Podcast
Short talks on meaning, mental health, and what it actually takes to live a more examined life. Listen below or via: iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, & YouTube.
Want to go deeper? Book a 1:1 session.
31: On Writing Therapy For Mental Health
Writing therapy is one of the core components of my ongoing mental health plan. When I feel a build of of mental pressure - I write!
The page listens and does not judge, and therefore you can tell it anything without fear. Writing enables me to collect, organise and express my thoughts. By writing them down, I am able to detach from them and let them go.
30: The Importance Of Assertiveness
Developing assertiveness is key to ensuring a stable mental state. By actively addressing issues as they arise, you cut them off before they can fester and derail you into bouts of rumination.
In addition, assertiveness easily overcomes bouts of indecision that can plague groups, individuals or businesses. If it is ultimately of little importance, take the initiative and choose
29: 'Who Let The Bum In' - (Chapter 1 of Under The Influence)
Zachary reads a chapter of his first book: Under the Influence - Reclaiming my Childhood.
Chapter title: "Who Let The Bum In"
28: On Travel, Reading and Expanding Your Mind
Travelling and reading have a unique way of expanding your mind. They open you up to new possibilities, new ways of living and new concepts.
In this episode, Zachary discusses the lessons learnt from his recent trip to Indonesia.
27: What Grief Feels Like - On Suicide and it's Effects
Grief comes in waves.
In this episode, Zachary discusses what grief feels like, as well as the feelings that arise when someone commits suicide.
Regardless of your proximity to the person, their death can be confusing and can significantly impact you.
26: Why Work Doesn't Have To Suck
In this episode, Zac discusses why people get trapped working in a job that they don't like and suggests ways that they can change into a career that they actually enjoy and look forward to performing.
"Counting time until retirement is not for me" ...
25: Overcoming The Pointlessness of Life
When I am depressed, the 'pointlessness of life' becomes overwhelming.
This episode addresses why life can feel pointless, as well as some of the ways that I overcome those feelings.
24: Follow Your Dreams Now, When Will There Be A Better Time?
It will never feel like a good time to follow your dreams ... There will always be barriers, blocks and reasons not to. But if you don't do it now, when will you?
23: You Have The Ability To Change Yourself
The books you read, shows you watch and the company you keep literally shape you. They will change how you think, feel and ultimately behave ...
So choose them wisely.
22: On Passionate Zealots That Drive People Away
This is a follow up to my blog post "Your Passion Is Detrimental To Your Cause - Why Militant Veganism Doesn't Work" In this episode I respond to the significant amount of feedback (positive and negative), as well as offer further advice for anyone who wants to convince someone to change their opinions/behavior - primarily they should: make slow and incremental changes rather than the 'cold turkey' approach.
The problem comes when these feelings are projected and forced onto unwilling and unsuspecting ears. This is often met with anger, annoyance and confusion...
21: The Joys and Challenges of Parenthood
Maria Phillips joins Zachary, to provide a follow up on how they are now finding parenthood. Recorded at three months in, they cover the joys and challenges that they have faced, as well as provide advice as to what information and purchases were useful and which were not.
20: The Real Reason Why Reading Is Important
Teachers and parents often push the importance of reading. But what they often fail to do is explain why it is so important.
In this episode, Zachary discusses how widely reading (particularly of fiction and autobiographies) increases detachment and allows you to live someone else's life.
"When the characters in our books face moral dilemmas, overcome obstacles, learn and grow, so does the reader. I will never be able to see the world through your eyes, but if I read your book, I would have a greater ability to empathise with your perspective"
19: Taking a Day Off From Life
Zachary talks about his day off from life, spent in solitude meditating. No social media, communication, reading, writing or eating; just observing the mind.
"I noticed that my mind would throw up strong urges and emotions. I started to act on them before I realized that I was doing so. This led me to wonder (in normal waking life) how much do my emotions, thoughts and feelings control me? I always presumed that I lead them, but I think I am drastically wrong about that."
18: Facing the Demons Of Your Mind
"I am planning on taking a day off everything to just meditate. I want to see what my mind throws up at me, and what I am often striving to avoid. I will spend a day with out technology, talking, writing, reading or eating - with the sole focus of meditating and facing the demons of my mind"
17: What Anxiety Feels Like
"For me, a lot of the symptoms of anxiety are physiological: shortness of breath, headache, coldness, and clumsyness. I get trapped in rumination, often overthinking everything. This has an impact on my ability to cope in social situations as there is a lot of stimulus to take in and process.
I find myself creating multiple potential futures for each outcome and simultaneously contemplating the worst of each. This causes my mental state to be focused on the worst possible outcomes for futures that never eventuate."
16: What Happens When You Talk About Trauma
"When you open up and start to talk about your traumatic experiences, a few things will happen.
More memories will come flooding in and that may become overwhelming. In addition, people will react differently to what you will expect. Some will be supportive and will share their own experiences, while others will disbelieve what you say..."
15: Protect Your Mental State At All Costs
"Protect your mental state, that way you are in the best place to help others.
It is important to realise that your mental state is the lens in which you view the world, if it is compromised, so to is your ability to judge the people, events and actions of your life..."
14: Reclaiming Your Childhood Through Writing
"Writing has been one of the most therapeutic things that I have done. I started with poetry, but quickly moved into a longer format of fiction and blogs, culminating with a book ..."
13: The Fear of Silence & Moving Towards a More Mindful Existence
Zachary reveals how he discovered his obsession with avoiding his own thoughts, the addictive pull of social media as well as how creativity can be stifled by too much external input.
"If you are always listening to other peoples words, you are always having an external person influence your thinking process ... by allowing for silence, you get to discover what you truly believe and feel about things."
12: What Depression Feels Like
In this episode you will hear about Zachary's experiences with depression, the symptoms and impact on his day to day functioning.
"When I am depressed people want to cheer me up, which is a nice sentiment of course, but it doesn't address the issue completely. It is analogous to complaining that you cant understand a radio and to help, people keep raising the volume. You can hear it just fine, it is the tuning that is the problem"