The Mood Booster Podcast

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy. ⚠️ Please note: This episode contains discussions of topics that some listeners may find difficult, including sexual harassment and gender-based violence. Welcome to Episode 27 How to Navigate Fitness as a Female: Reflecting on Sexism in a Male-Dominated Industry, where Dr Marcus and Charlie bring on Maria Galitzine ( @motivatewithmaria ) to share her lived experienc...

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy. Welcome to Episode 26 Reflecting on Apologies, where Dr Marcus and Charlie explore what makes an apology meaningful, why saying sorry is so hard, and how genuine remorse and repair can restore trust and help us heal. From the idea that apology is a process (not a single line) to the six core ingredients of effective apologies, this episode dives into the psychology o...

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy. Welcome to Episode 25 How to Forgive and Find Peace: Reflecting on Forgiveness, where Dr Marcus and Charlie explore how forgiveness can help us let go of resentment, regulate emotions, and reclaim peace, even when justice isn’t possible. From self-forgiveness to the REACH model, this episode dives into what forgiveness really is (and isn’t), why it supports mental an...

The home of wellbeing and joy. Welcome to Episode 24 Reflecting on: Resentment, where Dr Marcus and Charlie explore why resentment forms, how it affects our wellbeing, and practical ways to work through it. From the mental replay loops that keep us stuck to the ways resentment signals what matters most to us, this episode dives into how noticing, processing, and releasing resentment can free up en...

The home of wellbeing and joy. Welcome to Episode 23 Reflecting on: Mentorship, where Dr Marcus and Charlie are joined by Dom Edwards, founder of The Arena, a mentoring charity he has been running for five years. Together, we explore how having the right mentor can shape your growth, wellbeing, and confidence, and why seeking guidance doesn’t mean weakness. From finding the right person to guide y...

The home of wellbeing and joy. Welcome to Episode 22 Reflecting on: Tradition, where Dr Marcus and Charlie explore why humans hold on to rituals and how to keep the ones that serve you while letting go of the rest. From the comfort of family traditions to the weight of outdated customs, we dive into the psychology of why traditions matter, how they shape our identity, and when they can become harm...

The home of wellbeing and joy. Ep 21: The Truth About Gossip - Connection or Chaos? We all gossip. But what if it’s not always bad? In this episode of The Mood Booster Podcast, Dr Marcus and Charlie unpack the psychology, science, and social dynamics of gossip - and how it shapes our relationships more than we think. 🧠 Why your brain loves gossip 🪢 How gossip evolved as a tool for survival 🤐 Wh...

The home of wellbeing and joy. Welcome to Episode 20 Reflecting on: Managing Expectations Part 2, where Dr Marcus and Charlie explore the emotional highs, lows, and flatlines that follow the big moments we build up in our heads. Ever looked forward to something for weeks, a birthday, a trip, a major milestone, only to feel a bit… underwhelmed once it actually happens? In this episode, we dig into...

The home of wellbeing and joy. In Episode 19, we’re tackling the everyday kind of expectations, the type that quietly shape our workdays, relationships, and how we show up for things like plans with friends or finishing our to-do lists. We break down the psychology behind managing expectations, why they matter, how they can help us avoid burnout and frustration, and how to set them clearly and kin...

The home of wellbeing and joy. In Episode 18 of The Mood Booster Podcast, we’re reflecting on: Pets 🐾 This one’s for the dog lovers, the cat cuddlers, and everyone who’s ever felt emotionally supported by a pet. In this episode, Dr Marcus and Charlie dig into the science behind our love for animals, why they’re such powerful mood boosters, and how we can cope with the pain of pet loss when the ti...

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy. This week, Dr Marcus Bull and Charlie Allnutt are sitting with regret. Whether it’s a choice you didn’t make, something you said (or didn’t say), or a quiet “what if” that lingers, we all experience regret in different ways. In this episode, we explore where regret comes from, using Self-Discrepancy Theory to understand why certain moments stay with us more than othe...

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy. Dr Marcus Bull and Charlie Allnutt are two friends who come together to discuss wellbeing, introspection and their journey to becoming better people. The podcast blends personal reflection with evidence-based advice, offering listeners practical tools to improve their wellbeing and boost their mood. In each episode, Charlie and Marcus explore building a likeminded co...

The Home of Wellbeing & Joy. This week, Dr Marcus Bull and Charlie Allnutt explore the wobbles, wrong turns and frustrating moments that happen when things just don’t go to plan. Whether that’s a weekend trip getting rained off, a tech fail, or those irritating curveballs that throw you off your rhythm. We reflect on our own recent experience of a not-so-smooth shoot weekend in the Lake Distri...

In this episode, we dive headfirst into the chaos of modern news. From Trump and the threat of WW3 to compassion fatigue and activist burnout, we explore how 24/7 news cycles are affecting our minds, our moods, and our motivation to help. 📱 We unpack how being constantly plugged in can impact wellbeing, from heightened stress and anxiety (Johnston & Davey, 1997) to emotional overload from try...

This week, Charlie and Marcus sit down to reflect on their personal journeys with movement. From Marcus faking sick notes to get out of PE, to now being 1,600+ days into a daily running streak. From Charlie working out just to get abs, to now finding joy and confidence in movement through community. We also talk about the psychological benefits of exercise, from movement snacks to Self-Determinati...

Following on from Ep. 11 where Marcus opened up about self-criticism, this episode is all about balance. We're diving deep into positive self talk, what it is, why it matters, and how it can literally rewire your brain. We explore: Why we’re hardwired to focus on the negative The neuroscience behind self talk and emotional regulation How CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Theory) and distanced self talk c...

In this heartfelt bonus episode, Charlie and Marcus sit down for a festival debrief, and it’s not just about coconuts and flashy flags. After just four months of building the Mood Booster podcast, we take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come, and to express deep gratitude for each other and the community growing around us. From Alister recognising us (!), to the joy of hearing strangers share...

Feeling tired all the time, a bit detached, or like you’re running on empty? In this episode, we take a deeper look at burnout, from its emotional weight to its academic roots. Marcus and Charlie discuss personal experiences with burnout and weave in leading psychological theories, including Maslach’s Burnout Inventory and the WHO’s classification of burnout as an occupational phenomenon. We break...

Criticism... it stings, sticks, and sometimes shapes how we see ourselves. In this episode, we have an open and honest chat about handling negative comments, both online and in real life. Marcus reflects on a recent experience in Morocco where unkind remarks about his appearance brought up old insecurities. We also open up about the unspoken comparisons we sometimes make between each other and how...

The oceans cover over 70% of our planet, but how often do we stop to think about what they mean to us? In this episode, Charlie takes the lead, diving into his passion for marine conservation and reflecting on his time studying the oceans at university. We share facts, memories and awe-inspiring moments from nature documentaries (specifically, Oceans with David Attenborough) and get into the devas...

Sea, cities, exploring… and sometimes, a bit of stress? In this episode, we take a lighter look at holidays. From our favourite getaways to the types of holidays we love most. We talk about why holidays can be such a boost for wellbeing, but also how they can sometimes bring their own pressures and expectations. We reflect on the joy of switching off, the anxiety of taking time off work. We reflec...

We’re sitting in our old house, now empty, echoey, and filled with memories... reflecting on a week of boxes, chaos, and change. In this episode, we talk about the stress of moving house and all the emotions it brings up. We share how the last week has felt, from the overwhelm to the excitement, and reflect on our own childhood experiences of moving, and how they’ve shaped how we see “home” today....

What makes someone a role model, and can they actually do more harm than good? In this episode, we reflect on the idea of role models and why the people we look up to can shape how we see ourselves. From celebrity idols to quiet everyday influences, we unpack what it really means to be a role model, who our own role models are, and how those relationships evolve. We also explore Albert Bandura’s f...

Birthdays: love them, dread them, or just let them pass quietly? In this episode, we celebrate Charlie’s big 25th birthday and reflect on why he prefers a more low-key celebration. We dive into the idea of whether it’s okay not to celebrate, the pressures birthdays can bring, and how to find joy in the small, meaningful moments they offer. We explore the social and emotional layers of birthdays, h...

Hobbies might sound like a luxury, but they’re one of the most powerful tools we have for identity, joy, and wellbeing. In this episode, we talk about how we get into hobbies, how we fall out of them, and what it takes to reignite those sparks as adults. We explore the psychology behind why hobbies matter, using Self-Determination Theory as a framework to explain how autonomy, competence and conne...