Force of nature

Chris and Ellie find the perfect spot by a waterfall for a pop-up chat about allowing life as it is, wanting better, satisfaction, and knowing when things feel 'just right'. This was recorded in-person together, in the foothills of Snowdonia, North Wales.

In the modern age, trying really hard and putting in all the effort means you really care about something. So it follows that being lazy means you don’t care, right? Chris and Ellie explore attitudes to laziness, ease and purposeful rest - and how to get more of these. What does it mean to still care and effort-less? Can we have ease and be productive in the things that matter most to us, without trying so hard all the time?

Suppose you took things slow, let life unfold on its own terms, giving up control and surrendering to the natural flow of things... Would you still get on in life? Would anything ever get done? How could it - if you’re not there, up and on it, actively making it happen. If Ellie and Chris had an operating system, its default setting would be something like this, as life-long responsible doers. Yet they’ve both realised pushing beyond what we’re resourced for never ends well - in overwhelm and burnout. So what’s the alternative? Join your hosts as they discuss life with and without trying so hard all the time.

Your brain is a beautiful story machine - complete with heroes, villains, plot and if you’re lucky happy endings. Sometimes the tale is sad though - usually when we’re under stress. Are these compelling stories really true though? Or just flawed attempts at sense-making. And how can we grow awareness of, or even challenge, the narratives we come to believe about the people and events in our lives? Ellie brings some live data for us to explore and reflect on.

If anyone knows overwhelm, it’s two recovering perfectionists. Join Chris and Ellie as they explore how to spot it, and accidentally discover they’ve engineered similar, effective ways to navigate feeling overloaded and under-resourced.

Let’s get to know the humans behind the voices, here on the podcast. In this episode we discover what Chris is all about - what he stands for and what he does. This time, Ellie hosts the interview.

Let’s get to know the humans behind the voices, here on the podcast. In this episode we discover what Ellie’s all about - what she stands for and what she does. Chris hosts this interview and the roles reverse next time.

Ellie has a furry new friend who’s teaching her about our relationship with movement and nature. Chris comes along for the ride as we explore how your nervous system behaves and reacts in different situations, the value of safety and connection, and why being more dog could enrich life for other, slightly less hairy, mammals with only two legs…

Last Saturday saw Chris and Ellie host a workshop about connection, play and vulnerability, in Leeds. We reflect on what happened, why the world needs more and how the workshop went down with participants. Found out more at chriskenworthy.co.uk/undefended

If you’re anything like us, something sets you off, then before you know it you’re marching on with doing something about it - fixing and solving. This impulsive (compulsive?) pattern has its benefits, as well as drawbacks. Join Ellie and Chris as they explore both.

With Ellie’s rewarding job coming to an end, and Chris on the hunt for coworking community, your hosts explore what it is to be part of something bigger, what that gives us and why it could just be a core need for every human.

Joy, freedom, love, play, peace, enough - whatever it is you crave with your whole body - why is it so hard to welcome more of it into our lives? Chris and Ellie explore what we put in the way of giving ourselves what we deeply desire, like self-sabotage, defences, comparison and stories.

Chris rants about setting yourself up for failure while Ellie brings the loving challenge, as your hosts explore bringing about change in life that’s in line with what you REALLY want.

Would you bathe in ice cold water in the middle of winter? Ellie and Chris did, as well as some breathwork beforehand. As part of their ongoing exploration of how people like us relate to the world and express through our bodies. We do another 'before and after' report on the experience - what it was like, and how we'd do things differently next time if you came with us.

Health scares, illness and neglect. It’s easy to forget you have a precious physical form that’s more than a brain taxi. In this episode, Ellie and Chris explore what life’s like when you aren’t in touch with your body, and how to get back into it.

What with it being Xmas, we though we’d lift your spirits with an exploration of what joy and contentment feels like, how it arrives, and how we might experience more of it - especially when, well, life happens.

Today we explore another fundamental (yet underserved) need we all share - to relate more closely to the people around us. And how lack of connection can affect our health and appetite for life. Ellie and Chris get clear about their own relationship too - live on air…

Ellie wants to talk boundaries today - how we protect our time and energy, physically and emotionally, from the onslaught of modern life. This one’s rich in insight, metaphors and catchphrases. Plus Chris almost spilt the beans on his love life; if it weren’t for Ellie’s deft and sensitive redirection - what a coach she is!

Anger is a force of nature - that compelling physical urge to act, challenge injustice or misunderstanding; it MUST be expressed. But how do you handle it? Because we all experience it in one way or another - usually bodily. Ellie and I explore our relationship with anger and how we process it. What’s your relationship with anger?

It's winter outside, but what if it's winter inside too. As in your body. Ellie and Chris take shelter in a forest somewhere in Buxton, to explore how mood, motivation and energy levels can change when it's time to go inward. WARNING: loud dog barking at the end of the episode.

Why would anyone want to plunge into ice-cold, murky ponds, for pleasure? Ellie and I describe what wild swimming is all about, the motivations and effects it has on our bodies and what you get from this increasingly popular hobby.

In the wake of Storm Babet, your two favourite coaches braved the elements for an essential immersive Co-Walk in the Peak District. On the way, we explored feeling overwhelmed - a state that can sneak up on us, and how we mitigate it.

Following their recent gong bath, Ellie and Chris explore what it means to feel 'grounded' (or not). And how to give yourself safety, comfort and relaxation amidst the stresses and burdens of real-life.

Chris and Ellie bang on about getting into your body in nature a lot. But what does that really mean, and how do you know if you aren't - NOT in your body. This episode might help you navigate your experience in how you relate to your surroundings and senses. And what happens when it all goes a bit wrong...

Ellie and Chris spend an entire night bathed in the sonorous, haunting din of gongs, in a village hall somewhere in Cheshire. Not your typical evening out for friends, yet this is our second bath after the first one had such a stirring effect on our bodies last year. It's hard to express what happens and how it feels, so we thought it'd be fun to let the results speak for themselves. We invite you to compare our before and after (the bath) states in two short conversations. Maybe you notice a shift. For more information on gong bath experiences look up 'Wellbeing Wave'.

My friend and fellow coach Ellie and I explore what goes on for us 'usually productive doers' when we're feeling under the weather. We talk about how to manage our energy levels, moods and motivation. How hard it can be slowing down, and why reflection and retreat isn't a frivolous luxury.

If you don't get out the house, are you a bit like a dog who hasn't been walked? Climbing the walls. Going out of your mind. If so, you could be like Ellie and I, for whom movement, nature and connection with other people is a necessity. Ellie is my friend and a fellow coach. Together we're running a series of immersive Co-Walking events to help people like us get a more rich and meaningful experience from retreat into nature, away from the seeming madness that is modern life.