On the 116th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome Sue McDonnell—an executive coach, psychotherapist, and lifelong student of leadership, transformation, and human systems. With decades of experience guiding senior leaders and teams, Sue helps people break free from old patterns and embrace new possibilities.

Her approach is deeply systemic, recognising leadership as an interconnected dance rather than an isolated act. She has worked with executive teams at renowned companies, across several industries, facilitating interventions that honour both the seen and unseen forces shaping leadership.

Drawing on a wealth of experience—over 8,000 coaching hours—and influences from a range of great teachers, Sue blends relational intelligence, emotional agility, and adaptive leadership. For her, true leadership isn’t about control—it’s about presence.

Rooted in curiosity about the human experience, the wisdom of her Irish heritage, and a deep commitment to growth, Sue brings a unique perspective to leadership and change.

In this wonderfully soulful conversation, we explore what it means to navigate uncertainty, stay open-hearted in difficult times, and a connection with something bigger than ourselves. We also explore eternal ties with ancestors, touching on the unseen threads that weave through our lives.

This episode is an invitation to embrace the unknown with curiosity, wisdom, grace, and a deeper sense of connection.

For more of Sue's work, check out the following:
Website: https://www.suemcdonnell.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-mcdonnell-91b5983/

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring this question for yourself: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/your-personal-interview
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

00:00 Our relationship with uncertainty

04:00 Reconnecting with the land of your birth

09:35 Overwhelming connections with the divine feminine

13:10 Curiosity around our lineage and ancestors

17:52 Feeling held and protected by ancestors

24:00 Feeling the presence of the dead

26:40 Allowing our hearts to open

30:00 The conversation and connection is eternal

34:00 An awareness of the range of this life

38:45 The role of expectations in suffering

45:31 We are always disappearing and growing

48:40 Connecting with the divine

54.40 What is a good life for Sue?

On the 115th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Ariane de Bonvoisin. Ariane is a global soul, having lived in a dozen countries on 4 continents. She is a mother to her son Everest, a wife to her beloved, Alfie, and a dog-mom to her golden retriever Waffle. She has worked in venture capital, the music industry, launched her own start up, was a management consultant a very long time ago and now loves coaching CEO’s, founders, athletes and being a confidante for their professional and personal journeys. She is also a published author of many books, including her bestseller, The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Making Any Change Easier, which has been translated in a dozen languages.

She has been a keynote at many conferences including Oprah's, been invited to speak at places like Amazon, Google and the World Bank and also co-created a best-selling game called KidQuest with her son. She has been a world class swimmer and a ski instructor. She was also part of an award-winning documentary called The Highest Pass—a motorcycle journey through the highest roads in the Himalayas.

In this captivating conversation, we explore how to fully integrate our spiritual lives, paying attention to our intuition, and ultimately embracing self-acceptance and the present moment.

For more of Ariane's work, check out the following:
Website: https://www.arianedebonvoisin.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arianed1/

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring this question for yourself: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/your-personal-interview
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

00:00 How to live a spiritual life while fully being in this world?

08:00 Being allergic to her life choices

15:50 My intuition speaks loudest in the morning

20:22 Jumping into the void and faith

25:00 Exploring change and transition

28:10 Asking for guidance 

32:00 Conversations with the divine

35:30 Accepting what is and retreat in the everyday

40:10 Loving and accepting our minds

43:19 The journey to self-love

49:30 Acceptance of life and ourselves

52:30 The universe is the third parent

55:00 Recap and what is a good life for Ariane?

On the 114th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Andrew Alexander. Andrew is a husband, father, and grandfather, as well as a teacher, educator, and writer. Writing about intergenerational relationships in learning and the significance of education in a time of uncertainty.

For nearly forty years he worked with students in independent, informal, progressive/alternative schools, including Brockwood Park School - founded by the educator and philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti.

In this insightful conversation, we delve into the nuanced nature of freedom, exploring its relationship with responsibility and the importance of mutual respect. We discuss how societal narratives often distort the understanding of freedom, leading to an illusion of individualism that neglects the interconnectedness of human relationships.

This conversation is an invitation to reconsider what we think about freedom, a theme deeply connected to our sense of a good life.

For more of Andrew's work, check out the following:
Newsletter: https://andrewalexander.substack.com/

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring this question for yourself: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/your-personal-interview
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

00:00 Introduction

01:30 How have we not learned?

06:20 Questioning our ideas of freedom

12:10 Limitations with individualised ideas of freedom

18:20 Freedom and responsibility 

23:20 A deeper sense of freedom

30:45 Why is freedom important?

36:31 Freedom and our interconnectivity 

44:00 The trap of creating an image of ourselves

48:30 The relationship between freedom and fear

56:30 Attention, time, and freedom

1:04:48 Recap and what is a good life for Andrew?

On the 113th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Minna Salami. Minna is an author and social critic, and currently senior fellow and research chair at The New Institute. She is the author of Sensuous Knowledge and Can Feminism Be African?, and her work appears in the Guardian, Project Syndicate, Al Jazeera, and other outlets.

In this incredibly captivating conversation, Minna shares her sense of living an extraordinary life, emphasising the importance of attentiveness and curiosity. We explore childhood and mystical experiences and their impact on her understanding of life. 

This conversation is an invitation to notice, to really pay attention to life, and to live your own full expression of life.

For more of Minna's work, check out the following:
Newsletter: https://msafropolitan.com/
The New Institute: https://thenew.institute/en/people/minna-salami
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minnasalami_/?hl=en

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring this question for yourself: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/your-personal-interview
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

00:00 Introduction

01:25 Living An Extraordinary Life

04:21 Attentiveness and Curiosity

07:32 Childhood Reflections and Early Experiences

10:22 The Nature of Mystical Experiences

13:21 Appreciating Life's Continuity

19:15 Reflections on near-death experiences

26:00 A Groundedness of Being

29:10 The Range of Human Experience

32:10 The Intersection of Spiritual and Political Journeys

37:43 Navigating Obstacles: The Tension of Growth

41:10 Embracing Paradox: Grace and Anger

48:55 Spirituality and Feminism: A Symbiotic Relationship

58:10 What is a Good Life for Minna?

On the 112th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Anne-Laure Le Cunff, PhD. Anne-Laure is an award-winning neuroscientist and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Ness Labs, where her weekly newsletter is read by more than 100,000 curious minds. Her research at King’s College London focuses on the psychology and neuroscience of lifelong learning, curiosity, and adaptability. Her book, Tiny Experiments, is a transformative guide for living a more experimental life, turning uncertainty into curiosity, and carving a path of self-discovery. Her work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Forbes, Financial Times, WIRED, and more.

In this wonderful conversation, we explore the themes of curiosity, connection, and the journey from a linear to an experimental approach to life. Anne-Laure shares her personal experiences of feeling lost yet free and of embracing uncertainty and designing playful experiments in various aspects of life. 

This conversation is an invitation to experiment more with our lives.

For more of Anne-Laure's work, check out the following:
Tiny Experiments: https://nesslabs.com/book
Anne-Laure’s Newsletter: https://nesslabs.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuranne/

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

00:00 Introduction

01:17 Embracing Curiosity and Connection

03:11 The Journey from Linear to Experimental Living

06:06 Finding Joy in Uncertainty

10:20 Designing Playgrounds for Experimentation

12:30 The Structure of Freedom in Experimentation

15:09 Redefining Success: Cycles of Learning

18:31 The Intimacy of Curiosity and Growth

21:08 Quality of Life Through Adventure and Experimentation

29:19 The Importance of Play and Time

30:28 Understanding Time: Chronos vs. Kairos

36:56 Curiosity and Age: The Impact of Time Perception

40:17 The Industrial Society's Effect on Curiosity

42:53 Finding Joy in the Process

46:18 The Emotional Journey of Completing a Book

48:27 Reconnecting with Curiosity

51:34 The Surprising Connection Between Curiosity and Emotions

52:52 What is a good life for Anne-Laure?

On the 111th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Dr. Senem Donatan Mohan. Senem is a storyteller, story practitioner, and author based in Dublin, who is originally from Turkey. She holds a PhD degree in natural sciences and blends creative arts with science. Through her concepts Stories Cure and Aliveness Within she focuses on cultural and individual vitality. Over the past two decades, Senem has touched the lives of thousands of children and adults through her performances and books. 

In this wonderful conversation, we explore the undercurrents and rhythms of life, balancing masculine and feminine energies, the visible and invisible, the guiding capacities of our inner child, moments of being lost in time, and the transformative powers of storytelling.

The whole conversation embodies this rhythm and noticing.

For further content and information check out the following:
- Senem's website: senemdonatanmohan.com
- Senem's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senem-donatan-mohan/

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

00:00 Introduction
01:11 Exploring the Undercurrents of Life
04:02 The Story Behind Valentine's Day

07:24 Sensing Rituals and Traditions

10:10 The Magic of Daily Life

13:09 Creativity and Personal Journey

16:09 Finding Vitality in Everyday Moments

27:10 Embracing Timelessness and Creativity

29:23 The Dance of Science and Art

32:49 Navigating the Duality of Speed and Depth

37:31 Connecting with the Inner Child

39:48 The Transformative Power of Storytelling

46:01 Communicating with Ancestral Spirits

53:29 What is a Good Life for Senem?

On the 110th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Paul Davis. Paul is an award-winning business growth consultant and speaker, a three-time best-selling author, an intuitive business mentor, and a recognised thought leader. He combines his innate intuitive gifts and years of business growth experience to help guide clients to greater results.

In this conversation, Paul shares his lifelong quest to understand what keeps him wanting to live life and how he has navigated through various philosophies and methodologies to find his purpose. We explore his realisation of his intuitive abilities, the significance of our intentions, discovering our soul contracts, and the importance of being your genius you.

Paul has a fascinating story and this whole episode is a wonderful invitation to rekindle the power of our intuition.

For further content and information check out the following:
- Paul's website: https://davisbusinessconsultants.com/
- Paul's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauldavisdublin/

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

00:00 Introduction
01:37 Exploring the Question of Life's Purpose

10:41 The Journey of Self-Discovery and Intuition

19:47 Understanding Intuition and Its Impact

31:39 Connecting with the Super Conscious

32:08 The Concept of Super-Consciousness

33:04 Personal Journey to God

37:07 Experiencing Unconditional Love

39:03 Partnership with the Divine

42:13 Understanding Time and Destiny

45:48 Exploring Soul Contracts

52:59 Transitioning from Accountant to Intuitive Consultant

57:20 What is a Good Life for Paul?

On the 109th episode of What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Fabrice Desmarescaux. Fabrice is a seasoned partner at McKinsey & Company, on a transformative journey of leadership evolution. With a rich background in integrating Eastern spiritual traditions into Western management, Fabrice works closely with CEOs and teams to elevate performance and consciousness. In a world grappling with complexity, his approach focuses on fundamental human elements—happiness, connection, and purpose. He is the author of The Art of Retreats, a guide for expanding consciousness through short personal retreats, which introduces a groundbreaking approach for business leaders facing the challenges of a fragmented, high-pressure, and complex world. 

In this insightful conversation, Fabrice shares his journey of self-discovery and reinvention, exploring the evolving questions of meaning, purpose, and fulfilment as we move through life. He reflects on the shift from success to significance, the contrast between commitment and drifting, and the challenges of control and acceptance in our careers. He discusses integrating spirituality into his professional life, emphasising that finding purpose is an experiential journey rather than an intellectual one.

This conversation invites you to reflect on what truly matters, experiment with life, and tune into your embodied experience in the search for meaning.

For further content and information check out the following:
- Fabrice's website & book: https://www.desmarescaux.com/
- Fabrice's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabrice-desmarescaux/

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

00:00 Navigating the Second Half of Life

06:06 The Shift from Success to Significance

09:13 Wisdom and Perspective in Aging

12:01 Control and Acceptance in Professional Life

15:01 Awakening to Meaning and Fulfilment

17:58 The Process of Reinvention

20:50 Navigating Change and Loss

23:53 The Importance of Reflection and Processing

26:54 Spiritual Exploration and Personal Growth

34:39 The Journey of Self-Discovery

37:27 Integrating Spirituality into Professional Life

39:58 The Importance of Purpose and Meaning

42:11 Commitment vs. Drifting in Life

48:20 Finding Purpose Through Experience

01:02:31 What is a good life for Fabrice?

On the 108th episode of What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Ruth McCarthy. Reading Nancy Kline’s book Time to Think, meeting her in 2008, and experiencing for the first time the power of uninterrupted attention set Ruth on a completely new path in life in her early 50s. Challenging our limiting assumptions takes practice, and listening with the promise of no interruption can transform our relationships and results. Inspired by this, Ruth founded her consultancy, Think It Through, and as Global Faculty at Time to Think, she works with individuals and organisations across corporate, public, and non-profit sectors. Her mission? To listen to inspire deep trust, communication, and the courage to think for yourself in an increasingly polarised and volatile world. 

In this wonderful conversation, Ruth shares her journey of self-discovery and the liberation that comes from embracing one's true self and observing what we are becoming. She emphasises the importance of attention and self-awareness in navigating life's complexities. We delve into the significance of ease in conversations, the impact of suppressed feelings on our well-being, and the transformative powers of thinking for oneself, curiosity, and listening.

This episode invites you to slow down, challenge your assumptions, and truly pay attention—to yourself and those around you. By doing so, you might just open the door to a life of possibility that continually surprises you.

For further content and information check out the following:
- Ruth's website: www.thinkitthrough.co.uk
- Ruth's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthmccarthy100/

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

00:00 Introduction

03:00 Who am I becoming?

08:10 Increasing self-awareness and big changes

12:40 The quality of our thinking and attention 

15:25 Ease and letting go of the rush

23:49 Draining our energy by suppressing emotions

29:12 The experience of major shifts in perspective

37:14 The freedom in paying attention to now

47:10 A way of being not just a practice

55:25 Becoming a good ancestor

58:45 What is a good life for Ruth?

On the 107th episode of What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce our guest, Ben Bushill. Ben is a writer, spoken word artist and ceremony holder. His passion is the remembrance and sanctification of our human lives as we try to understand our place and our belonging in the vast unfolding web of existence. In his work as a poet he aims to bring us to the place where we can be grateful and humble before the truth of our undeniable vulnerability and humanity. His ceremonial work with marriages, memorials, ritual and circles of wise love is a way for us to feel and honour the key moments of our lives beyond ideas of religion or alignment. He has been a student of a Sufi mystery school for the last twenty years and is currently setting the foundations for the establishment of a new school. 

In this enlightening conversation, Ben shares his journey of balancing the divine and the ordinary, alongside his ongoing inquiry into how he will meet each day. We explore the paradox of being deeply connected to life yet alone, the softening of the heart, and the link between vulnerability, the unknown, and aliveness. We also discuss the expression of our essence in shaping our purpose and the challenges of being human, all the while holding onto the hand of love.

This conversation feels like a love letter to the human experience, embracing its struggles while celebrating its wonder. I suspect it will leave you feeling more at home in your own life.

For further content and information check out the following:
- Ben's website: https://www.benbushill.com/

- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- The Silent Conversations: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-silent-conversations

Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week Silent Conversation group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.

00:00 Introduction

03:00 How do I meet this day?

07:30 Balancing the divine and ordinary sense of life

11:58 The paradox of being alone and connected

17:40 The tenderising of the human heart

24:40 The vulnerability of the unknown

28:20 The love of your own essence

36:00 The longing of your soul 

40:30 Vulnerability and aliveness

43:00 Your purpose is your essence

51:40 Navigating the paradox

58:30 Embracing the symphony of life

1:00:40 What is a good life for Ben?