A Good Life At Sol Haven | Episode 22

A Good Life At Sol Haven

Sunday, 7 December 2025 - 53 minutes

Step into another warm and uplifting episode of A Good Life with Soul Haven, where Chris Gregg is joined by Natasha the Loving Chef and special guest Anthony, one of Soul Haven’s directors. This episode is a festive deep-dive into caring for your wellbeing at Christmas, setting boundaries, managing expectations, and finding calm in the middle of the seasonal whirlwind.

Natasha shares seven practical tips for navigating the pressures of Christmas Day with compassion and clarity, from creating a peaceful start to delegating tasks and taking sensory breaks. The team explore how excitement and stress can feel so similar, and how reframing your emotions can help you stay grounded.

Anthony opens up about his personal journey from a long career in retail and supply-chain leadership into discovering a more purpose-driven path. He explains how he first connected with Soul Haven, how he became a director, and the inspiring impact of the flagship Plan the Mind programme. You’ll hear how Soul Haven measures social value, how organisations can support the work, and why sustainable community wellbeing is at the heart of everything they do.

There’s also a delightfully festive recipe from Natasha: an easy vegan cashew nut cheese rolled in rosemary, cranberry, and nut crust — perfect for your Christmas cheeseboard. She breaks down how to make it, how to customise it, and how long it keeps.

The episode ends with an affirmation card pull and a reflection on why it’s important to celebrate your small wins and recognise your own resilience.

It’s comforting, insightful, funny in all the right places, and packed with practical wisdom for your festive season.

Easy vegan cashew nut cheese with Rosemary, cranberry and nut crust – great for a fabulous cheese board

Ingredients:
2 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon roasted garlic (optional)
1/2 – 3/4 tablespoons fine sea salt (or to taste)
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional if you like a little heat)
parchment paper,

Topping Ingredients:
handful of mixed nuts (I used walnuts and pecans), chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped fine
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped fine + extra for garnish

Directions:
Rinse and drain your soaked cashews. Then blend them in a food processor or high-speed blender with
nutritional yeast, garlic and salt and pepper until smooth.
Place the mixture onto a cheesecloth and squeeze top to drain any liquids. If a log shape is desired, then
shape the mixture into a cylinder, still in the cheesecloth. Place it over a sieve and store in the refrigerator
for 6-8 hours.
Chop the nuts, cranberries and rosemary and spread onto a work surface. Unwrap the cheese log and roll it
in the toppings evenly pressing them into the ‘cheese’. Do this just before serving or return back to the
refrigerator until serving.

00:00 – Welcome to A Good Life at Soul Haven
01:12 – Introducing Anthony, this week’s special guest
03:10 – Christmas pressures, expectations and festive mental health
07:00 – Soul Haven’s purpose and how to get involved
11:35 – Seven top tips for coping with Christmas stress
18:40 – Boundaries, delegation and managing family dynamics
22:10 – Sensory breaks, overwhelm and staying present
25:30 – Phone habits, switching off and enjoying the day
28:15 – Social balance, self-compassion and small wins
31:40 – Introducing Anthony’s story
33:05 – Anthony’s career background and shift in purpose
38:20 – Joining Soul Haven and becoming a director
42:55 – Plan the Mind and measuring social value
47:10 – How organisations can support Soul Haven
49:30 – Vegan cashew nut cheese recipe
51:55 – Upcoming events and Christmas markets
53:10 – Affirmation card
54:05 – Looking ahead to the New Year episode

#SoulHaven #AGoodLifePodcast #FestiveWellbeing #MentalHealthSupport #NorthamptonshireCommunity #PlanTheMind #WellbeingJourney #PurposeDrivenLiving #VeganCheeseRecipe #HolidayStressTips #AffirmationCards #SoulfulLiving #CommunityWellbeing #UKPodcasts #MindfulnessTools #NewYearWellbeing #SelfCompassion #NorthamptonshireLife #HolisticHealth #WellbeingInNature

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A Good Life At Sol Haven | Episode 22