In this first Sifting Session, I share a personal story about what happens when two values pull you in opposite directions.

For me, that tension showed up in my first business, KA Equestrian ... caught between the urge to sustain a business I’d built, and the reality that it was no longer sustainable. Holding on felt safe, but it also meant staying anchored to something that no longer gave me joy.

In this episode, I talk about:

✨ The difficult but freeing decision to close KA Equestrian

✨ Why changing your mind isn’t failure, but wisdom

✨ What it means to make space for new passions and new growth

✨ The relief that comes with releasing outdated dreams

I also share some gentle prompts to help you reflect on where your own values might be colliding, and how you might give yourself permission to let go.

In this episode of The Sieve, I’m joined by chef, food writer, and sustainability educator Tom Hunt. Tom is known as an “eco-chef,” but his work goes far beyond recipes and restaurants. Through his Root to Fruit philosophy and his book Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet, he invites us to see food not just as fuel, but as a joyful act that connects people, planet, and values.

We talk about:

• The values that shaped Tom’s journey into food and sustainability.
• How pleasure and responsibility can sit side by side in the kitchen.
• The challenges of speaking up about climate and food without making people feel judged.
• What it means to live, and eat, in line with your principles.

This conversation is both inspiring and practical, with stories and insights to help you think about the values that guide your own choices around food and beyond.

✨ Next week, I’ll be sharing the first of our solo Sifting Sessions ... shorter, story-led reflections from me. The first one is called When Values Collide, and it’s about the lessons I learned when my first business, KA Equestrian, became unsustainable.

Join the conversation over on Instagram @thesievepod — I’d love to hear what values shape the way you live.

In this episode of The Sieve, Karen is joined by Dr David Robert Grimes ... physicist, cancer researcher, and author of The Irrational Ape ... for a wide-ranging conversation about truth, belief, and the battle against misinformation in a noisy world.

Together, they explore why humans are so susceptible to conspiracy thinking, how science communication can be both powerful and flawed, and what it really takes to stay curious and grounded in a culture that often rewards certainty over nuance. David shares personal insights from his own work in science and media, as well as his experiences navigating public discourse during some of the most polarising debates of our time.

This is an episode about evidence but also about empathy. A reminder that behind every strong opinion is often a story worth listening to.