In this Season Three bonus episode, host Sarah Cunningham speaks with prominent political strategist, journalist, author, broadcaster and mental health campaigner, Alastair Campbell. Alastair is perhaps best known for his role in the historic 1997 UK election result which saw Tony Blair come to power, for his role as Director of Communications and Strategy throughout Blair’s time in office, and more recently as co-host of the hit podcast ‘The Rest is Politics’.

In the years following his time in government, Alastair has been increasingly open about his struggles with his own mental health. In this episode he speaks candidly about his experience with depression and alcoholism, revealing the actionable tips and tools he implements to cope with these challenges, as well as highlighting the continued benefit he also gets from medication and therapy.

Sarah and Alastair also unpack the current barriers to putting wellbeing first in public policy, with Alastair sharing his unique insight into the inner workings of the UK political system to suggest a hopeful way forward.

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Content Warning: This is a heartfelt discussion that goes to some emotionally difficult places, and there’s also the occasional strong word. Help and support is available from the links below.

Mind | Samaritans | Befrienders

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We are all Working on our Wellbeing daily, but not everyone has access to the latest cutting-edge research into the science of wellbeing … until now. From our home at the World Wellbeing Movement, within the University of Oxford, we have created the Working on Wellbeing podcast so that you can be a fly on the wall during our conversations with the world’s leading wellbeing experts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the Working on Wellbeing podcast, we’re joined by two inspiring changemakers motivating us to prioritise movement and embrace community for our physical and mental wellbeing, whatever our ability or preferred way of moving.

Our first guest, Kayla Jeter, is former professional athlete turned wellness strategist, athlete mental health coach and digital creator. Kayla is a passionate advocate for both mental and physical wellbeing, and an influential voice for diversity and inclusion in sport. She’s the founder of ‘100 Miles of Summer’ - a grassroots movement, empowering communities of women to come together to walk, jog, run, or wheel 100 miles each summer. In her own words, the goal is movement for a lifetime - and that starts with just getting up and out.

Alongside Kayla is Anne Wintroub, Head of Social Impact + Engagement at lululemon. As a technical athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories company, lululemon are obvious advocates for physical health, but their work goes much further than that. They embody an inclusive approach to health and wellbeing through their social impact focus. Anne leads important work in corporate philanthropy, supporting community-driven initiatives that expand access to the resources and opportunities that foster wellbeing, particularly for those navigating systemic barriers.

From grassroots movement challenges like '100 Miles of Summer' that encourage participation across all abilities, to programs like the 'Girls Opportunity Alliance' that empower girls and women to access sports and education, and even pioneering research into women’s health and athletic endurance through initiatives like 'FURTHER' - learn how lululemon, its partners, and ambassadors are taking serious action to improve global mental health and wellbeing – one step at a time.

Tune in now and learn how you can get moving with your community today!

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We are all Working on our Wellbeing daily, but not everyone has access to the latest cutting-edge research into the science of wellbeing … until now. From our home at the World Wellbeing Movement, within the University of Oxford, we have created the Working on Wellbeing podcast so that you can be a fly on the wall during our conversations with the world’s leading wellbeing experts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The things that you like best, and value most in your life, already reflect - at a gut level - what makes your life meaningful.”

That is a key message from Prof Michael F Steger, a renowned expert in positive psychology and a global authority on the science of meaning, shared right at the start of this episode of the Working on Wellbeing podcast.

We may experience meaning differently from one another, and even differently from one day to the next in our own lives, yet each person’s unique experience of meaning is, according to today’s expert, valid. And interestingly, despite this variation, research has revealed patterns and phenomena that can help us to better understand how people connect with a sense of meaning in life.

In this episode, Prof Steger - Director and Founder of the Center for Meaning and Purpose at Colorado State University - joins our host, Sarah Cunningham, to explore how people come to understand, create, and sustain meaning in their lives and work. Drawing on insights from his impressive body of research, he explains that there are three key elements that underpin our sense of meaning: significance, coherence, and purpose.

Michael brings these ideas to life with relatable examples for each component and suggests important ways that businesses can help employees pursue truly purpose-driven and meaningful work.

If you're interested in what makes life feel worthwhile, and how this connects to our wellbeing both in and out of work, you won’t want to miss this conversation!

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We are all Working on our Wellbeing daily, but not everyone has access to the latest cutting-edge research into the science of wellbeing … until now. From our home at the World Wellbeing Movement, within the University of Oxford, we have created the Working on Wellbeing podcast so that you can be a fly on the wall during our conversations with the world’s leading wellbeing experts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.