A Satisfied Mind

I’ve been following Shy’s work for years now. I think the work he’s doing to bring greater self awareness to teaching, learning and education is essential, it’s so important. Shy has plenty of experience in the education sector having been a high school teacher of psychology, science and maths and is now a sought after education consultant and researcher working as an Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences (Design & Pedagogy) in the Faculty of Education, University of Canberra. He has two Bachelors degrees, two Masters degrees and a PhD so he knows a thing or two about learning. His PhD thesis was on, 'Sustainable school improvement: enhancing school middle leaders in epistemic cognition for teaching about self regulated learning'.As you'll notice from this conversation, not only is Shy's knowledge of how we learn extensive, but he has a unique ability to make complex topics as approachable and relatable as he is. In this conversation we discuss:What exactly is 'self regulated learning'?How might we cultivate this - both in school students and as adults?What are the strategies for developing greater self regulation?Why does this matter?What's the relationships between self regulation, self awareness, social and emotional awareness? What role can parents play in developing greater self regulated learners?How do we do this as adults?To learn more about Shy's work, visit his website here. Follow him on social media here on Instagram, here on Twitter.Watch his 2023 TED Talk, 'What we fail to learn in schools'. Listen to his podcast, 'Educate to Self-Regulate' here. 

In this episode I speak with Dr Arne Rubinstein - author of 'The Making of Men' and CEO of the Rites of Passage Institute. We begin with the current state of masculinity in Australia and Arne's honest and cautionary assessment of it.We discuss the desperate need for healthy masculinity and the role rites of passage experiences play in this. Arne has over 30 years of experience doing this work which is arguably more important and necessary now that it has ever been.Arne shares insights on what we can do to support boys and men in cultivating more healthy expressions of masculinity, the role of parents and schools and what we can do as as individuals to create a culture that supports young people in identifying their gifts and sharing them in service of the community.For more information on the Rites of Passage Institute - visit the website here.You'll find a number of courses and workshops including father and daughter camps, mother and son camps, a camp for all young warriors, rites of passage facilitator training, resources and training for schools and online courses.You can find Arne's book, 'The Making of Men' here.Follow on social media here:InstagramFacebookTikTok

When I met Tarang earlier this year and listened to him speak as a panellist at an event, I knew there was so much more I wanted to hear from him.  We got the chance to find some time amongst Tarang's busy schedule to chat and I'm glad we did. We discussed some difficult issues, important issues. Issues such as gender based family and domestic violence, mental health, masculinities and the desperate need for positive role models for boys and young men. Tarang's invitation for us all to be advocates for these issues is a compelling and inspiring call to action. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.  You can find out more about Tarang and his work and how to contact him below. WebsiteTarang's InstagramNot One More Niki InstagramLinkedInEmail: tarang@tarangchawla.com

Hi,I need to have conversations like this, albeit with you via a podcast. It helps. I hope it helps you, too. I mentioned some quotes from John O'Donohue in this episode, you can listen to the full conversation here with Krista Tipppet, it's pure magic - The Inner Landscape of Beauty.  And you can find out more about Tara Brach and RAIN here. With love,Mikey

Hi,What a time hey. I don't know about you but I feel like it's time to do things differently, very differently. This next 'season' of A Satisfied Mind podcast will both exploring how we might do this and documenting my experience.In this episode I share an update and an invitation to join me. I also mention some words I wrote back in 2020 about going 'back to work'.And there's this interview with Daniel Schmachtenberger which will blow your mind in the realest way. Like, subscribe, do the things you do when you love a podcast. Much gratitude and love,MikeyAnd join us in the next Men's Circle if you read this and are not to late to register - we begin October 17th. 

Pete is an accomplished photographer who has travelled the world shooting and working with people like the Obamas and Simon Sinek. He's now travelling less, creating more and has gathered a thriving community of soulful entrepreneurs bringing authenticity to their art. Through his bespoke programs and intuitive gift for identifying and coaxing out the essence of people he works with, he's teaching others how to create content that matters and having a helluva lot of fun doing it. In this conversation we talk about this work and his creative process. We talk about magnets and mosquitos, creating before you consume and what authenticity actually means. This conversation is full of truth bombs, soulful insights and plenty of tools and tips to help you to make more meaningful content, no matter what context. For more information on all Pete's offerings check out his website here To join The Playground click hereThe Create Content That Matters program

Show notes seem a bit pointless after what might the the longest podcast title! Here's the downlow on this episode. I finished walking the Camino de Santiago and experienced the come down, the anticlimax was real. I then had a few friends reach out and the conversations that ensued were extremely impactful. I wrote an article about what happens after the hero's journey and was sitting here wondering how to tie it all together. This podcast is my attempt to do that, I hope it translates. I also share my intention to create a space for men to more of this – sharing in community.  Details are at the end of the episode and a link to register your interest is below.After the Hero's Journey Blog PostRegister for the May intake of Integrate - A Five Week Self-Leadership Course for Men. 

Today I walked up to the highest point on the Camino de Santiago. There's a cross there atop a mound of stones that pilgrims have left behind. These are both literal and figurative symbols of that which they've been carrying and no longer want to carry. On the other side of this peak I stepped off the trail and sat on some grass to record this episode in the sunshine whilst thinking about letting go and why it's so hard. I reference David Whyte's poem, Faces at Braga. You can read it here.

I met Polina as I wandered into the grounds of an Albergue one very cold morning  looking for a coffee whilst walking the Camino de Santiago. There was a sign they had put out on the Camino just the day before saying, 'warm up' with an arrow pointing away from the path. I followed it and found myself at Alberuge Amanecer.There I had a coffee and some fresh banana bread but it was the conversation with Polina that really moved me. Polina is 26 years of age and with her parents, recently fled their home in Mariupol, Ukraine.  They have come to Spain and the Camino seeking refuge and to work, to build a new home and establish a new community. I was deeply moved by talking with Polina and asked her if I could share her story. This conversation is some of it. Link to the Facebook group mentinoed - TBCAlberuge Amanecer is where Polina and her family work, please support them if you find yourself on the Camino. 

This was an impromptu episode. I was walking in between Hontillas de Camino and Castrojeriz on the Camino de Santiato and pulled over to share some thoughts. Perhaps it was the fact I had been walking all day with only my thoughts to keep me company that had me inspired to share, I was craving conversation! I hope, despite the wind and poor recording conditions, that you enjoy this episode. It's very low-fi but talking about some hi-fidelity feels. The podcast interview with Francis Weller I mentioned is hereAnd you can find more of Francis' work here

This conversation with Rainier Wylde is great example of why I created this podcast. To learn from people and their lived experience. To provide an opportunity for others to share their stories. To connect more deeply with people at a time when slow, intentional, consciously nurtured connections are replaced by desperate dopamine benders and superficial scrolling frenzies. To learn to listen better. To practice asking better questions. To share the wisdom and perspective of others who are generous enough to share their lives, their lessons and their own questions with me. Rainier has plenty to share and does so with a poetic meter informed by a life of well lived experiences. We dive straight into it as Rainier shares his experience of grieving the recent loss of his father. In his signature storytelling style, Rainier shares stories of key moments - both big and small, all profound, key moments that have changed his life and helped him connect to a greater sense of appreciation and awe for it all, especially the seemingly insignificant moments. Here's some of what we cover:Grief and why we find it so hard to deal with death and endings His upbringing with in an evangelical sect and core lessons learnedFalls from graceFacing his own shadow and history of infidelity, keeping agreements and redemptionHis creative process - paying attention to lifeWhy a Negroni is the perfect metaphor for lifeIt's an inspiring conversation - it's raw, honest and heartfelt. For more information on Rainier and how to access more of his work:Rainer Wylde on InstagramInto the Wylde on SubstackWork with Rainier Thanks for listening.Michael

You can feel the power of Mariam's presence through this conversation, and it's a beautiful thing. Mariam arrived in Melbourne from her Somali homeland as a refugee in 1998 with her husband, four children and a fifth on the way. Her story begins well before this however and we explore some pivotal stories, memories and lessons learned from this time. Having settled in Brighton, Melbourne, Mariam cofounded RAW-Resilient Aspiring Women in 2012, a not-for-profit organisation focused on building community and social spaces for women to connect in.She launched her autobiography, A Resilient Life, in 2012, and continued to share her experience and commitment to improving refugee's lives by sitting on the board of Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, serving as an ambassador for Refugee Council of Australia and a Director at Family Peace.Mariam continues to share her experience and commitment to improving refugee’s lives by sitting on the board of Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, serving as an ambassador for Refugee Council of Australia and a Director at Family Peace. She is an International Women’s Forum member and co-founder of Space2b, an art and design based social enterprise established to support asylum seekers, refugees and newly arrived migrants. She was recently awarded the Ambassador of Peace award from the Universal Peace Federation – in recognition of her on-going work promoting social cohesion amongst Melbourne’s culturally diverse population. She is regularly invited to speak to different community groups and featured in national Australian TV, radio and press.We conver so much ground in this conversation and we go deep early. We discuss:Growth, transformation and evolution through challengeCatalysing grief into graceIntegrating stories and experience into wisdomElderhood and the desperate need for the wisdom of eldersA profound story her grandmother shared with Mariam, this metaphor was a highlight of the conversation for meI hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, my heart was full and I hope you feel the warmth and presence this conversation generated. For more information and to follow Mariam's work:Website: www.mariamissa.com.au Instagram: @mariamissaofficialTo subscribe to A Satisfied Mind Journal and read previous entries, check it out here. Thanks for listening,Michael

I head Lael Stone speak recently at an event about a school she founded, Woodline Primary, which focusses on a holistic and heart-lead approach to education. This is just one of the many ways in which Lael is changing the way we give raise and educate children from pre-natal to adolescence. Leal created the ‘About Birth’ program  after working with thousand of parents, children, families and identifying the need for a more connected and empathetic approach to assisting mothers and babies who had experienced trauma. About Birth has become Australia’s leading online childbirth program.She’s been a Calmbirth practitioner, postnatal trauma counsellor, and Aware Parenting instructor. As her own children grew up she developed a sex education curriculum for secondary schools and has delivered a Ted Talk on How to Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children'.She’s a podcast host of the very popular and successful ‘The Aware Parenting’ podcast with co host. Marion Rose and has just written a best selling book called ‘Raising Resilient and Compassionate Children’.Oh, and as previously mentioned she’s founded a school - Woodline Primary that is revolutionising education by fostering connection and awareness through supporting and nurturing the whole child.In this episode we talk about all the above and focus on:Childhood trauma - what is it and how can we prevent it?What is 'aware parenting' and how can we do it?How to address childhood trauma as an adultHow to raise emotionally inteligent children as a parent and teacherTrauma and re-parenting ourselves as adultsLael Stone's WebsiteThe Aware Parenting podcast Raising Resilient and Compassionate Children bookWoodline Primary SchoolSubscribe to A Satisfied Mind newsletterThanks for listening,Michael

Shadow work. You may be familiar with it, you may have done some, perhaps you're well acquainted with your shadow. Maybe you have no idea what this all means but have heard people talking about it. It's work what has fascinated, compelled and challenged me for most of my life and specifically the past couple of years working with Kerrie. For context, her bio is a compelling introduction to this work and the topic of this conversation:"Kerrie works at the crossroads of vision, creativity and imagination as an author, tarot reader, shadow guide and practicing witch. Her first book Morsel was released in early 2022 after a decade of writing online. Making her home on the wild east coast of Australia Kerrie works worldwide online, guided by the moon and stars above and earth below, intentionally creating safe curated spaces for you to connect to your path and power, your soul self and your innate guidance.With a decades old background in natural and alternative therapies, plant and magical lore and a deep commitment to ongoing learning, Kerrie is passionate about reflecting your innate wisdom back to you in myriad forms."In this episode we discuss:What is our shadow, and does everyone have one?How might we come to understand and integrate our shadow?The role of trauma, shame and guilt in shadow workHow Kerrie came to be doing this kind of workThe cultural, environmental and familial contexts in which our shadow is both formed and projectedIt's a deep dive into places we tend to avoid, but are ultimately so liberating and rewarding. I hope you enjoy this conversation and if you'd prefer to watch, I've uploaded it onto YouTube here. For more information on Kerrie's work, check out her website.You can buy her book, Morsel, here. Follow her in Instagram here. Please like, share, rate and subscribe to this podcast and newsletter. Your support, comments and feedback are appreciated. Cheers,Michael

Since it was founded in 2008, the social enterprise Thankyou has raised over $17.5 million dollars for its impact partners on a mission to eradicate extreme poverty. Thankyou has always done things differently, taken risks and creatively disrupted systems that need to change and it's been quite the rollercoaster.From their original campaign to sell bottled water to  fund life-changing water projects in developing nations, to abandoning that campaign (you can read about why below), Thankyou has been quick to adapt and has never shied away from setting audacious goals.There was the cheeky marketing campaign that leveraged the support of customers and community to encourage Coles and Woolies to stock Thankyou (it worked), to the most recent campaign to leverage the reach and power of the biggest product companies in the world to partner with Thankyou and redistribute profits to impact partners (a work in progress - check out the 'no small plan' link below)Oh, and there was the best-selling, groundbreaking book 'Chapter One' that documents it all, albeit in a typically unconventional way. It's been a fascinating journey and I've always been fascinated by the people who make this kind of big, systemic change happen. In this case, its Daniel Flynn.In this episode we talk about the challenges of running a purpose driven social enterprise during a time of rampant capitalism, during a pandemic whilst up against the might and power and control of global multinationals.And, we talk about the personal challenges that Daniel experiences as he grows as a human, a husband, a father and a leader.I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.MichaelThankyou website  The 7-Eleven campaignThe Coles & Woolworths campaign  Chapter One bookWhy Thankyou is no longer selling bottled waterNo Small Plan campaignTo subscribe to the Satisfied Mind newsletter - join us here.

Self awareness in leadership. It's a hot topic that deserves far more attention than it gets. There's plenty of books on both, but too few on how to combine and apply both in practice. Cassandra Goodman's new book, 'Being True - How to Be Yourself at Work' does just that, and it is brilliant. Not only does it provide a compelling call to action for why this work is essential now, it provides clear principles and practices to make this a very handy guide for transforming the way you lead and live your life. Cassie uses the IFS framework and applies it to leadership. It's a beautiful marriage and one that cuts through all the jargon and platitudes of leadership while providing a clear and concise guide for practice. I loved this book and was so excited to dig into it with Cassie in this conversation. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did and I know you're going to learn plenty. For more information and links mentioned in this episode:The Centre for Self FidelityBuy the book here - Being TrueRichard Schwartz - 'Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts'

In this episode I talk with director, Genevieve Bailey about the power of storytelling. We talk specifically about the stories we tell about men, mental health, masculinity and diversity. This conversation was inspired by her film, Happy Sad Man.Happy Sad Man is a beautiful documentary and it's an important one. With deft sensitivity it features the stories of five men who each have various experiences of living with mental health challenges. I hope you enjoy this conversation and I hope it's a catalyst for more meaningful conversations for you and the people you love. If you'd like to join us for a special screening of Happy Sad Man in Melbourne on the 8th December, DM me directly on Instagram or  click here.For screenings around the country happening now, click here.For the Happy Sad Man trailer and website, click here. Thanks for listening,Michael

Hi,Just dipping my toes back in, I feel a bit nervous putting out a new episode after a break. This one is just shaking off the cobwebs.Links mentioned:Happy Sad Man FilmThe MancaveBen Bohmer set from a hot air balloon in CappadociaThanks for listening,Michael

Recently, I have posted a number of articles and podcasts that reference the work of others. In doing so, I have not appropriately acknowledged the source of the content nor the people who created the work I referenced. I have passed this work off as my own, when it is not. I have shared work, concepts, processes, ideas and intellectual property that are not mine to share. This is plagiarism and in breach of both copyright and explicit agreements made. My ignorance is no excuse, I commit to remedying this and ensuring that everything I share is done so with permission and appropriate referencing. To those whose work I have misappropriated and to everyone I have mislead, I am deeply sorry. I have been learning more about my role in perpetuating an individualistic, capitalist, patriarchal ideology and paradigm.I commit to learning more and doing better when it comes to understanding and dismantling this destructive system through what I write and share and through my work and actions in general. Thank you for listening,Michael

This conversation is a sensitive and vulnerable one. On the day I write this intro and publish this episode, my family gathers to remember the one year anniversary of my nephew David's passing. I've had a number of conversations with my sister Sharyn about his passing and her experience over the past 12 months. Each time I've been humbled and inspired by her strength and courage in the face of unimaginable grief. I asked if she would be willing to share some of her experience with me, with us, on this podcast as I think these difficult conversations are the most important. What you'll find here is an insight into her experience of loss and grief, of processing and meaning making, of celebrating life and honouring David's legacy. It's a really powerful conversation and I'm grateful to have been able to have it and share it with you here. If the content of this episode brings up issues for you and you need support or you know someone who does, please access help via the links below.  I hope that sharing this story will help us all learn to be more mindful of and present to the privilege of living a life, and to be able to have the difficult conversations about loss and grief when we need to. With love,MikeyLifeline - 13 11 14Beyond Blue - anxiety, depression and suicide preventionBlack Dog Institute - mental health support and suicide prevention