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This Breaking The Blocks podcast offers unscripted, truthful and at times downright raw conversations about how life can be so darned tough to navigate.

After facing blocks throughout her life and, at times, very difficult emotionally challenging situations, CraftyMonkies founder & CEO Rachel Pierman felt the need to explore this further with a wide variety of individuals to learn about their life's journey & how they've overcome some difficult challenges.

When you face obstacles like these, how do you break them down? Listen in - you might just find something that helps you break your own blocks, whatever those blocks might be...

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Wow! So proud of this little channel that started with a moment of ‘I wonder if anyone would listen to peoples story’s?’ I didn’t have a studio, I didn’t have an investor, I had no knowledge of how to create a podcast, I had no fancy graphics or editing team, I didn’t know any big famous people to launch the show with and I still don’t have proper lighting or any of the above, but what I do have is empathy, a spirit of inclusion and I love to learn about people.

I’m meeting the most incredible people. People who are willing to be vulnerable, open and honest in sharing their stories in the hope that they can heal others whilst healing themselves.

What a journey it has been in the last 12 months. Thank you to each and every one of you who have watched a video, liked anything, listened to a podcast, I really do appreciate you. ❤️❤️❤️

Let’s see where the next 12 months takes us?
Special thanks to all my guests but particularly @sewbecca @offkiltercrafterian and @liftingandstitching you guys have been so inspirational and instrumental in the growth of this channel, and now I’m proud to call you my my friends who not only inspire me, but make me howl with laughter! 🤭 ❤️

This is a lesson I learned many years ago whilst working with a therapist. I wasn’t able to use this technique until the last year or so. I don’t know why, but now I find it easier to access my emotions as I’ve learnt lots of things about myself in the last few years through my life experiences. I practised every day for a bit, talking to the much younger version of myself. It feels strange at first, but it is weird how now, if I feel myself being triggered or slipping into an old version of myself, this little girl pops up, looks me in the eye and tells me that I don’t need to feel the way I did about myself in the past. I’m strong enough and worthy enough to be loved and to love and respect myself. I tell her that none of what was happening around her was her fault.

Find a photograph of yourself today and try it if you feel the need…

So proud of my Tiny mum, ‘Breaking The Blocks’. She has had a terrible start to her year, losing her husband of 43 years, having face cancer surgery five days ago, and a recent diagnosis of onset dementia. It’s a lot to deal with, but yesterday she got her make-up on, went with us for a lovely lunch and then set off on a 10,000 step walk she’d never done before (neither had we and one point thought we were lost!). It rained along the way but she didn’t complain once, and at the end said she had had “a lovely day”. These are the moments that matter. But to have these moments you have to get up and carry on every single day.

So proud of her.
Pic credit, my husband!
#Alzheimer’s #Dementia #HelpTheAged #Motivation #Inspiration #DailyInspiration #GetUpAndCarryOn #MemoryLoss #10,000Steps #ExerciseEveryDay #WalkingInTheWoods #WoodlandWalks #BreakingTheBlocks

Think of something now that shaped you as a person, go back and erase it, who would you be now? Rubbing out all of the bad things that happened to you or the mistakes that you made, would completely change who you are today. You can’t erase your past, but you can change your future, but only if you REALLY want to change who you are and how you behave.

Lessons not learned often repeat.

Season 2 episode 14 is live!
“I wanted attention, but was taught to make myself small.” @sewbecca shares how she overcame childhood abuse to become a creative force. Her journey from trauma to healing shows we can all break cycles handed down to us. What patterns are you breaking today? #BreakingTheBlocks #Healing

💥Breaking The Blocks, Take 2💥
Just like my guests (and I) who are constantly evolving, learning and growing, so is the podcast, starting with a little rebranding exercise on the website and our YouTube channel!

Had some really positive developments this week and as time goes on, I’ll be interviewing more guests in specialised areas other than just the arts and I hope you’ll continue the journey with me.

Life has its blocks but let’s keep removing them together.

Thank you so much for all of your support so far on the journey. Remember if you want to listen, you can do so on any podcast platform in the world or on the new Breaking the Blocks YouTube channel (breakingtheblockspodcast)

It’s #internationalwomensday2025 so what better day to point out that you should never dull your light or camouflage yourself to blend into someone else’s narrative. There is only one of you in the billions of people in the world, you are totally unique, so be YOU and never try to be anyone else, or become something you don’t want to because someone else is telling you what you should do. Be strong, confident and know your worth.

#liveyourlifenow #womenstandtogether #internationalwomensday #womenover50 #womenover50style #womenover50fitness #womenover50rock

Sage life advice from some of my recent guests…
@liftingandstitching @quilteronfire @offkiltercrafterian @davidowenhastings @lions_den_quilting @matteicheldinger @myaffirmationproject @sewbecca
Which is your favourite? Or what is YOUR motto?
Comment below! 👇

I loved this phrase when I saw it, ‘be where you are’. The first time you read this you think, ‘well of course I have to be where I am’. But what it really means is to live in the moment, don’t think about the future, don’t think about what’s gone in the past, just be in the present. Ground yourself, find peace within yourself, and accept your reality. As I stood on the rock, I focused on the sounds of the sea, the beautiful golden light, the wonderful day I had just had. I didn’t focus on what was ahead of me, or what had happened to the previous week and I felt calm. Be where you are.

Season two episode 13 of @breakingtheblocks is out today. What happens when grief teaches resilience? Join us as Josh shares his moving story of love, loss, and the healing power of quilting. Don’t miss this heartfelt episode. Thank you @liftingandstitching for sharing your story in such an honest and vulnerable way. I thought this clip paid tribute to your beautiful mum, but also served as a reminder of how we should all behave in this world with respect, kindness, compassion and underneath everything, love.

Listen, where ever get your Podcasts and you could also watch the episode on the @craftymonkies YouTube channel under the podcast heading.

Also, March is @colorectalcanceralliance month the disease that sadly Josh’s mum passed away from. If you have any symptoms, make sure you get yourself checked out.

The most significant lesson I’ve learned in life is that when dark days seem to weigh you down, it’s essential not to run away from them. Instead, take the time to sit with your feelings and navigate through them. Avoidance is the worst thing you can do. This morning, I woke up to heavy rain, but rather than shying away from it, I chose to embrace the moment. I grabbed a hat, donned some bright colors, and ventured out into the rain. Life is meant to be experienced fully, the dark days and the light, don’t run from either.

#GoodMentalHealth #GoodMentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #BreakingTheBlocks #WalksInTheRain #PositivityGoals #PositivityAttractsPositivity #AuthenticityIsMagnetic#

Had the most beautiful conversation yesterday with this wonderful human being @liftingandstitching (Josh). If you’re a regular listener, you’ll know that my guests often have a tear, but Josh brought me to tears in this one. The full episode will be out this Saturday and you can hear Josh‘s story about his wonderful mum and how she has been a guiding inspiration and light throughout his life. The full interview also highlights the month of March being @coloncancer_awareness month, the disease that sadly claimed Josh’s mums life.

Thank you, Josh for being so vulnerable and I’m really looking forward to sharing your story.
#getcheckedout #:CancerAwareness #EarlySymptoms #QuiltingStories #ImprovQuilter

Life can be tough with knock after unexpected knock coming at you until you hit the floor. But following a period of necessary hibernation, reflection and feeling /working through all the emotions (that bits really important), let it all go, get up, do anything, put something bright on and go for a walk. It starts there. Try it. Find a hat or scarf, slap it on and smile at a stranger. The word ‘depressed’ suddenly changes into ‘ I pressed on ‘. Today I pressed on.

Happy Saturday ☀️

#GoodMentalHealth #PositiveMentalHealth #GoForAWalk #WearBrightColours #BeatTheBlues #BanishTheBlues #PositiveThinking #moveforwardwithyourlife

🌿✨ “In the journey of life, we often find ourselves lost in the chaos of expectations and responsibilities. But it’s in those quiet moments, away from the noise, that we begin to rediscover who we truly are.

Finding yourself is not a destination; it’s a journey filled with self-reflection, exploration, and growth, and just when you think you’re getting somewhere, life throws you a curveball. It’s about embracing your passions, acknowledging your fears, facing and understanding them, where do they stem from? What’s holding you back?

So take the time to wander, to dream, and to listen to your heart. The path may be winding, but every step brings you closer to the person you are meant to be.

Here’s to the beautiful journey of self-discovery! 🌈❤️ #FindYourself #SelfDiscovery #JourneyWithin”#mentalhealthpodcast #

Season two: episode 12 of @breakingtheblocks is out today and available wherever you get your Podcasts. My wonderful guest was the effervescent and upbeat. @davidowenhastings who was not afraid to talk about his troubled early beginnings in his life, and how they could have led him down a dark path but instead he chose the light. A wonderful life affirming conversation I hope you enjoy. Thank you so much, David for being a fantastic guest and sharing your story with me.

Scientists say 12 minutes is all it takes. I read this on a post today and it made me think. I have spent hours and hours in the last year talking to people on the podcast @breakingtheblocks and my perspectives have definitely changed and I’ve also learned so much about me and the world around me. I think we should all keep talking….

I love how the world is always talking to us. As I stood on the London tube platform, firstly I noticed that my outfit seem to match the floor entirely! But then I asked myself, what gap do we need to mind? I think it’s good to have space in our life, to sit in the space and not instantly try to fill it. If we rush to fill a space, sometimes we can make mistakes. But I also think that it’s important to look at the gaps, the spaces in our lives and start deciding what we want to fill our lives with.

Instead of focusing on the negative, let’s look at the positive, what would fill that gap in our life and enrich our experience here on planet Earth?

What would you like to fill a space in your life with? Drop a comment below.

👇

#MindTheGap #PositiveMentalHealth #MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #LookAtTheFuture #SitInTheSilence #Meditation #MeditativeMoments

The latest episode of @breakingtheblocks with the wonderfully talented and sweetest person @matteicheldinger 🤗 (available anywhere you can listen to a podcast and also on @craftymonkies YouTube channel under podcasts)

Matt returns for his second visit to The Breaking The Block Studio to talk about what happens when you have achieved your dream!? When you’ve achieved success, what’s next? Does imposter syndrome kick in? Does panic arise with thoughts of you might not be able to replicate your first success?

I asked Matt these and many other questions. I absolutely loved the ebb and flow of this interview and then natural conversation along with pearls of wisdom. I hope you enjoy it too, and I’d love to hear your comments.

Thank you Matt as always for being a wonderful guest. Let’s do it again soon, but this time with a ginger biscuit and a cup of tea!

#writersblock #litereraryfiction #litereryagent #writerslifeforme #writerscommunity #writersnetwork #childrensauthor #middlegradebooks #middlegradebooks #mattsproutsseries #matteicheldinger #matteicheldingerauthor

I can’t wait to bring you the next episode of @breakingtheblocks (this Saturday 1st February wherever you get your podcasts) with the glorious human being that is @matteicheldinger Matt is back in the BTB studio for a second time, here he reflects upon his last year(2024) in which he had lots of success, but also new challenges to overcome.

He mentioned some great advice he gives to kids on his speaking engagements, but actually I think this advice stands for every single one of us no matter what age we are.

Thank you Matt for such an entertaining and enjoyable couple of hours chatting! 🙏🏻🤗

It’s easy to feel powerless and think that as one single person on this earth you can affect no change. I don’t believe this is true. If every person helps to change one other life we’d be halfway there! Put out the ripple effect….

I had a fantastic, uplifting, at times funny, and at times heartbreaking conversation with the wonderfully open @sewbecca yesterday for an upcoming episode of @breakingtheblocks

Becca has been through a very difficult childhood, one of the worst starts you could want for a child and yet through this adversity she has found forgiveness for those who perpetrated crimes against her and is now a very successful Quilter with a thriving (and huge) community over on YouTube. I loved her take on forgiveness, a simple thing to visualise the next time you are angry with someone and can’t forgive them, realise that whilst in the act of holding onto their throats and choking them in anger, you are actually bringing so much stress upon yourself. Release that stress-and put the energy back into yourself.

Much love ❤️ to you Becca and anyone resonating.

I just can’t motivate myself at the moment. I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t know why, I can’t work out my feelings, and for a moment I started to spiral into frustration and anger at why I’m not feeling motivated. But that doesn’t get you anywhere. All you can do is stop. Just stop. Feel, listen to your intuition, be here and now because that’s all you can be. Wake up tomorrow and try again.

This clip is from an upcoming interview with the wonderfully soft spoken, but sincerely empathetic and articulate @davidowenhastings I pondered for a moment about this piece, there is so much controversy out there in the world right now and a lot of media clips of people being very forceful in their speech, almost shouting at us to believe in what they are saying or trying to change our minds. What I thought was wonderful was what David was saying here, was about how we can still be gentle and positive and try to make change by leading as an example. It’s something to ponder upon, you may disagree, but for a moment when I listen to David, I at the very least feel in a better place because I know there are others out there like me…there are still many many good kind people in the world. We have to keep going.

Thank you, David for a wonderful open chat, I look forward to launching it on our @breakingtheblocks podcast very soon.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing the wonderful human being that is @lions_den_quilting (Leo) I know sadly we’ve heard lots of stories like this (too many), but what I found fascinating was the way that Leo handled the situation. I love it how he said “I am the test and your husband is failing the grade”. That’s what we are in life, we are all lessons for each other and we must all learn from each other by using empathy and compassion and then changing our attitudes and behaviour. The episode with Leo will be coming out very soon with a wonderful class over on @craftymonkies in September. Always have kindness and grace, it will serve you well as Leo has found.

My day started at 1 am with a migraine, followed by some heavy prescription drugs, followed by viewing a very grey day out of the window. But instead of sitting on my couch, I wrapped up warm and took myself for a walk and now I feel so much better. Always wrap yourself in positivity!

#PositiveVibes #CoffeeLover #BrightenYourDay

🔥Season 2 Episode 9 of @breakingtheblocks just landed! ☄️Listen wherever you listen to your podcasts or check out the episode on @craftymonkies YouTube channel (listed under podcasts)

This week the wonderfully open, gracious and kind @trudi_wood came to visit. This episode really was a master class in how we can all overcome challenges in our life by making more positive choices, choices to help ourselves grow and change and not repeat the same behaviours. Thank you so much Trudi for being so honest and vulnerable, it was a really wonderful conversation.

The next episode of @breakingtheblocks will drop this Saturday 18th January and will be available on any podcast platform, plus of course on our YouTube channel (listed on @craftymonkies in the podcast section)

My guest this week is @trudi_wood she speaks such a lot of good sense, she has been through quite a few difficult times in her life and has suffered with depression. In this interview she talks about how she has overcome those blocks. I do hope you can listen….

I was lucky enough to stand on the Apollo stage in the West End yesterday after watching the musical WICKED (thank you @the_nonchalant_quilter ) I’ll admit I’m manifested filling a theatre like that talking about breaking the blocks one day, you have to have a dream!

As I looked out over the magnificent theatre, it got me thinking. If I was performing (or just being me in daily life) who would be sitting in the seat and genuinely cheering me on? I imagined a few friends and a couple of family members. I visualised the people who weren’t clapping getting up and walking out of the exit door and I felt fine with it. It didn’t matter that the theatre was vastly empty, we don’t need 3000 people cheering us on, just 1 will do!

As I imagined looking in the faces of the people sitting in the stalls, I felt an inner warmth and joy. This got me thinking… 🤔

Whenever you’re having a bad day, imagine a theatre, and the people you love cheering you on.

I’d love to hear a comment below as to who would sit in a seat for you and why they would encourage you.

👇👇👇

Someone messaged me the other day after I pointed out I was 55 and said “I demand a recount” I’m not gonna lie, I am susceptible to filters, but as you can see here I generally live my life with the energy of someone much younger, in my teenage years I remember my dad used to do silly walks and pull funny faces, life kind of took it out of him in his later years, something I’m determined will never happen to me. I feel like I’m aging backwards!

I have aches and pains, my eyebrows weren’t where they used to be and the menopausal migraines are tough, but when I can be me, I’m me to the fullest! I really do believe it’s true, that you are as old as your energy. Get out there and forget your age! Forget the naysayers. You are never too old! Just do you!

Thanks to my friends and family for encouraging my inner teenager! Like @russelljamesbarratt at the Festival of Quilts, “we’re doing a fit check Russell” “a what”? And he did!

Season 2 Episode 9 of @breakingtheblocks is out now!

My guest this week was ex firefighter and Quilter @quilteronfire (Brandy Maslowski) she has a very interesting story to tell about how she was diagnosed with PTSD, you would think it came from her work as a firefighter, dealing with traumatic incidents in the outside world, but actually her trauma came from sitting at her desk and dealing with a couple of colleagues who made life incredibly difficult. This episode talks about how Brandy overcame the trauma and found her joy in being creative.

I hope you will take some of her life lessons on board, particularly if you have experienced any similar toxic behaviour in the work environment.

Available to listen to anywhere you get your podcasts and also on the @craftymonkies YouTube channel in the podcast section.

Thank you, Brandy for being so open and vulnerable.

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Pic shows an iMac featuring the Live Events and Online Interactive Workshop website, created by Rachel Pierman

Learn more about Breaking The Blocks host Rachel Pierman and the company of which she's CEO, the global crafting success that is CraftyMonkies:-

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