Imagine if you could follow your ambition without drowning in it – how much more fulfilling life would be? That’s what Pause Purpose Play is all about – finding balance over burnout by setting you free from needing to be perfect, so that you can take action and get started with what matters to you, instead of getting stuck in procrastination and holding yourself back with self-limiting beliefs your inner critic tells you. In this podcast, Michaela Thomas, Clinical Psychologist, Couples Therapist and founder of The Thomas Connection, shares bite-sized learning around psychology of performance, habits, self-confidence, stress, anxiety, perfectionism, parenthood and couples relationships. The podcast will mix solo episodes with guest interviews; diving deep into their professional zone of genius and learning about how they have found pause, purpose and play in their life and in their work. My new book, The Lasting Connection, is available now from all good bookshops.
Episodes
Thursday May 18, 2023
Thursday May 18, 2023
Welcome to the Pause Purpose Play podcast.
This podcast is for you if you're a high-striving, ambitious working woman.
If you want to burn bright without the stress of juggling work with life.
It’s about stepping out of overthinking and embracing imperfection for more fun and freedom.
So, join me to hear my tips on navigating this tricky life using pause, purpose and play.
Here are the highlights:
(00:28) Burning bright
(00:49) Pause Purpose Play
(1:00) What to expect
(1:20) Taking the leap
Find out more about my book, The Lasting Connection at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk/thelastingconnection
Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection
Thursday May 11, 2023
Thursday May 11, 2023
What gets in your way when it comes to implementing change?
How does your inner critical voice stop you from improving your life and being kinder to yourself?
Today, we're exploring the stories that show up in our minds.
Here are the highlights:
(02:35) All-or-nothing patterns.
(03:27) These stories can be rewritten.
(04:17) Compassion
(05:31) Action taking!
(09:25) Long lasting change
Thursday May 04, 2023
Thursday May 04, 2023
Today we're talking about difficult conversations in the workplace.
Lots of us have people-pleasing tendencies, and we may not like conflict.
This can make it difficult to set boundaries or say no to things.
Our nervous system can kick in and freak us out.
So today, I'm talking to Louisa Clarke.
She’s guiding us in setting boundaries whilst acting in line with our values.
Here are the highlights:
(2:50) Meet Louisa
(5:08) Power dynamics
(12:38) How to say no
(17:19) Not a people pleaser?
(23:25) Trapped in resentment
(29:52) Giving permission
You can find out more about Louisa via her website HERE.
You can connect with Louisa on LinkedIn HERE.
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Why is that you overthink your every decision? You consider every angle, so you end up not taking action? Or you take action only when you have to, to meet a deadline? Maybe you want to dot all the i's and cross all the t's, until it's perfect?
What is overthinking costing you, in terms of energy levels and productivity? Could you be spending that time more wisely?
Last episode, I mentioned that I will be talking about procrastination today. And this is such a big topic, that I decided to make it a series. Overthinking is definitely part of procrastination, so let’s start there.
In this short episode, you’ll learn:
- a way of noticing that you are stuck in overthinking
- a simple tool to interrupt overthinking and indecisiveness
- an easy step to take to get you started on an action
Please rate and review this podcast - to help others discover it!
Download my FREE guide to calm the overwhelm:
www.thethomasconnection.co.uk/calm
Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
Do you know anyone in your life that you think could do with being a bit kinder to themselves? Someone who could do with slowing down a bit or maybe not working so hard?
Responding to others with compassion can not only help them to feel better, but it also helps us feels better - as doing good, feels good. It can also help us to be more compassionate to ourselves.
In this short solo episode, I look at what treating others with kindness, care and compassion does to our brains, and I invite you to try it too.
Find out more about my book, The Lasting Connection at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk/thelastingconnection
Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Change is hard. Have you decided to change any of your habits this year? Want to be healthier in some way, or shave off some of your annoying sides?
Well, my friend: If nothing changes, nothing changes.
In this solo episode, I look at how we can change our habits by embracing failure, so make sure you have a pen and paper handy, because I have six tips for changing habits for you at the end.
To watch my free masterclass for ambitious female entrepreneurs, How to Burn Bright Without Burning Out, go to: https://thethomasconnection.lpages.co/burnbright
Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Can a little pause really make a big difference? What does pausing add to our lives - and why don’t you want to do it? I’ll be discussing this and more with my guest today, Chris Johnson.
Chris Johnson, PsyD., is the founder of Q4 Consulting, Inc. and the Core Presence Institute™. Her passion is cultivating exemplary leaders, collaborative teams, healthy workplaces, and thriving communities.
In this episode we talk about -
- Making peace with pausing, accepting that you need to rest
- Why pausing is important for us in our work
- The double-edge sword of pausing, feeling both calming and scary
- When pausing, we notice thoughts and feelings we want to avoid
- Mindfulness and pausing is not a panacea for feeling good
- The benefits of pausing - in our work, relationships and wider life
- Permission to allow yourself to pause and take a break
- Pausing helps us move into flow and productivity
- Passion, pleasure, potential and purpose being linked with pausing
- Why pausing matters for leaders
- ‘Permacrisis’ – permanently being in crisis from pandemic, political unrest and cost of living crisis
- Ways to pause and the power of being here now
- The resistance to stop being linked from rushing, urgency, impatience, busyness
- Martial arts, yoga, dance and other body based activities into mindfulness and pausing
You can find out more about Chris at www.q4-consulting.com or email her at DrChris@Q4-consulting.com
To watch my free masterclass for ambitious female entrepreneurs, How to Burn Bright Without Burning Out, go to: https://thethomasconnection.lpages.co/burnbright
Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection
This podcast is produced by Emily Crosby Media.
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Follow your passion!
But do so sustainably, so you're not flirting with burnout.
As it is easy to overdo it when you are passionate about making an impact. Too much of a good thing is still too much.
This short solo episode covers:
Tips for following your passion sustainably, the importance of downtime for a purposeful life, and how you make wise decisions about protecting your capacity and harnessing your energy, to better utilise your potential.
Remember: if you burn out, you cannot burn bright.
To watch my free masterclass for ambitious female entrepreneurs, How to Burn Bright Without Burning Out, go to: https://thethomasconnection.lpages.co/burnbright
Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Do you work too many hours or push yourself to achieve things even at your own detriment?
You want to be successful, but maybe you’re not clear on what success looks like for you, and confuse it with what the patriarchal definition of productivity looks like – clocking up at least 40 hours a week.
This solo episode was an experiment – recording an Instagram live mini training onto the podcast at the same time, with any free flow imperfections that brought, so turn the volume down a bit for better audio.
The session focused on your relationship with five factors which influence how you get stuck in a rat race at work and in your business – your relationship with success, with yourself, with productivity, with achievement, and with comparison with others.
Listen to this episode to learn more about:
- How do you define what successful means?
The inner work we do helps us level up in our business too - Masculine energy and definition of performance rules, meaning working 40 plus hours a week to be ‘productive’.
- Corporate hangover – need to be constantly doing something to be productive, face time at the office
- Attaching your self-worth to achievement, then you will feel like a failure when you make a mistake
- Comparisonitis and how understandable it is
When you DO address these patterns, you can start to build more enjoyment.
As it is SO common to get stuck into these patterns of overworking, please share this episode and talk to your friends about it. It is possible to unpick and change these patterns.
Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thethomasconnection
Pause Purpose Play Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/pausepurposeplay
This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media.
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Are you passionate about changing the world? About bridging the gender pay gap, or otherwise minimising the marginalisation of women? About doing good in the world, wanting to help others? Perhaps you want to do SO MUCH, that you get so overwhelmed you end up taking no action at all?
Then listen up, as whatever impact you want to have, you need to consider how you minimise the negative impact on yourself in the process, to avoid burnout.
In this episode, I speak to inspirational Keri Jarvis, who is a Developmental Coach, Intersectional Feminist & Community Activist.
In this episode we talk about:
- Feminism as equity for all
- Our inability to escape marginalization
- Outwitting the patriarchy is a scam
- You can’t mindset away systemic factors
- Lack and scarcity
- The programming behind ambition
- Your perception is real - women do more
- The systemic issues with self-care as burnout solution
- How we can make an impact, achieving changes to the systems with less impact on us
- The danger of ‘saviouring’ - being the best at changing things is a patriarchal capitalist norm
- Our worth is not in our productivity
- Taking messy, imperfect action to do good
- Not being perfectionist about helping
- The effects of overextending yourself
- Rest as resistance against the toxic productivity narrative
- Play as following our body’s urges
You'll find Keri at https://kerijarvis.com/
Keri referenced the book Rest is Resistance by the Nap Ministry - https://thenapministry.com/
Find out more about my transformation 6 month group coaching Burn Bright at https://thethomasconnection.co.uk/burn-bright/
Find me at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk
Instagram: @the_thomas_connection