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Some of us feel everything, others not so much move through life with steadiness and calm. Psychologists call this the difference between high neuroticism and low neuroticism. The strengths and challenges of each emotional style. How worriers and warriors can connect without clashing. Tools to balance warmth and competence in communication. Personal stories of growth, friendship, and letting go of perfection. Practical, science-backed exercises you can start using today.
Reference:
The Highly Sensitive Person Elaine N. Aron
Emotional Agility Susan David
Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication Vanessa Van Edwards
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Today let's explore the Celtic festival of Samhain, the ancient New Year marking the end of summer and the thinning of the veil between worlds. The origins of today’s most beloved Halloween customs—bonfires, costumes, lanterns, divination games—and the communities that kept them alive through centuries of change. Along the way, we’ll see how Irish people have adapted their traditions without losing their essence, holding fast to the values of connection, protection, and shared storytelling.
Reference:
Samhain: The Roots of Halloween Luke Eastwood
Archaeology Ireland Excavations at the Hill of Ward
The Ritual Process Victor Turner
History.com Halloween Origins & Irish Influence
Derry Halloween – Festival Programme & History
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Spoiler Disclaimer: This episode contains detailed discussion of the plot and characters of Martyr!
Our Book of the Month to reflect on is Martyr! by Kaveh Akbara.
A story that forces us to confront the weight of attention, grief, and meaning in our own lives with characters that define what matters, how their choices of where to place attention shape the novel’s themes, and what lessons we can draw for wellness, identity, and connection.
A very special shoutout goes to @ShawneeAtTheLake for putting this book in my hands. Martyr! landed like an immense slap in the face—demanding not passive reading but active reflection, both literary and personal.
Reference:
Martyr! Kaveh Akbar
Man’s Search for Meaning Viktor E. Frankl
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts Gabor Maté
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key insights from books like Irresistible by Adam Alter, Influence by Robert Cialdini, and Extremely Online by Taylor Lorenz, Stuart unpacks what it really means to live for likes and what we lose in the process. The mental toll of constant performance. How social media rewires our self-worth. The difference between true influence and online popularity. Why not all visibility is valuable.
Irresistible by Adam Alter
Influence by Robert Cialdini
Extremely Online by Taylor Lorenz
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Lessons from the Living and the Dying. Why “Don’t Wait” may be the most important life advice you’ll ever hear. How mortality can become a mirror for living with purpose. The emotional and scientific cost of distraction. Why slow, intentional mornings can reshape your mind and mood. The healing power of “I’m sorry” in relationships. And the five most common regrets at life’s end and how to avoid them now.
What it means to live fully and love deeply without carrying regrets to the end.
References:
Frank Ostaseski’s The Five Invitations,
Bronnie Ware’s The Top Five Regrets of the Dying,
Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning,
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Fantasy, gives us the chance to rehearse being human. We can find mirrors in stories showing the rawness of human struggle. Fantasy , isn’t escape it’s a simulator for life’s hard moments. Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass has great beats and moments of this sense. Through Aelin,Chaol & Dorian we see idenity, recovery and autonomy.
What makes these lessons richer is how they echo the insights of thinkers and writers who have charted their own paths through resilience and growth.
Reference:
Throne of Glass Series Sarah J. Mass
The Hero with a Thousand Faces Joseph Campbell
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Inspired by Johann Hari’s provocative book Lost Connections, this episode explores the real roots of depression — not just as a chemical imbalance, but as a symptom of a society disconnected from meaning, belonging, and community. A fresh understanding of depression, a renewed sense of hope, and small but powerful steps toward emotional healing and true connection.
Lost Connections by Johann Hari
http://amazon.com/Lost-Connections-Uncovering-Depression-Solutions/dp/163286830X
The Social Neuroscience of Education by Louis Cozolino
https://www.louiscozolino.com
The Good Life by Robert Waldinger & Marc Schulz
▶ https://www.thegoodlifebook.com
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The connection between physical movement and mental clarity. Blending neuroscience, reflection unpacking how regular movement can reduce stress, improve focus, and reconnect us to ourselves.
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
by Dr. John J. Ratey
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
Stillness Is the Key
by Ryan Holiday
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An episode on the long and layered story of Ireland from ancient settlers and mythic cycles to famine, colonization, revolution, and renewal. The pain, poetry, and persistence have shaped the global consciousness and how Ireland has offered the world a profound example of how a people can transform generational trauma into creativity, justice, and emotional intelligence. How a small island shaped the emotional and cultural frameworks we live with today.
References
Celtic Consciousness Robert Graves
The Druidry Handbook John Michael Greer
Cultural Geographies Journal 2023
Modern Ireland: 1600–1972 R.F. Foster
The Spirit Level Richard Wilkinson & Kate Pickett
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Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life is a relentless emotional landscape where love, shame, survival, and identity collide. Through its unflinching portrayal of abuse, chronic pain, and the sustaining force of chosen family, A Little Life confronts the myth of linear healing and asks whether love alone can save us. Bibliotherapy, queer romance in literature, and the craft of deep characterisation, we examine how Yanagihara’s work challenges traditional narrative comfort, immerses readers in lived emotional truth.
A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara
The Hero with a Thousand Faces Joseph Campbell
The Body Keeps the Score - Bessel an der Kolk
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Ever started something meaningful… and quietly walked away from it. You’re not lazy. You’re not broken. You're just human. And your comeback can start right here.
Why distraction is often self-doubt in disguise. How micro-commitments build momentum. The silent power of designing your environment. Why your “why” matters more than your willpower. And how compassion not perfection is what keeps.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Indistractable by Nir Eyal
Start With Why by Simon Sinek
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
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mirror characters — like Tamlin and Rhysand from Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses — reveal the most intimate truths about how we love, justify, forgive, and evolve.
A heartfelt thank-you to @katrynn for the innovative and emotionally charged question sent via Cameo — which inspired this entire exploration of how we experience fictional love as a mirror
Through the lens of emotional psychology, myth, and narrative healing, this episode unpacks: Why we romanticize the complicated “book boyfriend”. How love becomes control and when control becomes violence. The difference between soul-led love and ego-driven protection. Why Rhysand is forgiven for what Tamlin is condemned for. How fictional characters reflect the shadow sides of real relationships.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
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Having conversations that spark self-reflection, inspire action, and shift your mindset.
From celebrating progress to overcoming self-doubt, we tackle the everyday struggles that shape who we are.
Join us every week as we explore deep, meaningful topics that push you to pause, reflect, and grow. Because success isn’t just about the destination, it’s about appreciating the journey.
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Mental barriers that hold us back from success, fulfillment, and personal growth. Inspired by Jim Murphy’s Inner Excellence and insights from thought leaders like Robert Greene, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Sigmund Freud, what is the psychology behind self-doubt, comparison, and self-sabotage.
Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy
The 48 Laws of Power and The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene
Becoming Bulletproof by Evy Poumpouras
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
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Hey everyone, welcome to the weekly question of the This is Stuart podcast.
I'm so excited you’re here with us today, because these next few minutes are all about you.
Every week, we’ll be sharing short, reflective moments designed to help you tap into your deepest potential and live with more intention, clarity, and purpose.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hey everyone, welcome to the weekly question of the This is Stuart podcast.
I'm so excited you’re here with us today, because these next few minutes are all about you.
Every week, we’ll be sharing short, reflective moments designed to help you tap into your deepest potential and live with more intention, clarity, and purpose.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hey everyone, welcome to the weekly question of the This is Stuart podcast.
I'm so excited you’re here with us today, because these next few minutes are all about you.
Every week, we’ll be sharing short, reflective moments designed to help you tap into your deepest potential and live with more intention, clarity, and purpose.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
