The Human Story

In this episode of the Human Story brought to you by Yoked media Lincoln and Shaamiela are joined by Zubeida Ahmed, a Holistic Counsellor with 13 years of experience supporting individuals through self-development, trauma, grief and bereavement, as well as offering short-term couples counselling. Zubeida is also a Directed Alignment and Hijama Practitioner, integrating somatic practices into counselling where appropriate to support the healing process.Together, they explore attachment theory, emotional attunement, secure relationships, parenting, vulnerability and the lifelong journey of becoming more aware of ourselves and those we love.This episode is an invitation to move beyond labels, embrace curiosity and discover how healing in relationship can transform the way we experience ourselves and the world.Content Advisory: This episode contains a personal account of a traumatic childbirth experience, including an emergency Caesarean section and its emotional impact, shared between 37:30–40:25. Listeners who are sensitive to discussions of birth trauma, medical trauma, postpartum experiences or traumatic life events may wish to listen with care or skip this section.Stay human....because every relationship is an opportunity to become a little more human.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this episode of The Human Story hosted by Yoked media, Lincoln and Shaamiela explore the growing experience of loneliness in modern life and what it reveals about our need for connection, belonging, and meaning.Together, they unpack:• Why loneliness has become a growing concern around the world• The difference between loneliness, solitude, and being alone• How grief, life transitions, and personal growth can create feelings of isolation• The role of friendship, community, and authentic relationships in healing• Why social media can leave us feeling more disconnected than connected• How loneliness can become a gateway to deeper self-understanding and growthRather than offering quick fixes, this conversation invites us to approach loneliness with curiosity and compassion. What if loneliness is not simply something to escape, but an experience that can teach us something important about ourselves and our longing for connection?Whether loneliness is something you are currently experiencing or something you've encountered before, this episode offers a thoughtful reminder that you are not alone in the experience of being human.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

Why do so many of us silence our needs, shrink ourselves, or lose our identity in order to keep love, peace, or belonging?In this deeply honest episode of The Human Story hosted by Yoked media, Lincoln and Shaamiela explore the hidden pattern of self-abandonment the quiet ways we disconnect from ourselves to feel accepted, safe, or chosen.Together, they unpack how childhood experiences, attachment wounds, people pleasing, and fear of rejection can shape the way we show up in relationships, work, family life.This conversation explores: How self-abandonment begins in childhood  Why people pleasing often leads to resentment  The link between trauma, attachment, and identity  How relationships can trigger old wounds  Rebuilding self-trust and learning to choose yourself  Healing through truth, faith, and emotional honesty If you’ve ever felt unseen, overextended, disconnected, or stuck in patterns that leave you empty this episode is for you.Sometimes healing begins the moment we stop leaving ourselves behind.💛Listen to the full version of I went back to Ibiza on your favourite streaming platform.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In the first episode of The Human Story for the year, brought to you by Yoked Media, we step into a new year shaped by uncertainty, division, and longing, this episode invites us to pause, feel, and remember. Lincoln & Shaamiela are joined by a guest co-host Gila Sowter an occupational therapist, breathwork practitioner, yin yoga teacher, and deep listener of the human experience. We explore what it means to return to our humanity in a world that so often pulls us away from it.Through honest reflection, shared stories, silence, and presence, we speak about community, embodiment, grief, love, faith, and the quiet courage of choosing kindness in difficult times. This is not a conversation about having answers but about learning to sit with the questions, together.A grounding, soulful beginning to the year.A reminder that you matter.An invitation to remember who you are and to return.💛The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

As the year comes to a close, we pause to reflect.In this final episode of The Human Story for the year, brought to you by Yoked Media, Lincoln & Shaamiela look back on the journeys that shaped us, relationships and boundaries, courage, growth, and the quiet work that happens beneath the surface. This is a gentle, honest conversation about what this year revealed, what we’re carrying forward, and why reflection matters.Rather than offering answers or fixes, this episode invites you to slow down, notice, and honour your own journey exactly as it is.Whether you’re feeling tired, hopeful, uncertain, or quietly proud of how far you’ve come, this episode is an invitation to come home to yourself before stepping forward again.Thank you for walking this year with us. We’ll see you on the journey ahead.💛The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this grounding and empowering episode of The Human Story, brought to you by Yoked Media, Lincoln and Shaamiela sit down with South African Development Economist and social impact strategist Kalnisha Singh to explore what it truly means for women to reclaim themselves in a world that so often demands that they shrink, soften, or separate from parts of who they are.With honesty, cultural depth, and warmth, Kalnisha unpacks:why so many women feel unseen or unheardhow history, culture, and unspoken norms shape confidence and self-worththe difference between patriarchal power and feminine powerhow to stay authentic in workspaces that prioritise performancethe emotional weight women carry across generationswhat real belonging feels like and how to rediscover itKalnisha brings truth, tenderness, and clarity, offering women a pathway back to wholeness beyond pressure, expectation, and inherited limitation.For any woman navigating identity, healing, or the quiet work of remembering herself, this episode is a reminder you are not alone, and your story carries power.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this soul moving episode of The Human Story, brought to you by Yoked Media. Lincoln & Shaamiela sit with Dr. Sara Matchett currently serving as Associate Professor at the Centre for Theatre, Dance & Performance Studies at the University of Cape Town, a traditional healer-in-training, and lead Fitzmaurice Voicework trainer to explore what it truly means to be human in a world that often feels disconnected.Dr. Matchett brings us back to the body to breath, voice, softness, and the quiet power of presence. Together, we unpack how the body holds untold stories, how tremor and sound can release what we carry, and how ancestral awareness can restore connection across generations.This is a conversation about remembering ourselves, shaking free what silences us and returning to belonging to each other, our bodies, and the sacred relationships that make us human.If you are longing for grounding and a return to relational living, this episode is your invitation home.We breathe. We tremor. We speak. We belong. The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this episode of The Human Story Podcast, brought to you by Yoked Media, Lincoln & Shaamiela explore the second part of the conversation on forgiveness. The conversation moves from understanding to embodiment of the meaning “to give completely” to the lived work of letting go.This is where theory meets the heart. Where acceptance and pain share the same space. And where forgiveness becomes something we practice, not just preach.Through honest reflections and personal stories, we explore what it really takes to release resentment, confront the parts of ourselves that still ache, and make peace with what or who once broke us.Forgiveness isn’t about erasing what happened. It’s about reclaiming your power, your peace, and your freedom.We hope that something in this dialogue releases you, even slightly, from the captivity of unforgiveness  and helps you find your own way back.Listen to Part One first for context, then join us here as we continue the journey toward freedom. The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this episode of The Human Story Podcast, brought to you by Yoked Media, Lincoln and Shaamiela unpack forgiveness not as a simple act, but as a layered, deeply human process. From lighthearted moments to life’s heavier transgressions, the conversation moves through the real pursuit of what it means “to give completely.”They explore the difference between acceptance and forgiveness, the emotional work behind both, and why true forgiveness is less about a single moment and more about a decision that unfolds over time.Whether you’re holding on to hurt or trying to make peace with your own story, this episode invites you to slow down and reflect on what letting go might truly look like.Stay tuned for Episode Two coming soon, where Lincoln and Shaamiela open up with personal reflections sharing their own journeys toward forgiveness and the lessons that reshaped how they see others and themselves.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

What does it really mean to give our attention—and what happens when we don’t?In this episode of The Human Story Podcast, brought to you by Yoked Media we explore the quiet power of human attention in an age of constant distraction. Join Lincoln and Shaamiela as they discuss intentionality rooted in mindfulness practice to the unconscious pull of algorithms shaping what we see. Where is our attention going, and what does it say about us?We unpack the biology of attention—focused, selective, and divided—while also exploring the deeper relational and emotional impact of where we choose to place our awareness. Whether it’s parenting, conversations, or even the everyday responsibilities, our attention not only shapes our experiences but also defines the quality of our connections.This is a conversation about reclaiming attention as a gift, a discipline, and perhaps even an act of love.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this episode of The Human StorY brought to you by Yoked Media we return to a theme that's both deeply personal and widely transformative: curiosity not as a fleeting feeling, but as a practice of presence.We explore how curiosity shapes our creativity, expands our empathy, and invites healing in the spaces where we feel most stuck especially in our relationships. Through gentle conversation, the hosts reflect on how curiosity isn’t just a mental exercise, but an act of emotional courage. From parenting and partnership to navigating personal growth and defensiveness, this episode invites you to slow down and ask:What if curiosity is the real key to connection?Rooted in the Latin word cura — meaning "to cure" or "to heal" — curiosity becomes a lens for seeing others (and ourselves) with less judgment and more openness. Whether you're in a season of healing, rethinking your relationships, or simply trying to make sense of the world, this episode offers a warm space to ask better questions — not to fix, but to better understand.Because maybe the most human thing we can do... is stay curious.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this episode of The Human Story, brought to you by Yoked Media we focus on the importance of relational intelligence. Join Lincoln and Shaamiela as they unpack this topic, it's more than merely getting along it’s the quiet skill of seeing people with clarity, offering kindness without losing yourself, and recognising which relationships truly breathe life into you.In this episode, we explore what it means to show up with open eyes and a steady heart. We talk about choosing connection over performance, the grace of setting healthy boundaries, and the strength it takes to be kind not just to those we love, but to humanity at large.It’s a conversation about seeing clearly, loving wisely, and knowing who’s really walking with you on the road.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this episode of The Human Story, brought to you by Yoked Media we slow down to explore a forgotten human need and it's rest. More than just sleep, rest is a radical act of self-care, resistance, and spiritual alignment. Join Lincoln and Shaamiela as they uncover the layers of physical, emotional, and spiritual rest, and how intentional pausing helps us reconnect with ourselves, our stories, and our purpose.Together, we reflect on cultural attitudes toward rest and why reclaiming rest is essential to healing and growth. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or simply curious this conversation invites you to exhale and lean into stillness.💛 Listen now, and remember: your story needs space to breathe.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this episode of The Human Story brought to you by Yoked Media, we explore the tender and powerful journey of self-awareness. What does it mean to truly know ourselves  beneath the roles, reactions, and routines?We (Lincoln & Shaamiela) dive into real-life stories and moments that sparked awareness in our own lives, uncovering how self-awareness isn’t a destination but a daily unfolding.With honesty, curiosity, and a few unexpected turns, we invite listeners to reflect on the stories we tell ourselves… and what happens when we begin to listen more closely.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/

In this first episode of The Human Story brought to you by Yoked Media, hosts Lincoln and Shaamiela take a pause to reflect on the road that brought them here to the mic, to each other, and to this unfolding podcast. They share a bit of their personal journeys, what stirred the vision for The Human Story, and why now feels like the right time to hold space for real, raw and deeply personal conversations.This episode is less about answers and more about beginnings the kind that invite you to lean in, reflect, and feel seen.Welcome to The Human Story where every voice matters, every story counts, and being human is enough.The Human Story is brought to you by Yoked media: https://yoked.co.za/