The Discomfort Practice

The Discomfort Practice explores the value of discomfort in shaping who we are, how we are in the world and how discomfort can be a catalyst for positive social evolution. Betsy speaks to leaders, activists, athletes, creatives and others about comfort zones, having a conscious ‘discomfort practice,’ and the superpowers that lie on the other side of discomfort. Come get uncomfortable with Betsy... You can follow Betsy on: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thebetsyreed/ Substack https://www.substack.com/thebetsyreed LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebetsyreed/

Episode #129: Adam Kahane on Collaborating with the Enemy: How to Work with People You Don’t Like, Trust or Agree With 03/22/2026

Episode #129: Adam Kahane on Collaborating with the Enemy: How to Work with People You Don’t Like, Trust or Agree With What do you do when the people you most need to work with are the ones you most fundamentally disagree with? In this episode of The Discomfort Practice, Betsy sits down with renowned facilitator and systems thinker Adam Kahane, whose work has brought together politicians, activists, CEOs, guerrilla fighters and community leaders in some of the most polarized environments in the world. From South Africa’s transition out of apartheid to complex global conflicts today, Adam has spent decades working in the uncomfortable middle: helping people collaborate across profound differences without pretending those differences don’t exist. This conversation explores what it actually takes to move forward together when trust is low, stakes are high, and nobody is getting exactly what they want. In this episode, Betsy and Adam explore: Why collaboration doesn’t require agreement The difference between controlling systems and participating in them How conflict can become a generative force instead of a dead end What it means to act when outcomes are uncertain Why real change often emerges from experimentation rather than certainty This is not a conversation about neat solutions. It’s about learning how to work inside the mess, with curiosity, humility, and courage. About Adam Kahane Adam Kahane is a director of Reos Partners and a leading facilitator of complex change processes around the world. He has worked with leaders from business, government, and civil society to address some of the toughest systemic challenges - from democratic transitions to climate change and economic inequality. He is the author of several influential books including and ). Learn more about Adam’s work: https://www.reospartners.com https://www.adamkahane.com If this episode landed for you: Follow and message Betsy on Instagram @thebetsyreed Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a five-star review (it truly helps) Join her on Substack at The Betsy Reed for (Voice) Notes from the Edge — some public, some subscriber-only: Work with Betsy: coaching, consulting, speaking, embodied leadership sessions, upcoming community circles, and People Like Us dinners across Europe: /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/40351685

Bonus Meditation: Being Human in Crunchy Times 03/15/2026

Episode #128: Betsy By Herself - The World Is Evolving and So, Apparently, Am I 03/08/2026

Episode #127: Betsy by Herself on Intentional Indifference as a Leadership Practice 02/22/2026

Episode #126: Betsy by Herself on Thich Nat Hanh and Internal War Loops 02/08/2026

Episode #126: Betsy by Herself on Thich Nat Hanh and Internal War Loops In this solo episode of The Discomfort Practice, Betsy speaks directly into the current moment: politically, socially and somatically. Recorded in February 2026, amid rising authoritarianism, surveillance and collective nervous system overload, this episode is a grounded, unsmoothed reflection on what it means to stay human, regulated and ethically awake when the world feels volatile. Anchored by a teaching from Thích Nhất Hạnh, Betsy explores the idea of war loops: the internal patterns of fear, urgency, compliance, reactivity and self-betrayal that quietly rehearse the very dynamics we say we want to resist. This is not a political analysis or a call to action. It’s a nervous-system-level inquiry into freedom, leadership and choice, especially for those embedded in corporate or institutional systems who find themselves asking, “But what can I actually do?” In this episode, Betsy explores: What Thích Nhất Hạnh meant by “uprooting war from ourselves” How authoritarian dynamics are rehearsed internally through unregulated nervous systems The difference between response and reaction in moments of pressure Why smoothing, complying or “keeping things nice” is not neutrality How self-regulation becomes a form of ethical and political agency What it means to tolerate discomfort without outsourcing your values How leadership begins with interrupting internal war loops Mid-episode nervous system practice: A short, grounding regulation exercise designed to interrupt fear-based loops and restore choice before analysis or decision-making. Closing inquiry + practice: Betsy guides listeners through a reflective somatic inquiry: Where is the war within me? Exploring how internalised pressure, urgency, contempt or shutdown show up — and how to contain them without judgment. This episode is for listeners who are paying attention, feeling the cost of that attention in their bodies, and wanting to stay clear, calm and human without turning away. A gentle invitation after you listen: No fixing. No forcing. Just noticing: Where you feel pressure to comply Where you override your own signals Where you rehearse domination, contempt or self-erasure Where choice becomes possible again through regulation If this episode landed for you: Follow and message Betsy on Instagram @thebetsyreed Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a five-star review (it truly helps) Join her on Substack at The Betsy Reed for Voice Notes from the Edge - some public, some subscriber-only: Work with Betsy: coaching, consulting, speaking, embodied leadership sessions, upcoming community circles, and People Like Us dinners across Europe: /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/40028265

Episode #125: James Murray on Climate Change, Tipping Points & Practicing Optimism 01/25/2026

Episode #125: James Murray on Climate Change, Tipping Points & Practicing Optimism In this expansive and clear-eyed conversation, host Betsy Reed is joined by journalist and leading sustainability commentator James Murray, founding Editor-in-Chief of BusinessGreen. Together, they explore what it means to stay awake, human and oriented in the face of accelerating climate risk, AI and systemic uncertainty. Recorded at a moment when climate tipping points are no longer abstract projections but lived realities, their dialogue flows between science, politics, technology and psychology. Betsy and James examine how climate change has become a kind of “theory of everything”, shaping economics, geopolitics, migration and everyday life, and what it takes to remain informed without tipping into paralysis, denial or performative optimism. With honesty and nuance, they discuss the real risks in the future, the breakthroughs already underway, and the inner work required to hold the tension of either a potentially catastrophic or a potentially bright future. Because, right now, we don't know which we are heading for. This is a conversation about choosing informed optimism as a practice not a posture, and about learning how to stay in relationship with complexity rather than turning away from it. In this episode: What climate tipping points really are and why they matter now Why climate change has become a “theory of everything” for modern life The emotional and psychological impact of watching seasons, systems and certainties shift within a single lifetime Where real hope lives: clean tech, adoption curves and the pace of innovation Carbon removal, regenerative approaches and what comes next The tension between democratic processes and the urgency of climate action Navigating the information Wild West without losing discernment What it means to practise informed optimism in dark and uncertain times About James Murray James Murray is the founding editor-in-chief of BusinessGreen, the UK’s leading publication covering the green economy, net-zero transition and sustainable business. He launched BusinessGreen in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades reporting on, analysing and challenging the evolution of climate policy, clean technology and corporate responsibility. In 2020, he was named Digital Editor of the Year at the AOP Awards. His work is widely read by policymakers, business leaders and sustainability practitioners navigating the transition to a low-carbon economy. Read James’ piece Check out the website Connect with Betsy Instagram: Like, subscribe and leave a 5-star review wherever you listen to podcasts to help more people discover The Discomfort Practice Check out Betsy's new, more personal Substack, , to get her 'hot takes,' deeper reflections and behind-the-scenes insights /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/39869040

Episode #124: Betsy by Herself - A Love Letter to Anyone Doing Anything Alone 01/18/2026

Episode #124: Betsy by Herself - A Love Letter to Anyone Doing Anything Alone In this intimate solo episode, Betsy records from the threshold: posting unscripted, later than planned and exactly when it needed to be shared. Recorded in January 2026, after what she calls the personal “meat-grinder” year of 2025, this episode is a love letter to anyone doing something alone: building, healing, choosing integrity, setting boundaries or standing between versions of themselves in a quiet, liminal space. This is not a pep talk. It’s a nervous system-level offering for those moments when life goes quiet and the stories about aloneness get loud. In this episode, Betsy explores: Why aloneness is not a failure, but often the felt experience of integrity How liminal spaces show up when we stop abandoning ourselves The difference between being alone and being unsupported Why quiet seasons often arrive right before a new chapter How support doesn’t always look like people (and what else counts as support) Letting go of the macro stories we attach to those moments when we feel alone A simple nervous system practice: Betsy shares a gentle, grounding breath practice she calls “the you don’t have to do anything breath”, designed to bring you back from spirals of story into the present moment. You’ll be guided to: Breathe in for four Pause gently Breathe out for six Repeat 4–6 times Along with a simple anchoring phrase: “You don’t have to do anything right now. You are allowed to pause.” Resources mentioned: Focusmate – quiet online coworking sessions with a stranger for gentle accountability and presence - Audiobooks and podcasts as regulating companions, including books by Brené Brown Routine as support: food, movement, breath, tidying, eye contact with yourself Co-regulation with animals (especially dogs or cats) A soft invitation: Listeners are invited (no pressure) to notice what support already exists and what could support them: One place that calms you One voice that steadies you One practice that brings you back One person (or future version of you) who has survived this before No forcing. No fixing. Just presence. If this episode landed for you: Betsy would love to hear what resonated, what didn’t, and what you’d like more of. You can: Follow and message her on Instagram Subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a five-star review (it truly helps). Here’s and for easy access. Join her on Substack at The Betsy Reed, where she shares Voice Notes from the Edge - some public, some subscriber-only - for those who want a closer seat to her thinking, practices and lived evolution Work with Betsy For coaching, consulting, speaking, embodied leadership sessions, upcoming community circles, and the People Like Us dinners across Europe: Check out Embodied Leadership Lab for monthly leadership circles and quarterly planning sessions (starting ahead of Q2 2026): (it’ll take you to Betsy’s website) /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/39615095

Episode #123: Betsy by Herself on Navigating Your Own Threshold Moments in a Time of Monsters 01/05/2026

Episode #123: Betsy by Herself on Navigating Your Own Threshold Moments in a Time of Monsters In this powerful solo episode, Betsy explores what it means to live, lead, and stay human in what philosopher Antonio Gramsci famously called “the time of monsters” - the in-between space where the old world is dying and the new world is still struggling to be born. Recorded at the close of 2025, this episode is an invitation for anyone standing at a threshold: the end of a year, a relationship, a job, an identity, or an old way of being. Betsy reframes overwhelm, grief, and exhaustion not as personal failure, but as signs of initiation - evidence that you are awake, feeling, and participating in the birth of something new. This is a reflection, a transmission, and a practice for those navigating collapse with consciousness. In this episode, Betsy explores: What “the time of monsters” really means, beyond politics or villains Why exhaustion, grief, anger, and sensitivity are appropriate responses right now How collapse acts as an initiation into embodied sovereignty What embodied leadership actually looks like (and why charisma isn’t the point) Why boundaries, nervous system regulation, and saying no are revolutionary acts How initiations happen in ordinary moments - emails, conversations, rest The difference between being “nice” and being kind (especially to yourself) Why monsters are often teachers and how they accelerate your path How to practice the new world instead of talking about it A reflection exercise to take with you: Instead of measuring your life by achievement, try asking: Where did I meet monsters (and what did they teach me)? What parts of me am I letting die? What new world am I quietly embodying through my boundaries, voice, and presence? How am I practicing the future I want to live in? A gentle practice shared in the episode: Betsy introduces a version of the “Just Like Me,” her favourite compassion practice, a simple but radical way to soften separation, regulate the nervous system and practice leadership through humanity. Links & Resources Subscribe to Voice Notes from the Edge on Substack For deeper access, weekly voice notes, behind-the-scenes sovereignty reflections and a front-row seat to Betsy’s inner world: Subscribe and follow The Discomfort Practice Wherever you listen to podcasts. Here’s and for easy access. Work with Betsy For coaching, consulting, speaking, embodied leadership sessions, upcoming community circles, and the People Like Us dinners across Europe: Check out the brand spanking new Embodied Leadership Lab for monthly leadership circles and quarterly planning sessions (starting ahead of Q2 2026): (it’ll take you to Betsy’s website) If you enjoyed this episode Subscribe, rate, and leave a written review: it genuinely helps Share it with someone navigating their own edge Join Betsy on for deeper, more intimate exploration /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/39613710

Episode #122: From the Archives - Pilar Garrido on Leading a Country With Love During a Pandemic 12/21/2025

Episode #122: From the Archives - Pilar Garrido on Leading a Country With Love During a Pandemic This is a good one from the archives - back in January 2023, when memories of the COVID-19 pandemic (and the trauma) was still fresh. Betsy interviewed Pilar Garrido, who was Minister for Economic Development in Costa Rica during the pandemic and went to work every day determined to 'lead from love.' This is posted toward the end of 2025, a year in which many of us have witnessed leadership and counter reactions that come from fear or ego, not love. It's a particularly poignant, beautiful episode to remind us that it IS possible to lead from love, and that each of us can choose to lead - whatever our sphere of influence - from love. -- A recap of the original episode: In this episode of the Discomfort Practice, Betsy talks with political scientist and economist Pilar Garrido. They chat about her experience leading a sustainable economic development policy in Costa Rica for a green and inclusive economy, as well as designing projects to create public benefit. Pilar has long been a key figure, using her previous role as a Government Minister to steer Costa Rica's ambition to be one of the five countries piloting the Sustainable Development Goals. SDG’s were launched by the United Nations in 2015. Their aim is to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030, all people enjoy peace and prosperity. So, buckle yourself in for this episode and be inspired by a politician who governs with both heart and strength. She has served as Chief of Staff, Deputy Minister, Minister of Planning and Policy, Technical Secretary of the Sustainable Development Goals in Costa Rica and as Costa Rica's co-ordinator of the Economic cabinet. Pilar has since moved on to become Director of Development Cooperation for the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), based in Paris; it's a role that allows her to bring her style of leadership-with-heart to her work on a global level. Key Points Discussed: The discomfort Pilar experienced whilst becoming a politician and minister at a young age, especially during the Pandemic, as she describes as being like on the front line (5:20) Choosing to work from a place of love (08:20) Making difficult choices and creating policies to protect people during the Pandemic (12:20) Pilar’s journey from political scientist to advisor to politician (14:50) Costa Rica’s initiatives to put humanity and sustainability first, before economics (23:40) How to have a big impact in politics: where your job is not forever (27:00) Part of Pilar’s legacy: diversifying an economy that has previously heavily relied just on tourism, so that it is healthy and robust (31:00) The IDG framework (that Costa Rica are one of the first countries to pilot), which aims towards eradicating hunger, poverty, sustainability and ensuring human rights. The IDG’s (Inner Development Goals) consists of five dimensions: Being (relationship to self); Thinking (using your brain); Relating (and caring about others in the world); Collaborating (social skills and society) and Acting (driving change) (36:40) How everyone can do something small, that will collectively make a big impact (46:00) Pilar’s optimism for the future (51:10) If you want to get a front-row seat to Betsy’s innermost thoughts as she evolves into a more embodied, sovereign human - her messiness, her breakthroughs, and her real-time reflections - subscribe to her Substack, Voice Notes from the Edge. It’s where she shares the unfiltered pieces of her journey she can’t share anywhere else. Links & Resources Subscribe to Voice Notes from the Edge on Substack For deeper access, weekly voice notes, behind-the-scenes sovereignty reflections, and a front-row seat to Betsy’s inner world: Subscribe and follow The Discomfort Practice Wherever you listen to podcasts. Here’s Apple and Spotify for easy access. Work with Betsy For coaching, consulting, speaking, embodied leadership sessions, upcoming community circles, and the People Like Us dinners across Europe: If you enjoyed this episode Subscribe, rate, and leave a written review: it genuinely helps Share it with someone navigating their own edge Join Betsy inside Voice Notes from the Edge on Substack for deeper, more intimate exploration /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/39484585

Episode #121: Betsy By Herself on Boundary-Setting as a Pleasure Practice 12/07/2025

Episode #121: Betsy By Herself on Boundary-Setting as a Pleasure Practice In this very personal 20-minute solo, Betsy steps into the uncomfortable, liberating terrain of boundaries as a pleasure practice - a theme that emerged from her 2025 words of the year: alignment and precision. This episode is a transmission on sovereignty, somatic truth, and what it means to teach the choreography of your life through your energy, not your explanations. She reflects on a year of deep pruning of relationships, dynamics, and energetic leaks, and how that pruning has become sensual, sovereign, and delicious. She shares what it has meant to listen to her body’s YES and NO, to shed old versions of herself, and to step into a more coherent, embodied expression of leadership. And, unexpectedly, she reveals how a Mastín-Labrador mix named Casper became her clearest mentor in embodied leadership, clean energetic signaling, and learning that access is a currency. This episode is for anyone feeling the pull toward deeper clarity, deeper alignment, and deeper sovereignty in how they give (and withhold) access to their life. In this episode, Betsy explores: Why “alignment” and “precision” became her seeds for 2025 How somatic intelligence (and a feeling of full-body NO) has driven a year of pruning Why boundaries aren’t protection, punishment, or games, but pleasure, rhythm and choreography What her dog Casper has taught her about leadership, energy, and clean signals Why access is a currency and why sovereign humans manage access, not people The archetypes she released this year, from spiritual narcissists to emotional toddlers The ancestral roots of fawning and the embodied roots of sovereignty How boundaries create intimacy, not distance An invitation to treat your next boundary as a pleasure practice And this episode comes with an invitation: If you want to get a front-row seat to Betsy’s innermost thoughts as she evolves into a more embodied, sovereign human - her messiness, her breakthroughs, and her real-time reflections - subscribe to her Substack, Voice Notes from the Edge. It’s where she shares the unfiltered pieces of her journey she can’t share anywhere else. Links & Resources Subscribe to Voice Notes from the Edge on Substack For deeper access, weekly voice notes, behind-the-scenes sovereignty reflections, and a front-row seat to Betsy’s inner world: Subscribe and follow The Discomfort Practice Wherever you listen to podcasts. Here’s Apple and Spotify for easy access. Work with Betsy For coaching, consulting, speaking, embodied leadership sessions, upcoming community circles, and the People Like Us dinners across Europe: If you enjoyed this episode Subscribe, rate, and leave a written review: it genuinely helps Share it with someone navigating their own edge Join Betsy inside Voice Notes from the Edge for deeper, more intimate exploration /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/39235325

Episode #120: Betsy By Herself on Launching a Personal Sanctuary for Her Edges 11/23/2025

Episode #120: Betsy By Herself on Launching a Personal Sanctuary for Her Edges In this very personal 20-minute solo episode, Betsy steps into her own edge. She announces the launch of a new offering: Voice Notes from the Edge, her Substack home for the people who want deeper access to her world, her thoughts, her voice. This episode is a transmission - an intimate reflection on sovereignty, devotion, and the kind of people who choose to walk with you not because they “follow” you, but because they recognise themselves in your voice and work. She shares why she’s creating a paid sanctuary, because she's ready to be witnessed more deeply in order to help others feel ready to be witnessed themselves, and what it means to build a community of companions. She invites you, if you feel the pull, to step inside and join her in her living room. In this episode, Betsy explores: Why she’s launching Voice Notes from the Edge - and why now The real purpose of creating a paid sanctuary (and why it’s not about money) How The Discomfort Practice has evolved into a more intimate ecosystem where she can share her inner world What it means to create a gang, a council, a gathering of people committed to their own sovereignty Her own edge in being more visible, more vulnerable, and more herself An invitation into her sanctuary, as equals choosing dept Links & Resources: Subscribe to Voice Notes from the Edge on Substack For bonus episodes of The Discomfort Practice + raw, behind-the-scenes sovereignty reflections Subscribe and like The Discomfort Practice podcast home wherever you listen to podcasts - here's and Work with Betsy for coaching, consulting, speaking, upcoming community circles and People Like Us dinners in various European cities, check out her website If you enjoyed this episode: Subscribe, rate, and leave a written review Share it with someone who is navigating their own edge Join Betsy inside Voice Notes from the Edge for deeper, more intimate explorations /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/39132735

Episode #119: Isa Noyola Returns to Talk About Joy, Justice and Survival When Walking the Edge 11/10/2025

Episode #119: Isa Noyola Returns to Talk About Joy, Justice and Survival When Walking the Edge In this deeply moving conversation, host Betsy Reed welcomes back longtime friend and activist Isa Noyola, Director of the Border Butterflies Project at the Transgender Law Center, to explore what it means to live, love, and lead on the frontlines of collective liberation. Recorded in October 2025, their conversation travels from shared memories of queer resistance and joy in the American South to the stark realities of immigrant detention and the rising tide of authoritarianism. Through it all, Isa reminds us that trans joy, softness, and connection are radical acts of resistance, and that redefining our relationship with “the monsters” is how we stay human. Together, Betsy and Isa revisit the beginning of their friendship and activism, after meeting at a conservative Christian university, reflect on the resilience of marginalized communities, and discuss how to sustain hope and energy when the world feels overwhelming. It’s a powerful, vulnerable, and timely dialogue about courage, community, and the necessity of beauty and joy in dark times. In this episode: Queer resistance and trans liberation in a shifting political landscape The ongoing fight against ICE detention and criminalization of migrants How language, history, and cultural memory shape identity Pacing activism without martyrdom Trans joy and softness as political acts Redefining your relationship with “the monsters” — and finding freedom in that About Isa Noyola Isa Noyola is a first-generation Mexican trans Latina, cultural strategist, and movement visionary focused on collective liberation. She serves as Director of the Border Butterflies Project at the Transgender Law Center, advocating for the release of trans women in ICE detention and the abolition of systems that dehumanize migrant communities. A pioneering activist and national leader in the LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights movements, Issa’s work blends fierce care, strategic imagination, and deep compassion to push for systemic change and collective love. Connect with Betsy Instagram: @thebetsyreed Subscribe and leave a review to help more people discover The Discomfort Practice Keep an eye out for Betsy’s new Substack community to get her ‘hot takes,’ deeper reflections and behind-the-scenes insights (coming soon). Please do subscribe, share, and leave a 5-star review if this conversation stretched your comfort zone... /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/38974870

Episode #118: Betsy By Herself on Post-Capitalist Prosperity - Redefining Abundance, Enoughness and Trust 10/26/2025

Episode #118: Betsy By Herself on Post-Capitalist Prosperity - Redefining Abundance, Enoughness and Trust In this solo episode of The Discomfort Practice, Betsy reflects on what it means to live and prosper beyond capitalism’s conditioning. She’s been recently moving through a deep personal detox and life transition and explores how WildFit, a nutritional and emotional reset, has become a catalyst for examining - well, everything. Her relationship with productivity, prosperity, and self-worth as well as with why and what she eats. Betsy talks about how capitalist systems teach us to see ourselves and others as “human resources,” valued only for what we produce, and how unlearning that story requires reclaiming rest, coherence, and trust. She shares how seasonal rhythms where she lives in southern Spain have guided her to align more closely with her own natural cycles rather than external expectations of constant output. From re-writing internal scripts (“Time is cyclical and you are always in season”) to stepping back from work that doesn’t value her, Betsy invites listeners into a deeply human conversation about redefining abundance - not as accumulation or achievement, but as reciprocity, alignment, and integrity. She speaks candidly about shame around financial safety, the myth of “adulthood = stability,” and what it means to build true sovereignty as a single woman and creative professional. And she reminds us that the energy of abundance isn’t about efforting or proving: it’s about coherence, trust, and allowing life to hold you. This is a raw, tender, and deeply reflective episode about creating post-capitalist abundance in practice: relational, regenerative, and grounded in self-trust. -- If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share it with others who might need a little inspiration! Help us spread the word by leaving a five-star and written review, and use #BeTheChange #TheDiscomfortPractice on social media to share your journey. Follow Betsy on Instagram /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/38646845

Episode #117: Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic on how to stay human in the age of AI 10/09/2025

Episode #117: Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic on how to stay human in the age of AI What does it mean to stay human in the age of AI? In this episode ,BetsyI welcomse back Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic - psychologist, author, and provocateur - to explore how technology is reshaping not just what we do, but who we are becoming as humans. From dating-app algorithms to digital narcissism, Tomas explains how AI mirrors our worst tendencies—bias, impatience, distraction—and why true curiosity always involves discomfort. Together they look at how efficiency can be inhumane, what “realistic optimism” about AI sounds like, and how we can reclaim what makes us unique: connection, creativity, and care. In this episode we explore AI as a mirror: Why our algorithms don’t invent new flaws so much as magnify our existing ones — bias, impatience, distraction, and the cult of efficiency. The erosion of curiosity: How the “microwave for ideas” that is generative AI can dull our hunger for the unknown — and why true curiosity always involves discomfort. Efficiency vs empathy: Why speed and optimisation are, by definition, inhumane — and how slowing down may be the ultimate rebellion. A realistic optimism: The hopeful case for AI as a co-pilot that de-biases decisions, automates drudgery, and frees us to re-invest in what makes us uniquely human: connection, creativity, and care. Our responsibility: The uncomfortable truth that we’re still driving the car. AI isn’t ethical or unethical — we are. Learning to steer is the task of our time. Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is a Professor of Business Psychology at University College London and Visiting Professor at Columbia University. He’s an international authority on psychological profiling and talent management, author of I, Human and Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders (and How to Fix It), and a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review. Connect Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic — tomaschamorro.com | @drtcp Betsy Reed — @thebetsyreed | thebetsyreed.com Please subscribe, share, and leave a 5-star review if this conversation stretched your comfort zone... /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/38527125

Episode #116: Relaunching Season 5 after a year off 09/28/2025

Episode #116: Relaunching Season 5 after a year off In this episode, Betsy reflects on the question she’s been pondering deeply: “The world is changing fast. Are you changing with it? Are you being the change you want to see in the world?” She explores how we can shift from being stuck in the narratives of fear and decline to consciously creating our own story and living a life that reflects joy, love, and curiosity. Betsy shares her own experiences with metaphysical study and coaching, offering both inspiration and relief for anyone struggling with the idea of “purpose.” Instead of worrying about finding your one purpose, she encourages you to follow curiosity and love as your guides to becoming the change. This episode is an invitation to step back, reframe your perspective, and recognize the everyday power you hold to shape the world around you. Key Moments: [00:00:32] – Betsy introduces the guiding question: The world is changing fast — are you changing with it? [00:02:15] – Exploring the trap of collective narratives about decline and how to step outside of them. [00:04:40] – Betsy shares her journey with metaphysical study and working with coaches to consciously design a life she loves. [00:08:12] – Reframing the stress around “finding your purpose” — why curiosity and love may be your truest compass. [00:11:05] – Betsy reflects on her daily practice of choosing joy and love to shape the kind of world she wants to live in. [00:13:48] – The closing reminder: your thoughts, feelings, and actions ripple outward — ask yourself, “Am I acting from love or from fear?” If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to The Discomfort Practice on your favorite podcast platform, and don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and a written review. Your support helps Betsy grow this community and reach more people who are ready to embrace the growth that discomfort can prompt. Follow her on Instagram . Let’s get uncomfortable – together… /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/38351725

Episode #115: Betsy By Herself - The World is Evolving. Are You? 09/22/2024

Episode #114: Embracing the Edge - Shifting Communication Norms with Thea May 09/08/2024

Episode #114: Embracing the Edge - Shifting Communication Norms with Thea May Welcome to Season 5 of The Discomfort Practice! In this first interview of the new season, Betsy Reed is joined by Thea May, a communication coach for ‘Edgewalkers and soul-led leaders.’ Together, they explore the theme of ‘edginess’ and dive deep into the discomfort of breaking away from outdated communication norms to create a world where we can all thrive. Thea shares her journey, the power of embodying discomfort, and how to ‘scale ourselves to meet the messages that move through us.’ This episode is packed with insights that will inspire you to embrace your own edges and communicate more authentically, but we’re betting you’ll feel like you were sitting at a kitchen table, just listening to friends. Key Moments: [00:01:05] - Betsy reflects on over three years of podcasting and introduces the theme of Season 5: Edginess. [00:01:54] - Introduction to Thea May, her work as a communication coach, and her unique approach to soul-led leadership. [00:06:06] - Thea shares a pivotal uncomfortable moment that shaped her journey as an Edgewalker. [00:13:49] - Thea discusses her name change from Dolly to Thea, representing a significant shift in her identity and work. [00:21:04] - Diving into the edges of communication, poetry, and identity as core elements of Thea’s life and work. [00:30:06] - Thea introduces her three-part communication process: Tuning in, Hooking in, and Opening out. [00:32:15] - The power of confident introverts and the shift from power-over to power-with communication. [00:45:34] - The importance of scaling yourself to meet the size of your message. [00:51:03] - Betsy shares a personal story about receiving (the other) Betsy Reed’s hate mail and what it taught her about resilience. [00:52:07] - Thea emphasises the importance of building confidence through low-risk discomfort practices. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to The Discomfort Practice on your favorite podcast platform, and don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and a written review. Your support helps us grow our community and reach more people who are ready to embrace the discomfort of growth. Follow us on Instagram @thebetsyreed for more behind-the-scenes content and updates. Let's get uncomfortable together… /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/32907497

Episode #113: Betsy by Herself Introducing Season 5 08/26/2024

Episode #112: Season 4 Wrap-Up 01/28/2024

Episode #111: Betsy By Herself on What You're Meant to Bring to the World 01/14/2024

Episode #110: Dr. Terence Lester on Opening Our Eyes to Things We’d Rather Not See 01/01/2024

Episode #109: Betsy by Herself on Appreciating the Things That Have Made You 12/10/2023

Episode #108: From the Archives - Paul Davis On Following Your Purpose 11/27/2023

Episode #108: From the Archives - Paul Davis On Following Your Purpose We're trying a new thing over here and have dug out a great episode from our archives. This is a revisit of Episode 55, which is a juicy, insightful interview with Paul William Davis, an intuitive personal advisor, an entrepreneur, a best-selling author, an award-winning business growth consultant, speaker with the best Irish accent you're likely to hear all day, lol. Betsy and Paul deep dive into how you go about figuring out what your personal purpose is and how important intuition - your 'knowings' - are (and you'll get an idea of why Betsy includes it in the coaching framework she has developed and uses with her own clients). Tune in for some beautiful insight into how you can 'tune into' your intuition and create the life you truly want because you've taken the time to listen to signs you might be being sent by the Universe. Rushing through life and missing them could be causing you immense frustration or struggle, but that doesn't need to be the case. So if you're struggling or know someone who is, or might even be encountering some mental health challenges, Betsy and Paul cover that. They talk about how not knowing your purpose in life can be the greatest trigger for depression (and how to address that). So whether you're listening to this toward the end of the year in 2023 or another time of year, take some time to consider your own purpose and how you might live it more deeply, more powerfully, and more easily and happily in the coming year or months. Connect with Paul William Davis: Paul’s Website: Paul on Linkedin: Listen to his Podcast: Connect with Betsy Reed: Betsy on Instagram: Betsy on Linkedin: Betsy’s Website: Rate, Review and Share. Thanks for tuning into The Discomfort Practice. Please subscribe, follow, like, and/or drop her a five star and written review. Share this episode with others and help spread the word and grow our audience. Don’t forget to tune into Betsy's other episodes and share your favourite ones on social media. /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/28801783

Episode #107: Betsy by Herself on Exploring Her Shadow Side 11/13/2023

Episode #106: Carlos Zimbron on Fuckup Nights and Why Celebrating Failure is Important 10/29/2023

Episode #105: Betsy by Herself on Making Magic 10/16/2023

Episode #104: Betsy by Herself on Creating Ease for Yourself 10/01/2023

Episode #103: Oyin Adebayo on Empowering 1million Black Women 09/17/2023

Episode #103: Oyin Adebayo on Empowering 1million Black Women In this episode of the Discomfort Practice, I talk to the mighty Oyinkansola ‘Oyin’ Adebayo, the Founder and CEO of Niyo Enterprises, which is an ecosystem of brands that exists to economically empower Black women to be builders of high-impact ecosystems. Oyin’s personal purpose is to empower Black women globally to upskill, transform their careers and create a world-class black female ecosystem of entrepreneurs. Niyo Bootcamps has trained over 500 black women to be upskilled in various tech roles through the “Black CodHer” Bootcamp & Black Disruptor bootcamps, several of whom have gone on to create their own tech businesses or work for big-name companies. Oyin arrived in the UK at the age of 12 from Lagos, Nigeria and struggled to fit into a culture in which she was suddenly an immigrant. That, combined with her awareness of the poverty she saw in her native Nigeria, led her to start focusing on social-impact work even while still in school. Fast-forward to now and she’s still working to make life better for young women, their families and wider communities. We talk about why and how the world doesn’t work for the majority of people, how focusing on race and racial justice must be more than just philanthropy and how leaders need to be having more uncomfortable conversations in order to truly make the world work. It’s a zesty conversation with some great soundbites for your brain to grab onto and chew over as you go about your day. Please do enjoy it! As mentioned in this episode - Connect with Oyin: Oyin’s Oyin on Connect with Betsy: Rate, Review, Learn and Share Thanks for tuning into The Discomfort Practice. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow, like, and/or drop me a five star and written review. Share this episode with others and help spread the word and grow the audience. Don’t forget to tune into our other episodes and share your favourite ones on social media. /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/27745632

Episode #102: Betsy by Herself on the End of a Personal Seven Year Cycle 09/03/2023

Episode #101: Isidra Mencos on Lust and Pleasure as a Pathway to Self-Discovery 08/20/2023

Episode #101: Isidra Mencos on Lust and Pleasure as a Pathway to Self-Discovery In this episode of The Discomfort Practice, I speak to Isidra Mencos, who was born and raised in Barcelona, Spain, about her journey through life as a young woman who grew up under Franco, a repressive dictator, and came of age as Spain was massively changing after his death. We talk about what happens when a young woman who grew up in a place where kissing in public was illegal finds herself suddenly free to explore whatever she wants. Speaking to Isidra was something of a bridge between my US past and my Spanish present. There are definite parallels in our backgrounds. Isidra moved to the US in 1992 to complete a PhD at UC Berkeley in California. Following that, she established herself as a teacher at Berkeley, a writer and editor, and a corporate executive. In 2016 she quit her plush corporate job to finally focus on her lifelong dream of being a creative writer. She has been widely published in literary journals and general interest magazines, but what drew me to Isidra was the recent publication of her memoir, Promenade of Desire, which narrates the journey of the shy María Isidra as she experiments and evolves. We talk about the beauty of desire and the freedom that exploration - sexual and otherwise - can give all of us to become who we truly are and to love our full selves. Our conversation took us to some uncomfortable yet juicy and important topics. So come get uncomfortable with us… and find pleasure in the episode if you can! Connect with Isidra: Buy and read Isidra’s book, Connect with Betsy: Rate, Review, Learn, and Share Thanks for tuning into The Discomfort Practice! If you enjoyed this episode, please drop us a five-star and written review, follow, and share how it has benefited you. Don’t forget to tune into our other episodes and share your favorite ones on social media. And buy Isidra’s book, Promenade of Desire :-) /episode/index/show/thediscomfortpractice/id/27745569

The Discomfort Practice

TOPICS