On the 147th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Karimu Samuels. Karimu is a movement expert whose journey from exhaustion to ease led him to discover the power of moving through life with flow. With years of studying body functionality and coaching athletes worldwide, he teaches holistic movement that unites body, mind, and emotion — guiding others toward balance and the joy of movement. He embodies the belief that through movement, we can master not only our bodies but also ourselves.
In this conversation, Karimu invites us to explore what happens when we stop striving and start listening — to our bodies, our intuition, and the quieter signals of life. From learning to move through the world with less control and more awareness, to discovering movement as a mirror for self-understanding, he shares how trust, honesty, and softness became the foundation of his work and his peace.
This episode invites you to slow down, listen deeply, and tune into what your body is trying to tell you.
For more of Karimu's work:
https://www.instagram.com/karimu_samuels/
www.karimusamuels.com
contact@karimusamuels.com
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00–03:09 — “Who am I?” as the guiding question
03:09–04:48 — Movement as universal; finding your gift
04:48–07:40 — From ego goals to service; discovering movement
07:50–12:36 — “Arriving / home” = inner peace
12:36–15:17 — Trust → authenticity; speak your own reality
16:10–18:40 — Radical honesty
18:40–24:48 — Listening to the body: asthma & throat story
24:48–28:03 — Practice and mastering mindset
28:03–32:41 — Shaped by experience; learning to show up
32:41–38:59 — Movement is a mirror; five components
38:59–42:58 — Broken wrist; adapting without compensating
42:58–47:33 — Softening: control vs. letting go
47:33–52:05 — Love as a tool; co-creating safe space
52:05–56:36 — “What is a good life?” Three pillars
On the 146th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Steven D’Souza. Steven is an award winning author, executive educator, trusted advisor, leadership coach and keynote speaker. He is a Senior Partner in the Leadership & Professional Development Practice at Korn Ferry, a leading global Organisational Consulting firm. His expertise crosses the fields of psychology, organisational development, diversity, group dynamics, contemplation and social capital. He has spoken globally to organisations such as PwC, TikTok, Financial Times and the United Nations. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Independent and The Sunday Times.
In this conversation, Steven reflects on his early pursuit of the priesthood and his lifelong inquiry into meaning, service, and aliveness. Drawing on themes from his latest book, Shadows at Work, he shares how meeting the shadow with curiosity and compassion brings wholeness, and how embracing uncertainty, silence, and kindness can lead to a more grounded, vital way of living.
This conversation invites you to see the shadow not as something to fix, but as a hidden source of energy, wisdom, and aliveness.
For more of Steven's work:
Website: https://stevendsouza.com/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 — Steven’s lifelong question + year pursuing priesthood
04:24 — Leaving the path & formative books (Kopp, de Mello)
07:27 — Stories as truth; practice over tips
10:12 — Aliveness; “I grow in my spirituality by growing in my humanity”
13:01 — Bringing the vertical into the horizontal (everyday life)
13:28 — Why Shadows at Work; prisons, corporate paradox, “dark mode”
19:36 — “Know my shadow and my light”: beyond Jung; four lenses
23:08 — Defining shadow; biology, culture, spirit lenses in practice
31:02 — Personal shadow work
37:04 — Paradoxical theory of change; acceptance over improvement
40:43 — Negative capability (Keats)
46:53 — Via negativa & subtraction; “bring silence with you”
52:29 — The edge of the unknown; reactions & catastrophic thinking
58:56 — What is a good life? “A kind life.”
On the 145th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Marc Cinanni. Marc is a writer, musician, and co-founder of Muntanya Màgica, a secluded forest retreat space near Barcelona devoted to personal and spiritual renewal. After time spent in an ashram and a transformative period living on a remote Pacific island, Marc now helps others rewild their inner and outer lives through nature, meditation, and presence—inviting a return to stillness and a deep respect for the mystery of life.
In this conversation, we explore courage as the practice of listening to yourself, rewilding a modern life and his move to a remote island, practical spirituality, and how trusting life reshapes friendship, work, and home.
This episode is an invitation to truly notice and trust this life.
For more of Marc's work:
Retreat website: www.muntanyamagica.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccinanni/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 How do I live this life as me?
02:30 Sharing our gift with the world
05:00 A series of experience to self-knowing
08:45 The pillars of empathy & creativity
12:15 A call to nature
17:45 Attuning to nature’s demands and our being
21:00 Adjusting to life in nature
29:44 Noticing the cycles of life
35:00 Continued communication in relationships
38:20 The shifting of friendships
41:00 Knowing you can trust your life
46:00 The beauty of every moment
50:30 Setting up a retreat
52:30 Summary and what is a good life for Marc?
On the 144th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome George Thompson. George is a filmmaker, teacher, and founder of Balance is Possible!, a movement dedicated to inspiring balance for both people and planet. With over 25 million people impacted by his work and support from changemakers like Louie Schwartzberg, Tara Brach, and Stephen Fry, George weaves together ancient Daoist wisdom and modern science into practical, playful tools for navigating modern life.
In this conversation, we explore what it truly means to live in balance — within ourselves, with others, and with the natural world. George shares insights from his time training under Master Gu in the Wudang Mountains of China, and reflects on how balance extends beyond personal wellbeing into a collective responsibility for the planet.
This is a gentle and profound invitation to slow down, be present, and rediscover harmony amidst the complexities of life.
For more of George's work:
website: https://www.balanceispossible.com/
His latest film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KArWcMldPM
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 What is balance?
03:00 The economy and nature
05:00 A radical transformation of understanding
08:30 The unexpected path to Tai Chi
11:20 The embrace of the unknown
17:00 Letting go of yourself
20:00 No longer separating life from practice
23:50 The wisdom of the mind
28:15 Trusting the flow of life
31:00 The forming of a mission
34:00 The interdependence of healing
38:00 Giving yourself grace of seasons
41:00 Creating more space to meet life
44:25 Loving the challenging feelings of life
49:50 The movement towards balance
52:45 Summary of the conversation and what is a good life for George?
On the 143rd episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Kimbra. Kimbra is a New Zealand-born songwriter, musician, producer, and adventurous performer. Her 2011 debut, Vows, was certified platinum in Australia and New Zealand. The following year, “Somebody That I Used to Know,” her duet with Gotye, topped Billboard’s Hot 100, became the best-selling song of the year in the U.S., and earned her two Grammy Awards. Since then, she has toured with artists including Beck, David Byrne, and Jacob Collier, and has released four more albums: The Golden Echo, Primal Heart, A Reckoning, and Idols & Vices (Vol. 1). She hosts the podcast Playing With Fire and shares essays, poetry and watercolours on her Substack newsletter.
In this conversation, Kimbra reflects on her ongoing journey to find balance and rest within her life and career as a musician. She speaks about the importance of silence in shaping her artistic expression, the power of surrendering to spirit, and the grounding influence of nature.
This episode is an invitation to embrace the fullness of life — its joy, its suffering, and the many paradoxes in between.
For more of Kimbra's work:
Substack: https://kimbra.substack.com/
Website: https://www.kimbramusic.com/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 How to find balance?
03:00 The experience of burnout
06:30 A silent concert
09:50 HoneyBones and nothing to lose
12:30 The generosity and connection of silence
16:00 Life, art, and work are not separate
19:30 Receiving a message from spirit
23:30 Being empowered by spirit
29:00 A mystical experience and calling
33:42 We all have a cross
38:50 Making a difference in the world
42:30 The power and role of nature
45:00 Rest, letting go, and liberation
51:15 Summary and what is a good life for Kimbra?
On the 142nd episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Jim Palmer, Founder of the Center for Non-Religious Spirituality. A critically acclaimed author, former megachurch pastor, adjunct professor, and chaplain with the American Humanist Association, Jim is also a trained counsellor in religious trauma and spiritual abuse.
In this conversation, he reflects on his journey through a crisis of faith, his experiences as a megachurch pastor, and his challenges of navigating religious culture. We explore theological deconstruction, rewilding spirituality, and the importance of embracing diverse perspectives. This episode invites you to consider a faith in life itself as a way to deepen our connection with existence.
For more of Jim's work:
Substack: https://substack.com/@jimpalmerauthor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimpalmerauthor/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 Introduction and Setup
01:51 Exploring the Good Life
02:50 The More Than Human World
06:22 Personal Evolution and Crisis of Faith
12:22 Experiences as a Mega Church Pastor
17:35 The Challenges of Mega Church Culture
21:22 Theological Deconstruction and Reconstruction
26:38 Confronting Suffering and Injustice
33:03 Cognitive Dissonance in Religion
39:13 Processing Religious Trauma
42:55 Rewilding Spirituality
50:04 God as a Verb
54:20 The Good Life as a Process of Inquiry
58:06 Faith in Life and Interconnectivity
On the 141st episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Professor Megan Reitz. Megan is an Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School, Oxford University, and Professor of Leadership and Dialogue at Hult International Business School. She is a leading thinker on leadership and dialogue, featured in the Thinkers50 ranking of global business thinkers, and the author of Dialogue in Organizations, Mind Time, and, most recently, Speak Out, Listen Up. Her work explores how we create the conditions for transformative dialogue at work, and her latest research examines how we can foster spaciousness — the capacity to innovate, reflect, and build relationships in workplaces addicted to busyness.
In this conversation, we explore the impact of space, silence, attention, and an outward focus on our relationships and our experience of life.
This episode serves as an invitation to pause, question the busyness we’ve become entangled in, and reconsider the status quo of how we relate.
For more of Megan's work:
Website: https://www.meganreitz.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganreitz/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 How do I encounter the world?
04:00 Flow amongst people
07:00 How our gestures affect others
11:45 The labels, assumptions, and roles that create distance
17:13 The energy drain of societal expectations
23:00 Allowing, inquiry, and meta awareness
26:20 Creating the space we require
33:45 How do we see the world?
37:00 Navigating pauses and big questions
44:00 How strange it has become to pause
47:30 Our focus moving from ourselves
53:30 Experiencing periods without an agenda
57:00 Summary and what is a good life for Megan?
On the 140th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Robert Poynton. Rob is the author of Do Conversation, Do Pause, and Do Improvise. He divides his time between an off-grid home in rural Spain and Oxford, where he is an Associate Fellow at the Saïd Business School and convenor of the Oxford Praxis Forum at Green Templeton College. Rob is a designer, host, and facilitator of learning experiences; an amateur practical philosopher; a keeper of hens; and the founder of Yellow Learning.
In this conversation, Rob shares his sense of living with more aliveness. We explore following the energy rather than the “shoulds”, noticing visceral signals of “deathly” work, practising curiosity and softness in everyday tasks, infinite games versus fixed goals, and how trusting life’s unfolding leads to a life of joy.
This episode is an invitation to soften, to follow what feels alive, and to let life reveal itself through experience and energy rather than theory.
For more of Rob's work:
Website: https://robertpoynton.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-poynton-169402/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 How can we make life more joyful?
04:20 Paying attention to that sinking feeling
06:40 Making decisions others found unusual
10:50 Following the breadcrumbs and energy
18:11 Noticing when we contract and soften
24:30 Noticing, allowing, and becoming
32:00 Life wants to happen
39:15 Collaboration more present than competition
42:30 The allure of drama and conflict
48:20 Holding two conflicting ideas at once
51:15 The surprises that bring us alive
57:50 Summary and is a good life for Rob?
On the 139th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Simon Höher—a public designer, researcher, and strategist based in Berlin. Simon works at the intersection of systems, futures, and justice, partnering with public institutions, startups, and cultural organisations to rethink how we design, govern, and live together. He is Systems Change Lead at Dark Matter Labs and currently supports the European Commission’s Net Zero Cities Mission.
In this conversation, we explore big questions about life, governance, and personal evolution: the nature of change, how today’s decisions shape future generations, and the role of resilience and trust in navigating uncertainty. We also look at ways to move beyond the problem–solution dichotomy.
This episode is an invitation to consider what more patience, deliberation, and intention might bring to your life.
For more of Simon's work:
Website: https://simonhoeher.com/
Substack: http://simonhoeher.substack.com
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 How do we create deliberate transitions?
04:30 What to do about the state of the world?
08:00 Evolution and transitions
12:00 Shifting from private to public interest
14:30 How do we gauge impact?
19:40 Questioning are we part of the problem
23:50 The impact of trust & hope on resilience
32:45 Trusting yourself through change
37:00 We are incredibly adaptive creatures
39:30 The significance of openness
42:30 The problem-solution dichotomy
50:00 Minimal intervention
54:00 Summary and what is a good life for Simon?
On the 138th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Edie "EdieArt" Pijpers. Edie is a self-taught painter, musician, and writer whose work flows across the porous borders between music, colour, story, dream, and video. Raised in the Netherlands, Edie travelled through Paris, Sydney, and Los Angeles before planting roots in the Hudson Valley. Over the years, she has released five albums, held art shows in Nashville and New York, painted murals, published mindful children’s books, created intimate video pieces, and collaborated on the oracle deck Healing the Inner Child via Hay House.
In this conversation, we explore the essence of creativity and the balance between doing and being. We explore the importance of giving space and time to ideas, as well as attuning to the muse that lives as presence in ordinary moments.
Ultimately, she highlights the significance of relationality, living attentively, and embracing the flow of existence.
For more of Edie's work:
Website: https://www.edieart.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EdieArt77
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 What is trying to emerge?
04:45 Authority and uncertainty
10:00 Exploring how things are
13:00 Balancing masculine and feminine energies
17:30 The call into nature
25:00 Giving life more space
31:05 The seriousness and lightness of life
36:15 Parenting, relating, and space
42:00 Letting go of control
45:00 Meaningful and meaningless
48:00 Answering a call to creativity
51:30 The significance of place
54:30 Summary and what is a good life for Edie?
On the 137th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Diane Button. Diane is a founding partner of the Bay Area End-of-Life Doula Alliance in Northern California, and the best-selling author of Dear Death: Finding Meaning in Life, Peace in Death, and Joy in an Ordinary Day and The Doula Tool Kit: The Complete Practical Guide for End-of-Life Doulas & Caregivers (co-authored with Angela Shook and Gabby Jimenez). She holds a master’s degree in Counselling Psychology, works as a practicing end-of-life doula, and serves as a lead instructor in the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine’s End-of-Life Doula Certificate Program. Her latest book is the inspiring What Matters Most.
In our conversation, Diane shares the profound insights she has gained through her work, emphasising the power of presence, the value of embracing all emotions, and the joy found in life’s simplest moments.
Together, we explore how the beauty of ordinary days and the wisdom of those facing death can illuminate what it truly means to live well and meet life’s final chapter with grace.
For Diane's latest book, What Matters Most:
To buy your copy: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/768705/what-matters-most-by-diane-button/
About the book: https://www.dianebutton.com/what-matters-most
Website: https://www.dianebutton.com
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 Reflections on the book
02:10 The depth of the role of an End of Life Doula
04:45 Experiencing everything
08:44 The cultivation of presence
14:00 Pausing and slowing down
17:00 An awareness of joy
21:20 An expression of gratitude
25:30 The process of writing the book
31:55 Not waiting to celebrate life
36:30 Distilling what matter most
40:30 The simple moments
43:30 Legacy work with the dying
48:00 Regrets over the little things
52:30 Self-love, acceptance, and authenticity
1:00:00 Comfort with grief and conflicting emotions
1:08:00 The importance of our small acts
On the 136th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome our guest, Aadita Chaudhury. Aadita is a researcher, writer and arts practitioner inhabiting the intersection of the arts, science, ecology, and spirituality. Her work is shaped by ethnographic approaches, poetic inquiry, embodied methodologies, sonic practices, photography, and encounters with mythology, folklore and ritual, guided by ethics of slow, non-extractive decolonial research. She is interested in perspectives from the Global South in relation to technoscientific imaginaries, decolonial, feminist and working-class social movements. Aadita has conducted research in the US, Canada, the UK, Italy, India and Mexico. Her academic and public work has appeared in International Relations, Conservation Letters and Al Jazeera.
In this conversation, Aadita explores the themes of rootedness, belonging, and identity amidst a rapidly changing world. She reflects on her journey through liminal spaces, the impact of cultural expectations, and the quest for enough-ness. The discussion delves into the implications of human exceptionalism, the importance of direct communication, and the value of community connections.
Ultimately, Aadita considers a good life as one that embraces honesty, embodiment, and the emergent flux of reality.
For more of Aadita's work:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aadita/
Website: https://www.aaditachaudhury.com/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:00 Navigating Liminal Spaces
04:00 A Practice of Presence
06:00 Rootedness, identity, and preference
09:55 Cultural expectations
14:30 The expectation of proving our worth
16:30 Exploring human exceptionalism
20:00 Conditional enough-ness
26:00 Concepts from human exceptionalism
30:00 Fear of death and immortality
34:00 Moving from abstract to embodied
42:30 Attentiveness to our community
53:00 The repression of forced politeness
59:15 An appreciation for directness
1:06:00 Summary and what is a good life for Aadita?
On the 135th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome our guest, Stephen Jenkinson. Stephen is a cultural worker, teacher, author, and ceremonialist. He is the creator and principal instructor of the Orphan Wisdom School, founded in 2010. He has master’s degrees from Harvard University (theology) and the University of Toronto (social work). He’s the author of Come of Age, the award-winning Die Wise, Money and the Soul’s Desires, and Reckoning (with Kimberly Ann Johnson). His latest book, Matrimony: Ritual, Culture and the Heart’s Work, invites readers to contemplate the significance of matrimony, ceremony, and cultural articulation—and how to redeem them for future generations.
In this rich conversation, Stephen explores profound questions about life, love, and the nature of existence. The discussion delves into the essence of ceremonies, particularly in matrimony, emphasising the need for meaningful endings and the responsibilities we hold towards future generations.
The discussion weaves fate, ancestry, humility, and the call to “proceed as if you’re needed” into a meditation on how we might live fully inhabited lives.
For Stephen's latest book, Matrimony:
To buy your copy: https://orphanwisdom.com/store/matrimony/
About the book: https://orphanwisdom.com/books/matrimony/
For more of Stephen's work:
Website: https://orphanwisdom.com/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
00:01 – Introduction
01:37 – The Condition of Pondering
06:28 – Roots of Pondering
10:16 – The Dream Another World Has of You
19:36 – Needed vs Important
21:46 – Matrimony and the Presence of the Absence
26:00 – Longing and Belonging
31:00 – Modern wedding and the privatisation of love
35:47 – The Art of the Ending
41:40 – Pompe and the Necessity of Closure
43:47 – Ritual as a Gift to the Village
45:45 – The White Heat of Possibility
51:25 – The Active Witness
53:43 – What Is a Good Life for Stephen?
On the 134th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome our guest, Mike Moss. Mike is a BACP registered Counsellor and Supervisor. He has worked in voluntary and statutory organisations for over 40 years and is currently employed as a counsellor in a school. His approach is Person-Centred with an interest in the Transpersonal. He has written widely about the power of the therapeutic relationship and presented his work at workshops and national and international conferences. He has a small private practice offering counselling, supervision and training.
In this conversation, we explore profound themes of life, connection, and the beauty of the ordinary. We discuss the significance of the breath before the last breath, the power of a smile, and the importance of being present. Mike shares his journey of self-discovery, emphasising the potential within each individual and the interconnectedness of life.
The dialogue highlights the struggle we all face and the beauty found in acknowledging our experiences.
For more of Mike's work, check out the following:
Email: mike.moss@outlook.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-moss/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring Presence Event in Berlin, September 17th - https://buytickets.at/johnniemoore/1794566
01:05 Breath before my last breath
05:05 The power of a smile
15:00 The simple beauty and connection
18:25 Acknowledging the struggle of life
23:35 The flow is continually present
29:20 The temporary nature of our worries
33:30 The power of my presence
36:00 Allowing space for feeling anxiety
40:00 From Ass-hole to A Soul
45:45 Potential: stored up energy
51:20 The vast range of life and perspective
56:31 What is a good life for Mike?
On the 133rd episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome our guest, Dr. Richard Claydon. Richard is a leadership strategist and creator of the Praxis Q framework, which integrates self-awareness, systemic thinking, and role fluency. Known for his work at the intersection of complexity, culture, and adaptive performance, he helps leaders navigate ambiguity, build resilient systems, and lead with integrity in rapidly changing environments. His work draws from behavioural science, organisational theory, and real-world practice to challenge conventional leadership narratives and build capability for the long game. A former academic with a Ph.D. in Organisational Studies, Richard now partners with executive teams, coaches, and educators to equip leaders for a world on the brink.
In this conversation, Richard discusses the complexities of leadership, emphasising the need for a more human, honest, and reflective approach. He explores how traditional leadership models often lead to burnout and disconnection, advocating for a focus on dialogue, trust, and interdependence within systems. Richard also addresses the evolution of trust in modern society, emphasising the need for transparency and adaptability in complex systems.
Ultimately, he defines a good life as one where individuals can navigate their systems effectively and make meaningful contributions to their environments.
For more of Richard's work, check out the following:
EQ Lab Website: https://www.eqlab.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrichardclaydon/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring one-on-one coaching: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/one-on-one-coaching
- What is a Good Life? Course: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-what-is-a-good-life-course
00:00 How did leadership end up like this?
03:40 The significance of honesty to ourselves
06:40 Drifting from ourselves
10:30 Leading to burnout
14:00 Dialogues to help to navigate complexity
18:00 Interwoven learning
21:00 Changing how he sees learning
27:28 An opportunity to improvise
31:00 Reducing ourselves to something fixed
36:00 Thoughts on authenticity
41:00 The ripple of realising interdependence
51:10 The evolution of trust
58:40 What is a good life for Richard?
On the 132nd episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome our guest, Kate Arms. Kate helps people and organisations create effective systems in which people thrive. She is known for her expertise in building and maintaining organisational systems that support innovation and creativity, and the psycho-social challenges faced by gifted, highly-sensitive, twice-exceptional, and creative individuals. Her career has taken her through law, technology, publishing, non-profits, and the arts. Recently, she has been heavily involved in developing leadership and coach training programs grounded in human dignity and agency. As part of this work, she co-founded the Neurodiversity Coaching Academy. She is the author of L.I.F.T.: A Coach Approach to Parenting, the Extreme Resilience Workbook, and several short stories featuring horror tropes and second chances.
In this conversation, Kate shares her lifelong inquiry into the complexities of being human and how to thrive amidst life's challenges. She reflects on the interplay of grief and love, and the importance of mindfulness and presence. She emphasises the need for systemic change to foster a more thriving world and the significance of becoming an elder who stewards wisdom for future generations.
This conversation is an invitation to actively and wisely participate in your own experience of becoming.
For more of Kate's work, check out the following:
Website: https://katearms.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katearmscoach/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring one-on-one coaching: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/one-on-one-coaching
- What is a Good Life? Course: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-what-is-a-good-life-course
00:00 How do we thrive the most?
06:15 Living the question and earning a living
11:10 Life without a plan but agency
15:30 Living from moment to moment
19:30 The cycle of growth
23:25 The grief and beauty of life
26:30 Engaging with joy
29:00 Living with awareness
34:00 The contextual and the detaills
38:20 The presence of the Dalai Lama
40:50 There is only one thing to do
45:00 The feeling of the right decision
48:30 What could lead to our collective thriving
54:48 What is a good life for Kate?
On the 131st episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome our guest, Dave Bingham. Dave is the founder and managing director of True Circles Training Ltd – though he often calls himself ‘an assistant to alchemy’. He’s a Trainer, Mentor, and Facilitator in the Way of Council, recognised by the Topa Institute of California and the European Council Network. Since 2009, he has facilitated Council groups in settings ranging from men’s circles and prisons to reconciliation programmes and open public groups. Formerly in the tech sector, he led major UK and international projects and contributed to global best practice. He later studied Psychotherapy and Eco-psychotherapy, before completing a multi-year apprenticeship to become one of a small number of Recognised Council Trainers outside the USA. Dave sees Council as an embodied wisdom tradition that fosters human wholeness, connection, and community – medicine for our times.
In this conversation, we delve into themes of purpose, alignment, and the transformative practice of the Way of Council. We explore the importance of listening from the heart and authenticity in communication. Dave shares his experiences of the profound impact of creating spaces for emotional expression.
This discussion invites us to reflect on depths of relating that I sense most people rarely engage with.
For more of Dave's work, check out the following:
Website: https://www.truecircles.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-bingham-7b0a95180/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring one-on-one coaching: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/one-on-one-coaching
- What is a Good Life? Course: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-what-is-a-good-life-course
00:00 How am I aligned with my purpose?
05:35 Resisting the tendency to problem solve
10:00 The capacity of the heart’s understanding
14:00 A moment that changed my course
17:50 A yearning for authenticity
20:50 An introduction to Way of Council
24:40 The foundation of Way of Council
27:25 The four intentions
32:25 A different form of relating
35:30 Taking a leap of faith
45:00 The capacity of humans to relate at depth
51:45 The significance of simply witnessing
54:00 Remembering who you are
57:40 Growing to align with purpose
1:00:57 What is a good life for Dave?
On the 130th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome our guest, Ella Fryer-Smith. Ella is the founder of Do You Research, an agency established with the intention of drawing on over 15 years of research experience, collaborating with the amazing researchers she has met along the way, and maintaining a clear focus on inclusion to deliver exceptional research, consultancy, and training. Specialising in qualitative research methods, particularly film ethnography, her work has taken her around the world—observing people’s everyday lives and exploring everything from toilet roll and white goods to how people manage their money. She has also helped policymakers navigate the future of health services and travel. Ella is the Vice Chair of the Association of Qualitative Researchers (AQR) board and sits on the Market Research Society (MRS) Social Inclusion Group.
In this engaging conversation, Ella shares her journey of embracing uncertainty and the paradox of confidence in admitting what we don't know. We explore the importance of presence in parenting, the significance of her parents as role models, freedom within constraints, and the need for research to reflect the voices of the unheard.
For me, this discussion really emphasises the significance of lived experience in understanding—and truly seeing—each other.
For more of Ella's work, check out the following:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ella-fryer-smith-91281723/
Website: https://www.doyou-research.com/
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week What is a Good Life? group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring one-on-one coaching: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/one-on-one-coaching
- What is a Good Life? Course: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-what-is-a-good-life-course
00:00 Letting go of saying I know
05:15 Arriving into confidence
09:55 Embracing of the unknown
12:15 Constraints within freedom and creativity
16:00 Prioritising presence with children
21:30 The importance of parental role models
28:10 We may have more flexibility than we think
32:00 We are inundated with messaging
35:00 Research for social issues
39:30 The significance of meeting people
42:00 Making sense of people’s lives
44:30 Engaging with unheard voices
52:30 Foregrounding lived experience more
1:00:50 What is a good life for Ella?
On the 129th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome our guest, Neale Donald Walsch. Neale has written 40 books on contemporary spirituality and its practical application in everyday life, including his new book GodTalk: Experiences of Humanity’s Connections with a Higher Power. Neale is the bestselling author of the Conversations with God series, of which seven of the nine books made the New York Times bestseller list. Book One remained on that list for 134 weeks. His titles have been translated into 37 languages and have been read by millions of people around the world.
In this conversation, Neale discusses his journey in exploring humanity’s relationship with God, emphasising that neither God nor love is transactional. He also shares the experiences that led to his first bestselling book and the life mission that emerged from those dialogues.
This conversation invites us to engage with life in a way that contrasts with many cultural norms—by embracing love, deep understanding, and meaningful connection with others.
For more of Neale's work, check out the following:
Website: http://www.nealedonaldwalsch.com/
Books: http://www.nealedonaldwalsch.com/Store/Books
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring one-on-one coaching: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/one-on-one-coaching
- What is a Good Life? Course: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-what-is-a-good-life-course
00:00 How we are misunderstanding God
04:20 A theologically revolutionary idea
10:10 God’s love demands nothing in return
13:40 Questioning religion but not a belief in God
22:15 Conversing with God
29:00 Not a case of right & wrong but what works & doesn’t
33:22 The importance of our imagination
41:10 God is speaking to us all the time
44:45 The bias against a possibility
48:30 Sharing conversations with God
53:10 Reflecting on the success of the first book
56:30 Discovering his life mission
1:03:10 What is a good life for Neale?
On the 128th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I’m delighted to welcome our guest, Shai Tubali, Ph.D. Shai is a philosopher, author, and teacher whose work bridges mysticism and academic philosophy. He explores how expanded states of consciousness can transform individual lives and influence our collective future.
Shai holds a doctorate in the philosophy of religion and his academic publications include The Transformative Philosophical Dialogue (Springer, 2023) and Cosmos and Camus: Science Fiction Film and the Absurd. As the author of numerous books on inner transformation, his writings have reached readers in 14 languages. He has also developed several original, meditation-based methods for psychological transformation, including the medically researched Expansion Method.
In this conversation, we explore profound questions about the nature of existence, the power of inquiry, and the tension between knowing and not knowing. Shai reflects on his journey of self-discovery, the absurdity of life, and the importance of embracing both reflective self-consciousness and the interconnectedness of all beings.
This episode emphasises the significance of living an examined life, where questions lead to deeper insights and a more profound understanding of what it means to be human.
For more of Shai's work, check out the following:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaitubali/
Website: https://shaitubali.com/
Books: https://shaitubali.com/books/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShaiTubali/featured
Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, take part in my 5-week What is a Good Life? group courses, discuss experiences I create to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams, or you simply want to get in touch.
- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Exploring one-on-one coaching: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/one-on-one-coaching
- What is a Good Life? Course: https://www.whatisagood.life/p/the-what-is-a-good-life-course
00:00 The energy and tension of the question
03:00 What is it to be human?
05:15 The aliveness of not knowing
09:20 Being a distant observer of life
16:30 Embracing life fully from nowhere
21:30 Exploring absurdity, meaning & transcendence
32:55 The beginning of a spiritual path
38:20 Longing for reality
43:55 The interplay of absurdity and transcendence
50:53 The existential suffering of personalised existence
55:45 The grand feeling of universality through science
59:00 Summary of the conversation
1:02:00 What is a good life for Shai?