Stuart Thompson's guest appearances

Stuart Thompson

Soccer Comic Rant

Inappropriate Earl

CRiiiME

DidjaEat?

You Don't Even Like This Show

The Goods from the Woods

The SAP - Comedians Talk Motivation, Dating and Relationships

Joke and Destroy

Time with Nick And Johnny

John Williams

Chad Hartman

Choose Your Own Religion

Nerd GOAT w/ Ed Greer and Ron Swallow

Alex Hooper

Anna Valenzuela

Earl Skakel

Jessica Michelle Singleton

Brandie Posey

Nat Baimel

Keith Carey

Josh Adam Meyers

Katrina Davis

Tom Goss

Joe Kaye

Rick Wood

Brian Moses

Frank Castillo

Ed Greer

OwlTail

Do you find yourself constantly chasing ‘success’? Do you feel a desire for control over everything that you do? Is it possible to outstep your own thought processes, and if so, how? We’re thrilled to welcome back anxiety specialist Stuart Thompson for the latest episode of the Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection podcast! In this episode, he explores the prevalent societal desire for control over everything within one’s life, and the damaging consequences of such a mindset. Furthermore, in conversation with Sarah Myerscough, he discusses how the cultural zeitgeist of ‘success’ has been corrupted by superficial ideals, and the importance of prioritizing your personal development. Quote of the Episode “I'm always suspicious of people that write five-year and ten-year plans. I'm certainly not where I expected to be five years ago. In fact, I'm doing something completely different most days now to what I thought I'd be doing five years ago. Actually, even since Christmas, my plan has changed. I'm doing different stuff to what I thought I would be doing. Those five-year plans and ten- year plans do feel a bit controlled. If you look at most people that are successful… an awful lot of it was luck.” Stuart is suspicious of five-year plans as a strategy for achieving your goals. He suggests that these plans are rooted in the projection both outwardly and inwardly of a sense of control over your life that does not, and cannot, really exist. It is impossible to outline five or ten years of your life, and the assumption that you can do so is the result of a desire for control which is both unachievable and unhealthy. Furthermore, these long-term plans feed into a broader cultural narrative about success; namely that anything is achievable with the right amount of hard work. In reality, things can and do go wrong. External factors get in the way of your plans. Buying into this success narrative can be hugely detrimental to your personal wellbeing, as it can lead to the belief that any roadblocks to your success are your own fault, and that you can only be happy when you have reached an arbitrary, superficial benchmark of ‘success’ that will not really bring you contentment.   Key Takeaways Everyone wishes to assert a degree of control over their lives. However, this need for control over everything can be damaging to us, because it is derived from a fiction that everything and anything is within our grasp. Stuart emphasises that a great deal of our stress and dissatisfaction is the result of attempting to exert control over things we cannot change. If and when such things go awry, we may feel that pain personally, as though it were a direct result of our own actions. You can try to micromanage your life by making meticulous plans, setting numerous goals, following predetermined strategies, but as long as you hang the pressure of external factors you cannot control or change over your head, your stress will not stabilise. Trying to be overly regimented merely lulls yourself into the misguided belief that you can control everything. This mindset is a security blanket, but it can become harmful when you are presented with curveballs or unexpected scenarios. If, like many people, you have a mindset driven by the achievement of goals, is it possible to address and change that? Is your subconscious belief system malleable? For Stuart, this process must begin by reflecting on what exactly you are chasing via these goals and plans, and to what end you are chasing it. Otherwise, it can become really difficult to feel content. ‘Success’ on a superficial, goal-oriented basis always slides. Once you have achieved one thing, you will simply move onto the next. Instead, you should consider, what do you really want to get out of things? What fulfilment will those things bring to your life? For the most part, fulfilment is not achieved with money or power, but achieving a connection with others. Thus, to begin to change your mindset, ask yourself ‘am I okay’? Furthermore, treat yourself with the same kindness that you would other people. If you can’t do that, that must be the first mission in your personal development.   Best Moments/Key Quotes “I think, in the 90s, this concept of goals and targets and outcomes became very fashionable. But actually, they owe more to evangelical religious beliefs than they do to personal development. They're really very much focused on ‘achieve your goals, hit your outcomes’, but there isn't much personal development science behind that. There's much more about guilting yourself into success.” “Happiness isn't in the goal. It's in the striving towards the goal. It's in doing the activity, it's in doing the thing you enjoy. But we've been sold, I think, a marketer's dream, that we've all got to retire at 30. And that, if we've not achieved that, we're failing a little bit. But actually, most people don't get that. Most people don't achieve that. It's just a very, very wonky metric, but it's become very much our culture.” “Read a few less self-help books. Because they tend to be written by people that want to sell books, not necessarily people that want to make a massive difference.”   Resources https://www.stuartthompson.co.uk/ The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey   About the Guest Stuart Thompson is an anxiety specialist, and started his career working as a social worker. He has been a therapist in private practice for 20 years. Stuart is the creator of The STILL Method: a system designed to help both children and adults overcome anxiety. Stuart leads a team of around 50 anxiety coaches working in schools in the UK, USA, and Australia. In 2019, Stuart was recognised one of the most influential disabled people in the UK.   About the Host Sarah Myerscough is the Sales and Marketing Director of Boston Tullis Group and the M.D and creator of Coffee, Calm and Connection.   Connect with Sarah https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/  https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection  (9) Coffee Calm &amp; Connection: Overview | LinkedIn (9) Sarah Myerscough | LinkedIn   Hosted by Sarah Myerscough DISCLAIMER  The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence. Website: Coffee Calm &amp; Connection (coffeecalmconnection.org) 

Coffee Calm Connection

Do you find yourself constantly chasing ‘success’? Do you feel a desire for control over everything that you do? Is it possible to outstep your own thought processes, and if so, how? We’re thrilled to welcome back anxiety specialist Stuart Thompson for the latest episode of the Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection podcast! In this episode, he explores the prevalent societal desire for control over everything within one’s life, and the damaging consequences of such a mindset. Furthermore, in conversation with Sarah Myerscough, he discusses how the cultural zeitgeist of ‘success’ has been corrupted by superficial ideals, and the importance of prioritizing your personal development. Quote of the Episode “I'm always suspicious of people that write five-year and ten-year plans. I'm certainly not where I expected to be five years ago. In fact, I'm doing something completely different most days now to what I thought I'd be doing five years ago. Actually, even since Christmas, my plan has changed. I'm doing different stuff to what I thought I would be doing. Those five-year plans and ten- year plans do feel a bit controlled. If you look at most people that are successful… an awful lot of it was luck.” Stuart is suspicious of five-year plans as a strategy for achieving your goals. He suggests that these plans are rooted in the projection both outwardly and inwardly of a sense of control over your life that does not, and cannot, really exist. It is impossible to outline five or ten years of your life, and the assumption that you can do so is the result of a desire for control which is both unachievable and unhealthy. Furthermore, these long-term plans feed into a broader cultural narrative about success; namely that anything is achievable with the right amount of hard work. In reality, things can and do go wrong. External factors get in the way of your plans. Buying into this success narrative can be hugely detrimental to your personal wellbeing, as it can lead to the belief that any roadblocks to your success are your own fault, and that you can only be happy when you have reached an arbitrary, superficial benchmark of ‘success’ that will not really bring you contentment. Key Takeaways Everyone wishes to assert a degree of control over their lives. However, this need for control over everything can be damaging to us, because it is derived from a fiction that everything and anything is within our grasp. Stuart emphasises that a great deal of our stress and dissatisfaction is the result of attempting to exert control over things we cannot change. If and when such things go awry, we may feel that pain personally, as though it were a direct result of our own actions. You can try to micromanage your life by making meticulous plans, setting numerous goals, following predetermined strategies, but as long as you hang the pressure of external factors you cannot control or change over your head, your stress will not stabilise. Trying to be overly regimented merely lulls yourself into the misguided belief that you can control everything. This mindset is a security blanket, but it can become harmful when you are presented with curveballs or unexpected scenarios. If, like many people, you have a mindset driven by the achievement of goals, is it possible to address and change that? Is your subconscious belief system malleable? For Stuart, this process must begin by reflecting on what exactly you are chasing via these goals and plans, and to what end you are chasing it. Otherwise, it can become really difficult to feel content. ‘Success’ on a superficial, goal-oriented basis always slides. Once you have achieved one thing, you will simply move onto the next. Instead, you should consider, what do you really want to get out of things? What fulfilment will those things bring to your life? For the most part, fulfilment is not achieved with money or power, but achieving a connection with others. Thus, to begin to change your mindset, ask yourself ‘am I okay’? Furthermore, treat yourself with the same kindness that you would other people. If you can’t do that, that must be the first mission in your personal development. Best Moments/Key Quotes “I think, in the 90s, this concept of goals and targets and outcomes became very fashionable. But actually, they owe more to evangelical religious beliefs than they do to personal development. They're really very much focused on ‘achieve your goals, hit your outcomes’, but there isn't much personal development science behind that. There's much more about guilting yourself into success.” “Happiness isn't in the goal. It's in the striving towards the goal. It's in doing the activity, it's in doing the thing you enjoy. But we've been sold, I think, a marketer's dream, that we've all got to retire at 30. And that, if we've not achieved that, we're failing a little bit. But actually, most people don't get that. Most people don't achieve that. It's just a very, very wonky metric, but it's become very much our culture.” “Read a few less self-help books. Because they tend to be written by people that want to sell books, not necessarily people that want to make a massive difference.” Resources <a href="https://www.stuartthompson.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.stuartthompson.co.uk/</a> The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey About the Guest Stuart Thompson is an anxiety specialist, and started his career working as a social worker. He has been a therapist in private practice for 20 years. Stuart is the creator of The STILL Method: a system designed to help both children and adults overcome anxiety. Stuart leads a team of around 50 anxiety coaches working in schools in the UK, USA, and Australia. In 2019, Stuart was recognised one of the most influential disabled people in the UK. About the Host Sarah Myerscough is the Sales and Marketing Director of Boston Tullis Group and the M.D and creator of Coffee, Calm and Connection. Connect with Sarah <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/coffee-calm-connection/?viewAsMember=true" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(9) Coffee Calm &amp; Connection: Overview | LinkedIn</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmyerscough/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(9) Sarah Myerscough | LinkedIn</a> Hosted by Sarah Myerscough DISCLAIMER The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence. Website: Coffee Calm &amp; Connection (<a href="http://coffeecalmconnection.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">coffeecalmconnection.org</a>)

036: Accepting What We Can and Cannot Change with Stuart Thompson

Welcome back to the Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection podcast! How do we maintain good mental wellbeing in the aftermath of challenging or traumatic events? How do we reckon with the curveballs that may be round the corner? In January of 2022, our Sarah suffered from a stroke. Fortunately, she has made significant strides in her recovery, and so one year later, in this episode she and Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection co-founder Stuart Thompson discuss how Sarah’s stroke has affected her wellbeing, along with the changes to her perspective and the personal development that she has undergone since. Stuart and Sarah explore how, despite our best efforts to plan things meticulously, sometimes things simply do not go as expected. Circumstances beyond our control can, and often do, get in the way of our goals. How do you come to terms with and overcome these curveballs?   Quote of the Episode “We surround ourselves with information and knowledge that matches our understanding of the world. I was reading about an American psychologist recently who had been criticised because they asked him what his 10 books beside his bed were. And one of them was a book that was quite right-wing. So, people had said, ‘Well, that must mean you've not actually got a more sensitive perspective, you're reading this right-wing book’. And he said, ‘I'm reading it, because I need to understand that perspective’. But as we get older, we do it anyway. The internet and data allows us to just do things that confirm what we believe and never, never challenge it.” In the episode, Stuart highlights the importance of becoming open to other perspectives in relation to one’s wellbeing. It is easy to operate within an echo chamber of self-doubt and self-criticism, and to try to search for solutions within your own headspace, but it can be hugely beneficial to turn to alternative approaches to wellbeing in order to make significant progress. The importance of exploring multiple points of view is true of everything, of course, and wellbeing is no exception. Your own mindset can feel like a very interior thing that nobody else is capable of understanding, leading to the view that no external input is worth listening to, but finding new ways of thinking about it and overcoming problems can be highly insightful and instrumental to one’s personal growth.   Key Takeaways In the episode, Stuart pinpoints the psychological concept of ontological grief. This occurs when one’s view of oneself, and thus of the world around them, is fundamentally challenged. If something happens to you that you couldn’t have predicted, or if you act in a way that you didn’t think yourself capable of, it can shatter your self-image. There are many ways of coping with this phenomenon. For Stuart, when bad things happen, it is key not to retreat into self-preserving beliefs that may be more harmful than beneficial, but to become open to alternative perspectives. Perhaps you need to put less pressure on yourself, or to set fewer goals. It’s easy and natural to try to search for solutions to your wellness problems within your own headspace, but sometimes turning to alternative perspectives can be helpful. Stuart pinpoints the psychological phenomenon of Pollyanna Syndrome, which refers to a children’s story about a little girl who was told that, however bad you feel, there’s always somebody worse off. It’s true – many of us do live objectively easier lives than others – we do not all suffer from poverty or malnourishment, for example. However, if you are undergoing some hardship, you shouldn’t minimise it, or dismiss it as insignificant compared to other traumas. It is key for one’s general wellbeing to accept when things go wrong that bad things can happen, and that it’s okay to grieve them or feel low about them, so long as you give yourself time and then move forwards. Although it can be difficult to abstractedly recognise it, bad things can and do happen. That is something that, conceptually, we understand, but in practice, we do not necessarily truly believe until we are forced to believe it, until tragedy strikes, or hard curveballs come out of nowhere. When such events do come to pass, acceptance of this fact can become immensely difficult. Yet, you can’t allow yourself to shut down completely because of what may or may not lie around the corner, otherwise you’d never advance towards your goals or make progress. Equally, it is damaging to try and maintain a sense of control over the bad things that happen to you by attributing them to some fault within yourself – e.g., not having enough drive, not working enough, not exercising enough – when really, there is no correlation between them. For Stuart, the way to confront the revelation that anything can happen is to consider, ‘Is what I’m doing right now good enough?’ Beyond that, there’s not very much you can do. We shouldn’t run away from the prospect that bad things can happen, but accept it. In doing so, you shouldn’t put yourself under so much pressure. You should allow yourself time to breathe. And when bad things do happen, you should give yourself the time and space to process them.   Best Moments/Key Quotes “I think we've all fallen for that myth that everything is solvable, and we've just got to buy a solution that fixes everything. It's so much harder to accept that actually, this thing is going to take me ages. It's not shiny, it's not sellable. It’s to say, ‘I'm working on this project. And guess what? I'm not going to be a millionaire by next week. I'm not going to get four dragons invest in it. It's going to take me a long time and I'm gonna have to get there.’” “I think one of the hardest things is to accept that bad stuff can happen. We tend to think well, ‘It's not gonna happen to me’ or ‘I won't think about what I would do if that happens’. And in a in a challenging way, you become the worst of Pandora's boxes, which says anything can happen at any time.”   “The stoics had a system where you should wake up every morning and just say that might happen today. That might happen today, and then move on and accept it. And I do think there's something in that of just saying, ‘Yeah, bad stuff can happen.’”   Resources https://www.stuartthompson.co.uk/   About the Guest Stuart Thompson is an anxiety specialist, and started his career working as a social worker. He has been a therapist in private practice for 20 years. Stuart is the creator of The STILL Method: a system designed to help both children and adults overcome anxiety. Stuart leads a team of around 50 anxiety coaches working in schools in the UK, USA, and Australia. In 2019, Stuart was recognised one of the most influential disabled people in the UK.   About the Host Sarah Myerscough is the Sales and Marketing Director of Boston Tullis Group and the M.D and creator of Coffee, Calm and Connection.   Connect with Sarah https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/  https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection  Coffee Calm &amp; Connection: Overview | LinkedIn  Sarah Myerscough | LinkedIn   Hosted by Sarah Myerscough DISCLAIMER  The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence. Website: Coffee Calm &amp; Connection (coffeecalmconnection.org)

Welcome back to the Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection podcast! How do we maintain good mental wellbeing in the aftermath of challenging or traumatic events? How do we reckon with the curveballs that may be round the corner? In January of 2022, our Sarah suffered from a stroke. Fortunately, she has made significant strides in her recovery, and so one year later, in this episode she and Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection co-founder Stuart Thompson discuss how Sarah’s stroke has affected her wellbeing, along with the changes to her perspective and the personal development that she has undergone since. Stuart and Sarah explore how, despite our best efforts to plan things meticulously, sometimes things simply do not go as expected. Circumstances beyond our control can, and often do, get in the way of our goals. How do you come to terms with and overcome these curveballs? Quote of the Episode “We surround ourselves with information and knowledge that matches our understanding of the world. I was reading about an American psychologist recently who had been criticised because they asked him what his 10 books beside his bed were. And one of them was a book that was quite right-wing. So, people had said, ‘Well, that must mean you've not actually got a more sensitive perspective, you're reading this right-wing book’. And he said, ‘I'm reading it, because I need to understand that perspective’. But as we get older, we do it anyway. The internet and data allows us to just do things that confirm what we believe and never, never challenge it.” In the episode, Stuart highlights the importance of becoming open to other perspectives in relation to one’s wellbeing. It is easy to operate within an echo chamber of self-doubt and self-criticism, and to try to search for solutions within your own headspace, but it can be hugely beneficial to turn to alternative approaches to wellbeing in order to make significant progress. The importance of exploring multiple points of view is true of everything, of course, and wellbeing is no exception. Your own mindset can feel like a very interior thing that nobody else is capable of understanding, leading to the view that no external input is worth listening to, but finding new ways of thinking about it and overcoming problems can be highly insightful and instrumental to one’s personal growth. Key Takeaways In the episode, Stuart pinpoints the psychological concept of ontological grief. This occurs when one’s view of oneself, and thus of the world around them, is fundamentally challenged. If something happens to you that you couldn’t have predicted, or if you act in a way that you didn’t think yourself capable of, it can shatter your self-image. There are many ways of coping with this phenomenon. For Stuart, when bad things happen, it is key not to retreat into self-preserving beliefs that may be more harmful than beneficial, but to become open to alternative perspectives. Perhaps you need to put less pressure on yourself, or to set fewer goals. It’s easy and natural to try to search for solutions to your wellness problems within your own headspace, but sometimes turning to alternative perspectives can be helpful. Stuart pinpoints the psychological phenomenon of Pollyanna Syndrome, which refers to a children’s story about a little girl who was told that, however bad you feel, there’s always somebody worse off. It’s true – many of us do live objectively easier lives than others – we do not all suffer from poverty or malnourishment, for example. However, if you are undergoing some hardship, you shouldn’t minimise it, or dismiss it as insignificant compared to other traumas. It is key for one’s general wellbeing to accept when things go wrong that bad things can happen, and that it’s okay to grieve them or feel low about them, so long as you give yourself time and then move forwards. Although it can be difficult to abstractedly recognise it, bad things can and do happen. That is something that, conceptually, we understand, but in practice, we do not necessarily truly believe until we are forced to believe it, until tragedy strikes, or hard curveballs come out of nowhere. When such events do come to pass, acceptance of this fact can become immensely difficult. Yet, you can’t allow yourself to shut down completely because of what may or may not lie around the corner, otherwise you’d never advance towards your goals or make progress. Equally, it is damaging to try and maintain a sense of control over the bad things that happen to you by attributing them to some fault within yourself – e.g., not having enough drive, not working enough, not exercising enough – when really, there is no correlation between them. For Stuart, the way to confront the revelation that anything can happen is to consider, ‘Is what I’m doing right now good enough?’ Beyond that, there’s not very much you can do. We shouldn’t run away from the prospect that bad things can happen, but accept it. In doing so, you shouldn’t put yourself under so much pressure. You should allow yourself time to breathe. And when bad things do happen, you should give yourself the time and space to process them. Best Moments/Key Quotes “I think we've all fallen for that myth that everything is solvable, and we've just got to buy a solution that fixes everything. It's so much harder to accept that actually, this thing is going to take me ages. It's not shiny, it's not sellable. It’s to say, ‘I'm working on this project. And guess what? I'm not going to be a millionaire by next week. I'm not going to get four dragons invest in it. It's going to take me a long time and I'm gonna have to get there.’” “I think one of the hardest things is to accept that bad stuff can happen. We tend to think well, ‘It's not gonna happen to me’ or ‘I won't think about what I would do if that happens’. And in a in a challenging way, you become the worst of Pandora's boxes, which says anything can happen at any time.” “The stoics had a system where you should wake up every morning and just say that might happen today. That might happen today, and then move on and accept it. And I do think there's something in that of just saying, ‘Yeah, bad stuff can happen.’” Resources <a href="https://www.stuartthompson.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.stuartthompson.co.uk/</a> About the Guest Stuart Thompson is an anxiety specialist, and started his career working as a social worker. He has been a therapist in private practice for 20 years. Stuart is the creator of The STILL Method: a system designed to help both children and adults overcome anxiety. Stuart leads a team of around 50 anxiety coaches working in schools in the UK, USA, and Australia. In 2019, Stuart was recognised one of the most influential disabled people in the UK. About the Host Sarah Myerscough is the Sales and Marketing Director of Boston Tullis Group and the M.D and creator of Coffee, Calm and Connection. Connect with Sarah <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/coffee-calm-connection/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coffee Calm &amp; Connection: Overview | LinkedIn</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmyerscough/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sarah Myerscough | LinkedIn</a> Hosted by Sarah Myerscough DISCLAIMER The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence. Website: Coffee Calm &amp; Connection (<a href="http://coffeecalmconnection.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">coffeecalmconnection.org</a>)

034: Confronting Curveballs with Stuart Thompson

Are you keen to discover how the journey of Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection thus far has impacted its very creators? Are you interested in finding out how to actively implement the habits and principles the platform promotes in your everyday life? In this unique episode, Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection co-founders Stuart Thompson and Sarah Myerscough flip the script, and Sarah switches from interviewer to interviewee! They discuss how Sarah’s personal journey of self-discovery has already begun to challenge many of the fundamental methodologies with which she approaches the world, many of which revolve around a desire to control every aspect of her life. Stuart and Sarah discuss how attempting to relinquish that control can be instrumental in improving your wellbeing, and in curtailing our common tendency to perpetually worry about what may lie around the corner. Quote of the Episode “Keep seeking those moments in life, where you're out of control, where the control is surrendered, whether it be the smallest of things like letting somebody else drive, but also the bigger things about being disconnected for a few hours, not having the phone switched on, not knowing where everything is and what's going to happen. Letting some of that control drop over time can be really renewing and quite refreshing.” Anxiety specialist Stuart Thompson suggests that many of those who were most deeply affected by the experience of lockdown were those who are least accustomed to surrendering control over their own lives. He suggests that the complete debilitation that accompanies such unpredictable events can completely disrupt our way of understanding the world, which is so often rooted in our seemingly robust control over it. He suggests that in order to offset our common desire for complete control over our lives, we should seek out and treasure those times in our daily lives when we can relinquish it. He argues that the freedom this gives inadvertently boosts your mental wellbeing and enable you to be simultaneously both more wary of and more mentally prepared for the inevitable, unpredictable events that occasionally shake our world. Key Takeaways The COVID-19 pandemic is the ultimate testament to the fact that we cannot predict everything, or indeed, anything, with absolute certainty. Yet, when we set goals, we seek control, and take comfort from the ostensible knowledge that, upon fulfilling these goals, we will feel happier. Stuart Thompson suggests that this tendency towards constant superficial goal-setting often prevents us from seeing or seeking to identify the reasons why we have set such goals. We need to consider the reasons why we pursue certain things, be it to give up alcohol for a year; to train for a marathon; to learn a new language. If we try to achieve such goals for the wrong reasons, we will likely not achieve them, which will land us in an inevitable slump of dissatisfaction and self-flagellation. This tendency can even extend to mindfulness itself: many of us attempt to make a goal out of self-improvement and self-discovery, an entirely nebulous and individualistic entity. Mindfulness cannot be approached merely as yet another task to tick off on the to-do list. It cannot be regimented or controlled in the way that other aspects of our lives can be. Stuart suggests that we can learn from our children in this respect. By reigniting our imaginations, and spontaneously deciding to do things merely because they appeal to us, without any other motivation, we can inadvertently boost our own wellbeing. This is the intention behind Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection: to subtly integrate mindful practices in short, manageable bursts into your daily routine, thereby creating a habit out of them.   Best Moments/Key Quotes “Chasing the goal can be quite attractive. But there's something also quite puritanical underneath it, of saying, ‘Well, why haven't you reached that goal yet?’ And I think it's something that's crept into our culture… the ‘I'm successful, because I work hard’ mindset. But what that does to some people is, it makes them believe that good things have to be goal-driven. It can't be fun. ‘I must be a terrible person. Because today, all I did was watch TV. Well, that didn't have an outcome to it.’ Where, actually, sometimes it's about maybe looking at the outcome of doing nothing, as a reward in itself.” “When someone's a high achiever they've been programmed to get a little buzz each time they hit a goal… [They] carry on seeking those little buzzes, rather than realizing that there's as much pleasure in just being present. But as we commercialize and commodify lots of things, mindfulness then becomes a thing we have to follow instructions to do, rather than just something we can enjoy doing and enjoy moving along with.” “It's quite brave to step out into the world and say, I don't know what's happening today. I don’t know what’s going to happen later.” ‘There's lots of evidence that if we practice with kindness to other people, if we try and understand other people's actions, actually what we do start being a bit kinder to ourselves.’   Resources Solve For Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy by Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer at GoogleX Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection Podcast, Episode 023: Forming New Habits for Happiness with Laura DiBenedetto, https://coffeecalmconnection.podbean.com/e/forming-new-habits-for-happiness-with-laura-dibenedetto/  Picture This – Online plant identifier: https://www.picturethisai.com/  Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari About the Guest Stuart Thompson is an anxiety specialist, and started his career working as a social worker. He has been a therapist in private practice for 20 years. Stuart is the creator of The STILL Method: a system designed to help both children and adults overcome anxiety. Stuart leads a team of around 50 anxiety coaches working in schools in the UK, USA, and Australia. In 2019, Stuart was recognised one of the most influential disabled people in the UK.   Connect with Sarah  https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/  https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection  https://www.linkedin.com/company/70927508/admin/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmyerscough/    HOSTED BY: Sarah Myerscough    DISCLAIMER  The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.   Website: www.coffeecalmconnection.org 

Are you keen to discover how the journey of Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection thus far has impacted its very creators? Are you interested in finding out how to actively implement the habits and principles the platform promotes in your everyday life? In this unique episode, Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection co-founders Stuart Thompson and Sarah Myerscough flip the script, and Sarah switches from interviewer to interviewee! They discuss how Sarah’s personal journey of self-discovery has already begun to challenge many of the fundamental methodologies with which she approaches the world, many of which revolve around a desire to control every aspect of her life. Stuart and Sarah discuss how attempting to relinquish that control can be instrumental in improving your wellbeing, and in curtailing our common tendency to perpetually worry about what may lie around the corner. Quote of the Episode “Keep seeking those moments in life, where you're out of control, where the control is surrendered, whether it be the smallest of things like letting somebody else drive, but also the bigger things about being disconnected for a few hours, not having the phone switched on, not knowing where everything is and what's going to happen. Letting some of that control drop over time can be really renewing and quite refreshing.” Anxiety specialist Stuart Thompson suggests that many of those who were most deeply affected by the experience of lockdown were those who are least accustomed to surrendering control over their own lives. He suggests that the complete debilitation that accompanies such unpredictable events can completely disrupt our way of understanding the world, which is so often rooted in our seemingly robust control over it. He suggests that in order to offset our common desire for complete control over our lives, we should seek out and treasure those times in our daily lives when we can relinquish it. He argues that the freedom this gives inadvertently boosts your mental wellbeing and enable you to be simultaneously both more wary of and more mentally prepared for the inevitable, unpredictable events that occasionally shake our world. Key Takeaways The COVID-19 pandemic is the ultimate testament to the fact that we cannot predict everything, or indeed, anything, with absolute certainty. Yet, when we set goals, we seek control, and take comfort from the ostensible knowledge that, upon fulfilling these goals, we will feel happier. Stuart Thompson suggests that this tendency towards constant superficial goal-setting often prevents us from seeing or seeking to identify the reasons why we have set such goals. We need to consider the reasons why we pursue certain things, be it to give up alcohol for a year; to train for a marathon; to learn a new language. If we try to achieve such goals for the wrong reasons, we will likely not achieve them, which will land us in an inevitable slump of dissatisfaction and self-flagellation. This tendency can even extend to mindfulness itself: many of us attempt to make a goal out of self-improvement and self-discovery, an entirely nebulous and individualistic entity. Mindfulness cannot be approached merely as yet another task to tick off on the to-do list. It cannot be regimented or controlled in the way that other aspects of our lives can be. Stuart suggests that we can learn from our children in this respect. By reigniting our imaginations, and spontaneously deciding to do things merely because they appeal to us, without any other motivation, we can inadvertently boost our own wellbeing. This is the intention behind Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection: to subtly integrate mindful practices in short, manageable bursts into your daily routine, thereby creating a habit out of them. Best Moments/Key Quotes “Chasing the goal can be quite attractive. But there's something also quite puritanical underneath it, of saying, ‘Well, why haven't you reached that goal yet?’ And I think it's something that's crept into our culture… the ‘I'm successful, because I work hard’ mindset. But what that does to some people is, it makes them believe that good things have to be goal-driven. It can't be fun. ‘I must be a terrible person. Because today, all I did was watch TV. Well, that didn't have an outcome to it.’ Where, actually, sometimes it's about maybe looking at the outcome of doing nothing, as a reward in itself.” “When someone's a high achiever they've been programmed to get a little buzz each time they hit a goal… [They] carry on seeking those little buzzes, rather than realizing that there's as much pleasure in just being present. But as we commercialize and commodify lots of things, mindfulness then becomes a thing we have to follow instructions to do, rather than just something we can enjoy doing and enjoy moving along with.” “It's quite brave to step out into the world and say, I don't know what's happening today. I don’t know what’s going to happen later.” ‘There's lots of evidence that if we practice with kindness to other people, if we try and understand other people's actions, actually what we do start being a bit kinder to ourselves.’ Resources Solve For Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy by Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer at GoogleX Coffee, Calm &amp; Connection Podcast, Episode 023: Forming New Habits for Happiness with Laura DiBenedetto, <a href="https://coffeecalmconnection.podbean.com/e/forming-new-habits-for-happiness-with-laura-dibenedetto/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://coffeecalmconnection.podbean.com/e/forming-new-habits-for-happiness-with-laura-dibenedetto/</a> Picture This – Online plant identifier: <a href="https://www.picturethisai.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.picturethisai.com/</a> Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari About the Guest Stuart Thompson is an anxiety specialist, and started his career working as a social worker. He has been a therapist in private practice for 20 years. Stuart is the creator of The STILL Method: a system designed to help both children and adults overcome anxiety. Stuart leads a team of around 50 anxiety coaches working in schools in the UK, USA, and Australia. In 2019, Stuart was recognised one of the most influential disabled people in the UK. Connect with Sarah  <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/70927508/admin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/70927508/admin/</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmyerscough/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmyerscough/</a> HOSTED BY: Sarah Myerscough  DISCLAIMER  The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.  Website: <a href="http://www.coffeecalmconnection.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coffeecalmconnection.org</a>

025: Letting go of the ”should” in your life with Stuart Thompson

We all know that data visualization is a great tool to explore and make sense of numbers, and also to communicate those numbers to people. But there is also a long historical tradition in visualization that uses graphs, charts, and maps for persuasion. Think, for instance, of Florence Nightingale, who used data and charts to persuade the English authorities to improve the living conditions of soldiers during war.  The persuasive tradition of visualization today continues thanks in part to the work of journalists and designers who work not for the news sides of their companies, but for their opinion sections.  In this episode Alberto and Simon talked to two of them, Stuart Thompson from The New York Times, and Sergio Peçanha, from The Washington Post. How is their work similar to what traditional graphics departments in news organizations do? And how is it different? The music for this episode is Olympic athletes' weights and heights, from this dataset. The tool we use is TwoTone. Try it out!

The Data Journalism Podcast

We all know that data visualization is a great tool to explore and make sense of numbers, and also to communicate those numbers to people. But there is also a long historical tradition in visualization that uses graphs, charts, and maps for persuasion. Think, for instance, of Florence Nightingale, who used data and charts to persuade the English authorities to improve the living conditions of soldiers during war.  The persuasive tradition of visualization today continues thanks in part to the work of journalists and designers who work not for the news sides of their companies, but for their opinion sections.  In this episode Alberto and Simon talked to two of them, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/stuart-a-thompson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stuart Thompson from The New York Times</a>, and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/sergio-pecanha/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sergio Peçanha, from The Washington Post</a>. How is their work similar to what traditional graphics departments in news organizations do? And how is it different? <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m3ltxLsbHNeUJHx4feCnjjiLUopmUe43/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The music</a> for this episode is Olympic athletes' weights and heights, from <a href="https://www.kaggle.com/heesoo37/120-years-of-olympic-history-athletes-and-results#" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this dataset</a>. The tool we use is <a href="https://datavized.github.io/twotone/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TwoTone</a>. Try it out!

Stuart Thompson and Sergio Peçanha: how to use data for comment

Do you find you try to implement new habits and changes for the routine to ‘drop off’ after a few weeks? Do you feel that you focus more on when something goes wrong than the things that actually went right? Well, you’re not alone.   In this episode, we chat with Stuart. Stuart is the founder of The Still Method - a complete system, using a step-by-step approach, to understand and manage anxiety and low self-esteem. We chat about habits, change and our own beliefs. Why this means we set unrealistic expectations, fall off the bandwagon and why we live with guilt.   Best Quote     ‘’I remember once being in a meeting in a restaurant and listening to two people having a conversation over a breakfast meeting and they said ‘well, now I've had that cooked breakfast, that's my diet out the window for the rest of the day’ - and I remember thinking, well, why? Why can't you just think that was a great breakfast, celebrate the pleasure you got from it and then go back to doing what you were doing? - it's that loaded guilt that makes us drop off the curb completely and we've got to try and find a way to get rid of that.’’    Resources   Stuart’s Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-thompson-b8b66b1/     Connect with Sarah   https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/ https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection https://www.linkedin.com/company/70927508/admin/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmyerscough/  Hosted by Sarah Myerscough    DISCLAIMER   The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.    Website: www.coffeecalmconnection.org   

Do you find you try to implement new habits and changes for the routine to ‘drop off’ after a few weeks? Do you feel that you focus more on when something goes wrong than the things that actually went right? Well, you’re not alone.   In this episode, we chat with Stuart. Stuart is the founder of The Still Method - a complete system, using a step-by-step approach, to understand and manage anxiety and low self-esteem. We chat about habits, change and our own beliefs. Why this means we set unrealistic expectations, fall off the bandwagon and why we live with guilt.  Best Quote     ‘’I remember once being in a meeting in a restaurant and listening to two people having a conversation over a breakfast meeting and they said ‘well, now I've had that cooked breakfast, that's my diet out the window for the rest of the day’ - and I remember thinking, well, why? Why can't you just think that was a great breakfast, celebrate the pleasure you got from it and then go back to doing what you were doing? - it's that loaded guilt that makes us drop off the curb completely and we've got to try and find a way to get rid of that.’’  Resources   Stuart’s Linkedin profile: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-thompson-b8b66b1/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-thompson-b8b66b1/</a>  Connect with Sarah   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/coffeecalmconnection/</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/coffeecalmconnection</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/70927508/admin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/70927508/admin/</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmyerscough/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmyerscough/</a> Hosted by Sarah Myerscough DISCLAIMER  The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.   Website: <a href="http://www.coffeecalmconnection.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coffeecalmconnection.org</a>

017: Forcing Habits and Dysregulating Emotions - with Stuart Thompson

Host &amp; Comic Nicole Yates sits down with Comic Stuart Thompson to talk Bay Area Food, his all consuming love of Roasted Chicken and what exactly makes a hoagie a hoagie. Check out his album "Dandyman" available everywhere! Check Stuart out on Instagram @stuartbthompson Check Nicole out on Instagram @yatesy75 Check out DidjaEat? on Instagram @didja_eat--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/didjaeat/messageSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/didjaeat/support

Host &amp; Comic Nicole Yates sits down with Comic Stuart Thompson to talk Bay Area Food, his all consuming love of Roasted Chicken and what exactly makes a hoagie a hoagie. Check out his album "Dandyman" available everywhere! Check Stuart out on Instagram <a href="http://instagram.com/stuartbthompson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@stuartbthompson</a> Check Nicole out on Instagram <a href="http://instagram.com/yatesy75" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@yatesy75</a> Check out DidjaEat? on Instagram <a href="http://instagram.com/didja_eat" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@didja_eat</a>--- Send in a voice message: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/didjaeat/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/didjaeat/message</a> Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/didjaeat/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/didjaeat/support</a>

Life isn't perfect, but ice cream is. Comedian Stuart Thompson (Album: Dandy Man) joins me virtually to discuss his struggles with control and perfection, especially in comedy and relationships. We also break down the importance of learning new languages, resting politician face, proper fashion, and the funniest holiday gift for your parents.  Stuart is a long time listener, first time guest and it was an honor to have him be the inaugural episode of 2021. Follow Stuart: @stuartbthompson www.stuartthompsoncomedy.com

Achilles' Heel with Alex Hooper

Life isn't perfect, but ice cream is. Comedian Stuart Thompson (Album: Dandy Man) joins me virtually to discuss his struggles with control and perfection, especially in comedy and relationships. We also break down the importance of learning new languages, resting politician face, proper fashion, and the funniest holiday gift for your parents.  Stuart is a long time listener, first time guest and it was an honor to have him be the inaugural episode of 2021. Follow Stuart: @stuartbthompson <a href="http://www.stuartthompsoncomedy.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.stuartthompsoncomedy.com</a>

Perfectionism with Stuart Thompson

09/19/2014Episode 37Stuart and I sat down and had the longest episode yet. We covered a lot! Composting, stand-up, improv, acting, and the rest!--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/yamatat/support

You And Me And Thoughts And Talk with Doug Culp

09/19/2014 Episode 37 Stuart and I sat down and had the longest episode yet. We covered a lot! Composting, stand-up, improv, acting, and the rest! --- Support this podcast: <a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/yamatat/support" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/yamatat/support</a>

The Bay Area’s own, comedian Stuart Thompson was a rambunctious toddler but a good student throughout school, even if he was a procrastinator. In his teens he started to DVR SNL and Conan, and grew a passion for comedy. At UC Berkeley he started hitting the open mics, and after college made the journey to LA. But along the way, Stuart recalls the love and support of his family, especially from his grandparents, Brock and Ruth, and Sanford and Kate, who have always been a special part of his life.  https://www.instagram.com/stuartbthompson, http://instagram.com/peoplewelovepodcast, http://instagram.com/adamchoit, http://peoplewelovepodcast.com

People We Love

The Bay Area’s own, comedian Stuart Thompson was a rambunctious toddler but a good student throughout school, even if he was a procrastinator. In his teens he started to DVR SNL and Conan, and grew a passion for comedy. At UC Berkeley he started hitting the open mics, and after college made the journey to LA. But along the way, Stuart recalls the love and support of his family, especially from his grandparents, Brock and Ruth, and Sanford and Kate, who have always been a special part of his life. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stuartbthompson" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/stuartbthompson</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/peoplewelovepodcast" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">http://instagram.com/peoplewelovepodcast</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/adamchoit" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">http://instagram.com/adamchoit,</a> <a href="http://peoplewelovepodcast.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">http://peoplewelovepodcast.com</a>

89. Stuart Thompson Loves His Grandparents

As RATT would say please welcome Stuart Thompson Back For More. He's got a new album out called Dandy Man available on iTunes,Spotify and the usual places so please buy it as he's one of the good ones. We sat down and had a nice talk about doing comedy in a pandemic so ENJOY!Follow him on all social media @stuartbthompson and me as well including Tik Tok @EarlSkakel Please RATE,REVIEW,SUBSCRIBE not just Inappropriate Earl but Stuart's podcast @TheL8NightShow

As RATT would say please welcome Stuart Thompson Back For More. He's got a new album out called Dandy Man available on iTunes,Spotify and the usual places so please buy it as he's one of the good ones. We sat down and had a nice talk about doing comedy in a pandemic so ENJOY! Follow him on all social media @stuartbthompson and me as well including Tik Tok @EarlSkakel Please RATE,REVIEW,SUBSCRIBE not just Inappropriate Earl but Stuart's podcast @TheL8NightShow