The Gentle Rebel Podcast

May the road rise to meet you. My note from a slow coach this week reflects on Baltic endorphins, some internal torment due to a decision made by my past self that my present self didn’t appreciate, and a poem contemplating whether adventure is always just around the corner. It’s an excerpt from a journal entry a couple of weeks ago when I was in Finland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

In a world obsessed with productivity, competition, and the “ hero’s journey, ” Natsu Miyashita’s The Forest of Wool and Steel shines a quietly revolutionary light on something altogether different. This book is a balm for those who’ve felt out of step with society’s narrow definitions of success or crave a deeper, slower, more meaningful way of living. In this episode of The Gentle Re...

When you receive help, do you perceive it as a transactional burden or as a gift? How do you support the people, ideas, and art you admire? Do you feel disappointed when they go against your views, or do you willingly allow them the freedom to grow and evolve into whatever they might become, despite potential disagreements? https://youtu.be/Ueyw7nSI6jc Last year, during a Haven Phrase Maze explora...

People may fear giving credit because they worry it will diminish their status. But research shows the opposite is true: sharing credit actually boosts respect and trust. This paradox lies at the heart of status insecurity , a psychological trap that drives maladaptive behaviors and undermines relationships, careers, and personal wellbeing. In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast , we explore...

I know I’m not the only one disturbed by the scenes of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance publicly dressing down Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House. I was saddened and sickened by the bullying behaviour of those entrusted to know and be a whole lot better than that. The lack of empathy, the attempts to humiliate and intimidate, and the smirking childish arrogance was embarrassing t...

We just finished reading Wintering by Katherine May in the book club, and it has prompted me to reflect on the parallels between the book’s themes and the foundational values underlying ​ The Return to Serenity Island ​ . https://youtu.be/NoGFVIuAPJk Katherine May describes Wintering as “a season in the cold. It is a fallow period in life when you’re cut off from the world, feeling rej...

In our February Book Club, we met to discuss ‘ Wintering : The power of rest and retreat in difficult times ‘ by Katherine May. Here are my notes on the book. Book Notes Katherine May describes “Wintering” as “a season in the cold. It is a fallow period in life when you’re cut off from the world, feeling rejected, sidelined, blocked from progress, or cast into the role of an outsider.” Throu...

Have you ever been told to come out of your shell? It’s a phrase many of us have heard, especially if we’re introverted, sensitive, or reflective by nature. But what if this idea misunderstands the role of a shell? What if, instead of seeing it as a limitation, we saw it as a space of protection, growth, and creativity? In this week’s episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast , we will explore the...

We’ve all heard the phrase, “the end justifies the means.” But in this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast , I want to turn it inside out and explore this idea from another angle. What if, for some people, focusing solely on the outcome as the ultimate goal can lead to a dissatisfying and alienating approach to life? This question struck me as I emerged from a week-long rabbit hole. In the previou...

In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast , I share a video essay about influencer culture, asking where self-help guru Mel Robbins really discovered the idea for her latest book, The Let Them Theory. Note, as this situation has evolved, I have added more videos to document it. They are available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ_xip3l1io& https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryQBcUuN8pk&#...

The randomiser wheel picked “Power in persistence”. I’m currently using a tool to select phrases for my daily journal practice. They are all associated with the theme of Strength . Persistence has power—it can contribute to a better world, but it can also do the opposite, extracting and coercing people without consent. I receive countless unsolicited emails from people pitching p...

Many people feel overwhelmed, uncertain, or powerless in a world grappling with climate crises, political instability, and societal upheaval. But what if there was a way to process these emotions and transform them into meaningful action? This is the premise of “The Work That Reconnects” and Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in with Unexpected Resilience and Creative Power , deve...

The randomiser wheel picked “Strength in numbers”. I’m currently using a tool to select phrases for my daily journal practice. They are all associated with the theme of Strength . Martin Luther King Jr. said, “There is power in unity, and there is power in numbers.” Power is contagious, building strength in numbers—a force for creation and destruction. Numbers can topple building...

The randomiser wheel picked “It was uncomfortable”. I’m currently using a tool to select phrases for my daily journal practice. They are all associated with the theme of Strength . Discomfort helps me know I’m alive. It’s more concerning when I no longer feel it. Uncomfortable even. No, wait, that doesn’t make sense. If I feel uncomfortable when I don’t feel uncomfortable, I stil...

The randomiser wheel picked “Power Through”. I’m currently using a tool to select phrases for my daily journal practice. They are all associated with the theme of Strength . At first, these words brought to mind experiences when I had no choice but to keep going. A looming deadline, the chockful calendar, a stag do, a festival, and the final push with the finish line in sight. Po...

The randomiser wheel picked “Stay strong and carry on”. This month, I’m using a tool to select phrases for my daily journal practice. They are all associated with the theme of Strength . There is a difference between giving up and quitting. I’ve written about this before . To quit is usually an intentional decision. It is informed and considered. It requires courage to let go whe...

Are you an armchair creative? You are great at learning, preparing, and researching a field, yet something often stops you from taking action. In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast , we consider some things that stop us from acting and explore how to get out of the armchair in 2025. Armchair Certainty “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” is a common question in coaching....

Have you ever seen homes lit up at night and wondered what the lights in the windows say about the people inside? Just me? OK then! A recent neighbourhood walk left me thinking about three broad tendencies or archetypes that we might embody in our creative energy : The Host , The Artisan , and The Entertainer . The Host You know that warm, glowing light you see in the window of a house at night? U...

In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast , I sit down with returning guest and friend of the show, Leah Burkhart, founder of The Healthy Sensitive , to discuss a challenge many highly sensitive people face: defining boundaries when you’re genuinely excited about everything. This might be especially true for the multipotentialites among us, who have many creative projects and interests in...

In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast , we explore the theme of nostalgia and “going back to basics”. This was inspired by a recent community discussion. What are the basics and what does it mean to go back when time moves forward? In this episode, we consider our relationship with nostalgia and the subtle pull it can have on our beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world aro...

In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast , we explore the Uncanny Valley. This was inspired by a video I published about Apple’s marketing campaign for Apple Intelligence. It turns out I’m not the only one unsettled by their approach. It’s interesting to contrast these Apple commercials with those for Google Gemini. Apple presents its AI technology as a tool for masking person...

Would you say you have fire in your belly? What does it burn for? I love exploring this question with highly sensitive people, many of whom have a deep, smouldering fire within. This fire is often linked to our values, beliefs, and personally compelling principles. I love helping people explore and (re)connect with this inner fire, supporting them to figure out how to harness it in unapologetic wa...

Each of us has a unique sense of adventure. What does yours feel like? In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I speak with Sarah Lister, who runs About The Adventure , a career and life coaching business that helps people connect with what brings them to life as they navigate change. I love Sarah's approach to this topic and how she holds each person's needs within their unique spirit of adv...

Have you ever been derailed by a shame attack? Shame can sweep through, telling us we are not worthy, acceptable, or enough. It can be amplified by comparisonitis, where we judge our messy insides with our perception of other peoples’ shiny exteriors. Val Nelson, a career and business coach, specialises in working with highly sensitive and introverted individuals. She wrote this article about deal...

Lizzie Campbell is a polymer clay artist who creates under the name Clay Disarray, and wow, she's phenomenal! Her intricate modelling brings characters and cultural figures to life, and it is mesmerising to see. I discovered Lizzie through a YouTube video in which she delved into the challenges artists face today. Her unique perspective as a highly sensitive and autistic artist sheds light on the...