Sean Loots Something Shifted with Sean Loots

Something Shifted with Sean Loots

A lifequake hits. Illness, loss, or a child's special needs. How do you rebuild?

In Something Shifted, South African host Sean Loots shares raw stories from guests who've thrived post-adversity, including his own journey raising a child with special needs.

Through its story-driven, almost documentary-style narrative-interview format, each episode uncovers profound shifts.

Discover strategies for resilience, identity rebuilds, and graceful parenting amid chaos through our guests' lived experiences.

Award-winning episodes inspire connection, bring human back, and remind you: Hit play. You're not alone.
Monthly English South Africa Self-Improvement · Personal Journals
43 Episodes
1 – 20

If Chickens Can Do It

A case for optimism. In the prelude to the new season of Something Shifted, Sean Loots speaks to astrophysicist-turned-journalist and author of "The Bright Side" Sumit Paul-Choudhury, about the science and psychology of optimism. Drawing on stories from Ernest Shackleton's 1915 Arctic expedition, to Sean's "Joy Jar", and the research…
6 Jan 20 min

"Peel the f*cking onion."

Healing is like peeling an onion. The final episode of this season is a story about love, although it's not a traditional love story. It's about love addiction, the fear of not being loved and the kind of love that can keep you alive. It's about a mother's love, facing…
31 Mar 2025 30 min
 bonus  

I phoned The Chaeli Campaign for Podcasthon 2025

My plan was to visit The Chaeli Campaign HQ. But life happened. So instead, I picked up the phone and spoke to the CEO, Zelda Mycroft. Zelda shares The Chaeli Campaign's mission to drive social justice and inclusion for people with disabilities. Highlighting the crucial role of advocacy in changing…
24 Mar 2025 26 min

"Half my face had collapsed." A life affected by Bell's palsy

In this episode, we explore how Lesego’s life changed when he developed Bell’s Palsy, and what it took for him to reframe identity, hope, and resilience If you've been listening to something shifted for a while, you've probably wondered about your own life quake. For Lesego, there are two distinct…
24 Feb 2025 26 min

"Whose afraid of little old me?" Chaeli Mycroft has cerebral palsy.

Today’s story is a little different to some of our previous episodes. We generally meet guests post-life quake, who have the benefit of hindsight, and we learn how "That Big Thing" has changed the direction of their life - but we meet them on stable ground. Not everyone is on…
10 Feb 2025 28 min

"I became a living upcycled human." A Liver Transplant Gave Me a Second Life.

When Jasper underwent a liver transplant in 2015, he didn’t just survive; he transformed. In this deeply human story, Jasper calls himself a “living upcycled human,” and shares what it means to carry a second chance inside your body. Host Sean Loots explores the emotional, physical, and spiritual journey that…
27 Jan 2025 25 min

"You don't say no to that."

In the adventures we seek out for ourselves, or the chances that we say yes to, deep down we know that things will change. But we can never fully grasp how much they will change. An enthusiastic yes today will obviously start a domino effect, but where will the yes…
13 Jan 2025 27 min

Motherhood fuelled her Olympic Dream.

For most, becoming a parent is a seismic shift, a lifequake that transforms everything we thought we knew about ourselves. It's a journey that challenges us to re-evaluate our priorities and make some tough decisions. Like how to balance our own dreams with the responsibilities of raising our children? In…
31 Dec 2024 27 min

12 Tremors Before Christmas

Year-end brings with it feelings of nostalgia and reflection. And while lifequakes are big events that permanently alter the course of a life, we want to recognise the smaller shifts and shakes - tremors, if you will, that sent us on a detour. This episode is a compilation of 12…
16 Dec 2024 36 min

Waiting To Exhale.

Tanya has struggled to breathe since the day she was born. From viral infections to lung disease, Tanya was diagnosed with bronchiolitis obliterans. The narrowing of Tanya's airways could not be reversed by medication. Considering the diagnosis and years of health challenges, she got on with living her life. By…
2 Dec 2024 23 min

"I was alone with him when he died." - Zuraida Jardine

Zuraida was the last person to see her dad alive. The last person to speak to him. She was also the last person to comfort him. She was 13 years old. This traumatic event affected her deeply, leading to feelings of abandonment and a tendency towards hyper-independence. Zuraida discusses how…
18 Nov 2024 25 min

One Rescue Breath Changed Three Lives

Sean shares his personal journey through a lifequake, detailing the challenges and transformations that come with raising a child with profound disabilities. He reflects on a critical incident involving his daughter Zoe, the emotional turmoil of hospital visits, and the lessons learned about resilience, empathy, and the importance of community…
4 Nov 2024 16 min

Get Ready For All Of The Feels

Join me for the new season of Something Shifted, the podcast that asks some of South Africa’s most interesting people to share how significant life shifts, perceived as devastating, can lead to profound personal transformation and empowerment. Something Shifted with Sean Loots leans into the joy and discomfort of unexpected…
22 Oct 2024 1 min

What is emotional intelligence and why does it matter?

Do you think your co-workers have high or low emotional intelligence? What can we learn about EQ from someone that grew up in a communal home? Theran Knighton-Fitt grew up in a home filled with love, support and more people than the average preschool class. Theran's formative years clearly impacted…
20 May 2024 30 min
1 – 20