A Good Life At Sol Haven | Episode 22

Step into another warm and uplifting episode of A Good Life with Soul Haven, where Chris Gregg is joined by Natasha the Loving Chef and special guest Anthony, one of Soul Haven’s directors. This episode is a festive deep-dive into caring for your wellbeing at Christmas, setting boundaries, managing expectations, and finding calm in the middle of the seasonal whirlwind. Natasha shares seven practical tips for navigating the pressures of Christmas Day with compassion and clarity, from creating a peaceful start to delegating tasks and taking sensory breaks. The team explore how excitement and stress can feel so similar, and how reframing your emotions can help you stay grounded. Anthony opens up about his personal journey from a long career in retail and supply-chain leadership into discovering a more purpose-driven path. He explains how he first connected with Soul Haven, how he became a director, and the inspiring impact of the flagship Plan the Mind programme. You’ll hear how Soul Haven measures social value, how organisations can support the work, and why sustainable community wellbeing is at the heart of everything they do. There’s also a delightfully festive recipe from Natasha: an easy vegan cashew nut cheese rolled in rosemary, cranberry, and nut crust — perfect for your Christmas cheeseboard. She breaks down how to make it, how to customise it, and how long it keeps. The episode ends with an affirmation card pull and a reflection on why it’s important to celebrate your small wins and recognise your own resilience. It’s comforting, insightful, funny in all the right places, and packed with practical wisdom for your festive season. 00:00 – Welcome to A Good Life at Soul Haven 01:12 – Introducing Anthony, this week’s special guest 03:10 – Christmas pressures, expectations and festive mental health 07:00 – Soul Haven’s purpose and how to get involved 11:35 – Seven top tips for coping with Christmas stress 18:40 – Boundaries, delegation and managing family dynamics 22:10 – Sensory breaks, overwhelm and staying present 25:30 – Phone habits, switching off and enjoying the day 28:15 – Social balance, self-compassion and small wins 31:40 – Introducing Anthony’s story 33:05 – Anthony’s career background and shift in purpose 38:20 – Joining Soul Haven and becoming a director 42:55 – Plan the Mind and measuring social value 47:10 – How organisations can support Soul Haven 49:30 – Vegan cashew nut cheese recipe 51:55 – Upcoming events and Christmas markets 53:10 – Affirmation card 54:05 – Looking ahead to the New Year episode #SoulHaven #AGoodLifePodcast #FestiveWellbeing #MentalHealthSupport #NorthamptonshireCommunity #PlanTheMind #WellbeingJourney #PurposeDrivenLiving #VeganCheeseRecipe #HolidayStressTips #AffirmationCards #SoulfulLiving #CommunityWellbeing #UKPodcasts #MindfulnessTools #NewYearWellbeing #SelfCompassion #NorthamptonshireLife #HolisticHealth #WellbeingInNature