In a world where half of young people UK dream of becoming influencers, Jade Bowler delves into the hidden costs of this career - from burnout and loneliness to the struggle for authenticity.

Jade Bowler (@UnJadedJade ) is an author, content creator, podcaster, and one of the UK’s first “StudyTubers.” Since starting her YouTube channel at 16, Jade has built a global audience and is shaping a generation interested in spirituality, self-discovery in your 20s, productivity and finding "casual magic" in your every day.

Elizabeth Oldfield and Jade Bowler talk about:

🎙️The hidden costs of being a content creator, the pressures of social media and the responsibility of influencers

🌿 How to live authentically online and build genuine connection when millions are watching

🌈Jade’s journey of coming out and navigating internalised homophobia

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🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast

📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/

💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

✨ Listen to Jade's podcast @findingyourcasualmagic

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:16 What is Sacred to you? Jade Bowler Answers

02:35 Craving connection and finding it online

08:30 Jade reflects on her parents’ contrasting influences

11:11 Bullied for being "too academic"

13:53 Starting StudyTube at

16:56 The weight of fame, influence and responsibility

20:15 Algorithmic pressure vs creativity

26:10 Authenticity vs. Performance online

32:15 Searching to fill the wisdom-gap

38:11 Coming out online and internalised homophobia

43:52 The hidden cost of being a creator

Keywords

Jade Bowler (known online as UnJaded Jade) is one of the UK’s first StudyTubers who built a global audience sharing study tips, motivation, and her journey as a student. In this episode of The Sacred Podcast, Jade reflects on what it’s really like to grow up online and live as a content creator in a world driven by algorithms, short-form video, and the pressures of social media.We dive deep into the hidden costs of being an influencer: from creator burnout, loneliness, and mental health struggles, to the constant pressure to stay relevant on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Jade speaks honestly about the difference between being a StudyTuber at 16 and navigating life now as a young woman in her 20s.Jade also shares her coming out story as an LGBTQ+ creator, reflecting on her experience with internalised homophobia, the importance of authenticity online, and how to build genuine connection and community with an audience. She discusses what it means to be a Gen Z content creator, the challenges of making your personal life part of your brand, and how she finds balance, meaning, and even spirituality in the digital age.

In this special Ask Me Anything episode, Elizabeth Oldfield sits down with our new producer Joe, to answer some of the most moving, interesting, and challenging questions we’ve ever received.We go deep into topics of loneliness, forgiveness, parenting, the risks and rewards of finding a community, the disappointment of unmet dreams and the question of representation on the podcast.We were surprised by how often we found ourselves nodding, laughing, and even a bit emotional in response to what you asked.🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ Keywords:Ask Me Anything, Q&A, listener questions, echo chambers, polarisation, loneliness, community, intentional community, community living, eating together, table fellowship, belonging, friendship, forgiveness, disappointment, unmet dreams, hope in hard times, parenting, parenting struggles, parenting with presence, faith and family, raising children with values, marriage and family life, sacred values, what’s your sacred, beauty and patriarchy, church and gender, patriarchy in the church, faith and patriarchy, loving your neighbour, loving enemies, neighbourhood, atomised society, building community, community resilience, honesty and vulnerability, vulnerable conversation, spiritual practice, faith in messy times, your questions answered, faith and doubt, community of listeners, living with hope, why forgiveness matters, how to find belonging, meaningful conversation, spiritual reflection.

We’re putting together a Q+A episode and would love to hear what’s on your mind right now.

If you're new here, we're all about deep conversations, exploring spirituality and our values, relational dilemmas and how to live together well, and of course talking about how to be when the world is in crisis.

We welcome both big and small questions for Elizabeth and the podcast team!

How to send👇 💌

- Drop them in the comments for this episode

- DM us a message / voice note / video on X, TikTok or Instagram

- Email us at thesacredpodcast@gmail.com

Speak soon,

Elizabeth & The Sacred Team

In this reflection episode, Elizabeth steps back from interviews to ask: what’s really staying with me from these conversations?

We explore themes of gender, division, fear, and the deep longing for connection in a time when everything can feel like it’s falling apart - politically, socially and spiritually.

We talk about:

• Why gender is so hard to talk about without blame

• The “polycrisis” and our collective fight-or-flight

• How contempt sneaks in and empathy fades

• Whether old spiritual traditions still have anything to offer

• And what it takes to stay human (and stay open) in a polarised world

  
  

🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast

📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/

💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

🌿 Take a break with us in August. Take time to be with your people and "unplug" yourself from the online world. We'll see you in September.

What happens when standing by your principles means losing your community?

David French was once a Republican darling - a military veteran in Iraq, a pro-life lawyer, and a defender of religious liberty. But when he publicly opposed Donald Trump in 2016, everything changed. His church turned on him, his family received threats, and he became controversial figure in political and religious debates.

In this conversation, David reflects on the cost of choosing virtue over political loyalty, why free speech still matters even when it's painful, and what it’s like to be exiled by your tribe.

We talk about moral courage, the state of American evangelicalism, and what it means to stay principled in a world that rewards tribalism.

🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast

📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/

💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

✍️ Follow David French: https://x.com/davidafrench?lang=en

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:07 What is Sacred to you? David French answers

01:29 Defining Virtue in American Society

06:26 When Have Your Virtues Been Tested?

14:42 Formative Experiences and Moral Foundations

18:40 Political Awakening and Conservative Values

27:27 The Role of Civil Liberties in Society

30:47 The Importance of Defending Difficult Speech

33:31 The Importance of Free Speech

36:39 Serving in the Iraq war

39:52 Transformative Experiences of War

44:10 Political Identity and Church Community Rejection

50:49 The Impact of Community Rejection

54:52 Staying True to Principles Over Tribes

Keywords:

David French - veteran, constitutional lawyer, political commentator, and lifelong conservative - joins The Sacred to talk about the cost of staying true to his values. In this episode, he shares how refusing to support Donald Trump led to being “cancelled” by his church, receiving threats, and becoming a controversial figure in conservative Christian circles. We explore free speech, religious freedom, evangelical politics, cancel culture, moral courage, integrity, and the crisis of virtue in public life. David speaks about his military service in Iraq, his time defending civil liberties, and why he believes principles should come before political parties. This conversation is for anyone wrestling with faith and politics, Christian identity, the culture wars, the evangelical church, or what it means to live with integrity in polarised times. Topics include: Christian conservatism, Never Trump, leaving church, freedom of speech, spiritual exile, republican, political pressure, and how to remain faithful under fire.

After three incredible years, we're saying goodbye to our producer, Daniel Turner. We sat down with him to reflect on his journey, asking what's making young men conservative?In this special episode of The Sacred, we debrief on what it's like to work on the podcast, explore how leadership failures challenged his faith, talk about masculinity, abortion and the influence of figures like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson on young men. We discuss generational divides in politics, and reflect on the guests who’ve shaped him most.

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🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast

📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/

💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

✍️ Follow Daniel Turner's writing: https://etcet.substack.com/

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:19 What is Sacred to you? Daniel Turner answers

2:23 Fighting to remain curious

3:33 Growing up in a religious community

6:28 Why did you leave the community?

9:32 Moral failures within the church

10:30 Difficulty reengaging with church

12:10 Is there a "quiet revival" in church?

15:15 Getting married and having children young

20:36 Parenthood and purpose

22:58 The "manosphere" and masculinity

27:13 Thoughts on Jordan Peterson

28:28 Curiosity towards Andrew Tate

32:00 Choosing Sacred guests

34:00 Gen Z: apathy, escapism and polarisation

37:29 The Pro-Life Perspective: Community and Support

45:29 Final reflections on Three Years with The Sacred

Key Topics:

Faith crisis, church trauma, spiritual deconstruction, young Christian experience, masculinity crisis, religious leadership failure, pro-life perspectives, community healing, millennial faith journey, generational spiritual shifts, Catholic charismatic renewal, intellectual curiosity in faith, overcoming church hurt, Jordan Peterson influence, Gen Z spirituality, early marriage and faith, parenting and religious identity, radical forgiveness, navigating religious doubt, Christian masculinity, spiritual resilience, church culture critique, personal transformation, faith and family dynamics, religious community challenges, healing from spiritual abuse, authentic Christian experience, interfaith dialogue, moral complexity in faith, young men's spiritual journey, church leadership accountability, reconciliation after trauma, spiritual questioning, community support systems, religious identity exploration, emotional intelligence in faith, radical listening, intergenerational spiritual conversations, Christian identity reconstruction, spiritual mentorship, faith and cultural shifts, personal testimony, religious freedom, spiritual growth, church trauma recovery, authentic belief, millennial religious experience, spiritual resilience, faith-based personal development, sacred conversations.

In this bonus episode, Elizabeth Oldfield and Christine Emba dive deep into the heart of what it means to live a good life in turbulent times.

Recorded in Washington, DC, this intimate discussion explores vulnerability, community, and finding hope when the world feels overwhelming.

🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast

📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/

💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

✍️ Follow Christine: https://x.com/christineemba?lang=en

Keywords:

community, resilience, purpose, vulnerability, moral courage, spirituality, friendship, authenticity, connection, meaning, hope, personal growth, wisdom, integrity, social infrastructure, interdependence, faith, trust, compassion, transformation, belonging, self-discovery, empathy, community building, personal values, spiritual strength, emotional intelligence, social connection, mindfulness, resilience, personal development, human connection, inner growth, social awareness, emotional resilience, personal transformation, spiritual journey, community support, self-reflection, moral compass, human potential, personal evolution, social bonds, emotional depth, spiritual practice, personal integrity, community engagement, inner strength, vulnerability, meaningful living

Fariha Róisín is a poet, Muslim, and survivor of extreme childhood trauma. In this raw, soul-baring conversation, they speak about the long road from abuse to healing - via Islam, queerness, Ayahuasca, and a radical reimagining of wellness.

This is not your typical conversation about wellness, it's about what healing really takes and why the current wellness industry often gets it so wrong.

🎧 In this episode:

- What Western wellness won’t tell you about trauma

- How Islam became a radical site of healing and resistance

- Reclaiming the body, queerness, and spiritual power

- The deeper spiritual technologies beyond capitalism

⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of child sexual abuse and self harm.

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🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast

📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/

💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

✍️ Follow Fariha: https://www.instagram.com/fariha_roisin/?hl=en

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:21 What is Sacred to you? Fariha Answers

04:51 Childhood Trauma and Its Impact

08:54 Islam and Personal Identity

15:26 Queerness and Faith

20:50 The Intersection of Wellness and Spirituality

29:10 Rituals and Agency in Modern Life

32:45 Discerning Wellness: A Critical Perspective

36:08 The Role of Spirituality and Healing Modalities

40:12 Ayahuasca: A Transformative Experience

50:07 Reflections on Faith and Historical Contexts

Keywords:

Transformative journey of healing, spirituality, and resistance: Ayahuasca, spiritual healing, trauma recovery, decolonization, decolonisation, Muslim spirituality, queer faith, wellness revolution, intergenerational trauma, plant medicine, indigenous wisdom, childhood abuse survivor, radical self-care, spiritual transformation, colonialism and healing, Islamic feminism, psychedelic therapy, ancestral healing, spiritual awakening, mental health recovery, cultural resilience, holistic wellness, trauma-informed healing, spiritual resistance, alternative medicine, intersectional spirituality, sexual abuse recovery, mindfulness practices, feminist spirituality, postcolonial healing, spiritual empowerment, trauma therapy, queer spirituality, indigenous medicine, wellness culture, spiritual journey, healing from abuse, cultural trauma, spiritual liberation, body-mind healing, radical wellness, spiritual resilience, trauma centred care, cultural identity, spiritual practices, healing rituals, emotional recovery, spiritual guidance, transformative healing, cultural empowerment, spiritual connection, trauma integration, holistic healing, spiritual awakening, cultural healing, trauma-informed spirituality, spiritual growth, healing modalities, cultural transformation, spiritual resilience, trauma recovery techniques.