Sideways

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...

This week we're talking about the role the jobs we do can have on our mental health, and we're discussing which jobs appear to have some synergy with addictive behaviour. We bemoan the state of modern-day snow, seek refuge in the toilet, and identify the true potential of a giraffe. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You can email us at info@grahaml...

This week we're talking about the occasions on which we bump into people we don't expect to see and how, in some circumstances, it can be unsettling. Martin tells me some chess facts that I don't understand and we discuss tea. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You can email us at info@grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk Thanks again for listening, we r...

This week we're talking about why it's often helpful to be open with people about being in recovery. We discuss the response you can expect to get from your employer and whether its ever a good idea to keep it all a secret. Martin and I also reminisce about dentists. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You can email us at info@grahamlandiwellbeing.co...

This week we're talking about something that a lot of people find hard when it involves someone else and even harder when it doesn't, forgiveness. We discuss what it takes to forgive something done to us and to forgive ourselves. Martin tells us some interesting information about homing pigeons and I experience some audio recall from the 1970s.  https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ ht...

This week we're reviewing the year and discussing some of our favourite episodes. We're also questioning the wisdom of New Year's resolutions and I finally come up with something useful that I've learned. Happy New Year to all of our listeners. Thanks for your support, we really appreciate it. https://www.grahamlandiwellbeing.co.uk/ https://grahamlandi.substack.com/ You can ema...