Headspace founder Andy Puddicombe on How to Make Meditation a Habit. There’s no doubt that meditation has profound benefits for both body and mind. Yet many people struggle to make it a habit—they worry they’re not doing it “right,” or they can’t quiet their thoughts long enough to feel the impact. But meditation is a powerful practice worth mastering, with research highlighting its potential to transform our well-being.

To make mindfulness meditation accessible to everyone, I’m joined today by Andy Puddicombe, founder of Headspace and former Buddhist monk. Andy breaks down the essentials of meditation, sharing simple, practical techniques to help anyone incorporate mindfulness into their daily lives.

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Nobody ever has their sh*t together, it's a myth. Even so, life is a miracle. It can be so easy to overlook this fact - and miss the incredible fact of existence. But life is also full of pain and suffering. If we can make peace with how life really is - rather than how we think it should be - then perhaps we can start to relax and let go of the incessant striving and quest to 'become' sometime in the future. We can find peace in this moment, even in the midst of life's myriad of challenges.

My guest is Dr. Robert Saltzman, author of the excellent books The Ten Thousand Things and Depending on No Thing.

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Professor Paul Dolan on Bringing More Pleasure and Purpose into Everyday Living. This bitesize episode challenges the stories we tell ourselves about happiness—stories that often equate fulfillment with high status, massive social media followings, or endless wealth. But as Professor Paul Dolan reveals, these ideas are often misguided. Real happiness isn’t about chasing society’s markers of success; it’s about tuning into what genuinely brings us joy: spending time with friends, building meaningful connections, practicing kindness, playing sport, or simply enjoying music. It’s time to rethink what truly makes us happy and embrace the power of simple, purposeful moments.

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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How Diet, Diversity, and Lifestyle Shape Your Microbiome and Well-Being. In this episode, I sit down with Tim Spector to dive into the fascinating world of the gut microbiome and its powerful role in our overall health. Tim breaks down how our diets directly shape our gut health, emphasising the benefits of a diverse, plant-rich diet and aiming for 30 different plants a week. We explore why ultra-processed foods can harm the microbiome, while foods like kefir and sauerkraut can give it a healthy boost. Tim also shares insights on how lifestyle factors—like stress and eating speed—impact gut health and discusses the potential benefits of time-restricted eating to support the microbiome and reduce inflammation. We discuss:

• Overview of the gut microbiome and its importance for health
• Tim's personal health scare that led him to focus on gut health research
• Insights from the twins study on the role of gut microbes in disease and ageing
• The significant impact of gut health on mental and physical health
• The detrimental effects of ultra-processed foods and misleading health claims
• The complex relationship between sugar, artificial sweeteners, stress, and gut health
• The benefits of incorporating fermented foods into the diet and how
• The importance of eating a diverse range of plant-based foods for gut health
• The advantages of time-restricted eating and slowing down during meals

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Letting Go of the Future: Finding Peace in the Present Moment.

In this episode, Jonny Wilkinson talks about the endless chase for future goals and why waiting for the next big thing can be a dangerous trap. Jonny shares his thoughts on breaking free from the pressure to ‘arrive’ sometime in the future, and focuses on finding calm in the present, and seeing past the illusion that we’ll one day finally have it all sorted.

Full episode with Jonny: https://pod.fo/e/16ff5e

links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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In this episode, I reflect on the evolution of my podcast from Don't Tell Me the Score to A New Way of Being. This change reflects the shift from simply performance and success to exploring our innate wellbeing, acceptance, and the common struggle with feeling not good enough. I talk about why it’s so important to recognise that we are inherently "enough," beyond our thoughts, beliefs, and achievements.

Over the next weeks and months on my Substack newsletter I am going to be sharing my own experiences and evolution, including with psychedelics and psychotherapy, and would be very grateful if you would join me.

Please do consider subscribing and supporting my Substack newsletter here: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

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Finding balance in a chaotic world. In this episode I sit down with psychologist and author Emma Seppälä to discuss how we can return to our natural state of well-being. Emma shares strategies for breaking free from the overwhelming demands of modern life and the constant and often demoralising chatter of the ego.

Key Topics:

• Understanding the impact of information overload on mental health
• The power of self-compassion over self-criticism
• How practices like stillness and meditation enhance creativity and well-being
• Redefining success and fulfilment beyond conventional achievements
• Hiow inauthenticity is perceived as a threat
• The power of intuition - if it worked for Einstein it can work for you
• Emma’s experiences with Sky Breath Meditation and its transformative effects
• The need for embodied practices in psychology to nurture emotional health

Resources:

• Sovereign by Emma Seppälä : https://www.emmaseppala.com/books
• Sky Breath Meditation : https://sky-breath.org/
• Follow Emma Seppälä on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehappinesstrack/?hl=en

Subscribe & Review:

Please support this podcast by leaving and review - it can make a big difference

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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We live in a 'push, push, push' culture that glorifies productivity, and many of us have become experts at ignoring the signals our bodies send us. Why do we keep pushing even when our bodies tell us to slow down? So many of us are living “in our heads” and are out of touch with the signals of our body and nervous system. So this episode is about heeding the signals, and the benefits that can some from when we do slow down and stop.

Please support this podcast by leaving and review - it can make a big difference

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Why success alone doesn’t bring happiness but truly embracing the now can be transformative. This is a fascinating conversation with one of my favourite tennis players of the last few decades – Dominic Thiem, who is retiring this week in Vienna.

Dominic explains what it’s like to reach the pinnacle of success, and then realise… it didn’t bring the fulfilment it promised. After winning the US Open in 2020, he found himself grappling with a sense of emptiness, which prompted a period of deep introspection and growth.

We talk about the myth of perpetual positivity, dealing with the critical voice in the head and the importance of finding flow—not just in sport but in life. Dominic also shares his insights into mindfulness, meditation, and why smartphones and social media may have hobbled elite athletes born in the 1990s.

We also discuss:

• Challenges of competing against the "Big Three" of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic
• Importance of stress management as an elite athlete
• Thiem's journey of finding flow states and the joy of playing, beyond just chasing results
• The profound impact of winning the 2020 US Open and the subsequent period of readjustment
• Being impacted by Eckhart Tolle's 'The Power of Now'
• Discovering the power of mindfulness, meditation and a philosophical perspective on life
• Concerns about the influence of technology and social media on the next generation of athletes
• Insights on finding meaning, balance and fulfillment beyond external success

Please support this podcast by leaving and review - it can make a big difference

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Exploring how stoicism’s practical wisdom can help you respond to anything life throws your way. In this bitesize episode, I sit down with Ryan Holiday to explore the essence of Stoic philosophy and how it can help us cope with life’s challenges. We discuss how Stoics viewed obstacles as opportunities and the importance of accepting what we can't control.

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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Exploring the dangers of forced positivity and the importance of embracing all emotions for genuine connection and well-being. In this episode, ex rugby league pro Stevie Ward explore the downsides of forced positivity and why closing off to the full spectrum of feelings is a bad idea - and saps us of strength and authenticity.

It's about acknowledging and embracing feelings like sadness and fear, rather than suppressing them. We discuss how inauthenticity can be perceived as a threat and why identifying with our roles contributes to inauthenticity. We even touch on what we can learn from pre-egoic toddlers - who truly embody genuine inauthenticity, which people can't help but be drawn towards.

My links:

Book: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Website: simonmundie.com

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

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