In this episode of Space to Think, I speak with Clare Coghill, chef and owner of Café Cuil on the Isle of Skye.

Clare shares her journey from growing up in a family-run hotel, to building her own café in East London, to returning home to Skye just as the pandemic reshaped everything. She talks about:

• How Skye and the seasons shape her menus and her creativity

• The influence of Gaelic language and culture in her work

• The realities of hospitality - from resilience to community

• The process of creating her first cookbook, a collection of five years of seasonal dishes

This is a conversation about creativity, community, and the courage to keep going.

Clare’s cookbook publishes on 4th November. Pre-order here: Cafe Cuil Cookbook

Follow Cafe Cuil on instagram for details on the upcoming book tour!

In this gentle yet powerful episode, I speak with Karen Jarvis, a certified coach and grief educator, about the personal and professional journey that led her to found Reset and Rise Coaching.

Karen’s story marked by early anticipatory grief, the sudden loss of her husband and her choice to leave headship shines a light on what it means to keep living, even when life changes in ways we never asked for.

A content note for listeners:
This episode includes open and honest discussion of bereavement, including the death of a partner and parents. If you're grieving or feeling vulnerable, please take care of yourself as you listen, or return to the episode when the time feels right.

Together, we explore:

• How grief is more than death - it's any change we didn’t want
• The myths and misunderstandings that surround grief
• The idea of "finding meaning" in life after loss
• What it means to witness someone’s grief rather than fix it
• How we can better support others through practical compassion
• Why storytelling helps us process grief
• The small, steady steps that can help us live alongside grief

Karen brings honesty, warmth and wisdom to this often-avoided topic. Whether you’re navigating grief yourself or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers language, space and hope.

Glimmers of Hope is Karen’s new 4-week email series created to gently support you in your grief, wherever you find yourself on the journey.

Across four weeks, you’ll receive emails that invite you to create space for your grief, give voice to what you’re carrying, find anchors to steady you and begin to step forward with grief alongside you.

This short series is designed with care, offering practical tools you can use right away, while also leaving space for them to grow and change with you over time. You can move through at your own pace, with a sense of companionship through Karen’s voice notes, reflections and gentle guidance.

Learn more here.

Karen shares more in her regular Substack publication, Letters For The Heart or connect with her on instagram.

In this refreshing and grounded conversation, I speak with Sarah Stewart, time and project management expert, about how purpose-driven people, especially those leading or building something, can shift from firefighting to an intentional more holistic relationship with time.

Sarah supports founders, leaders and teams who are feeling stretched, overwhelmed or just plain tired of the relentless to-do list. She helps people move from "I’m too busy to think" into a space of clarity and calm.

In this episode, we explore:

• How personal stories, pace, and pressure shape how we work

• The myths of productivity and why doing more isn’t the goal

• How to shift from reactive work to intentional planning

• What gets in the way of sustainable time practices

• How systems can help us develop a better relationship with time

Sarah’s approach is both practical and compassionate. Whether you’re leading a team, running a business or simply trying to carve out space to breathe, this episode will meet you where you are.

More about Sarah’s work: www.sarahstewart.co.uk

Connect with Sarah on Instagram

In this beautifully grounding episode, I speak with Fiona Doubleday - artist, educator, Substack writer and advocate for intentional living. Fiona shares her journey from a university lecturer to life as an exhibiting and teaching artist on the Isle of Arran.

We talk about:

• Her pivotal moment at the kettle that changed everything.
• Living seasonally and creating a personal relationship with time.
• The power of noticing and how it transforms creativity.
• Creative flow, nature tables and the myth of "I’m not creative”
• Rest, renewal and what it really means to step off the hamster wheel
  

Fiona’s gentle wisdom is a balm for our fast-paced world. Be ready to fall back in love with your own patch of earth.

Connect with Fiona on Substack - https://fionadartisan.substack.com/

In this episode writer and coach Claire Fitzsimmons shares the joy and intention behind “explorer days” - short, local adventures designed to help us see the familiar with fresh eyes. Rooted in her childhood experiences of spontaneous weekend outings, Claire’s practice has evolved into a way of nurturing curiosity, supporting independent businesses, and connecting with the people and stories that make up a place.

In our conversation, Claire shares how explorer days began and why they still hold such meaning for her, weaving in the role of curiosity as a personal wellbeing barometer. We explore the importance of supporting local communities and seeking out independent spaces, as well as the value of micro-adventures and making them your own. 

Claire reflects on how the seasons shape these experiences, from sun-filled summer outings to the cosy allure of winter explorations.  Along the way, she recalls memorable places, from the Poetry Pharmacy to the longest street of independents in the UK, offering inspiration for finding small moments of novelty, presence and connection, wherever you are.

I’m off to plan my own micro-adventures now! 

Subscribe to Claire’s Substack More Good Days

Connect with Claire on Instagram

In this episode of The Human Behind the Work, I’m joined by Santiago Rincón-Gallardo, educator, systems thinker and author of Liberating Learning. His work centres on a simple yet radical belief: learning is a practice of freedom.

We talk about:

• How succeeding in school can still wound our capacity to learn

• The moment Santiago reawakened his own power to learn and why that changed everything

• The role of mentorship, community and collective practice in shaping his thinking

• What it means to lead cultural change in education

• His new framework for leadership that integrates the heart, head, and hands

At the heart of this conversation is a powerful invitation - become the leader you’ve been waiting for. Stop waiting for permission. Start from where you are, with what you have.

This conversation was originally recorded as part of the World Education Summit. You can now access four years of Summit content for free at www.weslegacy.com.

In this episode, I’m joined by Guy Claxton, renowned cognitive scientist, author of over 30 books and a lifelong student of thinking, learning, and creativity.

We explore:

We finish with a beautiful reflection on the value of thinking well and the humility in knowing we might be wrong.

Connect with Guy Claxton:

You can learn more about Guy’s work via his website, his published books and academic writing, including Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind and The Learning Power Approach.

In this episode of The Human Behind the Work, I’m joined by Professor Jo Boaler, a pioneering voice in mathematics education, equity and mindset.

We explore:

• The deep inequities in how maths is taught and how that shapes young people’s identities

• Jo’s creative process for translating research into accessible resources

• Her new idea of “Math-ish” and why asking for ish answers can unlock maths for more learners

• How she handles criticism and pushback 

• What keeps her going when the work gets hard

At the heart of it all is Jo’s belief that all students can learn to high levels and that mathematics can be an open, creative and empowering experience.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Math-ish the book and website

• YouCubed (Jo’s platform and teaching resources)

This conversation was originally recorded as part of the World Education Summit. You can now access four years of Summit content free at www.weslegacy.com.

In this first episode of The Human Behind the Work mini-series, I’m joined by someone whose books have sat on my shelves and in my hands, many times over: Michael Bungay Stanier. You may know him as the author of The Coaching Habit, The Advice Trap and How to Work with (Almost) Anyone. This conversation is about more than his books.

We explore:

• The dance between complexity and simplicity

• Why he writes short books—and how he hopes people read them

• His evolving “worthy goals” (including selling 10 million books!)

• How feedback and editing shape his process

• And the one question he asks himself every day: What do I want?

This is a thoughtful, generous and quietly powerful conversation about doing the work that matters and being human in process.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Coaching Habit

• The Advice Trap

• How to Work with (Almost) Anyone

• Do Something That Matters Journal 

• Two Pages with MBS podcast - episode with Austin Kleon

This conversation was originally recorded as part of the World Education Summit 2024.  You can now access 4 years of Summit content free at www.weslegacy.com 

This week, I’m sharing a conversation from the archives of the Changing Conversations podcast. Simon Breakspear was always a popular guest, and his episodes consistently topped our most-listened-to list. In this conversation Simon introduces the Pruning Principle, a powerful leadership approach that tackles the chronic issues of overwork and inefficiency.

While Simon’s work is rooted in the context of schools and learning, his insights go beyond education. The Pruning Principle offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to streamline their efforts, whether in life, business or leadership. It’s about thoughtfully cutting back to create space for deeper impact and sustainable growth.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by competing initiatives or endless to-do lists, this episode is for you. Join me as we explore how to clear the clutter and focus on what truly matters.

💡 Resources & Links:

• Order Simon’s book The Pruning Principle 

• Connect with Simon via his website