I’ve been following Shy’s work for years now. I think the work he’s doing to bring greater self awareness to teaching, learning and education is essential, it’s so important. Shy has plenty of experience in the education sector having been a high school teacher of psychology, science and maths and is now a sought after education consultant and researcher working as an Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences (Design & Pedagogy) in the Faculty of Education, University of Canberra. He...

In this episode I speak with Dr Arne Rubinstein - author of 'The Making of Men' and CEO of the Rites of Passage Institute. We begin with the current state of masculinity in Australia and Arne's honest and cautionary assessment of it. We discuss the desperate need for healthy masculinity and the role rites of passage experiences play in this. Arne has over 30 years of experience doing this work which is arguably more important and necessary now that it has ever been. Arne shares insights on...

When I met Tarang earlier this year and listened to him speak as a panellist at an event, I knew there was so much more I wanted to hear from him.  We got the chance to find some time amongst Tarang's busy schedule to chat and I'm glad we did. We discussed some difficult issues, important issues. Issues such as gender based family and domestic violence, mental health, masculinities and the desperate need for positive role models for boys and young men. Tarang's invitation for us all to be...

Hi, I need to have conversations like this, albeit with you via a podcast. It helps. I hope it helps you, too. I mentioned some quotes from John O'Donohue in this episode, you can listen to the full conversation here with Krista Tipppet, it's pure magic - The Inner Landscape of Beauty.  And you can find out more about Tara Brach and RAIN here.  With love, Mikey

Hi, What a time hey. I don't know about you but I feel like it's time to do things differently, very differently. This next 'season' of A Satisfied Mind podcast will both exploring how we might do this and documenting my experience. In this episode I share an update and an invitation to join me. I also mention some words I wrote back in 2020 about going 'back to work'. And there's this interview with Daniel Schmachtenberger which will blow your mind in the realest way. Like, subscribe,...

Pete is an accomplished photographer who has travelled the world shooting and working with people like the Obamas and Simon Sinek. He's now travelling less, creating more and has gathered a thriving community of soulful entrepreneurs bringing authenticity to their art.  Through his bespoke programs and intuitive gift for identifying and coaxing out the essence of people he works with, he's teaching others how to create content that matters and having a helluva lot of fun doing it.  In this...

Show notes seem a bit pointless after what might the the longest podcast title! Here's the downlow on this episode. I finished walking the Camino de Santiago and experienced the come down, the anticlimax was real. I then had a few friends reach out and the conversations that ensued were extremely impactful. I wrote an article about what happens after the hero's journey and wast sitting here wondering how to tie it all together. This podcast is my attempt to do that, I hope it translates....

Today I walked up to the highest point on the Camino de Santiago. There's a cross there atop a mound of stones that pilgrims have left behind. These are both literal and figurative symbols of that which they've been carrying and no longer want to carry. On the other side of this peak I stepped off the trail and sat on some grass to record this episode in the sunshine whilst thinking about letting go and why it's so hard. I reference David Whyte's poem, Faces at Braga. You can read it here.

I met Polina as I wandered into the grounds of an Albergue one very cold morning  looking for a coffee whilst walking the Camino de Santiago. There was a sign they had put out on the Camino just the day before saying, 'warm up' with an arrow pointing away from the path. I followed it and found myself at Alberuge Amanecer. There I had a coffee and some fresh banana bread but it was the conversation with Polina that really moved me. Polina is 26 years of age and with her parents, recently fled...

This was an impromptu episode. I was walking in between Hontillas de Camino and Castrojeriz on the Camino de Santiato and pulled over to share some thoughts. Perhaps it was the fact I had been walking all day with only my thoughts to keep me company that had me inspired to share, I was craving conversation! I hope, despite the wind and poor recording conditions, that you enjoy this episode. It's very low-fi but talking about some hi-fidelity feels. The podcast interview with Francis...

This conversation with Rainier Wylde is great example of why I created this podcast.  To learn from people and their lived experience. To provide an opportunity for others to share their stories. To connect more deeply with people at a time when slow, intentional, consciously nurtured connections are replaced by desperate dopamine benders and superficial scrolling frenzies.  To learn to listen better. To practice asking better questions.  To share the wisdom and perspective of others who are...

You can feel the power of Mariam's presence through this conversation, and it's a beautiful thing.  Mariam arrived in Melbourne from her Somali homeland as a refugee in 1998 with her husband, four children and a fifth on the way. Her story begins well before this however and we explore some pivotal stories, memories and lessons learned from this time.  Having settled in Brighton, Melbourne, Mariam cofounded RAW-Resilient Aspiring Women in 2012, a not-for-profit organisation focused on...

I head Lael Stone speak recently at an event about a school she founded, Woodline Primary, which focusses on a holistic and heart-lead approach to education. This is just one of the many ways in which Lael is changing the way we give raise and educate children from pre-natal to adolescence.  Leal created the ‘About Birth’ program  after working with thousand of parents, children, families and identifying the need for a more connected and empathetic approach to assisting mothers and babies...

Shadow work. You may be familiar with it, you may have done some, perhaps you're well acquainted with your shadow. Maybe you have no idea what this all means but have heard people talking about it. It's work what has fascinated, compelled and challenged me for most of my life and specifically the past couple of years working with Kerrie. For context, her bio is a compelling introduction to this work and the topic of this conversation: "Kerrie works at the crossroads of vision,...

Since it was founded in 2008, the social enterprise Thankyou has raised over $17.5 million dollars for its impact partners on a mission to eradicate extreme poverty. Thankyou has always done things differently, taken risks and creatively disrupted systems that need to change and it's been quite the rollercoaster. From their original campaign to sell bottled water to  fund life-changing water projects in developing nations, to abandoning that campaign (you can read about why below), Thankyou...

Self awareness in leadership. It's a hot topic that deserves far more attention than it gets. There's plenty of books on both, but too few on how to combine and apply both in practice. Cassandra Goodman's new book, 'Being True - How to Be Yourself at Work' does just that, and it is brilliant. Not only does it provide a compelling call to action for why this work is essential now, it provides clear principles and practices to make this a very handy guide for transforming the way you lead and...

In this episode I talk with director, Genevieve Bailey about the power of storytelling. We talk specifically about the stories we tell about men, mental health, masculinity and diversity. This conversation was inspired by her film, Happy Sad Man. Happy Sad Man is a beautiful documentary and it's an important one. With deft sensitivity it features the stories of five men who each have various experiences of living with mental health challenges. I hope you enjoy this conversation and I hope...

Hi, Just dipping my toes back in, I feel a bit nervous putting out a new episode after a break. This one is just shaking off the cobwebs. Links mentioned: Happy Sad Man Film The Mancave Ben Bohmer set from a hot air balloon in Cappadocia Thanks for listening, Michael

Recently, I have posted a number of articles and podcasts that reference the work of others. In doing so, I have not appropriately acknowledged the source of the content nor the people who created the work I referenced. I have passed this work off as my own, when it is not. I have shared work, concepts, processes, ideas and intellectual property that are not mine to share.  This is plagiarism and in breach of both copyright and explicit agreements made. My ignorance is no excuse, I commit to...

This conversation is a sensitive and vulnerable one. On the day I write this intro and publish this episode, my family gathers to remember the one year anniversary of my nephew David's passing. I've had a number of conversations with my sister Sharyn about his passing and her experience over the past 12 months. Each time I've been humbled and inspired by her strength and courage in the face of unimaginable grief. I asked if she would be willing to share some of her experience with me, with...

A big topic, an important one. Consider this a conversation starter – how can we men take greater responsibility for our emotional awareness and development and how can we support each other in doing so. I provide more context as to why this is an urgent conversation in the episode, as well as addressing some definitions.  I suggest five considerations when approaching this work:  Acknowledging that you are a multitude of parts and personalitiesRealising you are a result of the...

This where the magic happens, this is how self love happens – Self Leadership. For more on this and the IFS model, including guided meditations, check out these resources: No Bad Parts - Richard Schwartz Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts - Richard Schwartz With love, Mikey

This episode is for anyone who feels like they're losing the plot, at war with themselves, fighting a raging inner critic or shame monster or your very own personal Voldemort. I believe the only way to love - to love yourself and others, truly, is to first reconcile the parts of you that are not aligned with love.  If you have parts that feel like they're in conflict with each other or even with you, if you're doing a number on yourself, you're self destructive or self loathing, I got...

I had the privilege of attending a funeral recently. I consider it a privilege, for it was an opportunity to witness a most vulnerable and intimate and heartfelt sharing of love and the acknowledgment of legacy of a much loved man's life. Of course there's the grief of loss, but there is beauty in that too, there is beauty in the entire human experience and the expression of it. If nothing else, it was a reminder of just how true that Maya Angelou quote is, it's my favourite, "that people...