POSITIVE THINKING & THE MEANING OF LIFE PODCAST: LISTEN ON SPOTIFY PLAYER
We discuss varying aspects of psychology, philosophy and mental health and the whole awkward business of trying to be a human being. My aim for this podcast is to provide a genuinely practical and useful insight into the human condition while avoiding all the usual self-help cliches. I am also on a continuing forty year mission to sort out my own head space.
My other podcast The Midnight Insomnia Podcast is a comedy show accompanied by ambient music and varying levels of tiredness and intoxication.
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Episode 35: Solitude
This week we look at finding the positives of solitude in the current global situation. Being alone doesn't have to lead to loneliness.
Episode 34: A Welcome Distraction
This week I present a welcome distraction: a really mad short story entitled "Ethelbert's Sunday Afternoon". Something to take you out of yourself and away from the misery and uncertainty of the current global situation.
Episode 33: Sleep, Dreams and Emotional Memories
This week we explore sleep and dreaming and their importance to mental health. Recent studies have shown that dreams are a vital element in efficiently filing away your memories and processing negative emotions.
Episode 32: Coronavirus, Scaremongering and Fake News
In this extra mini episode I vent my frustration at the media coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and do some research to get to the truth of what exactly the virus is and how worried the average person should be about it.
Episode 31: Filtering Out The Negative
Finishing off last weeks listener question we look at how to counteract the negative influences the world throws at us and how to deal with an overwhelming number of decisions.
Episode 30: The Handbrake On My Life
This week I respond to a very in depth and interesting listener question about the whole business of living a decent life and being satisfied with what we have.
Episode 29: Self Sabotage and Lack of Podcasts
This week the podcast returns from oblivion to explain why its been away and why its creator has been self sabotaging.
Episode 28: Negative Thinking Part Five: Colin Wilson
This week we begin an exploration of the existential and psychological ideas of the prolific English writer Colin Wilson.
Episode 27: Negative Thinking Part Four: Anxiety
Part four of our mini-series, prompted by a listener question, discusses anxiety and its root causes.
Episode 26: Negative Thinking Part Three: Anger
In part three of our mini series we look at an aspect of negative thinking - anger - and trace the roots of its effect on our thoughts and behaviour.
Episode 25: Negative Thinking Part Two: Triggers From The Past and Subconscious Decisions
In part two of our mini-series on Negative Thinking we look at how to recognise negative triggers from the past and subconscious versus conscious decision making.
Episode 24: Negative Thinking Part One: Camus and The Myth of Sisyhpus
In the first of a mini series we answer another listener question and tackle the work of existentialist Albert Camus and how to accomodate the absurd into our lives while avoiding nihilism.
Episode 23: Jordan Peterson's Bible Lectures: How They Have Changed My Thinking Part Two
Concluding my look at Jordan Peterson's Bible lecture series and how it has changed my thinking on myths and religious stories.
Episode 22: Jordan Peterson's Bible Lectures: How They Have Changed My Thinking
I explore why watching Jordan Peterson's series of Bible lectures has had such an impact on my cynical old atheist way of thinking. It has made me totally rethink my antipathy towards myths and ancient texts.
Episode 21: The Biology Of Depression and Stress
In this episode we look at the biological causes of stress and depression and identify the differenences between everyday or reactive depression and clinical or endogynous depression.
Episode 20: Is Depression Becoming More Widespread?
In answer to another listener question we look at the prevalance of depression today and ask whether or not 21st century living is making us ill.
Episode 19: Identity Crisis and Jean-Paul Sartre
How is our identity formed and how do we learn to fit into human society? How do others define us? We explore these questions using social psychology and the work of existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre.
Episode 18: Dealing With The External World and The Forbidden
The first episode to deal entirely with questions from a listener. Please keep the questions coming in.
Episode 17: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Object Permanence
In this episode we look at a possible cause of OCD and how it might be overcome.
Episode 16: Gurdjieff and Self Remembering
Exploration of the work of the Russian philosopher and mystic.
Episode 15: P.D. Ouspensky and Negative Emotions
In this episode we look at the work of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, especially concentrating on their methods of counteracting negative emotions.
Episode 14: The Meaning In Life
This episode we turn away from the 'big questions' and look at how we all have to find subjective meaning in our own everyday lives.
Episode 13: Abandonment and My Recent Change Of Mind
In this episode we look at abandonment issues, how they manifest in adult life and how to overcome them.
Episode 12: Social Interaction Part 3 - Existentialism
Part 3 of our look at social interaction, this week looking at existentialism.
Episode 11: Social Interaction Part 2
Part 2 of our look at social interaction and it's many psychological and philosophical aspects.
Episode 10: Social Interaction Part 1
Social judgement, misunderstanding in communication, individual difference and group homogeny.
Episode 09: Consciousness Part 3
Concluding our look at the weighty topic of consciousness.
Episode 08: Consciousness Part 2
Part 2 of our exploration of various aspects of consciousness.
Episode 07: Consciousness Part 1
Beginning our exploration of one of the most complicated topics known to man, woman or indeed aardvark.
Episode 06: Overcoming Nihilsm
How to avoid falling into a pit of existential despair.
Episode 05: Dealing With Fear
Episode 5 of the podcast looks at fear and anxiety and how we can combat them.
Episode 04: My Response To A Christian Insult
Episode 4 of the podcast where I get a bit tetchy with someone who slagged off the free e-book in an ungrammatical manner.
Episode 03: Positive Psychology and Mental Health
Episode 3 of the podcast looks at psychology and what it can tell us about maintaining good mental health and a positive outlook.
Episode 02: Physician Heal Thyself
I talk about the problems I have enacting the things I have learned.
Episode 01: A Short Introduction
Does what it says on the tin.
