Happy New Year!

I honestly don’t know what to say for New Year’s. I fulfilled one of my biggest dreams (to publish my first novel) in 2025. I also got to visit 3 new countries in 2025. Yet 2025 has still felt like a hard year. I think it has for many people across the world.

The ever increasing polarization and oppression of human rights within Pakistan and across the globe, and the continued massacre of the Palestinians (while the Western governments and media continue to enable it) has battered my hope in the general humanity I thought every human being had.

So I have no wishes to share for the New Year. However, what I will share are 5 podcasts that have been so healing for me over the last several years. I hope they can help you, too. For all of them I have included excellent starting videos, but you will find almost every video on their channel super helpful.

Eckhart Tolle – I have been following Eckhart for 6 or 7 years now. He was the first person who told me that I can stop the thoughts in my head. That I can stop overthinking. That the thoughts in my head are repetitive and useless and that I don’t have to listen to them. He has shown me how much time I actually waste in the day stuck in my head, listening to those thoughts, rather than in the present moment doing what I need to do, and being present with the people I am with in the moment. Eckhart Tolle is the person who has set me free from the tyranny of my thoughts. And he makes me laugh at myself. And I hope he can do both for you. He covers many more topics, and has really helped me heal at a foundational level. Here are 2 of his videos in the exact order I want you to watch them. (For some reason these 2 videos are not embedding, so you will have to click on the link to go to Youtube to watch them).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBXpFbOPUdA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HffrwmOT6c

Forrest Hanson – This podcast is hosted by Forrest, but usually features a discussion with his father, Rick Hanson, a trained psychologist. The discussion between the father and son is light and warm and funny, while at the same time covering a myriad of different topics like self-abandonment, trauma, self sabotage, fear/flight/freeze/fawn responses, attachment wounds, relationships, parenting, and many many others. Each episode is extremely informative and helpful. I usually play them at 0.75 speed to really absorb everything. But the best part is seeing the affectionate father-son bond and the example of how to talk and communicate respectfully and warmly with other people. Here’s one of my favourite videos:

Rangan Chatterjee – Rangan is a General Physician in the UK. His podcast is excellent in that he helps heal us mentally and physically. Through his guests, I have learned how to improve my physical health, and also how to improve my mental health. Rangan’s philosophy as a doctor is that “I want to help people before they get sick”. And this is seen in every episode. I have made many changes to my daily life in terms of diet and exercise and living intentionally based on learnings from his podcast. Here are 2 eye-opening videos:

Heidi Priebe – Heidi is another person who I listen to on 0.75 speed since I want to absorb every idea, every thought she has. Every episode gives me dozens of “A-ha!” moments, as I finally understand a pattern or behaviour I have. She features many many topics that cover pretty much all hurts and pains and losses and griefs that are still impacting all aspects of our lives. For instance PTSD, trauma, attachment wounds, self-esteem, self-abandonment, relationships, and many many others. Her earlier videos were when she was a graduate student in psychology. But now she is a fully qualified therapist.

George Thompson – George may just be in his twenties, but he is very very wise. Every word he uses oozes warmth, compassion, humor and thoughtfulness. Many of his videos are based on Daoist ideas, and since I am a super fan of “Dao De Jing”, most of his videos make me pause and think about how I live my life.

All of the folks above are a gateway to reducing anxiety and stress in our lives, and improving our relationships and quality of life. I hope they help you, too.

I guess this means that I do have a wish for 2026. I wish us all healing in 2026. May the fear and rage and pain inside us all reduce a little in 2026, so that we stop inflicting harm on others. Ameen!

Wishing you all a kinder, happier 2026.