What if the key to real transformation isn’t doing more — but honouring what matters most?

In this episode of The Full Circle Podcast, Gillian explores the non-negotiables that form the foundation of lasting personal growth. These are the habits, behaviours, values, and boundaries that keep you anchored, even when life gets chaotic.

From identifying what truly supports your wellbeing, to learning how to implement these priorities with consistency, flexibility, and self-respect — this episode is a masterclass in intentional living.

If you’re ready to stop drifting and start living in alignment with your values, this is the episode to guide you home to yourself.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

🌀 What “non-negotiables” are — and why they matter

🌀 How to identify the habits and behaviours that truly support your wellbeing

🌀 The difference between discipline and rigidity (and why discipline is self-love)

🌀 How to integrate your non-negotiables with grace and flexibility

🌀 Why boundaries, self-care, and environment are essential to your growth

🌀 How to stay accountable to yourself — even on difficult days

🌀 Why mindset must become a non-negotiable for transformation

Reflection Questions to Consider:

💭 What activities or practices make you feel grounded, clear, and empowered?
💭 Are you consistently honouring your personal values — or abandoning them under pressure?
💭 What boundaries, routines, or mindsets could you make non-negotiable starting today?

Powerful Reminder from This Episode:
✨ “Your non-negotiables are a reflection of your values and your commitment to yourself.”

Gillian Socials

https://www.instagram.com/the.master.coach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-mcmichael/

https://www.facebook.com/GillianMcMichaelMasterCoach
https://www.gillianmcmichael.com

Order my book, “Coming Home: A Guide To Being Your True Self”

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Guide-Being-Your/dp/1784529702

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coming-Home-A-Guide-to-Being-Your-True-Self-Paperback-9781784529703/928206895

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-home-gillian-mcmichael/1141304045

WHSmith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/coming-home-a-guide-to-being-your-true-self/gillian-mcmichael/paperback/9781784529703.html

We all know goal setting is important, but are you setting goals that are truly aligned with the life you want to create?

In this episode of The Full Circle Podcast, Gillian breaks down the difference between setting goals for the sake of achievement and setting goals that are rooted in purpose, identity, and long-term alignment.

You’ll learn how to move beyond vague intentions and create short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals, supported by simple, sustainable routines. You'll also explore the power of identity-based goals and how visualising your future self can help you stay motivated, even when it’s tough.

If you're ready to go beyond vision boards and actually build the structure that supports your transformation - this episode is your next step.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🌀Why your goals must align with your values and purpose

🌀How to set short, medium, and long-term goals without overwhelm

🌀The truth about motivation vs. discipline — and how to build consistency

🌀Why routines create freedom (not restriction)

🌀How to stay accountable using personalised structures

🌀What identity-based goals are — and why they’re transformative

🌀The role of rest and recovery in long-term success

Powerful Takeaway:

✨“Focus on becoming the person who naturally achieves your goals, rather than obsessing over the outcomes.”

Reflection Questions:

💭 What is the deeper purpose behind your current goals?
💭 What daily routines support the version of yourself you want to become?
💭 How can you honour rest as a vital part of your growth?

Gillian Socials

https://www.instagram.com/the.master.coach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-mcmichael/

https://www.facebook.com/GillianMcMichaelMasterCoach
https://www.gillianmcmichael.com

Order my book, “Coming Home: A Guide To Being Your True Self”

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Guide-Being-Your/dp/1784529702

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coming-Home-A-Guide-to-Being-Your-True-Self-Paperback-9781784529703/928206895

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-home-gillian-mcmichael/1141304045

WHSmith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/coming-home-a-guide-to-being-your-true-self/gillian-mcmichael/paperback/9781784529703.html

You know who you want to become - but how do you get there?

In this inspiring and practical episode, Gillian guides you through building a personal roadmap to your best self. If you’ve been tuning into Season 9, you’ve already explored self-awareness and challenged imposter syndrome. Now, it’s time to turn that inner work into intentional action.

From crafting a clear vision to setting SMART goals and establishing meaningful routines, this episode offers the structure you need to create real, lasting transformation. Whether you’re feeling stuck or simply ready to take the next step, this is your blueprint for becoming the most authentic and aligned version of you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🌀Why your best self isn’t about perfection - it’s about alignment

🌀How to clearly define your future self through vision work

🌀The importance of SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound

🌀How to use routines as the vehicle that carries you toward your goals

🌀Why flexibility is key and how to course-correct without giving up

🌀How to reconnect with your why when you feel stuck or unmotivated

🌀A fresh perspective on progress vs. perfection

Key Quote:
✨ “Your goals are the destination, but your routines are the vehicle that get you there.”

Reflection Questions to Consider:
💭 What does your best self look and feel like?
💭 Are your goals aligned with your values - or based on external expectations?
💭 What small routine could you start today to support your future self?

Gillian Socials

https://www.instagram.com/the.master.coach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-mcmichael/

https://www.facebook.com/GillianMcMichaelMasterCoach
https://www.gillianmcmichael.com

Order my book, “Coming Home: A Guide To Being Your True Self”

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Guide-Being-Your/dp/1784529702

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coming-Home-A-Guide-to-Being-Your-True-Self-Paperback-9781784529703/928206895

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-home-gillian-mcmichael/1141304045

WHSmith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/coming-home-a-guide-to-being-your-true-self/gillian-mcmichael/paperback/9781784529703.html

In this episode of The Full Circle Podcast, we take a deep and compassionate look at a mindset that quietly holds so many of us back: Imposter Syndrome.

Have you ever felt like you didn’t deserve your success? Like you’ve been faking it and any moment someone will find out? You're not alone. And more importantly - you are not a fraud.

Gillian explores the roots of imposter syndrome, the culture of perfectionism that fuels it, and how we can begin to rewrite the inner dialogue that tells us we’re not good enough.

This episode is your reminder that your worth is not defined by your achievements - and that taking yourself seriously is a radical and essential act of self-trust.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

🌀 What imposter syndrome is and why it shows up (even for high achievers)

🌀 The link between perfectionism and self-doubt

🌀 How to shift from conditional self-worth to unconditional self-acceptance

🌀 Practical tools to challenge your inner critic, including the “Brag File” technique

🌀 Why connection and vulnerability are key to dismantling imposter syndrome

🌀 How to reframe self-talk and build a more compassionate inner voice

🌀 A powerful mantra to help you step into your worth

Reflection Questions to Consider:

💭 What would your future self say to you today?
💭 Where in your life are you downplaying your potential?
💭 How would you show up differently if you truly believed you belonged?

Powerful Reminder from This Episode:
✨ “Acknowledging your achievements isn’t arrogance — it’s self-recognition.”

Gillian Socials

https://www.instagram.com/the.master.coach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-mcmichael/

https://www.facebook.com/GillianMcMichaelMasterCoach
https://www.gillianmcmichael.com

Order my book, “Coming Home: A Guide To Being Your True Self”

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Guide-Being-Your/dp/1784529702

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coming-Home-A-Guide-to-Being-Your-True-Self-Paperback-9781784529703/928206895

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-home-gillian-mcmichael/1141304045

WHSmith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/coming-home-a-guide-to-being-your-true-self/gillian-mcmichael/paperback/9781784529703.html

Welcome to Season 9 of the Full Circle Podcast! This season is all about transformation - specifically, how to become the most authentic, aligned, and empowered version of yourself.

In this powerful opening episode, Gillian lays the foundation for deep personal growth by helping you explore one essential truth: You can’t become who you want to be without first understanding who you are today.

Through thought-provoking reflection, practical tools, and a story from her coaching practice, Gillian introduces the concept of the “identity gap” - the space between your current self and your future self - and how to bridge it with self-awareness and intentional action.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🌀Why understanding who you are (beneath the labels) is the key to becoming who you want to be.

🌀The importance of defining your own version of success.

🌀How identity-based change leads to real, lasting transformation.

🌀The mindset shift from goal-chasing to identity embodiment.

🌀A coaching tool to help you take small, aligned steps daily.

🌀How to reframe setbacks as part of your evolution.

🌀Why the journey is about progress — not perfection.

Reflection Questions to Consider:

💭 Who am I at my core — beyond roles, titles, and expectations?

💭 Who do I want to become, and what does a day in their life look like?

💭 What one small action can I take today that aligns with that version of me?

Follow Gillian:

https://www.instagram.com/gillian_mcmichael/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-mcmichael/

https://www.facebook.com/GillianMcMichaelMasterCoach

https://www.youtube.com@gillianmcmichael

https://www.gillianmcmichael.com

Buy “Coming Home: A Guide To Being Your True Self”:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Guide-Being-Your/dp/1784529702

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coming-Home-A-Guide-to-Being-Your-True-Self-Paperback-9781784529703/928206895

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-home-gillian-mcmichael/1141304045

WHSmith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/coming-home-a-guide-to-being-your-true-self/gillian-mcmichael/paperback/9781784529703.html

Embark on a transformative journey as Host, Gillian McMichael shares her inspiring story from breakdown to breakthrough on The Full Circle Podcast.

In a raw and candid conversation, Gillian delves into her personal struggle with loss, stress, and illness, revealing how she navigated the turbulent waters of adversity to emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.

This bonus episode is a testament to the power of self-care and the profound impact it can have on our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Tune in as Gillian explores the importance of mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and holistic practices in her healing journey, offering invaluable insights and practical tips to cultivate a life of balance, vitality, and inner peace.

Quotes

'When everything crashed, the recession in full force, my marriage broken, to the point of no return, my business went into liquidation and everything I had known was taken away from me. I have described this as being lost out at sea. And in those moments, I had a choice of sinking or swimming. For me, there was no choice really.' - 00:56

‘This was like searching in the dark for the light switch and then finally finding it, flicking it on and for the first time in my life, I could see clearly.’ – 08:43

‘I've come back home to my true self. I've learned to befriend myself and I am now. One I can rely on anytime. I've let go of my critical companion and the narrative that said I was not worthy, not good enough, not deserving of true happiness and deep contentment. Not deserving of love for myself. I've moved beyond my past conditioning and the things that have held me back.’ – 09:33

Time stamps

00:00 – Welcome to the bonus episode

00:23 – Gillian loses everything

01:47 – Survival mode

03:17 – Gillian gets rushed to hospital

04:04 – The beginning of self-care for Gillian

05:10 – Gillian finds meditation

07:52 – How ancient wisdom changed Gillian’s life

10:20 – Steps to get your wellbeing on track

Gillian Socials

https://www.instagram.com/the.master.coach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-mcmichael/
https://www.facebook.com/GillianMcMichaelMasterCoach
https://www.gillianmcmichael.com

Full Circle Global Socials
https://www.instagram.com/fullcircleglobal/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/full-circle-development-consultancy/
https://www.facebook.com/fullcircleglobal/
https://fullcircleglobal.com

Order my book, “Coming Home: A Guide To Being Your True Self”

Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Guide-Being-Your/dp/1784529702

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coming-Home-A-Guide-to-Being-Your-True-Self-Paperback-9781784529703/928206895

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-home-gillian-mcmichael/1141304045

WHSmith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/coming-home-a-guide-to-being-your-true-self/gillian-mcmichael/paperback/9781784529703.html

This week on the Full Circle Podcast, I'm thrilled to welcome Lydia Thompson, a Women’s Rugby star, as we delve into her remarkable journey of personal setbacks, growth, and embracing uncertainty.

Lydia's path, from the exhilarating highs of international sports success to navigating the depths of self-doubt, strikes a chord with us all.

In our candid conversation, Lydia opens up about the challenges she faced, including shouldering the weight of 'complete blame' for England's World Cup final loss to New Zealand, and the invaluable lessons she learned from those experiences.

Join us as we explore how Lydia discovered the courage to pause, reflect, and embrace the reality that her life was destined for a different path than she once imagined.

Don't miss out - tune in and let Lydia's journey ignite your own resilience, empower you to trust your instincts, and set you on a path towards rediscovering your true self.

Time stamps

00:00 – An introduction to Lydia

00:40 – Lydia’s professional journey

03:16 – Lydia’s experience being a pro athlete in a male-dominated sport

15:15 – Dealing with imposter syndrome and feeling worthy

17:07 – Lydia’s experience at the 2022 Rugby World Cup

26:27 – How Lydia moved past the regret of losing the Rugby World Cup

28:50 – What Lydia’s next steps look like

31:51 – Lydia’s advice for self-worth

34:31 – The freedom and clarity that comes from not knowing your next step

37:24 – Gillian’s closing thoughts

Lydia’s Socials

https://www.instagram.com/lbthompson1/

Gillian's Socials

https://www.instagram.com/the.master.coach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-mcmichael/
https://www.facebook.com/GillianMcMichaelMasterCoach
https://www.gillianmcmichael.com

Full Circle Global Socials
https://www.instagram.com/fullcircleglobal/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/full-circle-development-consultancy/
https://www.facebook.com/fullcircleglobal/
https://fullcircleglobal.com

Order my book, “Coming Home: A Guide To Being Your True Self”

Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Guide-Being-Your/dp/1784529702

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coming-Home-A-Guide-to-Being-Your-True-Self-Paperback-9781784529703/928206895

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-home-gillian-mcmichael/1141304045

WHSmith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/coming-home-a-guide-to-being-your-true-self/gillian-mcmichael/paperback/9781784529703.html