Writing’s awesome (and I’ve written a lot), but isn’t it nice to be reminded there’s an actual human at the other end?

So here’s the podcast, refreshed, renewed and with brand new episodes about health, happiness, and nervous systems landing every month.

This first ep back is about the pressure to optimise everything.

It’s a reminder that not everything needs to be useful to be worthwhile.

I talk about why I’m failing to take a day off, how I’m trying to be better at that (advice welcome!), and why I’ve decided to learn how to make pasta from scratch for absolutely no productive reason whatsoever.

Things I mentioned:

* Lina Stores – the London-based Italian that sparked my sudden desire to make pasta from scratch. Don’t mess about, go visit. Delicious.

* News Feed Eradicator – the amazing tool I use to remove feeds from my desktop (think there’s a Safari plug-in, too).

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

Most of your nervous system runs like windscreen wipers — automated and brilliant.

But we can also press that little button to take control.

And this is what I guide in this session:a really simple breath technique your nervous system does automatically, that we can do manually to bring in more calm.

It’s not magic, but it feels like it.

I also ask you one simple question to tip the balance in your favour.

Asking this question becomes the game… and every time you remember it, you win 😉

If you’re someone who finds it hard to switch off, even when you finally have the time…this is for you.

Want more practices like this? Join us inside Joyful for weekly nervous system training made for real life.

If you’re still knackered in six months, it won’t be because you didn’t know enough. It’ll be because you didn’t practice differently.

Joyful is where we make that change.

👉 Learn more about upgrading here.

In this live, I talked about uncertainty, and why so many of us use goal-setting as a way to make it feel safer.

Goals promise clarity, direction, a sprinkling of control over an uncertain future.

But I see this so often: they also create more pressure, self-surveillance, and more stress than they solve.

Here’s another way to relate to uncertainty:

Instead of forcing outcomes, we can run experiments.Instead of demanding certainty, we can practise curiosity.Instead of tightening, we can regulate.

This conversation explores:

* Why control doesn’t equal safety

* How goals can activate the nervous system

* Why experiments create more steadiness

* And how to build the capacity to sit in the unknown

At the end, I guide a short interoceptive practice so you can actually feel the difference in your body, not just understand it intellectually.

If you’re tired of trying to out-plan uncertainty…this is for you.

This conversation came directly from our first live call inside Joy Unplugged, where we’re exploring how to build real capacity for uncertainty, rather than just better strategies for controlling it.

If you want to live with more steadiness, curiosity, and nervous system literacy, this might be for you. Read more about it below.

I talk about:

* Why joy isn’t about constant happiness, peak experiences, or walking around like you’re in a yoghurt advert

* How nervous system regulation quietly changes everything

* Why “just calm down” doesn’t work when you’re already burnt out

* And how small, gentle practices — not dramatic life overhauls — can slowly change your relationship with life

And we practice:

* An easy-going nervous system down-regulator you can return to anytime you feel overwhelmed, wired, flat, exhausted, or like you might cry over a mildly aggressive email

* The practice begins at 4:28.

I also share a little about Joy Unplugged — my 8-week, small-group, coached program for burnt-out, sensitive humans who want genuine relief, not another self-optimisation project.

This isn’t about fixing yourself, it’s about stopping the fight with yourself.

If this resonates, you’re super welcome here (I’ll put the kettle on).

Big love,

Chloe

This session is free for everyone.

Eight minutes is enough to change your state.

And the state you’re in — not your to-do list, not your intentions, not the busy-ness of the season — decides the quality of your day.

And this session will improve the quality of your day. It’s a state-changing reset you can use anywhere, calming the body first, then allowing everything else to follow.

You don’t need a routine, you don’t need willpower, you just need eight minutes.

Practice and let me know what shifts — I’d love to hear.

(And this one’s totally free, share with someone who needs it today.)

Big love,

Chloe

PS. If this resonates, check out Joy Unplugged, where we retrain your nervous system, so calm, energy, and joy stop being things you chase and start being how you live.

Big love to the wonderful Anna Rose for chatting with me live on her Toolkit Series earlier this week.

We talked about burnout, nervous system weirdness, finding joy (like, actually feeling it), and remembering how to feel anything at all in this chaotic world.

A few things we touched on:

* How joy isn’t fluffy — it’s radical, grounding, and necessary.

* Nervous system stuff (but make it kind and not overcomplicated).

* Why resting doesn’t always feel restful.

* The real reasons we stay in burnout cycles.

* Joy Unplugged — the program I’ve built for women who are done running on empty.

This chat is warm, honest, a bit sweary (hi), and might just give you something you didn’t know you needed today.

Here’s those articles of mine that Anna mentions:

Joy Unplugged

We talk about this in the conversation: Joy Unplugged is my signature program—an 8-week journey back to yourself, for brilliant, world-bettering women who are done with burnout and ready for real joy, ease, and nervous system restoration.

Want to join Anna and get started with me? Discover more about the next cohort here: 👉 www.chloemarkham.co.uk/joy-unplugged

Cohorts are small, intimate, and, according to previous participants, they’re “life changing”.

A big thank you to Lucy Werner, Chloë Jones, and so many others for tuning in with us live. Make sure to subscribe to Anna Rose’s stack to get the next live in this series.

And thank you, Anna, for being a joy-bringer and letting me go off on one about joy, burnout, and life.

Catch you soon,

Chloe🧡

TL;DR – What we talked about:

* Why burnout isn’t just about “doing too much”

* The moment I knew something had to change

* How I rebuilt my life after rock bottom

* Why nervous system care is deeper than bubble baths and long weekends

* The joy practices that still carry me now

Welcome to the Healing is Living series

“This isn’t just about healing. It’s about living it. Together.”

That’s how Janki opened our live—with intention, honesty, and warmth. This conversation kicked off her Healing is Living series, and I was so honoured to join from Yorkshire, England while she tuned in from India.

We started with gratitude and presence. No rush, no script, just two women meeting at the intersection of burnout, recovery, and joy.

My real healing didn't start with yoga

I’ve been a yoga teacher for over a decade. You’d think that’s where it started, right? With savasana and vinyasa and feeling great?

Not exactly.

“The truth is, I burned out. Over and over. Even while doing what I loved.”

Before COVID, I was running my own brick-and-mortar yoga studio in my hometown of York, teaching 15 classes a week. That’s a lot of yoga. My body was suffering—hip issues, fatigue—but I was pushing through because this was ‘what I wanted’. Classic hustle energy dressed up as wellness.

When the pandemic hit, I had to make a huge decision: either keep the studio and pay rent for a very uncertain next year, or let it go. I chose the unknown.

Then life really unraveled for me.

Not long afterwards, I left a toxic eight-year relationship. I paused my work. I jumped into another toxic dynamic. It was chaotic and painful. But it also became the starting point for something real.

“I decided I wasn’t going to pretend I was okay anymore. I was going to actually heal.”

From survival to nervous system wisdom

What helped wasn’t extra-long baths, adding more to my to-do list, or starting an ice-bath habit.

Here’s what became the foundation for the most profound body-mind healing I’ve ever personally gone through:

* Talking therapy (introducing my fucking wonderful therapist, Ashley)

* Understanding my nervous system

* Discovering and practicing nervous system regulation (not just relaxation)

* Letting myself feel again—imperfectly, messily, and gently

I relearned what it meant to be a woman in my own body.To trust my choices.To soften.

Yoga was always part of it, but it wasn’t enough on its own. I needed more than movement—I needed permission to be human again.

Want more honest takes on healing and joy?

The myth of work-life balance

“It’s a toxic myth. Another productivity trap dressed up as self-care.”

We’re told if we just try harder, we’ll find the balance. But that mindset keeps us striving, over-scheduling, biohacking… instead of noticing our real-life needs.

Trying to ‘perfect’ your routine just becomes another way to abandon yourself. Instead, I started embracing:

* imperfection,

* tiny moments of stillness,

* and a little bit of chaos.

Balance isn’t a destination. It’s something you build from within—gently and every damn day.

The lie of “when things calm down…”

We talked about how so many of us say:

“I’ll rest when this project ends.”“I’ll slow down when the kids are older.”“I’ll take care of myself once work settles.”

But that day never comes.

“We don’t calm down when life calms down. We calm down when we choose to. And that starts now—in the in-between moments.”

Like when you’re waiting for a bus. Or brushing your teeth. Or eating lunch slowly instead of rushing.

These are the places where nervous system restoration begins.

What blocks us from joy?

We asked: if joy is our natural state, why is it so hard to feel?

The answer: dysregulation.

When we’re constantly multitasking, rushing, pushing, self-criticising… we override the very signals that lead to joy. Joy doesn’t disappear, it just gets drowned out.

“Joy isn’t always fireworks. It’s often quiet—found in how your body softens when it’s safe.”

The blocks? Overwork. Phones. Perfectionism. The urge to always be productive.

When we rewire our nervous system, joy becomes easier to access — not because life is perfect, but because we’re present enough to feel it.

I didn’t share this to tell you I have it all figured out.I shared it because I really don’t, and I know you might be here, too.

You don’t need to quit everything.You don’t need a week in the woods.You just need to begin. Somewhere.

Maybe that starts with this replay.Maybe it starts with Joy Unplugged.

However it starts, just give yourself the time and space to begin. This is where the magic happens.

Want more?

If this conversation sparked something in you, here’s where to go next:

Subscribe for free to get nervous system joy, mindset shifts, and honest chats like this every week. Or become a paid subscriber to unlock my entire library of movement, mindset, and mindfulness tools, personalised support, and the entire Joyful archive (learn more here).

Discover Joy Unplugged — the next round is open. It’s not just coaching, it’s a nervous system-supported way of life.

What resonated?

Tell me in the comments:

* Which part of this conversation hit home?

* Have you ever hit burnout?

* What does joy feel like for you lately?

Let’s talk. I’d love to hear your story.

I’ll share:

Why work-life balance doesn’t work (and never has)

How to find a sustainable rhythm that actually fits your life

Simple, practical shifts to protect your energy and avoid burnout

The mindset shift that will help you worksmarter, not harder

If you’re tired of feeling like you’re constantly juggling everything, this episode is for you.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

I mention music being a big part of my routine, and that Spotify playlist I mention liveshere.

Leave a comment and let me know if you try this and how you get on.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

Listen to learn how that guilt you feel when you let a habit slip is more damaging than you know, and four ways to get some flexibility in your routines when life happens.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

This chat will help you reframe self-care in a way that feels accessible, nurturing, and doable.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

Learn more about Joy Unplugged here

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

This session provides a total nervous-system reset, which will guide you through gentle breath practices, a body scan, and visualisations to help you completely unwind.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

I go on (another) mini-rant about social media, talk about a daft video game that soothes me, and how we should be complimenting each other's outfits way more.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

I speak about Married At First Sight again (sorry), taking yoga off the mat, and being kind to ourselves no matter what.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

Harriet Frank is a business owner, yoga teacher, and has been given some seriously hard knocks in her business since the pandemic.

You'll learn Harriet's tried-and-tested coping mechanisms, get inspiration to keep going, and know that you're not alone with your own challenges.

Listen to dive into our easy-going talk about those knocks and how she's stayed sane, her resiliency, and what tools she uses to keep her head under pressure.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

Check out the wonderful book I speak about in this episode here.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

Get The Joy Journal—the best gratitude habit hack.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

Share your Good To Be Alive Moments in the comments.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

*Not really, I just fancy myself with a collection of Rolls Royces.

Share your Good To Be Alive Moments in the comments.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

I also speak about my amazing therapist Ashley who's sessions have probably been the best thing I've ever done. Find out more about Ashley here.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

I speak about my Oura ring in this ep. Find more info here.

I also speak about the importance of restorative yoga. Find a free session perfect for better sleep here.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

As promised, here are the Loop earplugs I use to get good sleep (even when I'm next to someone breaking decibel records for snoring).

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

You'll also hear my story about wanting to become a yoga teacher, why my mum didn't encourage me, and how I still sort of look like a jellybaby in a wetsuit.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

This episode has been hugely inspired by the amazing nervous system coach Jonny Miller (nsmastery.com).

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

You'll also get a big old reminder that you probably need to slow down regardless of what you're doing.

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack

For more of my things:

Website | Joy Unplugged | Substack