A New Way of Being

“All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone” - Blaise Pascal. Rates of burnout and overwhelm are soaring and yet the advice tends to be push harder and exercise more. For people struggling with burnout this can lead to illness and a crash. On the contrary, we need to embrace stillness and simply being. Doing nothing is not easy for most people, yet it is wh...

How Richard McCann found peace after his mother's murder by Peter Sutcliffe. At just 5 years old, Richard's life was shattered when his mother was brutally murdered by the serial killer known as the Yorkshire Ripper. In the aftermath, Richard endured further hardship, including a difficult home life and personal struggles with drugs and incarceration. Yet, through it all, Richard managed not only...

“Always think positively" sounds like good advice - on the surface. But is it really possible, or even desirable? In this episode, Dominic Thiem and I explore why chasing constant positivity isn’t the answer. Novak Djokovic weighed in on this idea in a 2024 interview, explaining why he doesn’t agree with the idea that we should always think positively. Novak's ability to acknowledge and allow chal...

Grand Slam winner Dominic Thiem is a strong proponent of the importance of mindful eating. Dominic shares his powerful perspective on how we interact with food, the role mindfulness plays in his life, and how anyone—athlete or not—can benefit from a more intentional approach to eating. Full episode: https://pod.fo/e/276837 Book Release I’m excited to announce the paperback edition of my book, Cham...

Merijn van de Laar had insomnia for years but is now an expert in getting a good night’s rest. He has a brilliant book out about conquering sleep struggles called How to Sleep Like a Caveman: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night’s Rest. I used to have insomnia myself – and what I love about this book is that for problem sleepers it is a relaxing and reassuring read which is not the case for some of t...

In this bitesized episode, elite sports sleep coach Nick Littlehales reveals his groundbreaking approach to sleep and recovery. Nick has worked with a number of the biggest football clubs on the planet including Manchester united, Manchester City, Liverpool, Team Sky and medal winning Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Learn how to structure your day using 90-minute cycles and controlled recovery pe...

I've got a cracking guest joining me today - Andrew Tracey, the fitness director at Men's Health magazine. But Andrew is no ordinary fitness expert. He's someone who has seamlessly integrated the physical and the spiritual, straddling the worlds of hardcore strength training and deep contemplative practice. In this conversation, we explore Andrew's unique journey to developing a lifelong, function...

It’s a new year – and there’s no better time to start a habit that could transform your mind and body. Most of us walk – but almost none of us walk enough. We’re a sedentary species, and it’s only gotten worse in recent years. But here’s the truth: our bodies weren’t built for all this sitting. Walking isn’t just movement – it’s a powerhouse for health. It supports our organs, aids digestion, slow...

Beating yourself up because you scroll more than you want to? Stop it. Just understand that our willpower is not strong enough to continually resist the lure of the hyper addictive smartphone. So what to do? Embrace your design power. Make it harder to use your phone. Get a lock case. Consider buying a backup 'dumb phone'. I did this and turn my smartphone off in the evenings and weekends, and the...

How to Reconnect with Your Inner Wisdom and Find True Wellbeing. At this time of New Year resolutions, it’s easy to fall into the trap of pushing harder and faster. But in a world already moving at breakneck speed, chronic stress, overwhelm, and burnout have become alarmingly common. This episode offers a vital alternative: the power of rest. My guest, Fiona Agombar, is a yoga therapist, rest acti...

Smartphones and social media are making us more anxious, distracted, and disconnected. In this episode, I revisit my conversation with Cal Newport, author of Deep Work and Digital Minimalism . Cal explores how our increasing reliance on smartphones and social media is eroding our ability to focus, perform deep work, and even be alone with our thoughts. He explains how the iGen generation (born 199...

After watching the Channel 4 documentary Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones and noticing the profound impact of using a dumbphone, I’m revisiting one of my most powerful conversations—my interview with Johann Hari, author of Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention . Johann reveals the deeper reasons so many of us struggle with focus and attention, explaining why this isn’t a personal fai...

The cost of constant distractions and how to get your focus back. In this episode, we explore the huge cognitive cost of constantly checking your phone and how it impacts your ability to focus and perform at your best. My guest is Johann Hari, author of Stolen Focus , who sheds light on the “switch cost effect” – the mental toll of constantly switching between tasks. Johann explains how multitaski...

In this episode, we explore a thought-provoking question: Is self-improvement really the path to happiness, or is it a trap that keeps us chasing something we already have? My guest is Joan Tollifson, an author, teacher, and lifelong explorer of the nature of being. Together, we discuss why the idea of “improving yourself” is inherently flawed, how meditation helps us access peace and creativity,...

In this episode, we dive deep into the topic of imposter syndrome, a feeling many of us have faced at some point. While it’s often seen as something negative, what if imposter syndrome is just a normal part of the human experience? I’m joined by Dr. Russ Harris, the author of The Happiness Trap and The Confidence Gap , as well as an expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Harris off...

Rejection is something we all experience, and for many the experience can be brutal. But even when we go to a social event, part of the reason we tend to stick to the people we know is to avoid the pain of feeling rejected, however slightly. So this is a universal issue. In this episode, I sit down with author, therapist and non-dual teacher Nic Higham to unpack one of the most challenging human e...

What does it truly means to be content in your own skin? It's tempting to put so-called "successful" people on a pedestal, but the reality is often much more complicated. Many high achievers are driven by inner turmoil. Adrian Chiles, broadcaster and former host of The One Show , shares insights from his conversations with high performers on BBC Radio 5 Live, many of whom have also appeared on thi...

We are in the middle of a 'creativity crisis' - with so many people are distracted, unable to focus and lacking in connection. So what to do about it? Here to help me unpick how we can find more flow, creativity, connection, peace and ease - is Chris Smith, an award-winning author, broadcaster and stand-up comedian. For many years we sat alongside each other in the Newsbeat studio on BBC Radio 1....

Do you feel overwhelmed? If so, you're far from alone. Rates of burnout are soaring. We are more connected digitally, but less connected in a meaningful way. We jump from whatsapp groups, to emails, to rolling news - and round and round we go. And it's filling our ability to use our more valuable resource - our attention. If you can't focus, you can't be truly creative and you certainly can't find...

Living with Purpose and Contentment, the Danish Way. In this episode, I’m thrilled to welcome Meik Wiking, the Danish happiness researcher and best-selling author who introduced the world to "hygge"—the Danish art of creating cozy, contented spaces. We dive into Meik’s insights on the true keys to happiness, from fostering deep social connections to redefining success beyond wealth and status. Mei...

Headspace founder Andy Puddicombe on How to Make Meditation a Habit. There’s no doubt that meditation has profound benefits for both body and mind. Yet many people struggle to make it a habit—they worry they’re not doing it “right,” or they can’t quiet their thoughts long enough to feel the impact. But meditation is a powerful practice worth mastering, with research highlighting its potential to t...

Nobody ever has their sh*t together, it's a myth. Even so, life is a miracle. It can be so easy to overlook this fact - and miss the incredible fact of existence. But life is also full of pain and suffering. If we can make peace with how life really is - rather than how we think it should be - then perhaps we can start to relax and let go of the incessant striving and quest to 'become' sometime in...

Professor Paul Dolan on Bringing More Pleasure and Purpose into Everyday Living. This bitesize episode challenges the stories we tell ourselves about happiness—stories that often equate fulfillment with high status, massive social media followings, or endless wealth. But as Professor Paul Dolan reveals, these ideas are often misguided. Real happiness isn’t about chasing society’s markers of succes...

How Diet, Diversity, and Lifestyle Shape Your Microbiome and Well-Being. In this episode, I sit down with Tim Spector to dive into the fascinating world of the gut microbiome and its powerful role in our overall health. Tim breaks down how our diets directly shape our gut health, emphasising the benefits of a diverse, plant-rich diet and aiming for 30 different plants a week. We explore why ultra-...

Letting Go of the Future: Finding Peace in the Present Moment. In this episode, Jonny Wilkinson talks about the endless chase for future goals and why waiting for the next big thing can be a dangerous trap. Jonny shares his thoughts on breaking free from the pressure to ‘arrive’ sometime in the future, and focuses on finding calm in the present, and seeing past the illusion that we’ll one day fina...