Rest and Recreation

A milestone is reached

Episode 100 of Rest and Recreation is a milestone celebration and a reflective journey through the themes that have shaped the podcast — work–life balance, identity, creativity, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and personal agency.

In this special episode, host Michael Millward revisits the most powerful conversations from past guests, including insights on stress responses, redefining ambition, intercultural identity, hobbies for wellbeing, trauma‑informed healing, LGBTQ+ perspectives, retirement transitions, and living an aligned life.

Listeners will discover how rest and recreation can enhance wellbeing, support personal growth, strengthen relationships, and create a healthier balance between work and life. Whether you're exploring new hobbies, navigating career change, healing emotionally, or redefining your identity, this episode offers meaningful reflections and practical inspiration.

Keywords:work–life balance, rest and recreation, wellbeing, personal growth, identity, creativity, hobbies, emotional healing, relationships, career change, retirement, podcast reflection, milestone episode.

Discover more about Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

Michael Millward meets Ava Glass the creator of the intelligent intelligence officer Emma Makepeace the main character in The Chase, the first of a series of espionage novels.

Ava explains the real-life events that inspired The Chase and the extensive research she undertook before putting pen to paper.

A British intelligence agent is assigned to get a doctor across London without being spotted by any of the 690,000 surveillance cameras that monitor activities throughout the capital city.

You can learn more about surveillance and CCTV cameras in London at this link.

In case you doubt the claim made about Emma Makepeace’s skill set you can access the same training at this link.

I must write my story… and in writing my story, I will also be sharing part of my mother’s.

Host Michael Millward has a thought-provoking conversation with author, leadership coach, and former Meta leader Ingrid Hu Dahl about her powerful memoir Sun Shining on Morning Snow.

Drawing on deeply personal experiences, Ingrid explores themes of identity, loss, grief, intercultural heritage, and living boldly across three generations of women.

Listeners are invited into an intimate conversation that spans Ingrid’s Chinese and Scandinavian roots, her mother’s pioneering in AI in the 1970s, her grandmother’s escape from revolution‑era China, and Ingrid’s own path through rebellion, creativity, queer identity, and leadership.

Michael and Ingrid unpack:

• How grief can spark profound self‑reflection and healing
• The pressure of identity tied to career, and what happens when that unravels
• The complexity of growing up between cultures — and refusing to fit into prescribed “cages”
• The realities of sexism and dehumanisation in the music industry
• The courage required to live authentically as a queer woman
• The importance of reconnecting with parents and understanding their untold stories

This episode is rich with emotional insight, cultural depth, and leadership wisdom, all grounded in Ingrid’s fierce commitment to truth, curiosity, and personal transformation. As she says, “We have choices that we can make and beliefs can be changed.”

Whether you’re interested in memoirs, leadership development, work‑life balance, intercultural identity, or personal growth, this conversation will inspire you to reflect, rethink, and reconnect

Discover more about Ingrid and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

A Month Living in the Lake District

Joanne Brook‑Smith, founder and editor‑in‑chief of Crave Magazine, joins Michael Millward to share what it’s really like to spend an entire month living and working in the Lake District. Drawing on her background in journalism and lifestyle writing, Joanne talks candidly about how she started Crave during the pandemic from her kitchen table, before diving into the realities of her Lake District escape.

Across the episode, Joanne paints a vivid picture of life in the South Lakes: early‑morning writing sessions, afternoons spent wild swimming in jewel like fairy pools of turquoise crystal-clear water, and discovering natural water slides, paddle‑boarding spots, and quiet walking routes far from the tourist crowds.

Joanne also shares an insider’s guide to the region’s food scene highlighting Michelin‑starred dining at the Gilpin, panoramic lunches at Linthwaite House, and the foodie haven of Cartmel where sticky toffee pudding was invented.

This episode blends lifestyle inspiration, travel insight, and practical tips for navigating the Lake District during peak season. Whether you’re planning a visit, dreaming of a slower pace of life, or simply curious about how a lifestyle editor unwinds, Joanne’s month‑long adventure offers a refreshing, thoughtful perspective on work‑life balance.

Discover more about Joanne and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

Keywords: Lake District living, Crave Magazine, Joanne Brook‑Smith, wild swimming, Cartmel sticky toffee pudding, Gilpin Hotel, Linthwaite House, lifestyle journalism, work‑life balance, Cumbria travel, South Lakes, Haven holiday home, UK staycations, outdoor lifestyle, food and travel podcast.

Rest, rituals, and nervous‑system awareness can help people reclaim a sense of self

Dr. Stephanie Steele‑Wren of Psychology Works joins host Michael Millward for a deeply human conversation about identity, burnout, neurodivergence, and the small, practical shifts that help us reconnect with who we really are.

Drawing on nearly twenty years in psychology, Dr. Stephanie explains how chronic stress keeps the nervous system in permanent “on mode,” why this erodes both physical and mental wellbeing, and how simple, accessible emotional‑decompression techniques can reset the brain throughout the day.

They explore:

• How neurodivergence shaped Dr. Stephanie’s career and inspired her private practice.
• Why “reclaiming yourself” is less about grand life changes and more about intentional micro‑moments.
• The link between physical exhaustion, nervous‑system overload, and mental‑health decline.
• Everyday decompression strategies — from stepping outside for 30 seconds to playing a quick game of Mahjong Solitaire.
• The importance of hobbies and self‑connection rituals in rediscovering identity beyond job titles, parenting roles, and societal expectations.
• How becoming a parent reshapes identity, and why many adults struggle to name a single thing they do just for themselves.

This episode is warm, insightful, and full of relatable moments — including Dr. Stephanie’s reflection that “rest doesn’t have to be a marathon… it can be sprinting rests,” and Michael’s realization that his quick gaming breaks are nervous‑system resets.

Discover more about Stephanie and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

Singer‑songwriter True Istina joins host Michael Millward for a deeply personal and uplifting conversation about creativity, resilience, and growing up with a dream to perform. True shares how music became her lifeline during the isolation of COVID 19 lockdown a place where she could express emotions she “could no longer put into words” and begin healing through songwriting.

Across the conversation, True reflects on:

• Her early life in the arts, from dance and theatre to her first experiences in Hollywood’s pilot season.
• The emotional journey behind her debut album, written as a teenager navigating anxiety, loneliness, and self‑discovery.
• Her evolution as an artist, now shaping a second album with deeper, more alternative sounds and mature storytelling.
• The power of vulnerability, and why she chose to release songs that were originally “way too vulnerable” to share.
• Her creative philosophy, treating music as a journal and a universal language that helps her, and her listeners, make sense of life.
• Life beyond the studio, including her love of drawing, open‑water swimming, and hiking to disconnect from LA’s fast pace.

True also offers a glimpse into her upcoming single A Matter of Time, a reflective piece about growth, setbacks, and finding who you’re meant to be.

This episode is thoughtful, warm, and inspiring — a conversation about creativity, courage, and the quiet moments that shape us. Perfect for listeners who enjoy authentic storytelling and the artistry behind the music.

Discover more about True and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

Aligning how you see the world and how the world sees you

In this thought‑provoking episode of Rest and Recreation, host Michael Millward explores what it really means to live a limitless life with mindset and abundance coach Natalie K. Wynn, author of Manifest Your Limitless Life and founder of Inspire Life 365.

Drawing on neuroscience, lived experience, and her signature ATM Method — Awareness, Transformation, Movement, Natalie explains how many high‑achieving professionals unknowingly operate from subconscious scarcity patterns that shape their choices, behaviours, and ultimately their wellbeing. She says, “95% of the things that we're doing is on auto-program… coming from the subconscious mind.”

Michael and Natalie unpack how burnout often stems from misalignment, living a life shaped by other people’s expectations rather than your own authentic desires. Natalie highlights the early warning signs of burnout, from over‑functioning and people‑pleasing to chronic exhaustion, and inner conflict, which she describes as being like, an internal tug‑of‑war many listeners will recognise.

Their conversation ranges from subconscious programming formed in childhood, to the importance of becoming the person you want to be before trying to “do” your version of success. Michael reflects on pivotal moments in his own career, including promotions earned by stepping into the identity of the role long before the title arrived, a real‑world example of Natalie’s philosophy.

This episode is rich with practical insight, gentle challenge, and moments of humour, all woven into a deeper exploration of how to create a life that feels aligned, intentional, and genuinely yours.

A compelling listen for anyone navigating career crossroads, burnout, or the search for a more authentic version of success.

Discover more about Natalie and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

The value of putting yourself first

In this thought‑provoking episode of Rest and Recreation, host Michael Millward speaks with elite copywriter turned inspirational-writer Anton Volny, creator of the blog and newsletter Permission to be Powerful.

Drawing on a 15‑year career writing for industry giants including Tony Robbins, Neil Patel, and Ramit Sethi, Anton shares the personal journey that led him from high‑pressure marketing rooms to developing a philosophy centred on emotional clarity, boundaries, and self‑respect.

Anton explains how years of therapy, introspection, and professional experience taught him the importance of “putting yourself first”, not as an act of selfishness, but as a foundation for healthier relationships, better work, and genuine personal agency. 

Together, they explore:

• Why so many people distract themselves by solving others’ problems instead of facing their own
• How workplace naivety leaves early‑career professionals vulnerable
• The difference between “safe” and “unsafe” people, and why boundaries matter
• How emotional development can change friendships, jobs, and life trajectories
• What “power” really means when it’s not about controlling others, but about finding your voice

Anton also reflects on the highs and lows of his copywriting career, the office politics that shaped his departure from major clients, and the inner transformation that inspired his forthcoming book Hell and Paradise.

This is a conversation about clarity, courage, and reclaiming your dignity — one that will make you think about how you live, work, and relate to others.

Discover more about Anton and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

Living Within Your Means, So You Can Live Life on Your Terms

Angela Tipton, founder of FireYourCareer.com and host Michael Millwarddiscuss one of the most powerful, and challenging life skills: learning to live within your means so you can live life on your terms.

Angela shares her journey from scientist to Fortune 500 lab manager, to MBA graduate, to marketing professional, and ultimately to someone who realised that financial freedom wasn’t about earning more, but about using money with intention. She describes the moment she discovered how much student‑loan interest she had “just watched disappear”, and how that shock led her and her husband to pay off more than $85,000 of debt in just 18 months.

This conversation explores:

• How a vision board can keep long‑term goals alive
• Why writing down your objectives dramatically increases your chances of achieving them
• The sacrifices and mindset shifts required to eliminate debt
• How to stay focused when friends, neighbours, and colleagues spend beyond their means
• The difference between keeping up with the Joneses and keeping up with your why
• Why financial independence gives you choices, including about when you will retire and what retirement will be like.
• How people at any income level can build financial freedom through mindful decisions

Angela explains the principles behind FIRE - Financial Independence, Retire Early, and how her platform helps people grow traditional careers in a way that creates genuine financial flexibility. Whether early retirement is your goal or you simply want more control over your future, Angela’s approach centres on clarity, discipline, and living according to your own values rather than other people’s expectations.

Discover more about Angela and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

Rediscovering purpose beyond work when career identity breaks down

Loss of career identity can feel disastrous, but what if it’s also an invitation to rediscover purpose? In this thought‑provoking episode of Rest and Recreation, Michael Millward talks with Avi Maderer, the “optimistic futurist” whose work sits at the intersection of human meaning and artificial intelligence.

Avi uses his experience as a data analyst and technologist to show why the real AI revolution isn’t just technical or economic — it’s civilizational. “Everyone’s talking about industrial revolutions… but very few people are speaking about the actual impact of AI on humanity as a whole.”

Michael and Avi explore

• The hidden human costs of AI adoption, including reduced neural activity when we outsource thinking to machines.
• Why literacy, empathy, and deep reading matter more than ever in an age of instant answers.
• The collapse of traditional career pathways, as entry‑level roles disappear and experience becomes harder to acquire.
• How individuals can become “AI‑proof” by leaning into uniquely human strengths — interpersonal connection, ethical judgment, nuance, and purpose‑driven work.
• Why this moment resembles the Enlightenment more than the Industrial Revolution, and what that means for personal agency and societal change.

Avi also shares how he helps people uncover their purpose and apply it in ways AI cannot replicate — from social impact roles to human‑centred careers — and offers listeners a free 30‑minute purpose‑discovery session.

This episode challenges assumptions, reframes fears, and opens a richer conversation about what it means to be human in an AI‑saturated world. As always, Rest and Recreation won’t tell you what to think — but it will certainly make you think.

Discover more about Avi Maderer and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – at trade prices to anywhere in the world at trade prices as a member of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.