162: New Life Perspectives with Liz Larson and Bill McKenna & it is all about 'Feeling set'!162: New Life Perspectives with Liz Larson and Bill McKenna & it is all about 'Feeling set'!
UK Health Radio Podcast
Bill McKenna and Liz Larson talk about the idea of a "feeling set" and how emotions drive thoughts, choices and daily experiences. They combine neuroscience, personal stories and simple practices to show how shifting emotional state can open up new possibilities in life.
45:46•25 May 2026
Why Your Feeling Set Runs the Show (and Not Your Mindset)
Episode Overview
- Feelings come before thoughts, so changing your emotional baseline is more effective than trying to force new thinking.
- Your "feeling set" acts like a hidden filter, shaping what you notice, how you interpret events and which stories you repeat about your life.
- The nervous system, often equated with the subconscious, drives most behaviour and can be retrained to release fear, shame, numbness and other stuck states.
- Simple physical shifts such as relaxing body tension or holding the eyes in an upward position can quickly change emotional state and outlook.
- Trauma, including that passed down through generations, can prime emotional reactions, but changing the feeling set opens up more optimistic thoughts and real-life possibilities.
“"We can't really think thoughts greater than the way we feel."”
Ever wondered what it really means to "change your mindset"? This conversation on UK Health Radio flips that idea on its head and says the real key is your "feeling set" – the emotional baseline you carry through everyday life. Host Bill McKenna and his long-time collaborator Liz Larson chat about how feelings come before thoughts, leaning on neuroscience from researchers like Dr Antonio Damasio and Mary Helen Immordino-Yang.
As Bill puts it bluntly, "We can't really think thoughts greater than the way we feel." So if you’ve ever tried to talk yourself into positivity and found it wore off by Tuesday, you’ll probably relate. The episode blends brain science with practical, almost cheeky examples: friends who tell the same victim story on repeat, that one relative who walks into a restaurant already annoyed, or the way a holiday instantly makes you more open and relaxed.
Bill shares how simply relaxing a tight shoulder completely changed how he experienced an "annoying" person: "They're just telling me about their day" replaced his irritation in seconds. You’ll hear about the nervous system as the real engine room of behaviour, why numbness is still a feeling, and how generational trauma can quietly shape emotional reactions, illustrated through a striking mouse experiment.
There’s also a look at heart-brain coherence and how your internal state can influence the people around you – including whether your waiter gives you extra-good service. Practical tips stay simple and accessible: lifting your eyes to shift mood, noticing tension in the body, and working with the nervous system rather than fighting thoughts head-on. The style is chatty, slightly geeky, and geared towards anyone who wants to feel better long term rather than white-knuckle their way through life changes.
If your "mindset work" keeps slipping, is it time to ask what your feeling set is quietly running in the background?
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