The Mood Booster Podcast

Does Losing Someone Ever Get Easier? | How To Cope with Grief | Friday Focus | TMBP 
The Home of Wellbeing and Joy 
Welcome to Episode 53 of The Mood Booster Podcast, Friday Focus. In this shorter, science-based episode, we turn Monday’s reflections on grief into evidence-based advice to help you find stability, understanding, and compassion during bereavement. 
Today we explore one central question: does losing someone ever get easier? Drawing on grief psychology, attachment theory, and modern bereavement research, we break down what is happening in the mind and nervous system after the death of a loved one. 
We discuss why grief comes in waves, why there is no universal timeline, and why feeling “okay” some days and devastated the next does not mean you are grieving incorrectly. 
Using the Dual Process Model of grief, we explain why healthy grieving often involves oscillating between confronting the loss and rebuilding life. We also explore meaning reconstruction and continuing bonds, and why moving forward does not mean moving on. 
This episode also covers what can unintentionally make grief harder, including suppression, isolation, comparison, and trying to rush healing. 
🎧 In this episode, we explore 
What grief is in psychology 
Attachment and loss theory 
Why grief comes in waves 
The Dual Process Model explained 
Loss oriented vs restoration-oriented coping 
Meaning reconstruction and continuing bonds 
Why you do not have to “move on” 
Avoidance, suppression, and emotional control 
Practical tools to cope with grief 
🛠 Practical Tools to Cope with Grief 
Name the wave instead of fearing it 
Use grounding techniques during emotional spikes 
Plan small windows to process grief intentionally 
Ask for specific support from others 
Protect sleep and nourishment 
Create rituals to maintain connection 
This episode is not about eliminating grief. It is about understanding it, working with it, and learning how to carry love differently over time. 
📍 Pillars Explored Community and Connection, Introspection and Reflection, Wellbeing and Joy, Presence and Gratitude 
📞 Samaritans 116123 
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Reflecting on: The Death of a Loved One | Grief, Loss & Healing | The Mood Booster Podcast | TMBP 
The Home of Wellbeing and Joy 
Welcome to Episode 52 of The Mood Booster Podcast. In this episode, we reflect openly and honestly on the death of a loved one and what grief really feels like in the aftermath of loss. 
Charlie shares his experience of losing his nanna last year, and Marcus opens up about losing his dad and the impact that grief has had on him personally and professionally, including speaking recently on a live panel about bereavement. 
This is a deeply personal and emotional conversation about grief, mourning, love, and what happens after someone we care about dies. We speak about the shock, the waves, the physical symptoms, the guilt, the numbness, and the strange ways grief can show up when life continues moving around you. 
We explore what it means to live with loss, how memories shift over time, and why grief is not something to “get over” but something to integrate. This episode is reflective, vulnerable, and human. 
If you are grieving, have lost someone, or want to better understand the emotional reality of bereavement, this conversation is for you. 
🎧 In this episode, we reflect on 
Losing a parent and losing a grandparent 
What grief feels like physically and emotionally 
The early aftermath of bereavement 
Waves of sadness, numbness, anger and guilt 
The role of memory and storytelling in grief 
Why grief is not linear 
Speaking publicly about loss 
Carrying love forward after death 
This episode is about honouring love, validating pain, and reminding anyone grieving that there is no right way to mourn someone who mattered. 
📍 Pillars Explored Community and Connection, Introspection and Reflection, Wellbeing and Joy, Presence and Gratitude 
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The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
Welcome to Episode 51 of The Mood Booster Podcast, Friday Focus. In this episode, we break down how to overcome fear using evidence based psychology, behavioural science, and practical tools you can use immediately.
If you have ever wondered why fear feels so powerful, why anxiety sticks around, or why avoidance makes things worse, this episode explains the four psychological mechanisms that keep fear alive, and how to overcome them.
Building on Monday’s reflections about free diving, public speaking, and performance nerves, this episode turns lived experience into science backed advice. We explore fear psychology, exposure theory, self efficacy, cognitive reappraisal, and acceptance based models to show what actually shrinks fear over time.
Fear is not just about danger. It is maintained by:• Avoidance behaviours• Low perceived capability• Threat interpretation• Overcontrol of internal experience
This episode explains how fear grows through negative reinforcement, how self efficacy changes anxiety, how reappraising arousal improves performance, and why trying to suppress fear often makes it stronger.
If you struggle with fear of failure, public speaking anxiety, interview nerves, relationship anxiety, or performance pressure, this episode gives you the psychological tools to respond differently.
🎧 In this episode, we explore
• Why avoidance strengthens fear long term• Behavioural learning theory and exposure science• Albert Bandura’s self efficacy theory• How belief in your ability to cope reduces anxiety• Challenge versus threat states in performance research• Cognitive reappraisal and emotion regulation• Ironic process theory and why suppression backfires• Acceptance based models from Steven C. Hayes• Why mastering fear is about competence, not elimination
🛠 Practical Tools To Reduce Fear
• Stay slightly longer than you want to• Build small mastery wins• Reframe nerves as activation or readiness• Focus on coping rather than eliminating fear
Fear does not disappear because you want it to. It decreases when your brain learns you can handle it.
This is not about becoming fearless. It is about becoming capable with fear.
📍 Pillars ExploredIntrospection and Inspiration, Wellbeing and Joy, Community and Connection
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How to overcome fear | Mastering fear and anxiety | Reflecting on fear and courage | The Mood Booster Podcast
The Home of Wellbeing and Joy
Welcome to Episode 50 of The Mood Booster Podcast. In this episode, we reflect on fear, anxiety, bravery, and what it really means to master fear rather than avoid it. If you’ve ever wondered how to overcome fear, why fear feels so intense, or how anxiety can actually improve performance, this conversation is for you.
Fear is not weakness. Fear is biology. Fear is philosophy. Fear is growth.
Charlie shares his early experiences with fear of public speaking and performance anxiety in drama. Dr Marcus reflects on confronting fear through freediving, enclosed spaces, and heights, and what it taught him about working with fear instead of fighting it.
We explore where fear comes from:• Is fear evolutionary or learned?• What role does the amygdala play in generating fear?• Why does our body feel out of control when we’re anxious?• Can fear actually enhance performance rather than sabotage it?
We also unpack the philosophy of fear. Drawing on Aristotle, we explore the idea that bravery is not the absence of fear but the ability to act well despite it. Courage sits between recklessness and avoidance.
This is a reflective, honest conversation about anxiety, fear of failure, fear of judgement, performance nerves, and how mastering fear can lead to growth.
🎧 In this episode, we reflect on
• What fear actually is from a psychological perspective• The neurobiology of fear and the role of the amygdala• Fear of public speaking and performance anxiety• Exposure to fear through freediving and heights• Physical symptoms of anxiety and what they mean• Fear versus bravery in philosophy• Why avoiding fear keeps it stronger• How mastering fear builds courage
This episode is about reframing fear as a signal, not a stop sign. Fear does not mean you are incapable. It often means you are expanding.
📍 Pillars ExploredIntrospection and Inspiration, Wellbeing and Joy, Community and Connection
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The Home of Wellbeing and Joy 
In this Friday Focus episode, we take Monday’s reflections on networking and turn them into clear psychological understanding, research grounded insight, and practical tools for building an authentic social network that supports wellbeing and growth. 
We begin by clarifying what authentic networking really is. Rather than being strategic, transactional, or pitch led, authentic networking is value aligned, curiosity driven, long term, and human. It prioritises connection over extraction and relationships over immediate return. 
Drawing on Self Determination Theory, we explore why authentic networking feels better and works better. Humans thrive when their needs for autonomy, competence, and connection are met. Authentic networking supports all three, while transactional networking often undermines them by encouraging performance, self-monitoring, and pressure. 
We then ground this in research. We discuss evidence showing that networking is associated with higher salary growth and career satisfaction over time, but also research demonstrating that the quality, authenticity, and supportiveness of social networks are strongly linked to life satisfaction and happiness.  
This episode is about understanding why how you network matters just as much as who you network with, and why approaching relationships with honesty and curiosity is not only more ethical, but more effective. 
🛠 Practical Advice for Listeners 
Show interest in values rather than labels
Follow curiosity instead of usefulness
Think long term rather than immediate return
Be honest about who you are and who you are not
Give without keeping score 
This episode is about shifting networking from something draining and performative into something grounded, meaningful, and genuinely joyful. 
📍 Pillars Explored Community and Connection, Introspection and Inspiration, Wellbeing and Joy, Presence and Gratitude 
📚 References Cited in This Episode 
Huang, K., Yeomans, M., Brooks, A. W., Minson, J., & Gino, F. (2017). It doesn’t hurt to ask: Question-asking increases liking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 430–452. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000097  
Huang, X., Western, M., Bian, Y., Li, Y., Côté, R., & Huang, Y. (2018). Social Networks and Subjective Wellbeing in Australia: New Evidence from a National Survey. Sociology, 53(2), 401–421. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038518760211  
Park, Y., Bailey, E. R., & Kuwabara, K. (2024). Why does it feel so fake? Overcoming authenticity challenges in professional networking. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 18(12). https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.70027  
Rossignac-Milon, M., Pillemer, J., Bailey, E. R., Horton, C. B., Jr, & Iyengar, S. S. (2024). Just be real with me: Perceived partner authenticity promotes relationship initiation via shared reality. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 180, 104306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2023.104306  
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness. Guilford Publications.  
Wolff, H., & Moser, K. (2009). Effects of networking on career success: A longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(1), 196–206. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0013350 
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The Home of Wellbeing and Joy 
Welcome to Episode 48 of The Mood Booster Podcast. In this episode, we slow things down and reflect openly on our lived experiences of networking, connection, and the relationships that have shaped our personal and professional lives. 
We talk honestly about our own networks, times when they felt strong, times when they felt thin or transactional, and how our relationship with networking has changed over time. We reflect on whether networking is something you consciously build or something that grows naturally through curiosity, listening, and shared values. 
Charlie reflects on moments where networking felt uncomfortable or performative, and how shifting towards genuine interest and long-term connection changed the way he approached people. Dr Marcus reflects on how many of his most meaningful opportunities did not come from strategic networking, but from listening well, showing up consistently, and allowing relationships to develop without pressure. 
Together, we explore what makes networking feel authentic. We talk about the difference between transactional and relational approaches, why listening often matters more than speaking, and how curiosity, presence, and shared humanity tend to build stronger connections than pitching or self-branding. 
This episode is a reflective, grounding conversation for anyone who feels awkward about networking, worries they are doing it wrong, or wants to build relationships that feel meaningful rather than exhausting. 
🎧 In this episode, we reflect on 
Our own experiences of building and maintaining networks
When networking feels genuine versus performative
Listening as a foundation for authentic connection
Why curiosity matters more than usefulness
Transactional networking versus relational networking
How shared values strengthen long term connections
Letting go of pressure and trusting relationships to unfold 
This episode is about reframing networking as connection, not performance. About people, not outcomes. And about recognising that the most powerful networks are often built quietly, over time, through being human first. 
📍 Pillars Explored Community and Connection, Introspection and Reflection, Wellbeing and Joy, Presence and Gratitude 
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Friday Focus: How to Improve Your Attention Span | The Attention Myth Explained | The Mood Booster Podcast | TMBP 
The Home of Wellbeing and Joy 
Welcome to Episode 55 of The Mood Booster Podcast. In this Friday Focus episode, we turn Monday’s reflections into evidence-based advice to help you find joy in your every day. 
Earlier this week, we questioned whether our attention spans are actually shrinking. Today, we go deeper. 
We open with the popular claim that humans now have a shorter attention span than a goldfish and examine what the research really says. A 2024 meta analytical study across 32 countries and more than 21,000 participants suggests attentional performance has not universally declined between 1990 and 2021, aligning with broader cognitive trends associated with the Flynn effect. 
We also explore the argument that the concept of an “average attention span” may be flawed. Attention is task dependent. Sustained attention, selective attention, executive control, and divided attention operate differently depending on context. 
So if our brains are not deteriorating, why does it feel harder to focus? 
We discuss how modern life competes aggressively for our attention. Increased cognitive load, variable reward digital platforms, and constant task switching norms shape the way distraction shows up in everyday life. 
Instead of asking what is wrong with our brains, we ask what is constantly competing for them. 
This episode reframes attention as something that is not broken, but pulled. 
🎧 In this episode, we explore: 
The myth of the shrinking attention span 
The Flynn effect and what it means for focus 
Why “average attention span” may be misleading 
Sustained attention versus divided attention 
The impact of task switching and digital design 
Why distraction feels worse even if capacity is stable 
Attention management instead of willpower 
Practical strategies to protect and train focus 
This episode is about reclaiming your presence, strengthening your awareness, and designing your environment so your attention works for you rather than against you. 
📚 References Cited in This Episode 
- Andrzejewski, D., Zeilinger, E. L., & Pietschnig, J. (2023). Is there a Flynn effect for attention? Cross-temporal meta-analytical evidence for better test performance (1990–2021). Personality and Individual Differences, 216, 112417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112417  
- Flynn, J. R. (2012). Are we getting smarter?: Rising IQ in the twenty-first century. Cambridge University Press. 
- Maybin, S. (2017, March 10). Busting the attention span myth. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38896790 
📍 Pillars Explored Introspection and Reflection, Wellbeing and Joy, Presence and Gratitude 
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The Home of Wellbeing and Joy 
Welcome to Episode 47 of The Mood Booster Podcast. In this episode, we take Monday’s reflections on imposter syndrome and turn them into clear psychological understanding, research grounded insight, and practical tools you can use. 
We begin by breaking down what imposter syndrome actually is. It is not a clinical diagnosis, but a common psychological experience first described by Clance and Imes, where capable people struggle to internalise success and fear being exposed as a fraud. We explore why this experience is especially common during career transitions, academic progression, and periods of increased visibility or evaluation. 
Drawing on psychological theory and large scale research, we discuss why imposter syndrome is more closely linked to perfectionism, fear of evaluation, social comparison, high personal standards, and belonging uncertainty than simple lack of confidence. 
We also explore why imposter syndrome shows up more often in high performing individuals, how attribution styles differ across genders, and why social conditioning plays a role in how success and failure are interpreted. 
This episode is about understanding imposter syndrome so that it stops controlling your decisions and your confidence. 
🛠 Practical Advice for Listeners 
Name imposter thoughts instead of personalising them 
Track evidence of competence rather than feelings alone 
Normalise imposter syndrome through open conversation 
Focus on action rather than waiting for confidence 
This episode is about taking back power from imposter syndrome and allowing yourself to keep showing up, even when doubt is present. 
📍 Pillars Explored Introspection and Inspiration, Wellbeing and Joy 
📚 References Cited in This Episode 
Bravata, D. M., Watts, S. A., Keefer, A. L., Madhusudhan, D. K., Taylor, K. T., Clark, D. M., Nelson, R. S., Cokley, K. O., & Hagg, H. K. (2019). Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(4), 1252–1275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-05364-1  
Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy, 15(3), 241–247. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086006  
Feingold, A. (1994). Gender differences in personality: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 116(3), 429–456. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.116.3.429  
Price, P. C., Holcomb, B., & Payne, M. B. (2024). Gender differences in impostor phenomenon: A meta-analytic review. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 7, 100155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100155 
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46: Reflecting on Imposter Syndrome 
The Home of Wellbeing and Joy 
Welcome to Episode 46 of The Mood Booster Podcast. In this episode, we slow things down and reflect openly on our lived experiences of imposter syndrome and what it feels like to doubt yourself even when you are capable, qualified, and showing up. 
Charlie reflects on feeling imposter syndrome very recently while leading our live workshop, questioning whether he was qualified enough to be in the room and worrying about being exposed as not knowing enough. Dr Marcus shares how imposter syndrome followed him throughout his MSc and PhD, appearing even in environments where he objectively belonged and had earned his place. 
Together, we explore where imposter syndrome might come from, including low self worth, perfectionism, comparison, and the pressure to live up to internal and external expectations. We talk about why it often appears during moments of growth and visibility, rather than failure, and how it can quietly shape the way we speak to ourselves. 
This episode also includes a reflective exercise where we ask what might change if we spoke to ourselves the way we would speak to a close friend who was doubting their worth. 
This is an honest, validating, and human conversation for anyone who feels like they do not quite belong, even when they do. 
🎧 In this episode, we reflect on 
Experiencing imposter syndrome during moments of growth 
Feeling undeserving of success or opportunity 
Low self worth, perfectionism, and comparison 
Imposter syndrome in academic and professional spaces 
The gap between competence and confidence 
How self talk shapes our sense of belonging 
This episode is about normalising doubt, reducing self criticism, and recognising that feeling like an imposter does not mean you are one. 
📍 Pillars Explored Introspection and Inspiration, Presence and Gratitude, Wellbeing and Joy 
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The Home of Wellbeing and Joy 
Welcome to Episode 45 of The Mood Booster Podcast. In this episode, we explore the emotional reality of student hood in 2025. Recorded with Josh Robinson, founder of the London Student Network, at King’s College London’s Entrepreneur Institute, this conversation focuses on identity, belonging, pressure, and wellbeing during one of the most intense life transitions. 
Studentship is often framed around grades and productivity, but for many it is a period of identity formation, uncertainty, loneliness, and comparison. Drawing on UK research showing rising levels of stress and loneliness among students, particularly in London, we unpack why so many students feel they should be thriving while quietly struggling. 
Using psychology and lived experience, we explore emerging adulthood, social identity, and the pressure to have life figured out too early. We discuss loneliness in dense cities, the impact of constant change on belonging, and the pressures created by academic expectations, career anxiety, cost of living stress, and comparison culture. 
This is a grounding and validating episode for anyone navigating university feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or stuck between surviving and thriving. 
🎧 In this episode, we reflect on 
Student hood as a period of identity transition
Emerging adulthood and why uncertainty is normal
Social identity, comparison, and belonging
Loneliness in London and the density paradox
The impact of transience on friendships
Academic pressure, perfectionism, and fear of failure
Career anxiety and cost of living stress
Finding balance between control and flexibility
Small, repeat connections that protect wellbeing 
🛠 Practical Advice for Listeners 
Build micro communities through small repeat interactions
Lower the pressure to define yourself too quickly
Use grounding practices during periods of overwhelm
Reframe identity as flexible and evolving
Seek belonging through consistency rather than intensity
Borrow support rather than pushing through alone 
This episode is about normalising uncertainty, reducing self blame, and reminding students that thriving does not mean having everything figured out. Sometimes it means staying connected, staying curious, and staying kind to yourself. 
📍 Pillars Explored Community and Connection, Introspection and Inspiration, Wellbeing and Joy 
📚 References Cited in This Episode 
None LOL! 
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