My Life Playlist
This whole idea of creating a “playlist of my life” came from Shia—my brilliant CMO—who suggested I take the concept of a playlist beyond just music. What if I mapped out the things that were fuelling me right now? Not just songs, but ideas, books, places, people, films, routines, memories. What if I put together a living reflection of the things keeping me joyful, purposeful and inspired?
It struck a chord. Because life is a playlist. Some tracks you loop again and again—familiar, comforting, grounding. Others arrive like new releases, shaking things up, shifting your rhythm. Some are classics you revisit when you need to remember who you are.
So this newsletter is that. It’s a collection of what’s helping me move through the world with intention. The things I’m watching, listening to, reading. The small rituals that anchor my mornings. The people I’m learning from. The places I’m grateful to inhabit. And the ideas I’m holding close as I navigate another season.
Currently I’m spending part of the year in Thailand and part in the UK. That contrast—the pace, the light, the texture of each place—helps me stay balanced. If I’m lucky, I’ve got 25 or 30 more summers and winters ahead. And I want to spend each of them wisely. With people I love and people who love me. Doing work that matters. Being healthy in body and soul. And showing up in the world with kindness and energy.
Before we get into what I’m watching, reading and dancing to—here’s the foundation. The deeper rhythm underneath it all. This section is about how I live, how I move through the world, and the habits and beliefs that keep me grounded day in and day out.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how mindset shapes everything. Not in the buzzy, surface-level way—but in the way it affects your health, your resilience, your relationships, your energy. I’m lucky to have cultivated a pretty positive outlook—but I also work really, really hard at it. It’s not an accident. It’s a practice. One that takes tuning and retuning, like a well-loved instrument.
I try to live in a way that’s true to me. I don’t let the noise of others’ expectations drown out my own rhythm. I eat with intention, I move my body with purpose, and I check in with myself regularly—what’s energising me, what’s depleting me, what needs shifting. That’s the real playlist beneath the playlists. The life layer. The foundation.
Here are a few recent reflections that capture what I mean…
The Essence of Positivity
I have always considered myself a glass half full, positive and can-do type of individual, simplifying troubling issues and exaggerating to myself the benefits and upside of any situation!
When I came across this lovely little sketch note my heart wanted to sing as I share it with you!
Because in addition to thinking in an optimistic way, looking for solutions, expecting good results, success, and focusing on making life happier, this graphic opens up new thoughts around the essence of acting with positivity! An investigator and broadcaster of beautiful things, digging deep in the mud to find joy.
The Harder You Prep, The Luckier You Get!⠀
I love Vala Afshar's 'Top Ten' style Tweets, and have made a few humble additions to this super list of 'how luck finds you'.⠀
I agree that the harder you work, the luckier you seem to get, I often say I’d rather be lucky than smart but mostly we want to be both right?⠀⠀
I have 4 luck creating short tips that I’d love your views on. ⠀
1. Build Your Sail⠀
Captured beautifully in a TED Salon talk, Tina Seelig uses a wind analogy to describe luck. https://buff.ly/2VXjAnf⠀
Sometimes it's a light breeze. Sometimes it's a windstorm. But you never really know when, or from which direction, it will come. Her advice is to build your sail. Bit by bit, you'll be more equipped to catch luck when it breezes by.⠀
2. Good Old Fashioned Hard Work⠀⠀
Espoused by golfer Arnold Palmer who simply demonstrates, over a breathtakingly successful career, that honing your skills and regular practice drives high-performance results, that many may see as luck!⠀
3. Opening the Luck Aperture⠀
Last week a young mentee with a good degree got an amazing opportunity to interview with a world-class company. She reached out to her mentor, networks were used, research and prep superbly done and she got the job. Don't forget to ask for help!⠀
4. 100% of the Shots You Don't Take Won't Go In⠀
My favourite quote. Being bold and having aspirations for a moon landing, can create star-studded landings! Go on, take a shot!⠀
I’m totally my own person
In a meeting recently, someone who knows me quite well said “You would say this Harriet, you’re the ultimate left field candidate and someone who always dances to the beat of her own drum”.
I have reflected on this and think it talks to my independence of spirit and mind but also throughout last year I started to sing out loud and dance with real vigour, quite often inside and outside!
I am not gifted at either but I think I really feel the benefit from the activities! Of course, dancing is good exercise and improves my balance, control, and overall coordination but I am surprised how stress relieving for me (not sure others listening or watching would agree) the singing is!
Both pursuits also seem to enhance my sense of belonging and connectedness, improve my memory, and bring back to my mind so much pleasure from my childhood when we would go to ballet and tap classes and perform in amateur dramatic productions organised by the amazing Mrs Shepherd and her talented children Angela and Jennifer!
Have you reconnected with any past/childhood hobbies or skills? I would love to hear about your singing, dancing or other quaint pastimes.
And I love the idea and practice that we should all dance to the beat of our own drum with an independence of spirit 🥁
Phenomenal Superfoods To Boost Your Mood
I’m developing a much more thoughtful relationship with food. I’m paying attention—what I put into my mouth, how it makes me feel. No meat, lots of superfoods, and a growing sense of control and care.
I don’t often venture into the world of food advice, but I have a few things to say about this Apple News Story which appeared in British Vogue recently.
No question the gut is our second brain, the key to our wellbeing – and the seat of our soul. It is where the majority of our hormones are produced, and, for this reason, has a serious impact on how we look, think and feel. Superfoods are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – and are a great tool to support, stimulate and service our gut. Whether you’re planning resolutions or revolutions in 2021, why not start from within by incorporating some of the below into your diet.
My three top tips are:
- Acerola Cherries, delicious and sent from the Gods to protect us! Just don’t eat too many in one sitting...!
- Secondly Pumpkin seeds, my go-to snack which I often dust with paprika or chilli powder for a wonderful kick
- Seaweed or Sea Moss is amazing fried on toast with lots of pepper, and a little honey 🍯
KEEPING ACTIVE
Movement is medicine. Every morning, without fail, I move. It’s how I connect to myself, reset my energy, and set the tone for the day ahead. Whether I’m in Thailand with the heat rising over the water or back in the UK with a crisp start and cuppa waiting, the act of showing up for my body first thing gives me clarity and calm.
I used to think it had to be all go, all the time—until I discovered the quiet power of rest days. Proper ones. The kind where you actually rest. And I’m learning that they’re not just a pause—they’re a powerful part of the rhythm. A crucial recovery track on the playlist.
Each activity has its own music: dancing with the grandkids, cycling with Graham, lifting kettlebells, stretching into Plough Pose. And each morning is its own little composition. Sometimes upbeat, sometimes steady, always grounding.
Here’s what my movement playlist looks like lately...
Dancing with my Grandkids…
If there’s one thing on my daily repeat right now—it’s this: dancing on FaceTime and video with True, Willow and Barnaby.
When we’re together in person, dancing is always part of the fun. But right now, with the time difference, I send them videos—of me dancing, reading bedtime stories, showing them. They love it. So do I.
No choreography. No playlist. No agenda. Just us, moving however we feel in the moment. Laughing. Falling over. Repeating the same silly moves because they make us giggle. It’s wild and warm and completely wonderful—and one of my top things to do in the whole world, hands down.
There’s something magical about those calls and videos. The way joy travels through the screen. The way a wriggly move or a shouted “Your turn, BabaKorn!” becomes the best kind of workout. It’s not about fitness—it’s about feeling connected. Moving together even when we’re far apart.
We’ve accidentally created our own kind of family dance tradition. It’s messy. It’s loud. And it keeps me smiling for hours afterwards.
No fancy music system. No matching outfits. Just a lot of love and a whole lot of laughing. Honestly? That’s the kind of energy I want to carry into everything.
Love, Tandems & Vitamin D — Cycling on Repeat
Cycling is one of the most played tracks on my life playlist right now. And not just any cycling—tandem cycling with Graham, side by side, kilometre after kilometre across Thailand.
We’ve clocked up thousands of kilometres already this year. Every ride is a reminder of partnership, rhythm, trust—and the power of sunshine and movement. It’s not about pace. It’s about presence. About starting the day in motion, soaking up vitamin D, and syncing with the person I love most.
There’s something beautifully symbolic about a tandem. You can’t fake the teamwork. You have to listen, adjust, communicate without words. We laugh a lot. Sometimes we stop for coffee or take photos of the ocean. Sometimes we just ride in silence, thinking and pedalling and knowing the other is right there.
As I wrote in this earlier post, “Sun on our faces, movement in our bodies, and the joy of doing something physical together – at our age, it's honestly one of the best things we’ve ever done.”
Cycling is so much more than exercise—it’s a daily anchor. A moving meditation. A reminder that momentum can be gentle and joyful, not just fast and hard.
Still going. Still grateful. Still pedalling.
Yoga has been part of my life for years, but it’s only recently that I’ve realised how much I rely on it—not just for flexibility or strength, but for something deeper: a return to myself.
My favourite pose? Plough Pose. There’s something about it that helps me reset. It’s grounding, it’s calming, and it invites me to turn inward. In a world that so often asks us to project outward—online, in meetings, in the hustle—it’s a chance to tuck in and breathe.
As I shared in this post a while back, yoga isn’t just a practice, it’s a companion. It’s been there through career shifts, personal transformation, parenting, grief, growth. It keeps me flexible in more ways than one.
Most days, I roll out my mat not to perfect a pose, but to listen. What’s my body saying today? Where am I holding tension? How am I arriving in the world?
Plough Pose reminds me: sometimes the best thing we can do is fold inwards, breathe deeply, and start again.
EVERY AFTERNOON I WORK ON GIVING BACK
Afternoons are when I shift gears—moving from motion to meaning. It’s the time of day I devote to others: through mentoring, business coaching, fundraising and purposeful connection. This part of my playlist is rooted in contribution. It’s not just about what I’ve done—it’s about what I can help others do.
I think of it as the giving-back groove. A space where kindness, clarity and curiosity all come into play. Whether I’m supporting a founder through a big decision, reviewing a strategy deck, helping someone find their voice, or raising funds for a cause close to my heart—it’s all fuelled by the same desire: to pass the torch, to lift others up, and to stay useful.
There’s a quiet power in being fully present for someone. In asking good questions. In listening—really listening. That’s what fills me up most in this part of the day. Here are a few notes from that part of the playlist…
Kindness is always fashionable, and always welcome.
As we celebrate World Kindness day, I am reminded of this beautiful poem written by Naomi Shihab Nye. This piece was birthed from a life-jarring event, which captured this difficult, beautiful, redemptive transmutation of fear into kindness in a poem that has since become a classic. Her words include:
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
I think this is rich & moving because nothing can make our life, or the lives of other people, more beautiful than perpetual kindness,” Leo Tolstoy — a man of colossal compassion — wrote while reckoning with his life as it neared its end.
“Practice kindness all day to everybody and you will realize you’re already in heaven now,” Jack Kerouac half-resolved, half-instructed an epoch later in a beautiful letter to his first wife and lifelong friend.
Please tag those who have been so kind to you recently - I would love to hear your stories.
Here is the full poem: https://lnkd.in/g8MUD4d
Giving Back | Saving the Leatherback Turtles
One of the most urgent and inspiring parts of our work in Thailand right now is supporting the conservation of the leatherback turtle, an ancient and endangered species indigenous to Phangna Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
These remarkable creatures—some of the oldest reptiles on earth—are now critically endangered, with just 10 known females remaining in Phuket. Their survival is threatened by warming seas, light-polluted beaches, disappearing food sources, and habitat disruption caused by us, humans.
But there is hope.
We’re proudly supporting the pioneering work of Dr Hurin and the Phuket Marine Biology Centre, who are leading a globally unique programme: raising leatherback hatchlings in a protected hatchery for two years—the critical window for survival—before releasing them into the ocean.
With patented turtle food pellets, environmental protections, and tank systems that have created the highest known survival rate in the world, their work is not only saving turtles—but setting a global benchmark for marine conservation.
It costs approximately 1 million baht to raise and release just 50 turtles, and thanks to a beautiful fundraising evening at Sri Panwa—complete with performances, generosity and joy—we’re helping make that possible.
This is more than an environmental project.
It’s a commitment to legacy, biodiversity, and balance.
And we’re just getting started.
A constant theme in my playlist is listening—really listening. As my own hearing gently deteriorates, I’ve found myself focusing even more on what people are saying, how they’re saying it, and what’s left unsaid…
Let’s talk active listening…
During my first period of working in Japan 1988, I received feedback from my new colleagues that I perhaps wasn’t listening as effectively, or respectfully, as I could. Plus I was filling silences way too fast!
The gift of feedback and an opportunity to learn and grow - so off I embarked on an 'active listening” program! As well as actually and factually listening better (there were tests of course!) I was taught and encouraged to demonstrate that I was listening with extraordinary levels of concentration (not least out of respect that almost everyone I was listening to was speaking English as a second language).
Many of the elements in this brilliant sketchnote were beautifully covered in that course, but one new skill and practice that I have found deeply valuable in lockdown is ‘physical intonation’. It's absolutely critical I feel for our new way of communicating via online video calls and when face-to-face but 1m+ apart.
Nodding, encouraging with your face and hands, using your eyes not only for contact but for deeper meaning and expression. Research on active listening suggests these practices build empathy and increase wellbeing, which is so deeply key at this time. Give it a go, one can have instant impact!
Words That Mean the World
I’ve had the absolute privilege of mentoring some extraordinary people over the years—and every so often, they share words that stop me in my tracks.
We’ve just added a few new reflections from recent mentees to the website. Their journeys are bold, beautiful, and full of growth. If you’re curious about what mentoring & business coaching with me looks like—or just want a little inspiration—have a read.
📩 https://www.harrietgreen.com/mentor
So grateful to Amber, Georgie, Simon and Kevin for sharing their stories with such honesty and heart. Read here
EVERY EVENING I TRY AND BE CREATIVE
Evenings are my time to exhale. After mornings of movement and afternoons of mentoring and momentum, I slow down and switch gears. This is when I read, write, listen, and let my imagination stretch out a bit. It’s when I pour into myself, creatively and quietly.
One of the most energising things on my evening playlist lately? Reading. Books have always been companions, teachers, provocateurs—and right now, I’m in a bit of a Shakespeare phase. Maybe it’s my deep love for being British, and all the rich cultural layers that come with that. Our history of writing, performance, art—it’s shaped so much of how I see the world.
I’ve especially been thinking about the leadership lessons hidden in the works of The Great Bard. As I shared in this post, Shakespeare isn’t just about iambic pentameter and period costumes. His characters, conflicts and soliloquies reveal so much about human nature—and that includes what it means to lead:
In The Merchant of Venice, we’re reminded that profit without purpose is never enough.
In Julius Caesar, we see the power (and fragility) of bringing your people with you.
In Henry IV, the importance of recognising those who walk alongside us.
In Henry V, that empathy can be one of our greatest tools of inspiration.
And in King Lear, we learn the hard truth of failing to plan succession.
It’s rich, timeless material—and a reminder that leadership isn’t new. It’s always been about people, power, purpose, and empathy.
Outside of the Bard, my current bookshelf is packed with gems:
📖 Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi – the fifth novel in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series. Quiet, moving, deeply human storytelling.
📖 The Shadow District by Arnaldur Indridason – a beautifully layered mystery that reflects on old crimes and their modern echoes. A masterclass in restraint and empathy.
📖 Seventh Floor by David McCloskey – If you haven’t read his work, start now. From Damascus Station to Moscow X, and now this latest thriller—he continues to shine a light on the brilliance and complexity of extraordinary women.
📖 Hunters in the Dark by Lawrence Osborne – Atmospheric and sharp, like a new Graham Greene. The setting in Cambodia pulls you right in, and the writing lingers long after.
And as ever, huge thanks to Jenny Peters and Jimmy Green, who keep me topped up with beautiful books and thoughtful recommendations. You both help fuel my imagination, page after page.
So that’s what’s filling my evenings. A little Shakespeare, a lot of wonder, and the quiet joy of stories well told.
I'm Writing a Book – and I'm Looking for a Woman to Help Me Bring It to Life
This year, one of the things I'm committing to is finally writing my book. It’s been bubbling away for ages — all about the intersection of AI, creativity, and running a business in this wild digital world.
But I’m not doing it solo.
I want to partner with a brilliant woman writer — someone who can help shape the words, build the structure, and co-create something that feels human and powerful.
If that sounds like you — or someone you know — please do let me know. I’m ready to get started.
LISTEN TO MUSIC — MY CURRENT SOUNDTRACK
Music has always been one of the great emotional signposts in my life. It lifts, soothes, transports, and sometimes gives language to things I didn’t even realise I was feeling. In the evenings, or early in the morning, or during quiet transitions in the day, I let these tracks shape the space around me.
Here’s what’s on my current listening playlist—a blend of nostalgia, brilliance, reinvention and pure sonic beauty.
🎼 Rachmaninov – Piano Concerto No. 2
There are no words, really. It’s just… breathtaking. Romantic, rich, and utterly moving. It reminds me to feel fully. A piece that somehow manages to break your heart and stitch it back together in the same breath.
🎧 Tiwony – Chrysanthemes
Hypnotic and strangely soothing. It creeps in gently, like waves brushing the shore. One of those tracks that feels like it’s always been playing, just waiting for you to notice it.
🎤 Madonna & Maluma – Medellín
Reinvention at its finest. Our icon Madge proving yet again she’s got layers for days. This track is cheeky, unexpected, and full of rhythm—it’s the sound of boldness with a wink.
🚆 ELO – Last Train to London
This one’s for Graham. He’s the music maestro in our family, and this track gets him humming every time. It’s retro in the best way—tight harmonies, funky bassline, and that timeless ELO sparkle.
🕛 Faithless – Insomnia
I’ve been listening to this for nearly 30 years and it still hits. That slow build. The poetry. The beat drop. It’s more than a song—it’s a memory loop. A reminder of nights dancing, thinking, moving, dreaming.
🎼 Shostakovich – Piano Concerto No. 2
Another classical gem. Dreamy, emotional, and full of space. I love letting this one fill the room—there’s something about it that makes you want to float or write or lie down with your eyes closed and just listen.
👀 Sam Fender – People Watching
Smart, melodic, and well observed. A newer addition to my playlist but one I’ve grown to love. He’s got a knack for writing what we’re all thinking, and this track lands just right.
Music, for me, isn’t background noise—it’s presence. It sets the tone. It shifts my perspective. It reminds me of who I’ve been and shows me glimpses of who I’m becoming. And like every good playlist, it’s always evolving.
THIS YEAR'S TV SOUNDTRACK
Some evenings call for books, some for music… and some, let’s be honest, call for a sofa, a snack, and something brilliant to watch. My TV playlist this year has been bold, beautifully cast, and full of twists that had me wide-eyed at the screen.
Here’s what’s earned a place in my watchlist rotation lately:
🎬 Anora
A wild, witty, and wonderfully human take on Cinderella meets Pretty Woman—but with teeth. Smart, sharp and totally unexpected, Anora spins a familiar fantasy into something gritty, grounded and laugh-out-loud funny. The leading actress is magnetic—full of heart, humour and edge—and in my view, absolutely deserved her Oscar. A fresh, fearless modern fairytale.
📺 Disclaimer
Wow. Just wow. This one had me fully on edge—in the best way. Cate Blanchett, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Kevin Kline deliver powerhouse performances in a series that twists your trust at every turn. A real stomach-turner about the danger of perception. Addictive, unsettling, and so well done.
🪖 Rogue SAS
The first series was a full-eye-opener. The “dogs of war” brought to life in brutal, complex, unflinching detail. It challenges the clean-cut hero myth in all the right ways. Not light viewing, but important.
🎭 CULPRITS
What. A. Cast. And the conclusion—no spoilers here, but I had to sit for a moment after the credits rolled. Smart, stylish, and brilliantly acted. One of those shows where the twists keep coming, but you’re still there for the characters.
🎥 Capture – Series Two
Absolutely loved it. The second series didn’t lose pace at all. It dives deeper into surveillance, digital ethics and control—but wrapped in a crime thriller that keeps you guessing. So good.
🐒 Bad Monkey
Vince Vaughn was a revelation in this. It’s cheeky, gritty, and oddly tender in places. A quirky detective drama that surprises you when you least expect it.
I’m quite particular about what I watch—but when something hits, it really hits. Whether it's the writing, the performances, or just the sheer craftsmanship, these shows made the cut this year. And they’ve all reminded me of something I deeply believe: storytelling still matters. On the page or on the screen, the right story told well will always stop you in your tracks.
LIFE PLAYLIST | THE TRACKS THAT STAY ON REPEAT
If the last few months had a soundtrack, it would be full of joy, purpose, movement, and—if I’m honest—a few quieter, heavier tracks too. Life, after all, isn’t a perfect playlist. It’s a mix of the moments that lift us and the ones that stretch us.
There have been so many beautiful tracks playing on repeat lately:
💛 Dancing, singing and reading with True, Willow and Barnaby—those moments of connection are everything. Whether it’s silliness on FaceTime or cuddles and storytime in person, they fill me up in ways nothing else can. And having family and friends gather here at SaiLom? Pure joy.
📚 Teaching on Saturdays at our Academy for Youth with Potential in Sri Panwa, welcoming young Myanmar refugees and supporting their English learning—this work humbles me every time. The courage and energy of these young people is something I carry with me through the week.
🚴🏽♀️ Tandem cycling with Graham continues to be a rhythm I adore—thousands of kilometres across Thailand, sun on our backs, vitamin D in our bones, and the sort of teamwork that doesn’t need words.
💥 And raising £500,000 in bursaries to help five girls attend Norwich High School for Girls is going to be a huge win. Remote activism really does work—and this is one of the proudest, most purposeful projects I’ve been part of in years.
But like any real playlist, there are a few tracks I’d rather skip:
💔 My relationship with my mother is a painful, quiet undercurrent. Her mind, body and soul are shifting, and it’s making connection harder. The grief is slow and daily.
💬 Long-distance friendships are another track on repeat. I love deeply, but I’m learning that love requires presence—and I’m working on how to show up more consistently, more intentionally.
⚖️ And not everything I’ve committed to has landed. Some giving ventures haven’t worked. Maybe I’ve said yes too often. For example as you know we have failed to get Norfolk County Council to continue their top up grant for the Dereham meeting point.
It reminded me of something I shared previously:
“I think I am collaborating too much – 9 triggers to over-collaborating.”
Are we burning our time and energy on things that don’t serve us—or others?
📖 Read the post here
Still, through it all, I return to this:
🎧 It’s a privilege to live a life with such a full and layered soundtrack.
The highs, the lows, the crescendos, the silences. I wouldn’t trade a single track.
This whole Playlist of My Life idea came from the hugely creative Shia, my brilliant CMO, who nudged me to think beyond music—to map what’s really fuelling me: books, places, people, routines, reflections. And in doing so, it’s become one of my favourite ways to share honestly, and hopefully, help others reflect too even when there is an inherent vulnerability when doing so.
Before I sign off, I wanted to share the moment that’s been sitting right at the top of my life playlist this month.
At our school in Panwa, we’ve been teaching young male teenage Myanmar refugees—boys who’ve fled the civil war, where they were being forced to fight one another and as of last week the dreadful earthquake compounds the misery so lots of work is starting to raise money for relief efforts.
One young man—kind yet traumatised, anxious but hopeful—said to me in Burmese (which we translated):
“I love coming here to learn every week. It makes me feel like a human again. Thank you.”
That moment floored me. A simple truth, so powerfully said.
We take so much for granted—but this reminded me that the gift of learning isn’t just about knowledge. It’s about dignity. It’s about connection. It’s about being seen and feeling human.
So now, I’d love to hear from you—what’s been on your life playlist lately?
🎶 A song that’s stuck with you
📚 A book that’s shifted your thinking
💭 A moment that’s moved you
Drop yours in the comments or send me a message—I’d genuinely love to hear.
Warmest
Harriet