Coach Me If You Can

E019 When Your Inner Critic Takes Over with Julie Smith

What happens when your inner critic takes over — even when you’re more than capable? A new project lands. Something you haven’t done before. You know you can handle it… and yet your whole system goes into overdrive. You prepare. And prepare. And prepare some more. You lose a bit of sleep. The pressure rises. The results are usually great — but they come at a cost. Not because you’re incapable. But because you don’t hear trust yourself — you hear your inner critic. In this episode of Coach Me If You Can, I’m joined by leadership coach and author Julie Smith, who literally wrote the book on this: Coach Yourself Confident. Together, we explore what’s really happening when confidence and capability don’t line up — and how the inner critic quietly pushes us past the sweet spot of enough preparation into stress and self-doubt. Julie coaches me live through my own “everything depends on this” pattern and shows: * how to recognise when the inner critic has taken over * why over-preparing can erode self-trust * how to find the sweet spot of just enough preparation * and how confidence grows when you learn to trust yourself from there This is a conversation about learning to coach yourself — especially when you’re capable, committed, and still doubting yourself. That’s why speaking to Julie was such a gift. About the guest Julie Smith is a leadership coach and the author of Coach Yourself Confident: Ditch the self-doubt tax, unlock humble confidence. 🔗 Book & Julie’s work: https://www.talentsprout.co.uk/coach-yourself-confident [https://www.talentsprout.co.uk/coach-yourself-confident] More from Coach Me If You Can 🔗 https://www.coachmeifyoucan.com [https://www.coachmeifyoucan.com] 📩 Sign up for the newsletter for new episodes and reflections 💬 Know a guest you’d love to hear coached on the show? Let me know. If this episode resonates, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone whose inner critic might be working overtime right now.

E18 The Two Lives You’re Living - And How Alcohol Decides Which One Wins

Imagine two versions of you running in parallel. One wakes up foggy, tired, slightly behind the day, the version of you shaped by evening drinks that “aren’t a problem… but aren’t helping.” The other wakes up clear, energised, grounded, and fully alive, the version that’s possible when alcohol no longer calls the shots. In this episode, Peter sits down with Rich Casement, founder of Clean Break, to explore the role alcohol quietly plays in our energy, identity, and ability to show up as the person we want to be. Rich has spent years helping people rewire their relationship with alcohol, not from a place of shame or labels, but from clarity, awareness, and possibility. Together they unpack: In this conversation: • The “two lives” you can live — and how alcohol decides which one you wake up in • The haze, lethargy, and “going through the motions” many people mistake for normal • Why we still drink even when we know all the consequences • Alcohol’s impact on mornings, motivation, and parental guilt • The identity shift that happens when someone takes a “clean break” • Why moderation often fails (and why that’s not your fault) • What begins to happen after 7 days, 30 days, and 90 days alcohol-free • How to decide if alcohol is truly serving you • A powerful coaching exercise you can do at home to understand why you drink • The first signs that clarity is returning and what to do next Whether you drink occasionally, socially, daily, or are simply questioning your habits, this episode offers a compassionate, honest and deeply human look at the version of you waiting on the other side of alcohol. Connect with Rich Casement / Clean Break: Website: THIS IS CLEAN BREAK COACHING [https://portal.take-a-cleanbreak.com/offerings] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-casement-315a5611/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-casement-315a5611/] Connect with Peter & Coach Me If You Can: Website: https://www.coachmeifyoucan.show [https://www.coachmeifyoucan.show]👉 Subscribe to the newsletter for upcoming episodes, coaching insights & behind-the-scenes updates. 👉 If you enjoy the show, please follow/subscribe on Spotify — it helps the podcast grow.

E017 Breathwork Coaching 101: A Live Session with Daniele Scuteri

Breathe Like You Mean It — A Live Breathwork Journey with Daniele Scuteri Most of us go through entire days without noticing how we breathe — shallow, rushed, and disconnected. But what if the key to focus, calm, and energy was sitting quietly in your chest all along? In this episode of Coach Me If You Can, Peter Weller is joined by Italian breathwork and well-being coach Daniele Scuteri — founder of Breathing Wellness Coaching and a certified facilitator of integrative breathwork. Together, they explore how the breath bridges body and mind — and why mastering it can change everything from stress to sleep to self-awareness. Then, midway through the episode, something different happens: Daniele leads Peter (and you) through a five-minute live grounding session — a rare, real-time experiment where the conversation slows, the breathing deepens, and calm becomes audible. What you’ll learn in this episode: * How your breath mirrors your mental state — and how to reset it in seconds * The science behind the “fight or flight” breath and how to reverse it * Why stillness isn’t the absence of movement, but awareness of it * How breathwork can reduce anxiety and sharpen focus * A simple 5-minute daily practice to reconnect with your body Sponsored by InnerBuddies Your mental clarity begins in your gut. InnerBuddies helps you understand your inner ecosystem with a personalized microbiome test that connects gut health to energy, focus, and mood. 💡 Get 15% off with code: WELLERGUTS 👉 www.innerbuddies.com [https://www.innerbuddies.com] Discover more: Daniele Scuteri – Breathing Wellness Coach Daniele Scuteri | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielescuteri/] Peter Weller – Host of Coach Me If You Can | www.coachmeifyoucan.show [https://www.coachmeifyoucan.show] Have a question for Peter? Want to recommend a coach, request a topic, or volunteer to be coached live on the show? ✉️ Email: peter@coachmeifyoucan.show Subscribe & Share If this episode helped you slow down, breathe, and reconnect — share it with one person who needs that reminder today. That’s how we bring more calm into the chaos. Join the newsletter waitlist:Coach Me If You Can [https://www.coachmeifyoucan.show/#safari]

E016 Mindset: Screen time reset with Dr. Yannick van Hierden

Your Mind vs. Your Screen — Coaching with Dr. Yannick Van Hierden What happens when your phone quietly steals four hours of your day? In this episode of Coach Me If You Can, I sit down with Dr. Yannick Van Hierden [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yannickvanhierden/?utm_source=chatgpt.com], a behavioral scientist and high-performance coach who turned his life around—from bottom of his class and stuck in self-destructive habits, to top of his PhD program and thriving in Australia. Together we dive into: * Screen time reality check: Yannick walks me through my own data—63 pickups a day, nearly 60% on social & entertainment—and asks the only question that matters: is this how you want to spend your time? * Fact or Fiction game: from “Thinking is addictive” to “Stillness is the absence of resistance,” Yannick challenges common beliefs about performance and clarity. * Coaching session: we map out my vision for health and performance—from running habits and better sleep to re-framing what “peak performance” means beyond work. * The digital reset challenge: why deleting just one app can reclaim 1–2 hours every single day. 🎙️ Billboard message: “Don’t believe everything you think.” 💡 Sponsor Note This episode is supported by InnerBuddies [https://www.innerbuddies.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] — helping you take charge of your gut health through simple at-home microbiome testing and personalized recommendations. Your gut health shapes everything from immunity to mood to energy levels. 👉 Use the code WellerGUTS at checkout on www.innerbuddies.com [https://www.innerbuddies.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] for an exclusive discount. For more, visit www.coachmeifyoucan.show [http://www.coachmeifyoucan.show?utm_source=chatgpt.com] or connect with me directly on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercharlesweller/?utm_source=chatgpt.com].

E015 Parenting Is Not About Raising Happy Children with Anita Cleare

Parenting isn’t about producing happy, perfect children - it’s about building a strong relationship with the child in front of you. In this episode of Coach Me If You Can, Peter Weller is joined by parenting expert Anita Cleare (postgraduate degree in Child Development, author, and founder of the Thinking Parenting blog). Together, they step into six real parenting case studies — two from the Weller household and four submitted anonymously by listeners through our survey: * Toothbrushing Revolt (3, host household) — a nightly standoff with sealed lips and piercing screams. * Lentil Soup Standoff (3, host household) — mozzarella wins, lentils lose, ice cream demands follow. * Holiday Meltdown (6, listener household) — “I want to go home” on repeat during a dream trip to France. * The Phone Glow (pre-teen, listener household) — when screens start to matter more than family. * Mealtime Chaos (1.5 + 6, listener household) — siblings derail dinner until the TV saves the day. * The Not Hearing Zone (7, listener household) — a child who only responds once parents yell. From tantrums to tech, Anita brings psychology, empathy, and strategy to the moments parents struggle with most. Along the way, she busts myths and reframes parenting’s toughest paradox: Parenting isn’t about controlling kids. It’s about managing ourselves in the storm. What you’ll learn in this episode: * How to stay calm in the supermarket storm instead of panicking * Why toddlers and teens both turn routines into power struggles * How to set limits on phones without losing connection * Why giving in to a tantrum once won’t ruin your authority * The real goal of parenting — not happiness, but relationship Sponsored by InnerBuddies Your parenting energy starts with your health. Did you know your gut microbiome influences not just digestion, but also mood, focus, and resilience? InnerBuddies helps you understand your inner ecosystem with a personalized microbiome test. 💡 Get 15% off with code: WELLERGUTS 👉 www.innerbuddies.com [http://www.innerbuddies.com] Discover more: * Anita Cleare – Thinking Parenting Blog | Author of The Work/Parent Switch and The Working Parent’s Survival Guide * Peter Weller – LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com] | Coach Me If You Can [http://coachmeifyoucan.show] Have a question for Peter? Want to recommend a coach, request a topic, or volunteer to be coached on the show? ✉️ Email: peter@coachmeifyoucan.show Subscribe & Share If this episode helped you, please subscribe — and share it with one parent who needs to hear this today. That’s how we grow this community and bring more calm into the chaos.