We hear a lot about gratitude.

We're encouraged to keep gratitude journals, write daily lists and focus on the positives. But when life feels difficult, overwhelming or uncertain, gratitude can sometimes feel like an unrealistic expectation rather than something that genuinely helps.

In this episode of The Purposeful Shift, Emma explores gratitude from a different perspective.

Rather than seeing gratitude as pretending everything is perfect, she reflects on how it can help us notice that not everything is bad. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience and positive psychology research, Emma explores why our brains naturally focus on what's missing, and how intentionally shifting our attention can improve our wellbeing, strengthen relationships and help us see our lives through a different lens.

Emma also reflects on the influence of manifestation teachers such as Roxie Nafousi, Noor Hibbert and Vanessa Jaden, alongside the work of researchers including Robert Emmons, Martin Seligman and Barbara Fredrickson, highlighting the growing evidence behind gratitude practices and their impact on optimism, resilience and emotional wellbeing.

Sharing personal reflections, including the story of her rescue dog Griff, (be warned for wobbly voice), Emma explores how gratitude isn't simply about making lists, but about learning to reframe our experiences, appreciate what has shaped us, and recognise the everyday moments that often go unnoticed.

Ultimately, this episode is an invitation to slow down, pay closer attention and discover that gratitude isn't about having a perfect life - it's about recognising the goodness that's already present alongside life's challenges.

Take a sheet of paper and divide it into three columns.

In the first column write:

What am I grateful for?

In the second column write:

Why does this matter to me?

And in the third column write:

What does this tell me about what I value?

Rather than simply creating a list, this exercise encourages you to explore what your gratitude reveals about the things, people and experiences that matter most, helping you make more intentional choices about how you spend your time, energy and attention.

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In this episode of The Purposeful Shift, Emma is joined by artist, Toubie Jack, for a conversation about creativity, purpose, confidence, and using art as a force for positive change.

Toubie shares her journey from mural artist and children's art facilitator to becoming a self-described "plastic artist", transforming unrecyclable plastic waste into striking artworks and large-scale community sculptures.

What began as a lockdown experiment using discarded food packaging has evolved into a creative practice with a powerful environmental message at its heart.

Together, Emma and Toubie explore the role creativity can play in helping us connect with our values, the importance of following what genuinely excites us, and how purpose often emerges through experimentation rather than careful planning. Toubie reflects on the joy she finds in creating, her passion for community engagement, and her mission to help people see the potential hidden within materials that would otherwise end up in landfill.

Toubie shares the story behind her current Masters project - a giant inflatable fish made from fused plastic waste and created with contributions from hundreds of local school children. Through workshops, festivals, and community participation, she hopes to inspire people of all ages to think differently about waste, creativity and the power of collective action.

About Toubie Jack

Toubie Jack is a contemporary artist and creative practitioner whose work transforms unrecyclable plastic waste into artwork and community-led creative projects. Combining environmental awareness with creativity and education, Toubie's work encourages people to rethink waste and explore new possibilities through art.

She is currently completing a Masters degree and developing a large-scale inflatable fish sculpture created in collaboration with local schools and community groups.

Instagram: @plastic_art_studio

Website: Www.plasticartstudio.co.uk

Didsbury Arts Festival Parade
5 July 2026

Didsbury Arts Festival

• Cornwall Scrapstore - https://cornwallscrapstore.co.uk/ 
• Pencils of Promise - https://pencilsofpromise.org/ 
• Pens for Kids - https://www.pensforkids.co.uk/ 
• Halfords Bike Re-Cycle - https://www.halfords.com/bikes/services-advice/re-cycle.html 

Thank you for listening to The Purposeful Shift.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to welcome you to my weekly newsletter.

It's a space where I share reflections, ideas and practical exercises that build on the conversations from the podcast, helping you to keep making small, purposeful shifts in your own life.

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In this episode of The Purposeful Shift, Emma reflects on the importance of recognising our own progress and the evidence we've built through life's experiences. Inspired by a quote from manifestation coach Vanessa Jaden, she explores the connection between belief, growth, and possibility, considering how acknowledging our achievements can help us feel more confident about what's still to come.

Drawing on psychology, Emma discusses concepts including hedonic adaptation - our tendency to quickly normalise achievements and move the goal posts - and Albert Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, which suggests that our belief in our own abilities grows through evidence of overcoming challenges and succeeding in the past.

Emma also reflects on her own journey, sharing the story of building a successful wedding photography business from scratch, and how easily we can forget the courage, determination, and resilience that helped us achieve things we once believed were beyond our reach.

Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that growth isn't only about becoming more. It's also about recognising who you've already become, celebrating the progress you've made, and using that evidence to believe in the possibilities that still lie ahead.

Take a sheet of paper and divide it into three columns.

In the first column write:

Five years ago I was...

In the second column write:

Today I am...

In the third column write:

What growth happened in between?

Rather than focusing solely on achievements, think about what you've learned, overcome and discovered about yourself during that time.

Write down every achievement you can think of, from the smallest everyday wins to the milestones you're most proud of.

Don't filter your list or compare it to anyone else's.

This isn't about impressing other people. It's about creating your own evidence bank - a reminder of everything you've already achieved and the resilience, courage and determination that helped you get there.

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Thank you for listening to The Purposeful Shift.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to welcome you to my weekly newsletter.

It's a space where I share reflections, ideas and practical exercises that build on the conversations from the podcast, helping you to keep making small, purposeful shifts in your own life.

Join the newsletter here.

In this episode of The Purposeful Shift, Emma explores one of the most common human experiences: comparison.

Building on recent conversations around courage, identity and trusting your own path, Emma reflects on how easily we measure ourselves against other people's lives, achievements and progress - and the impact this can have on our confidence, creativity and sense of direction.

Drawing on her own experience of launching the first Purposeful Shift retreat, Emma shares how quickly excitement can turn into self-doubt when we begin comparing ourselves to people who appear further ahead. She explores why comparison is such a natural human behaviour, the role it plays during periods of uncertainty and change, and why it often causes us to lose sight of how far we've already come.

The episode also considers the difference between comparison that inspires us and comparison that diminishes us, drawing on ideas from psychologist Leon Festinger, Theodore Roosevelt's famous quote that "comparison is the thief of joy", and insights from coach and author Martha Beck.

Rather than encouraging listeners to stop comparing themselves altogether, Emma invites a more curious approach. What might comparison be trying to tell us? And how can we use it to better understand our own hopes, values and aspirations?

The episode concludes with a simple reflection exercise to help listeners explore their own comparison triggers and reconnect with what matters most to them.

Take a sheet of paper and create three columns:

Who or what am I comparing myself to?

How does this comparison make me feel?

What is this comparison teaching me about what I want, value or need?

Take some time to sit with your answers and notice what emerges.

Thank you for listening to The Purposeful Shift.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to welcome you to my weekly newsletter.

It's a space where I share reflections, ideas and practical exercises that build on the conversations from the podcast, helping you to keep making small, purposeful shifts in your own life.

Join the newsletter here.

In this episode of The Purposeful Shift, Emma is joined by internationally renowned artist Sarah Hardacre for a thoughtful and honest conversation about creativity, identity, courage, and carving out your own path.

Sarah shares her journey from leaving school believing that art simply "wasn't for her" to building an internationally recognised artistic career whose work has featured in collections including the British Museum and Sotheby's London. As Sarah explains, becoming an artist was never part of a grand plan. Instead, it emerged through curiosity, experimentation and a willingness to follow what interested her.

Together, Emma and Sarah explore the limiting beliefs many of us carry around creativity, talent and what it means to be "good enough", and discuss how powerful it can be to find people and communities who help us believe in ourselves when we struggle to do so alone.

The conversation also explores the realities that often sit behind creative careers - balancing financial pressures, navigating imposter syndrome, managing ADHD and menopause, building a portfolio career, and creating a life that feels aligned with who you are.

Sarah also shares more about the themes behind her work, including women's experiences within urban spaces, hidden histories, visibility, identity, and the relationship between women's bodies and the environments around them.

Sarah Hardacre is an internationally recognised contemporary artist whose work explores women's experiences within the urban built environment and the complex relationship between female bodies, architecture and space. Her work has been exhibited widely and is held in collections including the British Museum and Sotheby's London.

Website: About | Sarah Hardacre

Instagram: @hardacre.sarah

• Short Supply
• Thread & Butter Collective
• Woodend Mill Open Studios

• Free The Nipple
• Don't Delete Art

Thank you for listening to The Purposeful Shift.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to welcome you to my weekly newsletter.

It's a space where I share reflections, ideas and practical exercises that build on the conversations from the podcast, helping you to keep making small, purposeful shifts in your own life.

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In this episode of The Purposeful Shift, Emma explores the quiet pressure many of us feel to follow the crowd - and the courage it can take to choose a different direction for ourselves.

Inspired by a chance conversation in a glass art gallery in Cornwall, this episode reflects on belonging, conformity, identity and what happens when we realise the life we're living no longer feels fully aligned with who we are becoming.

Emma shares the story of a striking artwork by Cornish glass artist Jo Downs featuring dozens of copper fish swimming in the same direction - except for one. One single fish swimming against the tide. And hidden within the design was a beautiful detail: that fish was the one the artist had quietly signed.

Drawing on psychological theory, Brené Brown's work on fitting in versus belonging, and the famous conformity experiments by Solomon Asch, Emma reflects on why standing out can feel so uncomfortable, even when part of us deeply wants something different.

This episode explores the tension between safety and authenticity, the exhaustion of constantly trying to fit in, and how one small act of courage can quietly inspire others to question their own direction too.

As you listen, you might want to reflect on:

• Where in your life are you swimming with the crowd simply because it feels safer?
• What direction no longer feels aligned for you?
• Is there a part of yourself you've been silencing or squashing in order to fit in?
• What might change look like if you trusted your own instincts slightly more?
• What would “turning the tide” look like in your own life?

Thank you for listening to The Purposeful Shift.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to welcome you to my weekly newsletter.

It's a space where I share reflections, ideas and practical exercises that build on the conversations from the podcast, helping you to keep making small, purposeful shifts in your own life.

Join the newsletter here.

In this episode of The Purposeful Shift, Emma explores something many of us quietly struggle with - taking action.

We can spend so much time reflecting, planning, researching, and waiting to feel “ready” that we mistake thinking for progress. But meaningful change rarely begins with confidence. More often, confidence is built through action itself.

This episode looks at why taking action can feel so difficult, even when we deeply want change. It explores some of the psychological barriers that keep us stuck - including perfectionism, fear of judgement, overwhelm, and the comfort of familiarity.

Drawing on ideas from Mel Robbins, James Clear and Dr Julie Smith, Emma reflects on how:

• action creates clarity
• motivation often follows movement rather than coming first
• small actions build self-trust over time
• momentum can quietly change the direction of our lives

Emma also shares some personal reflections around launching The Purposeful Shift podcast itself, including the fears, hesitation, and overthinking that almost stopped it from happening.

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, delaying a decision, or waiting for the “right time” to begin something meaningful, this episode is your gentle reminder that you probably do not need to feel fully ready before you start.

If you’d like to explore this further, Emma shares a simple journalling exercise using three columns:

• What I Keep Thinking About
• What’s Stopping Me
• One Small Action

The exercise is designed to help you move from overthinking into gentle, achievable action by identifying one small next step rather than trying to map out the entire journey at once.

• What keeps returning to your mind lately?
• Are you waiting for confidence before taking action?
• What fear might be sitting underneath your hesitation?
• What small action could you take this week?
• What might change if you stopped waiting to feel fully ready?

Thank you for listening to The Purposeful Shift.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to welcome you to my weekly newsletter.

It's a space where I share reflections, ideas and practical exercises that build on the conversations from the podcast, helping you to keep making small, purposeful shifts in your own life.

Join the newsletter here.

In this special guest episode of The Purposeful Shift, Emma is joined by spoken word poet Kelly Peters for a warm and honest conversation about change, creativity, and choosing a life that feels more true.

Kelly shares how, after years of working in education, raising her children and feeling as though life had become more about survival than joy, she made a bold decision to leave her home, move into a van, and start again in a new city.

Together, Emma and Kelly talk about van life, coming out later in life, creativity, ADHD, anxiety, community, open mic nights and the confidence that can grow when you begin taking small brave steps. Kelly also shares how poetry helped her reconnect with herself, find her voice, and build a new sense of belonging.

This is a conversation about letting go of expectation, learning to take up space, and discovering that change does not have to come with all the answers already in place.

If you have ever felt quietly stuck, or wondered whether it is too late to choose something different, Kelly’s story is a beautiful reminder that life can shift in ways you might not yet be able to imagine.

You can follow Kelly’s poetry journey on Instagram @kellypeterspoetry 

Thank you for listening to The Purposeful Shift.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to welcome you to my weekly newsletter.

It's a space where I share reflections, ideas and practical exercises that build on the conversations from the podcast, helping you to keep making small, purposeful shifts in your own life.

Join the newsletter here.

This week’s episode of The Purposeful Shift is inspired by a line from a song you may know, 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out' by Oasis.

The line - “You can’t change what’s been and gone.”

In this reflective episode, Emma explores what it really means to let go of the past, stop replaying old stories, and begin trusting what comes next.

Together, we consider why we hold onto thoughts, memories and situations that no longer serve us, how familiar pain can sometimes feel safer than uncertainty, and why acceptance can be one of the most powerful forms of healing.

This episode invites you to gently shift your focus away from what can no longer be changed and towards the future you are still creating.

Reflection prompts from this episode:

• What am I still carrying that no longer serves me?
• What would happen if I loosened my grip on the past?
• What do I want my next chapter to feel like?
• What am I ready to release?
• What am I ready to create?

Future-Focused Reflection Exercise:

Draw two columns in your journal:

• What I Am Releasing
• What I Am Creating

Under “Releasing”, write down the thoughts, fears, stories or expectations you are ready to let go of.

Under “Creating”, write down the feelings, beliefs and energy you want to move towards instead.

Thank you for listening.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to welcome you to my weekly newsletter.

It's a space where I share reflections, ideas and practical exercises that build on the conversations from the podcast, helping you to keep making small, purposeful shifts in your own life.

Join the newsletter here.

In this episode of The Purposeful Shift, we begin to gently move forward.

Following recent episodes that explore around your why, purpose and Ikigai, this episode shifts the focus from reflection to what comes next. It explores future-focused thinking - how to release the weight of the past, realign your mindset, and begin creating your next chapter from a place of belief rather than fear.

We explore why we often stay anchored in the past, how that shapes our thoughts and energy, and how small mindset shifts can help you step into a more expansive and possibility-focused way of thinking.

Affirmations to try:

• I am creating more ease in my work
• I am attracting aligned opportunities
• I am becoming the woman I have always wanted to be

Reflection questions:

• What am I ready to stop carrying into my next chapter?
• What beliefs or fears am I ready to release?
• What version of me am I ready to say thank you to and outgrow?
• What am I ready to release before the summer solstice (21st June)?
• How do I want to feel in the second half of 2026 - emotionally, mentally and energetically?
• What would my future self thank me for doing today?

This episode encourages you to give yourself permission to look ahead, to think differently, and to take small, aligned steps towards the version of you that already exists beneath the surface.

Your future isn’t something you wait for - it’s something you begin creating, moment by moment, step by step, action by action. 

Thank you for listening.

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to welcome you to my weekly newsletter.

It's a space where I share reflections, ideas and practical exercises that build on the conversations from the podcast, helping you to keep making small, purposeful shifts in your own life.

Join the newsletter here.