushing ahead, this episode was crafted from a mindful pause. A reflection on fear, self-sabotage, emotional intelligence, neuroscience, self-love, and the inner Sage that guides us home to ourselves.

This episode weaves poetry, personal storytelling, philosophy, neuroscience, coaching insights, and poetic reflection to explore how our inner voices shape our lives, and how learning self-compassion, emotional regulation, and mindful self-care builds the strongest foundation of all: self-preservation through self-love.

This is not a journey of “self-help,” but a self-welcoming journey, toward peace, resilience, meaning, and living in alignment with who you truly are.

Quotes from the Episode

Key Themes Explored

Key Takeaways

Your time to Reflect & Journal

Final Note

This episode is a celebration, of consistency, courage, healing, and a year of showing up. A huge thank you to everyone who has been involved, for their support and encouaragement, and a huge thank you to you my listeners for tuning in and turning up for you.

With a reminder that you matter, that your inner wisdom is real, and that choosing self-love is a revolutionary act in a fear-driven world.

If you’d like to explore positive intelligence coaching and mental fitness, you’re invited to reach out to me via email

As always, take care of you.

You matter. Today, tomorrow, and every day.

Email me [email protected] to find out more about positive intelligence coaching, mental fitness and the journey of self love, and to book a free no obligation discovery call

Your Home Song; Coming home to the unshakeable foundation of self-love

This episode is about you.

Your journey of coming home to yourself.

At the very heart of this podcast is the invitation to build a solid, unshakeable foundation of self-love, from the core of who you are.

Your Sage self. Your authentic essence.

In this deeply personal and reflective episode, Patricia shares her own journey from feeling unlovable, not good enough, and disconnected from herself to discovering the power of self-care, self-welcoming, and unconditional self-love. Through stories from childhood, school, comparison, shame, and healing, she explores how our private logic, early experiences, and internal saboteurs shape the way we see ourselves, and how we can rewrite those stories and heal.

This is an episode about mental fitness, emotional intelligence, Positive Intelligence coaching, and learning how to live from a place of inner peace, authenticity, and self-trust.

Because when we come home to ourselves, we can stop merely surviving, and start living, thriving, and shining.

Quotes from this Episode;

“The journey home to yourself with unconditional self-love is the strongest, most stable foundation you can live and grow from.”

“Comparison is the thief of contentment, and for years, I didn’t know what was stealing mine.”

“When I didn’t love myself, I was miserable. When I found self-love, I found the home within me, and I feel alive.”

“Our true responsibility in this life is to be true to ourselves and love the miracle that we are.”

“The distress is not the event, it’s what happens inside us as a result of the event. And that is always personal.”

“True lovability begins when you choose to welcome yourself home.”

Key Concepts Explained

Private Logic (Alfred Adler)

Our private logic is the unconscious belief system we form most of the time in childhood based on our experiences, environment, perceptions and interpretations. It shapes how we see ourselves, others, and the world, and can either empower us or limit us.

Saboteur vs Sage (Positive Intelligence)

Mental fitness work helps weaken saboteurs and strengthen the Sage, creating emotional resilience and wellbeing.

References Mentioned

Poetic Inspiration

Henry Van Dyke – A Home Song

“Every house where love abides,

And friendship is a guest,

Is surely home, and home-sweet-home:

For there the heart can rest.”

Re-imagined for this episode:

The world needs your unique authentic light.

From the beautiful home within you.

Find it, claim it, and let it shine.

Key Takeaways

Recommendations

Final Reflection

Home is not just a place.

Home is not something we earn.

Home is where the heart rests, and the soul is at peace.

And your truest home lives within you.

Come home to the one of a kind beautiful creation that is you.

Emails [email protected]

Website www.pacoaching.co.uk

Building Habits, Building You

In this episode, Patricia dives into the powerful connection between self-care, identity, and habit formation. You’ll learn why habits, not resolutions, shape your future, how to become the “anthropologist” of your own life, and how tiny, consistent actions create long-term transformation. With insights from coaching, behavioural science, and personal stories, this episode guides you toward building habits that support a more intentional, compassionate, and fulfilling life.

Key Takeaways

Quote;

“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits — and their habits decide their futures.” — F.M. Alexander

Referenced Research

Habit Formation Research

Tiny Habits / Behaviour Design

Identity-Based Habits

Coaching Foundations

Final Message

This year, choose habits that honour who you are becoming. Start small, stay curious, celebrate every win, and build a foundation of self-love that can support meaningful, lasting change.

You matter, today, this year, next year and every year.

Email me at [email protected]

Website www.pacoaching.co.uk

Reclaiming Your Power: Mental Fitness, Self-Love & the Sage Within

Episode Release: Christmas Eve Special

Episode Summary

In this heartfelt Christmas Eve episode, Patricia is closing out the year by revisiting the core themes that have shaped our journey together: emotional resilience, self-love, and the transformative power of mental fitness. You’ll hear why many of us stay stuck in self-sabotage, how our “Saboteur” autopilot loops keep us in survival mode, and, most importantly, how reconnecting with your inner Sage is the key to lasting positive change.

This episode also includes an exciting announcement: one listener will win a Positive Intelligence Coaching Programme with me in the New Year!

If you’ve been feeling disconnected, battling self-doubt, or longing to lead a more intentional, empowered life… this is the episode that ties it all together.

Key Takeaways

Drawing on the insights of Tina Lifford and Abiola Abrams, we explore why knowing and accepting yourself is the foundation of emotional resilience, empowerment, and genuine transformation.

Mental fitness helps you shift from the self-neglect of Saboteur mode to the self-care and clarity of Sage mode. It allows you to recognise your internal programs, outdated beliefs, and survival-driven thought loops that hold you back.

Many attempts at positive change fail because we live on autopilot, constantly pulled back by ingrained habits, limiting assumptions, and emotional survival patterns formed long ago.

Based on Timothy Gallwey’s pioneering coaching work, we examine how your internal “interference patterns” drain your potential, and how Positive Intelligence coaching helps you dismantle them.

Your intuitive wisdom, the Sage, is quiet but powerful. Strengthening it requires daily mental fitness practice, awareness, and the ability to pause, choose, and respond intentionally.

Survival mode keeps you anxious, dysregulated, and limited. Sage mode opens the door to creativity, wellbeing, deeper relationships, and real happiness.

Positive psychology confirms that cultivating happiness first boosts motivation, resilience, productivity, and life satisfaction.

Inspired by Daniel Goleman’s groundbreaking work, we discuss why emotional intelligence, not cognitive intelligence, matters more and is what truly shapes our success, fulfilment, happiness and meaningful relationships.

To step into the future you desire, you must:

These are the foundations of personal power and mental fitness.

Episode Recommendations

As Viktor Frankl said: “Between stimulus and response, there is a space.”

Use this space to reconnect with your Sage, regulate your emotions, and choose consciously instead of reacting from fear.

Small, consistent exercises that engage your Sage build new neural pathways and strengthen your emotional resilience. Engage your senses regularly and you will start to reconnect with your Sage.

Pay attention to your inner voices. Are they driven by fear, doubt, or outdated survival patterns, or by intuition, wisdom, and compassion?

Shift from autopilot to awareness. Choose habits that support your future self, not your old protective patterns.

Let go of self-doubt and reclaim your inner authority. Your personal power lies not in perfection, but in self-acceptance and alignment.

Listener Giveaway (Christmas Eve Special!)

To celebrate the year and this journey of emotional growth, I’m gifting one listener a Positive Intelligence Coaching Programme in the New Year.

Listen to the episode for details on how to enter!

Final Words

Your inner Sage is never lost, it’s waiting to be heard. When you reconnect with it, you reclaim your worth, your voice, and your power. You become the author of your life.

Know yourself. Accept yourself. Love yourself.

Because when you do, you become invincible.

Email me at [email protected]

website www.pacoaching.co.uk

The Christmas Gift of Presence: Digital Detox, Family Connection & The Power of Gratitude

Episode Summary

In this heartfelt Christmas episode, Patricia shares two powerful personal stories from last year’s holiday season, one planned, one unplanned, that enhance her wellbeing over the festive holidays. From an intuitive two-week digital detox with her mum, to a family “Gratitude Attitude Jar,” she explores how unplugging, reconnecting, and receiving gratitude can profoundly impact mental health, emotional resilience, and joy.

Listeners will hear practical guidance for digital fasting, family connection, emotional awareness, and creative ways to build meaningful traditions that nurture peace, presence, and genuine human connection.

Key Takeaways

Memorable Quotes

“Sometimes the gift of switching off comes without being planned.”

“Is a problem a problem if you don’t think it’s a problem?”

“My mum won’t be here forever. I won’t be here forever. Deadlines can wait, making memories cannot.”

“The digital world promised connection, but we are becoming more disconnected in real life.”

“Start small. Half an hour. One hour. Build up. Reclaim your attention.”

“Gratitude isn’t only about giving thanks, its potent power is in receiving it.”

“The genuine exchange of gratitude costs nothing, but gives everything.”

“Presence is the best Christmas gift any family can share.”

Episode Highlights

Tips & Recommendations Mentioned

Digital Detox Ideas

Gratitude Practices

o Morning: “10 things I’m grateful for”

o Evening: “3 people who made my day happier”

o Bedtime: “The best part of my day was…”

Research & Resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVjfFN89qvQ

Message to Listeners

A gentle reminder to choose presence over pressure. Your wellbeing matters 365 days a year, and the greatest gifts of the season are compassion, togetherness, love, and real-life connection.

To find out more about mental fitness or book a discovery call email [email protected]

Rethinking Christmas; Stress, Mindset & Meaning

A reflective, poetic look at the emotional weight of Christmas, and practical ways to bring calm, creativity, and connection back into the holidays.

In this heartfelt Christmas-themed episode, Patricia shares the story that inspired a powerful reframing of the season: a 2021 conversation with someone who “hated Christmas”, perhaps not so much for its meaning, but for its pressure.

That conversation sparked a deeper exploration into stress, expectation, emotional reactivity, and how mental fitness can transform the holiday experience.

You’ll hear personal stories of family, loss, boundaries, overwhelm, creative traditions, and ultimately, how mindset shifts lead to a more peaceful, intentional holiday.

Key Takeaways:

Consumerism, pressure, overspending, overconsumption, and emotional reactivity create anxiety that becomes normalised.

Building inner calm allows you to experience peace even during chaos, instead of running from stress.

Letting go of the “perfect Christmas” allows joy to emerge naturally.

Thoughts, beliefs, actions, they all expand where attention goes. Pause to ask:

“Is this feeding what I want more of… or less of?”

Regular, mindful check-ins help you shift from reactivity to intentional response.

Healthy limits protect wellbeing, energy, and connection, especially during emotionally charged seasons.

Games, question boxes, writing challenges, outdoor adventures, and family “spotlight days” build meaningful memories without spending money.

Community events, volunteering, support lines, or simple rituals can create connection.

Practical Recommendations:

Holiday Mental Fitness Practices

Creative, Connection-Building Traditions

For anyone spending Christmas alone

Memorable Quotes from the Episode

Book a discover call with Patricia by emailing [email protected]

Introduction

In this heartfelt December episode, Patricia shares stories of Christmases past, present, and future, and how the festive season, while full of joy, can also bring exhaustion, overwhelm, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and emotional strain.

Patricia shares a poetic reflection on her former “autopilot Christmases,” the impact of mental fitness on transforming the holiday experience, and practical tools to help you reclaim peace, presence, and personal power this festive season. How you can not only survive Christmas but thrive through it.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or any other big holiday, this episode offers guidance to help you thrive, not merely survive.

Key Takeaways

Notable Quotes

Practical Recommendations

Reflect on:

Turn your reflections into a short, positive, written daily reminder such as:

“This Christmas, I choose………… calm, connection, and presence.”

Use mindful pauses to:

Prioritise kindness over being right; release tension for the greater good.

Embrace imperfection. Chaos often becomes the story everyone laughs about years later.

Choose your “yes” and “no” consciously. Set boundaries. Ask for help. Delegate.

Connection.

Joy.

Presence.

Compassion.

Shared moments—not perfect gifts or flawless planning.

Food you can buy more of! Gifts you can buy more of!

But time is something you can’t buy!

contact me via my website www.pacoaching.co.uk

or email me [email protected]

In this episode, Patricia explores the surprising science, psychology, and emotional wisdom behind tears. Why we cry and why it matters. From childhood beliefs about “crying alone,” to the therapeutic power of being seen, to the extraordinary microscopic landscapes of Rose-Lynn Fisher’s Topography of Tears, this conversation reveals why tears are far more than a sign of sadness, they’re a biological release, an emotional reset, and a universal human connector.

Introduction

We often rush to stop our own tears, and the tears of others. Yet emotional tears are uniquely human and play a crucial role in healing, connection, and self-understanding. Today’s episode explores the biology of crying, why we’re uncomfortable with emotions, how coaching spaces can invite healthy release, and the unexpected beauty contained within a single tear drop.

Key Takeaways

Notable Quotes

Recommended Books

A stunning visual exploration of human emotion through microscopic tear photography.

A poetic, literary, and deeply moving examination of why humans cry.

A scientific look at crying, catharsis, and emotional expression.

In Praise of Therapeutic Crying – Jeffrey Von Glahn (article)

A compassionate exploration of crying as a healing tool

Contact me via my website www.pacoaching.co.uk

or email [email protected]

Listening

The Art of Listening, Where Love Begins

Episode Summary

In this reflective and heartfelt episode, Patricia explores the profound power of listening to others, to life, and most importantly, to ourselves. Drawing from personal stories, coaching experiences, and emotional lessons learned, this episode invites you to slow down, embrace silence, and reconnect with your inner Sage wisdom. You’ll learn why listening is one of the most transformational acts of love, how active listening nurtures deeper relationships, and how mental can help us cultivate self-listening and help us build emotional resilience, and meaningful human connection.

Key Takeaways

To feel listened to is to feel seen, valued, and loved. Listening builds trust, belonging, and emotional safety, things every human deeply needs.

Silence helps nourish wisdom, create space for deeper reflection, and reveal truths often missed in noise and distraction.

Listening without interruption, judgment, fixing, or assuming allows others to process their own thoughts and uncover their own answers; “the brain that contains the problem also contains the solution.”

Your mind, body, intuition, and emotions are constantly communicating with you. When disconnected or distracted, you lose access to your inner wisdom.

Overconsumption and constant distraction make it easy to lose touch with our inner voice—and with each other.

Well-intentioned advice can interrupt someone’s thought process. Curious questions create space for clarity and empowerment.

By diminishing self-neglect and the self sabotaging Saboteur voice, you create space for intuitive, compassionate, aligned decision-making.

Partners, children, and friends thrive when we give them the gift of undivided attention, especially during emotional moments.

You cannot offer presence, compassion, or understanding if you don’t practice them with yourself first.

A five-minute conversation where someone feels truly listened to is more nourishing than hours of distracted half-presence.

Notable Quotes

Your Call to Action This Week

Offer someone you love the gift of your full, uninterrupted presence.

No fixing. No advising. Just listening.

Ask yourself with compassion:

What do I think? What do I feel? What do I believe right now?

Let silence nourish your inner wisdom.

Final Reflection

Listening heals. Listening connects. Listening helps us belong.

And when we learn to listen deeply to others and to ourselves, we awaken our inner Sage and live with greater clarity, purpose, and compassion.

Thank you for listening with an open heart, open mind, and open ears.

Connect through my website www.pacoaching.co.uk

or email at [email protected]

Mindful Poetic Stories Shownotes

Episode Title: Consumerism Part 2

- From Self-Neglect to Self-Care: Breaking Free from Overconsumption and Finding Conscious Freedom

Episode Introduction

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Patricia explores how modern consumerism, manipulation in marketing, and emotional conditioning keep us trapped in a cycle of problem–reaction–solution. Sharing her personal awakening to the hidden toxicity and waste surrounding daily life, she invites listeners to reflect on how our buying habits impact both our mental health and the planet.

Through storytelling, cultural insights, and thought-provoking documentary recommendations including; The Story of Stuff, Ethos: A Time for Change, and Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy, Patricia invites us to slow down, buy mindfully, and reconnect with our values. This episode is a heartfelt call to move from self-neglect to self-care, from unconscious consumption to conscious living.

Key Takeaways

Featured Topics

Notable Quotes

“We don’t buy products, we buy what a product promises us.”

“Awareness is the first step to move from unconscious living to mindful action.”

“Our body is our ultimate home. When we love and care for it, we naturally care for our planet.”

“Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If in our heart we still cling to anything be it anger, anxiety or possessions we cannot be free”. Thich Nhat Hanh

Recommended

Call to Action

If this episode inspired you, share it with friends, family, or your community. Start conversations about consumption, sustainability, and self-awareness.

Remember — small consistent steps create lasting change.

www.pacoaching.co.uk

email at [email protected]