Pause Purpose Play

Do you feel the pressure to look perfect and or feel bad about the way you look? Perhaps you wish you looked like the perfect models or influencers on social media? Today's guest is Amanda Thomas, a fashion, beauty and portrait photographer shooting for fashion and beauty brands and ambitious big thinkers. She is passionate about how beauty comes from within and radiates out, and believes that rat...

What is a compassionate couple, and how do you create an atmosphere of compassion in your relationship?  What would your day-to-day look like, if you could communicate and resolve issues with compassion?  If your partner is reluctant to address problems in your relationship, tune into this episode to understand that all couples have problems, it's human. If you do address them, you can be having a...

Mindfulness and meditation can feel fluffy, or like something which is "good for you", but you don't have time for in your busy schedule.  In this episode, I chat with Shamash Alidina about what mindfulness actually is, how you can practise it in a way which suits you, and how starting small with everyday simple activities is a great way to create a new habit of everyday mindful moments.   Shamash...

Do you struggle to get your point across to your loved one? If you don't talk, how will you understand each other?  It's not just what you say to your partner that matters, it's also how you say it. How you listen and speak with your loved one can determine how effective your problem solving and decision making is too.  This episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter fourteen of my new book...

Do you say no? Can you set boundaries?  In this episode, I'm talking to Naketa Ren Thigpen, about how setting boundaries helps us create balance in our lives.  Naketa R. Thigpen, LCSW, regarded as the #1 Balance & Relationship Advisor in the World  has become the go-to for fast-scaling married women entrepreneurs and power couples seeking to balance love and success without dimming or apologizing...

How can we survive and thrive after the worst possible happens? How can we reconnect with our purpose, when tragedy strikes and our path is forever altered? Heidi Herkes shares a journey of overcoming paralysis in the hope to inspire and empower. She talks about how challenges are what makes life interesting but overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. In this episode we cover -  4:53 The ph...

What matters to you? In your life and in your relationship? Are you acting like the person you want to be? And the partner you want to be? In this episode, based on chapter 13 of my book The Lasting Connection, I discuss values and meaning, and how we can close the gap between our values and our behaviour by making conscious choices to act in line with our values.   Order my book here Join the wai...

In this episode, I talk about learning to accept the darker parts of ourselves and our partner, learning to be compassionate towards every part of you.  This episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter twelve of my new book, The Lasting Connection, where we learn about finding compassion for every one of our selves, and write a letter to our partner, expressing that compassion for every part...

Have you tried to make changes to your life? Drink less, get into shape, or other things to improve your health? How often have you berated yourself when you can't keep it up, when you fail to reach your goal? This week, I'm speaking to Shahroo Izadi about how kindness is key to achieving our goals and changing our habits.  Shahroo is a Behavioural Change Specialist, speaker and bestselling author...

Do you get angry? We all do, it's human. If you are hard on yourself for your anger, or want to find ways of relating to your anger differently, tune into this episode with Dr Russell Kolts.    Dr. Russell Kolts is a clinical psychologist and Professor at Eastern Washington University, USA. He has worked with anger issues in combat veterans, sexual assault survivors, children and adolescents, and...

Are you hard on yourself for mistakes you make? Do you beat yourself up for your shortcomings? In this episode, I explore why we listen to our inner critic, what function it serves for you, and how we can calm that voice inside ourselves. This episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter eleven of my new book, The Lasting Connection, where we dive deep into how to soothe the inner critical vo...

Do you take time for you, to nourish yourself as a mother? This week, I am speaking to Sara Campin. Sara is a mum of two, a personal development coach and founder of Nourish, a new wellbeing app for mums offering bite-sized wellbeing & calm in your pocket.  Sara is a passionate advocate of all things that nourish the mind and is on a mission to empower mums to look after their mental health & well...

How connected are you to your body? This week, I'm excited to welcome Dr Sula Windgassen, who is not only my guest, but also the newest member of The Thomas Connection. Dr Sula Windgassen works in the NHS as a health psychologist, providing psychological interventions for a range of physical health conditions including IBS, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and painful bladder syndrom...

In this episode, I talk about the distinction between self care and self compassion, and how we need acts of self-care to be driven by a compassionate motivation in order for them to be helpful, not harmful. Looking after yourself out of fear or disgust is not driven by self-compassion.  This episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter ten of my new book, The Lasting Connection. You can expe...

Are you able to accept help when it's given? In this episode, I talk about how hard it can be to notice when care and support is given, and how we can be blocked in accepting or even more so, asking for that support. I cover why cultivating an inner mentor can help you become kinder to yourself and others - and allow you the permission to let all that love in. This episode of Pause Purpose Play is...

In this episode I speak to Alexander Rozental about procrastination and perfectionism. Alexander Rozental is a Licensed Psychologist in Sweden, with a PhD from the Department of Psychology at Stockholm University, and he is presently a Post Doctoral Researcher at the Centre for Psychiatry Research at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. Alexander has published research and a book on the subject of...

In today's slightly more vulnerable and personal episode, I'm celebrating pub day! It's finally here - my new book, The Lasting Connection, published today! I will tell you about my journey into writing, and how I made space for writing this book as part of my business, to not run the risk of burning out in the process.    Order my book at Bookshop here   Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk I...

In this episode, I talk about cultivating a garden where you and your partner can grow into the best versions of yourselves, by letting compassion flow out from yourself. This isn't easy when we are under pressure, but doing small acts can create a climate of warmth, trust and respect.  This episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter eight of my new book, The Lasting Connection. You can exp...

In this episode, I talk about understanding the different versions of your 'self' that show up in your relationship, and cultivating a compassionate self. This episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter seven of my new book, The Lasting Connection. You can expect these special episodes, to appear in your feed every couple of days, with conversations between me and other couples and relation...

In this week's conversation I talk to Sophie Burch about taking care of our mental and relationship health before and after birth. Sophie Burch aka The Mamma Coach is on a mission to put mental wellbeing more on the map in pregnancy, birth and parenting.  She has 14 years as a mother to 4 boys (including twins), as a perinatal therapist and coach, and a birth trauma and PND survivor.  Her experien...

It's not just the absence of something negative that makes for lasting connections - reducing your arguments, hostility or criticism. You also need the presence of something positive, something good. A feeling of closeness, a bond, feeling content in each other's company and feeling safe.  One of the first steps towards a lasting connection, is understanding your emotions. If you don't get them, h...

If you don't notice your partner, how can you improve your connection with them? If you don't notice your own feelings, thoughts or urges, how can you express what you want or need in your relationship? In this episode, I talk about how practicing formal or informal mindfulness can help you to calm your time-travelling brain, connect with the world around you in the here and now, and connect more...

In this episode, I talk about the characteristics that make or break a relationship. I invite you to consider which attributes your current or past relationship has, and to examine your intentions to help you move forward with strengthening your bond. This episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter four of my new book, The Lasting Connection. You can expect these special episodes, to appear...

In this week's conversation I talk to Dr. Tracy Dalgleish about how our attachment styles affect our relationship dynamics, and how we can change the patterns we fall into with our partner. Dr. Tracy Dalgleish is a Clinical Psychologist and couples therapist who helps individuals and couples navigate the challenges we all face in our relationships and within ourselves to create a more meaningful l...

In this episode, I talk about the strains on connection that modern relationships experience, including hardship, pressure to be perfect and globalisation, and the antidote to all this disconnection - compassion. This episode of Pause Purpose Play is based on chapter three of my new book, The Lasting Connection. You can expect these special episodes, to appear in your feed every couple of days, wi...