Pleasure as a Radical Act
In the pleasure garden with Stephanie MacKinnon
This year, I’m diving deep into a single word: pleasure. For me, pleasure is a powerful way to connect with myself, with my body, and with the whole of life. I believe that for women, especially at midlife, pleasure isn't just important. It's revolutionary.
Each month, I’ll share a new interview with a woman who opens up about what nourishes her, the self-care rituals she practices, and what pleasure means to her.
Is pleasure a radical act?
I guess it depends on how you define pleasure.
This month, I’m honored to welcome Stephanie MacKinnon into the pleasure garden. Stephanie is a Certified Life and Liberatory Leadership Coach who supports changemakers and business owners in reclaiming joy and choosing pathways that nourish both themselves and their communities.
Stephanie’s reflections on pleasure, power, and the exhaustion that keeps us disconnected invite us to reimagine what becomes possible when we center what truly nourishes us.
Pour yourself something delicious, settle in, and savor this conversation with Stephanie MacKinnon.
Be sure to download her new guide Unlearning Hustle, Relearning Joy.
Can you share a glimpse into your world right now. What’s lighting you up these days?
The gradual delight in the increase of the daylight, it is such a gift, some days it has me giddy, feeling that extra boost of energy only the sun can give + knowing that this magic will only continue to grow as we slowly but surely approach the summer solstice.
Living on the West Coast of Ireland, we are at a very high latitude, so the change from mid-winter (sunset barely 4 pm) to mid-summer (sunset nearly 11 pm) is significant! And Spring, truly feels like a joyful emergence from hibernation, when the sun shines it feels like everyone has an extra skip in their step!
What are three pleasurable words to describe yourself?
Joyful, warm, loving
Where do you find inspiration?
In nature, it is breathtaking. And in brilliant minds, those who connect us to hope, a hope grounded in reality, rather than one that bypasses the difficulties of being alive on the planet right now.
Is there a practice that you turn to when you feel dysregulated or off-balance?
A dance around my kitchen to a great song is often what I need!
But there is nothing that quite compares to being immersed in the Ocean! The Atlantic has always felt like a second home – in fact it connects my two homes in Ireland and Nova Scotia – but it has a real way of washing away the things that feel heavy, and reconnecting me to the bigger picture, that I am a beautiful small humble part of a big world.
Also don’t even get me started on the magic of the tides, and how they connect to other cycles, so much water moving with the MOON!
Is there a book, podcast, or resource that has deeply influenced you?
Anything from adrienne maree brown, she/they are a fierce source of inspiration. Her work gives me so much hope that better is possible, and has in fact written an entire book called ‘Pleasure activism’ connecting the importance of our pleasure to unravelling from the dumpster fire of the current dominant systems we live within!
Name a person, past or present, whom you admire and look up to.
My masters supervisor, will forever be someone I look up to. Dr. Shahrzad Mojab is a leading Marxist Feminist scholar, I had the pleasure of learning from. She blew my mind open in developing my foundational understanding of the structures we live within, and how so much that we think of as ‘inevitable’ has actually been created to maintain the status quo.
She was the first woman I had met who combined deep warmth with unwavering determination for change. Every greeting came with a hug, and the students she mentored always gathered over lovingly prepared meals. At the same time, she was one of the fiercest advocates for social justice I had ever known.
She taught me that strength and compassion are not opposites—we can be resolute in our fight for change while remaining deeply human.
What are the first things you do every morning?
It varies!! This winter I have LOVED preparing my partner and I coffee and bringing it back to bed for us to enjoy nice and slowly before our days start! But sometimes I need some journaling time first thing in the morning, and as the days grow I will likely bring in some more morning movement - perhaps a run?
Is there a ritual you could not live without in your day?
Some time for me to just BE, exactly what it is varies!
What are some favourite ways you nourish yourself?
I love making nourishing food, finding new delicious ways to prepare seasonal veg is currently my favourite! I have recently been introduced to Anne Jones’ recipes and have loved every single one (loads available on her website for freeee!)
Do you have any bedtime rituals?
The only hard rule: my phone stays out of the bedroom!
I love to read, but sometimes I just need sleep and end up crashing with the light on. I’m a biiiiig fan of sleep and always prioritize getting my full eight hours!
What does pleasure mean to you right now?
It is giggles, warm hugs, cosy meals, taking my time, deep chats, pondering the meaning of life, dreaming, joyfully moving my body and marvelling at how good it has been to me, how it heals, how it holds me.
What’s the most pleasurable thing you’ve done this month?
Holding a celebratory potluck with 20+ pals to mark some significant life milestones. Inviting some of our nearest and dearest into our home to share food, felt like a beautiful expansive moment where we actively chose to lay down our silly little fears and let joy grow!
What is something surprising you’ve discovered about pleasure?
It is ENERGIZING!
How do you cultivate pleasure in your daily life? Is this something that comes easily for you?
It ebbs and flows—sometimes pleasure feels abundant, other times harder to find.
But I try to bring curiosity and wonder into everyday moments whenever possible. I surround myself with people who remind me to be in awe of the little things.
Take deadheading my plant the other day—I found so much pleasure in it. I marveled at how stunning this orchid was, reminisced about the moment it was gifted to me, and felt amazed by the cycle of life that would soon bring more beautiful flowers.
What is the relationship between capitalism and pleasure?
Under capitalism, pleasure is treated as a luxury reserved for the hyper-elite—something that must be earned.
We're constantly sold the idea that if we just work hard enough, we can have it too. Just look at the marketing from certain online retailers (which I refuse to name) using taglines like “Shop like a billionaire.” The message is clear: pleasure is not a right but a reward. And that is such a lie!
When questioning capitalist narratives, I always encourage myself and others to ask: Who does this benefit? or What feeling am I actually craving when I turn to [insert online shopping, overworking, etc.]?
Recognizing the power dynamics at play—and getting clear on what you truly want or need—can be incredibly freeing.
I have learned the term manufactured exhaustion from you. What is this and how does it connect to our ability or inability to access pleasure?
Oof! Just hearing that feels heavy—we could have an entire conversation about this alone.
Capitalism, the system we live under, has normalized the idea that those in power should profit from our labor. Whether you're a minimum-wage worker or an executive, we’re all being exploited to different degrees. But at its core, capitalism allows a powerful minority to profit from the work (and exploitation) of the many—and we’re seeing this play out in increasingly extreme ways.
Over the past few decades, as governments have slashed social safety nets through relentless austerity measures, life for most people has become more about survival than anything else.
This constant struggle creates a level of exhaustion that makes it nearly impossible to connect with ourselves or others. Even pausing can feel dangerous or irresponsible.
At the same time, our culture has tied our worth to productivity, reinforcing the cycle. The more exhausted we are, the less energy we have to demand change—and the easier we are to sell things to, we probably wouldn’t even need if we had time for care, community, and pleasure.
Do you consider pleasure a radical act? If so, why?
Because pleasure connects us to ourselves and others, it supports us to be present, nourished and deeply IN our lives, and as such in our power.
I’d love for you to share about microscopic pleasures that you have recently experienced:
A taste: Zataar – Middle Eastern spice mix, that immediately makes me think of gatherings with my extended Lebanese family as a child.
A sound: The song Hush - by Tourist has been on repeat for me, I love it.
A sight: shadows cast by the sun
A smell: my partner's cologne, delicious
A touch: puppy cuddles
Stephanie Mackinnon is a Certified Life and Liberatory Leadership Coach with an MA in Adult Education and over a decade of community facilitation experience. She supports changemakers and business owners in understanding the oppressive nature of capitalism, reclaiming joy, and embracing pathways of resistance and change.
Her work invites curiosity, compassion, and imperfect action aligned with values that move us toward a world we want to live in and a future we can believe in. Originally from Atlantic Canada, Stephanie now lives in the West of Ireland. Outside her work, she finds grounding and inspiration by the ocean, which connects her two homes.
Be sure to download her new guide Unlearning Hustle, Relearning Joy.
Website: www.stephaniemackinnon.com
Instagram: @StephMiloMack
