If you've ever felt conflicted or torn between different parts of you that seem at odds with each other. If you've ever acted 'out of character' and were shocked by what came over you, wondering what happened. If you've ever acted irrationally in situations that didn't warrant it, or been triggered by otherwise innocuous circumstances or people. If you've ever felt like there's an angel on one should and a devil on the other, or wondered whether there is something wrong with you because you...

On a daily basis I witness people catching themselves feeling and trying desperately to control themselves. Most of my life I've wondered why it's so hard to feel and express emotions. I've wondered why we don't do it more, why it feels so terrifying, why so many avoid it especially around others, why it's not modelled for us, why we're not taught it at school, at work, everywhere. Such a fundamental human experience - to feel. And so many don't know how to. In this episode I look at why...

Hi, Welcome back. It's good to be back. February is the new New Year, January felt a bit like a false start. As much as we want to kick off the new calendar year all frothy and full of hope and goals and dreams, that wasn't how it was for me and many others.  There was still some reckoning to be done. It was necessary, integration time is essential and too often overlooked in the pursuit of the next thing, avoiding what needs to be acknowledged. That's what this next seasons is about -...

I started this podcast in March 2020 and have done 85 episodes since. It's been one helluva ride and in this episode I reflect on the conversations, the learning, the transformation that has been our shared experience. I wanted to keep it short but there was a lot to cover. It gets real. There is negroni so there are tears and so much appreciation, for it all. To listen to the wisdom of Francis Weller I suggest this conversation with Mark Groves. And for an introduction to the IFS...

I recorded this episode directly into my phone in the middle of a beautiful forest in the Luxulyan Valley in Cornwall. There was no mic so the sound might be a bit dodgy. I had just written some words in my journal and felt like it was time to share an update. For more words please visit my newsletter here. I hope this finds you well. Michael Show notes and links to places I recommended: Mt Morris House, New York Cornhill Farm Cottages - Cornwall Luxulyan Valley St Eia - for food...

In this episode I share a few of the things that matter most at the moment.  Things like: Spending time with friendsVisiting and sharing special placesWitnessing beauty and the magic of natureRituals and routinesI talk about jellyfish, 250 year old tress, sardines and swimming with starfish.  For show notes and links to all the things I mentioned that you might want to follow up on, go to the newsletter here. For shortcut to those links, here you go: Angus and Julia Stone's new...

Your weekly dose of inspiration, education, links and resources is here! In this episode I share: One of the greatest bookstores I've been toHow Internal Family Systems is will help you feel truly seenHow telling the truth will change your life and Martha Beck's 'Way of IntegrityThe Green Knight and how it is the perfect hero's journey film, replete with pagan, christian and other mythology and symbologyFor links to all the resources mentioned in this podcast go to the newsletter - you'll...

In March 2020 I was 45, unemployed, single and living alone.  I needed to make some changes and I felt like this was an opportunity to do it. I decided to let go and allow the Universe to dish up whatever lessons I needed to learn and committed to face them and see it through, no turning back.  And so I got my arse kicked.  I chose to feel through my fears and take 100% responsibility for my life. I learned a lot and still am a work in progress, whole and incomplete.   In this episode I...

This is the most important work we can be doing right now, the work to 'recognise your patterns, heal from your past and create your self'. Author Dr Nicole LePera is the @the.holistic.psychologist on Instagram, you may be one of her 4.2 million followers and have seen her work. She's a great communicator and has an ability to take extremely complex human experiences like trauma and conditioning and not only explain them clearly, but in a way that empowers you to take responsibility for...

In this episode I talk about: UncertaintyHopeKindnessPermission to feelThere are links galore, there's heaps of wise and inspiring quotes and a transcript from a most lovely conversation I had with a customer service agent online. There are quotes from David Whyte, John Steinbeck, Marc Brackett, Nicole LePera, Kerrie Basha and more. It's a veritable quotefest. You'll be heaps smarter from just listening to this podcast.  There's also giant margaritas and funky wine. Oh, and those cool bikes...

Welcome to the weekly catch up! It's kinda like Friday drinks with friends, talking about the week - highlights, lessons learned, what we're looking forward to etc., but it's a podcast, because 2021. In this episode I talk a little bit about what I'm doing here in the US, lay some love on Santa Cruz, figs and French Cider. I share some insights from Dr Nicole LePera's book, 'How To Do The Work - recognise your patterns, heal from your past and create yourself.' I share more insights...

I first saw Ashanti and learned about the work he does in the documentary, 'The Mask You Live In'. It hit my deep, it moved me and it inspired me. More recently I participated in a workshop he facilitated titled, Taking Off The Mask.   So, what are these masks? In this episode we talk about what it means to take off the mask. We talk about what masks are – what's on the front of our mask and what's on the back of it. Ashanti shares a few examples of these too from people he's worked with,...

I've been excited to share this episode with you for some time.  I met Tim when I first arrived in Nicaragua. I went out for a surf with only a few others in the water and there was Tim, having the time of his life, ripping into every wave, cheering on others, full of stoke. I didn't talk to him at that time however, it wasn't until a few days later that I actually met him. I had found a baby opossum in a bucket of water outside our home, it was drowning and barely clinging on to life. John,...

John not only wrote the book – Tales of a Modern Nomad, he is the modern nomad. He's also a modern renaissance man – working to bring more play, more creativity, more magic, more conscious connection , awareness, love and laughter into our lives. I've been living next door to John for the past few weeks and he's full of surprises. He's a singer songwriter, a poet, a yoga and breathwork teacher and co-founder of Momentom Collective. He's spent the last 14 years travelling and sharing his...

In this episode I share a couple of stories of how appreciation has changed my life. It's a powerful practice, one that is innate but one we may be out of practice in. I'll show you what appreciation is and how to cultivate more of it in your life. I shared a quote from John O'Donohue's interview with Krista Tippett on On Being, the link to that episode is here. The link to the Tim Ferris podcast featuring Greg McKeown I mentioned is here. You can follow me on Instagram here or contact...

In this episode we talk about the power of reflections and I share my experience of focusing on five questions over this past year. It's typically something you might do at the start of the year or at significant milestones, like birthdays. My birthday is coming up and it's always a time of reflection for me. Some years it's a celebration, other years it's quite difficult. When you look at where you were, where you are and where you want to be some inconvenient truths arise. And so, we...

Trigger Warning – this episode includes a conversation about sexual assault, trauma, PTSD and post traumatic growth. Eleanor contacted me a couple of months ago and said that there was something she'd like to share. I spoke with Eleanor on Episode 24 of this podcast where she shared some of her adventures.   I've always been fascinated by what drives people to do extraordinary things and Eleanor has done plenty of extraordinary things. She has rowed 62 days from California  to Hawaii‬, is...

Your Transformation Survival Guide, Week 3. How are you? I hope you're well and finding some value in this series.  This week we're looking at identity. This will be a theme that we continue to revisit and dive a little deeper each time.  We explore what Esther Perel calls, 'the identity economy'. I'll share some tools I use regularly to help gain insights into myself and others, including: Gallup StrengthsEnneagramHuman DesignAstrologyFor the second half of this episode I'm joined by my...

Hey, Firstly, thanks for listening. I appreciate you being here, sincerely. This week we're talking about values and boundaries – both are essential if your transformation is going to be sustainable. I mentioned plenty of resources in this episode, you can find these and more in the corresponding newsletter so make sure you're subscribed to that.  If you're following along at home and doing your homework, I mentioned some journalling prompts which you can find below.  Simply write...

*apologies for the echoey audio on this one, I was recording in the bathroom - the only place that wasn't too noisy. #travellingpodcasterlife. Imagine you were to embark on a journey of transformation and you could only pack a few essentials to take...

Are you ready to transform your job, your relationship, your life? Yes, no? We're never quite ready  enough, but perhaps it's time. Rather than start at week 1, like any journey of transformation we start where we are - week 0. Here and now. In this...

The past couple of episodes have generated the most responses of all, they certainly appear to have struck a chord. Each of the comments and emails fall into one of two themes, people are saying:"I can totally relate, this is is my experience too! I...

This conversation is a follow up to Ep. 65 where I talked about decoupling from your old identity.This is what happens after you take the leap, after your departure from all that you know. This is The Waiting Place and it's your initiation. It can be...

This is one of those 'so much easier said than done' episodes - decoupling and letting go.Truth is however, if we want to create something new – a new experience, a new way of life, a new way of being... we need to create space. And we create space by...

This is a fascinating question to ask yourself.  Take note of the subtle distinction however – I'm not talking about what others require of you, but what is required of you, by you. What do you need to be doing right now? What does your body require of...