Season One Finale: Reflecting on 12 Weeks of Wellness Practices

Season One Finale: Reflecting on 12 Weeks of Wellness Practices

Episode Summary

In this special season finale, host Sarah reflects on twelve wonderful weeks of alternative wellness conversations. From cold water swimming to sound healing, mindfulness to EFT tapping, the first season of Exploring Ways to Wellness has covered an eclectic mix of practices that have transformed lives. Join Sarah as she highlights memorable moments, lessons learned, and announces exciting plans for season two.

Episode Highlights

00:55 Reflecting on the Journey
01:28 The Birth of Exploring Ways to Wellness
02:39 Memorable Guest Stories
06:32 Guests Finding Wellness at Rock Bottom
11:46 Personal Reflections and Commitments
15:53 Season Highlights and Recommendations

• Onika on journaling and The Artist's Way (Ep.2)
• Jacqueline on Human Design types (Ep.3)
• Millie on cold water swimming benefits (Ep.4)
• Emma on EFT tapping techniques (Ep.5)
• Gil on practical Transcendental Meditation (Ep.6)
• Becca on simple mindfulness practices (Ep.7)
• Jacquie on sound healing frequencies (Ep.8)
• Carle on neurodiversity in wellness practices (Ep.9)
• Anna on deep presence-based gratitude (Ep.10)
• Lindsay on Qigong for improved sleep (Ep.11)

28:58 Announcements for Season Two and new community initiatives

What's Next

• New Facebook group "Wellness Explorers" launching for community support
• Weekly newsletter with updates on season two progress
• Season two topics to include Reiki, Laughter Yoga, and more
• Seeking new guests, especially former sceptics who found transformation

Connect With Us

• Join our Facebook group: Wellness Explorers 
• Subscribe to the newsletter for behind-the-scenes content
• Share your favourite episode or suggest topics for season two
• Follow on Instagram: @sarahgorev

Mentioned Practices & Episodes

• Journaling & The Artist's Way
• Human Design
• Cold Water Swimming
• EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)
• Transcendental Meditation
• Mindfulness
• Sound Healing
• Neurodiversity in Wellness
• Gratitude Practice
• Qigong

Thanks for listening.

Transcript

Finding Your Path: Season One Highlights and What's Next

 [00:00:00] Hello there. Welcome back to Exploring Ways To Wellness. It's Sarah here, and believe it or not, we've come to the end of 12 wonderful weeks of exploring alternative wellness practices together. Yes, that's right. We've reached our season one finale. I will be honest when I started this podcast, although I was passionate about it, I really didn't know if anyone would want to share their stories or listen to them.

And here we are and what a journey it's been from cold water swimmers, braving all weather for that swimmer's high to the gentle vibrations of sound healing bowls. We've covered quite a eclectic mix, haven't we? Today's episode is a bit different. No guests joining me, just reflecting [00:01:00] on the incredible conversations we've had so far, and the nuggets of wisdom that have struck me.

So whether you've listened to every episode or you're just tuning in for the first time, hello, by the way, I promise there's something here for everyone. And don't worry this isn't goodbye. I think it's a good time to take a short break. Let us all catch our breath and I'll be back before you know it with more fascinating conversations for season two.

You know, it's funny, when I think back to when I had the first idea for this episode, I was sitting in my garden cup of tea in hand as so many good ideas come to me and feeling a bit frustrated with the wellness content I was finding online, it was either impossibly glamorous influencers doing handstands on Bali beaches at sunrise, which isn't exactly relatable when you're in rainy Britain trying to fit wellness around school runs and work deadlines.[00:02:00] 

Or it was so clinical and serious that I felt more like it was medicine than something enjoyable, and I think it should be both. No? I thought, where are the normal people talking about this stuff? The people have tried something a bit different and found it actually helped, but aren't trying to sell you a certification or a 500 pound retreat.

So that's how Exploring Ways to Wellness was born. A space for authentic conversations about practices that might seem a bit out there, but genuinely helped real people. When I recorded the first proper episode, I was unsurprisingly nervous, both about recording the first chat with Onika.

From planning set up, recording and then all those technical bits to turn it into a published podcast and hoping people might enjoy listening to it. [00:03:00] It was certainly a steep learning curve, but Onika was amazing and after our chat, I have to admit, I was on a bit of a high knowing that it had that potential to be something good.

Little did I know that 12 episodes later, I'd have spoken to some of the most fascinating people capturing everything from human design to cold water swimming from EFT to sound healing. And if you'd told me that I'd eventually be discussing the finer points of Qigong, or debating the merits of transcendental meditation versus mindfulness, I would've laughed.

You know what's been absolutely brilliant about making this podcast. Every time I've sat down with a guest, I think I know what to expect, but then they completely surprise me. Take Millie with her cold water swimming. In episode four, I was expecting to hear about the physical benefits, the endorphin [00:04:00] rush, and all that, but what really hit home.

Was when she shared the story about connecting with a complete stranger in the water when they were both grieving and finding an unexpected bond despite them being in freezing cold water when you come together. She said, we naturally start harmonizing with each other. Isn't that just beautiful and not at all what I expected from a chat about jumping into cold water.

I really love the camaraderie and community element of that one. I can't say that I've made the leap into cold water yet. Um, I'm not sure if I'd become a regular, but I really see the appeal of the personal challenge, the group dynamic and what Millie described as the swimmer's high being 10 times the height of a runner's high.

It definitely sounds like something magical is happening in cold water, swimming locations around the country. [00:05:00] Speaking of magical experiences. Let's reflect for a moment on Jacquie in episode eight and her sound healing journey. I had a couple of sound healing sessions with different practitioners locally just to try it out.

It was something I'd been interested in for a while, but haven't really tried anything out beyond listening to the odd YouTube video each time. My sceptical brain was saying it's just some instruments making pretty sounds. But the rest of me was saying, who cares how it works, but it, it is working. I knew Jacquie as a respected practitioner, so for my chat with her, I was thinking it would be about singing bowls and the technical side of why it works.  

Her bombshell about her health journey, and when sitting on a couch talking to the universe saying Either fix me or I'm done, because this is not living, and then hearing a [00:06:00] clear voice telling her to become a reiki master. I mean, goosebumps, right? 

As a side note on Reiki, it is coming up a lot. When I speak to practitioners of other alternative wellness practices, it seems to be the technique that many start their journey into complimentary healing with. I am looking forward to exploring Reiki with one of my guests who I have lined up for season two, so I already recommend that you look out for that one.

Going back to this season though, what's fascinating, but maybe not completely surprising, , is how many of our guests found these practices when they were at rock bottom? Becca turned to mindfulness when she was really anxious, stressed and emotional.

She described it as she was sinking, so needed something and reached out. Emma tried EFT after traditional approaches to her anxiety made her feel worse. [00:07:00] Carle sought mindfulness techniques that would work with her neurodivergent mind when traditional approaches left her questioning whether there was something wrong with her.

And yet what they found wasn't just a quick fix. It was often something deeper and more life changing than they ever expected. These weren't just techniques they'd tried once and moved on from, they became significant to their wellness, became necessary daily practices, and eventually for some complete career changes, which was my experience.

Take Onika. In episode two discussing the Artist's Way and Journalling, she described how she went from being unable to fill a vision board, literally staring at a blank board to having what she calls a being board that's completely full. Not with material things she wants to acquire.

But with states of being, she wants to experience that shift [00:08:00] from having to being that really stuck with me. One thing that's interesting throughout this season is how many of our guests sometimes described themselves as sceptical before they tried their practice? Lindsay with Qigong was a classic.

When I switch off my rational head and just enjoy it, it still seems to work. I love that. And can definitely identify with it. What a perfect blend of this is probably nonsense, but I'll give it a go. Anyway, Lindsay's episode was particularly memorable for me because of that, she's exactly the type of person I hoped I would come across for this podcast.

Someone with a foot in both worlds, the rational and the intuitive, she has an open mind to trying complimentary approaches to wellness. And if they work for her, isn't afraid to give them a go. Who could forget Millie telling us about the dry tits at [00:09:00] her cold water swimming group? Those wonderful supporters who show up with hot drinks and warm towels, but don't dip a toe with the water themselves.

Sometimes being part of a community doesn't mean you have to dive headfirst in, does it? You can still be involved with the community aspect. And that makes you feel good without feeling the pressure to take on the physical challenge. I wonder how many end up going into the water in the end though, after seeing the benefits experienced by the swimmers, what struck me time and time again is how accessible these practices actually are.

 We often think wellness requires expensive equipment, fancy retreats, or hours of your day. But our guests have consistently shown otherwise. Take Anna in episode 10, talking about gratitude on the hardest days. I think it's important to just find a very tiny thing, [00:10:00] so simple, yet so powerful.

Anna's approach to gratitude really challenged my own. I'll admit that when I first heard about gratitude as a practice, I thought it might be a bit forced and wasn't sure how it would make a difference to anything. But Anna's take was different. It wasn't about forcing positivity or ignoring real problems.

It was about finding tiny anchors in difficult moments. I particularly loved when she talked about being grateful for specific moments with her daughter. It's not toxic positivity. It's profound presence. Gil's episode may be giggle because he'd said he would do one and we finally recorded it On my birthday.

He was in the room next to me because it was the only way I could work out how to get the tech to work. And it was a good one because he explained how meditation fits into his busy life. He could do it on noisy [00:11:00] public transport. A great way of using time that would otherwise not be productive.

Though, not being productive 100% of the time is absolutely okay. Sometimes we need reminding of that occasionally.

I found Gil's episode on tm, particularly refreshing because he was so no nonsense about it. No, ethereal music playing in the background or promises of spiritual awakening, just a practical tool that helps him function better. He's been practicing for over 20 years and still describes himself as rubbish at meditation sometimes, which I found wonderfully reassuring.

It's not about being perfect, it's about showing up for the practice. I've been reflecting on my own wellness journey throughout making this podcast too, and I have a confession to make. I'm good at learning about wellness practices and pretty rubbish at actually [00:12:00] doing them consistently. Anyone else, or is that just me?

In almost every episode you can hear me say, oh, I tried that once, or I'd love to give that a go someday. But as Emma so wisely pointed out in our EFT episode, 95% of what we do is on autopilot. So breaking outta that autopilot mode is a real challenge, isn't it? Emma's EFT episode was actually a turning point for me personally.

For those who haven't listened yet, EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique, and it involves tapping on specific points of your body while focusing on the issue you want to address. It can look a bit odd and I probably wouldn't recommend trying it for the first time on a crowded train unless you enjoy strange looks, but the science behind it is fascinating.

Emma explained how tapping on meridian points sends calming signals to the amygdala, the [00:13:00] part of our brain that controls the fight or flight response. So when we're stressed about something like money, health, relationships, whatever our amygdala is firing away, making it impossible to think clearly, the tapping interrupts that pattern and calms your nervous system, helping to take the sting outta emotions.

What really got me was when Emma shared her own story about using EFT for weight loss, but with a twist. She said she wasn't actually tapping on losing weight. She tapped on accepting herself either way. How many of us have tried to beat ourselves into change through criticism and self-loathing, and how is that working out for us?

So I'm using the experiences I had making this podcast to make a commitment. Right here, right now. Over the next few weeks, while I'm on a break, I'm going to actually practice some of the things that we've [00:14:00] been talking about. A bit of cold water, might need to be a cold water shower to begin with some mindfulness, maybe even dusting off some of those prompts in the artist's way from Onika's episode, and I'm definitely going to try out Qigong.

Actually, here's where I'm gonna be specific, because vague intentions rarely become reality, do they? So I'm committing to at least five minutes of mindfulness in the morning using Becca's simple breath awareness technique, a quick cold shower rinse at the end of my normal shower at least three times a week.

Sorry, Millie baby steps. 10 minutes of journalling before bed using Onika and Anna's inspiration with the prompt. What three things am I grateful for today, and I hope to move on from there. And I'd love you to join me. I'm starting a Facebook group. Yes, finally giving in to all those lovely messages I've [00:15:00] received asking for one.

Where we can share our experiences, hold each other accountable and maybe have a laugh when it all goes a bit pear shaped as these things sometimes do. The link will be in the show notes, and I'll be absolutely thrilled if you'd join me there. I'm going to call it Wellness Explorers, so it's easy to find, and I'll be posting weekly.

Based on the practices we've covered in the podcast so far and getting ideas and feedback to make the next season tailored to you? Nothing extreme, nothing time consuming. Just small manageable steps we can take together. Because if there's one thing I've learned from our guests, it's that these practices work best when their shared.

And when we approach them with commitment and kindness towards ourselves. Now, for those of you who haven't had a chance to listen to all the episodes, and honestly it wouldn't surprise me 'cause who has [00:16:00] time these days. Let me give you a proper tour of what we've covered this season with some personal highlights that might pique your interest.

We've kicked off properly with episode two. With Onika exploring journalling and the artist's way, if you are creatively blocked or just feeling a bit disconnected from yourself, this episode is gold. When you listen to this episode, you'll hear about Onika and how she transformed from someone who couldn't feel her vision board

to someone who completely fills a being board. What's fascinating? Was her artist's way practice sparking unexpected physical changes too. She went from avoiding cameras to competing in Hyrox fitness events. Her description of morning pages as brain drain really struck me, this idea that we can empty our minds of all the mental clutter before we can access our [00:17:00] creativity.

So if you are feeling stuck in a rut or you've lost touch with what brings you joy. Onika's practical approach to creativity might be exactly what you need. Plus we always have a laugh when we have a chat, so I dare to listen without smiling. Episode three took us into the fascinating world of human design with Jacqueline.

Now, I'll admit, when I first heard about human design, I was a bit sceptical. It sounded a bit like a mashup of lots of other things, and to be fair, it sort of is. But what I loved about Jacqueline's episode was her explanation of the five human design types, manifestors generators, manifesting generators, projectors, and reflectors, and how each has a completely different way of engaging with energy and making decisions.

Her description of discovering she was a manifesting generator and finally understanding why she [00:18:00] always had multiple projects on the go was so relatable. If you've ever wondered why traditional productivity advice doesn't work for you and why you feel drained after certain interactions, this episode might give you an aha moment where everything suddenly makes sense.

Episode four plunged us quite literally into cold water swimming with Millie, which we've already chatted about. If you are looking for a practice that combines physical challenge with mental clarity and community support, this one's for you. Just maybe wait until the summer to start. If you're not that keen on breaking ice to get in Millie's description of the swimmer's high being 10 times more powerful than the runner's high might tempt even the most cold averse listeners like myself.

Her beautiful story about connecting with a stranger in grief while swimming [00:19:00] shows the unexpected emotional healing that can happen in the water. I loved her practical techniques on getting started gradually, how you can begin with just your feet and work up to the full emersion over time, and that any temperature below your body temperature counts as cold water swimming.

As I've mentioned, that one is perfect for anyone looking for a wellness practice with a built-in community. In episode five, Emma introduced us to EFT or tapping. And as I mentioned earlier, this had a big impact on me personally, not least because I've spent many years now training in the technique with Emma as my mentor and trainer.

Emma's simple explanation of how EFT works with our nervous systems makes this technique so accessible. If you're looking for something that will make you genuinely feel different, almost immediately. Emma's EFT techniques are mind blowing. [00:20:00] Her personal story of using tapping for weight issues when she didn't tap on the weight she tapped on accepting herself shows how the technique goes far deeper than the symptom relief.

If you're someone who processes emotions physically or finds talking therapy doesn't quite get to the root of your issues. This episode offers a hands-on technique you can use anywhere, episode six saw us exploring transcendental meditation with GI who brought such a down to earth perspective to a practice that can sometimes seem a bit mystical.

His practical approach to fitting meditation into time on crowded commuter trains to transform wasted time into deep relaxation shows just how practical this technique can be for busy people. Gil's, confession that even after 20 years of practice, he sometimes feels rubbish at meditation was so [00:21:00] refreshing.

I really appreciated his honesty about the investment required to learn officially. Balanced with his perspective on why he's found it so worthwhile. This episode is perfect for the, I can't meditate sceptics who think that their mind is too busy for stillness. In episode seven, Becca shared her powerful story of using mindfulness when she was sinking from stress and anxiety and showed how this practice can be a literal lifeline.

Her simple explanation that mindfulness is just taking a breath strips away all the intimidation factors. I loved her practical techniques for incorporating mindfulness into everyday activities, like really tasting your first bite of food or feeling the water on your skin during a shower if you've been put off by images of people [00:22:00] meditating for hours.

Becca's approach shows how every tiny moment of awareness can transform your day. You literally just have to take a breath, and I think we all need to hear that sometimes. Episode eight took us into the soothing world of sound healing with Jacquie, her incredible journey from life-threatening illness to sound healer that started with hearing a voice from the universe and is truly powerful.

Her explanation of different instruments affecting different parts of the body from singing bowls to drums, to the human voice. And it was fascinating. I particularly loved when she explained that we are our own healing instruments through humming and making sounds. So if you're curious about energy healing, but prefer approaches with some scientific backing.

Jacquie's discussion of sound frequencies and their impact on our crystalline [00:23:00] cellular structure provides that perfect bridge between science and spiritual practice. Episode nine with Carle was a personal favourite as well, exploring neurodiversity in wellness practices, which hadn't really been in my original plan, but when she commented on my mindfulness post on Facebook.

I knew I had to find out more. Carle's revelation about aphantasia. The inability to visualise images in your mind might be exactly what some listeners need to hear. Her honest account of feeling like she was doing it wrong when instructed to visualise during mindfulness and yoga practices highlights an important conversation about accessibility and wellness.

What I loved most was her practical adaptations. Focusing on physical sensations and sounds instead of visual imagery. This episode is essential [00:24:00] listening. If you've ever felt that wellness practices weren't designed for your brain or if you work with neurodivergent people, episode 10 brought us Anna's beautiful distinction between shallow gratitude, such as I'm grateful for my car.

And deep presence based gratitude. I'll never see my daughter exactly as she's today. At three years, five days old, it was truly moving her practical advice for finding gratitude on the hardest days. I'm not starving. I've drunk water and I have my pajamas. Makes this practice accessible even in difficult times.

If you are looking for a wellness practice that requires no special equipment time or training, Anna's approach to gratitude is an energy shifting tool that might be exactly what you need. And finally, episode 11, [00:25:00] introduce us to Qigong with Lindsay, her description of Qigong as gentle movements that seem simple, but have profound effects.

It's makes this ancient practice sound so inviting. Her practical experience of improved sleep after just a short daily practice shows the tangible benefits. I loved her refreshingly honest approach when I switch off my rational head and just enjoy it. It seems to work perfect for fellow sceptics who want results without getting too woo woo.

This episode is great for anyone looking for movement practices that are accessible regardless of fitness level or physical limitations. Thank you, thank you. Thank you to each and every one of these wonderful guests. For those of you who've been with me from the beginning, thank you. By the way, you are also absolute stars.

What has been your [00:26:00] favorite episode? I'd genuinely love to know. Drop me a message on Instagram or on Facebook, and if you've spotted a wellness practice that you'd like me to explore or would like to have a chat about your experiences with in season two, please do let me know that as well. There's one thing I've been reflecting on as I wrap up this season, something that came up in various ways across different episodes, and that's about the rise of wellness practices right now.

And why we seem to be resonating with them. Maybe it's our collective stress levels reaching new heights. Maybe it's the way social media algorithms show us more of what we engage with creating wellness bubbles. Or perhaps it's a genuine cultural shift away from purely external solutions towards practices that help us navigate our internal landscape.[00:27:00] 

Whatever the reason people are seeking alternatives to, conventional approaches to wellbeing, and while some may be sceptical as many of our guests initially were, I believe there's room for a range of approaches, whether it's an ancient tradition like meditation or something more modern like EFT. What matters is that it works for you and it improves your quality of life.

I think we're also seeing a move away from the one size fits all approach to wellness. Carle's episode on neurodiversity highlighted this beautifully, the recognition that our brains and bodies are wonderfully diverse and therefore our wellness practices might need to be just as varied. What works brilliantly for one person might be inaccessible or ineffective for another.

And that's perfectly okay. That's why I am so [00:28:00] passionate about exploring different paths rather than advocating a single approach. As Jacqueline put it, when discussing human design, having the confidence to actually follow your own recipe with it, rather than trying to push your square peg into a round hole.

There's a wisdom in finding your own unique way. Again, it reminds me why I started this podcast in the first place, to create a space where we can explore these practices openly without judgment and find what resonates with each of us personally. As I wrap up this season, I want to say again, a massive thank you to my brilliant guests who shared their stories so generously and openly, and especially to you for listening.

Whether you've tuned in every week or just dipped into the topics that interest you, I am truly, truly grateful. So what's [00:29:00] next? Well, I'm brewing up plans for season two with even more fascinating wellness practices. I've got a list as long as my arm of potential topics from Reiki to Laughter Yoga. But I'd love to hear more about what you are curious about too.

And if you have a wellness practice that's transformed your life and you'd like to share it on the podcast, please do get in touch. I'm especially keen to hear from people who are complete sceptics before they found something that worked for them.

Those are often the best conversations. Remember, the Facebook group will be up and running during the break so you can continue the conversation in there. I'll be posting weekly challenges probably to myself based on different practices we've explored, sharing resources from our guests, and generally keeping the wellness exploration going even without new episodes.

I'll also be starting a [00:30:00] newsletter once a week with updates on season two's progress. Wellness tips from our guests and behind the scenes snippets from the podcast. You can sign up through the link in the show notes if you'd like to stay connected that way until we meet again for season two. Remember what Becca told us about mindfulness.

You literally just have to take a breath sometimes. That's all it takes to start a journey to wellness. So this is Sarah signing off for now, but not for too long. Take care of yourselves and I'll see you in the Facebook group.