Why does rest feel so hard, even when you are exhausted?

If you have ever found yourself thinking, “Why can’t I just relax?” or lying in bed feeling wired but tired, this episode is for you.

In this episode I explore why rest can feel unsafe, guilt inducing, or even impossible, especially for high functioning women who look fine on the outside but feel overwhelmed underneath.

This episode follows on from last week’s conversation about burnout and invisible illness and goes deeper into the emotional and nervous system patterns that keep you stuck in overdrive.

You are not broken. You are overstimulated. And there is a difference.

In This Episode We Explore:

• Why many of us believe we must earn rest
• The childhood conditioning and social messages that link productivity to worth
• Why guilt shows up the moment we slow down
• How your nervous system impacts your ability to relax
• Simple nervous system regulation tools to help rest feel safe again

Understanding Why You Cannot Switch Off

When your body is overstimulated, or stuck in fight or flight mode, it can be impossible to relax even when you want to. In this episode, I explain what you might experience in different nervous system states and how that impacts your energy, focus, and ability to rest.

I also share simple, practical ways to regulate your nervous system, helping your body shift into rest and digest mode so rest can feel safe. 

Reflection Questions From This Episode

• What was I taught about rest growing up?
• Do I believe rest must be earned?
• What words do I associate with rest?
• What do I fear might happen if I truly slow down?
• What would change if rest felt safe instead of guilty?

This Episode Is For You If:

• You feel exhausted but cannot switch off
• You experience burnout, chronic stress, or emotional overwhelm
• You struggle with guilt when resting
• You are navigating invisible illness or fatigue
• You want practical nervous system tools without toxic positivity
• You are ready to build a healthier relationship with rest

Resources:

• Nervous System Regulation
• Energy Masterclass
• Meditation

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕

Episode 48: Looking Fine on the Outside: Navigating Invisible Illness and Burnout

In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, we explore the reality behind invisible illness, hidden struggles, and the exhaustion that often goes unseen. Many of us look “fine” on the outside, but inside we may be navigating chronic pain, mental health challenges, fatigue, or burnout. Claudia shares her own experiences managing chronic pain, navigating healthcare, and balancing the demands of daily life while staying compassionate toward herself.

You’ll hear practical guidance on how to:

• Recognise and validate your invisible struggles, whether physical, emotional, or mental.
• Pause, practice self-compassion, and ease burnout before it escalates.
• Navigate the gap between outward appearances and inner reality, so you feel seen and understood.
• Tune into your nervous system to manage stress, fatigue, and overwhelm.
• Advocate for yourself with healthcare professionals and take steps to optimise your health.

This episode is for anyone who has felt exhausted, overwhelmed, or unseen despite looking “fine” on the outside. Whether you’re managing chronic illness, mental health challenges, or simply the pressure of modern life, you’ll find guidance, reassurance, and a reminder that you are not broken.

💡 Takeaway: Pause. Breathe. Give yourself permission to rest, be kind to yourself, and recognise the hard work it takes to show up each day. Your struggles are valid, your needs matter, and it’s okay to ask for support.

Listen and subscribe to Empowered by Claudia for weekly episodes that guide you to reconnect with yourself, navigate life’s hidden struggles, and live with less guilt, less pressure, and more clarity.

The video version is available here

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕

In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, we explore how to create your own personal retreat... a space of calm and peace you can return to whenever life feels overwhelming. Claudia reflects on the constant stream of news, social media, and pressures we absorb daily, and shares practical strategies to protect your peace, even in small moments.

From simple routines to habit stacking and sensory reset techniques, this episode gives you tools to intentionally invite calm into your day, wherever you are. You’ll learn how to recognise signs of overwhelm, set up little retreats, and create moments of peace that ripple through your life.

Whether you’re navigating work, caregiving, societal pressures, or invisible health challenges, this episode is a reminder that peace is something we can actively create, and overwhelm is not a sign of failure.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• How constant stimuli impact your sense of calm and wellbeing
• Why creating a “retreat within” is essential for daily resilience
• Practical ways to build small moments of peace into your day
• How to recognise your personal signs of overwhelm
• Tips for habit stacking and reducing friction for peaceful routines
• Ways to reclaim calm, even in five minutes or less

Reflection Questions / Prompts:

• Where is your personal retreat within? How can you access it today?
• What small, simple acts bring you peace in everyday life?
• How can you prepare for moments of overwhelm before they happen?
• What routines could help you “tag in” peace into your day?

A Note from Claudia:
Overwhelm is not a failing... it’s your mind responding to the constant stimuli around us. Peace isn’t something that magically appears; it’s something we actively create, even in small moments. Take time today to step into your own retreat within, nurture yourself, and cultivate calm in your life. The link to read the systematic review on wellbeing interventions is here

Connect & Share:
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or reach out on Instagram, I love hearing from listeners and your insights mean the world!

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕

Do you ever feel like your brain is full of half formed thoughts and endless to dos and no matter how hard you try you cannot switch off? In this episode Claudia explores what it really means to have a full mind and how you can find calm even when life feels chaotic.

Claudia shares personal stories and practical strategies for easing mental pressure supporting yourself with compassion and creating space for clarity. From gentle routines to mind mapping and sensory grounding this episode gives you ideas for meeting your mind and body where they are without forcing silence or perfection.

If you have ever struggled to slow down transition between roles or simply let your brain rest this episode is for you.

In This Episode You Will Learn

• How to recognise when your mind is full without judging yourself
• Simple strategies to calm your mind and transition between high energy moments
• The power of gentle routines mind mapping and sensory awareness
• Why a calm mind does not need to be empty
• How self compassion supports mental clarity and resilience

Reflection Questions

• When do you notice your mind is most full and how does it feel?
• What small routines could help you transition between work, parenting or other roles?
• How can you give yourself permission to pause without pressure?
• What brings you a sense of calm and peace even when your mind is busy?

A Note from Claudia
If your mind feels overloaded you are not failing. Life is busy demanding and full of transitions. A calm mind does not mean an empty mind it means being gentle with yourself and creating space for rest clarity and perspective.

If this episode resonated with you please leave a review share it with a friend or subscribe to the podcast.

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕

When Fear Meets Hope: Escaping Doubt Without Shrinking Your Goals

What do you do when the people closest to you cannot see your goals yet?

In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, Claudia explores how other people’s beliefs can quietly influence our confidence, especially when we are working towards goals that feel big, meaningful, and slightly uncomfortable. Inspired by a personal moment around money, belief, and generational conditioning, this episode is a reminder that you do not need external validation to stay committed to your dreams.

Claudia shares how fear and hope can exist together rather than compete, and how an NLP parts integration perspective can help you move forward with compassion instead of self pressure. This episode is about protecting your goals, staying grounded in your why, and choosing environments that support your growth.

If you have ever felt hurt by a lack of belief from others, questioned yourself after a small comment, or found yourself shrinking your goals to make other people more comfortable, this episode is for you.

In This Episode We Explore

• How the people around you can influence your confidence and self belief
• Why well intentioned concern can still plant seeds of doubt
• How generational beliefs around money and success shape conversations
• How fear and hope can work together using an NLP parts integration approach
• Why protecting your goals and surrounding yourself with support matters

Key Takeaways

You do not need to eliminate fear in order to move forward. Fear often shows up when something truly matters, not because you are incapable.

Hope and fear are not opposites. When integrated, hope provides direction and fear brings care and awareness.

You are allowed to protect your goals. Being selective about who you share them with is an act of self trust, not selfishness.

Other people’s lack of belief does not define what is possible for you.

You deserve to be surrounded by voices that expand you, especially when you are stepping into a new identity.

Reflection Questions

After spending time with someone, do I feel expanded or contracted?

Whose voices am I allowing to influence my goals and beliefs?

What would it feel like to let fear walk alongside hope rather than trying to silence it?

Who feels safe to share my dreams with right now?

A Note from Claudia

If you are listening and feeling like the people around you do not fully understand your goals yet, please know this. I see you. I believe in you. You are not unrealistic for wanting more, and you are not failing because fear shows up.

Fear does not mean stop. It often means this matters.

You do not have to shrink your dreams to make oth

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕

Episode 44: Your Why Is Everything: Staying Motivated When Life Gets Messy

In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, Claudia explores why staying motivated is not about discipline or perfect routines, but about connecting deeply to your why.

When life feels chaotic, unpredictable, or overwhelming, surface level goals are often not enough to keep you going. Claudia shares why anchoring into the deeper reason behind your goals helps you stay consistent, compassionate, and committed, even when plans fall apart. Ironically this episode was recorded as an instagram live because life is messy and laptop's meltdown!

This episode focuses on real life goal setting, self compassion, and sustainable motivation, especially in seasons where energy, time, and capacity are limited.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

• Why your why is the foundation of long term motivation
• Why goals often feel harder when life gets messy
• How focusing only on outcomes can disconnect you from progress
• Why progress is not linear and missing days does not mean failure
• How self compassion supports consistency more than perfection
• How to use the Five Whys coaching tool to uncover your true motivation
• Why small actions still create meaningful change
• How celebrating small wins builds momentum and confidence

Claudia shares personal stories from her own journey, including career change, health goals, and navigating unpredictable seasons of life. She reminds you that you do not need to know exactly how your goal will happen, only why it matters to you.

She also introduces the Goal Getter Membership, a supportive space for aligned goal setting, coaching, accountability, and community, without pressure or burnout.

When life gets messy, your why brings you back.

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕

In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, Claudia explores why some goals feel achievable while others feel out of reach. Building on the previous episode about rebuilding confidence, she dives into how belief, visualization, embodiment, and community help make your goals feel possible — and keep you motivated along the way.

Claudia explains how connecting emotionally to a goal and imagining what achieving it will feel like can transform abstract dreams into lived experience. She shares practical strategies for staying on track, overcoming setbacks, and enjoying the journey without hustle or burnout.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How belief and self-trust are the foundation for achieving your goals
• How visualization and embodiment make goals feel real and achievable
• Why focusing on how life will feel matters more than just the outcome
• How the reticular activating system (RAS) filters opportunities based on what you focus on
• Why enjoying the journey is just as important as reaching the goal
• How gratitude shifts you from a mindset of lack to possibility
• Why you don’t need to know every step to start moving toward your goal
• How supportive community accelerates progress and makes goals feel possible

Claudia shares personal stories from her own journey with career, health, and life goals, emphasizing that small consistent actions combined with belief and support create real progress. She also introduces the Goal Getter membership, a space to set aligned goals, get coaching on mindset blocks, celebrate wins, and stay accountable without pressure.

You don’t need the full plan to begin. You just need to take the first step.
 Why not you?

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕

Why Not Me? Rebuilding Confidence in Your Ability to Achieve Your Goals

Many of us carry the weight of past goal attempts — abandoned plans, broken promises to ourselves, and quiet self-doubt. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at goal setting because it never worked before, this episode is for you.

We’ll explore:

• Why confidence dips after repeated goal attempts
• How to reframe “failure” with compassion and curiosity
• The risk of going it alone when setting goals
• A gentle reset to repair trust with yourself

By the end, you’ll see that setbacks aren’t a sign you can’t succeed — they’re an invitation to approach your goals differently, with support, reflection, and self-compassion.

If you would like to join the Goal Getter community check out the information here

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕

Episode 41: Pause for Progress: How I Achieved Work, Family, and Health Goals in 2025

After a 15-month break, Claudia is back! In this episode, she shares her journey of juggling health, family, and business goals while prioritising self-care. From surgeries and fibromyalgia flares to losing nearly two stone and leaving her NHS role, Claudia reflects on resilience, mindset, and defining success on your own terms.

If you’ve felt stretched, overwhelmed, or unsure how to balance your goals with family and work, this episode offers hope, practical tips, and encouragement that progress is possible... even when life throws curveballs.

More about the Goal Getter Membership

• Goal Getter Membership 2026: Check out the Early Bird Offers

What You’ll Learn During this Episode:

• How to set realistic, sustainable goals for health, family, and work
• The importance of rest, asking for help, and celebrating small wins
• How supportive communities accelerate progress
• Defining success on your own terms

Chapter Markers:

• 00:00:04 Introduction and Personal Update
• 00:01:48 Focus on Health and Family
• 00:02:52 Sustainable Success as a Working Mom
• 00:09:33 Career Transition and Business Goals
• 00:13:58 Importance of Sustainable Goals
• 00:17:46 Success on Your Terms
• 00:24:22 Introducing Goalgetter Membership
• 00:31:30 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

More about the Goal Getter Membership

• Goal Getter Membership 2026: Check out the Early Bird Offers

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕

In this episode of the Empowered By Claudia podcast, host Claudia is joined by Carly Hopwood of Sajer Group. Carly is a Work-Life Coach and has an unorthodox take on the concept of work-life balance... in that she doesn't believe it truly exists.

Join us as Carly shares her powerful insights on how we can release feelings of overwhelm, guilt and not feeling good enough because we are working part time and feel like we are failing both at home and at work.

There is another way, a way to feel valued, to be present both at home and at work and to be fulfilled in all aspects of our lives.

Listen now to learn all about it.

Connect with Carly:

• Join Carly's FREE 3 Day Challenge How to carve out guilt free me time
• Check out her website 
• Connect on Instagram
• Connect on LinkedIn

Support the show

Support the Empowered By Claudia Podcast

Thank you for listening, if you loved the show please Rate, Review, Subscribe and Share with your friends. It means the world to me.

Here are my links if you would like to follow me:
💕 Website
💕 Leading Lady Self Love Academy
💕 Instagram
💕 Facebook Page
💕 Facebook Group
💕 111 Free Affirmations to increase Self love & Confidence
💕 Buy me a hot chocolate 💕