Mental Notes with Matt
Mental Notes with Matt
Podcast Description
Mental Notes with Matt is a real talk podcast about the messy, meaningful work of being human. Hosted by Matt, a father, performer, and mental health advocate, each episode explores themes like reinvention, grief, creativity, and self-compassion, through raw reflections and honest conversations. Whether you’re on your own mental health journey or just craving more authentic connection, this show is here to help you feel a little less alone. Please note that I am not a licensed therapist and this podcast is a space for sharing personal stories and insights from my own lived experience.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes of reinvention, grief, creativity, and self-compassion, with episodes featuring discussions on the transformative power of travel, navigating depression, and the importance of authentic connection.
Mental Notes with Matt is a real talk podcast about the messy, meaningful work of being human. Hosted by Matt, a father, performer, and mental health advocate, each episode explores themes like reinvention, grief, creativity, and self-compassion, through raw reflections and honest conversations. Whether you’re on your own mental health journey or just craving more authentic connection, this show is here to help you feel a little less alone. Please note that I am not a licensed therapist and this podcast is a space for sharing personal stories and insights from my own lived experience.
In this deeply reflective conversation, Matt sits down with author and ikigai researcher Nicholas Kemp to explore the true meaning of the Japanese concept of ikigai — a word often misunderstood, oversimplified, and misapplied in Western culture.
Rather than a Venn diagram, a career formula, or a secret to longevity, Nicholas explains that ikigai is an emotional experience — the feeling that life is worth living. It’s found in small moments, meaningful connections, personal agency, and the quiet sense of being alive “here and now.”
Together, Matt and Nicholas unpack why ikigai is misunderstood, how to reconnect with intrinsic motivation, and why purpose doesn’t need to be chased — only felt. This episode is a grounding reminder that a “life worth living” is built moment by moment, not achieved all at once.
Key Takeaways
What ikigai truly means in Japanese culture
Why Western interpretations — including the Venn diagram — miss the point
Ikigai as a feeling, not a life goal
How intrinsic motivation shapes our sense of purpose
The role of connection, agency, and belonging
Misconceptions linking ikigai to longevity and Okinawa
The importance of embracing ambiguity and cultural nuance
How to cultivate everyday meaning in your own life
Ikigai lives in everyday life, not a grand destiny
It’s about felt experience, not achievement or productivity
Meaning grows through connection, curiosity, and agency
Letting go of pressure opens space for genuine fulfillment
A “life worth living” is personal, emotional, and always evolving
Connect With Nicholas Kemp
Website:https://ikigaitribe.com
Book:Ikigai-Kan: Feel a Life Worth Living
Instagram: @ikigaitribe
Connect with Matt
Website: mentalnoteswithmatt.com
Instagram: @mentalnoteswithmatt
LinkedIn Newsletter: Morning Mental Notes
Disclaimer
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