RAW CHATTER! Unfiltered Conversations on the Psychology of Addiction, Behaviour & High Performance

Vicky Midwood - Behavioural Strategist for High-Performing Professionals

RAW CHATTER Straight-talking, unfiltered conversations about the behaviours that quietly drive - and derail - high performers. This isn’t about motivation, mindset hacks, or surface-level solutions. It’s about understanding why you rely on food, alcohol, overthinking, or overworking to cope — and what it’s really costing your energy, focus, and performance. Because you don’t have a discipline problem. You have a behavioural pattern that’s running the show. We break down the psychology behind coping habits, addiction, and self-sabotage in business owners and high-achieving professionals

  1. S6 EP 39: Talking isn’t enough: Anxiety, Self-Worth & the Therapy Gap

    3d ago

    S6 EP 39: Talking isn’t enough: Anxiety, Self-Worth & the Therapy Gap

    What happens when years of therapy give you awareness, but not the change you’re desperate for? In this episode of RAW CHATTER, I’m joined by Jamima Blazdell, therapist, coach and creator of 100 Stress-Free Days, for a raw conversation about anxiety, social anxiety, therapy, EFT tapping, self-worth and what it really takes to feel better. We talk about: 👉Living with anxiety and “doom tummy” 👉Why talking therapy can help - but can also keep you stuck 👉Social anxiety, alcohol and self-medication 👉The difference between awareness and actual change 👉EFT tapping, NLP, hypnotherapy and practical tools 👉Why finding the right practitioner matters 👉Self-value, healing and learning to choose yourself This episode is for high performers who know plenty, understand themselves deeply, but still feel stuck in the same old patterns. Because knowing isn’t doing. And awareness alone doesn’t always change behaviour. 🎧 Listen now and share with someone who needs this conversation. Vicky xx Check out Jemima's book "100 Stress-Free Days" here: https://amzn.eu/d/05GYEB3Q Connect with her: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jemima-blazdell/ Website: https://www.jemimablazdell.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@JemimaEFT⁩  Book a free call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/groups/jemimab Register for lunchtime with Jemima: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/81sDo1qJTqebo-gGCT6VKQ#/registration 🎙️ About RAW CHATTER Unfiltered conversations about addiction, behaviour, identity and high performance. No fluff. No filters. Just real talk that actually helps you change. 📩 Join the email list for weekly updates: https://tinyurl.com/2jbbmtuv Website: https://www.vickymidwood.com Email: vicky@vickymidwood.com Connect via social media: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickymidwoodhealthcoach/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/vicky.midwood/ ⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/vicky_gofigurecoaching/⁠

    51 min
  2. S6 EP38: 21 Things I’ve Learned in 21 Years Alcohol-Free

    May 25

    S6 EP38: 21 Things I’ve Learned in 21 Years Alcohol-Free

    21 years ago this bank holiday weekend, I had my last drink. By the end of May 2005, I was in rehab in North London and my life completely changed. Not because everything magically got better overnight. Not because I suddenly became “stronger.” And not because alcohol was the only issue. In this episode of RAW CHATTER, I share 21 things I’ve learned in 21 years alcohol-free - rom addiction, recovery, nervous system regulation and self-awareness through to thoughts, language, beliefs, coping behaviours, identity and healing. This episode is not just about alcohol. It’s about: Emotional coping Self-sabotage Overthinking Body and brain connection Recovery Personal responsibility and why unfamiliar change often feels scary before it becomes freeing. Here is my list: 21 THINGS I’VE LEARNED IN 21 YEARS ALCOHOL-FREE: 1. Stopping drinking doesn’t instantly fix your life 2. One coping mechanism often exposes another 3. Sleep improves - but not overnight 4. The gut-brain connection is huge 5. Addiction is as much about the nervous system as the substance 6. Most people cared less about me not drinking than I expected 7. Space changes people 8. Recovery is learning to be with yourself 9. You cannot control life 10. Victim mentality keeps people stuck 11. Language matters more than most people realise 12. Family systems don’t automatically change because you do 13. Some people become uncomfortable when you stop self-destructing 14. It is not your job to manage other people’s feelings 15. Thoughts are not facts 16. An overactive mind can learn peace and presence 17. Alcohol was never the real problem - it was the solution 18. Healing is not linear 19. Self-awareness without action changes nothing 20. Humans need understanding, not just shame and willpower 21. Freedom feels uncomfortable at first because it is unfamiliar. not because it is wrong Vicky xx To mark 21 years, I’m opening 21 x 45-minute calls for £21 for people who want help understanding the patterns keeping them stuck. If you want support to think, feel and function differently, drop me a message with "Unfamiliar" via email and I'll send you the link Or go straight to the link here: https://tidycal.com/vicky1/21-years-unfamiliar-for-now-session 👇 WORK WITH ME Website: https://vickymidwood.com/ 📩 Email: vicky@vickymidwood.com 🎙️ Subscribe to RAW CHATTER for more conversations around: addiction, recovery, anxiety, burnout, behaviour change, nervous system regulation, ADHD, eating disorders, self-sabotage and human psychology .#AddictionRecovery #AlcoholFree #RecoveryJourney #MentalHealth #BehaviourChange #RAWCHATTER #NervousSystem #SelfSabotage #GutBrainConnection #PersonalDevelopment

    33 min
  3. THE LIE WE LEARN AS CHILDREN ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE’S EMOTIONS (And The Hidden Ego Behind People Pleasing)

    May 18

    THE LIE WE LEARN AS CHILDREN ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE’S EMOTIONS (And The Hidden Ego Behind People Pleasing)

    In this episode of RAW CHATTER, I’m talking about the lie many of us learn as children:That we are responsible for other people’s emotions.This belief often shows up as people pleasing, over-apologising, over-explaining, avoiding honesty, saying yes when we mean no, and constantly worrying about how we are being perceived.But this is not as simple as “people pleasing is bad”.For many people, especially neurodivergent people, highly sensitive people, or those who experience rejection sensitivity, people pleasing can become a survival strategy. A way to avoid conflict, rejection, criticism, or feeling emotionally unsafe.In this episode, I explore:➡️ Why children are often taught to prioritise other people’s comfort over their own➡️ How people pleasing can become part of your identity➡️ Why people pleasing can feel caring, but often comes from anxiety➡️ The hidden ego behind worrying what everyone thinks➡️ Why trying to manage other people’s feelings is so exhausting➡️ How resentment builds when you abandon yourself➡️ Why other people’s emotions do not belong to you➡️ How to start noticing where you are managing perception instead of speaking truthQuestions to ask yourself:1. How often are you managing perception instead of expressing the truth?2. How often are you editing yourself to avoid discomfort?3. How often are you trying to earn approval by abandoning yourself?4. How much time do you spend thinking about what other people think, feel or need?5. How much time do you spend asking yourself what you actually think, feel and want?6. And if you stopped constantly managing other people’s emotions, how much energy would you get back?This episode is for anyone who overthinks conversations, fears being misunderstood, struggles to say no, or feels exhausted from being “the nice one”.Other people’s feelings do not belong to you.Your feelings do.Vicky xxJoin my newsletter:https://tinyurl.com/2jbbmtuvEmail me:vicky@vickymidwood.comBook a call:https://tidycal.com/vicky1/30-minute-chatVisit my website:https://vickymidwood.comABOUT MEI’m Vicky Midwood, a behavioural strategist, integrative health coach and consultant.I help high-performing business owners, professionals and leaders understand how they think, feel and function, so they can stop coping through food, alcohol, overwork, perfectionism or people pleasing and start living the life they actually want, not the one they think they should.RAW CHATTER is about addiction, recovery, mental health, human behaviour, resilience and reinvention - without the fluff

    29 min
  4. Why High Performers Can’t Switch Off | Rumination, ADHD & Nervous System Overload

    May 12

    Why High Performers Can’t Switch Off | Rumination, ADHD & Nervous System Overload

    Why do so many successful people struggle to relax, switch off or stop overthinking? In this episode of RAW CHATTER, I explores the hidden mental exhaustion behind high performance, perfectionism, rumination and late-diagnosis neurodivergence. This episode dives into: • rumination and thought loops • ADHD and autism in founders and professionals • nervous system dysregulation • why high achievers replay conversations in their heads• emotional hypervigilance • cognitive overload vs burnout • why successful people struggle to relax • overthinking, perfectionism and emotional safety • why your brain keeps scanning for danger • alcohol, food and scrolling as coping mechanisms • how unresolved activation impacts mental and physical health I explain why the issue often isn’t your workload, business or to-do list…… it’s the constant mental rehearsal happening underneath it all. You’ll also hear the key questions to ask yourself when your brain starts spiralling: 1. Am I actually solving something right now or am I spiralling? 2. What story have I attached to this? 3. What am I assuming? 4. Am I trying to gain certainty where certainty doesn’t exist? 5. What emotion am I trying to avoid feeling? This episode is especially relevant for: 👉 business owners 👉 founders 👉 professionals 👉 high performers 👉 people pleasers 👉 perfectionists 👉 late-diagnosis ADHD/autistic adults 👉 highly sensitive people 👉 anyone struggling to mentally switch offIf this episode resonates, please like, subscribe, comment or share it with someone whose brain never truly switches off. 👉 Book a call here: https://tidycal.com/vicky1/30-minute-chat Email me: vicky@vickymidwood.com Vicky xx 📩 Join the email list for weekly updates: https://tinyurl.com/2jbbmtuv 👉 https://www.vickymidwood.com Connect via social media: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickymidwoodhealthcoach/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/vicky.midwood/ ⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/vicky_gofigurecoaching/⁠ #ADHD #MentalHealth #Rumination #Burnout #HighPerformance #NervousSystem #Overthinking #EntrepreneurMindset #Autism #Perfectionism #Stress #FounderLife #BehaviourChange #RAWCHATTER

    25 min
  5. You’re Not Addicted to the Habit - Here’s Why You Keep Going Back

    May 4

    You’re Not Addicted to the Habit - Here’s Why You Keep Going Back

    You’re not addicted to the habit - you’re attached to who it lets you be. That’s the part most people miss.If you’ve ever told yourself: “I’ll stop this week” “I need more discipline” “This time will be different”… yet you keep going back to the same patterns - food, alcohol, overworking, scrolling, people-pleasing - this episode explains why. In this episode of RAW CHATTER, I break down: 👉 Why your habits are not the real problem 👉 How behaviours become your solution under pressure 👉 The link between identity, childhood programming, and coping patterns 👉 Why repetition makes these habits automatic (even when you don’t want them) 👉 The exact moment where real change actually happensThis isn’t about willpower. It’s not about knowing more.It’s about understanding who you become when you reach for the habit and changing that.Because when you change who you are being…you stop needing the habit. 🔥 If this hit home: You don’t need another plan. You need to interrupt the pattern in real time. I’m opening a small monthly group focused on exactly that real behaviour change, in real life, when it actually matters. 👉 Book a call here: https://tidycal.com/vicky1/30-minute-chat Vicky xx 🎙️ About RAW CHATTERUnfiltered conversations about addiction, behaviour, identity and high performance. No fluff. No filters. Just real talk that actually helps you change. 📩 Join the email list for weekly updates: https://tinyurl.com/2jbbmtuv 👉 https://www.vickymidwood.com Email: vicky@vickymidwood.com Connect via social media: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickymidwoodhealthcoach/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/vicky.midwood/ ⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/vicky_gofigurecoaching/⁠

    18 min
  6. S6 EP34: Why Knowing Isn’t Changing You: The Real Reason You Stay Stuck (And What To Do Instead)

    Apr 28

    S6 EP34: Why Knowing Isn’t Changing You: The Real Reason You Stay Stuck (And What To Do Instead)

    Why do you still do the thing you said you’d stop? You’ve read the books.Listened to the podcasts.Saved the posts. And yet… nothing changes. In this solo episode of RAW CHATTER, I break down the truth most people miss: 👉 It’s not an information problem.👉 It’s not a discipline problem.👉 It’s not a lack of intelligence. It’s a behaviour problem. And behaviour is driven by more than just knowing what to do. We’re talking: • why high performers stay stuck despite knowing better• how your habits are actually solving a problem (just not sustainably)• the real role of food, alcohol, scrolling and overwork• why awareness alone can make things worse• how your physiology, psychology and identity all drive behaviour• a simple, practical way to interrupt patterns in real time This is where most people get it wrong: They try to stop the habit…without replacing what it’s doing for them. And that’s why they keep going back. 🎯 If you’re tired of repeating the same patterns — this will land. 📌 Work with me If you want help applying this properly (not just understanding it), you can reach out here:👉 https://www.vickymidwood.com Email: vicky@vickymidwood.com 🎙️ About RAW CHATTER Unfiltered conversations about addiction, behaviour, identity and high performance.No fluff. No filters. Just real talk that actually helps you change. 📩 Join the email list for weekly updates: https://tinyurl.com/2jbbmtuv Book a call: https://tidycal.com/vicky1/30-minute-chat Connect via social media:LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickymidwoodhealthcoach/⁠Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/vicky.midwood/ ⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/vicky_gofigurecoaching/⁠

    24 min
  7. S6 EP33: You Don’t Have a Confidence Problem. You Have a Pattern Problem

    Apr 21

    S6 EP33: You Don’t Have a Confidence Problem. You Have a Pattern Problem

    You don’t have a confidence problem.You have a pattern problem And until you see it…you’ll keep trying to fix the wrong thing. In this episode of RAW CHATTER, I break down the hidden loop that’s driving: Overthinking Self-doubt Holding back in conversations And the constant feeling of being judged Here’s what’s really happening: You walk into a room. You silently judge people. Then minutes later…you’re worrying what they think of you. Same brain. Same moment. Same loop. This isn’t insecurity. It’s programming. And the part most people miss? 👉 Your thoughts are language 👉 Your language is shaping your nervous system 👉 And your behaviour follows We also get into: Why “being nice” is keeping you stuck The difference between nice vs kind How this pattern drives coping behaviours (food, alcohol, overworking) And a simple way to interrupt the loop immediately If you’ve ever replayed conversations in your head or held back from saying what you really think… This episode will hit. Take action:Don’t just listen to this and move on. Catch one judgement today. Neutralise it. Watch what changes. Vicky xx Work with me: If you’re ready to stop repeating the same patterns and actually change them: 👉 Book a confidential call: https://tidycal.com/vicky1/30-minute-chat 🎙️ About RAW CHATTERRAW CHATTER explores the psychology of addiction, resilience, health and high performance with honest conversations about the behaviours people hide behind success. 📌 Connect with Vicky Midwood Website:https://www.vickymidwood.com 📩 Join the email list for weekly updates: https://tinyurl.com/2jbbmtuv Book a call: https://tidycal.com/vicky1/30-minute-chat Connect via social media: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickymidwoodhealthcoach/ ⁠Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/vicky.midwood/ ⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/vicky_gofigurecoaching/⁠

    16 min
  8. S6 EP32: From Poverty to Power: The Truth About Feminine Leadership, Identity & Success

    Apr 14

    S6 EP32: From Poverty to Power: The Truth About Feminine Leadership, Identity & Success

    What does it really take to lead, influence and succeed as a woman without losing yourself in the process? In this episode of RAW CHATTER, I’m joined by Shatoya Jones-Medor, a feminine leadership consultant and influence strategist helping high-achieving women break free from toxic identity conditioning and step into true authority. But this isn’t theory. This is lived experience. From starting her first business at 8 years old… To building global initiatives in wealth education… To navigating leadership, motherhood and identity on her own terms… This conversation goes deep into what most people don’t talk about. We cover: ✅ Why many high-achieving women are still operating from conditioned identity ✅ The hidden cost of success when you disconnect from yourself ✅ Why feminine leadership isn’t weakness, it’s power ✅ The role of faith, values and self-mastery in real leadership ✅ Why connection, community and visibility matter more than ever ✅ The truth about balancing business, motherhood and purpose This is about more than success.It’s about who you become in the process Vicky xx 📌 Connect with Shatoya Website: www.shatoyajones.com Email: helloshatoyia@gmail.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shatoyia-jones-32048214a/ 1 Million Kingdom Woman Challenge & YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/live/xVIsJPqe3rA?si=eiTxy-G3rsIHC_GF SPECIAL OFFER Mini Course: https://www.shatoyiajones.com/mini-course Use code: VickyMidwood20 and get 20% off Introductory Feminine Leadership Experience www.eventbrite.com/e/1983332864989/?discount=VickyMidwood20 About Vicky I work with business owners and high-performing professionals to stop the coping habits that quietly undermine their energy, focus, and performance. Because your business is only as strong as the body and brain running it. 🌐 https://vickymidwood.com/ 📩 vicky@vickymidwood.com Sign up to my weekly newsletter here: https://tinyurl.com/2jbbmtuv

    21 min
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About

RAW CHATTER Straight-talking, unfiltered conversations about the behaviours that quietly drive - and derail - high performers. This isn’t about motivation, mindset hacks, or surface-level solutions. It’s about understanding why you rely on food, alcohol, overthinking, or overworking to cope — and what it’s really costing your energy, focus, and performance. Because you don’t have a discipline problem. You have a behavioural pattern that’s running the show. We break down the psychology behind coping habits, addiction, and self-sabotage in business owners and high-achieving professionals

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