Potential Psychology

"Job crafting is something we should be teaching to school students. How do I craft my job in the smallest way to maximise my purpose in life?" 

Do you worry about your children's ability to thrive in the future workplace?

In the survey that my co-host for this podcast series Dr. Joe Sweeney ran to give us some juicy data for our conversations, an overwhelming 79% of parents answered 'YES' to that very question. Understandably, a key concern that came up was about job security for our future workforce. Parents are asking:

• Will my kids have the same secure work experience that I had or will their life be constantly adapting, changing jobs, scrambling to find employment?

To answer this question, Joe and I embarked on a conversation about "the dynamic nature of the future of work" and the skills that kids (and all of us) will need as the nature of work changes into the future.

And because the joy of podcast conversations is that they are rarely linear, we also explore:

• The purpose of purpose at work and the role that employers can play in helping us to thrive at work through social contribution


• Why it's important that we get involved in policy making to make the future what we want it to be


• Motivation and the mechanisms that drive it


• The top, timeless skillsets we need to cultivate in our children for them to thrive in the future including communicating effectively, empathy, stress management, complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and self-regulation.


• Neurodiversity, where it works well at work and while we're all neurodiverse in some ways.


• The importance of understanding yourself and others for thriving at work


• Tips on the activities parents can engage in with their kids in to enhance the necessary skillsets. There's an infographic sheet that comes with each episode as a bit of advanced reading/homework for parents. Don't forget to download a copy!

Don't forget that you can join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature! And you can become a special VIP Member of the Potential Psychology Podcast by subscribing here - https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe

This week's Homework for Parents:

How do we give our kids an edge in the future workplace?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Do Good At Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing by Bea Boccalandro

Job Crafting and Creating More Meaning in Work with Cass Dunn

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant

PO: Beyond Yes and No by Edward de Bono

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

"Hope, in the psychological sense, is a combination of pathways and agency. What we're doing is creating HOPE. "

Welcome to our new podcast series: "The Future of Work", with guest expert Dr. Joe Sweeney.

I'm really excited about this series as not only do I get to talk to a great friend of the show, but he and his team have done some very cool research with parents to explore their hopes and worries when it comes to future employment for our kids. The extensive survey work that Joe has done informs our discussion. It's research in action and makes for a great conversation.

A bit about Doc Joe.

Joe is first and foremost an educator, but he is also a technologist, advisor, writer, game designer, and an expert in workforce transformation. His particular area of interest is around pathways to employment, which makes him the perfect co-host for this podcast series exploring the future of work. He's been on the Potential Psychology Podcast twice before, once in episode 17 in which we talk about "Kids, Education and The Future of Work" and in episode 79 where we talk about "The Perks and Pitfalls of Working From Home." You can learn more about Joe here.

In this very meaty first episode of our podcast series, Joe and I answer the following questions:

• What did we ask parents for our study - and what did they tell us?


• What worries parents about the future of work for kids?11


• The importance of hope for dealing with an unknown and rapidly changing world - and what does 'hope' really mean?


• Why, and how, parents should be involved in the education of their children, and


• How can we create real opportunities for our kids to thrive despite upcoming challenges?

We also share tips on the best things you can do to help your children be interested in education and learning (pro tip: read to them!).

There's a great infographic that comes with each episode in this series as a helpful guide with tips for parents. Don't forget to download a copy!

You can also join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature!

This week's Question for Parents:

What skills can help prepare our children for jobs in an uncertain, highly disruptive future?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Kids, Education and The Future of Work with Dr. Joseph Sweeney

The Perks and Pitfalls of Working From Home with Dr. Joe Sweeney

APAC Zoom Education Summit : Transforming the Education Experience

The will and the ways: development and validation of an individual-differences measure of hope

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

"A good night's sleep starts the moment we wake up."

We're almost at the end of Season 11 with 2 more episodes left. Today, we're back with our second to the last episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. We're exploring the last beam of the BEACON model; a model of thriving that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.

In this episode, we talk about Nurture - the one and only beam of the BEACON model that is about our physical health and how it interplays with our mental health. Nurture focuses on four aspects: eating, moving, sleeping, and being mindful. All of which revolve around, energy.

Marie and I talk about:

• Why maintaining energy is important in helping people thrive


• A handy acronym to help us remember how to keep our energy levels sustained


• Why do we need sleep


• How important is sleep for productivity, performance, and mental health


• How sleep deprivation impacts cognitive abilities and emotional regulation


• What is sleep hygiene and why we need to think about it


• Factors that affect our sleep and some practical tips to improve our sleep quality

Your quest for the week: Nurture yourself by making improvements to your sleep quality. You can check out the cheat sheet to "Seven Steps to Splendid Sleep" in Marie's website or any of the resources listed above for tips on how to improve your sleep hygiene.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Dr. Matthew Walker

Fast Asleep by Dr Michael Mosley

Headspace

Don't Blame The Reptilian Brain with Dr. Sarah McKay

Indulge Your Neurobiology TedTalk by Dr. Sarah McKay

Sleeping Well with Dr Kate Sprecher

The National Sleep Foundation

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email [email protected]

Want to hear more? It's all at

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit potentialpsychology.substack.com

We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month. This series first went to air in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

"When we feel a moment of hope, pride, love, serenity, gratitude, inspiration... we actually open up and quite literally. We broaden our peripheral vision and expand our brain."

In the 6th episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive," co-hosts Marie and Ellen explore the fifth "beam" of the BEACON model: Optimism.

To recap, the first four beams are: Belonging, Engagement, Accountability, and Compassion. They are discussed in detail in the past 4 episodes of season 11. In each episode, Marie and Ellen talk about the science behind each beam and key you in on how each of these can help you thrive as they share practical applications and real-life experiences.

In this exquisitely optimistic episode, Ellen and Marie talk about:

• How emotions impact our brain and therefore our behaviour


• Are some people more wired towards optimism than others?


• How we can rewire our brains for a more positive disposition


• How our brain is hardwired to broaden, build, and perform better with positive emotions


• The neurological benefits of optimism and why is it important to notice the moments that give us a jolt of joy


• Practical tips to increase your positive vs negative emotions ratio

Your quest for this week: Create a "joy jar" by putting in a list of things that can help uplift your mood. You can enlist the help of your family, friends, or co-workers in this quest. The more ideas there are, the more opportunities there are to experience and share positive moments.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Charles Richard Snyder's Hope Theory

Dr. Barbara Fredrickson's Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions

Seligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychology

Jimmy Rees' Meanwhile in Australia

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email [email protected]

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month. This series first went to air in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

"If only each of us realized the full extent to which all our problems, fears, and desires are shared by the rest of humanity, we'd all be so much more connected, self-forgiving, vulnerable, open, and free." 

In this, the 5th episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive" Marie and Ellen explore the fourth "beam" of the BEACON model: Compassion. 

It's relatively easy to feel compassion for others but practicing self-compassion is more challenging. Why, when we would give a friend facing struggle words of encouragement, do we beat ourselves up for not reaching expectations? 

And how is self compassion a super power? 

We discuss the answers and more in this episode.

Listen in to hear Marie and I ask:

• What is compassion? 


• How does it differ from kindness and empathy? 


• Why is balance is important and how do we avoid 'empathy fatigue'? 


• Why is it important to pay attention to our self-talk? 


• What are the most common stumbling blocks on the road to self-compassion? And what are the tips for overcoming them? 


• What are the three steps to self-compassion? 

Your quest for this week: Recall a time when you're were not proud of the way you showed up. How did you take the more self-compassionate route? Did you follow the three steps to self-compassion? (notice the moment, know that we are perfectly imperfect, and bring the intent to soothe ourselves rather than beat ourselves up) 

Tell us about it, we'd love to hear from you! 

Resources mentioned in this episode: Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here. 

The Compassionate Mind (Compassion Focused Therapy) by Paul Gilbert 

Awakening Compassion at Work: The Quiet Power That Elevates People and Organizations by Monica C. Worline and Jane E. Dutton 

The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja Lyubomirsky 

Kristin Neff's The three elements of self-compassion 

Developing the Indomitable Gift of Compassion with Dr. Stan Steindl 

The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman 

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP? You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive. 

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum. 

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email [email protected] Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month.

This series initially went live in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

"Thriving is not a spectator sport. You can't sit back and watch it happen."

This is the 4th episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. This series is all about exploring how to thrive and practicing the BEACON model; a model that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.

In this week's episode we explore the third "beam" of the BEACON model: Accountability.

This might seem an unusual element of thriving but there is no thriving without doing - and sometimes we need to hold ourselves accountable to get the doing, done.

Listen in as Marie and Ellen discuss:

• What accountability means when it comes to thriving and why it's important


• Real life, practical examples of where people struggle with accountability (because it's something we all struggle with from time to time)


• How our personal beliefs impact our goals and motivation.


• How to find your "why" to build motivation.


• Tips and techniques for holding yourself accountable to your action steps for thriving.

Your quest for this week: Get curious and challenge yourself to try a new activity for a week that you know will help you to thrive - even if it's difficult to get started. You might like to reflect on the activities we've spoken about already in this series - connecting with others, discovering or using your strengths to find 'flow' - or maybe it's an activity you've not tried before or you want to re-integrate into your life. Ellen and Marie discussed yoga and meditation as activities they'd like to get back into. Walking, social activities or new hobbies are also great ideas.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Seligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychology

Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habit BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP? 

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. 

Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive. To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum. Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email [email protected] Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month.

This series initially went live in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

"Flow requires us to use our strengths. Sadly many of us don't really know what those are. One of the first things that you must do is to identify these strengths. What are those things that your brain is wired to do, those things that you love doing?"

This is the 3rd episode of our new weekly podcast series "How To Thrive", a collaboration with positive psychology coach Marie McLeod. This series is all about exploring how to thrive and practicing the BEACON model; a model that Marie has developed to guide us through the simple steps to thriving and flourishing in life.

Today, we recap what we learned about Belonging and talk about how we did on our weekly quest. We then explore the second "beam" of the BEACON model: Engagement.

We discuss:

• Deep focus or "flow" and how it improves our quality of life, satisfaction and happiness


• Does personality affect how easy it is to get into a state of flow


• How can we craft our lives in order to get into a "flow" more often


• Understanding your profile of individual strengths and how to use that to increase engagement

Your quest for this week: Go with the way you're wired and spend more time doing the things you're good at. What activities get you into a state of flow and how do they make you feel? Share your experience with us. We'd love to hear from you. If you need a little help finding your strengths, take the VIA strengths survey.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

http://potential.pro.viasurvey.org - VIA Strengths Survey

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email [email protected]

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month.

This series initially went live in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

In this episode, we talk about the first "beam" of the BEACON model: Belonging. We ask:

• What do we mean by belonging?


• How important is having close connections to others to our wellbeing?


• What is a Thrive Tribe and how do we cultivate and sustain one?


• Who gets to be in our "thrive tribe?"


• What's a micro-moment of connection? And how does it help us to build relationships?

Your quest for this week: Find opportunities to create micro-moments of connection and tell us about them!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Positivity resonance - Watch this video from Dr. Barbara Fredrickson about Positivity Resonance and Positive Connection

Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness TED Talk

Seligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychology

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

This 75-Year Harvard Study Found the 1 Secret to Leading a Fulfilling Life

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email [email protected]

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

We’re revisiting our How to Thrive series co-hosted with positive psychotherapist Marie McLeod for Mental Health Month.

This series initially went live in late 2021 - almost 12 months ago - while How to Thrive, the documentary, was still in production. It is now out in the world and showing in cinemas all over the country.

In this podcast series, Marie and I go deep into the practice of positive psychology and wellbeing science, sharing how we live what we teach in our work and in our lives. We dive into what it means to thrive and dissect a beam of the BEACON model, Marie's evidence-based model of thriving, in each episode. We even have do-at-home exercises for you to complete along with us. That means YOU get to participate in this fabulous collaboration too.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What the BEACON Model is and how it helps you to thrive


• What each beam of BEACON stands for


• What we mean by well-being literacy


• The history and origin of the positive psychology


• About finding emotional equilibrium


• Why is it important to look for the things that go well in life.

Today's quest: What went well for you? How to focus on what's strong rather than what's wrong and rewire your brain for positivity.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Delightful app that Marie and I are using

Marie's website - needtoseesomeone.com and resources here.

Positivity resonance - Watch this video from Dr Barbara Fredrickson about Positivity Resonance and Positive Connection

Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness TED Talk

Seligman's PERMA+ Model - a foundational model in positive psychology

Want to become a Potential Psychology Podcast VIP?

You can now become a special VIP member of the Potential Psychology Podcast community with access to bonus episodes - the first of which is now ready and waiting for you. Dr Mike Rucker, co-host of our most recent podcast series on Fun and Wellbeing, and I are discussing the importance of making time for fun and positive experiences in our workplaces with tips on better email and meeting management and the kind of workplace we need to really thrive.

To join as a subscriber, at the tiny little cost of AU$5.99 a month head to https://anchor.fm/potentialpsychology/subscribe. I’m looking forward to seeing you in our inner sanctum.

Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email [email protected]

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here

"In order to make progress when we're working towards meaningful goals - we need to stop and celebrate our wins."

This is my last conversation with Dr Mike Rucker in this podcast series about "Fun and Wellbeing" which is a little sad, but the conversation itself is a cracker. In it Mike and I discuss:

• The role that fun and pleasure play when pursuing social goals and making a difference to our community.


• Meaning, purpose and contribution.


• Finding the small wins in the 'infinite game' of social change.


• The Progress Principle


• How to create an environment that helps you collect memories/resources to enable fun.


• How to make sure that you are having fun even in environments that don't readily allow you to do so.


• Why working towards meaningful goals and ensuring that you have an aspect of pleasure can help propel you forward.


• For organisations: how kindness and fun have the same effect on wellbeing and how you can incorporate that into your CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program.

Join the discussion by sharing your thoughts via the Spotify Q&A feature!

This week's point to ponder:

How can you use fun for social good?.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Progress Principle: Teresa Amabile TEDx talk

Brene Brown

Repair Cafes

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Ready for calm after the chaos? Join Ellen's new mini online program "Thriving Post Pandemic."

One hour of video lessons with downloadable planner to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

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Feedback? We want to hear from you. Email [email protected]

Want to hear more? It's all at potential.com.au/podcast

Check out our Potential Psychology YouTube Channel here