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What if exhaustion isn’t a personal failure but a cultural pattern we’ve mistaken for normal? We open our first Foundation Friday episode for the year a two-part exploration of Gabor and Daniel Maté's book 'The Myth of Normal.'

I introduce critical questions about the nature of exhaustion and trauma, emphasizing that they may stem not from personal failure but from broader cultural issues. We look at the importance of understanding trauma as a relational, cultural, and systemic issue rather than an individual flaw.

We explore the difference between what’s common and what’s truly nourishing, and we name the quiet adaptations—over-functioning, people-pleasing, emotional self-containment—that once kept us safe but now keep us distant from not just other people, but more importantly, from ourselves.

Through Gabor Maté’s lens, trauma isn’t only about what happened; it’s about what formed inside us when safety and attunement were missing. That shift reframes anxiety, fatigue, numbness, and irritability as understandable responses to unreasonable conditions, not evidence of weakness. We also trace how systems—workplace pressure, social media churn, constant news—reward speed over presence and independence over interdependence, creating a culture where disconnection feels normal and rest feels unsafe. And how we are is tied to who we think we should be instead of who we are.

I've offered some practical reflection points in this first episode to get you thinking about the areas of your life where what feels normal is actually unkind, where coping has replaced care, and how to invite small moments of kindness into the day—so awareness can lead without force.

Subscribe for part two, share this with someone who’s been quietly enduring, and leave a review to help more listeners find space for compassionate self-understanding.

Don't forget to join our Facebook group, Foundation Fridays, to stay part of the conversation for the Myth of Normal and all our books for 2026 which are:

• Be Good to Yourself — Orison Swett Marden (March/April)
• Brave New World — Aldous Huxley (May/June)
• The Kindness Method — Shahroo Izadi (July/August)
• The Gifts of Imperfection — Brené Brown (September/October)
• Radical Acceptance — Tara Brach (November/December)

Closing out the episode is this poignant thought from Gabor around how our behaviour is often informed by the moments when we are operating out of our own myths of normal – our pain, perfectionism, neglect, perceived rejection, need to please, or pulling away from those around us.

"The meaning of the word “trauma,” in its Greek origin, is “wound.” Whether we realize it or not, it is our woundedness, or how we cope with it, that dictates much of our behavior, shapes our social habits, and informs our ways of thinking about the world.”
― Gabor Maté

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Welcome to Season 2 of the Reverse Reset Restore podcast. This episode is number one in a series of 10 where I'll be sharing my Word for the Year and why I believe having a Word to focus on is more effective than a New Years Resolution.

This year, I've chosen Équilibre, the French word for balance, as a guiding theme for the year and in this episode I talk about how that choice collided with illness, what I refer to as “the wobbles,” and a body that insisted on being heard. Instead of chasing perfection, I want to explore balance as a living relationship: noticing when something is off and returning with awareness instead of criticism.

Across this 10 part episode, we trade resolutions for a single grounding word and unpack why that shift reduces shame and increases follow-through. I've broken the word Équilibre into nine touchstones—Experience, Quantum, Unique, Intention, Loved, Ignite, Becoming, Rhythm, and Exuberance—to make the concept usable in real days with real limits. In the upcoming episodes, you’ll hear how each of these sub-words help set boundaries, protect energy, and invite joy, even when rest feels unproductive or progress moves in tiny steps.

We also get practical, in this episode and the ones to come; You’ll learn a brief breath ritual to anchor choices, questions to help your own word find you, and a compassionate way to navigate seasons when work, health, or grief demand more.

Download the free Équilibre workbook here: The workbook focuses on my word, but I’ve created room for you to build your own.

Balance isn’t static or universal; it’s contextual and seasonal. Sometimes it looks like sleep. Sometimes it looks like a hard truth. Always, it asks for intention. If you’re craving a kinder structure for change, this episode offers a map back to center—and an invitation to choose a word that feels like a hand on your back. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs steadiness, and leave a review to tell us the word guiding your year.

As is custom, we always finish the episode with a quote and this one is from John Lubbock who reminds us that

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass… is by no means a waste of time.”

Please hit the like and subscribe, and leave a comment on our socials to tell us the word guiding your year.

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The storm didn’t pass so much as it reshaped the shoreline. After a year of illness, grief, and constant change, I'm back and I'm opening the Reverse Reset Restore door gently. Choosing a different way to build: slower, kinder, and far more honest. Instead of pushing for weekly output, I'm guiding the next ten episodes with one word for the year and nine subwords—an anchor for anyone tired of chasing progress without presence.

In this episode, our first for 2026, I talk candidly about why the hiatus happened and how it clarified my purpose: connection over visibility, healing over hustle, and craft over constant production. You’ll hear what it means to create within real limits, to let resilience be quiet rather than performative, and to honour the seasons where life unravels plans you thought were certain. Along the way we lean on words that hold steady—Murakami’s reminder that storms change us, and Tolkien’s insistence that beauty persists even beside grief. Expect slower releases every two to three weeks for Reverse Reset Restore allowing space for reflection.

Our Foundation Fridays episodes return this year with a new shape: six books across the year so ideas have time to land. We begin with The Myth Of Normal by Gabor and Daniel Maté, then move through to Be Good To Yourself, Brave New World, The Kindness Method, The Gifts Of Imperfection, and Radical Acceptance. Each book becomes a doorway into self-compassion, responsible change, and freedom from the quiet norms that keep us unwell. Read with us in the Foundation Friday Facebook group and come check out the bi-monthly episodes, still the last Friday of the month, for our discussions and takeaways from each of our 6 books.

If you’ve felt behind, broken, or stuck inside your own storm, this is a soft return and a steady hand. Walk with us as we trade urgency for depth, productivity myths for humane rhythms, and isolation for community.

The final quote for this episode is from the epic story, The Lord of the Rings and the wonderful writing mind of J.R.R. Tolkien. It brings me peace when, in a world, both my own little one and the greater one we all live in, feels far removed from the light.

“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.”

Please subscribe, share with a friend who needs gentleness, and leave a review to help others find a slower path through their own weather.

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Step into the world of the Hundred Acre Wood as we dive into the transformative power of positivity inspired by beloved characters like Winnie the Pooh, Rabbit and Piglet. This episode takes you on a heartwarming journey, unveiling invaluable life lessons that resonate deeply with anyone seeking to cultivate resilience and optimism amidst life's challenges.

With insights grounded in psychological research, we'll uncover the science behind positive thinking and provide actionable strategies to help you shift your mindset. I'm sharing my personal experiences with positivity, hopefully illuminating how transforming your approach can significantly enhance your mental and emotional well-being.

Whether you're an Eeyore prone to negativity or a Tigger brimming with positivity, this episode is tailored to inspire every listener.

I invite you to take part in a fun personality quiz that will reveal which character best represents your personality type, encouraging deeper reflection on how you view the world. In the episode, I'll take you through the first five questions but follow the link to head to our blog to take the full test and reveal a little more about your personality type while getting tips to promote more positivity into your life.

Our conversation also highlights the importance of surrounding yourself with positive influences, practicing gratitude, and reframing challenging thoughts.

Don’t miss out on this enriching journey through the Hundred Acre Wood, find out what beloved character your positivity lens most aligns too and remember to subscribe to our podcast and join the community committed to positive change!

This episodes final quote is from A.A. Milne himself, creator of our cast of characters who reminds us that magic isn't just reserved for the Hundred Acre Woods inhabitants, but it lies within each of us.

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

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Raw vulnerability takes center stage as I pull back the curtain on my recent struggles with rejection, chronic pain, and unexpected emotional triggers. We've all experienced those moments when life seems to be "bitch slapping" us around—when old wounds we thought were healed suddenly reopen, leaving us gasping for breath and questioning our progress.

The heart of this episode explores what happens when well-intentioned friends tell us to "calm down" or "get therapy" instead of simply holding space for our authentic emotions. These dismissive responses often reveal more about others' discomfort with pain than any genuine desire to help. I share how this experience with a close friend—someone I once considered "another version of me"—forced me to confront not only my fear of rejection but also the painful reality that some relationships are seasonal rather than permanent.

Through my personal journey, I offer a powerful reminder that you possess more tools and strategies for emotional resilience than you realize. When meditation fails, perhaps a walk will help. When affirmations feel hollow, maybe music will reach you. The key is persistence—continuing to seek what works rather than surrendering to despair. I close with Florence Scovel Shin's transformative affirmation about creating new mental records, emphasizing how our words literally shape our reality. If you're currently navigating your own dark tunnel, remember: the light exists, even when it appears as nothing more than a distant pinhole. What quotes, verses, or affirmations have carried you through your darkest moments? I'd love to hear what works for you.

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