It’s the holiday season and with it comes the pressure of resolutions, big plans, and “new year, new me” energy.

In this episode, the team breaks down a more realistic approach to goal setting: simple focuses instead of endless goals, how to actually remember what you set, and why reflecting on progress matters (so you don’t just live in “what’s next?” mode).

They explore the balance between pain vs pleasure as motivation, why ambition can be both powerful and exhausting, and the idea of life “dimmers”, where different seasons require different levels of focus on family, work, health, and social life.

And to keep it grounded (and fun), the team shares personal goals for the year ahead, including one “unreasonably epic” goal that’s purely for the story.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro: goal setting for the New Year

01:05 Resolutions vs “focuses” + why most goals get forgotten

05:25 Why reflecting on progress matters (avoid “what’s next?” spiral)

07:30 Pain vs pleasure: what really drives change

09:35 Goals in elite sport: clarity, focus, and dissatisfaction vs enjoyment

12:45 Meaning, responsibility, and the balance of ambition

14:25 Journey vs destination vs company (who you do life with)

16:20 Personal goals: “unreasonably fun” + events and challenges

24:00 Feeling-based goals vs tick-box goals (North Star thinking)

27:10 Morning routines + how habits set up the day

34:20 “Dimmers” and seasons of life (family/work/health/social balance)

40:10 One practical tip: keep it simple + take 30 minutes to formalise it

41:10 The “unreasonably fun” challenge (do something epic this year)

43:30 Outro

Today we’re wrapping up 2025 with a light, honest, end-of-year Christmas episode. No deep dives, just real chat.

Tim, Elizabeth and Sophie reflect on a massive year for O-Studio: new hubs, new people, new lessons… and the chaos and joy that always comes with the holiday season.

They share:

• What they’re personally looking forward to this summer

• How to handle the financial + emotional pressure of the holidays

• Why simplicity is the secret to a great break

• Their top three holiday season tips

• Fun games, routines, and ways to slow down and reset

• Why “tan lines on your feet” = the sign of a good life

You’ll walk away with practical reminders, some laughs, and a nudge to create a holiday season that actually feels good — not stressful.

If you’re looking for a simple, meaningful gift this year, pop into any O-Studio for a wellness experience someone will actually use.

Sauna, ice bath, float, massage - the gift of time, space and calm.

As part of our O-Studio Owner Series, we’re sitting down with Rebecca Thompson - or as most of us know her, Bex.

Each of our owners has a unique story of how they came to love recovery and wellbeing, and ultimately why they chose to bring those experiences back to their community. Bex’s journey is a powerful place to begin.

Soon to open O-Studio Mount Maunganui with her husband, Russ, Bex shares a raw and honest story of pain, healing, resilience, and the mind–body connection that completely changed the direction of her life.

A special episode to kick off a special series.

Stay up to date with O-Studio The Mount on Instagram and sign up to their community here.

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From Christchurch Boys’ High to 100 All Black Tests and two Rugby World Cups, Owen Franks’ story is one of relentless discipline, mindset, and self-belief.

In this episode, we talk about the vision that drove him from a 14-year-old with big dreams to one of the most respected props in world rugby. Owen chats to us about the habits that set him apart, the role his family played, lessons in consistency, and his journey beyond the game, including his recent battle with cancer and what truly matters to him now.

A powerful conversation on mindset, discipline and high performance.

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Want to learn more about owning your own O-Studio - click here.

If you enjoyed this episode please give us a 5-star rating, follow and share it - it helps us more than you know!

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In this episode, we dive into the story behind O-Studio’s move across the ditch - why now, how it came together, who we’re partnering with, and what really went into the decision.

If you're in Australia or know someone who is, let them know... O-Studio is coming.

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Want to learn more about owning your own O-Studio - click here.

If you enjoyed this episode please give us a 5-star rating, follow and share it - it helps us more than you know!

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With spring in full swing, we thought it was the right time to share a theme we always come back to at this point in the year - finishing the year strong. In this episode, we’ll share our best tips and practical steps to help you close out the year with clarity, energy, and momentum.

We'd love to here what you do to finish the year strong, tell us in the comments.

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Want to learn more about owning your own O-Studio - click here.

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Today, we’re joined by Matt Bateman. From his early days in the fitness world to founding the HIIT Squad, Matt has built more than just a training space - he’s created a community. In this episode, we dive into his journey, the importance of connection and community, the challenges he’s faced, and how recovery and resilience continue to shape his work and his life.

Connect with Matt here.

Check out the HIIT Squad here.

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Artificial Intelligence is no longer just hype - it’s reshaping how we live, work, and connect.

In this episode, we sit down with Cameron Mair, Head of Data and AI Enablement at the University of Canterbury, to go beyond the buzzwords and explore what AI really is, where it’s heading, and how it’s already embedded in our everyday lives.

From the opportunities to supercharge productivity and wellbeing to the ethical challenges and fears about the future, Cam breaks down complex ideas into clear, relatable insights. We talk practical tools, the skills that will matter most in an AI-driven world, and how we can lean into this technology without losing our human connection.

We'd love to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below.

Connect with Cameron here.

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We're excited to keep bringing you quality episodes while we continue to explore the art of feeling better, every second Wednesday.

Own the moment.

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In this deeply moving and insight-packed episode, we sit down with Dr. Lucy Hone who is a globally recognised resilience and wellbeing researcher, author, and speaker.

We explore what it really means to flourish, even in the face of life’s toughest moments. Lucy shares powerful, practical tools for building resilience, why “bouncing back” is a myth, and how to turn adversity into purpose without toxic positivity.

She opens up about her personal journey through unimaginable loss, the science that guided her, and how we can all develop our own unique “recipe” for resilience. This is a conversation about hope, meaning, and finding a way forward - no matter what life throws at you.

Connect with Dr. Lucy:

drlucyhone.com

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LinkedIn

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