Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.

• Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.uk
• Steven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.uk

Meditation that goes with this podcast: A Dharma Meditation Beyond Overthinking

Overthinking Is Not Your Fault (But Here's How to Stop)

In this episode of 'Stillness in the Storms', host Steven Webb explores the concept that we are not our thoughts. He discusses how thoughts arise from the subconscious mind and how we can learn to observe them without attachment. Through personal anecdotes and insights into meditation, he emphasizes the importance of awareness in managing overthinking and anxiety. The episode encourages listeners to become observers of their thoughts and to choose which thoughts to engage with, ultimately leading to a more peaceful and mindful existence.

• You are not your thoughts; you have thoughts, but they do not define you.
• The subconscious mind generates thoughts that can be observed without attachment.
• Meditation helps in recognizing the distinction between thoughts and awareness.
• Negative thoughts are a natural part of human experience and survival.
• Choosing which thoughts to engage with can change your mental trajectory.
• Awareness of thoughts allows for greater control over emotional responses.
• Thoughts often originate from external influences, not just personal experiences.
• You can smile at your thoughts and not take them seriously.
• The journey to awareness often involves exploring different spiritual practices.
• Your subconscious mind is designed to support you and bring forth thoughts that align with your desires.

Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.

• Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.uk
• Steven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.uk

Episode 147: The Truth About Anxiety & Imposter Syndrome

Welcome to Stillness in the Storms with your host, Steven Webb. In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Steven tackles two of the most common yet misunderstood challenges: anxiety and imposter syndrome.

He argues that these feelings themselves are not the problem. The real issue? Our belief that we shouldn't be experiencing them. Steven shares his own vulnerable journey, from council meetings feeling unqualified, to navigating high-pressure Q&A panels, and the everyday internal dialogues that come with stepping up.

Key Themes & Takeaways:

• Reframing the "Problem": Anxiety and imposter syndrome are natural human experiences, not flaws to be eradicated. The real struggle comes from resisting them.
• The Power of Listening (Not Obeying): Our minds are full of voices – some fearful, some critical, some brave. The skill is in acknowledging them all, like a chairperson listening to a committee, without letting any single voice dictate your actions.
• Authenticity in Vulnerability: Sharing your doubts and fears doesn't make you weak; it makes you relatable and authentic. Steven would rather be in a room with people who acknowledge their imposter syndrome than those who deny it.
• Showing Up Anyway: True courage isn't the absence of fear, but acting despite it. Your unique 1% of knowledge or perspective might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.
• Personal Anecdotes of Resilience:
• Feeling like an outsider in professional council meetings.
• The "climate change conference" Q&A panel where a simple, honest answer resonated most.
• Being a charity trustee (Community Energy Plus) and doubting his contribution.
• The internal battle when asked to apply for a vice-chair role.
• The physical manifestations of anxiety before important events.
• It Doesn't Go Away, It Becomes Part of the Dialogue: These feelings may not disappear, but our relationship with them can change. They can become familiar (if sometimes annoying) companions rather than paralyzing enemies.

Food for Thought:

• What if your anxiety and imposter syndrome are simply signals, not stop signs?
• How can you "chair" the committee of voices in your own head more effectively?
• Remember: "Confidence isn't the absence of self-doubt; it's showing up anyway."

Support Stillness in the Storms:

This podcast is ad-free thanks to listeners like you! If you find value in these conversations, please consider supporting the show with a donation (like buying Steven a coffee!).

https://stevenwebb.uk

Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.

• Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.uk
• Steven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.uk

Self-acceptance is key, and today we dive into how Zen teaches us to stop needing to fix our lives. We explore what Zen really means and how we can apply it to our daily routines without it just being some trendy catchphrase. Through this episode, we challenge the idea that our lives are broken and discuss the importance of embracing the present moment as it is. I share personal stories and insights on how Zen can help us find peace amidst chaos. So, let’s sit back, relax, and learn how to just be in our moments without the urge to change everything around us.

Self acceptance is a journey we all navigate, and in this episode, Steven Webb dives deep into the concept of Zen and how it relates to our everyday lives. He shares a powerful quote: "Zen doesn't fix your life; it stops you needing to." This sets the stage for a conversation about what Zen truly means. It's not just a trendy phrase or a meme we see online; it's about embracing the present moment and realizing that life is not broken, but rather, we often feel the urge to fix things that don't need fixing. Steven invites listeners to explore how to incorporate Zen into their lives, focusing on being present and accepting ourselves as we are. He emphasizes that life is full of challenges, but rather than trying to change everything, we can learn to sit with our experiences and recognize that suffering is part of being human. By adopting a Zen mindset, we can find peace in the chaos and appreciate the beauty of the moment without the constant need for improvement.

Takeaways:

• Zen doesn't fix your life but helps you stop needing to fix it.
• Being present in the moment allows you to accept life as it is right now.
• The desire to always fix things can lead to never-ending dissatisfaction in life.
• Happiness is not an achievement but an experience that happens in the mundane.

We’re diving into the idea of our circles of acceptance today. How big is your circle of love and understanding? I’ve been thinking about how our perspectives change as we grow up, from a tiny circle in childhood to something much larger as adults. It’s fascinating to look at how our circles can expand or contract based on our experiences and feelings. I’ll be sharing some insights on this journey and how it affects our relationships with ourselves and others. Plus, I've got a guided meditation coming up that’ll help us explore these circles even more. Let’s get into it!

Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.

• Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.uk
• Steven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.uk

🎙️ Stillness in the Storms — Episode: “How Big Is Your Circle of Love?”

A heartfelt reflection on how wide your love really reaches — and how to gently grow it.

🧭 What This Episode Covers

• How big your circle of love, care, and acceptance really is
• Why it naturally shrinks during stress and expands with growth
• The six stages of ego development and how they relate to your caring
• How to reflect without judgment on who is inside — or outside — your circle
• Zen and Buddhist perspectives on expanding compassion

🌀 Circle Stages — Simple Breakdown

• Pre-Egocentric – Me as impulse (pure survival)
• Egocentric – Me as person (all about me)
• Ethnocentric – My tribe (loyalty, shared identity)
• Worldcentric – All humans (equal value, global empathy)
• Planetcentric – All beings (animals, ecosystems, future life)
• Kosmocentric – No separation (universal awareness, nondual)

We move in and out of these stages — even in a single day. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s awareness.

🧠 Quotes That Land

Takeaways:

• In this episode, we explore the different stages of our circle of acceptance and love.
• Understanding how to recognize and expand our circle can lead to greater empathy and compassion.
• The podcast emphasizes the idea that our circles of caring are not fixed and can change over time.
• We discuss how personal experiences, such as stress or busyness, can contract our circles of acceptance.
• The conversation highlights the importance of caring for not just loved ones, but also for people across the globe.
• We delve into deeper concepts of world centric and planet centric thinking for a broader perspective.

Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.

• Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.uk
• Steven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.uk

🧘 Host:

Steven Webb – Meditation Teacher & Former Mayor of Truro

🌀 About This Episode:

What if the key to less suffering wasn’t found in avoiding pain—but in feeling it all? In this powerful episode of Stillness in the Storms, Steven Webb explores why allowing yourself to feel deeply might be the most healing, human thing you can do.

We’re often told to “stay positive” and “chin up,” but what if the real strength lies in making room for grief, sadness, loneliness, and joy alike? Steven shares personal reflections, Zen wisdom, and practical insight into how embracing every emotion can make you more whole—and more at peace.

Whether you’re feeling stuck in your sadness, disconnected from joy, or overwhelmed by the ups and downs of life, this episode is an invitation to stop running and start listening... to yourself.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why people who feel deeply often suffer less, not more
• The real meaning of emotional wholeness
• How to stop identifying with your emotions
• The ego vs. the “big mind”—and why balance matters
• A simple shift in language that changes how you relate to feelings

✨ Takeaway:

You don’t need to fix every emotion. You just need to feel it, then let it pass. That’s where peace begins.

💛 Support the Podcast:

If this episode moved you, consider buying Steven a coffee at stevenwebb.uk. No adverts, just real conversations—thanks to listeners like you.

If this episode helps you, please consider treating me to a coffee or signing up for the Weekly Calm newsletter — it keeps the podcast ad-free and fully independent.

👉 stevenwebb.uk

Anger. It hits hard. Sometimes it’s in your face. Other times, it’s in your inbox. Either way, your body reacts like you’re in danger — heart racing, chest tight, maybe even shame flooding in.

In this episode of Stillness in the Storms, I answer a heartfelt question from listener Toby Ross:

“How do you deal with conflict when it feels unbearable?”

We dive into why anger — whether it’s coming at you or rising inside you — feels so overwhelming. From a Zen perspective to real-life stories, this episode is about understanding anger, disarming it, and staying present without abandoning yourself.

This one is personal, practical, and rooted in compassion — for others, and for yourself.

• Why your nervous system reacts to anger like a threat
• How our ancient survival wiring still runs the show
• The Zen view of anger as a mirror (not an enemy)
• Stories about conflict, shouting, and inner shame
• A powerful 30-second grounding practice
• Why “toughness” isn’t strength — and stillness isn’t silence

Thanks to your support, this podcast is completely ad-free.

If you’d like to help keep it that way and join our private WhatsApp group, head to:

👉 stevenwebb.uk

Reflections, gentle reminders, and real talk when life gets overwhelming. (Sent when it’s ready, not when it’s perfect.)

Please share this episode with someone who needs it.

And if you can, leave a rating or review — it helps more than you know.

Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.

• Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.uk
• Steven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.uk

Taking little timeouts can be a powerful spiritual practice. I’m Steven Webb, and today we dive into how those forced pauses in our day can help us find inner peace, even when life feels chaotic. We often think that spirituality means lengthy meditation sessions, but it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Instead, we can use everyday moments—like waiting at a traffic light or taking a breath before a meeting—to reconnect with ourselves. Let’s explore how these simple breaks can help us manage stress and stay present, making our spiritual journey a lot more manageable and meaningful.

Finding peace in a fast-paced world can be a daunting task, but it’s all about perspective. This podcast episode dives into the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and the simple yet profound practice of taking timeouts to reconnect with ourselves. I share my own experiences, noting that while I can smile and breathe, the challenge often lies in slowing down. The message here is that spirituality can be found in the everyday moments, not just in long meditation sessions or complicated practices.

Throughout our conversation, I encourage listeners to embrace the forced pauses in their daily lives, such as waiting at traffic lights or dealing with interruptions. These moments can be transformed into opportunities for mindfulness, helping us to breathe, reset, and refocus. By allowing ourselves to take these timeouts, we can cultivate a sense of calm that permeates our lives, helping us navigate the chaos with more grace and clarity.

I remind everyone that the spiritual journey is not a straight line; it’s filled with ups and downs, and that’s perfectly okay. It’s about becoming more compassionate toward ourselves and recognizing that we’re all doing our best. By integrating these small moments of stillness into our day, we can create a more peaceful existence and ultimately allow ourselves to respond to life rather than react. This episode serves as a gentle nudge to appreciate the little pauses that life offers us and to use them as tools for growth and awareness.

Takeaways:

• Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us to smile, breathe, and take things slow in life.
• Spiritual growth isn't just about long meditations; it's about finding peace in small moments.
• Using forced timeouts can help us reconnect with ourselves and find inner calm.
• Compassion and self-acceptance are signs that your spiritual journey is making progress.
• Life's ups and downs are normal; accepting this messiness is part of the journey.
• Each little moment of stillness helps us build a longer fuse to manage stress better.

Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.

• Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.uk
• Steven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.uk

What if enlightenment isn’t about hours of meditation or decades of study, but tiny moments of awareness you can practice anywhere, anytime? After paralysis, heartbreak, and a battle with intrusive thoughts, Steven Webb discovered that awakening thrives in life’s margins—in stolen seconds between tasks, breaths during chaos, and pauses before reactions. In this episode, he shares:

• How to turn traffic jams, work stress, and even arguments into portals of peace
• Why 2-minute practices work better than marathon meditation sessions (and how to start)
• The science-backed power of "enlightened micro-moments" to rewire your brain

• ⏱️ "Enlightenment for the time-poor" – Transform洗碗, commuting, or waiting in line into spiritual practice
• 🧠 Neuroplasticity hack – How micro-moments of awareness compound into lasting change
• 🚫 No altar/incense required – Stephen’s "30-second reset" for panic attacks, overwhelm, or decision fatigue
• 💥 Breakthrough for meditation quitters – Why short bursts beat "perfect" sessions (and how to avoid self-judgment)
• 🌱 Grow peace incrementally – Trackable daily wins vs. vague spiritual goals

1. “You don’t need 30 minutes—steal 30 seconds. A deep breath while the microwave spins? That’s a revolution.”
2. “I’m dyslexic, paralyzed, and once thought enlightenment was for gurus. Now I find it staring at my ceiling fan.”
3. “An enlightened moment isn’t when you stop feeling anger—it’s the half-second where you notice you’re angry. That’s the crack where light gets in.”
4. “Ten 2-minute practices scattered through your day? That’s 20 minutes of awareness—without sitting cross-legged once.”
5. “I didn’t change my life in a cave. I changed it waiting for caregivers, between sips of tea, in the silence after a text notification.”

Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.

• Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.uk
• Steven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.uk

Gratitude meditation Link

In this episode of "Stillness in the Storms," Steven Webb reflects on the overwhelming challenges of the modern world, from global crises to personal struggles. He acknowledges the "storm" that many feel – the constant barrage of negative news, societal pressures, and personal difficulties. However, Stephen guides listeners towards finding moments of peace and gratitude amidst the chaos. He shares his own recent struggles with illness and how he's working to shift his focus from external turmoil to inner resilience.

Key Quotes:

• "The storm feels like it's worse than ever... whether it's political, whether it's weather, or whether it's just the information bombardment."
• "How much of the outside storm are you bringing in?"
• "How many open doors? How many times are you going to sit? Are you sitting outside in the storm?"
• "It's all well and good that we can blame the world for the storms, but we've got to ask ourselves."
• "We also have still so much to lose, and so much to fight for. And so much to be grateful for."
• "If you just learn to hold them [life's challenges] in the right way, not too, not too tight, not too loose, music plays through you."
• "Life's got to play through us."
• "It's about balance."
• "Don't connect with the world so much that you're filling your mind with everything you can not cope with."
• "Close your door but don't close it so tight it's locked."

How This Episode Helps Listeners:

• Validation: Acknowledges the widespread feeling of being overwhelmed by current events and personal struggles, offering a sense of shared experience.
• Perspective Shift: Encourages listeners to examine how much external negativity they are internalizing and to consciously limit their exposure to it.
• Gratitude Practice: Promotes a focus on gratitude for the simple things in life, highlighting what we still have to lose and appreciate, even amidst hardship.
• Mindfulness Reminder: Reinforces the importance of being present and finding stillness in the moment, rather than being consumed by future worries or past regrets.
• Practical Steps: Offers tangible actions like limiting news consumption, focusing on what's within one's control ("arm's length"), and engaging in activities that bring joy.
• Balance: Highlights the need for balance between engagement with the world and self-care, avoiding both excessive exposure and complete disconnection.
• Self-Awareness: Prompts self-reflection on personal coping mechanisms and encourages listeners to recognize when they might be overly stressed or anxious.
• Community: Mentions a WhatsApp support group for those who have supported the podcast, fostering a sense of connection and shared journey.
• Resouces: Mentions the Inner Piece Meditations, and stephenwebb.uk for further support.

Links to Steven Webb's podcast and how you can support his work.

• Donate paypal.me/stevenwebb or Coffee stevenwebb.uk
• Steven's courses, podcasts and links: stevenwebb.uk

Life is all about those little moments, and I really want to dive into that today. I recently reflected on my journey, where I covered 500 miles in Cornwall using my electric wheelchair, and it hit me how my life is just a collection of moments. Yesterday, I had a powerful encounter with a paramedic from 33 years ago who helped me during a critical time, and it brought back a flood of emotions. I realized that our experiences aren’t just a straight line; they’re a bunch of moments that shape who we are. So, let’s chat about the moments that matter, how we can cherish them, and reflect on what they teach us.

Reflecting on life's fleeting moments can be profound. Steven Webb shares his journey of exploring the significance of moments in our lives, particularly through his experiences over the past year. He embarked on a remarkable 500-mile journey around Cornwall using his electric wheelchair, meticulously documenting his adventures. As he revisits his diary, he realizes that life is not just a series of events, but a collection of moments that shape our existence. Each encounter, each emotion, and each experience contributes to the mosaic of our lives. During a poignant moment, he reconnects with Melvin, the paramedic who flew him to Salisbury 33 years ago, triggering a flood of emotions and reflections on how interconnected our lives can be, even across decades.

Steven encourages listeners to reflect on their own lives and the moments that have defined them. He emphasizes that memories are stored not in a linear fashion but as emotional experiences. Whether joyful or painful, these moments teach us resilience and shape who we are. He shares personal anecdotes, like the time he walked his dog and how that experience became a lasting memory. These moments, whether big or small, can hold great significance.

As the episode unfolds, Steven invites us to cherish every moment, reminding us that they are fleeting yet impactful. He urges us to embrace the good and the bad experiences alike, as they all contribute to our growth. Life is about collecting these moments, learning from them, and creating new ones that define our journey. The essence of his message is clear: every moment is a gift, and it is up to us to recognize and appreciate them as we navigate through life.

Takeaways:

• Life is made up of moments, and those moments are what shape our experiences.
• When I look back at my life, I remember the moments that made me feel deeply.
• Collect moments that are meaningful, both good and bad, as they shape who you are.
• Emotions play a huge role in how we remember and store our life experiences.
• The universe might have a plan, and every moment could teach us something valuable.
• Cherish the small moments with loved ones, as they will be significant in the future.
•