THE EDIT: August listening
Podcasts have become so popular in recent years, and whether they’re funny, informative or insightful, there’s one for every mood. If you add a TEDtalk into the mix, I couldn’t be happier. Here are a few favourites that have resonated with me over the years and that are truly inspirational.
Keep the Spark Alive
Long-term relationships are tough. From dividing the emotional labour in your home, to keeping your erotic connection alive, it’s not easy. I discovered Esther Perel’s brilliant Podcast after listening to her TEDtalk, ‘The Secret to Desire in a long-term relationship’. She’s compassionate, straight to the point and unflinchingly honest; a woman after my own heart.
Lean Into Your Career
Being a woman in business may be more common now, but when statistics show that less than 20% of all boards have more than one woman on them, we’ve still got a long way to go before we can consider the glass ceiling broken – at the moment, it’s barely cracked.
This is why I admire Sheryl Sandberg so much. As the previous COO of Facebook, she’s faced personal tragedy, but still drives both her own and other women’s careers hard. Her talk, ‘Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders’, is a brilliant introduction to the concept of ‘leaning in’ and perfect to listen to on your way back to work after a break!
Say ‘Sayonara’ to Stress
Stress is a modern epidemic, especially for mid-life women facing pressure from every direction. It doesn’t have to be the enemy though, as evidenced in this brilliant talk from Kelly McGonigal, ‘How to make stress your friend’. She teaches us how to harness stress in a healthy way, using it to motivate, to help make decisions and to prioritise.
Be Happy and Live Longer
One of my favourite TEDtalks EVER is Robert Waldinger’s ‘What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness’. It showed that regardless of economic background or career success, it is connection that defines quality of life and increases our longevity. It’s a fascinating look at what makes us tick and is truly inspirational.
Make Yourself Vulnerable
It’s in vulnerability that we find the room to grow – those moments where it’s all new, we’re scared, and we don’t know what’s coming next. Allowing ourselves to be exposed is hard. This is why I’m a huge fan of Brené Brown.
It’s no understatement to suggest that her talk, ‘The Power of Vulnerability’, has been transformative for millions around the world – and has been instrumental in my first step on the path to a total rethink about how I view my choices.
Master your Mindset
The idea of setting ourselves working goals to stay on track has its roots in sound science, but it’s not always effective, especially for those of us (ahem) who procrastinate more than we should!
Tim Ferriss is an absolute legend in mindset mastery circles; the practise of learning to identify your thought processes so that you can overcome them. His talk, ‘Why You Should Define Your Fears Instead of Your Goals’, is a revolution in how we think about what we achieve and I urge you to listen to it.
