The Lonely Chapter

After sitting down with nearly 90 people over the last two years, certain patterns keep repeating.
In this solo episode of The Lonely Chapter, I reflect on four observations that sit beneath many of the stories shared on the podcast - not as advice, but as orientation.
We explore:
→ Why insight alone rarely leads to change
→ Why confidence usually follows responsibility, not the other way around
→ Why people regret staying too long more than trying
→ Why struggle is relative, and comparison often keeps us stuck
This podcast is for anyone who feels like they’re doing okay on the surface, but quietly unsure how to live well.
📷 Follow the podcast on Instagram
→ https://www.instagram.com/lonelychapterpodcast/

In this episode of The Lonely Chapter, I’m joined by Chris Barton to explore what happens when societies lose meaningful rites of passage - and why growing up without initiation leaves so many people feeling unprepared for adulthood.
Chris is part of a movement working to restore structured rites of passage for young people, rooted in nature, responsibility, and challenge. He explains how the disappearance of these initiatory experiences in modern Western culture has contributed to confusion around identity, responsibility, and belonging.
We talk about what rites of passage actually are, why they once mattered, and what fills the gap when they disappear. Chris also shares how carefully designed experiences in nature can help young people develop resilience, reflection, and self-trust through responsibility rather than motivation.
This is a thoughtful conversation about growing up, identity, and the quiet cost of removing initiation from modern life.
Expect to learn:
→ What rites of passage are - and what they are not
→ Why the absence of initiation often leads to risky substitutes
→ How nature and challenge build resilience and self-trust
→ The role of mentors and responsibility in development
To learn more about Chris’s work:
→ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildnaturerop
→ Email: [email protected]

In this grounded and challenging conversation, I’m joined by Dakota Meyer, U.S. Marine veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, to explore a simple but confronting truth: nobody is coming to save you.
Dakota explains why personal responsibility sits at the centre of a meaningful life, and how leadership, identity, and fulfilment are built through action rather than intention. We unpack his core principle – risk plus responsibility equals reward – and what it reveals about why so many people feel stuck, lost, or quietly dissatisfied despite doing “all the right things”.
This conversation moves through identity, mental health, resilience, and the role of community, while continually returning to one essential question: are you living in alignment with who you say you are? Dakota speaks candidly about truth, accountability, and the danger of outsourcing responsibility for your life – whether to institutions, labels, or other people.
At its heart, this episode is an invitation to look honestly in the mirror, examine the evidence of your actions, and decide what kind of person you are becoming.
In this episode, we discuss:
→ Why “nobody’s coming to save you” is not cynical, but empowering
→ Dakota’s equation for life: risk + responsibility = reward
→ How identity is shaped by behaviour, not labels or intentions
→ The difference between resilience and avoidance
→ Mental health, accountability, and telling the truth without cruelty
→ What it means to be a “peopleist” – valuing people over titles
→ Why real change always begins with internal decisions and action
Links mentioned in the episode:
Dakota Meyer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dakotameyer0317/
Dakota’s Substack: https://dakotameyerthebluf.substack.com/

I’m joined in this episode by Myles Usher-Doyle, a speech coach and the founder of Speak-Well Coaching who has coached top tier communicators such as Chris Williamson (Host of Modern Wisdom).
We talk about what sits underneath confident communication - why so many of us struggle to be seen when we speak, how fear shows up in the body, and why confidence is often less about learning techniques and more about feeling safe enough to show up as yourself.
Myles shares insights from his work helping people find their voice, from eye contact and body language to the deeper emotional patterns that shape how we speak and how we listen.
This is a conversation about presence, vulnerability, and learning to communicate in a way that reflects who you really are.
If you’ve ever felt like you know what you want to say but struggle to say it out loud, this one will resonate.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Gladys Sanda, a tinnitus specialist who has spent over a decade supporting people living with tinnitus - and who also lives with it herself.
We talk about the emotional and psychological impact tinnitus can have, including the fear, isolation, and heightened awareness that often accompany it. Gladys shares her personal experience of living with tinnitus, offering rare insight into what it’s like to both experience the condition and support others through it.
Together, we explore how understanding what’s happening in the nervous system, alongside self-compassion, can change the way tinnitus is experienced. This conversation is about shifting the relationship with tinnitus - and about the possibility of living well, even when the sound doesn’t disappear.
Key Takeaways
Tinnitus affects far more than hearing, often impacting emotional safety, stress levels, and sense of connection
Understanding how the brain and nervous system respond to tinnitus can reduce fear and reactivity
Self-compassion plays a crucial role in learning to live well with tinnitus
A holistic approach that considers both emotional and auditory factors can support long-term wellbeing

Links & Resources
📘 Beyond the Noise by Dr Gladys Sanda
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Noise-Practical-Tinnitus-Relief/dp/1036964973/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
🌐 Dr Gladys Sanda
https://drgladys.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/tinnituswithgladys/
📸 The Lonely Chapter on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/lonelychapterpodcast/