Another Way

Hello lovelies, and happy Bank Holiday Monday (if you're here in the UK).Wherever you are in the world, I hope your day includes at least a few cup-filling moments, whatever that means for you right now.In this week's Pep-Talk, I'm inviting you to dive into the juicy topic of productivity, unpacking what your relationship with productivity is and whether your understanding of what it takes to be productive is helping you to thrive or holding you back. But before we get onto that, I have an exciting announcement!…Time to Thrive LIVE - a 6 week course - starts 9th June!To celebrate the launch of my brand new journal Time to Thrive, I'm going to be running a 6 week Time to Thrive LIVE course so that we can do the journal together!It kicks off on 9th June and if you are a paid subscriber to Another Way, you'll be able to do the course for free!I'll be posting more information about this tomorrow, but for now get the date in your diary and pre-order the journal, so you'll have it in time for kick off on 9th June!Sign up to my newsletter to find out more about Time to Thrive LIVE - starts 9th June!

Hello lovelies,Happy Monday! Excitement levels are running very high here as I get ready to reveal the brand new Time to Thrive journal, in all her colourful glory TOMORROW! There will be a special pre-order offer running for two weeks, so be sure to look out for an email landing in your inbox TOMORROW MORNING!And in celebration of the imminent launch of Time to Thrive, I decided to dedicated today's Pep-Talk to giving you a run through of the Five Energy Zones that are at the heart of the journal.You'll learn:* What each of the five energy zones are* How you can tell when each of the energy zones is running on empty* What it feels like when each one is fully recharged* And how to keep each of them topped up and flowing throughout the day so that you can finally feel in control of your energy levels and set yourself free from the treadmill of grind and exhaustion that we can get so easily trapped onSo, if you're curious to find out what these five energy zones are all about and how they can help you reclaim your energy, hit play now!And then set your alarm for tomorrow 8am BST when an email from me will land in your inbox and Time to Thrive will be revealed!X SelinaP.S. If you want to be first to hear when Time to Thrive goes on sale tomorrow, make sure you are signed up to my newsletter! https://anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com/subscribe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com/subscribe

If you struggle with self-care - with knowing how to do it, having the time for it or the desire to actually do it - then you are not alone. I struggled with self-care for years. It felt like another thing on my to-do list. Another should. Another chore. And to the part of me that was driven, ambitious and purely interested in me getting the results I wanted, rest and self-care felt like a threat. Like I was slacking. Wasting time. Getting behind.And so for years I struggled with this internal battle. One part of me - a nurturing, nourishing side that longed for me to feel good and be full of vitality - wanted me to focus on looking after myself and practicing self-care. But another part of me - my drive and ambition - didn't give a damn about how I felt. It just wanted results. And that was the side that always won. And so for years I powered through, on coffee-fuelled late nights, cramming too much into my days, burning out on repeat. Until finally I stumbled upon the concept of managing your energy. And it changed everything. Suddenly my nurturing side and my drive and ambition were all on the same page. And ever since, they have been team mates that work together to help me both feel good and do my best work.So if you've ever felt like self-care just isn't made for you, then this episode is for you. I'm going to show you how to finally get your inner drive and ambition on board so that it will suddenly want to prioritise you looking after yourself. Every day. And with ease! So, hit play on the episode and let's dive in!x Selina This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com/subscribe

I ❤️ BURNOUT. Yes I do. And in this week's Pep-Talk I'm going to tell you why. And spoiler: it's not because I think it's a fun thing to go through - because it's definitely not. But because I think we are supposed to go through these big breakdowns, at least once in our lives, in order to grow and transform. Burnout is a powerful ring of fire and it often redirects people onto a different path in life. One where they end up feeling far happier, far more fulfilled and far more connected with themselves and the world around them.So if you're feeling burnt out right now or you've been through burnout in the past - this one's for you.Because while burnout is awful to go through when you're going through it, afterwards most people look back and realise it was the best thing that ever happened to them…Let's dive in and explore why!x SelinaEpisodes and books recommended in this episode:Falling Upward by Richard RohrThe Success Myth by Emma Gannon This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com/subscribe

Hello lovelies, The Another Way Monday Pep-Talks are back! And I'm kicking things off with a juicy deep dive into the topic of Burnout Archetypes. Do you know which yours is yet?If you missed it, last week I shared my free Burnout Archetypes Quiz to help you spot how you tend to behave when you head into overdrive (you can take the quiz here).

I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if I was going to bother doing my Work Quarterly Check-in this time round - I figured that with the ‘Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025' Quarterly Check-in and the Monthly Reflect and Plan session this coming Friday, that would be more than enough reflecting and planning.But I'm so glad I changed my mind and made the time to do it, because it ended up being a really powerful exercise that has left me feeling really proud of what I've achieved in these first three months of 2025 and super clear on my goals for the next three months.And so in today's Pep-Talk I'm going to guide you through this exercise, so that you can do it too!You can also download the Work: Quarterly Review worksheet hereHit play and let me know how you get on!x SelinaP.S. If you enjoyed this Work Quarterly Review then I think you'll love the Monthly ‘Reflect and Plan' Session this Friday This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com/subscribe

Hello lovelies, today's pep-talk comes to you from Argentina! I'm here with my mum (who is from here) visiting family - we were literally one of the last planes out of Heathrow on Thursday night! Very grateful we made it.My original plan was to record a fresh new Pep-talk about embracing chaos because at the time of recording this pep-talk I was knee deep in chaos. But in the end I decided that the best thing I could do for myself was to make my life easier and instead of adding ‘record fresh new pep-talk' to my list, I chose to share a pep-talk from the archives - one of the most popular ones, all about cutting back on energy weeds - the things that consume your time and drain your energy. Hit play and let's look at what energy suckers you might have in your life at the moment - and what experiments you can try this week to cut them back and reclaim your time and energy!X SelinaAnd if you'd like to come to my Quarterly Check-in Workshop this Thursday, 27th March at 7-8pm (not 1pm which I said in the Pep-talk - sorry!), all the details on how to join are below! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com/subscribe

Hey lovelies, Have you ever thought that to really enjoy life - or achieve your big dreams - you have to become some super-evolved, ultra-productive, green-juice-drinking, perfectly-balanced version of yourself?Well, I'm here to tell you: you don't.In today's pep talk, I'm diving into why you don't need a total life overhaul, a flawless routine, or some next-level personal transformation to actually love your life. You don't have to become someone else and you certainly don't have to be perfect.

Another Way is the club dedicated to helping you design your life and career so that you thrive! Sign up for a free or paid subscription!Hello, my loves, and welcome back to another Pep-Talk!Spring is finally very much here in London and it is making me very happy ☀️The other thing putting a big smile on my face is the new Project You journal that I'm working on: Time to Thrive. I am SO excited about it - it's coming out in May and I can't wait for you to get your hands on it. It is all about showing you how to become a master at managing your energy and creating your own bespoke toolkit to thriving so you can become the most energised person you know!And so, I decided to dedicate today's episode to a core part of managing your energy: Joyful Recovery.Recovery time to recharge our batteries is something we need to weave into our lives daily all the time, but particularly as we step into Spring - or we could find ourselves falling victim to Easter Exhaustion (yep, it's a thing)!So, hit play and find out why making space for recovery time in your life can be a total game changer and why it's important to make it joyful!Here is what to expect:00:00 Introduction and Spring Vibes00:25 Introducing Time to Thrive01:23 The Importance of Joyful Recovery03:21 Challenges to Rest and Recovery09:36 Joyful Recovery Techniques12:21 Evening and Weekend Recovery Ideas16:54 Final Thoughts and Coaching OffersAnd let me know what Joyful Recovery activities you're going to experiment with this week!See you in the comments!x SelinaInterested in how my coaching can help you bring about long-lasting change to your career or business, so that you start to thrive and love it?

Hello, my loves! Oh, it feels GOOD to be back with these Pep-talks. If you're new here - welcome! These weekly pep talks are short, snappy, and designed to give you a boost of inspiration, motivation, and practical tips to help you design a life and career you love.And if you missed my latest deep-dive episode on reframing menopause from fear to power with the brilliant Jo Fiddy - go and have a listen here! Now, onto today's Pep-talk!How to harness spring energy without burning outSpring is HERE. The skies are blue, the sun is shining, and suddenly, we're supposed to have boundless energy to launch all the things. And yes, I'm ALL for harnessing this fresh energy, BUT…let me give you a loving warning…After a decade of watching this pattern play out, I can tell you: Easter is peak burnout season. Everyone expects to feel revitalized, but in reality? We're crawling out of winter like a groggy bear emerging from hibernation.However, unlike that bear, we didn't get to actually hibernate. We worked. We juggled responsibilities. We navigated Christmas chaos. By the time spring rolls around, our energy reserves are low—but the world tells us to sprint.Not this time. Not you. Let's do things differently.Hit play on today's Pep-Talk to find out how.And come and let me know in the comments how you like to transition from Winter into Spring.x SelinaP.S. I'm aware I've sent you THREE emails in the past 3 days. I will take my own advice and calm down now

The Another Way podcast is BACK! And this time, it's here to stay! From now on, on the first Saturday of every month, you'll get to deep dive with me and a special guest, into a topic that will have you looking at life or work in another way. And every Monday you'll get a 15 minute Pep-Talk from me to help you kickstart your week with some inspiration, motivation and practical tips to help you design a life and career you love, one Monday at a time

As we step into the new year - whether you're leaping into it action and going after your dreams, or taking a Slowanuary approach to the start of the year - I wanted to give you a big dose of inspiration - something to remind you of the magic we hold as human beings, when we embrace wonder, play and possibility, to encourage you to use that magic this year.And who better to guide us in rediscovering that magic than the International Woman of Wonder herself, Tiu de Haan? Tiu is a ritual designer, creative facilitator, and idea doula who has worked with an incredible range of clients over the past 20 years - from Google and the UN to L'Oréal and the Ministry of Justice. Her work involves creating transformative rituals and experiences that help people play, get creative, and shift their perspectives in profound ways.But today, we're diving into a story that even Tiu, someone who lives and breathes magic, wonder and transformation, describes as one of the most extraordinary, life-changing experience she's ever had…On the 24th May 2024, Tiu was immersed in a 36 hour transformational experience that had been created by 15 strangers who had spent months studying her, interviewing her, her friends and family so that they could create a unique and transformational experience solely for her - an experience so personal that no one else, not even the creators, witnessed it in its entirety. When Tiu first told me about it, I was amazed and baffled in equal measure. How incredible for fifteen strangers to dedicate so much time to creating a one day transformative experience for someone they didn't even know, when they weren't even getting paid for it. But why did they do it? And most important of all, what happened during those 36 hours, because Tiu really did come back profoundly changed by the experience. And so she suggested we hit record and she share every detail of this remarkable journey. And so that is what we did.In this episode we explore:* What Odyssey Works is all about and why they go around getting strangers to spend months creating a one-off experience for an audience of one. Free of charge.* How Tiu got picked to be that audience of one and why she wanted to do it.* How the experience unfolded step by step—and how it utterly transformed Tiu's life.This is the longest episode I have ever put out into the world, but I didn't want to cut it down because every moment of this story needed to be told. Plus I figured, as we ease ourselves gently into a new year, why not immerse ourselves into a long juicy conversation about the power of collaboration, creativity, play, transformation, wonder and giving? So, without further ado, here's my conversation with the extraordinary Tiu de Haan. Enjoy - and don't forget to check the show notes for links to everything we discuss, including The Odyssey, Tiu's work, and the powerful track by VLMV.Let's dive in!x SelinaP.S. YES, this does mean that the Another Way podcast is coming back!!! It's kicking off properly in February, so watch this space…and in the meantime, make sure you are subscribed!Show notesYou can find out more about Odyssey Works hereDiscover the world of Tiu de Haan and all the magic she has to offerBooks about Odyssey Works and Experience DesignArticle in the New York Times about the Odyssey Tiu worked onHere is the track ‘There Are Mountains Underneath Us' by VLMVAnd here are some photos from the day itself, as well as the the planning sessions in the months beforehand.Photo credits: Ayden LeRoux, Anna Nalpatidis, Casey Selden, This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com/subscribe

In this final episode of series #1 of Another Way I'm talking with..err…well, me! Yes, I'm flying solo for this episode because I wanted to talk about the topic that I have dedicated the past two decades to: how to create a career you love, particularly when the traditional world of work doesn't work for you. And if you think you might be one of those people, then trust me, you are not alone. Staggering numbers of people are miserable at work, either because they don't enjoy what they do or because they are working at such an unsustainable pace that they are burning out from it. In a recent global study by Gallop, it was found that unhappiness at work as it an all time high with two thirds of people feeling miserable and stressed out at work. And while these statistics break my heart to see, they don't surprise me. The traditional way of working simply does not work for the vast majority of us. I learnt very quickly that it absolutely didn't work for me and so I had to find another way. And twenty years on I can hand on heart say I love my work and my career.So if you're feeling stuck on a treadmill of daily grind and exhaustion and miserable in your work, then this episode of Another Way is for you. I dive deep into the topic of how to create a career you love when the traditional world of work doesn't work for you.And this is my final episode in this first series of Another Way. I have LOVED creating this and I will definitely be back for more. In the meantime, make sure you are signed up to my Substack newsletter (now also called Another Way) to find out what exciting things I have in store for you next.And if you feel ready to find a way of working that really works for you and you'd like me to help you figure out what that work is (and how to make the change), then come and check out my Coaching programmes and book yourself in for a Discovery call with me. x Selina This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com

This episode of Another Way is a particularly special one. It's with my incredible friend Cordelia Taylor who has, in the past five years, since she was diagnosed with brain cancer and given 18 months to live, taught me so much about how to embrace life, how to savour every moment and the incredible power of sisterhood.We have been holding sister circles together for more than six years. It has changed both of our lives and Cordelia is passionate about encouraging women to tap into the power of sisterhood, because it is hands down one of the most powerful sources of love and support that has held her up through her cancer journey.So when a few months ago Cordelia got the devastating news that she only has a few months left to live, we decided it was time to record this podcast episode so that she can share her powerful message of why tapping into sisterhood and the power of sister circles is something she wants all women to try, in particular women going through cancer. And so here is Cordelia's episode, dedicated to her daughter, Loli.And you can now download the guide to sister circles that I promised to make to go with it. And I also ended up creating a web page for Cordelia to share her sisterhood mission with women going through cancer, to encourage them to start up their own sister circles and you get to see beautiful testimonials by the women in her incredible cancer tribe about the difference sisterhood has made to them.VISIT YOURCANCERTRIBE.COM

Ooh you are in for a treat this week, because we are diving deep into exploring another way of living with none other than the legendary - one of the leading guides of our time.If you don't know Donna, then you just wait - she is the wisest of souls. Fearne Cotton agrees with me and calls her ‘the wisest woman I know' and Emma Watson says ‘she has helped shape the woman I have become'.Donna is a therapist, coach and Elder in training who has been working with individuals, couples and groups for over 30 years. She was co-founder of the Bridge Retreat - the power of which is captured beautifully in the documentary Love(d) and author of the book The Bridge as well as Wise Words for Women.In this episode we dive deep down, right from the start, into a big juicy conversation about life - exploring what Donna means when she talks about the patriarchal trance and how to wake up from it. She explains what Phase 1, 2 and 3 of life are and why so many of us remain stuck in Phase 1 of life. And we explore what it means to become an Elder and how finding your own Elders can be the key to helping you transition into Phase 2 of life where true joy, peace and love are found.Told you we go deep!And if you want more of Donna (which I guarantee you will after this episode), these are the three main links for you to get started with:Website: Deepening Into LifeInstagram: @donnalancsDonna's newsletter on Substack - sign up here for freeNow sit back and enjoy this episode!x Selina

If you or anyone you know is struggling in their relationship then this podcast episode is for you.In fact, even if you're not struggling in a relationship right now, but you want to enjoy a long-lasting nourishing relationship, full of love and intimacy, then this episode is also for you.Because this week we dive deep into the topic of relationships with my special guest, the amazing Relationship Coach, Matthew Pruen.I first came across Matthew's work three years ago when I attended a Hoffman Relationship Workshop, run by him and his wife Emma. That weekend workshop was absolutely life changing for me and ever since then, any time a friend or client has been struggling in their relationship, I've sent them to Matthew and they've all had equally life changing experiences with him.There is noone I know who shows us another way of approaching love and relationships quite like Matthew and so I was over the moon when he said yes to coming on the podcast.We explore why so many people seem to be struggling when it comes to relationships, how the Romantic Mythology that dominates our modern-day take on love is setting us up for disappointment in our relationships, why we can get stuck in power struggles for years and what it really takes to create a long-lasting relationship full of trust, love and intimacy.This episode is so rich with wisdom, powerful insights and practical advice from Matthew. I came away from it having had yet more ‘aha' moments about relationships and where I was getting sucked back into that Romantic Mythology. I can't wait to hear what you get from it.And if you want to find out more about working with Matthew or Emma visit:matthewpruen.comemmapruen.comretreat.fr This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com

Are you a woman who works too much? Are you fed up with feeling over-stretched, exhausted and trapped on a treadmill of never-ending to-do lists?Then this episode of Another Way is dedicated to you and all the women out there who find themselves working too much.I'm joined by transformational coach, speaker and author, Tamu Thomas, , who is on a mission to show women that there IS another way with her brand new book ‘Women Who Work Too Much'. Join us as we unpack why so many women are working too, what's really keep us stuck in a cycle of toxic productivity and what we can do to finally set ourselves free and start designing our lives so that we thrive.I cannot recommend Tamu's book more - ‘Women Who Work Too Much' is out now.And hit up these links to follow Tamu and find out how you can work with her. BUY Women Who Work Too MuchVISIT LiveThreeSixty to find out how you can work with TamuFOLLOW Tamu here on instagramSUBSCRIBE to her newsletter on SubstackAs with every episode, I give you a coaching exercise to try at the end. Here is the one from today's episode, inspired by the conversation with Tamu and designed to help you identify what changes you can make in your life right now, that will free you up and have you working less and enjoying life more. Step 1: Write down the work activities that make up your day. Start with the work you have to do each day or each week at home. And then write down the activities you have to do each day or each week at work.Step 2: Read back through the list you've just written, marking the activities that you enjoy doing with a heart and the activities that you either don't enjoy doing, or you find you're doing too much with a cross. Step 3: Go one by one through the activities that you marked with a cross and for each one, ask yourself how you could take this activity off your plate so you no longer have to do it at all, how you could get help with it if you can't take it off your plate completely, or how you can make it easier or more enjoyable for yourself (I give examples in the episode).Step 4: Write down a list of activities that fill up your cup, that recharge your batteries and bring you joy. The simple stuff that you can do day to day, everything from having a hot bath to going for a bike ride, to meeting up with friends, to having an early night with a great book.Step 5: Open up your calendar and book in three of those things over the next seven days, setting a reminder alarm on your phone if you need it.If you enjoyed today's episode, please follow and leave a review! And if you're ready to learn how to work less and enjoy your life more, come and check out my Coaching Programmes and how they can help you bring about change in your life and career.x Selina This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anotherwaywithselinabarker.substack.com

Welcome to…Another Way!My brand new podcast where I explore and unpack the collective narratives and limiting beliefs that seem to be keeping so many of us trapped on a treadmill of daily grind and exhaustion and stopping us from living the lives we really want to be living. Over the next six episodes I'll be joined by an amazing line-up of guests who are each dedicated to shining a light on the collective narratives that are keeping us stuck, showing us that there is another way and how we can each break free from the traditional beliefs that are holding us back, so that we can finally start to thrive.And I cannot wait for you to hear this first episode, where we'll be diving into the topic of SUCCESS - exploring how our traditional beliefs around success can be the very thing keeping us trapped on that treadmill of daily grind and exhaustion.To help us explore this juicy topic and how to finally break free from our obsession with achievement, I am joined by the amazing Emma Gannon, Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction author, award-winning novelist & creator of popular newsletter The Hyphen.Emma's latest book, The Success Myth, has been taking the world by storm and is now, officially, one of my favourite books of all time (if you haven't already got a copy, treat yourself to one today!)It is such a powerful book and one that I honestly believe everyone needs to read, because whether you realise it or not we are all deeply entrenched in beliefs around success that are keeping us trapped and holding us back from living the lives we really want to be living. And in today's episode you'll start to unpack your own beliefs around success, to see which ones might have been holding you back and how to choose new measures of success that will actually help you to thrive.So, hit play and let's dive in!Questions to explore:When you were growing up how did you view success? What were you raised to believe success looked like? What did a successful person look like to you?  What did they have? What had they achieved?  Where did these images of success come from?How do you think that impacted on you growing up? What did it make you think you should be, that you should have, that you should do in life?  Did it have an impact on the choices you made?  Is it still having an impact on you today? Do you compare yourself to those measures of success? And in particular, have you ever found yourself falling short and feeling bad because you haven't achieved that kind of success?  If you were given permission to create a whole new set of rules for what success looks like in our society, what would those measures of success be?  This year, for me, success looks like………………………… (fill in the blank) Have a go and let me know how you get on!And then I'll see you back here next week for the next episode in the series with Tamu Thomas, author of Women Who Work Too Much.See you then!X SelinaP.S. If you enjoy this episode then please would you leave me a review on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Reviews make such a big difference and it would absolutely make my day