In this episode of the podcast, you'll meet Lucy Quick. Lucy is a mum of two who hasn't had a drink for the last 18 months, and now works as a sobriety coach who is passionate about helping others get sober. Problematic drinking does not discriminate, and if we've got there, then as you'll discover in this episode, that the path we've all gone down to there is eerily similar. But what this also means, is that there is a really clear pathway out the other side, that those that have gone there before can share with you too. There doesn't need to be any shame, stigma or secrecy about it if you have a feeling that maybe your drinking has got a bit out of hand. There simply needs to be a decision that enough is enough, and you are ready to choose a different path. You'll learn that there is no downside to giving up drinking, that drinking to excess on a regular basis has no place in living a really successful life, and that if others have done it, then you can too!

The quality of our base - or our foundation - is going to be reflected back to us in everything that we experience in our life. To achieve the outcome we want to achieve, in anything, there are always going to be a number of steps that we need to take. Those steps are going to need to be taken in an order, to build on each other to help us get to where we want to be. The quality of our foundation and the strength of the steps we take on top of that foundation, will determine how successful we are at achieving our goals.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll have an opportunity to consider how the creation of a solid foundation will help you achieve your goals, and you'll also have a chance to think about how you might need to change to help you get there.

When we turn the light on in a room, it eradicates the darkness, and we can see. When we have the light on, and we can see in the light, then we can see things much more clearly.

Imagine that your body is a room, and that there is a button or a light switch in your mind, and that you have the power to turn that switch on at any time.

Would you choose to live in the darkness, or would you choose to live in the light?

In this episode of the podcast, you'll visualise turning on the light switch in your mind and feeling what it is to live in the light.

Our minds think in images, not in words. And our mind is always thinking. And when we think, we attach emotions and feelings to our thoughts. This is how we create our reality.

Creative visualisation is about taking charge, taking responsibility, taking ownership of what images we see in our mind, and being much more discerning about the emotions and feelings - the sense of desire - that we place on those images in our mind. The process of creative visualisation means that we get to direct the images that play across the movie of our mind, which helps direct our goal setting, planning and actions, and helps us to look for and appreciate the opportunities and experiences which are here for us right now in the present moment. The process of creative visualisation also starts to flush out all of the reasons why what we are visualising will not manifest, and exposes our weaknesses in our belief systems, giving us the clues we need to know what we need to work on to change things, for us to become the person for whom this is our reality.

Learning to harness the infinite power of our mind through a conscious creative visualisation process will start to completely transform the experience of your life, and utilising the process - whether through creating a vision board, guided meditation, watching inspiring videos, reading magazines - is a great place to start.

For it to become real, we need to have seen it first, and to believe that we can have it.

In this episode, you will get to reflect on what it is that makes you feel good - really good, solid good, not just good because you think you got what you think you wanted good.

What happens when we make the goal of feeling good, that wonderfully contented feeling of a genuine sense of knowing ourselves and what is true for each of us, that what is is exactly how it is meant to be be, of feeling positive no matter what is going on in the physical world around us - what happens when we make that the most important thing to realise in our lives?

To learn how to let go of what we think things should be and how we think things should be, and just allow ourselves to listen to our true self, the part of us that always knows what is best for us, if we can learn to listen and trust and to do what it is asking of us. Then we can experience extraordinary states of goodness.

If experience is your teacher, what have you learned?

WHAT we experience in our life is the result of our past thoughts, feelings and actions. This is also known as our karma. We cannot escape it: it is a fundamental law of the Universe.

HOW we experience the result of this shows us where we are at right now. This is known as our attitude.

With that in mind, what is this experience of your current present moment showing you about:

- What you have put out in the past?

- How you are thinking and feeling today?

And, most importantly, based on what you are experiencing and how you are thinking and feeling today:

- What actions you are taking today to create a different experience for your future present moments?

Our current experience is created from the past. Our present moment is creating our future experience. Other than learning to see it in a different light, we cannot change what has happened in the past, but we can create a different outcome for our future. Because, regardless of what is going on in in our experience, we always, always have control over our attitude.

​On this week's episode of the podcast, I'm talking with psychologist Christeen Waring about a subject which is very dear to both of our hearts - the benefits of walking and talking in nature.

In this episode we explore:

How Christeen was able to recognise within herself that she was not living her life according to her values

The steps she had to take to address this challenge and go back to foundations

How she was able to use this leaning to take her clinical practice into a new setting

A more integrated approach to wellbeing

How walking helps us get into our bodies and tune into our emotions

How walking helps us regulate ourselves to manage how we think and feel

The benefits of walking and talking in nature

Being able to express ourselves honestly about how we are feeling

​Offering an empowering perspective on mental health, Christeen's integrative approach to therapy and coaching brings psychology to life. A skilled and experienced psychologist she is committed to building better brain health, nervous system resilience, and breaking down barriers so individuals can navigate change, challenge and trauma. Her comprehensive approach to mental health care treats you as a whole person and brings psychology out of the clinic and into your life. Her work builds mental health and wellbeing where it is needed most - in our homes, our relationships, our workplaces and our communities.

Our breath is our life: without it, we are not alive. It is something we are doing from the second we are born, until we die, when we literally take our last breath. In this episode you are going to learn what following the breath means, how the process of breathing works (and you may just have your mind a little blown when you realise just how little you had thought about it before) and learn a really simple breathing technique that you can apply anywhere, at any time, to instantly give the amazing vehicle of your body what it needs to do it's job of keeping you alive. With seemingly nothing else required of you. Enjoy!

Unconditional acceptance is about accepting that what is, is. Without feeling the need to judge, justify, defend, criticise or blame. Acceptance is about accepting things as they are, not wishing that they were different, but simply learning to work with the present moment. Acceptance is the space from which we can create the change -- when we can accept ourselves, our circumstances, our environment, other people - then we can learn to be and do and experience things differently. In this episode, Fiona shares her recent experience of having to accept unconditionally things as they are, and how she is moving through that. And you will be left with a question to ponder - what makes for a truly successful life?

Dr Elise Bialylew is a mindfulness expert and the founder of Mindful in May. Join us for this episode, where we talk about:

The science of mindfulness

What is mindfulness

The global mindfulness challenge - Mindful in May

How does mindfulness help us with stress

How much meditation do we need to do to get the benefits

Creating a mindfulness habit in 30 days

Practising self-compassion

How a routine helps with not falling down the slippery slope of making excuses

The creation of Mindful in May

The intersection of passion, purpose and service

https://www.mindfulinmay.org