How much are we really noticing in the world around us?

In this episode of It’s A Small World!, we take you on a journey through nature, folklore, and the hidden meanings behind the plants we walk past every day.

After taking part in a Wildflowers and Witchcraft walk at Newstead Abbey in Nottingham, we started to look at nature differently, not just as something we pass through, but as something that once held deep meaning, purpose, and even a little magic.

From healing plants and protective trees to rituals, superstition, and seasonal traditions, we explore how people once understood the natural world - and what that says about us today.

Was it belief?
Was it survival?
Or were people simply trying to make sense of an unpredictable world?

We also dive into the psychology behind it all - why humans are drawn to patterns, meaning, and the idea that there might be something more beneath the surface.

And in a modern world where we’re constantly rushing, have we lost that connection entirely?

If you’ve ever felt drawn to nature, folklore, or the idea that there’s more to the world than we can explain… this episode is for you

Is Wuthering Heights really a love story… or have we been romanticising something far darker?

In this episode of It’s A Small World!, Tanya and Mich explore the raw, unsettling world of Emily Brontë’s classic - from an opening that shocked audiences of the latest film adaptation to the deeper psychological themes beneath the surface.

We unpack the intensity of Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship, the blurred line between love and obsession, and how environment, identity and trauma shape the story.

Along the way, we question unreliable narration, toxic relationships, and why destructive love can feel so powerful.

This isn’t a cosy period romance. It’s something far more human.

Links:

Wuthering Heights Book - https://amzn.to/3OpQ6Kh

Emily DVD - https://amzn.to/41g4PKO

To Walk Invisable DVD - https://amzn.to/4drkyxO

Wuthering Heights (Tom Hardy) - https://amzn.to/4842xST

In a world that expects constant productivity, steady progress, and always moving forward… what happens when your energy doesn’t work that way?

In this episode, we explore what it really means to live cyclically in a linear world - from fluctuating energy levels and emotional rhythms, to the quiet pressure of “keeping up” when your body and mind are asking for something different.

We talk about:

• Honouring your natural cycles instead of fighting them
• Letting go of guilt around rest and slower days
• Navigating work, life, and expectations when your energy shifts
• Finding balance in a world that rarely pauses

This is a conversation about self-awareness, acceptance, and learning to move with your own rhythm - not against it.

If you’ve ever felt out of sync with the pace of everyday life, this one’s for you.

✨ Follow & share if you’re on this journey too
🎧 New episodes weekly

Book mentioned: Sacred Seasons - Kirsty Gallagher - https://amzn.to/3PtTN1I

Last week we explored the cultural idea of curses - how societies across the world have used them to explain misfortune, fear and social control.

But what if the idea of a “family curse” isn’t just folklore?

In this episode of It’s A Small World, Tanya and Mich move from mythology into science, exploring the fascinating field of epigenetics - the study of how trauma and life experiences can influence the way genes are expressed across generations.

Could the struggles of our ancestors shape the emotional and psychological patterns we experience today?

We explore:

• The difference between superstition and inherited trauma
• How epigenetics works
• Studies on famine, war and generational memory
• Why humans create stories about “family curses”
• Whether science might actually explain some of these long-held beliefs

A conversation about biology, psychology and the human need to make sense of the past.

It’s A Small World is the podcast where culture, science and belief meet.

Book mentioned: It Didn't Start With You by Mark Wolynn. Available here

Are curses real - or are they powerful stories humans have told for centuries to explain misfortune?

In this episode of It’s A Small World, Tanya and Mich explore the strange history of curses, from ancient Roman curse tablets and African spiritual traditions to European folklore and modern horror stories.

Why have humans across almost every culture believed that misfortune could be deliberately sent to someone? Is it about magic… revenge… justice… or something deeper in human psychology?

Along the way we look at the difference between curses and superstitions, why humans have such a deep need to create meaning when life feels chaotic, and how belief itself can influence reality through concepts like confirmation bias and the nocebo effect.

We also explore famous stories of cursed objects, unsettling films that seem surrounded by misfortune, and the fascinating ways perception and belief shape what we see and experience.

Because as evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould once said:

Humans are primates that tell stories.

And sometimes those stories are powerful enough to feel real.

Next week: Epigenetic Curses - can trauma really be passed down through generations?

Welcome to It’s A Small World! - the podcast where we explore identity, culture, belief systems, human behaviour… and the subtle societal shifts that say something much bigger about who we’re becoming.

Sometimes we go deep.
Sometimes we go philosophical.
And sometimes… we talk about dogs.

This week’s episode was inspired by something simple that made us smile: a cinema for dogs.

Instead of asking, “Should dogs be allowed in places?”We’re asking… why not?

Because dogs are everywhere - cafés, pubs, hotels, offices, shops… and now museums and cinemas. For some people, that’s a step too far. For us, it opens up a bigger cultural conversation.

Are dogs just pets anymore? Or are they family?

In this episode, Tanya and Mich explore:

• Why dogs make spaces feel warmer and more human
• How modern loneliness and flexible living have changed our relationship with animals
• Whether “dog mum/dad” culture reflects something deeper
• The real issue behind the backlash - is it dogs… or bad owners?
• Where dogs should (and shouldn’t) be allowed
• And the etiquette code every responsible owner should follow

This isn’t about chaos.
It’s about comfort.
It’s about connection.
It’s about whether public spaces are evolving to reflect how people actually live now.

Because when someone says, “It’s only a dog”…
For many of us, it really isn’t.

It’s companionship.
It’s grounding.
It’s family.

And maybe the world feels better - when it makes room for what people love.

So yes, we’re firmly in the camp of:
Let the dogs in. Responsibly. Respectfully. But unapologetically.

Gendered Ageism, Media Bias & Turning 50

In this episode of It’s A Small World!, we explore gendered ageism, workplace bias, media representation and the cultural double standard of ageing.

Why are older men described as “distinguished,” “seasoned” and “authoritative”, while women are sold anti-ageing products and warned about wrinkles before they’ve earned them?

We discuss:

• What ageism really means (for young and old)

• Gender bias in the workplace

• Age discrimination in media and television

• Anti-ageing culture and cosmetic pressure

• Imposter syndrome vs societal messaging

• Turning 50 and navigating visibility

• Professional age preferences and trust bias

• How ageing impacts income, confidence and identity

From “silver fox” stereotypes to newsroom double standards, from job adverts coded with “digital native” language to influencer culture and cosmetic surgery, we unpack how society frames female ageing differently.

Is ageing decline, or accumulation of power, authority and lived experience?

If you're interested in identity, culture, feminism, workplace equality, psychology, or how media shapes self-worth - this episode is for you.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Book mentioned in episode 'Super Ageing" available from Amazon - https://amzn.to/46Y3v2f

That quiet voice that says you don’t belong.
That you’ve somehow slipped through the net.
That any moment now, someone is going to find you out.

In this episode of It’s A Small World!, Tanya and Mich explore imposter syndrome - what it is, why it’s increasing, and how it links directly to burnout, particularly for women in the workplace.

Drawing on research from Claire Josa’s Imposter Syndrome Study, we unpack the connection between imposter syndrome, mental load and chronic stress, including the finding that over half of female employees are now concerned about burnout.

We discuss:

• The 4 P’s – Perfectionism, Procrastination, Project Paralysis and People Pleasing
• Why leadership structures are still based on outdated assumptions
• The “spotlight effect” (and why most people aren’t judging us as much as we think)
• How school grading, comparison culture and relationships shape self-worth
• The difference between internal doubt and external bias

We also share personal stories - from school experiences and career fears to confidence, failure and questioning whether we’re ever really “enough.”

If you’ve ever replayed conversations in your head or felt like your achievements were down to luck, this episode is for you.

Next week: Ageism - where imposter syndrome ends, and systemic bias begins.

And remember… sometimes the world is smaller and stranger than we think.