Bewildered
Martha Beck and Rowan Mangan
What if we stopped listening to the controlling voice of the culture around us, and instead learned to reconnect with our own true nature?
Sometimes we aren’t even sure why we feel so bewildered… and discontented… and even downright miserable. Often it’s because we have let the forces of society replace our own instinctive knowledge of what is right for us.
Now, it’s time for us to find that voice again—before it’s too late.
For Martha and Rowan, Job One is to live according to our deepest truths, making the commitment to feeling good even when it means looking weird. We believe that this is how we will reinvent our world—from the inside out— to create a society that’s kinder, more equitable, and more ecologically sustainable than the one we see around us right now.
This is the vision that we laugh and stumble and chat and feel our way towards here on this podcast. Did we mention LAUGH? We want no part of personal and global transformation if it isn’t fun!
So if you struggle to find a place where people who are as idealistic and brokenhearted, as silly and deeply sincere, as bewildered as you are—you might have just arrived.
Welcome!
Sometimes we aren’t even sure why we feel so bewildered… and discontented… and even downright miserable. Often it’s because we have let the forces of society replace our own instinctive knowledge of what is right for us.
Now, it’s time for us to find that voice again—before it’s too late.
For Martha and Rowan, Job One is to live according to our deepest truths, making the commitment to feeling good even when it means looking weird. We believe that this is how we will reinvent our world—from the inside out— to create a society that’s kinder, more equitable, and more ecologically sustainable than the one we see around us right now.
This is the vision that we laugh and stumble and chat and feel our way towards here on this podcast. Did we mention LAUGH? We want no part of personal and global transformation if it isn’t fun!
So if you struggle to find a place where people who are as idealistic and brokenhearted, as silly and deeply sincere, as bewildered as you are—you might have just arrived.
Welcome!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 3, 2025 • 1h 5min
Resting Joy Face
Do you suffer from “resting misery face”? Many of us do, and in this episode of Bewildered, we’re diving into exactly why that is. A few hints: It has to do with the brain’s “default mode network,” our hardwired negativity bias, the cultural pressures to stay miserable and afraid, and how our imagination tends to conspire against us. The good news is that you can reclaim your “resting joy face” by questioning your thoughts and using curiosity and laughter to shift your mindset. Tune in to learn how! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITSWandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deckMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported LicenseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 12, 2025 • 1h 3min
You Gotta Put Down the Duckie if you Wanna Play the Saxophone
Have you ever been willing to “give up anything” for something you wanted? On this episode of Bewildered, we’re talking about the spiritual lesson that to be truly open to receiving something new, we first have to put something down. We share stories about letting go of things in our own lives and how that made space for wonder, awe, and our most precious experiences. It’s an episode full of laughter, insight, and inspiration to create more spaciousness in your one wild and precious life. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITSWandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deckMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported LicenseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 29, 2025 • 1h 12min
Parenting, Work, and the Fight Not to Disappear
Does your life ever feel like a game of Tetris, where you get totally overwhelmed by all the pieces coming at you? In this episode of Bewildered, we’re talking about how to get through the chaos that is modern life: from role fragmentation, to relationship and caregiving pressures, to work responsibilities, to sleep deprivation. Join us for some world-class life coaching (and plenty of metaphors) as we explore how to find a way through the morass of obligations, get some sanity, and rediscover joy. CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITSWandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deckMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported LicenseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 15, 2025 • 54min
Flying Blind
Are you looking for ways to handle life when the culture’s rules no longer apply, and everything keeps changing at warp speed? In this episode of Bewildered, we’re talking about “flying blind” with confidence—trusting your body’s wisdom, adapting to new realities, and creating a path forward that’s right for you. We’re sharing personal stories, plenty of metaphors, and practical tips to help you navigate uncertainty and land safely, no matter what the storm may bring. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITSWandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deckMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported LicenseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 1, 2025 • 59min
Filling the Creative Well
We all need to take things in to keep us hydrated, not just physically, but also creatively. In this episode of Bewildered, we discuss what we call “filling the well”—receiving great art, stories, and creativity from others—and how it can replenish us and make us able to give and create ourselves. We share our rituals for getting inspired, explore why delight matters more than productivity, and offer a playful look at the weird, wonderful ways we stay creatively and emotionally nourished. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram CREDITSWandering The Path by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deckMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported LicenseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 17, 2025 • 1h 8min
Mapping Life by Rhythm, not by Rules
We’re in the middle of moving house (and Ro’s turning 45!) so our whole daily rhythm is being shaken up. But disruptions can be a great opportunity to consciously redesign your life. In this episode of Bewildered, we explore “day mapping,” staying responsive to nature’s cues, and letting your deepest yearnings guide you—instead of sticking to cultural rules or slipping into inertia. It’s about creating a life that’s structured enough to hold your dreams but not so rigid that it boxes you in. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 3, 2025 • 1h 1min
The Fear of Touch and Time
What does a text about chickens have to do with the meaning of life? We're glad you asked! In this episode of Bewildered, we examine how our culture teaches us to avoid touch, fear time, and forego relationships for transactions. We dive deep into how we’ve been pushed away from nature and each other by systems that value money most, and we explore the things that really make life worth living: genuine connection, sensory experience, and living in the moment (which includes cuddling chickens). Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 20, 2025 • 56min
The House of What We Pay Attention To
Our culture believes that the only way to fix all the bad stuff in the world is to stare at it relentlessly, as if our sheer focus could solve things. (Or at least prove we’re not part of the problem.) However, there are more effective ways to be the change, ways that include beauty and joy. On this episode of Bewildered, we’re talking about how we can actively change the world without being consumed by what’s wrong with it—and how creativity might be more revolutionary than resistance. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 6, 2025 • 52min
Best of Bewildered: Shining Your Light and Charging What Your Worth
Do you find it difficult to share your unique offerings with the world? How about charging money for your work? In this “Best of” episode of Bewildered, we dive into a question from listener Rebecca who’s trying to find the courage to shine her light in the world—and get paid well for it. We share some of our own experiences with this issue too, and offer three magical little words that can banish shame and set you free to shine your light and charge what you’re worth. Join us! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 23, 2025 • 41min
Best of Bewildered: Beware Fake Urgency
“QUICK! DO THIS NOW! IT’S URGENT!” Do those words spike your pulse? We're constantly pressured to do things that serve the system, and we’re trained to think of these things as urgent. But are they? In this “Best of” episode of Bewildered, we dive into the topic of urgency: How there’s a type that will crush your soul and a type that will grow it—and how you can tell the difference. If you often find yourself responding frantically to problems which may or may not be urgent, this episode is for you! CONNECT WITH US Follow Martha on Instagram The Bewildered Show Notes Follow Ro on Instagram Follow Bewildered on Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
