Dot to Dot Behind the Person Fiona Murden

And she’s back - on this week’s episode of the Dot to Dot podcast both Lou and I speak to Sarah Gorman.
What is the psychology behind exercise and fitness? Sarah has trained athletes but spends the majority of her time with everyday folk like me. Lou as you all know works with elite athletes. So I’m curious, are there similarities when it comes to the mindset of the two. I thought that this surely wouldn’t be the case, but Sarah and Lou disagree (with me, not with each other) – tune in for more.

In this bonus episode ‘In Your Shoes’ – I ask 'How empathic are you?' and explore what gets in the way of even the most empathic people showing empathy and what can you do to ensure a) you’re not too stuck in emotional empathy (where you feel others feelings so deeply, without processing more rationally that you burn out)?

On this week’s episode of the Dot to Dot podcast Lou and I talk about why, as Ralph Waldo Emerson said “It is a happy talent to know how to play.” We discuss why play and having fun is essential to problem solving, creativity, relationships and even well-being; why finding the type of play that works for you is important (if you don’t want to cringe your way through it and gain nothing but humiliation) and why play is by definition, a moving target.

Sarah is such a warm, genuine person who exudes positivity and a natural ability to truly connect. I love her energy – she’s such a great person to share time with. Together with who she is, her experience and wisdom represent the magic often missing within the field of fitness. Fitness after all is about far more than physiology – it has a huge amount to do with what’s going on in our heads and Sarah gets that. She understands so much about so many different approaches and sees you for what you are and what you need, in that moment and beyond. From acting to Pilates, boxing to Barre in London to LA her depth and breadth of experience makes her more interesting and serves to add weight to her insight, knowledge and passion.

On this week’s episode of the Dot to Dot podcast Lou and I talk about ‘What unconscious bias training gets wrong and what to do about it’. As awareness of diversity, belonging and inclusion increases so do the number of cognitive bias training courses being run by companies, but are they just tokenism or do they actually change behaviour?

On this week’s episode of the Dot to Dot podcast Lou and I talk about why rituals work. It turns out that there are real, scientific benefits to rituals. Rituals are practiced in all walks of life from preparing for a job interview to playing sport – and of course in every religion. On the whole they ease our worries, concerns, grief, anxieties and give us comfort. When we take them too far they risk becoming OCD, when used in moderation they can actually benefit even people who claim not to believe that they work (Scientific American).