Ep.82 Small Acts of Rebellion: Finding Aliveness and Being Present is The Real Mischief

What if the most rebellious thing you could do wasn't loud or flashy, but quiet and intentional? Coming back after a summer hiatus, I've discovered something powerful about what true mischief looks like.

During Italy's three-month summer break, I made a radical choice to step off the productivity treadmill. Instead of chasing achievement, I lowered my expectations and embraced presence. This presence became my rebellion against a culture that constantly demands we do more, achieve more, be more.

The summer brought other lessons in quiet rebellion too and these experiences crystallised some powerful truths: rebellion also comes through connection and joy, and refilling your cup is a revolutionary act that allows you to show up more fully for everything (and everyone) else.

The new podcast season features guests who embody mischief boldly—from rule-breaking entrepreneurs to coaches challenging traditional narratives. Each conversation will spark your own rebellion, whether messy or ordered, subtle or loud.

Ready to join the quiet revolution? Subscribe now and let's make some meaningful mischief together. Share your own rebellion moments with me on Instagram or LinkedIn—I'd love to celebrate your journey to living fully, fiercely, and unapologetically yourself.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to the Mischief Movement
• 1:32 Summer of Presence: Slowing Down
• 4:02 Finding Joy in Quiet Rebellion
• 6:33 Next Season Preview and Guests
• 8:14 Your Mischief Mission
• 10:15 Episode Wrap and Stay Connected

Transcript

Zoe Greenhalf: 0:00

And that's exactly what the rebellion we're part of is about. It's not ignoring life's challenges, but choosing to reclaim the joy anyway. 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. 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, and let's go. Hey Rebel, welcome back to the Mischief Movement podcast.

Zoe Greenhalf: 1:33

It's been a little while since I've been in your ears, a few months of quiet on my end, and, honestly, coming back feels a bit intimidating. You know that feeling right, like where do I even start? Well, I thought long and hard about it and I realised that this isn't about easing back in gently. This is actually just about jumping back into the essence of mischief, what this rebellion is really about, and reminding ourselves why we even started on this path in the first place. So today I'm going to share a bit about my summer, what I learned about living with presents, how rebellion looks when it's subtle and why the next season of guests is going to inspire you to break the rules in the best possible way.

Zoe Greenhalf: 2:22

So, to set the scene, I live in Italy, where the summer holidays are really long like we're talking just over three months and I made a conscious choice that I was not going to chase productivity like a hamster on a wheel. In order to do that, I really had to lower my expectations for myself, so I slowed down. I let go of the idea that my value is measured by how much I tick off in a day and instead I just got really present. I showed up fully for my kids and I was there for the little moments, you know, like the silly giggling over breakfast, the chaotic playground runs and the long bedtime talks when they just won't go to sleep. And you know what I learned that presence is a rebellion too. It's not something that I think is really encouraged that much because, as I said, we all feel like we're on this productivity hamster wheel, and I actually saw something on LinkedIn over the summer where somebody was talking I think it was Lawrence from the Happy Startup School was talking about his core needs, which I almost interpret as values, and one of his was presence, and that really resonated with me because when I was able to be present, I really did value so much more everything that I was doing, rather than trying to multitask all the time and not being able to give people my full attention. You know, society tells us that we have to do it all, achieve it all, manage it all, but being fully present with the people that you love is its own kind of revolutionary mischief. I've decided so. If you've been feeling the pressure, guilt or overwhelm, let me remind you that slowing down, showing up and being present, that is the work and it's also enough.

Zoe Greenhalf: 4:42

Um, another summer highlight for me then was I took my mum and my stepdad to Brighton with my kids. Um, now my mum has early stage Alzheimer's and I know that time is precious. So every laugh, every silly ice cream mishap on the pier, the seagulls, um you know, and the nice things like walking along the beach and stuff, I soaked it all up. I won't lie, it was chaotic at times you know it always is, isn't it when you're trying to manage kids and parents. But it was also beautiful, and it reminded me how mischief doesn't have to be loud and flashy. Sometimes it's in the quiet acts of creating joy and memories and connection. And that's exactly what the rebellion we're part of is about. It's not ignoring life's challenges but choosing to reclaim the joy anyway.

Zoe Greenhalf: 5:43

And then I spent a few days in London without my children and I haven't been to London like that probably for about two years. I was just able to kind of walk the streets I used to call home. I caught up with some friends and family who really dear to me, that I hadn't seen in ages, dear to me that I hadn't seen in ages. I drank coffee, I just allowed myself the space to just be me for a few days and just feel that connection with the city that I've always had and you know. There again, you see, rebellion isn't only about the wild, bold acts, because sometimes it's just about reclaiming yourself in those quiet spaces, the little joys that refill your cup so you can come back to life fully. So what's the takeaway from my summer of rebellion? Well, rebellion in small acts, I should probably say. I think. Number one lower expectations to reclaim presence, because life isn't about doing more, it's about being more. Number two rebellion comes in connection and joy, so even the small, chaotic, imperfect moments count. And number three refilling your wake up is revolutionary. When you can nurture yourself, you are able to show up for others and for your dreams with so much more energy and clarity.

Zoe Greenhalf: 7:14

Now I'm really excited about this next season of the podcast. We've got guests lined up whose stories go against the grain, as you'd probably expect, and who embody mischief in the boldest ways. So we'll be talking to the founder of a candle business who refused the rules of conventional retail, some coaches who challenged traditional personal development narratives, and authors whose lives and work show that success doesn't have to fit anyone else's template. Every episode this season is going to be a spark or a reminder, and hopefully a little push to remind you that your own rebellion is valid. Messy, bold, subtle or loud, choose your own flavor, but you know it's all good mischief.

Zoe Greenhalf: 8:06

Um, before I let you go, here's your mischief mission for the week. I would just like you to have a think about those three things and see if there's something there that you could do. Maybe this week or in the next month, could you lower your expectations to reclaim some presence? Could you find some small, imperfect moments to find connection and joy? Or could you just carve out some time to fill up your own cup with something that makes you feel good. You only have to pick one, but just notice the effect, like how does that make you feel and how does that ripple into your life, and then, if you want, write down one moment from your week that made you feel fully alive, just like I did with my Brighton trip. If you want a bonus, you can share it with me on Instagram or on LinkedIn, or just share it with a friend, especially somebody who feels like life is just happening to them. Just remind them that there is joy to be found in those small moments and that nurturing themselves can also bring back sort of that aliveness.

Zoe Greenhalf: 9:30

So, rebels, welcome back this season. We're going to keep pushing. We're going to keep questioning, laughing and reclaiming what it means to live fully, fiercely and unapologetically ourselves. So, whether your rebellion is loud or quiet, messy or intentional, just know that you belong here in this movement, with all your chaos and brilliance. So thank you for showing up today. Keep your eyes and ears open for the first guest episode of the season, because it's going to challenge you, inspire you and maybe even make you a little mischievous in ways that you didn't expect.

Zoe Greenhalf: 10:06

Until next time, stay wild, stay people, do it for next week right, and, of course, stay mischievous. I'll speak to you soon. 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.