Rust Buckets & Mclarens: Sensitive & Insensitive Souls

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Ever wondered why some people feel everything so deeply, while others seem to breeze through life, missing all the emotional cues? This week on the podcast, Chris from Chris and Filly Functional Medicine takes us on a solo deep-dive into the fascinating world of sensitive souls (the “McLarens”) and those a bit more out of touch (the “Rust Buckets”). If you’ve ever felt “too much” or “not enough” in your relationships, you’re in the right place.

Let’s unpack how rules and boundaries show up in our connections, why sensitivity is both a gift and a challenge, and how getting this balance right is crucial for holistic health, mind body medicine, and true healing from within.

Understanding Sensitive Souls & Rust Buckets

In the world of Chris and Filly Functional Medicine, we see sensitive souls as the “McLarens” of life—finely tuned, high-performance, and responsive to every bump in the road. These are the people who feel deeply, pick up on subtle cues, and often carry the emotional load for those around them. On the flip side, you’ve got the “Rust Buckets”—folks who cruise along, blissfully unaware of the undercurrents, sometimes missing (or ignoring) the signs that something’s off.

Neither type is “better” or “worse”—they’re just different. But these differences can create friction, especially around rules, boundaries, and emotional needs in relationships. That’s where burnout functional medicine and holistic wellness come into play.

Rules, Boundaries & Relationship Penalties

Think of relationships like a game of footy—there are boundaries, rules, and sometimes, penalties when someone crosses the line. Chris explores how, just like in sport, we all have our personal “out of bounds” areas. Sensitive souls (McLarens) might notice every little infraction, feeling every penalty, red card, or ejection as a personal slight. Rust Buckets, meanwhile, might not even realise they’ve fouled, let alone why someone’s upset!

Setting and respecting boundaries is a cornerstone of root cause medicine and healthy living. When boundaries are clear, both partners know the rules and can play the game with respect and care. When they’re ignored or trampled, resentment, burnout, and emotional disconnection can quickly follow.

The Gift (and Challenge) of Sensitivity

Being a sensitive soul is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a superpower for empathy, connection, and intuition—key ingredients in mind body medicine and holistic wellness. Sensitive souls often make brilliant healers, coaches, and friends because they “get it” on a deep level.

But there’s a flip side. Without strong boundaries, sensitive types can absorb everyone else’s stress, pain, and drama—leading to chronic fatigue, anxiety, and even physical symptoms. At Chris and Filly Functional Medicine, we see this all the time: sensitive clients burning out because they’re carrying emotional loads that aren’t theirs to hold.

If you’re a McLaren, learning to set healthy boundaries isn’t selfish—it’s essential preventative health. It allows you to keep your high-performance engine running smoothly, rather than blowing a gasket every time someone crosses your lines.

The Rust Bucket Perspective: Insensitivity & Missed Cues

Rust Buckets, on the other hand, often get labelled as “insensitive” or “out of touch.” But in reality, they might just have a thicker emotional skin, or their nervous system is wired to tune out subtle signals. This can be protective in high-stress environments, but it can also mean missing out on the richness of connection, or failing to notice when someone else is struggling.

For Rust Buckets, developing a bit more sensitivity is a form of health optimisation. It’s about tuning into the emotional climate, learning to read the play, and responding before things escalate to a “red card” moment.

Why Boundaries Matter for Whole Body Health

Boundaries aren’t just about keeping the peace—they’re a key part of nutrition and wellness, mind body medicine, and healing naturally. When you honour your own limits, you reduce stress, prevent burnout, and create space for genuine connection. This is the heart of root cause medicine: addressing not just the physical symptoms, but the emotional and relational patterns that drive them.

At Chris and Filly Functional Medicine, we teach that whole body health isn’t just about what you eat or how you move—it’s about how you relate, communicate, and honour yourself and others.

Practical Steps: Navigating Sensitivity & Setting Boundaries

Ready to find your balance? Here are a few practical tips inspired by the episode:

1. Know Your Type

Are you a McLaren or a Rust Bucket? Or somewhere in between? Knowing your natural style helps you understand your strengths and blind spots.

2. Communicate Your Boundaries

Don’t expect others to read your mind. Be clear about what’s okay and what’s not, especially if you’re sensitive to certain behaviours or topics.

3. Respect Other People’s Limits

Remember, everyone’s boundaries are different. What feels like “no big deal” to a Rust Bucket might be a massive infraction to a McLaren.

4. Practice Self-Care for Your Type

Sensitive souls need regular downtime, grounding, and emotional processing. Rust Buckets might benefit from mindfulness, journalling, or simply checking in with loved ones more often.

5. Seek Support if Needed

If you’re struggling with boundaries, burnout, or emotional overwhelm, don’t go it alone. The Ending Body Burnout Method is designed to help you heal from within, build resilience, and create healthy relationships with yourself and others.

Ready to Create Better Boundaries & Boost Your Wellbeing?

Whether you’re a sensitive McLaren or a laid-back Rust Bucket, understanding your style and learning to set healthy boundaries is a game-changer for holistic wellness and healthy living. If you’re ready to connect the dots and start thriving (not just surviving), book a Discovery Call or connect with us for support that’s personalised to you.

Remember: boundaries aren’t walls—they’re the rules of engagement that help you play your best game, in life and in health. When you honour your needs and respect others’, you create space for genuine connection, resilience, and healing naturally.

Listen to the full episode.

Chris & Filipa Bellette are the Founders of multi award-winning health practice Chris & Filly Functional Medicine, which is best known for ending body burnout (for good!) in “busy” people with energy, mood and gut issues. They have worked with over 2,000+ burned-out clients in the past combined 25+ years, with their own passion for ending body burnout coming from their own personal experience of body, mind, family & business breakdown, after a prolonged period of physical and mental stress.

Filipa is an accredited Clinical Nutritionist, Functional Medicine Practitioner, Coach & Trauma Therapist. She is also a Ph.D. Scholar, author & regularly featured the media, such as Forbes, Body+Soul and The Daily Telegraph. Chris is a Burnout Recovery Coach & an accredited Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) Master Practitioner, with a Bachelor of Human Movement Science. He has existed in high-performance realms of the sporting (think national athlete) & business industries and knows what it takes to get out of hustle-and-grind culture to thriving. 

They were recently awarded as the Tasmanian State Winner & National Finalist for the Telstra Best of Business Awards 2022, and Winner of the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards 2022.