Summary
How do you keep your business running when your nervous system is screaming?
In this raw and resonant episode, Bernie and Emily tackle a weight most of us carry but rarely name: existential overhead.
That constant low hum of emotional load—personal, political, practical—that makes every small task feel harder.
From neurodivergence and mindset rituals to accountability rhythms and phantom limbs (yes, really), this episode explores how community builders can work with their brains instead of against them.
Emily shares how grounding in the body—not just the to-do list—is what keeps her going.
Bernie opens up about writing rituals, ADHD fog, and what years of weekly check-ins have taught him about stability.
There’s no big reveal. Just honest, hard-earned insight into the mess, rhythm, and relief of building community—while staying human.
Timeline Highlights
[00:05] Bernie introduces Unreasonable Connection and his Portugal–Spain coworking trip
[01:12] Emily shares what she’s known for—and what she wants to be known for
[02:34] Naming the invisible load: existential overhead in a chaotic world
[03:45] Bruce Lee, Daoism, and absorbing only what serves you
[05:36] The Prime Minister of Barbados and the weight of being many things at once
[07:13] Grounding before power: why mindset beats marketing
[08:53] Bernie on Ukraine, ADHD, and how perspective resets productivity
[09:56] Emily on needing body-first rituals to handle mental spirals
[12:28] What it’s like to finally say, “That’s not me”—and mean it
[13:52] Why Bernie’s day doesn’t start until 750 words hit the page
[15:27] Emily on sustaining cadence, journaling spirals, and disappearing goalposts
[17:40] “It’s not always building toward amazing”—Bernie on flow and 12-week rhythm
[18:47] Emily on retrospectives, diverse feedback, and asking: Am I wrong?
[20:34] How facilitation works: nudging without directing
[23:24] Bernie on phantom limbs, pain memory, and coworking triggers
[25:28] Permission to keep going—why cadence isn’t a loop, but a cycle
[28:58] Cross-pollinating wisdom: what restaurants, film, and sports can teach us
Detailed Episode Breakdown
Existential Overhead Is Real
It’s not just your to-do list that’s overwhelming you.
It’s politics, news, family, economic strain, and that sinking sense that you should be doing more.
Emily and Bernie name that weight, and talk about how recognising it can help you manage it.
Mindset Is a Starting Point, Not a Buzzword
From daily writing rituals to barefoot grounding, the small, repeatable acts that bring clarity take centre stage.
Not to optimise.
But to survive and build rhythm.
Accountability Is a Lifeline
Emily and Bernie reflect on 15 years of working together—and how peer support, weekly check-ins, and simply speaking their minds keep them (and their clients) on track.
You can’t outsource success to apps.
The Mess Is the Method
From Urban MBA's mindset-first approach to phantom limb analogies, this conversation honours the messy, human, often nonlinear path to clarity.
Permission to Keep Going
Cadence isn’t a loop—it’s a cycle.
You revisit the beginning again and again.
The win isn’t perfection—it’s showing up to the next round with more self-awareness and community than the last.
Links & Resources
RSVP for Unreasonable Connection
One more thing
Coworking brings communities together, helping people find and share their voices.
Each episode of the Coworking Values Podcast explores Accessibility, Community, Openness, Collaboration, and Sustainability—values that shape the spaces where we gather, work, and grow.
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Community is the key 🔑
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