A Thought I Kept

Claire Fitzsimmons
  • 5.0 (2)
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A Thought I Kept is a podcast about the ideas that stay with us, long after we’ve forgotten the rest. In each episode, a guest shares the one thought that shaped their life — the one they couldn’t let go of, and maybe you won’t either.

  1. When Trying is Enough with Imogen Partridge

    12H AGO

    When Trying is Enough with Imogen Partridge

    What if trying — in your work, your parenting, your creativity — was already enough? There are time when it can feel like you’re doing everything you can, and still wondering if it’s enough. The days where you’re holding work, parenting, and life all at once, trying to build something, care for others, and look after your own mental health in the middle of it all. In this episode, I talk to Imogen Partridge about what it means to try, and how we begin to recognise that effort as enough. We explore the emotional weight of trying — how it can go unseen in busy lives, especially in motherhood, business, and everyday wellbeing — and how powerful it can be to pause and give ourselves credit for it. We talk about creativity as a practical wellbeing tool rather than something reserved for artists — a way to regulate emotions, ease anxiety, and reconnect with yourself. Imogen shares what she’s seen in her creative workshops, where people often arrive believing they’re “not creative,” and what shifts when they allow themselves to begin anyway. We also explore how creativity can sit alongside other mental health practices — from walking and journaling to community and conversation — as part of a more personal, flexible approach to wellbeing. This conversation is for anyone who is looking for more ways to support your mental health, reconnect with creativity, or navigate the overlap between work, parenting, and wellbeing. Imogen Partridge is a watercolour illustrator and creative workshop host based in the UK. Before illustration, she spent over a decade as an interior designer, a background that shaped her belief that creativity is a tool for storytelling, connection, and meaning. She now works with both individuals and businesses, running workshops for corporate teams and events, and creating live illustration and bespoke commissions. She's also a mum of two, keen (but chaotic) allotmenteer and currently training for the London Marathon in aid of Mind. Website | Instagram | Linkedin | Substack | Photo of Imogen was taken by Support the show This is A Thought I Kept — Weekly conversations about the ideas that stay. Listen every Monday morning for a new thought to hold onto this week, especially when the world feels overwhelming. About Claire Fitzsimmons Claire is the host of A Thought I Kept, a wellbeing writer and the co-founder of If Lost Start Here, a company on a mission to get people to a better place, sometimes literally. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach and a certified Emotions Coach Practitioner, Claire helps women navigate the everyday lost moments of their lives and all the feelings, from anxiety to grief, overwhelm to loneliness. For personal coaching, reach out to Claire here. Like what you heard? Subscribe, rate or review this podcast. Follow on Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter. Shop Season 1 poster For full video episodes become a member on Substack at MoreGoodDays. Made with Descript & ...

    59 min
  2. Why Life Feels Better When We Do It Together with Laurence McCahill

    APR 6

    Why Life Feels Better When We Do It Together with Laurence McCahill

    There’s something that changes when we stop doing life on our own. Maybe that's an idea that only makes sense once it’s shared, a feeling that softens when someone else is there to hear it, or the magic that comes from being a room of likeminded people singing Queen. In this episode, I talk to Laurence McCahill about connection in its most everyday form and what it means to gather, to listen, and to create spaces where people can be themselves. We explore why life can feel lighter, clearer, and more alive when we do it together, and why so many of us are quietly craving that kind of connection now. We talk about friendship across decades, the difference between being around people and truly connecting with them, and the subtle shift from doing things alone to letting other people in. There’s something here too about midlife — about reaching a point where success or productivity matter less, and being with the right people matters more. Laurence shares the thought he has kept: that he is the glue that brings people together. Not by being the loudest voice in the room, but by listening, noticing, and helping others feel at ease. It opens up a wider question of how we each bring people together in our own lives, often without even realising it. This episode is for anyone wanting more connection in their lives and hoping for places where it might be found. Laurence McCahill is co-founder of The Happy Startup School, an alternative business school and thriving community of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and leaders. He's a designer, coach and community builder, and the creative force behind their legendary gatherings Summercamp and Alptitude. He spends much of year mentoring founders towards a more fulfilling path on their flagship Happy MBA program. The Happy Startup School | Summercamp | Alptitude | Happy MBA LinkedIn Laurence also mentioned How To Know a Person by David Brooks and we talk about Support the show This is A Thought I Kept — Weekly conversations about the ideas that stay. Listen every Monday morning for a new thought to hold onto this week, especially when the world feels overwhelming. About Claire Fitzsimmons Claire is the host of A Thought I Kept, a wellbeing writer and the co-founder of If Lost Start Here, a company on a mission to get people to a better place, sometimes literally. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach and a certified Emotions Coach Practitioner, Claire helps women navigate the everyday lost moments of their lives and all the feelings, from anxiety to grief, overwhelm to loneliness. For personal coaching, reach out to Claire here. Like what you heard? Subscribe, rate or review this podcast. Follow on Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter. Shop Season 1 poster For full video episodes become a member on Substack at MoreGoodDays. Made with Descript & ...

    55 min
  3. When Grief Changes You But Doesn’t Define You with Rachel Hart-Phillips

    MAR 30

    When Grief Changes You But Doesn’t Define You with Rachel Hart-Phillips

    In this episode, I talk to Rachel Hart-Phillips about grief, suicide, and what it means to be there for someone in the hardest moments of their life. We explore that quiet, often uncomfortable space where words feel inadequate and yet, where they can matter most. We talk about the fear of saying the wrong thing, the silence that can grow around loss and mental health, and how even the simplest gestures — a message, a card, a “love you mate” — can open a door. Rachel shares her experience of losing her first husband to suicide, and the thought she has carried with her since: don’t let it define you. Together, we explore what that looks like in real life and over time. This is a conversation about the many emotions that sit inside grief — anger, guilt, love, even moments of joy — and how they move through the body. We touch on how we support each other when someone is struggling, what it means to stay rather than fix, and how we begin to trust that life can hold both loss and aliveness at once. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what to say, or how to show up for someone you love, this episode is for you. Rachel Hart-Phillips is the Co-Founder of LoveLossDiscoballs, a vibrant greetings card company creating colourful, honest messages of comfort for people navigating grief and all of life's moments. She is also the founder of Afterglow Grief Coaching, where she supports people through loss, including those impacted by suicide loss, and the complex realities of grief with compassion and lived experience. Rachel is passionate about suicide prevention, open conversations, and firmly believes that even in the darkest moments, life can still hold colour and light.  Instagram at @lovelossdiscoballs and @theafterglowspace Support the show This is A Thought I Kept — Weekly conversations about the ideas that stay. Listen every Monday morning for a new thought to hold onto this week, especially when the world feels overwhelming. About Claire Fitzsimmons Claire is the host of A Thought I Kept, a wellbeing writer and the co-founder of If Lost Start Here, a company on a mission to get people to a better place, sometimes literally. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach and a certified Emotions Coach Practitioner, Claire helps women navigate the everyday lost moments of their lives and all the feelings, from anxiety to grief, overwhelm to loneliness. For personal coaching, reach out to Claire here. Like what you heard? Subscribe, rate or review this podcast. Follow on Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter. Shop Season 1 poster For full video episodes become a member on Substack at MoreGoodDays. Made with Descript & ...

    53 min
  4. Making Space for All That We Feel with Dr MaryCatherine McDonald

    MAR 23

    Making Space for All That We Feel with Dr MaryCatherine McDonald

    In this episode, I talk to Dr MaryCatherine McDonald about what it means to make space for all that we feel, especially the emotions we’ve been taught to push away. We explore anxiety, grief, joy, and all the ways our nervous system tries to protect us, even when it leaves us bracing against life rather than living it. MaryCatherine shares how her understanding of emotions shifted from something to manage or control, to something to sit with and relate to. We talk about anticipated loss, the way fear can interrupt connection, and why joy isn’t something we reach after the hard parts, but something that often arrives in the middle of them. We mention The Guest House by Rumi, Leslie Jamison’s The Empathy Exams, and MaryCatherine’s books The Joy Reset and Unbroken. Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald is a trauma researcher, author, and educator who has spent nearly two decades helping people reframe the way they understand grief, resilience, and joy. With a PhD in philosophy and a knack for turning complex neurobiological concepts into practical tools (and surprisingly good metaphors), she’s made it her mission to help people find light in the darkest moments. Dr. McDonald has written four books, many academic papers, delivered countless workshops, and created an online community where members geek out about trauma and joy.   Website | Tik Tok | Support the show This is A Thought I Kept — Weekly conversations about the ideas that stay. Listen every Monday morning for a new thought to hold onto this week, especially when the world feels overwhelming. About Claire Fitzsimmons Claire is the host of A Thought I Kept, a wellbeing writer and the co-founder of If Lost Start Here, a company on a mission to get people to a better place, sometimes literally. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach and a certified Emotions Coach Practitioner, Claire helps women navigate the everyday lost moments of their lives and all the feelings, from anxiety to grief, overwhelm to loneliness. For personal coaching, reach out to Claire here. Like what you heard? Subscribe, rate or review this podcast. Follow on Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter. Shop Season 1 poster For full video episodes become a member on Substack at MoreGoodDays. Made with Descript & ...

    52 min
  5. How We Break Free from Alcohol with Ellie Nova

    MAR 16

    How We Break Free from Alcohol with Ellie Nova

    Sometimes the things we reach for to cope slowly become the things we feel trapped by. A glass of wine at the end of a long day. Something to take the edge off anxiety. Something that promises connection, relaxation, or a moment of relief from the noise of everyday life. In this week’s episode of A Thought I Kept, I talk to sober coach, sober mentor, and writer Ellie Nova about our relationship with alcohol, emotions, and the stories many of us carry about coping. Ellie shares the thought that changed everything for her: there is nothing wrong with you. For years she believed that struggling with alcohol meant she was broken. But through a different way of understanding addiction, emotions, and self-compassion, she began to see something else entirely. Not a personal failure, but a human response to pain, loneliness, and the ways many of us learn to numb what we feel. Together we explore why alcohol can become intertwined with everyday emotional life from anxiety and overwhelm to loneliness, shame, and the longing to belong. We talk about the cultural stories that tell us drinking helps us relax, connect, and cope, and what happens when those stories start to feel less true. About Ellie Nova: Ellie is a sober coach, sober mentor, writer and mother who lives in Lewes, East Sussex. In 2018, after more than a decade feeling trapped by alcohol and full of shame, she discovered a radical new approach to recovery that changed her life. Now six years free from alcohol - with no desire to drink - Ellie supports courageous women to reclaim their power and break free from alcohol for good.  Website | Substack | Instagram | Women's sobriety support circle  Show notes: This Naked Mind — by Annie Grace The Little Book of Big Change — by Amy Johnson Alcohol Explained — by William Porter The Biology of Desire — by Marc Lewis Support the show This is A Thought I Kept — Weekly conversations about the ideas that stay. Listen every Monday morning for a new thought to hold onto this week, especially when the world feels overwhelming. About Claire Fitzsimmons Claire is the host of A Thought I Kept, a wellbeing writer and the co-founder of If Lost Start Here, a company on a mission to get people to a better place, sometimes literally. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach and a certified Emotions Coach Practitioner, Claire helps women navigate the everyday lost moments of their lives and all the feelings, from anxiety to grief, overwhelm to loneliness. For personal coaching, reach out to Claire here. Like what you heard? Subscribe, rate or review this podcast. Follow on Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter. Shop Season 1 poster For full video episodes become a member on Substack at MoreGoodDays. Made with Descript & ...

    59 min
  6. How to Find Beauty in Everyday Life with Josephine Dolan-Dufourd

    MAR 9

    How to Find Beauty in Everyday Life with Josephine Dolan-Dufourd

    What if the way to feel better isn’t about doing more but learning how to notice what’s already here? In this episode, I talk with occupational therapist Josephine Dolan-Dufourd about what it means to find beauty in everyday life, especially when you're not quite where you thought you'd be. We explore burnout, the pressure to keep producing, and the curious way our attention can get pulled away from the lives we are actually living. Josephine reflects on her years working in forensic psychiatry, the moment she realised she was burned out, and the unexpected shift that came from leaving London and rebuilding a life in rural France. Along the way we talk about the neuroscience of attention, why our brains are wired to look for the negative, and how small acts of noticing — a cup of coffee, a walk outside, the quiet satisfaction of meaningful work — can slowly reshape how we experience everyday life. We even get into the limits of happiness culture. Josephine shares why she now thinks more about contentment than constant positivity, and how living with illness, uncertainty, and change can sharpen our appreciation for the ordinary moments we often overlook. If you’ve been feeling the pull to slow down, pay attention, and find a steadier way to live well, this conversation offers a good place to begin. Josephine Dolan-Dufourd is a British-trained and French-registered Occupational Therapist (ergothérapeute)—a profession defined by the use of purposeful activity, or “ the art of meaningful doing,” as a therapeutic tool to helping individuals to live a life of value, meaning and purpose. Based near Pézenas in the south of France, Josephine blends 26 years of eclectic experience to run a local clinic for children and their families, alongside a specialised practice in English providing online support for those navigating Cancer and Parkinson’s. She also serves as the In-house Therapist for heiter magazine and its community, The Heiter Society, where she hosts online workshops helping adults find joy and intentionality in their daily lives. Website  Support the show This is A Thought I Kept — Weekly conversations about the ideas that stay. Listen every Monday morning for a new thought to hold onto this week, especially when the world feels overwhelming. About Claire Fitzsimmons Claire is the host of A Thought I Kept, a wellbeing writer and the co-founder of If Lost Start Here, a company on a mission to get people to a better place, sometimes literally. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach and a certified Emotions Coach Practitioner, Claire helps women navigate the everyday lost moments of their lives and all the feelings, from anxiety to grief, overwhelm to loneliness. For personal coaching, reach out to Claire here. Like what you heard? Subscribe, rate or review this podcast. Follow on Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter. Shop Season 1 poster For full video episodes become a member on Substack at MoreGoodDays. Made with Descript & ...

    55 min
  7. Tea, Freedom and the Moment You Come Back to Yourself with Erica Moore

    MAR 2

    Tea, Freedom and the Moment You Come Back to Yourself with Erica Moore

    There are moments in life when everything looks fine on the outside, but something inside you is wondering, is this it? In this episode, I talk to Erica Moore about career change, rest, tea, and the small, pivotal moments that can shift the direction of a life. The bath before work. The cup of tea. The sudden clarity that life is short and this isn’t a dress rehearsal. Erica shares what happened when she left her career in law to build a tea company rooted in wellbeing and conscious pause. We explore what it means to wake up to your own life, to recognise burnout or quiet dissatisfaction, and to choose differently without losing yourself in the process. We talk about mental wellbeing, perserverence, self-trust, and the subtle pressure to keep growing even when growth no longer feels like freedom. If you’ve ever followed the path you thought you should take and found yourself questioning it, this conversation may feel familiar. It speaks to that moment when you realise that something needs to shift, and then you act on that. At the heart of this episode is Erica’s thought: life is short, and we might as well enjoy it. Not in a reckless way, but in the steady, everyday sense of allowing rest, pleasure, and presence to matter now. We reflect on how small daily tea rituals can support the nervous system, create space for mental wellbeing, and help you come back to yourself in the middle of busy work and family life. This is a conversation about change, but also about returning. About not waiting until everything is done before you let yourself rest. About Erica Moore Erica Moore helps people slow down just enough to live and lead well, using tea, presence, and simple daily practices to support clarity, balance, and better choices. She is the founder of eteaket tea and creator of The Tea Mind, a practical philosophy that turns everyday tea rituals into moments of clarity, presence, and care. eteaket | The Tea Mind | LinkedIn | Instagram | Podcast If you’re thinking about change, craving rest, curious about tea rituals, or simply wondering how to feel Support the show This is A Thought I Kept — Weekly conversations about the ideas that stay. Listen every Monday morning for a new thought to hold onto this week, especially when the world feels overwhelming. About Claire Fitzsimmons Claire is the host of A Thought I Kept, a wellbeing writer and the co-founder of If Lost Start Here, a company on a mission to get people to a better place, sometimes literally. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach and a certified Emotions Coach Practitioner, Claire helps women navigate the everyday lost moments of their lives and all the feelings, from anxiety to grief, overwhelm to loneliness. For personal coaching, reach out to Claire here. Like what you heard? Subscribe, rate or review this podcast. Follow on Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter. Shop Season 1 poster For full video episodes become a member on Substack at MoreGoodDays. Made with Descript & ...

    52 min
  8. When You Realise You Get to Be Here with Gabrielle Treanor

    FEB 23

    When You Realise You Get to Be Here with Gabrielle Treanor

    This week I’m joined by writer, ADHD coach and founder of The Quiet ADHD Club, Gabrielle Treanor. Together, we explore what it means to feel fully here in your own life, especially if you’re a quiet woman in midlife who has spent years trying to be smaller, more consistent, or more “together” than you actually feel inside. We talk openly about ADHD in midlife, including the experience of late diagnosis and what it can mean to discover in your forties or fifties that your brain works differently. Gabrielle shares how recognising quiet ADHD helped her make sense of anxiety, procrastination, fluctuating motivation and years of self-doubt. We explore what self-trust looks like when your energy shifts, when consistency feels hard, and when traditional wellbeing advice simply doesn’t fit your nervous system. Gabrielle Treanor is a coach, writer, author and podcaster living in Wales, UK. She supports introverted, sensitive women who discover they have or think they have ADHD later in life, to understand, accept and love themselves, to work with their brain and build inner calm and confidence, so they can experience more peace, fulfilment and joy every day. Gabrielle was diagnosed herself with ADHD aged 48. She hosts the Quiet ADHD Club online membership and works one to one with coaching clients. Gabrielle has an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and her first book, The 1% Wellness Experiment, was published December 2023. Gabrielle hosts the Pressing Pause podcast and she has spoken on podcasts, at bookshops, festivals, and wellbeing shows.  Website | The Quiet ADHD Club | The 1% Wellness Experiment | Podcast | Newsletter |  Instagram The Better Read Book Fest: Website and Instagram  Mentions: Natalie Lue, host of The Baggage Reclaim Sessions.  Support the show This is A Thought I Kept — Weekly conversations about the ideas that stay. Listen every Monday morning for a new thought to hold onto this week, especially when the world feels overwhelming. About Claire Fitzsimmons Claire is the host of A Thought I Kept, a wellbeing writer and the co-founder of If Lost Start Here, a company on a mission to get people to a better place, sometimes literally. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach and a certified Emotions Coach Practitioner, Claire helps women navigate the everyday lost moments of their lives and all the feelings, from anxiety to grief, overwhelm to loneliness. For personal coaching, reach out to Claire here. Like what you heard? Subscribe, rate or review this podcast. Follow on Instagram. Sign up for our newsletter. Shop Season 1 poster For full video episodes become a member on Substack at MoreGoodDays. Made with Descript & ...

    57 min
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5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

A Thought I Kept is a podcast about the ideas that stay with us, long after we’ve forgotten the rest. In each episode, a guest shares the one thought that shaped their life — the one they couldn’t let go of, and maybe you won’t either.

Information

  • Creator
    Claire Fitzsimmons
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 A Thought I Kept
  • Show Website
    A Thought I Kept

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