Episode Summary

Ever feel like life is speeding past you while you’re stuck in a lay-by, wondering if you missed the memo?

In this episode of The Tea Mind Podcast, we pause for tea and unpack the habit of comparison. From a sunset in Morocco to science-backed insights on envy and self-worth, Erica explores how to shift your focus away from what others are doing and back to what matters.

This isn’t about chasing contentment. It’s about learning to notice what’s already here.

In this episode:

* Why comparison drains joy and energy

* What really happened on that picture-perfect Morocco trip

* The mindset shift Dean Furness used to redefine success after paralysis

* What psychology says about the real reason we compare

* A practical tea routine to help you stay grounded in your own life

Resources and Links

* Dean Furness TEDx Talk - “Redefining Your Personal Average”: Watch here

* SELF Magazine - “3 Things to Do When You Feel Like Everyone Else Is More Successful Than You”: Read here

* Subscribe to The Tea Mind Substack for free weekly insights and tea-based rituals

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our new tea, like Earl of Winter.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

For three years, my podcast microphone sat untouched on my desk. I told myself I was preparing, but in truth, I was hiding.

This episode explores how perfectionism often disguises itself as productivity - the endless refining, researching and waiting for the perfect moment that never comes.

Through the lens of the Metal Element of Autumn, you will learn how to move from control to flow, from over-polishing to quiet progress. I share the story of how The Tea Mind began and how one imperfect recording changed everything.

Together, we brew a cup of Oolong tea and practise a short Tea Routine for Courage to help you take one small, real step forward before you feel ready.

Perfection keeps you waiting. Action helps you grow.

In this episode:

* How the Metal Element of Autumn can shift from rigidity to refinement.

* Why high standards can quietly turn into self-protection.

* How to find courage through movement rather than mastery.

* A simple three-minute Tea Routine for Courage using Yellow Gold Oolong or Orange Oolong Supreme to balance structure with surrender.

“The leaves can’t open until they meet the hot water. You can’t grow until you begin.”

Resources and Links

* Subscribe to The Tea Mind Substack for weekly insights and tea-based rituals

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover seasonal teas, like Yellow Gold Oolong.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Heads-up: This episode contains a little strong language. Because sometimes, only a swear word will do.

Episode Summary

What if you’re not stuck, you’re just thinking in a way that keeps you stuck?

In this honest and energising conversation, I sit down with Rebecca Bonnington, CEO and Founder of Tricres, to explore how we can shift our thinking, lead with clarity and create change that sticks.

Rebecca isn’t just a leadership coach. She trains the coaches who train the leaders. Her background spans decades in business, leadership, NLP and personal transformation. And she’s not afraid to say what others won’t.

You’ll learn:

* How NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) can help you shift out of stuck patterns

* Why many of your beliefs may not even be yours

* The truth about burnout and business ego

* How to lead yourself when everything feels uncertain

* A 3-minute mental reset you can use while your tea brews

We also talk about healing, motherhood, divorce and resilience. This one’s not just about leadership. It’s about life.

“You’re the thinker of your own thoughts. And that means you get to decide what lives in your head.” – Rebecca Bonnington

Tea Mind Prompt

While your tea brews, try this:

* Place your tongue just behind the roof of your mouth

* Breathe slowly and intentionally

* Let your mind go quiet, even for a few seconds

This NLP-inspired pause helps quiet your nervous system and brings you into the present moment.

Mentioned in this Episode

* Tricres – Kick Ass Culture Coaching: tricres.com

* Rebecca’s book: How to Outshine the Rest and The Best Selling Coach

* Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari

* Deepak Chopra’s Abundance: The Inner Path To Wealth

Resources and Links

* Subscribe to The Tea Mind Substack for weekly insights and tea-based rituals

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our new tea, like Pumpkin Chai.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. 🍵 If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

In this episode, we’re talking about stress. Not as background noise, but as a real signal that something needs your attention.

I share my own story of pushing through the demands of work, parenting, and building a business, while ignoring the signs my body was giving me. Until one day, it didn’t let me ignore them anymore.

We explore what happens when stress is left unchecked, how it often shows up quietly, and why intentional pauses can be a powerful tool for rebalancing your nervous system.

In this episode:

* How chronic stress builds silently and shows up in the body

* The signs you might be ignoring

* Why stillness is not laziness but strategy

* A practical tea routine to help you reset in just three minutes

Try This

You don’t need a retreat. Just a quiet moment, a cup of tea, and one grounding question:Where can I give myself permission to soften today?

Resources Mentioned

* Health in Mind: Understanding Stress

* My current tea: Ginger Gut Balance - discover your favourite: Tea Quiz

Resources and Links

* Subscribe to The Tea Mind Substack for weekly insights and tea-based rituals

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our new tea, like Pumpkin Chai.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. 🍵 If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary:

If you’ve been feeling stuck, flat, or burned out, this episode invites you to pause, put the kettle on, and rediscover the quiet power of curiosity.

We explore why your best ideas often arrive not when you are pushing harder, but when you finally stop to listen. Erica shares the story behind the Tea Mind system, the subtle ways we trade creativity for conformity, and how a simple tea break can help you reconnect with your spark.

This episode also introduces a new Tea Routine called The Curiosity Cup, designed to help you reconnect with your inner voice and let your imagination breathe.

What You’ll Learn:

* How burnout can look like high performance

* Why society rewards conformity over creativity

* The difference between surface-level curiosity and deep inner wondering

* What happens when you stop filtering your ideas

* A practical tea-based reflection practice to revive your creativity

Tea Routine of the Week:

The Curiosity Cup

A four-step tea ritual to help you:

* Try a tea you have never had before

* Ask yourself, "What am I curious about right now?" while the kettle boils

* Reflect on three simple prompts while your tea steeps:

* What if I am wrong about something big?

* What is a project I secretly want to start?

* What am I not saying out loud?

* Sip your tea slowly and allow whatever thoughts arise to surprise you

This is not about productivity. It is about presence. No outcomes, no measuring, just space to wonder.

Reflection Prompt:

What is one idea you have not told anyone because it feels too weird, too unfinished, or too uncertain?

That might be the idea to sit with this week.

Resources and Links

* Subscribe to The Tea Mind Substack for weekly insights and tea-based rituals

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our new tea, like Pumpkin Chai.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. 🍵 If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary:

“To trust the process, you often have to grieve the illusion of control.”

In this solo episode, we explore trust not as a passive hope, but as an active practice of letting go. Aligned with the Metal Element and the season of Autumn, this conversation invites you to pause, exhale, and reflect.

You’ll be guided through breathwork, a personal story about surrendering control, and a simple but powerful tea routine designed to help you cultivate trust. If you’re in a season of transition or feeling the tension of trying to force outcomes, this is your invitation to soften.

Let your tea be a teacher. Let the season guide you. And let this be the moment you begin to trust again.

What We Cover in This Episode:

* Why the Metal Element and Autumn invite us to refine and release

* A personal story about moving house and learning to trust the timing of life

* Insights from Alan Watts on insecurity and surrender

* How grief and gratitude both relate to the Metal Element

* A full breakdown of the Trust Cup Tea Routine

* A powerful closing reflection question to help you reconnect with trust

This Week’s Tea Routine:

The Trust Cup

This calming ritual includes four steps: mindful brewing, conscious breathing, gratitude journaling, and present-moment sipping. It’s a small daily practice that can lead to big internal shifts.

Recommended tea: Coconut & Turmeric Chai, perfect for the grounding energy of Autumn.

Resources Mentioned:

* The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts

* The Anatomy of Trust by Brené Brown

* The Tea Mind system and the role of Metal in Autumn

* Tea Mind’s Trust Cup Routine (explained fully inside the episode)

Your Reflection Prompt:

What would it look like to trust yourself just for today?

Ask yourself:What is one action I can take?What is one outcome I can choose to release?

Use your pause for tea to reflect on the answers.

Let’s Stay Connected

DM me, jump in the subscriber chat, or connect via my website, LinkedIn or Instagram. I offer tea supply, tea training, tea for wellbeing courses and mindset coaching.

Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our new tea.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. 🍵 If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

What do you do when fear floods in and the world wants answers now?

In this episode, I share how a simple and intentional tea break, which I call my "Courage Cup," helps me pause, reset, and move through fear with calm and clarity rather than overwhelm.

Fear often appears just as you are about to do something meaningful. It does not knock politely. It barges in. Most of us are taught to power through. But what if the bravest thing you could do was pause?

In This Episode

* Why fear often appears just before you take a meaningful step

* The cost of powering through fear without pausing

* How the P.A.U.S.E. Tea Routine works

* What the latest neuroscience says about meditation and the fear response

* Why presence is not about eliminating fear but choosing how you meet it

Questions to Reflect On

* What does your courage cup look like?

* What tea helps you move through fear?

* What fear are you ready to sit with today?

Resources and Links

* Download the Courage Cup Routine

* Read the meditation and fear study from PNAS (February 2025)

* Learn more about Jasmine Pearls

* If your fear feels deeper - panic attacks, chronic anxiety you deserve support. Check out this guide from The Mental Health Foundation: How to manage your fear and anxiety

Final Thought

Bravery is not always loud. Sometimes, it looks like making a cup of tea.

Pop the kettle on. Trust your tea mind. Take one small step forward, even if fear is walking beside you.

Let’s Stay Connected

DM me, jump in the subscriber chat, or connect via my website, LinkedIn or Instagram. I offer tea supply, tea training, tea for wellbeing courses and mindset coaching.

Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our new tea.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. 🍵 If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.