Mindful Poetic Stories Podcast

• Listening

  Listening The Art of Listening, Where Love Begins   Episode Summary In this reflective and heartfelt episode, Patricia explores the profound power of listening to others, to life, and most importantly, to ourselves. Drawing from personal stories, coaching experiences, and emotional lessons learned, this episode invites you to slow down, embrace silence, and reconnect with your inner Sage wisdom. You’ll learn why listening is one of the most transformational acts of love, how active listening nurtures deeper relationships, and how mental can help us cultivate self-listening and help us build emotional resilience, and meaningful human connection.   Key Takeaways Listening is the foundation of love and human connection. To feel listened to is to feel seen, valued, and loved. Listening builds trust, belonging, and emotional safety, things every human deeply needs. Silence is not emptiness, it's powerful. Silence helps nourish wisdom, create space for deeper reflection, and reveal truths often missed in noise and distraction. Active listening transforms relationships. Listening without interruption, judgment, fixing, or assuming allows others to process their own thoughts and uncover their own answers; “the brain that contains the problem also contains the solution.” Listening to yourself is an act of self-love. Your mind, body, intuition, and emotions are constantly communicating with you. When disconnected or distracted, you lose access to your inner wisdom. Our digital, fast-paced world weakens our listening muscles. Overconsumption and constant distraction make it easy to lose touch with our inner voice—and with each other. Advice is often less helpful than curiosity. Well-intentioned advice can interrupt someone’s thought process. Curious questions create space for clarity and empowerment. Mental fitness reduces self-sabotage and strengthens your inner Sage. By diminishing self-neglect and the self sabotaging Saboteur voice, you create space for intuitive, compassionate, aligned decision-making. We must relearn deep listening in our families. Partners, children, and friends thrive when we give them the gift of undivided attention, especially during emotional moments. Self-listening is needed before we can listen to others well. You cannot offer presence, compassion, or understanding if you don’t practice them with yourself first. Listening is love in action. A five-minute conversation where someone feels truly listened to is more nourishing than hours of distracted half-presence.   Notable Quotes “Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.” Francis Bacon “Listening is an art form.” Nancy Kline “Love is listening, and listening is loving.” Patricia Ahern “Silence is not empty, it’s full of answers.” “The brain that contains the problem also contains the solution.” Nancy Kline “Listening is where love begins.” Patricia Ahern “Every view is the wrong view if held as the only view.” “Your brain is always eavesdropping on your mind.” “You are a miracle, and self-love is your most powerful asset.” Patricia Ahern   Your Call to Action This Week Make space to listen to others Offer someone you love the gift of your full, uninterrupted presence. No fixing. No advising. Just listening. Make space to listen to yourself Ask yourself with compassion: What do I think? What do I feel? What do I believe right now? Create micro moments of silence Let silence nourish your inner wisdom. Strengthen self-love through self-listening Place a hand on your heart and affirm your worth. Reconnect with your childhood self. Stop saying yes when your heart says no. Make meaningful time for yourself.   Final Reflection Listening heals. Listening connects. Listening helps us belong. And when we learn to listen deeply to others and to ourselves, we awaken our inner Sage and live with greater clarity, purpose, and compassion. Thank you for listening with an open heart, open mind, and open ears.   Connect through my website www.pacoaching.co.uk or email at [email protected]  

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• Consumerism Part 2

  Mindful Poetic Stories Shownotes Episode Title: Consumerism Part 2 - From Self-Neglect to Self-Care: Breaking Free from Overconsumption and Finding Conscious Freedom Episode Introduction In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Patricia explores how modern consumerism, manipulation in marketing, and emotional conditioning keep us trapped in a cycle of problem–reaction–solution. Sharing her personal awakening to the hidden toxicity and waste surrounding daily life, she invites listeners to reflect on how our buying habits impact both our mental health and the planet. Through storytelling, cultural insights, and thought-provoking documentary recommendations including; The Story of Stuff, Ethos: A Time for Change, and Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy, Patricia invites us to slow down, buy mindfully, and reconnect with our values. This episode is a heartfelt call to move from self-neglect to self-care, from unconscious consumption to conscious living.   Key Takeaways We are conditioned to consume through emotional manipulation and social pressure. Overconsumption and “retail therapy” often mask deeper emotional needs. Fast fashion and planned obsolescence fuel environmental and human exploitation. Awareness is the first step toward sustainable, mindful change. Mental fitness and self-love are foundations for conscious living. Every purchase is a vote for the kind of world we want to create.   Featured Topics Eco-conscious living and reducing toxic exposure Fast fashion, Shein, and the hidden cost of cheap clothes Consumer psychology: marketing, persuasion, and emotional triggers Sustainability documentaries that inspire change Mindful consumption and small, practical steps to reduce waste Mental fitness and self-care coaching for a more intentional life   Notable Quotes “We don’t buy products, we buy what a product promises us.” “Awareness is the first step to move from unconscious living to mindful action.” “Our body is our ultimate home. When we love and care for it, we naturally care for our planet.” “Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If in our heart we still cling to anything be it anger, anxiety or possessions we cannot be free”. Thich Nhat Hanh   Recommended Documentary; The Story of Stuff (2007) Documentary; Ethos: A Time for Change (2011) Documentary; Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy (2024) Book; Brave New World   Call to Action If this episode inspired you, share it with friends, family, or your community. Start conversations about consumption, sustainability, and self-awareness. Remember — small consistent steps create lasting change.   www.pacoaching.co.uk email at [email protected]  

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• Consumerism Part 1

  In this powerful episode, Consumerism to Mindful Activism (Part 1), Patricia explores the deep connection between our inner world and the outer choices we make. Patricia shares her personal journey from external pursuit of happiness to inner reconnection, explaining how shifting mindset, healing the gut, and making conscious, sustainable lifestyle changes transformed her health, energy, and sense of purpose. This episode dives into consumerism, self-awareness, gut health, emotional wellbeing, and practical tools to help you begin your own journey toward intentional, mindful living, one small step at a time. Key Themes Moving from external validation to inner fulfilment Understanding how consumerism and overconsumption affect mental and physical health Reconnecting with the “Wise Sage” self through mindfulness and self-compassion The link between gut health, energy, and emotional wellbeing Making sustainable, toxin-free lifestyle choices without overwhelm Building mental fitness through awareness, curiosity, and self-love Powerful Quotes “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer “We are all wounded healers.” – Gabor Maté “People are fed by the Food Industry, which pays no attention to health, and treated by a Health Industry that pays no attention to food.” – Wendell Berry “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they are being fooled.” – Mark Twain “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.” – George Bernard Shaw “Every view is the wrong view if it is held as the only view.” – Thich Nhat Hanh “The very reason I write is so that I might not sleepwalk through my entire life.” – Zadie Smith “I can’t see a way through,” said the boy. “Can you see your next step?” asked the horse. “Yes.” “Then just take that.” – Charles Mackesy The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse   Recommendations & Resources Apps: YUKA App – Scan food and cosmetic barcodes to check for health impact and hidden additives. Documentaries: The Gut: Our Second Brain (2013/2014); How our gut microbiome influences mood, energy, and immunity. Fed Up (2014) – The truth about sugar, processed foods, and how the food industry shapes our health. Books: Activate Your Vagus Nerve by Navaz Habib; Learn how to restore calm, resilience, and optimal health through vagal tone. Other Mentions: Dirty Dozen List; Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) guide to fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residues. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php Eco-conscious brands like SEEP, Who Gives a Crap, and homemade natural cleaning solutions. https://theseepcompany.com/collections/all https://uk.whogivesacrap.org/pages/about-us Complimentary Therapist https://maresawalsh.ie/   Key Takeaways Awareness is the first step to move from unconscious living to mindful action. Small, consistent changes in what we eat, buy, and consume create long-term wellbeing. Happier people make healthy choices, and healthier choices make happier people Gut health is central to both physical energy and emotional balance. Mindful activism starts with understanding, self-love, curiosity, and compassion. You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight, simply “take one step at a time.” Call to Action If today’s episode resonated with you, take one small conscious action, whether it’s scanning your food labels, switching to natural products, or simply pausing before your next purchase. Subscribe for Part 2 of “From Consumerism to Mindful Activism”, where Patricia explores the hidden costs of overconsumption and shares more inspiring resources for sustainable, conscious living. Want to go deeper? Book a free discovery coaching call to explore how mindful awareness and mental fitness can help you reconnect with your true self.   www.pacoaching.co.uk or email [email protected]  

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• Through Your Paintings: The Power of Art, Empathy, and Healing

  In this week’s episode, Patricia explores the beauty and power of art as healing, human connection, and compassion in action. Following last week’s tribute to inspirational changemakers of the past, today’s story celebrates the people creating positive change right now, those dedicating their time to supporting others and making the world a kinder, more hopeful place. This episode is inspired by Tara Dominick, Artist and co-founder of the Kakuma Art Project, this episode shares my poetic story Through Your Paintings, born from a creative connection that has turned into a continuing inspirational movement of creativity, love, and empathy. The Kakuma Art Project began with one painting, The Boat, which sparked an initiative bringing therapeutic art workshops to refugees in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.   Through the lens of creativity, the film (The Good Lie), and the wisdom of thought leaders like Gabor Maté, Elif Shafak, and Jane Goodall, Patricia reflects on how trauma, art, healing and compassion intertwine, and how every small act of kindness can ripple out to change lives.   Key Points Discussed: The Kakuma Art Project’s Origin: How one painting, The Boat, inspired a movement that provides art workshops for refugees in Kenya, and much more. The Power of Connection: The friendship between Tara and Hubert, co-founders of the Kakuma Art Project, and how creativity builds bridges across borders. The Good Lie: Reflections on the 2014 film inspired by true events in Sudan and the Kakuma Refugee Camp, and its deep emotional impact and its continued resonance today. Understanding Trauma: Insights from Gabor Maté on how trauma lives in the body. Creativity can provide a pathway to healing, an inner connection but also human connection. Post-Traumatic Growth: The idea that from deep pain can come love, connection, resilience, creativity, and empathy. Numbness vs. Evil: Elif Shafak’s perspective on how apathy, not evil, may be the true opposite of goodness. The Role of Art in Healing: How painting, writing, and creative expression can help release pain and the power of creating safe emotional spaces. Rising Above Fear: Using awareness, kindness, and self-compassion to move from trauma to empowerment. A Call to Action: Supporting humanitarian initiatives like the Kakuma Art Project — and recognising that every act of kindness matters.   Quotes: “War is what happens when language fails.” – Margaret Atwood “War is itself the enemy of the human race.” – Howard Zinn “I’m fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.” – George McGovern “Trauma is not what happens to us, it is what happens inside of us as a result of what happened to us.” – Gabor Maté “Perhaps the opposite of goodness is numbness.” Elif Shafak “Holding anger and hatred in you is a poison… it eats you up from inside.” “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you wish to make.” – Jane Goodall   Key Takeaway: Art can be a bridge between pain and peace. Through compassion, creativity, and awareness, we can all play a part, however small, in bringing light to those living in darkness.   Together, we can help amplify the voices of those whose stories deserve to be heard.   Call to Action: If the Kakuma Art Project resonates with you and you’d like to contribute or learn more, there are lots of options as outlined below, please reach out via the following links;   Donate to Kakama Art Project; https://linktr.ee/Kakumaartproject?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=1ea5d87f-a981-44f0-8967-c27cdc44de5c Buy the book Power of One Painting available on amazon £12.99 https://amzn.eu/d/bI0dsyK If you are interested in any of the art/paintings reach out to Tara Dominick email [email protected] Website https://www.taradominickartist.com/ Submit your own piece of creativity to the fundraising online gallery on Kakuma Artline Grids https://kakumaartproject.com/ - your paintings, music, photography, favourite tree, your pet etc. £27 per submission Buy the book; Creative Souls; Poetry. Music Art Compilation - which is supporting the Kakuma Art Project fundraising https://amzn.eu/d/3LdaRxh £16.99   “Kindness is contagious.” Yours is much appreciated. Thank You   Connect with Patrica via email [email protected] Linktree: https://linktr.ee/pacoaching.co.uk    

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• Ode To The Greats

  How Inspirational Quotes Shaped My Life In this powerful and poetic episode, Patricia reflects on the transformative power of inspirational quotes and the legacy of the great minds who spoke them. "Ode to the Greats" is a heartfelt tribute to legendary change-makers like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Benjamin Zephaniah, and others whose words still spark action, self-love, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. From teenage diary entries filled with motivational clippings to a “Words of Wisdom” box shared with her mother during lockdown, the journey of self-discovery is steeped in wisdom, emotional intelligence, mental fitness, and the power of the pause. This episode is more than gratitude, it’s a call to awaken, to step into your legacy with courage, to feed light instead of the dark, to move with love instead of fear, and to let inspiring words guide your healing, justice-seeking, and soulful action. Discussed in this episode: Resilience Building with Mental Fitness Emotional awareness Women's rights and justice Legacy building Emotional intelligence Post-traumatic growth Words of wisdom Power of pause Critical thinking Self Love Journey to inner empowerment Notable Quotes from the Episode: "Let your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears." – Nelson Mandela "Between the stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response." – Viktor Frankl "We are all one. Only egos, beliefs and fears separate us." – Nikola Tesla "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." – Margaret Mead "Do what you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." – Maya Angelou " All men dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds Awake to find that it was vanity; But the dreamers of day are dangerous men. That they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible. ." – T.E. Lawrence "A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because its trust is not in the branch but in its wings." "Just don’t give up. Don’t let them grind you down. Rise up all ye sisters and brothers who know better, stand firm in the downturn." – Benjamin Zephaniah POETRY BOOK; Creative Souls – published “Ode To The Greats”, available to buy on Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/f7ZgaQI   Call to Action: Share your favourite inspirational quote with us! Which words have shifted your thinking or shaped your life’s path? Leave a comment below. Subscribe, Rate, and Review If this episode moved you, inspired you, or gave you pause, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with someone who needs a dose of wisdom and courage today. Join the Conversation Let’s co-create a community that thrives on wisdom, compassion, courage, and legacy. Use the hashtag #OdeToTheGreats If you wish to know more about Mental Fitness and how it can help you email me [email protected]  

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