A New Way of Being

In his superb book No Self, No Problem: How Neuropsychology is catching up to Buddhism Chris Niebauer explains how the left side of the brain — brilliant at language and problem-solving — also creates constant mental chatter. It labels, judges, compares, and spins stories, including the biggest story of all — the idea of a solid identity or self-concept.But this overthinking isn’t who we are — it’s just a habit of the left brain doing what it does.In this conversation, Chris shares how recognising this can free us from getting caught in endless thought loops, helping us drop back into the present moment where clarity, ease, and creativity naturally arise.Key Insights: The left brain is responsible for language, categorization, and creating a narrative of who we are Our thinking mind is not our true self, but a survival mechanism that generates constant stories Suffering often leads people to spiritual exploration and understanding consciousness The right brain represents intuition, playfulness, and immediate experience Consciousness is fundamental, not an emergent property of the brain Meditation and self-inquiry can help us recognize the space between thoughtsThemes Explored: The illusion of self Limitations of psychology and materialism Flow states and intuition The role of suffering in personal growth Potential of AI and consciousnessIf you would like to explore more you can sign up for my free mini-course on finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-courseOr get in touch about 1:1 explorations: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coachingOther links:YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundieBook: https://www.simonmundie.com/bookWebsite: simonmundie.comSubstack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Success is not synonymous with happiness and wellbeing. So many high performers reach the top of the proverbial Everest only to discover that it did not provide the lasting satisfaction that it seemed to promise. One such person is Caitlyn Jenner, who won gold in the Olympic decathlon in 1976. However, the issues that were bubbling away under the surface were free to reassert themselves once the Games were over.If you would like to explore more you can sign up for our free mini-course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-courseOr get in touch about 1:1 explorations: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coachingOther links:YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundieBook: https://www.simonmundie.com/bookWebsite: simonmundie.comSubstack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philosopher and consciousness researcher Bernardo Kastrup argues that reality isn’t made of matter — it’s made of mind. And that insight, if true, changes everything: how we relate to each other, how we handle grief, how we understand mental illness, and even how we live day to day.In this conversation, Simon and Bernardo explore what it means to live from a worldview that sees all of life as interconnected. They go deep into fear, death, empathy, identity, and the consequences of seeing through the illusion of separation — not as a spiritual ideal, but as an existential truth.They discuss:Why Bernardo fears death — and what it might mean to merge with all sufferingThe lived consequences of seeing others as yourselfHow this view affects grief, kindness, and the way we consumeWhere materialism breaks down — and what might replace itWhy moments of flow, play, and stillness matter more than we realiseThe role of madness and suffering in our evolution as a speciesBernardo's book Analytic Idealism in a nutshell: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Analytic-Idealism-Nutshell-straightforward-metaphysics/dp/1803416696You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8yTY3Fw1Ns&t=233sIf you would like to explore more you can sign up for our free mini-course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-courseOr get in touch about 1:1 explorations: https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coachingOther links:YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundieBook: https://www.simonmundie.com/bookWebsite: simonmundie.comSubstack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“How you do anything is how you do everything.” That’s the core of Ryan Holiday’s message in this bitesize episode.The bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way shares why Stoicism — which he calls “the most practical of all philosophies” — is ultimately about action. Every moment is a chance to show up fully, to do our best, and to live in alignment with our values. We won’t always succeed — but we can always try. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve all said it — “there just aren’t enough hours in the day.” But Jasmin Paris proves otherwise.In 2019, she won the gruelling 268-mile Spine Race — not only becoming the first woman to win it, but beating the men’s course record by 12 hours.Alongside being an elite ultrarunner, Jasmin is a mum, a vet, and lives a full family life. She’s a brilliant example of what it looks like to prioritise what truly matters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do so many of us feel anxious, disconnected, or low — even when, on the surface, life looks fine?Psychologist and author Dr Margaret Paul believes the answer lies in self-abandonment — the subtle but powerful ways we disconnect from our feelings, judge ourselves, and hand responsibility for our emotional lives to others.In this episode, Simon is joined by the creator of the Inner Bonding process, a six-step pathway to healing that’s helped tens of thousands of people reconnect to themselves. This conversation is particularly personal — as Margaret’s work had a big impact on Simon’s life over a decade ago, and continues to inform his own work around burnout, flow and self-leadership today.What we explore:The four core ways people abandon themselvesHow digital distraction keeps us emotionally disconnectedWhat it means to develop a “loving adult” inner voicePractices for tuning into your feelings with compassionHow this work can transform relationships, leadership and wellbeinghttps://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-coursehttps://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coachingMy links:Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/bookYouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundieWebsite: simonmundie.comSubstack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/Info@simonmundie.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Emma Seppälä — psychologist, author of Sovereign, and faculty at Yale and Stanford — explains why you can’t think your way out of anxiety, and how the breath, body and nervous system hold the key to deep emotional healing.https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-coursehttps://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coachingMy links:Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/bookYouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundieWebsite: simonmundie.comSubstack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/Info@simonmundie.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘I am the master of my stress mechanisms’Wim Hof – aka the Iceman – says that our obsession with comfot comes at a great cost. What’s the answer? To go consciously into stressful situations, to change our relationship to it.https://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-coursehttps://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coachingMy links:Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/bookYouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundieWebsite: simonmundie.comSubstack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/Info@simonmundie.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Burnout isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a creeping, physiological and psychological disconnection that’s become all too common in high-achieving cultures. And often, the people most affected are the ones least likely to see it.In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Clare Ashley — author of A Burnout Doctor and former NHS medic — who knows this terrain from the inside. After her own collapse early in her medical career, Clare began to explore burnout not just as a condition, but as a message.We explore:Why denial is often a hallmark of burnoutThe subtle early signs we tend to ignoreHow purpose, community and autonomy act as protective forcesWhy 20% of meaningful work can shift everythingHow burnout recovery ties in with self-awareness, flow and intentionThis is a vital conversation — especially if you’ve been pushing through, wondering why you’re so tired, or feel like something’s been missing.👉 To go deeper, check out my free mini-course on burnout and flow at simonmundie.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feeling anxious? One of the best ways to address anxiety can be through improving the health of your gut microbiome - which produces serotonin (think SSRI antidepressants) and GABA (think Valium).Improving gut health is something I am passionate about - and I’m delighted @tim.spector could join me on A New Way of Beinghttps://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-mini-coursehttps://www.simonmundie.com/restore-balance-coachingMy links:Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/bookYouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundieWebsite: simonmundie.comSubstack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/Info@simonmundie.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.