Happy Place

Have you ever changed yourself to fit in with other people? Or dulled your character so they don’t think you’re ‘too much’? Do you compare yourself a lot or sacrifice your own needs so not to cause a fuss? Fearne has done all these things and more over the years in a bid to be more likeable. But it’s time to stop shapeshifting to make ourselves palatable to others! Sugababes Keisha Buchanan, Love Island’s Megan Barton-Hanson, and The Traitor’s Jade Scott join Fearne to reflect on their own experiences of people pleasing and being disliked. They share advice on being okay with people not ‘getting’ you, allowing yourself to be multifaceted, and speaking up for yourself. This is all about building the confidence to live life on your own terms, not the life others want you to live. Fearne’s new book, Likeable, is out now. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Natalie Lue Emma Gannon Poorna Bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you a bit of a people pleaser? Wish you could care a little less what people think about you? To celebrate her new book, Likeable: How I Broke Free From The Need To Please, Fearne’s looking at all the ways she sacrificed her needs and self-expression in order to be more palatable to others...   In this chat, Fearne covers: -The real personal impact of people pleasing -How exhausting it is showing up as a performative version of yourself -Catching yourself feeling like a saintly martyr when you’re putting others’ needs first -Peer pressure making you change yourself to fit in -Why differing opinions don’t have to mean conflict -How to be both kind and boundaried -Prioritising and voicing your own needs -Being ok with some people not liking you   Fearne’s new book, Likeable, is out now! Want to join the chat? Send us a voicenote, DM, or comment on Instagram @happyplaceofficial! Listen to Fearne and Friends Christmas special Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You wouldn’t talk to your best mate in the critical way you talk to yourself. For Radio One DJs Matt Edmondson and Mollie King, their friendship has made them both believe in themselves more. In this chat with Fearne, Matt and Mollie talk about the insecurities they have, and how freeing it is to realise no one else thinks those things about you. For Mollie, having children has helped her be a lot kinder to herself too. Fearne is less bothered about ruffling feathers in the workplace than she used to be, and shares advice on how to confidently speak your mind, and they all wonder why everyone’s trying to be ‘cool’. What does that even mean?! Plus, was it Matt or Mollie who put Fearne and her Radio One show on their vision board back in the day...? You can listen to Matt and Mollie’s new podcast, Novel Idea, now! Get your tickets for Fearne’s book tour here. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Matt’s first Happy Place chat Nick Grimshaw Annie Mac   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes the braver thing isn’t trying to keep going. Writer Emma Gannon hit real burnout, admitted she was overwhelmed, and embarked upon a year of doing... nothing. A Year of Nothing was our Happy Place Book Club pick for February. In it, Emma charts stepping away from the noise and rediscovering joy in life’s simplest pleasures, from dog borrowing and dopamine dressing to relearning how to swim and embracing a child-free life. In this chat with Fearne, she explains how to stop being so mean to yourself, and how to rebuild your identity when you feel you’ve lost it. Often, she says, it’s not about ‘finding yourself’... it’s about unlearning all the stuff everyone else has heaped on top of you! Emma wants to be strong and do big things with her life, but appreciates she had to stop in order to grow. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Emma’s first Happy Place chat Book Club Meets: Maggie O’Farrell Book Club Meets: Nussaibah Younis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s time to stop being filled with jealousy and judgement of others! Boy George admits he used to love hating people, but now actively chooses compassion and kindness. In this chat with Fearne, Boy George explains how this philosophy has helped him celebrate his own and other peoples’ successes more fully. He also talks about why he loves fame now, but would have done his early fame differently, and about the solace he gets from talking to his late mum. Plus, he’s writing songs about everything from global war to scrubbing his floors with ChatGPT, so does Boy George see a future where art and AI co-exist? If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Samantha Renke Zandra Rhodes Lulu Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.