In a recent episode of The Remarkables podcast by Grant Thornton Australia, Amanda Goodfellow – founder of Agile Mind, meditation teacher, and corporate wellbeing advocate – shared her journey from professional services to becoming a leader in workplace mindfulness.
Amanda’s story is one of resilience and transformation. Beginning her career with aspirations in music before moving into marketing, business development, and professional services, she experienced first-hand the pressures that many corporate professionals face. Alongside her career, she struggled with mental illness, and it was through mindfulness and meditation that she discovered the tools to manage her wellbeing and show up to work each day.
What began as a personal practice eventually grew into a business. In 2019, Amanda launched Agile Mind to bring mindfulness into corporate spaces. As she explains on the podcast, mindfulness is simply “bringing our attention to the present moment with curiosity, and with a willingness for it to be just as it is.” This small shift creates space for better decision-making, improved collaboration, and a sense of calm in high-pressure environments.
Amanda believes mindfulness is more than an individual wellbeing practice – it is a preventative strategy for workplace stress and burnout. Too often, organisations only offer support after the damage has been done. Instead, she argues, we should embed mindfulness into systems and culture so employees feel safe, engaged, and resilient before crisis point.
Through her corporate programs, Amanda uses her adrift vs. anchored framework to help teams recognise unhelpful behaviours such as avoidance, distraction, or aggression. By cultivating presence, leaders and teams can better regulate their emotions, connect meaningfully, and ultimately improve performance.
The episode also touches on Amanda’s 2023 TEDx talk, where she spoke openly about her lived experience with an eating disorder and how somatic mindfulness transformed her relationship with feelings. By teaching people that “learning to feel feelings” is a skill, Amanda highlights the link between emotional awareness, mental health, and professional success.
As we enter busy seasons like the end of the year, Amanda reminds us that mindfulness won’t erase deadlines or pressures – but it helps us stay grounded, avoid overwhelm, and make healthier choices.
You can listen to the full episode below, via Grant Thornton’s The Remarkables podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. To learn more about Amanda’s programs for leaders and teams, visit AgileMind.com.au.
