The Simple Joys Podcast

Dr Lars Hansen is a Consultant Psychiatrist from Denmark living in the New Forest, UK. This conversation touched on so many of the topics that fascinated and perplexed me over the past year, and it continues to have a big impact on me. In this episode, we tackle questions of kindness, trust, the negativity impulse, and the mental health benefits of human connection. You can find more info about Dr...

Dr Lars Hansen is a Consultant Psychiatrist from Denmark living in the New Forest, UK. He has spent his career treating patients with severe mental health conditions, most frequently schizophrenia, psychosis, suicidality, anxiety and depression. However, he believes that psychiatry could benefit from a more positive approach, with less emphasis on what is 'wrong' with patients and more on...

David Hawkins is a botanist, an inspector of all things small and green, an old friend and perhaps the most curious man I've ever met. In this episode, he tells me all about the simple joy of 'looking' - looking for things, and looking closer at things. It's been a great inspiration for me, and I hope it is for you too. Below are some book recommendations for those who, like me, wo...

Classicist, journalist and man of the world(ist) Freddy Foulston discusses language-learning, padel as an antidote to the male loneliness epidemic, and why fish fingers are the best thing ever. Plus, mad ramblings on squash and the existence of a communal human consciousness.

Jack Barry is one of the best comedians in the UK, and a man firmly in touch with the simple joys of life. In this episode we discuss his life in stand-up, the struggles of living in an ailing society, and one possible remedy: the simple joy of noticing the beauty of the world around you. Jack's website (Jack's sketches, his stand-up special Don't Happy, Be Worry ) Jack's Instagram...

What a coup to have the King of England on the show. His Royal Highness and I discuss the best things in life, including Wales, swans and the Duchy of Cornwall.

Have you ever become suddenly aware of the hush of a Sunday? Or of the changing of the seasons? Do you find yourself chuckling to your own thoughts? Nina Follows embodies everything that simple joy is - thoughtfulness, whimsy, and an appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us every day of our lives. In this episode, we unpick the joys of journalling, laughing, dancing, reminiscing and more. Wha...

Is it OK to feel smug? Elias Formaggia is a Biology graduate from Oxford University, a consultant, a selfless conversationalist and one of my best friends in the world. In this episode, we talk about the importance of appreciating good decisions while curbing the urge to say "I'm better than you", the beauty of life hacks and the simple joy of individuality.

Do you take feedback well? It's not always easy to critically evaluate your own work, nor is it easy to hear someone else pass judgement on it. But often, we don't really hear ourselves speak, and a fresh pair of loving ears can make the world of difference. It's a balance. In this episode, Charlie Hunt and I sit on a mountain in the Dolomites and talk while Charlie sketches. The sketc...

The company of animals can be one of life's great simple joys - the love we feel for our pets is perhaps the most uncomplicated love we will ever find. In the spirit of that, the guest this week is a semi-fictional dog called Leslie. And also Dog the Cat, a cat called Dog who lives at our house. Enjoy!

Does the thought of the future fire you up or fill you with dread? It's not always easy to know the right thing to do, and you can quickly tie yourself up in knots at a fork in the road. Eddie is a student of product design from Cologne, a good friend and a fellow overthinker. About once a year, Eddie and I put the world to rights - here's what that sounds like.

Brainrot has a pretty bad name. But could it be a simple joy? Cicely Hunt is a social media expert in both her professional and personal life, and in this episode we muse on the double-edged sword of content creation and consumption. And some other stuff, too.

Tom Allen is a writer, trail prospector and relentless supporter of the worldwide exploration community. He has published five books and three full-length films, as well as conceiving and organising the building of two national trails in Armenia: the Transcaucasian Trail and the Armenian National Trail. Tom and I met last year in Armenia, when I was three weeks into my thru-hike of the Transcaucas...

How do you fall (back) in love with your day-to-day life? Alex Bullivant is a theoretical physicist, ultramarathon runner and vocal advocate for the importance of adventure in a world of routines.