Tough Discussions

Zaid Ismail breaking down mental health so that we can find the humanity that we lost along the way.

Breaking down mental health so that we can find the humanity that we lost along the way. coachzaidismail.substack.com

  1. 13H AGO

    S2E4 Trappings of Valentine's Day

    No, this is not a holier-than-thou rant about the commercialisation of love and all that nonsense. It's a deeper take on what your approach to Valentine's Day says about the quality of your love life. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit coachzaidismail.substack.com

    44 min

  2. 6D AGO

    S2E3 - Choose your advisors carefully

    Advisors who sound nice and insightful may not be informed about the problem that you may be experiencing. If you are uncertain or unclear, or even mistaken about the problem that you think you need to solve, you will go down the wrong rabbit hole and create more problems instead of solving the ones you have. A good advisor will help you identify the real issue rather than issues that your emotional experience may convince you is the problem. That’s the difference between a good or bad advisor. A bad advisor validates your feelings and has little informed wisdom about why you feel that way, while a good advisor acknowledges your feelings and redirects your attention towards how to navigate the problem to achieve a good outcome. Choose carefully who you take as an advisor. Your quality of life literally depends on it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit coachzaidismail.substack.com

    47 min

  3. JAN 29

    S2E2 - Navigating Grief

    Navigating your grief, or understanding how to show up for someone close to you in their grief can be daunting. In this discussion, we unpack grief in a way that is relatable and human. No psychobabble. No mantras. No prescriptions. Just understanding. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit coachzaidismail.substack.com

    48 min

  4. JAN 16

    S2E1 - Connecting with Hope

    New year’s resolutions are so last year. And the year ahead will be filled with even more tired puns if you don’t do things more purposefully than before. Be grounded in hope with purpose, rather than just wishes and dreams without a plan. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit coachzaidismail.substack.com

    45 min

  5. 12/11/2025

    Episode 062 - Grooming Children

    Understanding the impact that you have on your children will allow you to make more informed parenting decisions about how you’re raising them. A child with a low or unhealthy self-esteem is more likely to be drawn into the fake promises or unrealistic appeal of those out to manipulate them. Realising the impact of your approach to giving them space and connecting with them will create opportunity to add depth and substance to your relationship with your child without blurring the lines of parenting. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit coachzaidismail.substack.com

    49 min

  6. 11/28/2025

    Episode 061 - Character or flex

    Your character is defined by what you think of yourself, while you social stature is about what others think of you. When you focus on social stature, you become a slave to social expectations and lose yourself to how others respond to you. When you focus on character, on substance, on what connects with purpose in your life, you’ll attract the social stature that has merit from those who recognise your credibility as a person. The easiest way to lose yourself to your flex is to invest more appreciation and gratitude in what others think of you and what you have, than you do in what you think of your progression in life and how you affect the lives of those who are important to you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit coachzaidismail.substack.com

    48 min

  7. 11/20/2025

    Episode 060 - Gender Bias (Understanding Men)

    The problem is greater than appears on the surface because men, unlike women, generally lack the emotional competence to explain how they feel or why they feel that way beyond their immediate reaction to something. This is not necessarily a deficiency, it’s just how men rationalise life, and the world around them. Watch this episode to gain fresh perspectives about what makes a man tick, and what it says about a man who takes no pride in showing up for those around him. Without intending to, it seems like we started a discussion that is apt for the month of November that is dedicated to men’s mental health. Tell me what you think. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit coachzaidismail.substack.com

    48 min

  8. 11/17/2025

    Episode 059 - Feminism...and other isms

    This is a bold but insightful discussion looking closer at the feminist movement and its impact on society. Far from diminishing the importance of its objectives, this discussion explores whether the approach and its origins are improving society, or simply reversing the harm that they set out to address. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit coachzaidismail.substack.com

    44 min
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Breaking down mental health so that we can find the humanity that we lost along the way. coachzaidismail.substack.com

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  • Creator
    Zaid Ismail breaking down mental health so that we can find the humanity that we lost along the way.
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    68
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Zaid Ismail
  • Show Website
    Tough Discussions