The Gentle Rebel Podcast
Episodes
Is Something Holding You Back?
29 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Join me on Saturday April 4th 2026 for a mini-zine making workshop around this theme of Expressing Your True Colours. What stops people expressing th...
The Religion of Positive Thinking
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Power of Positive Thinking promised liberation from feelings of inferiority and self-doubt. But did it simply deliver us a new set of demands and ...
Finding Ourselves in the Fog of a Hundred Shades of Beige
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve looked up stuff about the trait of high sensitivity online, you’ve probably been confronted by a sea of pastel colours and a hun...
Using Mini Zines to Make Connections
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This is Part 3 of a short series where I’m sharing how I’ve been using mini zines to generate ideas, make connections, and get accidentally creati...
Does it Feel Like Winning a Silver or Losing a Gold? (A Ridiculous Question?)
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I explore something that happened yesterday. I had another episode planned for this week, but I put it on...
Brainstorming Ideas and Questions With Mini-Zines
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Here is a follow-up to my previous video, in which I explored how I use foldable mini-zines to generate creative ideas. This time, I share two specifi...
Why Is It So Hard to Say “I Don’t Know”?
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
“How do you tend to respond when you do not know?” We had this question in our Journal Circle a couple of weeks ago. It’s at the heart of ma...
How I Use One-Page Mini-Zines To Generate Ideas Quickly
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to generate ideas quickly, without overthinking, without requiring perfection, and without using AI tools? One-page mini-zines are great f...
People Keep Asking Me to Cancel Their Subscription To This App
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Around Black Friday last year, I started getting strange emails from people asking me to cancel their subscription. Only, they weren’t from Haven me...
7 Reasons to Start Drawing
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I’m holding something very exciting in my hands. A physical copy of Sam Marshall’s beautiful book, Sketch: A Project Guide to Drawing With Confide...
Grow Creative Confidence Using Sketching (with Sam Marshall)
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Would you like to develop more creative confidence? Have you ever embarked on, or considered, a sketching practice? In this episode of The Gentle Rebe...
Responding to the Contagion of Burnout Energy
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I saw a reel earlier that made me notice how burnout spreads. An entrepreneurial self-help influencer told followers to demand more power, money, and ...
David Bowie’s Search for Life, Death and God (with Peter Ormerod)
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Ormerod is a journalist and writer who has written extensively about culture and faith for The Guardian, and he is also an arts editor for Natio...
Why You Can’t Articulate a Five-Year Plan For Your Life
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Where do you see yourself in five years? Does that question fill you with excitement, or a quiet sense of dread? We are wired differently. For many pe...
The Cost of Loyalty
20 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A theme that’s dominated 2025 for me (and for many) has been price rises across many subscription-based platforms and services. My correspondence w...
Do Algorithms Create a Culture of Narcissism?
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I hadn’t planned to revisit The Culture of Narcissism so soon, but a small niggle pulled me back into the subject. With Spotify Unwrapped everyw...
The Culture of Narcissism and Modern Self-Help
06 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We hear a lot about “Narcissism” these days. Is it because there is more of it around? In his 1979 book, The Culture of Narcissism: Americ...
No Missing Parts (with Justin Sunseri)
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve noticed Internal Family Systems (IFS) being mentioned a lot lately, following a significant shift in how it’s now presented as a spiritua...
Who Will I Be in the Face of This? (with Jacob Nordby)
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who will you be in the face of a chaotic and uncertain world? In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I caught up with my friend and returning...
The Challenges of Measuring High Sensitivity (with Andrew May)
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the challenges when it comes to objectively measuring high sensitivity in people? In this week’s episode of The Gentle Rebel ...
Gentle Protest and Craftivism (with Sarah P Corbett)
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have a heart for change but find that the loud, confrontational, and extroverted norms of traditional activism don’t suit your natural temper...
The Secret Behind Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time to dive back into the history of self-help and consider its impact on our understanding of how and who we are. In this episode of The Gent...
A Book For Sensitive Children (with Judith Orloff)
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast , I speak with psychiatrist and author Dr Judith Orloff about her new book, The Highly Sensitive ...
Sustaining Your Creative Practice (with Steve Lawson)
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is the audience more than a gaggle of consumers? What role do they play in the creative process of an artist? Should they, as Rick Rubin says, "come l...
Hypervigilance and High Sensitivity (The HSP Owner’s Guide)
20 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, we look at the relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and hypervigilance. ...
As a Man Thinketh (A History of Self-Help)
06 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I had not heard of James Allen before I started exploring this history of self-help. I saw references to his book, “ As a Man Thinketh ”, wh...
Overstimulation and High Sensitivity (The HSP Owner’s Guide)
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This post elaborates on the ‘overstimulation’ section of The HSP Owner’s Guide. In this week's episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, we lo...
Exploring the History of Self-Help and the Rise of a Global Industry
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’m starting a project exploring the history of self-help; where the ideas came from, how they’ve changed over time, and what they mean for us tod...
Toxic Positivity is a Permanent State of Temporary Discomfort
02 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The internet is full of memes about positive thinking. I saw this quote a few days ago:"The only difference between a good day and a bad day is your a...
Moral Sensitivity (The HSP Owner’s Guide)
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This post elaborates on the 'moral sensitivity' section of The HSP Owner’s Guide. Have you ever felt like you’re carrying the weight of the...
Everything wants us hooked
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some tools are built to help us grow; to learn, connect, or reach meaningful goals. But eventually, we might ask: are these tools still working for us...
Icebreakers and Social Sensitivity
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Let’s go around the room and introduce ourselves with your name and something interesting about you”. Does that icebreaker moment fill you with...
Social Sensitivity and The Highly Sensitive Person (The HSP Owner’s Guide)
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been in a room and sensed social dynamics beneath the surface before a word was spoken? Perhaps you've noticed (consciously or unconscio...
Is Creativity The Art of Concealing Our Sources?
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It has been said that “ Creativity is the art of concealing your sources .” But what does that mean? Is it about passing off other people’s wo...
Book Club | A Still Life (Josie George)
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do you think of when you hear the words A Still Life? A bowl of fruit? A serene person, undisturbed by the world's noise. Stagnation and s...
Differential Susceptibility (The HSP Owner’s Guide)
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This post elaborates on the sensitivity research section of The HSP Owner's Guide. Differential susceptibility is a key concept in high-sensiti...
Where we wanted to be
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
May the road rise to meet you. My note from a slow coach this week reflects on Baltic endorphins, some internal torment due to a decision made by m...
Book Club | The Forest of Wool and Steel (Natsu Miyashita)
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a world obsessed with productivity, competition, and the "hero’s journey," Natsu Miyashita’s The Forest of Wool and Steel shines a quietly revo...
The gift of low expectations
16 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When you receive help, do you perceive it as a transactional burden or as a gift? How do you support the people, ideas, and art you admire? Do you ...
Afraid of Giving Credit? The Vicious Cycle of Status Insecurity
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
People may fear giving credit because they worry it will diminish their status. But research shows the opposite is true: sharing credit actually boost...
A response to bullying
02 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I know I’m not the only one disturbed by the scenes of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance publicly dressing down Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in ...
Embracing Wintering on Serenity Island
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We just finished reading Wintering by Katherine May in the book club, and it has prompted me to reflect on the parallels between the book's themes and...
Book Club | Wintering (Katherine May)
23 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In our February Book Club, we met to discuss ‘Wintering: The power of rest and retreat in difficult times‘ by Katherine May. Here are my notes on ...
Why You Don’t Need to “Come Out of Your Shell”
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been told to come out of your shell? It’s a phrase many of us have heard, especially if we’re introverted, sensitive, or reflective ...
The Means Justify the End
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all heard the phrase, “the end justifies the means.” But in this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I want to turn it inside out and exp...
Why did Mel Robbins conceal the truth of her Let Them discovery?
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I share a video essay about influencer culture, asking where self-help guru Mel Robbins really discovered...
Power in persistence
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Persistence has power—it can contribute to a better world, but it can also do the opposite, extracting value and coercing people without consent.
Active Hope When The World Is Falling Apart (with Cindy Gale)
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Active hope is not "blind hope" or wishful thinking. It's about taking action rather than sitting back and saying, "I hope everything works out OK," o...
Strength in numbers
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Numbers can topple buildings and spark change but can also reduce individuals to statistical fodder and data on a spreadsheet.
No pain, no gain
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Without it, we gain nothing. Pain is love, creativity, compassion, and care. Without it, we gain nothing; we simply exist.
It was uncomfortable
12 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Discomfort can be a sign of, and a catalyst for change, a question that pokes and prods, tickling and shaking us awake, even when we would much rather...
Power through
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many people perpetually power through on the fumes of our strength and resolve. It’s no wonder we are burning out.
Stay strong and carry on
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to stay strong and carry on? What sort of strength do we need to maintain? Where does it come from? What does it look like?
The Armchair Creative
27 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you an armchair creative? You are great at learning, preparing, and researching a field, yet something often stops you from taking action. In t...
Are You More of a Host, Artisan, or Entertainer? (Notes From a Slow Coach)
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever seen homes lit up at night and wondered what the lights in the windows say about the people inside? Just me? OK then! A recent neighb...
Setting Boundaries When You Want to Do it All (with Leah Burkhart)
14 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I sit down with returning guest and friend of the show, Leah Burkhart, founder of The Healthy Sensitive, ...
You’ve Got To Go Forwards To Go Back
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, we explore the theme of nostalgia and "going back to basics". This was inspired by a recent community dis...
Are You Sensitive To The Uncanny Valley?
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, we explore the Uncanny Valley. This was inspired by a video I published about Apple's marketing campa...
The Fire In Your Belly
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Would you say you have fire in your belly? What does it burn for? I love exploring this question with highly sensitive people, many of whom have a...
How Does YOUR Sense of Adventure Appear? (with Sarah Lister)
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Each of us has a unique sense of adventure. What does yours feel like? In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I speak with Sarah Lister, who ...
Dealing With Comparisonitis and Shame Attacks (with Val Nelson)
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been derailed by a shame attack? Shame can sweep through, telling us we are not worthy, acceptable, or enough. It can be amplified by...
High Sensitivity, Autism, and The Challenge of Being an Artist Right Now (with Lizzie Campbell)
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lizzie Campbell is a polymer clay artist who creates under the name Clay Disarray, and wow, she's phenomenal! Her intricate modelling brings character...
Digging Your Unconventional Multipotentialite Pathway (with Yvonne Kjorlien)
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As a highly sensitive multipotentialite, Yvonne Kjorlien has many creative interests, passions, and pursuits. She studies scattered and scavenged rema...
How To NOT Join a Life Coaching Cult (with Margarit Davtian)
08 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I speak with Margarit Davtian who is a consumer rights activist, social scientist, and "cult slayer". She...
The Second Conference on High Sensitivity Research – What’s New?
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past few years, there have been a bunch of developments in sensitivity research. In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I share some...
Is Artificial Intelligence a Friend or Foe? (with Marc Winn)
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can Artificial Intelligence help us embrace, explore, and celebrate our human creativity and sensory sensitivity even MORE deeply? In this episode ...
Coaching vs Marketing (with Adam Kawalec)
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you're a freelancer or solo practitioner, you likely need to wear many different hats to keep your business going. It can be tiring and confusing a...
Are You Suffering From Boreout?
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Grant explores how our practice can lead to boreout in Hidden Potential. In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I dive into this idea and r...
Humour, Anxiety, and The Inner Critic (with Rox Alexandru and Neil Hughes)
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Humour is a VERY important sense. Without it, we risk taking ourselves so seriously that we lose all perspective. Our sense of humour is a core part o...
Is Life Coaching Really Just a Scam? (with Megan Malone)
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Life coaching can be shrouded in confusion. In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I chat with Megan Malone, delving into the joys and challe...
Reflections From a Decade in Music City (with Aaron Espe)
17 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After experiencing challenges with panic attacks, Aaron Espe figured out how to build a career that works for him. Aaron is currently a full-time song...
High Sensitivity as a Superpower (with Scott Barry Kaufman)
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I’m always slightly wary about the use of "superpower" to describe high sensitivity. In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, Scott Barry Kau...
Art That Makes You Think (with Ben Cowan)
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I sit down with artist Ben Cowan who kindly invited me into his kitchen for a chat about "Art That Makes ...
People Aren’t Boring (with Alan Denyer)
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After turning a building due for demolition into a creative community space in the centre of Coventry, Alan Denyer had an epiphany. People aren't actu...
When Things Don’t Turn Out As You Hoped (with Cameron Airen)
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you respond when things don't turn out as you hoped they would? It was lovely to pause for a chat with my friend, Cameron Airen recently. It...
Social Justice For The Sensitive Soul (with Dorcas Cheng-Tozen)
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dorcas Cheng-Tozun about her book Social Justice for the Sensitive So...
Polyvagal Theory and The Highly Sensitive Nervous System (with Justin Sunseri)
18 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel overwhelmed and confused by the unending conveyor belt of new labels, healing methods, and training programmes, all professing to be ...
Who Can We Trust?
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When navigating a season or environment of change, we need things we can trust. But what does it mean to trust someone or something? Where does it ...
Does This Kill Your Creative Momentum?
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is your biggest momentum killer when it comes to making a change, launching a project, or embarking on a meaningful pursuit? If you're anythin...
Do You Ever Feel Guilty For Taking Up Space?
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A recent Photoyoga exercise sparked a fascinating Haven discussion about taking up space in the world and how uncomfortable some of us find it at time...
Is This a Time To Push or Pause?
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There is a time to pause and a time to act. We explored this distinction in last month's Kota. In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I s...
Embracing The Space Between Us (with Brigid Russell)
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"If we are going to understand and appreciate each other’s differences, then we need to be able to trust the space between us.” Charlie Jones &...
The Healing Power of Photography (with Tuula Ahde)
08 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What do the photographs you take and choose to share say about you? What might your photos be saying TO you? I wonder if you've ever thought about ...
What Does Ambition Look Like For You?
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Would you say you're an ambitious person? What does ambition mean to you? After rediscovering an old review for the Atlum Schema LP, I was r...
The Disappearance of Rituals
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In The Disappearance of Rituals, Byung-Chul Han writes, "Rituals are to time what a home is to space: they render time habitable." In a restless, n...
Book Club | The Courage To Be Disliked (Kishimi and Koga)
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We recently finished reading The Courage to Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change Your Life, and Achieve Real Happiness by Kishimi and Koga in The...
Playful Mischief and Gentle Rebellion (with Emma Bearman)
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How can we nurture environments and habits for playful mischief and gentle rebellion in our lives, relationships, and communities? In this episode ...
Do You Want To Be More Spontaneous?
18 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you spontaneous? Can you go with the flow when plans change or if something catches your attention and invites you to follow it? In this episod...
We Develop and Grow When It Feels Safe To Fail
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Confidence grows when we feel safe to fail and make mistakes. Sports people typically attribute confidence to believing they can beat anyone. So I ...
Can We Grow Without Grimacing At Our Past Self?
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“If you're not grimacing every time you look at old work, then you aren't growing.” I was haunted by this tweet from 2021. It suggests that you do...
Where Do You Get Your Sense of Self? (with Chris Niebauer)
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Where is the self when no one is thinking about it?That was the central thread running through my conversation with Chris Niebauer, PhD, who is the au...
The Deeper Benefits of Slowing Down
06 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It isn't easy to keep up with the pace of life. It can feel like time is running away, and there's always more to do than we can manage. So it's no wo...
How HSPs Can Handle Conflict Without Losing Themselves (with Konrad Benjamin)
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You don't need me to tell you we live in divided times. This is especially true when it comes to beliefs, ideas, and opinions about how things should ...
Serenity is Not a Destination
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Serenity is not a destination we are trying to reach. If we can't find it here, we are unlikely to find it "there". Are you waiting for the noise t...
What is Your Cornerstone For The Season?
20 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A cornerstone is a core around which everything else takes its shape. It's the primary reference point, which determines the position and character of...
If Everything is Borrowed…
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Nobody really owns anything. We give back our bodies at the end of our lives. We own our thoughts, but everything else is just borrowed." - Deborah...
Finding Belonging Through Our Ordinary Weirdness
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“Blessed are the weird people: poets, misfits, writers, mystics, painters, and troubadours, for they teach us to see the world through different eye...
Finding Space For Deep Processing In a Shallow World
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Deep processing is a core aspect of high sensitivity. But processing is an important thing for all of us to do. And it's not easy to find the time and...
What Can You Do If You Feel Like You’re Drifting Through Life?
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes drift comes through the endless pursuit of goals we hope will make us happy. Or it might come as we passively float along the path of least ...
Fear of Success – Why Desired Change Can Be Hard To Implement
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Perfectionism and a fear of failure can hold us back from doing what matters to us. But what about fear of success? In this episode of The Gentle Rebe...