Ep.63 Beyond Resolutions: Crafting a Year of Courage, Space and Transformation

What if the traditional "new year, new you" mantra is holding you back rather than propelling you forward? Join me, Zoe, as I make a bold claim: it's time to awaken your rebel spirit for 2025 instead. In this episode of the Mischief Movement podcast, I reflect on the past year, sharing how experiences such as leading a workshop at a women's adventure motorbike festival and guesting on the "She Who Dares Wins" podcast helped me step outside my comfort zone. We’ll explore the delicate balance of "nailing it" versus "failing it," celebrating triumphs like maintaining regular exercise while openly acknowledging areas like coaching that could use more focus. I’ll also touch on my mini burnout, highlighting the vital need for pauses in our relentless pursuit of goals.

Together, we'll explore the power of choosing a guiding word over traditional resolutions, creating transformative spaces in our physical environments and mental landscapes. The Mischief Movement Manifesto comes to life with its 13 guiding principles, aiming to inspire self-leadership and bold action throughout the year. This episode invites you to consider where you need more space in your life, urging you to act courageously and live unapologetically.

Chapters

• 0:00 Mischief Movement Manifesto and Reflections
• 11:51 Designing Life With Intention and Courage
• 22:58 Embracing Mischief and Rebellion

Transcript

Zoe Greenhalf: 0:00

It's not one of these new year, new you kind of things. Right, we don't need a new you, we need a you who feels alive. Hey there, welcome, or welcome back to the Mischief Movement podcast. I'm Zoe, your guide on this journey to shake up the status quo and design a life that truly makes you feel alive. If you've ever felt disconnected, stuck on autopilot or trapped in a life that feels more like a treadmill than an adventure, you're in the right place. I know that change can feel scary, so let's turn down the fear and crank up the fierce as we transform your life from the inside out. Whether it's solo episodes packed with actionable advice or interviews with some absolute badass human beings who've dared to defy the norm by living life their way, we're here to inspire, activate, empower and challenge you each week. My mission is simple To help you reawaken your rebel spirit, break free from mediocrity and design a life that's anything but dull. You only get one wildlife, so what are you planning to do with yours? If you're ready to stop settling, start living boldly and create a positive impact along the way, let's dive in and stir up some mischief together. Now buckle up and let's go. So hey, mischief makers, and welcome to another series of the Mischief Movement podcast. I'm excited to be back and I have to confess this is actually my second time recording this episode, because I listened back to the one I did last night and I could just hear the tiredness in my voice. I don't know what was wrong with me yesterday. I was just tired and it just had zero energy and I thought I cannot start off a new series, a new year. Get you guys motivated. Talking like that it was awful, so ready for round two. I'm a lot more awake. It's earlier in the day and today I want to talk a little bit about sort of reflecting on 2024 and setting ourselves up for 2025, but without that kind of traditional oh, let's do some reflecting and some goal setting kind of stuff, because you know this is mischief and and we do things differently around here. Um, so first up, let's just cut straight to the chase and say it's not one of these new year, new you kind of things. Right, we don't need a new you, we need a you who feels alive. That's what we need. So I hope that this episode is going to set you up for that.

Zoe Greenhalf: 2:43

Yeah, as I said, we are flipping the script a little bit on reflecting on 2024. So there's a little bit of boldness, a bit of rebellion, maybe even a plot twist or two, and I also want to introduce you guys to the Mischief Movement Manifesto, which is something that I wrote towards the end of last year and haven't really shared it anywhere. So I've created it to be a little bit of a kind of a guiding document, I suppose, yeah, like a set of mischievous principles that I'm going to build everything around or we are going to build everything around. So, spoiler alert, my word for 2025 is space. So we're going to be talking a little bit mental clarity, physical minimalism and holding space for creativity and connection. And one more thing I'm planning to experiment and explore Substack this year, so you can stay tuned for the details, but for now, let's dive into a little bit of 2024, reflecting Right. So it's not going to be a boring checklist of wins and losses.

Zoe Greenhalf: 3:47

I just want you to think about a sort of highlight reel of mischief and meaningful moments. What were the standout things last year? And it wanted to be about what went right and what went wrong, but what did you do and what things made you feel most alive? Because for me, it wasn't about playing it safe. It was about leaning into that discomfort, challenging the norms and saying yes to adventures. That scared me a little bit. So, um, off the top of my head, I can think about delivering a workshop, a self-development workshop, which I did at Camp VC um, which is the women's adventure motorbike festival that I'm always raving about in Wales each summer. So I delivered a workshop. Um, that was slightly scary but really fun. And um also being a guest on the She Who Dares Wins podcast with Michelle Hands, my amazing friend, who's doing all kinds of awesome things with her podcast. So please give it a listen and a follow. But yeah, it was a bit challenging for me to jump into a kind of studio set and be filmed at the same time, so that was slightly out of my comfort zone but definitely definitely a highlight.

Zoe Greenhalf: 5:03

Another way that I've sort of looked at my year is in terms of where I nailed it and where I failed it. All right, it is a bit of a cheeky spin on what went right and what went wrong, but it sounds better and I feel like I nailed it on the exercise front because I joined The She Collective and I got back into exercising regularly and I felt so good for doing it. Where I failed it, I didn't do quite as much coaching as I wanted to do last year, and I think it's mainly because I was just prioritizing things like podcast and I also launched my line of merchandise last year, so that was kind of fun and I got a little bit sidetracked really. I don't know, maybe it's that shiny object syndrome, but anyway, this year is going to be more focused on coaching and mentoring side of things. I suppose one of the things that I had to overcome last year was like a bit of a mini burnout really, because I got to just before the summer and literally all my time was going on the podcast and the social media to support the podcast and managing it all just got a little bit too much and so I took a break and then I found it really hard to come back.

Zoe Greenhalf: 6:25

Um, so my first episode from last season was all about the power of pausing and I got a little bit vulnerable on that episode. You know, um, it takes a lot sometimes to share what's going on behind the scenes. Um, but as Brené Brown says in her book Daring Greatly, "vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change. And I would also add connection, because when we all get a little bit vulnerable, it helps to foster that sense of connection, because you see, at the end of the day, that we're all human beings and we're all facing the same problems. Um, I was listening to a great talk last week by um, this american guy called ed mylet, um, and he was talking about the fact that, uh, sometimes we feel like we're not qualified to talk on things because of our imperfections. But it's those imperfections, it's those fears, it's those mistakes we've made, it's those imperfections, it's those fears, it's those mistakes we've made, it's all the little things that we perceive to be putting people off that actually give us that authority and qualifies to be able to talk to them in the first place. So it kind of feeds into that whole vulnerability thing.

Zoe Greenhalf: 7:43

Reflecting on the past year, I can see how moments of vulnerability whether that's launching something new, connecting or admitting I needed help were the exact moments where growth happened. So think about your 2024 through this lens. What risks did you take, what made you feel alive and how can you carry those lessons into 2025? In case you haven't heard, you can now purchase Mischief Movement merch. It's all done through Teemill, a UK print-on-demand platform offering global delivery, organic cotton and production powered by renewable energy. Not only can you now tell everyone you are a true mischief maker, but if you feel inspired to create your own t-shirts, stickers or mugs, you could also give Teemill a try, because it's a great way to experiment your ideas and take fast action with low risk. You'll find the links in the show notes, so write yourself a little reminder for later. And let's get back to the episode.

Zoe Greenhalf: 8:57

All right, we're into the new year and I'm taking a page from Jesse Itzler's playbook here. So he has a method that I love, which is all around taking a really big calendar and laying out your, your main objectives for the year. You plan it all out and you get it on the calendar, because once it's on the calendar, you're more likely to do it. So he adds six mini adventures, one misogi challenge which I'll explain what that is and he introduces four new habits every year. So the six mini adventures um, you plan them in sort of every eight weeks and they are normally something that's stepping outside the daily grind, something that you wouldn't normally do. Um, it doesn't have to be anything huge, just something to kind of shake things up and maybe create some memories. So for me, I want them to be about play and curiosity and maybe, yeah, like adventures. So, for example, I might take a spontaneous road trip I'm pretty keen on attending a festival this year or I might try something completely new and random like a surf camp. I don't know, I'm still planning them all out, but festivals up there and maybe a road trip.

Zoe Greenhalf: 10:17

The one Misogi challenge right, right, this is the big one. So misogi is an ancient japanese tradition where you take on an epic challenge that's 50 likely to fail, but in the process of doing so, it transforms you. So my misogi for 2025 I'm still deciding, um, but it will definitely be something bold, probably outdoors and a little bit scary, and it could actually involve a motorbike. So, uh, yeah, I'll keep you posted on that one, um, yeah, the other thing is the four new habits. So he tends to introduce one every quarter and they are kind of aligning your daily life with your bigger vision. So one of mine is going to be to. It sounds really boring, but I'm going to be taking some supplements and I just have to remember to take them daily. Another one is going to be keeping up with my exercise. I want to be able to do that three times a week minimum, and I'd quite like to introduce like a proper bedtime routine, because I'm not very good at winding down in the evenings. Maybe do my journaling in the evenings for a little bit more mental clarity and sort of you know, creating that space, and then, finally, we'll be building in some non-negotiable time for connection and play. So what about you? What's your version of mini adventures, a transformative Misogi or some small habits that can lead to big shifts?

Zoe Greenhalf: 11:51

Now, I did mention that my word for 2025 is space. So here's what that means for me. I don't do resolutions I haven't done any for probably about 20 years because I always used to break them but I quite like this idea of choosing a word. In the past I've had words like fun, unapologetic, dare, and, yeah, this year it's space. So I'm talking about physical space, like decluttering my environment to remove distractions and create room, because I don't know if it's, you know, because I'm creative or just just disorganized, but I I cannot work in an environment that's a mess. Um, it's so distracting and just doesn't really allow me to think properly. So the first thing I did in January was tidy up my office space and made it a lot cleaner and clearer. So I can you know, hopefully do my best work Mental space, so stepping back from the noise both digital and mental to allow ideas and creativity to flow.

Zoe Greenhalf: 12:57

I just I find that I don't do that enough. That's things like I'm on social media more than I would like to be, I'm filling my head with stuff and I just can't find the space sometimes. So, I don't know, maybe that's you, maybe this year you want to set some boundaries in terms of how much time you spend on social media. I just want to create some space from like the digital world as well, and then the other one is like holding space. So this is a huge part of my coaching work creating intentional, safe spaces for transformation. So it's not like about emptiness, it's about intentionality, it's about letting go of, um what no longer serves you and welcoming in the new stuff, um. So, yeah, here's a challenge for you. Where do you need more space in your life? Physically, is it mentally, is it emotionally? Um, you could reflect on that as you set your intentions for the new year as well.

Zoe Greenhalf: 13:55

So I couldn't kick off a new series without mentioning the whole mischief movement again. I think it's really important actually to sort of like reconnect with what I'm building. I think it's really important to mention that at its core. I always talk about rebelling against the ordinary, but it's also about embracing this sense of self-leadership and leadership for change, because the world doesn't change because people play small. It changes when people reawaken their rebel spirit and channel it into bold, meaningful action, whether that's just starting something new, whether it's speaking out or just living unapologetically, true to yourself, like it really does matter. Courage is contagious. So when you show up fully, you inspire others to do the same. So this year, let's all try and step into that role as change makers, starting with our own lives. Is there one bold thing that you're planning to do this year? Because if there is, please share it with me. I would love to hear about it Now.

Zoe Greenhalf: 14:58

I feel like the Mischief Movement's mission. You know it's inspiring adventurous souls to break free from the ordinary. It's about unleashing full potential and boldly designing a life that feels alive, connected and unapologetically. Your own Mischief is the spark of possibility that lives inside you. This is how I see it anyway. It's that unique blend of playfulness, courage, creativity and curiosity that fuels your joy and drives you to disrupt the status quo. So it's not just your potential, it's the essence of who you are when you're fully alive, boldly experimenting and bringing your ideas to life. Mischief is the act of embracing your inner rebel, trusting your instincts and making a positive impact by daring to dream differently and act courageously.

Zoe Greenhalf: 15:55

I think that if you're listening to this right now, you could be a creative, adventurous, quietly unconventional soul who feels stuck in a life that doesn't fit. Maybe you've played by the rules, maybe you've chased those sensible careers and suppressed your wild ideas or prioritized others needs, but now you're feeling a bit restless, a little bit unfulfilled and secretly afraid that maybe you've missed your chance to shine deep down. I think that you're dreaming of living boldly, rediscovering your spark and building a life full of freedom, passion and purpose. And if that is you, I would love to help you break free from that fear and that self-doubt and that weight of expectation and empower you to tap into your full potential, to reawaken that rebel spirit I keep talking about and design a life that feels completely yours. That is what I want to do this year, like all of that which I've tried to capture with my manifesto, so I'm just going to share it with you, see if it resonates. So there's 13 points on this manifesto, which I know some of you might think is a bit unlucky, but personally I love the number 13. Somebody told me once that 13 is actually historically a really lucky number, so I love that.

Zoe Greenhalf: 17:22

Anyway, here we go. Number one unleash your inner rebel, channel your rebel spirit to shatter limits and unlock your full potential. That's the biggie right. Number two design with purpose. Create your life with intention, embracing freedom, choice and the audacity to live life on your own terms.

Zoe Greenhalf: 17:41

Three dare to be bold. Step into fear, face it head on and take bold, unapologetic action. Four Four find your voice, amplify your impact, show up, speak out and inspire others to dream wildly and act bravely. Five champion the underdogs. Stand fiercely with the ones who are underestimated and overlooked, for often they're the ones who become trailblazers. Six embrace challenges with punk positivity. Meet life's storms with a badass grin and the kind of grit that shines. Seven grow without apology. Stay hungry for growth and push the boundaries of who you were yesterday. Eight infuse playfulness and joy. Embrace life with a spirit of play, laughter and unfiltered joy.

Zoe Greenhalf: 18:30

9. Authenticity over perfection Ditch the perfection and show up as your raw, real self. 10. Stay curious, stay open, keep your mind wide open and your spirit endlessly curious. 11. Community over competition. Choose connection over rivalry and collaboration over competition. Twelve be an ally of inclusion so we can stand for diversity, equality and celebrating what makes each of us unique. And finally, number 13 is radical self-care. So protect your energy and practice self-care as an act of rebellion against the daily grind, and practice self-care as an act of rebellion against the daily grind.

Zoe Greenhalf: 19:15

It is a manifesto, so it will probably evolve, um and change, but I'd love to know what you think so far, because it is a bit of a work in progress. But, um, I feel like it's the perfect way to. It's like it's like a filter for me to run everything through. You know, um, so when I'm creating content, when I'm interviewing guests, when I'm thinking about what I want to create for for you guys, um, does it fit with the foundations of this manifesto? Finally, before I wrap up, I just want to share something new that I'm experimenting with this year I did mention it briefly at the beginning which is sub snacks. So I'm planning to use it as a space to dive deeper into the ideas and themes that perhaps we explore on the podcast, the stories, reflections, little practical tools to help you design a life that feels alive. I'm starting from scratch. I don't really know what I'm doing, so if you fancy coming along for the ride and you're intrigued, you will be able to find me on Substack. Just look for the Mischief Movement and I will share more details soon. But just know that this is going to be another way that we're building connection and keeping the, the movement and the momentum alive.

Zoe Greenhalf: 20:27

Okay, I said final point being Substack, but actually I also want to give you a little heads up about some of the amazing guests we've got coming up for this season. So I have Elissa, who is a breathwork expert, but not just a breathwork practitioner, because she is also a commercial pilot, so that's an interesting plot twist. Um, what else have we got? I've been talking to, um, a fantastic guy called Karl Eze, who is leading the way in terms of drone racing within the military, which is so random and yet full of what it's like to start a business, especially when you're kind of finding your way and following your passion.

Zoe Greenhalf: 21:11

Um, and I've also spoken to Vicky from The Alternative Guide, and that is another incredible episode where we look at a passion project for searching out and hunting down all the really cool, slightly dark, um maybe gothic themed sites. Uh, places to eat, places to visit all around the world in different cities. Um, and that's really interesting as well, because it's called the alternative guide. It's not your usual travel guide. She is doing things differently and she shares so much of um, what it's taken to get where she is and where she sees that project going. What else we got lined up? Oh, we interviewed Caroline, who's a dj, but she only started djing after lockdown and now she's hosting self-love raves and places like the Happy Place Festival and she's running her own events. Um, it's incredible.

Zoe Greenhalf: 22:09

There are so many amazing guests doing really cool things and there's a big emphasis this season, I think, on on that kind of multi-passionate side of things. So if you are a multi-passionate person and you're thinking it's just so difficult to unite your interests or carve a career, um, I urge you to hit follow on Spotify or Apple Podcasts wherever you're listening, so you don't miss any, right? I think that's it for the first episode of Series 6. Remember that 2025 is ours to create. So, whether that's through mini adventures, bold challenges or simply making space for what matters. Let's make this year unforgettable and I will catch you next week with my first guest. Have a good one.

Zoe Greenhalf: 22:58

That's a wrap on another episode of The Mischief Movement Podcast. If today's content stirred something in you, let's keep in touch on Instagram or connect with me on linkedin. You can even click the link in the show notes to sign up to my mischief mail newsletter, where you'll get exclusive insights on upcoming episodes and your chance to submit questions to future guests. But shh, don't tell anyone, it's our secret. For more info on ways to work with me and some fun free resources, check out the website themischiefmovementcom. Until next time, stay bold, stay rebellious and, of course, keep making mischief. Thank you.