Living in the Questions

ROOTED was Bobby's word for 2026. Seven holidays booked, a love of planning and then a year that went spectacularly off-script. What a bloody laugh!This week, Bobby and Bridge explore what really matters when life changes the rules. From rainforest roots and the mysterious world of fungi to avocado plants, cats, fairy lights and the questionable wisdom of Mike Wazowski, they wander through acceptance, choice, purpose and the things that help us find our footing.Bridge brings powerful experiences from humanitarian work, while Bobby questions whether she's spent too much time organising life rather than experiencing it. Along the way, they discover that accomplishment doesn't always mean achieving something enormous. Sometimes making the office grump smile is quite enough.And perhaps the question isn't how much life we can fit in, but how much of the life we're living we actually get to experience.Thoughtful, funny, occasionally sweary and full of the usual tangents.Books and AuthorsOliver Burkeman — Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for MortalsGreg McKeown — Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of LessViktor E. Frankl — Man's Search for MeaningMerlin Sheldrake — Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our FuturesWarren Berger — The Book of Beautiful QuestionsMartin Seligman — PERMA model of wellbeing and flourishingGretchen Rubin — "26 for 2026" List | Gretchen RubinOther random referencesPedro Pascal (how could I forget him!)The Fantastic Four - first stepsThe Last of Us (🍄are going to destroy us!)Mike Wazowski (Bobby's alter-ego)Jane Galloway - Quiet the Hive (definitely not random)Nichole McGill-Higgins (also not random)Costa Rica's Pura Vida (definitely more to come on this!)The Great Geek TogetherFlow (I didn't feel it but maybe you will)

Caterpillar soup, monkeys eating the IT systems and organisational values on mouse mats. Just your average conversation about uncertainty, then. 😂This week we're wondering how the hell we're supposed to live, work and lead when we haven't got a clue what's coming next.We get into frightened brains, false promises, hope, resilience and why sometimes the best thing a leader can say is, "I don't know yet."Plus, Bobby has a bit of a meltdown, introduces us to liminal spaces, and we discover that being in the soup might not be such a bad place to be after all.Plenty of questions. Not necessarily many answers.Welcome to More Than a Lumpy Jumper. 🎙️Books, talks and ideas mentioned in this episode📚 A Field Guide to Getting Lost — Rebecca Solnithttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/170701/a-field-guide-to-getting-lost-by-rebecca-solnit/🎤 Embracing Uncertainty — Margaret Heffernan (TEDx)https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Margaret+Heffernan+Embracing+Uncertainty🎤 Embracing Uncertainty — David Murray (TEDx)https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=David+Murray+Embracing+Uncertainty+TEDx🧠 Broaden-and-Build Theory — Barbara Fredricksonhttps://positivepsychology.com/broaden-build-theory/🧠 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)https://contextualscience.org/act📖 Pema Chödrön — referenced in our conversation about finding some solid ground amid uncertainty. No particular book title mentioned.https://pemachodronfoundation.org/🎤 Caterpillar soup📖 Bobby's Blog

After far too long away Bobby and Bridge are back with a New Perspective. We're having a long overdue catch up on what we've been up to, the highs and the lows and how having a plan is all well and good but what do you do when life throws you a curveball? As always there are stories, questions and lessons learned with the odd bit of wisdom for good measure. Hopefully you'll all be as glad to have us back as we are to be back together.

Most of us think change means ripping everything up and “reinventing” ourselves.But what if life is less about reinvention… and more about quiet reorganisation?In this final episode of our Wheel of Life season, Bobby and Bridge turn the conversation back on themselves. After ten episodes with brilliant guexperts (Bridge is still not convinced) on health, joy, money, spirituality, community, purpose, love and relationships, they sit with the question:-          What has actually shifted in our own lives?-          Which parts of the wheel really matter right now?-          And what happens when we stop chasing 10/10 in every segment? This isn’t a neat summary of the season. It’s two friends telling the truth about transition, ageing, vocation, burnout, blue-and-green places, asking for help (reluctantly), and the tiny practices that make everything else more possible. If you’ve ever filled in a Wheel of Life and thought, “Now what?”, this episode is your invitation to look again … more gently, more honestly, and with a lot more self-compassion. Bring a cuppa, bring your splat of a wheel, and maybe discover you’re less “out of balance” than you think. LinksBig Magic: | Elizabeth GilbertDark Side of the Light Chasers | Debbie FordThe Four Tendencies | Gretchen RubinAltered Traits | Daniel GolemanBlue Mind: Wallace J NicholsThe best of Rumi

Relationships shape us. The ones we’re born into, the ones we choose, and the one we keep trying to build with ourselves.In this episode of More Than a Lumpy Jumper, Bobby and Bridge are joined by Lizzie Beuzeval to explore the Family and Friends segment of the Wheel of Life and what it really means to be in relationship.This isn’t a conversation about perfect balance. It’s about the beautiful mess of family life, love, communication, exhaustion, laughter, and the art of saying sorry (or sometimes just making a cup of tea).From spreadsheets to ski slopes, burnout to belly laughs, Lizzie reminds us that being in relationship isn’t about holding it all together, it’s about staying connected, even when it allcomes apart.“There’s time for everything that matters, if we’re honest about what matters.”Linkshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzie-beuzevalMeditations for Mortals | Oliver Burkeman | BooksI Know How She Does It | Laura Vanderkam | Books

Love.It’s the segment of the Wheel of Life that many of us avoid until last because it asks the most of us.In this episode, we’re joined by Jocelyn Penque Saunders: global citizen, wine lover, former serial dater… and now the self-declared (and fully earned) Cupid in Chief, founder of The Dating Classroom.But this conversation isn’t just about romance. It’s about the kind of love that begins long before a relationship: Love as self-knowledge. Love as connection. Love as leadership. Jocelyn brings sharp behavioural insight, gentle challenge, and a refreshingly practical take on how we show up for love, whether we’re dating, partnered, leading teams, or learning how to trust ourselves again. Together, we explore non-negotiables, readiness, patterns, openness, and the art of doing you in any relationship you’re part of. If you’ve ever questioned what you want, how you love, or who you are becoming… this one is for you.Listen now to Being Open — because love isn’t a finish line, it’s a practice.https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelyn-penque-saundersDating BreakthroughAll About Love: Bell HooksHow to Not Die Alone: Logan UryAttached: Amir Levine & Rachel HellerTiny Beautiful Things: Cheryl Strayed

Bridge is flying solo this week because Bobby is off gallivanting in Costa Rica (not jealous at all!). She is joined by Silvia Risi from Co Create Humanity to talk about the world of work and how much it can impact when it goes wrong. Silvia is a life long humanitarian aid worker who couldn't completely step away from the sector and now works as a humanitarian mentor and coach and mental health peer supporter. She's also an avid traveller (and so joins Bridge in her jealousy at Bobby's grand adventure). Silvia shares her insights into the role that leaders should play in supporting teams working in complex and challenging work environments and how organisations must step up to create space for individuals to develop resilience. The episode has something for everyone even if they're not currently working in a war zone - the takeaways remain the same regardless of where you find yourself on the VUCA spectrum at workLinkscocreate humanity you tubecocreate humanityThe idealists' survival Kit - Alessandra PigniCompassion Fatigue - Juliette WattWHO report on Transforming Mental Health through Lived ExperienceHave a go at somatic shakingDr Peter LevineMental Health Support for UK Veterans - Op CourageVicarious TraumaPsychological Support for Aid Workers - Fiona DunkleyThe Body Keeps Score - Bessel Van der KolkIllnesses don't recover, people do -Pat DeeganThe legend that is Dolly PartonJessica Green

What if the place you’re in, the land, the air, the water, is shaping you more than you realise?In this episode of More Than a Lumpy Jumper, Bobby and Bridge wade (or dive!!) into the “environment” segment of the Wheel of Life with Elaine Moynihan and Katie McShane, cofounders of Wise Water. Together they explore what it means to truly be in a place, to reconnect with nature, ourselves, and eachother through the element that sustains us all: water.From polluted rivers to healing seas, from cold showers to gratitude rituals, this conversation flows between science, spirituality, and the messy human experience of belonging.So, pour yourself a glass of water, take a breath, and listen in. LinksWise Water Academy⁠⁠World Water Day⁠⁠Shin Rin Yoku aka Forest Bathing (no nudity necessary!)⁠⁠Wallace J Nichols Blue Mind⁠⁠The River Blackwater⁠⁠Wicklow Mountains⁠⁠Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Kimmerer⁠⁠Isak Dinesenhttp://linkedin.com/in/elainemoynihanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-mcshaneBlue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On,or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better atWhat You Do : Wallace J Nichols | BooksProtect.Blue - is an ocean-focused organisation built around two corepathways - an ocean agency and a blue campus.

Neena Sims from Third Space coaching joins us for a deep dive into self-development. Should we be striving for perfection (that perfect 10) or is balance more important? What does that even look like, is it the same for everyone - does it have to be a competition (I'm looking at you Bobby and Bridge)? We delve into chaos theory, some dodgy innuendos and some truly atrocious Danny Dyer impressions. Despite the antics of the dangerous duo, Neena maintains her composure throughout (well almost) and brings thoughtful insights into our "journeys" (I know Bobby hates that word) towards balance and self-discovery⁠Third Space - Janeena SimsDanny DyerChaos Making a New Science - James GleickChaos and fractals

Community isn’t something that just happens, it’s something we consciously create.In this episode, Bobby and Bridge explore the “Community and Giving” segment of the Wheel of Life with Fahmeda Naheed; activist, researcher, broadcaster, and founder of the Irish Pakistani Community of Cork.From fusion cooking to intercultural dialogue, poetry to radio, Fahmeeda brings wisdom, warmth, and courage to what it means to belong. Together we explore how community startswithin, in the courage to nurture ourselves, connect with others, and co-create spaces where everyone is seen, valued, and heard.“Change often starts with one person - but real transformation leaves no one behind.”Tune in for a conversation about belonging, creativity, and the ripple effects of giving.Fahmeda Naheed | LinkedInCORK CITY LIBRARIES BLOG: Cork in Verse | Ana Spehar interviews Fahmeda...Let’s Integrate – Cork City Community RadioRumi: 'There is an invisible strength within us | The Socratic MethodPalaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life | Eric Klinenberg | Amazon.com.