The Keep Smiling Podcast

Today I am joined by Katie Fischer - a holistic sleep coach, specializing in behavioral interventions.

In this episode we discuss all things sleep, and how establishing a positive sleep routine can have a significant impact upon our cognitive functions, emotional regulation, wellbeing, and overall psychological health.

Katie shares advice on how to consistently and maintain a healthy sleep cycle, such as setting a consistent wake-up time, creating a relaxing sleep environment, light exposure at the start of each day to kick start your circadian rhythm, engaging in relaxation techniques, and staying in tune with your body.

Additionally, lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, and stress management, can also contribute to better sleep.

Overall, Katie provides some really constructive and particle suggestions of small habits we can imbed to facilitate improved sleep, which can ultimately enhance our wellbeing and quality of life.

Throughout this episode, Sean talks openly about his journey with depression and the multiple challenges he faced - the loss of identity, battling societal stigmas associated to masculinity, the numbness, suicidal feelings… but then also provides light on how, with appropriate support, was able to transition into a far healthier headspace.

We also discuss the often negative connotations associated with attending therapy… whereas, in reality, it should be celebrated and rewarded! This process of seeking support only allows us to process our emotions more efficiently, to reevaluate our perspectives, rewire our way of thinking… which can in turn enhance our relationships, help build habits to facilitate positive wellbeing, and improve our quality of life!

Today I am joined by the wonderful Dovile, a personal development coach, to discuss confidence development, overcoming imposter syndrome, and ways to release perfectionistic tendencies.

We’re often crippled and frozen by self-doubt and fear, feeling an overwhelming need to meet internal and externally enforced expectations, stuck in an overly perfectionistic mindset.

And yes, although being high achieving, goal oriented, and achievement striving are all great qualities… these traits can actually become quite problematic from a wellbeing perspective - leading to burnout, relentless overthinking, anxiety, self-sabotage, and procrastination….. and thus negatively impacting your mental health.

And so, Dovile discusses the value of balance, providing insight as to how we can challenge pre-determined beliefs, overcome feelings of incompetence, challenge these imposter like-tendencies, and reframe our mindsets.

She highlights the value of bringing awareness to your thought patterns, strategies to help change your perception, and how to alter your previously established viewpoints and perspectives.

She also provides advice on how to generate more self-confidence, and self-belief, and how to be more appreciative and empathic with your own self.

Today I am joined by Dr Perry Crofts, who provides a very honest and raw depiction of life with depression, and the story of how he went from doctor to patient and back again.

He details his darkest moment, the destructive internal monologue, and low perceptions of self.

However, he then explains the journey he undertook to overcome it…. detailing the necessary changes he made - such as adapting his work routine, prioritizing self-care, seeking professional support, and speaking up. 

He also talks about the strategies and mechanisms which he has now implemented to facilitate positive mental health - going into detail about mindfulness, meditation, adapting his relationship with exercise and prioritizing sleep.

And just as pre-warning, there are conversations of suicide in this episode.

The Cost Of Caring Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cost-Caring-Dr-Perry-Crofts/dp/1528992504/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+cost+of+caring&qid=1675066490&s=books&sprefix=the+cost+of+ca%2Cstripbooks%2C86&sr=1-1

Today I am joined by Cleo Oldham - a body and food freedom coach, to provide insight as to how we can improve our relationship with food and body image.

We discuss the value of being aware of unconscious rules related to food - putting light upon the restrictive, dieting mindset, and behaviours which have been ingrained. Cleo also talks about how to overcome exhausting binge/restrict cycles, how to challenge habitual restrictive tendencies, in turn finding freedom and balance.

Cleo also provides insight as to how to shift our mindset and attitude towards our bodies - striving towards self-acceptance, body neutrality, and practicing self-kindness.

Instagram : @cleofaithcoaching
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cleo-oldham-54024a144/

Today I am joined by James Ball, a successful Paralympic cyclist to discuss his sporting journey, the impact of injury, sacrifices he has made, and the power of a strong social network.

He details his experience of competing at Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and the emotions associated with attending these high-pressure events.

Today I am joined by Emma Jay, a wellbeing coach, TEDx Speaker and author, to discuss chronic stress, burnout and the priority of establishing habits to support your physical and psychological health.  

In 2002, Emma was involved in a serious car accident, causing her to lose all of her confidence. She transformed from her previous outgoing, bubbly and enthusiastic self, to isolating herself away, manifesting a negative mindset… only triggering the development of depression. A few years on, Emma then experiences postnatal depression, in addition to chronic stress and burnout.

With these issues only accumulating, Emma was forced to adapt her lifestyle, recognise the underlying reasons triggering these exhausting bouts of stress, and make some changes.

It was about applying basic self care and stress management strategies, establishing a sense of purpose, maintaining a routine, building positive habits, prioritizing sleep, and finding a balance.

Thus throughout this conversation we both share advice on how to manage stress, lifestyle changes to facilitate positive wellbeing, and how to create long term, sustainable adaptations to aid your overall health, happiness, and longevity. 

Jessica discusses her competitive sporting journey, the process of transitioning between gymnastics, judo and weightlifting, as well as the challenges of being a student athlete - having balancing academic goals alongside her sporting endeavours.

Jess shares her experience at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, the pressure of competing at such a huge, globally documented event… as well as the mental skills required to focus, and regulate her emotions whilst performing under exceptional circumstances.

She then details the pure euphoric moment of achieving her 111kg clean and jerk, which gained her a place on the podium, and the pride she had competing for her country.

Jess finally discusses the mindset, drive and determination required… and the process of having to push past discomfort to reveal true sporting potential, as well as constructing a solid support network to achieve so many impressive accomplishments.

Find Jess:

@JGB.COACHING
www.jgbcoaching.co.uk

Today I am joined by Jamie Forsyth. An award-winning wellbeing coach, Mental Health First Aid Instructor and Inspirational Speaker.

Throughout this episode, Jamie discusses his story with bipolar disorder - providing an in-depth insight into the reality of living with the disorder… sharing his experiences of depressive lows, erratic mood swings, and periods of mania where he’d often disregard his own safety.

Despite the ongoing battle, the periods of isolation, challenge, turbulence and trauma, he explains how he has built resilience and a plethora of transferable skills.

And so today, he uses his previous experience to empower, inspire, bring awareness and educate.

Today I am joined by Natalia Rachel

A keynote speaker, writer, therapist, specialising in trauma & abuse recovery to discuss topics of healing, transformation, and the value of self-compassion.

Natalia opens up about her own personal experience of emotional and physical abuse, and how growing up within a traumatic environment triggered the development of multiple mental health complexities and physical health conditions, pushing her towards some very dark places.

However, she then discusses the tremendously complicated, yet growth provoking journey of recovery and nonlinear process of healing.

Shares some truly impactful and constructive advice as how through to consciously work through unresolved trauma, and working towards finding freedom, internal peace and relational harmony.

She highlights how recovery can inspire the transformation from a fragmented, dissociated version of ourselves, to being able to embody optimism, hope, build capacity for joy, and finally rediscover and reconnect with our authentic selves.

TW – conversations of abuse 

https://www.nataliarachel.com/why-am-i-like-this-book
@natalia_rachel_change

I’ve recently contracted the travel bug - HARD. 

So today, I am here to share my experience of how challenging my perceived comfort zones, pushing myself into unfamiliar environments, and embracing the beauty of spontaneity, has truly transformed my perspectives and mindset.

Alongside my good friend Joss, a fellow adventure-adrenaline-junkie, we discuss the wonderful nature of travel and adventure, how it connects you with your true values, how it allows you to form unpredictable yet incredible relationships with likeminded others, forces you to be present, and how it inspires a healthier work life balance

I still can’t quite fathom that within a 3 month window, i went from anxiety attacks in my office, consumed my academic stress and panic, to feeling comfortable and confident wandering aimlessly around multiple foreign cities (totally alone), absorbing culture, history, saying ‘yes’ to last minute plans, and truly living my ‘Lizzie Mcguire’ reality.

From dirt biking in the Moroccan desert, to witnessing sunset in Florence on my 22nd birthday and watching the magical skyline illuminate and transform in a silhouette, to climbing up mountains in Scotland, collecting a plethora of lifelong memories, creating friendships and growth provoking experiences…. I hope a few of my recent adventures inspires you to be a little spontaneous, to lean into discomfort, and challenge yourself. Because my goodness - it is absolutely worth it.

Today I am joined by Oly Newton. A motivational speaker, Mental Health First Aid Instructor and founder of @Run4YourMind. In this episode, Oly discusses his experiences of battling severe OCD, anxiety, depression, and how his life was dictated and consumed by intrusive thoughts and rituals, feeling trapped and isolated.

Through sharing his story, he breaks down predetermined social stigmas associated with OCD, providing an in-depth, realistic insight into life with this debilitating illness.

However, discovering running played a huge role towards his recovery, providing a refreshing rest bite from his intrusive thoughts, a sense of freedom and achievement… which subsequently inspired the launch of Run4YourMind – a community-based foundation connecting likeminded individuals with similar experiences, motivating one another to live an active lifestyle, to aid their mental health and wellbeing.

Habits to Improve Wellbeing, Happiness and Mindset – Jay Unwin

Today I am joined by Jay Unwin – an international public speaker, consultant on mental and physical wellbeing, focusing upon preventative support and education.

During this conversation, Jay discusses his experiences of burnout and how after trial-and-error, he has formed a more balanced and healthier lifestyle, through redefining physical and mental fitness.

Therefore, this conversation focuses heavily upon the topic of how to build long-term healthy lifestyle habits, how to incorporate small behavioural changes to aid wellbeing, the priority of rest… championing longevity, quality of life, and living holistically for overall happiness. 

I also discuss my journey of incorporating healthier habits to feel far more present and balanced… breaking free from my monotonous anxiety ridden routines and never-ending daily to-do lists, and how implementing small self-care tasks and routines have made a huge impact for my mindset, wellbeing and general outlook on life.

Find Jay:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayunwin/
Instagram: @therealjayunwin

Today I am joined by @Eddie.Ilic, a Bath based hairdresser with a profound story of recovery and an uplifting message of hope.

Throughout this conversation, Eddie provides a very honest, and raw depiction of the reality of struggling with alcohol and drug addiction from a young age.

He discusses its isolation, its progressive identity consuming nature, his darkest moments, the multiple complexities and hardships faced… as well as how he finally learned that recovery can only truly and authentically be initiated with intrinsic motivation and honesty. 

Two years into his recovery, @eddiestreetcuts was born – a community-based project, providing haircuts for the homeless.

He discusses the value of building trustworthy relationships with the homeless community, the sense of connection, and how he is able to communicate, empathise, listen, provide hope for those struggling, whilst also building their confidence and self-esteem – truly demonstrating how these acts of kindness can be so impactful and transformative. 

Eddie explains how being of service to others and building this sense of togetherness through homeless haircutting has facilitated his own recovery journey… and shares a plethora of uplifting stories.

So hopefully this episode can provide honest insight into the reality of addiction and complex process of recovery, whilst destigmatising possible predetermined societal stigmas… but I also hope that it truly highlights the overwhelmingly positive  power of human connection, authentic kindness, and communication.

Today I am joined by Dr Lee David - a GP and accredited CBT therapist who trains health professionals and teachers in how to support wellbeing in others.  She has recently developed a new approach known as ’10 Minute GROW’ using CBT and mindfulness to support positive mental health. 

In this episode, we focus on student mental health and wellbeing, discussing the many challenges faced, but also provide insight on practical strategies to implement, to cope with stressors.

Her latest book:  10 Minutes to better mental health (https://amzn.to/3y0vmhs)

Website: www.10MinuteCBT.co.uk

Self-compassion videos:

·        Susan David: https://ideas.ted.com/how-to-be-kinder-to-yourself-self-compassion/

·        Kristin Neff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvtZBUSplr4&ab_channel=TEDxTalks

·        Brene Brown https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability?language=en

Resources for overcoming low mood by increasing activity: https://www.talkplus.org.uk/downloads_folder/Behavioural_Activation.pdf

Overcoming perfectionism:  https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Perfectionism

Joined by Dr Omara Naseem, a psychologist specialising in eating disorders, for an in-depth discussion regarding the somewhat controversial topic of the introduction of calories on menus.

As of April 2022, it is now a legal requirement for restaurants, cafes and takeaways with more than 250 staff to include caloric information on their menus, websites, and on delivery platforms.

The new rule is part of government plans to tackle obesity.

In today’s episode, we discussed this (what we perceived to be) flawed strategy, and its inevitable contribution towards harmful thoughts and behaviours for individuals struggling with disordered eating and eating disorders.

In regards to it tackling the obesity epidemic, we discuss how a holistic approach is required to create impactful chance… whereas, realistically, a few texts upon a menu may not be the most effective tool to facilitate long-term behavioural changes. A full lifestyle transformation, the cultivation of sustainable and healthy habits, greater education, and community-based interventions are required to approach the issues. So, does this strategy seem like a quick fix?

To follow, in terms of the disordered eating perceptive, we raise how this process will only enforce unhealthy tracking tendencies and disordered behaviours. It can be harmful, perceived as confronting and anxiety inducing for those struggling and cause set backs in recovery journeys. 

So today Dr Omara Naseem provides advice to those struggling, recommending strategies to help someone navigate these stressful situations, whilst also revealing mechanisms to interrupt disordered urges as well as methods to neutralise relationships upon digits, numbers and statistics.

Hopefully alongside myself openly discussing my personal experience, alongside Omara providing her professional perceptive, this episode can provide some guidance and support to you or simply educate you on how this new governmental strategy may cause more harm than good.

https://omaranaseem.com/

@dr.omara.naseem

What strategies can you employ to support a friend, loved one, or significant other experiencing mental health difficulties? How can you inspire an individual to progress along their recovery journey, seek suitable support, speak openly of their emotions, and guide them along a positive pathway?

From acquiring greater understanding through education, practicing patience, setting aside time to genuinely listen, and maintaining a non-judgmental dialogue... here is my advice.

BMI should never be used as the primary indicator for eating disorder diagnosis, or for determining who is considered 'unwell enough' to access specialist treatment.

Why do I think this is harmful? It can lead to potentially dangerous delays, neglecting imperative early intervention strategies, thus triggering suffers further down a destructive pathway

It's important to remember that the vast majority of eating disorders aren’t immediately visible - they’re primarily psychological illnesses, evidently proving that the simplistic calculation of BMI is a totally inadequate strategy for diagnosis.

From escapism, to social interaction, to increased confidence, and the sense of accomplishment - here are 6 reason why I believe exercise is a huge facilitator in establishing positive mental heath

This phase is primarily about finding purpose, rediscovering joy, and ultimately looking ahead.

While the redefining stage encompasses the process of assessing what life could be like away from the eating disorder, rediscovering is about becoming actionable, becoming intentional and putting it into practice.

It’s about putting yourself in discomfort zones, building resilience, understanding that backward steps aren’t indicative of failure, as well as challenging yourself and subsequently acquiring growth from moments of adversity.

It also consists of incorporating productive coping mechanisms and the construction of relapse prevention plans, allowing you to feel equipped and prepared if you experience any moments of difficulty