The Mood Booster Podcast

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
A quick update from The Mood Booster Podcast. We’re taking a short break and pausing new episodes for a couple of weeks. We’ll be back in November with fresh episodes, and we can’t wait to be back in your ears.
Thank you for listening, sharing and being part of this community. It means more than we can say.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🎧 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭:
There’s a full back catalogue to catch up on, from the psychology of decision making to nature as therapy, men’s mental health and plenty of good news. Pick one you’ve missed, or revisit an old favourite.
🏃 The Monday Mood Booster Run Club carries on as normal, 5km in Hyde Park at 6.30pm every Monday.
🔔 Don’t forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow
📲 Follow us for more: 👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial
👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial
🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk
🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
⚠️ 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: This episode discusses depression, anxiety and suicide. Please listen with care, and if any of it feels close to home right now, it’s completely okay to pause, come back later, or listen with someone you trust. Samaritans are free to call any time on 116 123, you can text SHOUT to 85258, and CALM offers a free helpline from 5pm to midnight every day on 0800 58 58 58. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 999.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
Welcome back to The Mood Booster Podcast. This week Charlie and Dr Marcus talk about men’s mental health, why so many men struggle to talk about it, and what actually helps. It’s one of the most important conversations they’ve had on the show, and it’s only the start of a longer one. A quick note: we had audio problems this week, so the sound quality is lower than usual, but we didn’t want to miss this one.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🎧 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞:Charlie and Dr Marcus open with an honest check in about sleep, stress and a recent difficult stretch, before getting into why men’s mental health deserves more attention. They talk about a workshop with a university rugby club, how to read the data on men’s mental health carefully, and why men are less likely to reach out. They explore how outdated ideas of strength, control and being “the protector” keep men quiet, why anger is often a cover for other emotions, and why opening up helps the person you confide in as well as you. The conversation closes with practical tools for the “now what?” question, including journaling and giving your brain time to switch off.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🛠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞:Talking about it is the goal, but it helps to understand what you’re feeling first. Ask yourself why you feel the way you do, and write it down or record a voice note. When you notice anger, ask what’s underneath it. Give your mind unstructured time, like a walk without your phone, so it can process. Remember that telling someone you’re struggling is not a burden, it often helps them feel closer and less alone too. Being strong includes vulnerability, emotional intelligence and asking for help.
📍 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝: Introspection and Inspiration, Community and Connection, Wellbeing and Joy
🔔 Don’t forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow
📲 Follow us for more: 👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial
👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial
🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk
🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
Welcome back to The Mood Booster Podcast. This week Charlie and Dr Marcus are joined by their good friend Jay Hamley, a sustainability and ESG expert, for a conversation that completely reframes how we think about the state of the world. If climate anxiety or a sense of doom and gloom about the planet ever gets to you, this episode is a genuinely hopeful, fact based antidote.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🎧 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞:
Jay Hamley breaks down the real global challenges we're facing, from the nine planetary boundaries to the risks facing the UK's jet stream, before flipping the conversation entirely. Drawing on Hans Rosling's book Factfulness and Kate Raworth's doughnut economics model, Jay explains why our instinct to assume the world is only getting worse is often scientifically wrong, and shares genuinely surprising statistics on poverty, education and natural disaster deaths. The conversation covers negativity bias, why the news is built to make us feel worse than the facts justify, and closes with real, practical ways anyone can contribute to a more sustainable future, whatever their job or background.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🛠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞:
Before reacting to doom and gloom headlines, pause and check the actual data, the full picture is often more hopeful than the news suggests. Remember that small, consistent actions genuinely compound at scale, you don't need to do everything perfectly to make a difference. Look for ways to bring sustainability into your own job, whatever that job is, there's almost always a role to play. Protect your sense of hope, meaningful behaviour change requires believing that your actions actually matter.
📍 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝: Introspection and Inspiration, Presence and Gratitude
🔔 Don't forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow
📲 Follow us for more: 👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial 👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial 🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
Welcome back to The Mood Booster Podcast. A slightly unconventional one this week, recorded on a beach in Dorset with a couple of small audio cuts, so no video this time around. But the conversation itself is genuinely one of the best, all about the psychology of decision-making, why we make it so much harder than it needs to be, and why sitting on the fence is often more painful than actually choosing.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🎧 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞:
Charlie and Dr Marcus unpack why staying stuck on a decision can cause the exact outcome we're afraid of, picking the "wrong" choice, simply by never choosing at all. They explore the surprising psychology of having too much choice versus none at all, touch on free will versus determinism, and they also share a personal example of how a self-imposed daily rule, like a run streak, can take the deliberation out of a decision entirely. They also get into the trap of deliberating decisions before you even need to, and why committing fully to a choice, whatever it is, tends to matter more than which choice you actually make.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🛠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞:
Remember that not deciding is still a decision, and it often causes the very outcome you were trying to avoid. Don't deliberate a decision you haven't actually been asked to make yet, cross that bridge when you get there. Once you commit to a choice, stop relitigating the option you didn't take, it rarely exists the way you imagine it would have. Removing some of the perceived "freedom" in a decision, by setting a rule or a non-negotiable for yourself, can genuinely make choosing easier.
📍 Pillars Explored:
Presence and Gratitude, Introspection and Reflection, Wellbeing and Joy, Community and Connection
🔔 Don't forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow
📲 Follow us for more:
👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial 👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial 🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
Welcome back to The Mood Booster Podcast. This week Charlie and Dr Marcus sit down with Dr Georgina Gould, clinical lead at Dose of Nature, a charity that prescribes time in nature as an alternative to more traditional therapies like CBT. This is a genuinely fascinating one, covering the real science behind why nature heals us, right down to the bacteria in the soil.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🎧 In This Episode:
Dr Georgina Gould shares her journey from working as a counselling psychologist in NHS child and adolescent mental health services to leading Dose of Nature, a charity offering nature prescriptions as a genuine alternative to conventional therapy. She breaks down a recent randomised control trial with the London School of Economics, which found nature prescriptions made a clinically significant difference to participants' anxiety and mood. The conversation dives into the six active ingredients of nature, sunlight, fractal patterns, soil bacteria, phytoncides and more, including the fascinating science behind Japan's practice of forest bathing, before closing on cities, community, and how to realistically build nature into a busy London life.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🛠 Practical Advice:
Fifteen minutes outside is enough to start settling your nervous system, so a short break counts, it doesn't need to be a full day out. Try to get sunlight on your eyes and step outside before the busyness of the day takes over. Notice fractal patterns around you, clouds, leaves, waves, they genuinely help your brain relax while staying alert. You don't need to escape to the countryside permanently, small, intentional pockets of nature built into daily life can be just as powerful.
📍 Pillars Explored:
Presence and Gratitude, Introspection and Reflection, Wellbeing and Joy, Community and Connection
🔔 Don't forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow
📲 Follow us for more:
👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial 👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial 🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
Welcome back to The Mood Booster Podcast, episode 89. After such a positive response to our first good news round up, this is officially becoming a weekly feature. Recorded back in the studio after a chaotic week of failed recordings, Charlie and Dr Marcus cut through the noise of the news cycle to share what's actually been going right in the world and closer to home.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🎧 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞:Charlie and Dr Marcus share some genuinely brilliant good news this week, from glow worms returning to Yorkshire after more than a century, to turtle doves being successfully reintroduced to Hampshire. They cover early signs of recovery in the UK job market, Kate Middleton's National Three Peaks Challenge for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, and Andy Burnham running the Great North Run for charity. Dr Marcus also breaks down the psychology behind why actively looking for good news actually changes what your brain notices, through something called the reticular activating system.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🛠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞:Actively seek out good news rather than only consuming what the algorithm serves you, your brain will start noticing more of it the more you look. Protect your headspace, staying informed doesn't mean consuming negative media nonstop. Small everyday moments of community, like a barista who knows your order, count as genuine wins too. Notice where your own self talk shapes what you focus on, the same principle applies to more than just the news.
📍 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝: Introspection and Reflection, Community and Connection and Wellbeing and Joy
🔔 Don't forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow📲 Follow us for more: 👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial 👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial 🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
Welcome back to The Mood Booster Podcast, episode 88. This week is all about autumn, kicking off with a very nostalgic childhood hymn singalong, before getting into why so many of us rush straight past autumn into winter, or worse, straight into Halloween, without actually enjoying the season itself.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🎧 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞:
Charlie and Dr Marcus talk honestly about how autumn genuinely makes them feel, the good and the slightly apprehensive, before getting into the very real TikTok concept of "autumn erasure", the idea that we skip straight from summer into winter without giving autumn its due. They chat through Halloween plans, the return of seasonal food and drink, and why eating in line with the season is genuinely good for both your body and the planet. They also touch on barefoot shoes, toe spread, and the slightly trickier parts of moving out of flip flop season, before closing with some proper intention setting for the months ahead.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🛠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞:
Try eating seasonally where you can, look up what's naturally growing near you right now, it's better for your body and the environment. Give autumn its own moment rather than rushing straight into Halloween or winter mode. Set an intention for the season ahead, being intentional with who you want to be matters more than which season it is. A change in weather doesn't mean a dip in mood is inevitable, notice it and work with it.
📍 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝: Introspection and Reflection, Community and Connection and Wellbeing and Joy
🔔 Don't forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow📲 Follow us for more: 👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial 👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial 🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial

Welcome back to The Mood Booster Podcast, episode 87. This week is all about anonymity, sparked by Charlie's own recent run in with an anonymous troll online. The pair dig into why we act so differently when nobody can see who we are, when anonymity brings out the worst in people, and when it can actually be one of the most beautiful things about being human.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🎧 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞:Charlie opens up about being called names by a stranger online after a comment he made, sparking a wider conversation about what anonymity actually does to us. Dr Marcus breaks down the difference between anonymity, privacy and confidentiality, and why anonymity is such an important concept within fields like psychology, medicine and data protection. From there the conversation moves into the darker side of anonymity online, before flipping it entirely, exploring how anonymity can also be the thing that enables courage, honest confessions and whistleblowing. They land on one simple, powerful question, who are you when nobody's watching, and close with a heartfelt nod to Dolly Parton, whose enormous, often anonymous generosity became a perfect example of anonymity used for good.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🛠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞:Before commenting anonymously online, ask yourself if you'd say the same thing with your name attached, it's a useful gut check. Anonymity isn't inherently good or bad, notice whether you're using it to hide from accountability or to protect something genuinely vulnerable. Try asking yourself who you are and how you act when nobody's watching, that's often the truest measure of your character. Consider where a small, unseen act of generosity or honesty might do more good than a visible one.
📍 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝: Introspection and Reflection, Community and Connection and Wellbeing and Joy
🔔 Don't forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow📲 Follow us for more: 👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial 👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial 🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
Welcome back to The Mood Booster Podcast. This week is all about the psychology of assumptions, why our brains are wired to fill in the gaps, and what that costs us in our relationships, friendships and everyday interactions. Expect a fair bit of chaos along the way too, Charlie is nursing a rather dramatic swollen eyelid this week, so don't assume it's pink eye.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🎧 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞:
Charlie and Dr Marcus unpack why assumptions exist in the first place, our brains are wired to take cognitive shortcuts, and most of the time that serves us well. The conversation moves into what happens when it doesn't, missing information in relationships, jumping to conclusions with people we know well, and the age old idea of always assuming best intentions. They share a story from Dr Marcus' trip to Italy that shows just how easily we assume things that turn out not to be true at all, before landing on some genuinely useful, real world advice, from cycling safely in London to lessons learned in consultancy training about the power of simply asking the question instead of assuming the answer.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🛠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞:
Try to assume best intentions in other people by default, it saves a huge amount of unnecessary conflict. When you notice yourself filling in a gap with an assumption, pause and ask the question instead. In situations where safety is involved, like cycling in traffic, assuming the worst case can genuinely be the safer choice. Ask more, assume less, in relationships, at work, and in everyday interactions, communication really is the key.
📍 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝: Introspection and Reflection, Community and Connection and Wellbeing and Joy
🔔 Don't forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow📲 Follow us for more: 👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial 👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial 🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial

The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
Welcome back to The Mood Booster Podcast. This week is all about learning a language, sparked by our ongoing Spanish lessons and a trip to Italy that ended up testing Dr Marcus in a way he didn't expect. We get into why picking up a new language is so good for you, not just practically, but for your brain itself, and Dr Marcus breaks down the neuroscience behind it, from grey matter to the hippocampus.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ🎧 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞:Charlie shares how his weekly Spanish lessons made him appreciate just how much he'd absorbed when he was able to understand basic Italian on a recent trip, despite never studying it. The conversation moves into what actually makes a language stick, why understanding the theory and reasoning behind a language can matter as much as the vocabulary itself, and why simply asking more questions while learning speeds everything up. Dr Marcus then breaks down the neuroscience, what grey matter actually is, how the hippocampus is involved in learning a new language, and why multiple studies have found that people who speak more than one language develop measurably more of these brain connections.ˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍˍ
🛠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞: If you've always wanted to learn a language, start, even a single weekly lesson counts. Try attaching meaning and reasoning to what you learn rather than memorising by rote, it helps it stick. Practise little and often outside of lessons, even a short conversation with yourself, your dog, or a podcast in that language helps. Don't be afraid to ask why something works the way it does when you're learning, curiosity speeds up understanding.
And this goes beyond language, whatever you're trying to learn, sitting in that early discomfort of being a beginner again, getting things wrong, feeling slow, this is exactly where you should be! It's a sign that you're growing and expanding (growing pains). That discomfort is usually the exact thing that pays off later.
📍 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝: Introspection and Deliberation, Wellbeing and Joy, Community and Connection
🔔 Don't forget to follow and review, it really helps us grow📲 Follow us for more: 👉 Instagram: @themoodboosterofficial 👉 TikTok: @themoodboosterofficial 🌍 Website: www.themoodbooster.co.uk🎥 Prefer video? Watch this episode on YouTube @TheMoodBoosterOfficial