Achievement Won’t Carry You Through Tough Times, But This Might… Julia Baird #90
Release Date: 03/06/2025
My Body Quit & My Identity Panicked, with Jo Rodriguez #94
Enough, the Podcast
You’re used to pushing hard – in fact, your identity is built on it. What happens when your body forces you to stop? Who are you then? That’s what happened to psychologist Jo Rodriguez, a behind-the-scenes TV expert, marathon runner, and mum who loved being called a machine. One day, what seemed like a simple illness forced her to slow down. She continued her relentless routine, and the mystery illness kept reappearing until the pain became unbearable, and Jo’s heart nearly doubled in size. After a diagnosis of pericarditis, she lay in hospital wondering if she’d ever feel...
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When Love is a Hustle: Healing the Fixer Identity, with Dr Natalie, #93
Enough, the Podcast
When Love is a Hustle: Healing the Fixer Identity, with Dr Natalie Cawley #93 If you’ve ever over-functioned in a romantic relationship hoping to feel enough, this episode is for you. My guest is Dr Natalie Cawley, psychotherapist, counselling psychologist and author of Just About Coping: A real-life drama from the psychotherapist’s chair. Natalie shares openly about her own challenges with over-giving in her personal relationships, showing that we’re ALL prone to struggles – even therapists! We get into the *real* reason you keep over-giving, and how to finally stop it. Listen...
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Rewiring the Need to Please: Fawning, Relationships & Enoughness, with Nicole Vignola #92
Enough, the Podcast
Ever said, “No worries, it’s fine,” when it absolutely wasn’t fine? Or maybe you’ve pushed down your needs and shape-shifted into whoever you thought you needed to be in a particular situation. That’s not kindness. That’s fawning—people-pleasing’s sneakier, brain-based cousin. In this episode, neuroscientist and author of Rewire, Nicole Vignola, joins me for a juicy, no-fluff convo about why we fawn, what’s going on in the brain when we do it, and how to unhook from this exhausting survival pattern. Nicole shares real talk from her own relationships, where...
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Reinventing yourself? Finding Enoughness through the Poet’s Eye, with Donna Ashworth, #91
Enough, the Podcast
Reinvention often stirs up a storm—self-doubt, not-enoughness, the old habits of perfectionism and overworking. We think we have to earn our way out of stuckness. But what if the answer wasn’t in doing more—but in needing less? What if your enoughness was right there in plain sight, but you’ve been looking for it in the wrong places? This week, I’m joined by the glorious Donna Ashworth: poet, best-selling author, and queen of reinvention. She’s been a music industry exec, a magazine journalist, a business owner (of a children’s play centre) —and through each chapter, she’s...
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Achievement Won’t Carry You Through Tough Times, But This Might… Julia Baird #90
Enough, the Podcast
What actually holds you together when life blindsides you? Maybe it’s a breakup. A diagnosis. Or the crushing weight of everything right now. If you’re wired for hustle, your first instinct might be to work through it—to push harder, achieve more, be exceptional. What if the answer wasn’t in doing more, but in seeing oneself as LESS? Wait, what? Julia Baird—broadcaster, journalist, and bestselling author—gets it. She loves being hyper-productive. But when her world cracked open, she didn’t seek solace in success. Instead, she discovered the power of her shrinking self and the...
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"I'm So Irritated and Reactive all the Time." COACHING CORNER #89
Enough, the Podcast
You’re all out of give, and even the smallest request can spark an outsized reaction: DON’T YOU KNOW HOW BUSY I AM? Go away! Anger feels right under the skin, and the slightest provocation can unleash it – anything from loud chewing to an urgent email. You used to be fun. Things didn’t used to annoy you like this. You might be thinking, “What’s wrong with me?” So, you try to do more to finish your never-ending list. Then you’ll rest. But you find yourself ever more exhausted and reactive. Doing more is not the answer. This solo Coaching Corner episode will show you what is...We...
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Three Marriages, No Children. I Numbed Out with Work & Wine. Dr Melanie Sue Hicks #88
Enough, the Podcast
On the outside, Dr Mel Hicks (47) had it all. She's been a global philanthropist for two decades. She’s a published author, keynote speaker, and has travelled to 44 countries. But another failed marriage, and an emergency hysterectomy threw Mel into shame and self-doubt. She was alone again, and she’d never be a mother – and she blamed herself. As a high-achiever and a self-proclaimed “runner” from her problems, Mel dove into her charity work, and drank and partied so she wouldn’t have to face her feelings of not-enoughness. She finally had to confront the big...
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"You'll never be enough for your ego." Using the superior wisdom of the senses. Sonia Choquette #87
Enough, the Podcast
Operating from fear and scarcity means you’re not reading life accurately. The same is true if you’re moving through life guided solely by intellect – head wisdom – ignoring the superior wisdom of the other senses. My guest is spiritual teacher and NYT best-selling author, Sonia Choquette, who shares some practices from her new book, Read Life Accurately. She helps us to tune into our energetic alerts, within ourselves, others, and the places we work and live in. More and more scientific research supports what intuitive practitioners have known all along – that being connected to our...
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Feeling enough when you’ve had a challenging past. Baroness Lola Young #86
Enough, the Podcast
Is your measure of success focused purely on your own achievements? Maybe you’re at a time in your life when you’re questioning legacy, purpose, and who you are beneath your job title. Maybe you’re thinking about what it means to contribute and to matter in society. Baroness Lola Young was one of the first black women members of the House of Lords. She’s been an actress, an academic, and a cross-bench peer. She’s also an active campaigner against modern slavery and unethical fashion. Her new book, Eight Weeks, an account of being raised in foster care and children’s homes between...
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The enoughness power tool you didn't know you needed: "Kindfulness" Dr David Hamilton #85
Enough, the Podcast
You may have heard about the health benefits of being kind. Not only can it lower blood pressure, and boost immunity. It can also positively alter your relationship with yourself, which piqued my interest for those of us who’ve spent decades driving ourselves relentlessly. Is kindfulness a solution to feelings of not-enoughness? Dr David Hamilton is a speaker, columnist, and author of twelve books, including his most recent, The Joy of Actually Giving a F*ck. He’s delivered kindness sessions for Google, Bank of England, the NHS, and many others. In this episode, David and I...
info_outlineWhat actually holds you together when life blindsides you? Maybe it’s a breakup. A diagnosis. Or the crushing weight of everything right now.
If you’re wired for hustle, your first instinct might be to work through it—to push harder, achieve more, be exceptional. What if the answer wasn’t in doing more, but in seeing oneself as LESS? Wait, what?
Julia Baird—broadcaster, journalist, and bestselling author—gets it. She loves being hyper-productive. But when her world cracked open, she didn’t seek solace in success. Instead, she discovered the power of her shrinking self and the practice of deliberately seeking awe.
In this episode, we dive into the joys (and downsides) of hyper-productivity. We examine “the shrinking self”— and why it might be your secret weapon during tough times. We talk about the sustaining power of deep friendships, ocean swimming and dancing. You’ll also learn what Julia has recently said “ENOUGH!” to and felt better for it. You know those episodes where you take notes, read the transcript, and listen twice? This might be one of them.
0:00 Intro
3:40 Julia’s broken foot. The Guardian article on the need to be special
6:00 Julia shares that she loves being hyper-productive
10:10 Julia talks about her Calvinistic work ethic – the sense that we must contribute to the world
14:45 Julia could write during difficult times
15:30 The importance of feeling small
19:17 The shrinking self
20:44 The overview effect
23:20 If we’re too into achievement, we can experience the power of silence
25:46 Exploring what makes us strong. Julia discusses examples after her breakup
28:49 Things that “glow” in moments of darkness – like ocean swimming for Julia
30:30 Slow looking
34:54 The power of connection and female friendships
40:00 Maybe “ordinariness” is the wrong word
41:24 Julia’s powerful quote that Mandy reads out
44:50 Julia has learned a lot from people who are “broken” – she refers to Nick Cave’s music
47:28 What Julia is saying “Enough!” to, and feeling better for it
50:00 Julia’s word(s) of the year
51:10 OUTRO
Links
Julia Baird’s books: Phosphorescence; Bright Shining: How grace changes everything.
Julia Baird’s Ted talk, The Power of Feeling Small.
Julia on Instagram.
Mandy on Instagram.
Dacher Keltner’s book, Awe.
The Guardian article: Why we should stop wishing we were special – and celebrate being ordinary.