What a Pathologist Can Teach Us About Living Well

In this episode of Rest and Recreation, Michael Millward talks with Florida-based pathologist Sabine O'Laughlin about life, death, health, habits, family influences, and the choices we make every day.

Following the death of her mother at a young age, Sabine became fascinated by understanding mortality and eventually pursued a career in pathology. What she discovered surprised her: the more she studied death, the more interested she became in helping people understand how to live.

Together, Michael and Sabine explore:

• How experiences of grief can shape our lives and decisions
• What a pathologist learns about how people really live
• Why many of us unknowingly race towards poor health and lost potential
• The hidden influence of family systems and social pressures
• Breaking free from habits, addictions, and self-defeating patterns
• The difference between belonging and being controlled by expectations
• Why curiosity is the starting point for personal growth
• How understanding death can help us make better life choices
• The concept of the "Race to the Morgue" and choosing a more intentional path through life

Sabine also discusses her podcasts, Death Audit and Ancestral Autopsy, where she explores how habits, family influences, and unconscious patterns can affect our health, happiness, and ability to fulfil our potential.

This conversation offers a fresh perspective on personal development, wellbeing, self-awareness, and the choices that shape both the quality and length of our lives. If you've ever wondered how to live with greater purpose, curiosity, and freedom, this episode will give you plenty to think about.

SEO Keywords

Work-Life Balance, Personal Development, Health and Wellbeing, Pathology, Sabine O'Laughlin, Grief, Family Systems, Curiosity, Behaviour Change, Lifestyle Choices, Mortality, Self-Awareness, Personal Growth, Healthy Living, Mental Wellbeing, Death Audit, Ancestral Autopsy, Health Habits, Rest and Recreation Podcast.

Discover more at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – at trade prices as a member of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test of 29 different health markers from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace.

After hospital standard tests you get easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Telecoms – VisitThree for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

What does it mean to dance to your own rhythm?

Richard Blank tells host Michael Millward how he left Philadelphia for Costa Rica, built a successful call centre business, the Costa Rica Call Center Company embraced entrepreneurship, and learned to live life on his own terms. A thought-provoking conversation about success, purpose, resilience, leadership, and work-life balance.

Richard shares how his love of the Spanish language led him from Philadelphia to Costa Rica, where he built a successful business, embraced entrepreneurship, and created a life that feels more like a Saturday than a Monday. Along the way, they discuss confidence, resilience, customer service, human connection in the age of AI, and why success is about more than money.

Together, Michael and Richard explore:

• How following your interests can open unexpected career opportunities
• Why success begins with being true to yourself
• The importance of taking calculated risks and embracing uncertainty
• Building confidence, resilience, and self-reliance
• What Richard learned from leaving the United States and starting again from scratch in Costa Rica
• Leadership, customer service, and the future of human communication in an age of AI
• Why empathy remains one of the most valuable business skills
• The role of human connection in customer experience and call centre operations
• Learning from failure, setbacks, and life's toughest lessons
• Creating a personal version of success rather than living according to someone else's expectations

The conversation also explores Richard's passion for collecting and restoring vintage jukeboxes, pinball machines, and arcade games, proving that work-life balance is about making room for the things that bring you joy.

Discover more at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – at trade prices as a member of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test of 29 different health markers from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace.

After hospital standard tests you get easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Telecoms – VisitThree for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

Keywords

Work-Life Balance, Personal Development, Career Success, Entrepreneurship, Richard Blank, Costa Rica, Leadership, Customer Service, Call Centre Management, Communication Skills, Human Connection, Confidence, Resilience, Authentic Living, Personal Growth, Purpose, Motivation, Life Lessons, Business Leadership, Customer Experience, AI and Communication, Work and Life Balance, Rest and Recreation Podcast.

Can gratitude, meditation, and self-discovery help you find happiness during life's most difficult moments?

In this episode of Rest and Recreation, host Michael Millward speaks with happiness expert, author, and speaker Terri Lynn Murphy about her remarkable personal journey from loss and emotional pain to purpose, fulfilment, and lasting happiness.

Following a painful divorce and years of separation from her young children, Terri Lynn developed daily practices of gratitude, mindfulness, and mental resilience that helped her navigate the challenges of her life. Those experiences inspired her bestselling book, Journey to My Soul: Following Divine Navigation.

Michael and Terri discuss:

• How gratitude can transform your mindset during difficult times
• The connection between happiness, positive psychology, and success
• Meditation, mindfulness, and personal growth
• Overcoming fear, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs
• Finding purpose through adversity
• The importance of living authentically rather than seeking external approval
• Why experiences matter more than possessions
• Spirituality, self-discovery, and inner peace
• How writing and reflection can support emotional healing
• Practical ways to cultivate happiness every day

Terri also shares the profound experiences that inspired her writing, her insights into human potential, and why she believes that true happiness comes from understanding yourself, embracing gratitude, and nurturing your mind, body, and soul.

This episode offers thought-provoking insights and practical inspiration for personal development, positive psychology, mindfulness, spiritual growth, resilience, or simply living a happier and more meaningful life.

Keywords

Happiness, Gratitude, Positive Psychology, Mindfulness, Meditation, Personal Development, Self-Discovery, Emotional Resilience, Mental Wellbeing, Spiritual Growth, Purpose, Authentic Living, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Personal Transformation, Life Lessons, Inspirational Stories, Journey to My Soul, Terri Lynn Murphy, Rest and Recreation Podcast.

Discover more at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – at trade prices as a member of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test of 29 different health markers from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace.

After hospital standard tests you get easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Telecoms – VisitThree for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

In this insightful episode of Rest and Recreation, host Michael Millward speaks with Washington State-based psychologist Alisa Murray about how to organise your life better, reduce overwhelm, and build routines that actually work.

Alisa specialises in ADHD, executive function challenges, and high‑sensitivity personality traits, and she shares practical, compassionate strategies for improving focus, planning, and emotional wellbeing.

Together, Michael and Alisa explore:

• What ADHD really means; and why it’s not about being unable to pay attention
• Executive functioning skills and why so many adults struggle with planning, prioritising, and follow‑through
• Bullet journaling as a flexible life‑management tool
• How reflection habits (WIN journaling: What worked, Improvements, Next steps) reduce overwhelm
• Why digital tools can make us feel more stressed, not more organised
• The role of mindfulness, curiosity, and self‑compassion in personal growth
• How to set goals you actually achieve, without shame or perfectionism

Alisa also shares how journaling can become a personalised blend of planner, scrapbook, and reflective space — helping you reconnect with your priorities, track progress, and build healthier routines.

Whether you’re managing ADHD, feeling stuck, or simply want to organise your life more intentionally, this conversation offers practical tools, gentle encouragement, and real‑world strategies you can start using today.

Keywords for SEO (naturally integrated):

ADHD, executive function, bullet journaling, life organisation, productivity tools, mindfulness, self‑reflection, overwhelm, planning routines, psychology, high sensitivity, personal development, mental wellbeing, habit building, goal setting.

Discover more at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.s

How to Manage Money to Finance the Life You Want

Host Michael Millward meets Wealth Planning Expert Dominic Baldwin to explore the important, yet misunderstood parts of work‑life balance: managing money so that it supports the life you want to live.

Dominic, has spent 35 years helping families make confident, values‑driven financial decisions. He founded Xentum, to address the financial management lessons learnt from his late father’s experience and provide financial advice that focuses on creating wealth to facilitate the life that matters to you and your family”.

Key Themes

• Why traditional financial advice often fails families
• How commission‑driven models created decades of poor decision‑making.
• The importance of values‑based financial planning
• How families can identify their true priorities, from health and security to travel, philanthropy, and personal growth.
• Why passive, low‑cost investing often outperforms active management
• How removing conflicts of interest leads to better long‑term outcomes
• How wealth planning gives families confidence to live richly, not die wealthy
• How planning to “run out of money at 100” can be a liberating strategy.

Dominic also explains why

• He works with families rather than individuals
• Vulnerability is essential to good planning
• Understanding family dynamics is more important than understanding investment markets.

Why Listen?

If you want to improve your financial wellbeing, make better decisions, or simply understand how money can support a more meaningful life, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and practical wisdom. It will help you rethink wealth, rethink priorities, and rethink what a financially confident future could look like.

Discover more about Dominic and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

A milestone is reached

Episode 100 of Rest and Recreation is a milestone celebration and a reflective journey through the themes that have shaped the podcast — work–life balance, identity, creativity, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and personal agency.

In this special episode, host Michael Millward revisits the most powerful conversations from past guests, including insights on stress responses, redefining ambition, intercultural identity, hobbies for wellbeing, trauma‑informed healing, LGBTQ+ perspectives, retirement transitions, and living an aligned life.

Listeners will discover how rest and recreation can enhance wellbeing, support personal growth, strengthen relationships, and create a healthier balance between work and life. Whether you're exploring new hobbies, navigating career change, healing emotionally, or redefining your identity, this episode offers meaningful reflections and practical inspiration.

Keywords:work–life balance, rest and recreation, wellbeing, personal growth, identity, creativity, hobbies, emotional healing, relationships, career change, retirement, podcast reflection, milestone episode.

Discover more about Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

I must write my story… and in writing my story, I will also be sharing part of my mother’s.

Host Michael Millward has a thought-provoking conversation with author, leadership coach, and former Meta leader Ingrid Hu Dahl about her powerful memoir Sun Shining on Morning Snow.

Drawing on deeply personal experiences, Ingrid explores themes of identity, loss, grief, intercultural heritage, and living boldly across three generations of women.

Listeners are invited into an intimate conversation that spans Ingrid’s Chinese and Scandinavian roots, her mother’s pioneering in AI in the 1970s, her grandmother’s escape from revolution‑era China, and Ingrid’s own path through rebellion, creativity, queer identity, and leadership.

Michael and Ingrid unpack:

• How grief can spark profound self‑reflection and healing
• The pressure of identity tied to career, and what happens when that unravels
• The complexity of growing up between cultures — and refusing to fit into prescribed “cages”
• The realities of sexism and dehumanisation in the music industry
• The courage required to live authentically as a queer woman
• The importance of reconnecting with parents and understanding their untold stories

This episode is rich with emotional insight, cultural depth, and leadership wisdom, all grounded in Ingrid’s fierce commitment to truth, curiosity, and personal transformation. As she says, “We have choices that we can make and beliefs can be changed.”

Whether you’re interested in memoirs, leadership development, work‑life balance, intercultural identity, or personal growth, this conversation will inspire you to reflect, rethink, and reconnect

Discover more about Ingrid and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

A Month Living in the Lake District

Joanne Brook‑Smith, founder and editor‑in‑chief of Crave Magazine, joins Michael Millward to share what it’s really like to spend an entire month living and working in the Lake District. Drawing on her background in journalism and lifestyle writing, Joanne talks candidly about how she started Crave during the pandemic from her kitchen table, before diving into the realities of her Lake District escape.

Across the episode, Joanne paints a vivid picture of life in the South Lakes: early‑morning writing sessions, afternoons spent wild swimming in jewel like fairy pools of turquoise crystal-clear water, and discovering natural water slides, paddle‑boarding spots, and quiet walking routes far from the tourist crowds.

Joanne also shares an insider’s guide to the region’s food scene highlighting Michelin‑starred dining at the Gilpin, panoramic lunches at Linthwaite House, and the foodie haven of Cartmel where sticky toffee pudding was invented.

This episode blends lifestyle inspiration, travel insight, and practical tips for navigating the Lake District during peak season. Whether you’re planning a visit, dreaming of a slower pace of life, or simply curious about how a lifestyle editor unwinds, Joanne’s month‑long adventure offers a refreshing, thoughtful perspective on work‑life balance.

Discover more about Joanne and Michael at Abeceder.co.uk

Audience Offers

Rest and Recreation is made on Zencastr, because it is so easy to use. Visit Zencastr.

Travel – within your means at the trade prices available to members of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Health – The Annual Health Test from York Test is conducted by an experienced phlebotomist at your home or workplace. Hospital standard tests for 39 health markers.

A Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and guidance for effective lifestyle changes anytime.

Visit York Test and use this discount code REST25.

Tech Problems? – Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Be a Guest Visit Matchmaker.fm. Use code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

Thank you to you for listening.

We appreciate every like, download, and subscription.

Keywords: Lake District living, Crave Magazine, Joanne Brook‑Smith, wild swimming, Cartmel sticky toffee pudding, Gilpin Hotel, Linthwaite House, lifestyle journalism, work‑life balance, Cumbria travel, South Lakes, Haven holiday home, UK staycations, outdoor lifestyle, food and travel podcast.