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Description
Unthinking Space (formerly Design Feeling) is a podcast for people who feel stuck on autopilot and know there’s more to life, work and creativity than following inherited scripts.
Hosted by Nirish Shakya - designer, educator and coach - the show explores self-awareness, creative courage and meaning through honest conversations, reflections and experiments.
Each episode creates space to calm the noise of your mind so you can follow the whispers of your soul. We explore philosophies, mindsets and practical frameworks to unlearn conditioning, question familiar narratives and reconnect with your inner compass, so you can trust yourself to act with courage on what truly matters.
You’ll hear:
- Conversations with thinkers, creators and practitioners across disciplines
- Solo reflections and frameworks to help you stop overthinking and start moving
- Real stories of courage, identity shifts and choosing what actually matters
This is not about optimisation, hustle or becoming someone new.
It’s about unthinking who you were taught to be and becoming who you already are.
56 Episodes
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Ever wondered how you can take control of your career and life to achieve true freedom and fulfilment? In this episode, Nirish Shakya engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Larry Cornett, a former designer and executive turned Freedom Coach. Larry shares his journey from Silicon Valley to a life of freedom near the mountains, revealing his strategies for achieving career invincibility. Emphasising the importance of finding joy and meaning in work, Larry discusses self-improvement, f...
In this episode, host Nirish Shakya speaks with motivational speaker, life coach and poet, Petra Williams. They explore the journey of overcoming societal standards and personal fears, the layers of identity with the inner illumination model, and transforming inspiration into actionable steps. Petra emphasises the importance of self-reflection, support networks, and managing ego. She also discusses the power of unfiltered self-expression through poetry, lessons from Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Sea...
In this in-depth discussion, recorded at the UTS podcast studio in Sydney, Australia, Nirish Shakya talks with Martin Tomitsch and Steve Baty, co-authors of the book 'Designing Tomorrow.' Keep listening to win a free copy of the book! They delve into the shifting paradigms of the design industry, advocating for a life-centred approach that goes beyond human and business needs to consider the health of the planet and all its life forms. The conversation covers the essential mindsets, tools, ...
This episode features a profound conversation with Steve Chapman, focusing on the liberation from societal constraints to embrace creative spontaneity and personal development. Steve shares his transition from as a organisational culture expert to pursuing artistic freedom, underlining the importance of lived experiences over traditional learning. Steve’s projects like 'Sound of Silence' and 'Lost Cat' underscore the value of initiating endeavours without fixed goals, highlighting an organi...
In this deep conversation with consultant, facilitator, and mentor, Lana Jelenjev, and host Nirish Shakya, they delve into topics of self-discovery, healing-centred ecosystems, and building deep connections. They discuss the importance of pausing, self-reflection, decolonising oneself, and the role of body consciousness in healing. Lana shares her personal story, weaving through the stages of her life, from battling breast cancer to embarking on a self-discovery journey. This episode is packe...
In this deep-dive interview, designer and activist Sam Griffiths details his journey from a design career into environmental activism, particularly with the organisation, Just Stop Oil. Sam discusses how entering the world of activism changed his perspective on the world and the importance of activism in our current climate crisis. Griffiths provides an insightful narrative on his confrontations with authorities, his experiences in prison, and the personal empowerment that arises as a result....
Nirish Shakya interviews Tutti Taygerly, leadership coach, author and ex-Design leader at Meta and Disney, on navigating uncertain times and finding their unique place in the world. Diving into the notions of identity, systems, and personal growth amidst transitions, they discuss embracing individual uniqueness and the concept of 'otherness'. Tutti shares valuable insights on experimenting with personal leadership, trusting the process, seeking validation, and a deeper understanding of our po...
Welcome to Season 5! Let's face it, 2023 was a challenging year for many designers and techies, and 2024 might not show immediate signs of improvement. Amidst this prevailing uncertainty, you might be seeing an influx of social media posts about setting new goals, while you're still trying to recharge and find your bearings. Falling into a cycle of setting goals, achieving them, and then feeling guilty for not achieving more is all too common. But what if a small shift in mindset could change...
The new year is a great time to reflect on the past year, recalibrate your direction and refocus your energy for the new year. There are lots of great reflection exercises out there but many can take at least a few hours to do. If you’ve been thinking of doing a reflection but haven’t been able to find the time, I’ve designed a condensed version for you that’s less than 15 minutes long. I’ll guide you through: a reflection of your past year - what energised you and what drained...
#047 - We wrap up Season 4 reflecting on some end of year reflection workshops I ran with Design Strategist, Josie Downey, to help designers and changemakers reflect on their year and refocus on 2024. We are also joined by Product Strategy Consultant, Jason Mesut, who attended one of those workshops. Have you reflected on your year and set your intentions for 2024? If you already have or if you’re thinking of doing one, this episode might give you some ideas and new ways of going about it. In...
#046 - How we feel has a direct impact on our creativity and confidence. However, we don’t openly talk about our mental health at work. In this episode, I speak to my friend Rob Armes who’s a design leader and founder of the UX consultancy, Circular UX. Rob opens up on his mental health struggles, including periods of psychosis and suicidal thoughts. And even after recovering and returning back to work, he experienced severe imposter syndrome. Rob shares how he got back on his f...
#045 - Do you take personal responsibility for things that don’t go according in your plan in your organisation? Do you try to control the outcome and burn yourself out in the process? What if you could let go of all that? In this episode, I speak to Charles-Louise de Maere who’s an expert facilitator helping organisations with collaborative thinking, storytelling and visual thinking. Charles-Louis shares some amazing facilitation techniques that’ll enable you transform your sense of personal...
Designers, you’ve been sold a lie. You’ve been told you need to work harder, do more with less and prove your value. You’ve done all that but it’s left you frustrated, misaligned and burnt out. In this episode, Sara Wachter-Boettcher lifts the lid on the bottled up feelings so many designers have right now. Sara digs into the roots of where these (often well intended) messages are coming from and how you can manage them, putting your own needs and well-being first. Sara shares valuable advice...
#042 - Join us in an insightful discussion with Boon Chew, a principal UX designer at Elsevier and a former board member at the London chapter of the Interaction Design Association (IxDA). Dive into the world of systems thinking as we explore how designers can utilise it to comprehend the larger systems they're designing for. From understanding our intrinsic cognitive systems to fostering empathy through awareness, Boon shares that systems thinking not only enhances our design perspective but...
#042 - You need to be good at everything - that’s the narrative we’re sold from pretty early on. The industry celebrates unicorns, magical beings who can do almost anything. However, we all have strengths that are unique to each one of us and trying to use our lesser strengths can drain our energy, making it difficult for us to get into a state of flow and impacting our wellbeing. In this episode, I speak with Kate Berry, Instructor Manager at General Assembly and my strengths coach. Kate unr...
#041 - Join us in this enlightening episode with Saskia Listle, a digital humanist and founder of the Academy of Future Skills, which is a community of learning practice, a think-tank and a consultancy on the Future of our Skills. Dive deep into the value of transversal skills and why they offer a sense of purpose that hard skills can't. We'll explore the concepts of T-shaped vs V-shaped employees, the power of curiosity in shaping one's professional path, and the potential pitfalls of an unc...
#039 - Welcome to Season 4 of the Design Feeling Podcast! We kick off the new season with an inspiring conversation with Rizwan Javaid, a seasoned human-centred designer from San Francisco and the creator of the Low Fidelity Newsletter and Unleash Your Mindset Podcast. Rizwan opens up about his struggles with fear, doubt, and imposter syndrome, and shares how he overcame these challenges through the deliberate practice of mindsets and mindfulness. Free UXConf ticket giveaway! Win a free v...
#038 - For the final episode of Season 3, join us in this inspiring conversation with Jenna Maudlin, a multi-award-winning designer and advocate for social good. Jenna is currently working with Apart of Me, a charity empowering children and young people to cope with loss and trauma. Jenna shares her journey of following her heart as a designer to teaching design thinking to young minds. We also discuss co-designing with children and young people as therapeutic intervention. Jenna also ...
#037 - In this podcast episode, host Nirish Shakya has a heart-to-heart conversation with three of his UX design students from General Assembly, Junying Lim, Sarah Willet, and Freddie Grzybowski. They discuss the nuances of becoming a competent designer beyond just the methods and tools learned in a boot camp. They delve into personal and professional journeys that shape a designer's perspectives and approach to design. Key topics discussed: The courage it takes to embrace the unknown and the...
#036 - Service designer, facilitator, coach and a recent mum, Rachel Arthur discusses the challenges and growth that come with parenthood and how it can lead to increased self-awareness. We also talk about the importance of slowing down and how our constant busyness might distract us from meeting our deeper needs. Rachel also shares how becoming a parent, particularly a mother, can force a reconnection with the body and serve as a powerful transition for personal growth. Rachel also shares pr...
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