Mindful Poetic Stories Podcast

Gift of Mental Fitness

Reclaiming Your Power: Mental Fitness, Self-Love & the Sage Within
 
Episode Release: Christmas Eve Special
 
Episode Summary
In this heartfelt Christmas Eve episode, Patricia is closing out the year by revisiting the core themes that have shaped our journey together: emotional resilience, self-love, and the transformative power of mental fitness. You’ll hear why many of us stay stuck in self-sabotage, how our “Saboteur” autopilot loops keep us in survival mode, and, most importantly, how reconnecting with your inner Sage is the key to lasting positive change.
 
This episode also includes an exciting announcement: one listener will win a Positive Intelligence Coaching Programme with me in the New Year!
 
If you’ve been feeling disconnected, battling self-doubt, or longing to lead a more intentional, empowered life… this is the episode that ties it all together.
 
Key Takeaways
Self-Love Is a Revolutionary Act
Drawing on the insights of Tina Lifford and Abiola Abrams, we explore why knowing and accepting yourself is the foundation of emotional resilience, empowerment, and genuine transformation.
 
Mental Fitness = Thriving, Not Just Surviving
Mental fitness helps you shift from the self-neglect of Saboteur mode to the self-care and clarity of Sage mode. It allows you to recognise your internal programs, outdated beliefs, and survival-driven thought loops that hold you back.
 
The Autopilot Trap & Why Change Fails
Many attempts at positive change fail because we live on autopilot, constantly pulled back by ingrained habits, limiting assumptions, and emotional survival patterns formed long ago.
 
Performance = Potential – Interference
Based on Timothy Gallwey’s pioneering coaching work, we examine how your internal “interference patterns” drain your potential, and how Positive Intelligence coaching helps you dismantle them.
 
Your Inner Sage Is Always There
Your intuitive wisdom, the Sage, is quiet but powerful. Strengthening it requires daily mental fitness practice, awareness, and the ability to pause, choose, and respond intentionally.
 
You Can’t Thrive and Survive at the Same Time
Survival mode keeps you anxious, dysregulated, and limited. Sage mode opens the door to creativity, wellbeing, deeper relationships, and real happiness.
 
Happiness Leads to Success (Not the Other Way Around)
Positive psychology confirms that cultivating happiness first boosts motivation, resilience, productivity, and life satisfaction.
 
Emotional Intelligence Matters More Than IQ
Inspired by Daniel Goleman’s groundbreaking work, we discuss why emotional intelligence, not cognitive intelligence, matters more and is what truly shapes our success, fulfilment, happiness and meaningful relationships.
 
Transformation Begins With Your Relationship With Yourself
To step into the future you desire, you must:
Understand your internal programs
Identify both strengths and sabotaging behaviours
Quiet the inner critic
Strengthen your intuitive Sage wisdom
These are the foundations of personal power and mental fitness.
 
Episode Recommendations
Practice the Power of the Pause
As Viktor Frankl said: “Between stimulus and response, there is a space.”
Use this space to reconnect with your Sage, regulate your emotions, and choose consciously instead of reacting from fear.
 
Begin a Simple Daily Mental Fitness Practice
Small, consistent exercises that engage your Sage build new neural pathways and strengthen your emotional resilience. Engage your senses regularly and you will start to reconnect with your Sage.
 
Start an Internal Dialogue Audit
Pay attention to your inner voices. Are they driven by fear, doubt, or outdated survival patterns, or by intuition, wisdom, and compassion?
 
Focus on Intentional Living
Shift from autopilot to awareness. Choose habits that support your future self, not your old protective patterns.
 
Own Your Story
Let go of self-doubt and reclaim your inner authority. Your personal power lies not in perfection, but in self-acceptance and alignment.
 
Listener Giveaway (Christmas Eve Special!)
To celebrate the year and this journey of emotional growth, I’m gifting one listener a Positive Intelligence Coaching Programme in the New Year.
Listen to the episode for details on how to enter!
 
Final Words
Your inner Sage is never lost, it’s waiting to be heard. When you reconnect with it, you reclaim your worth, your voice, and your power. You become the author of your life.
 
Know yourself. Accept yourself. Love yourself.
Because when you do, you become invincible.
 
Email me at hello@pacoaching.co.uk
website www.pacoaching.co.uk
 

Digital Detox with Gratitude

The Christmas Gift of Presence: Digital Detox, Family Connection & The Power of Gratitude
 
Episode Summary
In this heartfelt Christmas episode, Patricia shares two powerful personal stories from last year’s holiday season, one planned, one unplanned, that enhance her wellbeing over the festive holidays. From an intuitive two-week digital detox with her mum, to a family “Gratitude Attitude Jar,” she explores how unplugging, reconnecting, and receiving gratitude can profoundly impact mental health, emotional resilience, and joy.
 
Listeners will hear practical guidance for digital fasting, family connection, emotional awareness, and creative ways to build meaningful traditions that nurture peace, presence, and genuine human connection.
 
Key Takeaways
Unplanned pauses can become the greatest gifts. A spontaneous digital break led to deeper connection, peace, and presence.
Deadlines matter, but not more than people. What feels urgent often isn’t; what’s irreplaceable often is.
Technology is designed to keep our attention. Taking it back requires awareness, limits, and compassion.
Digital detoxing reduces stress and boosts creativity. Stepping back created space for workshops, games, and meaningful conversations.
Gratitude is most powerful when it’s received, not just expressed. Research shows witnessing gratitude strengthens emotional and physical wellbeing.
Small, consistent habits make digital boundaries easier. Start with 30 minutes, one room, or removing one app.
Family rituals deepen connection. A gratitude jar, creativity prompts, or shared offline time can become cherished traditions.
 
Memorable Quotes
“Sometimes the gift of switching off comes without being planned.”
“Is a problem a problem if you don’t think it’s a problem?”
“My mum won’t be here forever. I won’t be here forever. Deadlines can wait, making memories cannot.”
“The digital world promised connection, but we are becoming more disconnected in real life.”
“Start small. Half an hour. One hour. Build up. Reclaim your attention.”
“Gratitude isn’t only about giving thanks, its potent power is in receiving it.”
“The genuine exchange of gratitude costs nothing, but gives everything.”
“Presence is the best Christmas gift any family can share.”
 
Episode Highlights
Patricia’s intuitive choice to take a two-week tech-free Christmas with her mum
Letting go of deadlines and perfectionism
The reality of digital overwhelm and “nomophobia”
Creative family connection rituals during the holidays
Why tech leaders like Steve Jobs limited their own children’s device use
Get creative and start your own digital fast or digital detox
A deep dive into the “December Gratitude Attitude bottled”
Research on gratitude, emotional wellbeing, and the power of receiving thanks
Practical ways to nurture your attention, focus, and mental health
A Christmas challenge to reclaim presence, joy, and connection
 
Tips & Recommendations Mentioned
Digital Detox Ideas
Create a family digital lockbox
Synchronise “phone-off” times together
Start with 30 to 60 minutes of tech-free time
Limit use of one specific app
Choose tech-free rooms (especially the bedroom)
Make your phone not the first/last thing of the day
Remove social media apps temporarily
Take nature walks, visit friends, or plan creative games
 
Gratitude Practices
Make a Gratitude Attitude Jar for the holiday season
Read gratitude notes aloud as a family
Create a Christmas Gratitude Journal
o Morning: “10 things I’m grateful for”
o Evening: “3 people who made my day happier”
o Bedtime: “The best part of my day was…”
 
Research & Resources
Huberman Lab Podcast: The Science of Gratitude
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVjfFN89qvQ
 
Message to Listeners
A gentle reminder to choose presence over pressure. Your wellbeing matters 365 days a year, and the greatest gifts of the season are compassion, togetherness, love, and real-life connection.
 
To find out more about mental fitness or book a discovery call email hello@pacoaching.co.uk
 

Christmas; Like It, Love It or Hate It

Rethinking Christmas; Stress, Mindset & Meaning
A reflective, poetic look at the emotional weight of Christmas, and practical ways to bring calm, creativity, and connection back into the holidays.
 
In this heartfelt Christmas-themed episode, Patricia shares the story that inspired a powerful reframing of the season: a 2021 conversation with someone who “hated Christmas”, perhaps not so much for its meaning, but for its pressure.
That conversation sparked a deeper exploration into stress, expectation, emotional reactivity, and how mental fitness can transform the holiday experience.
 
You’ll hear personal stories of family, loss, boundaries, overwhelm, creative traditions, and ultimately, how mindset shifts lead to a more peaceful, intentional holiday.
 
Key Takeaways:
Most people don’t hate Christmas, they hate the stress, so normalised, round it.
Consumerism, pressure, overspending, overconsumption, and emotional reactivity create anxiety that becomes normalised.
Emotional intelligence changes everything.
Building inner calm allows you to experience peace even during chaos, instead of running from stress.
Expectations are the root of holiday burnout.
Letting go of the “perfect Christmas” allows joy to emerge naturally.
What you feed grows.
Thoughts, beliefs, actions, they all expand where attention goes. Pause to ask:
“Is this feeding what I want more of… or less of?”
Power pauses are essential.
Regular, mindful check-ins help you shift from reactivity to intentional response.
Boundaries matter every day of the year.
Healthy limits protect wellbeing, energy, and connection, especially during emotionally charged seasons.
Creativity & connection can transform Christmas.
Games, question boxes, writing challenges, outdoor adventures, and family “spotlight days” build meaningful memories without spending money.
If you’re alone this Christmas, it can still be mindful and meaningful.
Community events, volunteering, support lines, or simple rituals can create connection.
 
Practical Recommendations:
Holiday Mental Fitness Practices
The Power Pause: Ask yourself what you’re feeding right now, and adjust.
Intentional breathing: Try box breathing (4-4-4).
Emergency Relaxation Plan: Time in nature, a brisk walk, music, or mindful movement to reset your nervous system.
Mindful Eating: Savour each bite , taste, texture, temperature.
 
Creative, Connection-Building Traditions
Christmas Question Box: Everyone creates 3 questions to put into the box, and then everyone picks one at random to answer.
Family Member of the Day: Celebrate one person intentionally.
Nature Photo Stories: Each person takes one outdoor photo, then shares the story behind it.
Family Writing Challenge: Create poems, limericks, haikus or stories from a shared prompt.
Play, laugh, make fun memories: Encourage imagination, curiosity, mistakes, and silliness.
 
For anyone spending Christmas alone
Check local churches/community centres for events.
Visit Action to End Loneliness. https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/
Use free helplines such as Samaritans (116 123) or Shout (text SHOUT to 85258).
Consider volunteering; its grounding, connecting, and meaningful.
 
Memorable Quotes from the Episode
“Do you hate Christmas, or do you hate the hype, stress, and pressure we’ve normalised?”
“What you feed grows! That includes our thoughts, your beliefs, your actions.”
“I believed Christmas was uncontrollable stress… but now I can find peace even in chaos.”
“Take ownership of you. Build emotional intelligence within yourself first.”
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer
“Negative emotions aren’t the problem — staying in them is.”
“Your health matters 365 days a year.”
“You can’t use up creativity, the more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou
“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, making mistakes, and having fun.” Mary Lou Cook
“You matter 365 days of the year, look after you.”
Book a discover call with Patricia by emailing hello@pacocahing.co.uk
 
 

Christmas Is Coming

Introduction
In this heartfelt December episode, Patricia shares stories of Christmases past, present, and future, and how the festive season, while full of joy, can also bring exhaustion, overwhelm, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and emotional strain.
Patricia shares a poetic reflection on her former “autopilot Christmases,” the impact of mental fitness on transforming the holiday experience, and practical tools to help you reclaim peace, presence, and personal power this festive season. How you can not only survive Christmas but thrive through it.
 
Whether you celebrate Christmas or any other big holiday, this episode offers guidance to help you thrive, not merely survive.
 
Key Takeaways
Christmas stress is often habit-driven. Much of the overwhelm comes from autopilot patterns: needing to control, please, or perfect everything.
The Power of the Pause can transform your emotional experience, helping you choose peace, compassion, and presence rather than chaos and reactivity.
A Personal Christmas Mission Statement brings clarity and intention to the season, helping you stay aligned with what truly matters.
Emotional wellbeing > perfection. People remember connection, humour, and togetherness, not flawless dinners or pristine décor.
Boundaries are essential. Saying yes to everything often means saying no to yourself.
Support children with empathy. Christmas consumerism can heighten expectations; teaching emotional awareness and kindness helps them navigate disappointment.
Joy is created, not bought. Connection, generosity, and shared traditions hold much deeper value than gifts.
 
Notable Quotes
“Between every stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.” – Viktor Frankl
“No one can drive you crazy unless you give them the keys.”
“This Christmas, begin with the end in mind and choose what truly matters to you.”
“Your wellbeing is priceless, kindness and connection last longer than perfection.”
“The power is not in the choice itself, but in consciously choosing.”
 
Practical Recommendations
Write Your Personal Christmas Mission Statement
Reflect on:
Past Christmases—your memories, values, and lessons
The present—your intentions and what you want to cultivate
The future—how you want to feel in early January
Turn your reflections into a short, positive, written daily reminder such as:
“This Christmas, I choose………… calm, connection, and presence.”
 
Practice the Power of the Pause
Use mindful pauses to:
Regulate your emotions
Reduce reactivity
Redirect energy from chaos toward love, compassion, clarity, and peace
 
Let Go of Autopilot “Needs”
Need to control:
Prioritise kindness over being right; release tension for the greater good.
Need to be perfect:
Embrace imperfection. Chaos often becomes the story everyone laughs about years later.
Need to please:
Choose your “yes” and “no” consciously. Set boundaries. Ask for help. Delegate.
 
Support Children Emotionally
Validate their feelings, especially around disappointment or comparison
Use creative outlets to help them express emotions
Teach the joy of giving with family kindness lists, handmade gifts, or toy donations
 
Remember What Christmas Is Really About
Connection.
Joy.
Presence.
Compassion.
Shared moments—not perfect gifts or flawless planning.
 
Food you can buy more of! Gifts you can buy more of!
 
But time is something you can’t buy!
 
contact me via my website www.pacoaching.co.uk
or email me hello@pacoaching.co.uk
 

Tears

In this episode, Patricia explores the surprising science, psychology, and emotional wisdom behind tears. Why we cry and why it matters. From childhood beliefs about “crying alone,” to the therapeutic power of being seen, to the extraordinary microscopic landscapes of Rose-Lynn Fisher’s Topography of Tears, this conversation reveals why tears are far more than a sign of sadness, they’re a biological release, an emotional reset, and a universal human connector.
 
Introduction
We often rush to stop our own tears, and the tears of others. Yet emotional tears are uniquely human and play a crucial role in healing, connection, and self-understanding. Today’s episode explores the biology of crying, why we’re uncomfortable with emotions, how coaching spaces can invite healthy release, and the unexpected beauty contained within a single tear drop.
 
Key Takeaways
Emotional tears are biologically healing, releasing stress hormones and boosting oxytocin and endorphins.
We often shut down tears due to discomfort, not compassion, yet supportive presence can make crying therapeutic.
Tears can appear in coaching spaces when clients finally feel safe, seen, and heard.
Microscopic tear patterns are unique, revealing emotional “landscapes” as shown in Rose-Lynn Fisher’s Topography of Tears.
Crying is universal but deeply personal, influenced by culture, context, and human connection.
Not all crying is cathartic, its healing depends on how others respond.
Tears mark emotional turning points, allowing acceptance, release, and renewal.
There is nothing to fear about tears, they connect us to ourselves and to one another.
 
Notable Quotes
“We have nothing to fear from tears.”
“Comforted tears heal, ignored tears may deepen pain.”
“Tears are landscapes of emotion, tiny maps of the human soul.”
“We cannot control the ocean, but we can learn to surf.”
“Tears mark turning points, moments of acceptance, release, and renewal.”
“If you need to cry, cry unapologetically.”
“A safe space can turn tears into empowerment.”
 
Recommended Books
The Topography of Tears – Rose-Lynn Fisher
A stunning visual exploration of human emotion through microscopic tear photography.
The Crying Book – Heather Christle
A poetic, literary, and deeply moving examination of why humans cry.
Why Humans Cry – Ad Vingerhoets
A scientific look at crying, catharsis, and emotional expression.
In Praise of Therapeutic Crying – Jeffrey Von Glahn (article)
A compassionate exploration of crying as a healing tool
 
Contact me via my website www.pacoaching.co.uk
or email hello@pacoaching.co.uk
 

Listening

Listening
The Art of Listening, Where Love Begins
 
Episode Summary
In this reflective and heartfelt episode, Patricia explores the profound power of listening to others, to life, and most importantly, to ourselves. Drawing from personal stories, coaching experiences, and emotional lessons learned, this episode invites you to slow down, embrace silence, and reconnect with your inner Sage wisdom. You’ll learn why listening is one of the most transformational acts of love, how active listening nurtures deeper relationships, and how mental can help us cultivate self-listening and help us build emotional resilience, and meaningful human connection.
 
Key Takeaways
Listening is the foundation of love and human connection.
To feel listened to is to feel seen, valued, and loved. Listening builds trust, belonging, and emotional safety, things every human deeply needs.
Silence is not emptiness, it's powerful.
Silence helps nourish wisdom, create space for deeper reflection, and reveal truths often missed in noise and distraction.
Active listening transforms relationships.
Listening without interruption, judgment, fixing, or assuming allows others to process their own thoughts and uncover their own answers; “the brain that contains the problem also contains the solution.”
Listening to yourself is an act of self-love.
Your mind, body, intuition, and emotions are constantly communicating with you. When disconnected or distracted, you lose access to your inner wisdom.
Our digital, fast-paced world weakens our listening muscles.
Overconsumption and constant distraction make it easy to lose touch with our inner voice—and with each other.
Advice is often less helpful than curiosity.
Well-intentioned advice can interrupt someone’s thought process. Curious questions create space for clarity and empowerment.
Mental fitness reduces self-sabotage and strengthens your inner Sage.
By diminishing self-neglect and the self sabotaging Saboteur voice, you create space for intuitive, compassionate, aligned decision-making.
We must relearn deep listening in our families.
Partners, children, and friends thrive when we give them the gift of undivided attention, especially during emotional moments.
Self-listening is needed before we can listen to others well.
You cannot offer presence, compassion, or understanding if you don’t practice them with yourself first.
Listening is love in action.
A five-minute conversation where someone feels truly listened to is more nourishing than hours of distracted half-presence.
 
Notable Quotes
“Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.” Francis Bacon
“Listening is an art form.” Nancy Kline
“Love is listening, and listening is loving.” Patricia Ahern
“Silence is not empty, it’s full of answers.”
“The brain that contains the problem also contains the solution.” Nancy Kline
“Listening is where love begins.” Patricia Ahern
“Every view is the wrong view if held as the only view.”
“Your brain is always eavesdropping on your mind.”
“You are a miracle, and self-love is your most powerful asset.” Patricia Ahern
 
Your Call to Action This Week
Make space to listen to others
Offer someone you love the gift of your full, uninterrupted presence.
No fixing. No advising. Just listening.
Make space to listen to yourself
Ask yourself with compassion:
What do I think? What do I feel? What do I believe right now?
Create micro moments of silence
Let silence nourish your inner wisdom.
Strengthen self-love through self-listening
Place a hand on your heart and affirm your worth.
Reconnect with your childhood self.
Stop saying yes when your heart says no.
Make meaningful time for yourself.
 
Final Reflection
Listening heals. Listening connects. Listening helps us belong.
And when we learn to listen deeply to others and to ourselves, we awaken our inner Sage and live with greater clarity, purpose, and compassion.
Thank you for listening with an open heart, open mind, and open ears.
 
Connect through my website www.pacoaching.co.uk
or email at hello@pacoaching.co.uk
 

Consumerism Part 2

Mindful Poetic Stories Shownotes
Episode Title: Consumerism Part 2
- From Self-Neglect to Self-Care: Breaking Free from Overconsumption and Finding Conscious Freedom
Episode Introduction
In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Patricia explores how modern consumerism, manipulation in marketing, and emotional conditioning keep us trapped in a cycle of problem–reaction–solution. Sharing her personal awakening to the hidden toxicity and waste surrounding daily life, she invites listeners to reflect on how our buying habits impact both our mental health and the planet.
Through storytelling, cultural insights, and thought-provoking documentary recommendations including; The Story of Stuff, Ethos: A Time for Change, and Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy, Patricia invites us to slow down, buy mindfully, and reconnect with our values. This episode is a heartfelt call to move from self-neglect to self-care, from unconscious consumption to conscious living.
 
Key Takeaways
We are conditioned to consume through emotional manipulation and social pressure.
Overconsumption and “retail therapy” often mask deeper emotional needs.
Fast fashion and planned obsolescence fuel environmental and human exploitation.
Awareness is the first step toward sustainable, mindful change.
Mental fitness and self-love are foundations for conscious living.
Every purchase is a vote for the kind of world we want to create.
 
Featured Topics
Eco-conscious living and reducing toxic exposure
Fast fashion, Shein, and the hidden cost of cheap clothes
Consumer psychology: marketing, persuasion, and emotional triggers
Sustainability documentaries that inspire change
Mindful consumption and small, practical steps to reduce waste
Mental fitness and self-care coaching for a more intentional life
 
Notable Quotes
“We don’t buy products, we buy what a product promises us.”
“Awareness is the first step to move from unconscious living to mindful action.”
“Our body is our ultimate home. When we love and care for it, we naturally care for our planet.”
“Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If in our heart we still cling to anything be it anger, anxiety or possessions we cannot be free”. Thich Nhat Hanh
 
Recommended
Documentary; The Story of Stuff (2007)
Documentary; Ethos: A Time for Change (2011)
Documentary; Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy (2024)
Book; Brave New World
 
Call to Action
If this episode inspired you, share it with friends, family, or your community. Start conversations about consumption, sustainability, and self-awareness.
Remember — small consistent steps create lasting change.
 
www.pacoaching.co.uk
email at hello@pacoaching.co.uk
 

Consumerism Part 1

In this powerful episode, Consumerism to Mindful Activism (Part 1), Patricia explores the deep connection between our inner world and the outer choices we make.
Patricia shares her personal journey from external pursuit of happiness to inner reconnection, explaining how shifting mindset, healing the gut, and making conscious, sustainable lifestyle changes transformed her health, energy, and sense of purpose.
This episode dives into consumerism, self-awareness, gut health, emotional wellbeing, and practical tools to help you begin your own journey toward intentional, mindful living, one small step at a time.
Key Themes
Moving from external validation to inner fulfilment
Understanding how consumerism and overconsumption affect mental and physical health
Reconnecting with the “Wise Sage” self through mindfulness and self-compassion
The link between gut health, energy, and emotional wellbeing
Making sustainable, toxin-free lifestyle choices without overwhelm
Building mental fitness through awareness, curiosity, and self-love
Powerful Quotes
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer
“We are all wounded healers.” – Gabor Maté
“People are fed by the Food Industry, which pays no attention to health, and treated by a Health Industry that pays no attention to food.” – Wendell Berry
“It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they are being fooled.” – Mark Twain
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.” – George Bernard Shaw
“Every view is the wrong view if it is held as the only view.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
“The very reason I write is so that I might not sleepwalk through my entire life.” – Zadie Smith
“I can’t see a way through,” said the boy. “Can you see your next step?” asked the horse. “Yes.” “Then just take that.” – Charles Mackesy The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse
 
Recommendations & Resources
Apps:
YUKA App – Scan food and cosmetic barcodes to check for health impact and hidden additives.
Documentaries:
The Gut: Our Second Brain (2013/2014); How our gut microbiome influences mood, energy, and immunity.
Fed Up (2014) – The truth about sugar, processed foods, and how the food industry shapes our health.
Books:
Activate Your Vagus Nerve by Navaz Habib; Learn how to restore calm, resilience, and optimal health through vagal tone.
Other Mentions:
Dirty Dozen List; Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) guide to fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residues. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
Eco-conscious brands like SEEP, Who Gives a Crap, and homemade natural cleaning solutions. https://theseepcompany.com/collections/all https://uk.whogivesacrap.org/pages/about-us
Complimentary Therapist https://maresawalsh.ie/
 
Key Takeaways
Awareness is the first step to move from unconscious living to mindful action.
Small, consistent changes in what we eat, buy, and consume create long-term wellbeing.
Happier people make healthy choices, and healthier choices make happier people
Gut health is central to both physical energy and emotional balance.
Mindful activism starts with understanding, self-love, curiosity, and compassion.
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight, simply “take one step at a time.”
Call to Action
If today’s episode resonated with you, take one small conscious action, whether it’s scanning your food labels, switching to natural products, or simply pausing before your next purchase.
Subscribe for Part 2 of “From Consumerism to Mindful Activism”, where Patricia explores the hidden costs of overconsumption and shares more inspiring resources for sustainable, conscious living.
Want to go deeper? Book a free discovery coaching call to explore how mindful awareness and mental fitness can help you reconnect with your true self.
 
www.pacoaching.co.uk or email hello@pacoaching.co.uk
 

Through Your Paintings: The Power of Art, Empathy, and Healing

In this week’s episode, Patricia explores the beauty and power of art as healing, human connection, and compassion in action. Following last week’s tribute to inspirational changemakers of the past, today’s story celebrates the people creating positive change right now, those dedicating their time to supporting others and making the world a kinder, more hopeful place.
This episode is inspired by Tara Dominick, Artist and co-founder of the Kakuma Art Project, this episode shares my poetic story Through Your Paintings, born from a creative connection that has turned into a continuing inspirational movement of creativity, love, and empathy. The Kakuma Art Project began with one painting, The Boat, which sparked an initiative bringing therapeutic art workshops to refugees in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.
 
Through the lens of creativity, the film (The Good Lie), and the wisdom of thought leaders like Gabor Maté, Elif Shafak, and Jane Goodall, Patricia reflects on how trauma, art, healing and compassion intertwine, and how every small act of kindness can ripple out to change lives.
 
Key Points Discussed:
The Kakuma Art Project’s Origin: How one painting, The Boat, inspired a movement that provides art workshops for refugees in Kenya, and much more.
The Power of Connection: The friendship between Tara and Hubert, co-founders of the Kakuma Art Project, and how creativity builds bridges across borders.
The Good Lie: Reflections on the 2014 film inspired by true events in Sudan and the Kakuma Refugee Camp, and its deep emotional impact and its continued resonance today.
Understanding Trauma: Insights from Gabor Maté on how trauma lives in the body. Creativity can provide a pathway to healing, an inner connection but also human connection.
Post-Traumatic Growth: The idea that from deep pain can come love, connection, resilience, creativity, and empathy.
Numbness vs. Evil: Elif Shafak’s perspective on how apathy, not evil, may be the true opposite of goodness.
The Role of Art in Healing: How painting, writing, and creative expression can help release pain and the power of creating safe emotional spaces.
Rising Above Fear: Using awareness, kindness, and self-compassion to move from trauma to empowerment.
A Call to Action: Supporting humanitarian initiatives like the Kakuma Art Project — and recognising that every act of kindness matters.
 
Quotes:
“War is what happens when language fails.” – Margaret Atwood
“War is itself the enemy of the human race.” – Howard Zinn
“I’m fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.” – George McGovern
“Trauma is not what happens to us, it is what happens inside of us as a result of what happened to us.” – Gabor Maté
“Perhaps the opposite of goodness is numbness.” Elif Shafak
“Holding anger and hatred in you is a poison… it eats you up from inside.”
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you wish to make.” – Jane Goodall
 
Key Takeaway:
Art can be a bridge between pain and peace. Through compassion, creativity, and awareness, we can all play a part, however small, in bringing light to those living in darkness.
 
Together, we can help amplify the voices of those whose stories deserve to be heard.
 
Call to Action:
If the Kakuma Art Project resonates with you and you’d like to contribute or learn more, there are lots of options as outlined below, please reach out via the following links;
 
Donate to Kakama Art Project; https://linktr.ee/Kakumaartproject?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=1ea5d87f-a981-44f0-8967-c27cdc44de5c
Buy the book Power of One Painting available on amazon £12.99 https://amzn.eu/d/bI0dsyK
If you are interested in any of the art/paintings reach out to Tara Dominick email info@taradominick.com Website https://www.taradominickartist.com/
Submit your own piece of creativity to the fundraising online gallery on Kakuma Artline Grids https://kakumaartproject.com/ - your paintings, music, photography, favourite tree, your pet etc. £27 per submission
Buy the book; Creative Souls; Poetry. Music Art Compilation - which is supporting the Kakuma Art Project fundraising https://amzn.eu/d/3LdaRxh £16.99
 
“Kindness is contagious.”
Yours is much appreciated. Thank You
 
Connect with Patrica via email hello@pacoaching.co.uk
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/pacoaching.co.uk
 
 

Ode To The Greats

How Inspirational Quotes Shaped My Life
In this powerful and poetic episode, Patricia reflects on the transformative power of inspirational quotes and the legacy of the great minds who spoke them. "Ode to the Greats" is a heartfelt tribute to legendary change-makers like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Benjamin Zephaniah, and others whose words still spark action, self-love, resilience, and post-traumatic growth.
From teenage diary entries filled with motivational clippings to a “Words of Wisdom” box shared with her mother during lockdown, the journey of self-discovery is steeped in wisdom, emotional intelligence, mental fitness, and the power of the pause.
This episode is more than gratitude, it’s a call to awaken, to step into your legacy with courage, to feed light instead of the dark, to move with love instead of fear, and to let inspiring words guide your healing, justice-seeking, and soulful action.
Discussed in this episode:
Resilience Building with Mental Fitness
Emotional awareness
Women's rights and justice
Legacy building
Emotional intelligence
Post-traumatic growth
Words of wisdom
Power of pause
Critical thinking
Self Love Journey to inner empowerment
Notable Quotes from the Episode:
"Let your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears." – Nelson Mandela
"Between the stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response." – Viktor Frankl
"We are all one. Only egos, beliefs and fears separate us." – Nikola Tesla
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." – Margaret Mead
"Do what you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." – Maya Angelou
" All men dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds Awake to find that it was vanity; But the dreamers of day are dangerous men. That they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible. ." – T.E. Lawrence
"A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because its trust is not in the branch but in its wings."
"Just don’t give up. Don’t let them grind you down. Rise up all ye sisters and brothers who know better, stand firm in the downturn." – Benjamin Zephaniah
POETRY BOOK; Creative Souls – published “Ode To The Greats”, available to buy on Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/f7ZgaQI
 
Call to Action:
Share your favourite inspirational quote with us!
Which words have shifted your thinking or shaped your life’s path? Leave a comment below.
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Let’s co-create a community that thrives on wisdom, compassion, courage, and legacy. Use the hashtag #OdeToTheGreats
If you wish to know more about Mental Fitness and how it can help you email me hello@pacoaching.co.uk