Two years ago, when I sat down to record the trailer for the Create Your Kindspace podcast, I never could have imagined just how profound an experience podcasting would become, exploring wellbeing, kindness, business, entrepreneurship, tech and the diverse ways people contribute to creating Kindspace’s (either for themselves of for others). As I prepare to celebrate the podcast’s second anniversary, I’ve been reflecting deeply on the incredible conversations and the wisdom shared by my amazing guests. Here’s what two years of podcasting has taught me.
Growth Through Adversity and Taking Action
One of the most powerful themes that has emerged repeatedly over the past two years is how adversity shapes us and the courage required to take action, especially during challenging times. From overcoming bereavement and illness to navigating career pivots and life’s unexpected turns, each guest has beautifully illustrated resilience.
Gemma Burns encapsulated this perfectly:
“There’ll be tough things that you’ve gone through. Some people absolutely get thrown more than their fair share. Life is shit sometimes it really is. And it’s not fair. And sometimes it’s just finding what it is that we need to do to survive through certain elements, but then to actually grow from it. There’s so much opportunity there to take even difficult times in our lives and turn it into something useful.”
Reflecting on these conversations has helped me understand that true transformation isn’t always about massive leaps. Often, it’s the smaller steps, as Catherine Ann Reid advises:
“If you’re at A, how do you get to B? So not thinking about how do I get to Z, but how do I get to B? What is that next step?”
The Power of Community, Connection, and Safe Spaces
A second recurring theme has been the importance of building supportive communities and creating spaces where people can connect authentically. Over and over again, guests have highlighted how community is essential not just for overcoming isolation, but also for encouraging growth and wellbeing.
Holly Clark, founder of Blooming Mind, shared a poignant perspective:
“We must create a community and the world as a whole is able to reach in and support people rather than expecting them to reach out.”
Similarly, Dr Clara Doran’s experience of writing her memoir after joining a writers’ course shows the profound power of community:
“I did the course and met some incredible people through it. And again, the support from those people just was the thing that made the difference. That kind of motivated me to keep going.”
These conversations have shaped my understanding of how we can, and why we should, lean on one another more. That still doesn’t make it an easy thing to do though.
Embracing Creativity and Variety
Creativity emerged repeatedly as a pillar of wellbeing. Many guests shared how exploring different forms of creativity or trying new things has had an enormous positive impact on their lives.
Neil Bebber reinforced this, advocating for a say ‘yes’ mindset:
“In terms of sort of writing, what I’ve realised through, to make a career in writing, you have to say yes to everything. That works for me. It might not work necessarily for other people, but if somebody calls me and asks me if I could create a script for a new AR exhibition stand or something like that, then I say yes. If somebody asks me if I can write a multiple-choice audio play, I say yes. If somebody asks me if I can write a short story to help people sleep, or a screenplay, or a radio play, I say yes. So what that does, it means that I’m constantly learning. My day job never gets boring.”
And while I might not have realised it when I started, podcasting itself has been exactly this kind of creative outlet for me. It has shown me firsthand that you don’t have to follow anyone else’s rules or achieve perfection to create something meaningful.
Reflections and Gratitude
Reflecting on these two years, I see podcasting as a beautifully complex jigsaw puzzle. Initially, each episode felt distinct and separate, but now, I can see how every conversation connects, creating a richer, fuller picture. Each guest unknowingly has built upon the advice of another, creating a collective narrative that is wonderfully coherent.
One significant lesson has been the persistent reminder to be kinder, to ourselves and to each other. This theme, best captured by Siobhan Jaffray, continues to resonate deeply:
“You can’t hate yourself into a better position. I think with a lot of people, we know what we should be eating, we know we should be having five pieces of fruits and veg a day, eating plenty of protein, staying hydrated. A lot of people don’t need someone telling them what to eat, but what they do need is to start practicing a bit of self-love, gratitude, and just self-belief in themselves as well that they can do something.”
I’ve witnessed this kindness not just in the stories my guests have shared but in the supportive community we’ve built around the podcast. Each story and piece of advice has reinforced the importance of compassion and resilience.
As we move towards our two-year celebration episode, I’m filled with gratitude for everyone who has shared their wisdom, vulnerabilities, and kindness. If there’s one thing I hope you take away from these reflections, it’s this: your journey is unique, valuable, and worthy of kindness. Keep embracing creativity, creating connections, and taking steps forward, no matter how small they seem.
To hear more from my past guests and my reflections on our conversations over the last two years, you can also listen to my musings on the latest episode of the podcast: https://createyourkindspace.com/two-years-of-podcasting-celebrating-kindness-in-conversation/
Next month officially marks two years since I published the trailer to launch the show, and I’d love to celebrate with a special episode highlighting all the ways my guests and you, my wonderful listeners, create your Kindspace.
Whether your Kindspace is something you’ve always enjoyed or a recent discovery, please share your stories with me. Perhaps you’ve tried something new after listening to an episode? I’d also love to see your pictures. Maybe you have a favourite cosy spot at home, love Munro bagging, enjoying live music, or spending time with family. Connect with me on LinkedIn at Caroline Laurenson or message me on social media @createyourkindspace (except X…I deleted that account!). I’d be delighted to hear from you. How do you create your Kindspace?