Sideways

This week we're discussing the ways in which finding things to laugh about helps us to feel better about ourselves and how elusive it becomes in the madness of addiction. I spot a pop star lookalike, Martin is unimpressed with a lofty claim from a drinking game app, and we discover that shoes can be very useful in an emergency. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.subst...

This week we're talking about how to work out what matters most in life and to prioritise that instead of wasting time flicking through pictures of cats playing the piano (unless that IS important to you). We wonder why Henry James felt the need to repeat himself, disagree about Britpop, and observe a distinct lack of furniture restoration from Jay Blades on the BBC show "The Repair Shop...

This week we're talking about how to take care of our own needs in a positive and sustainable way, making sure that we move away from self-destruction and self-medicating towards something that is good for us in the long term. We discuss memorable sporting injuries, debate the best filling for a crispy pancake, and find gratitude close to home. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://...

This week we're talking about why seeking revenge when we feel hurt by someone else never gives us the resolution we're looking for. We debate the importance of choosing the right footwear when driving the car, highlight the perils of ordering a calendar online, and reminisce about the heady aroma of creosote. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You...

This week we're discussing the reasons why reported abductions by aliens have reduced in number over the past year or so and what it might have to do with alcohol. We're also talking about the little-known phenomenon of alcoholic blackouts. We manage to find our way to these subjects via pancakes and the 1970s chart-toppers Showaddywaddy. At one point we're even rudely interrupted b...

This week we're talking about why some of us have a tendency to hold ourselves to impossibly high standards and take responsibility for things that don't work out even when they really have very little to do with us. There's also quite a lot of football chat, most of which is in context rather than indulgent, much of which is also ridiculous. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/...

This week we're discussing the perils of gifting alcohol. What might seem like a benign and thoughtful gesture could when given to the wrong person, create a negative and even dangerous response. I tell Martin about a most awkward experience involving a gift of alcohol, he shows little interest in my enthusiasm for grapes, and we ponder on the reasons that grandmothers have so much talcum pow...

This week, we're discussing the much-believed myth that you can be born with an addictive personality and we identify some of the real reasons you're likely to find yourself with addiction issues. We also talk about what it means when you see yourself as lazy, how Tibetan singing bowls have convinced Martin we're now social influencers, and the sad demise of "Pick n Mix"....

This week we're talking about why the phrase, "I'm a little bit OCD," or "She's a bit of an alcoholic" can never be true. We discuss the difference between OCD and anxiety, and I risk triggering Martin by talking about records left out of their sleeves. We also chat about the merits of broadcasting your recovery on Tik Tok, and discover why I've been sleepy...

This week we're talking about how we establish emotional balance, what it actually is, and, once we've got it balanced, how we can keep it there. We also discuss the side effects of Covid vaccines, have a bit of an argument about Mental Health Awareness Week, and Martin tries to explain the meaning of Pi. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You can e...

This week we're talking about failure. What is it? Is it bad? Should we avoid it, or does it actually do us some good? We also discuss eye injections, imposter syndrome, and the difficulty of finding a "Pitch & Putt" course these days. Martin mispronounces "insignificant", and spills tea on his trousers. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.subst...

This week we're talking about the difference between shame and guilt, why we feel shame in the first place, and what we can do to let go of it. We ask ourselves whether shame ever has any benefit, and why it seems so hard-wired. If that weren't enough we're also talking flexitarianism, religion, and, after Martin does an inadvertent impression of a dog, the exuberant way my own dog...

This week we're talking about all the destructive ways we have a tendency to put our lives on hold and why we prefer waiting for the world to change instead of changing things for ourselves. We have a discussion about the worst music to be subjected to whilst being put on hold, wonder if it wouldn't be helpful for bands to have more descriptive names, and reminisce about The Bay City Rol...

This week we're talking about what it's like to think everyone else is having a better life than you are and the impact it can have on our emotional wellbeing. Martin visits the farmer's market and we discuss the virtue of grinding your own coffee beans. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You can email us at info@grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk Than...

This week we're talking about why holidays are full of potential pitfalls for the recovering addict, and how to make sure you get the time you need to relax safely. Martin's spelling mistake has us thinking about places you'd definitely want to avoid, and I reminisce about being thrown into the stinging nettles as a part of the 1970s scouting movement. There's some great holida...

This week we're talking about the mixed feelings many people have towards the lifting of social restrictions. For some of us the change in our lives has been more of a blessing than a curse and giving it up can fill us with anxiety it's hard to manage, but don't despair because we're on hand to give you some tips. Also, Martin wears a hat and I sing a hymn. https://www.grahamla...

This week we're talking about why we blame other people instead of taking responsibility ourselves, and why it keeps us stuck in an uncomfortable place we'd much rather escape from. We try and identify what type of tree Martin feels grateful for, and we experience doubt as to the exact identity of a kipper. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You can...

This week we're talking about how easily trust is destroyed and how it takes a great deal of effort and far more time than we'd like to build it back up. Martin introduces me to the concept of "knit-bombing" when I tell him about a crocheted post box, and he tells me about spending the nights in an old people's home, which seems like a good place for him. After some confus...

This week we're talking about how to sustain recovery after a period in detox, rehab, or following any period of emotional difficulty that has knocked you off your feet. Martin tells us about the side effects of his Covid jab, gets angry with me when I confuse Netflix with Amazon, and we debate the possible reasons that our fathers insisted on having their own unique naming conventions for po...

This week we're talking about how we keep ourselves safe from the world, and the world safe from us. I give you a little exercise to do so that you can see how you are with emotional boundaries, and Martin insists on colouring his in. We also deal with the difficulty it must present when having to be the frontman of the rock band "Queen". https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ http...

This week we're talking about whether it's ever too late to make positive changes to our lives. We also discuss the frustration of dropping things down the side of car seats, distracting drinking vessels, why a leopard doesn't need to change its spots, and why Covid vaccines are like buses. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You can email us at...

This week we're talking about the various ways in which we put things off and procrastinate, even when it makes our lives difficult and costs us money. We discuss the different motivation strategies that might help to get us moving, and Martin tells me about the fruit he bought at the farmer's market. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You can email...

This week we're talking about how we decide whether or not we're "measuring up" and whether it's always a good thing to be bothered about anyway. Martin throws around some random quotes, I make a metaphorical pyramid from wooden coffee stirrers, and we never get to the bottom of whether or not Martin is watching too much football. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ ht...

In this week's episode, we're discussing why it's so hard to sit and relax, especially if you have come to measure your value as a human being by considering the extent of your achievements. I ask Martin why he insists on going walking in slippery shoes, and he tells me about an ill-fated holiday tour that promised a lot and didn't deliver. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.u...

This week we're discussing all the things we notice in life that make life feel so valuable and the role that gratitude plays in keeping us moving forwards through even the most difficult of periods. Martin and I have a little chat about what we feel grateful for this week and we have a disagreement about The Carpenters. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com...