The uncomfortable truth about how our society actually profits from your burnout and chronic stress. 

This eye-opening episode is not just about wellness – it’s about power, economics, and why healing your nervous system might be the most politically revolutionary act you can take.

In this episode, I’m exposing:

• Why your exhaustion isn't a personal failing – it's a deliberate feature of an economic system that profits from your burnout
• How chronic stress keeps you too depleted to question, too busy to resist, and too drained to demand change
• The invisible ways you're being manipulated to override your body's wisdom and ignore your own needs
• Why healing your nervous system is your most powerful act of resistance in a world designed to keep you disempowered

JOIN THE REAL-TIME REGULATION WAITLIST

Coming soon: A completely new approach to stress management that works in real time, real life.

'Real Time Regulation' isn't another wellness program asking you to find more time in your already full schedule. It's your complete toolkit for regulating your nervous system right in the middle of meetings, morning rushes, and middle of the night wake-ups.

Join the Waitlist for 'Real-Time Regulation' and get instant access to your free 'Pattern Recognition Tracker', a practical tool for mapping your personal stress patterns and triggers. Start understanding your unique stress response today!

JOIN THE WAITLIST NOW

I'd love to connect with you about this episode! If anything shared resonates with you, please send me a DM on Instagram @therachelbale – I'd love to hear from you!

EPISODES REFERENCED:
Episode 38: You don’t need more self-care time to feel less stressed
Episode 39: The dark side of being ‘good under pressure’

NEXT STEPS:

• Join the Waitlist to 'Real-Time Regulation' and get your free 'Pattern Recognition Tracker' today
• Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss an episode
• Follow me on Instagram @therachelbale

Do you pride yourself on being ‘good under pressure’?

What if I told you that what feels like a strength might actually be a repetitive stress response in disguise?

In this eye-opening episode, I'm diving deep into why so many of us have built our identities around thriving in high-pressure situations – and what's really happening in our bodies when we do.

In this episode I'm sharing:

• The biochemical reason why we become ‘addicted’ to pressure (and the hormonal cocktail that keeps us coming back for more)
• Why your ability to handle anything thrown at you might have deeper roots than you realise
• The subtle ways this pattern shows up in daily life
• The hidden cost of constantly operating in the ‘red zone’
• Why the goal is not to be calm all the time (& what is instead)

JOIN THE REAL-TIME REGULATION WAITLIST

Coming this March: A completely new approach to stress management that works in real time, real life.

'Real Time Regulation' isn't another wellness program asking you to find more time in your already full schedule. It's your complete toolkit for regulating your nervous system right in the middle of meetings, morning rushes, and middle of the night wake-ups.

Join the Waitlist for 'Real-Time Regulation' and get instant access to your free 'Pattern Recognition Tracker', a practical tool for mapping your personal stress patterns and triggers. Start understanding your unique stress response today!

JOIN THE WAITLIST NOW 

I'd love to connect with you about this episode! If anything shared resonates with you, please send me a DM on Instagram @therachelbale – I'd love to hear from you!

NEXT STEPS:

• Join the Waitlist to 'Real-Time Regulation' and get your free 'Pattern Recognition Tracker' today
• Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss an episode
• Follow me on Instagram @therachelbale

Remember: You don't have to give up being capable. You just don't have to live in constant activation to prove it.

Let's be honest. Trying to combat stress by scheduling more self-care just doesn't work for your real life.

Most generic stress advice tells you to schedule more 'me-time', do more yoga, or start a meditation practice (like you have the time). 

But what if the secret to managing stress isn't about finding more time (because let's be real, where would that even come from?) but by about learning how to listen and respond to your body in the moment? 

In this powerful episode, we're busting the self-care myth and diving into what your body needs from you instead.

I'm sharing:

• Why most of us have been conditioned to ignore our body's unique stress signals (and how this now shows up in our lives in sneaky ways)
  
  
• The real reason generic stress advice keeps falling flat and you can't seem to get your stress levels under control
  
  
• How to start recognising your personal stress patterns, including some surprising signals you might be missing
  
  
• Why being physically active or into wellness doesn't automatically mean you're connected to your body and know how to listen to it
  
  
• The real reason you're disconnected from your body's wisdom (it started way before adulthood)
  
  
• What some of my own unique stress signals look like and how they differ from my husband's 

JOIN THE REAL-TIME REGULATION WAITLIST

Coming this March: A completely new approach to stress management that works in real time, real life.

'Real Time Regulation' isn't another wellness program asking you to find more time in your already full schedule. It's your complete toolkit for regulating your nervous system right in the middle of meetings, morning rushes, and middle of the night wake-ups.

Join the Waitlist for 'Real-Time Regulation' and get instant access to your free 'Pattern Recognition Tracker', a practical tool for mapping your personal stress patterns and triggers. Start understanding your unique stress response today!

JOIN THE WAITLIST NOW 

I'd love to connect with you about this episode! If anything shared resonates with you, please send me a DM on Instagram @therachelbale – I'd love to hear from you!

NEXT STEPS:

• Join the Waitlist to 'Real-Time Regulation' and get your free 'Pattern Recognition Tracker' today

• Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss an episode

• Follow me on Instagram @therachelbale

Remember: Your body isn't broken and you're not 'too sensitive'. You just haven't had the right tools to understand your unique stress language... yet.

Are you your family's emotional circuit breaker? Here's what it’s costing you. 

In this powerful episode, we dive deep into what happens when we become our family's emotional regulator, and why this pattern that once kept us safe is now keeping us stuck in survival mode.

In this episode we discuss: 

- How being highly attuned to others' emotions can be both a superpower and a source of exhaustion 

- Why we fall into the emotional caretaker role in the first place and how it has shaped our nervous system as an adult

- The science behind why family gatherings can feel so overwhelming for empaths 

- How this pattern spills into all areas of our life - from work to friendships 

- Practical tools for staying grounded without disconnecting from your natural sensitivity 

FREE HOLIDAY GIFT: THE 10 MINUTE RESET 

Ready to stay anchored in your own energy during family gatherings? The 10 Minute Reset is your science-backed breathwork practice designed for those moments when everyone's emotions feel too loud but you can't step away. Think of it as your emotional circuit breaker - helping you stay present without absorbing everyone's energy. 

Download your Free 10 Minute Reset Here 

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:

36. Your anxiety isn’t “just mum stress” - the science behind your holiday overwhelm

Book: "The Third Perspective: Brave Expression in the Age of Intolerance”, Africa Brooke

If you resonate with anything shared in this episode, please send me a DM on Instagram @therachelbale - I'd love to hear from you!

NEXT STEPS: 

- Download your free 10 MINUTE RESET

- Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss an episode! 

- Follow me on Instagram @therachelbale 

Remember: Your sensitivity is a gift. Being attuned to others isn't the problem. The problem comes when we lose ourselves in the process of managing everyone else.

What if that 'normal mum stress' during the holidays isn't actually normal at all?

We've normalised mum stress to the point where anxiety, overwhelm, and constant tension feel like just another part of motherhood - especially during the holidays. But the science tells a different story about what's really happening in our bodies when we're chronically stressed, and why it matters more than we realise.

In this powerful episode, we dive into the science behind holiday overwhelm and why brushing it off as just standard “mum stress" might be costing you (and your kids) more than you think.

In this episode we discuss:

• The fascinating science of what's actually happening in your body during holiday overwhelm
• How chronic stress literally changes your brain structure and nervous system
• Why your body can't tell the difference between real danger and holiday stress
• The ripple effect of your stress state on your children's developing nervous systems
• How to work with your nervous system instead of against it (using tools you already have)

FREE HOLIDAY GIFT: THE 10 MINUTE RESET 

Ready to break free from holiday overwhelm? The 10 Minute Reset is your science-backed breathwork practice designed for those moments when anxiety feels too loud but you can't step away from life. Think of it as your direct hotline to calm - no meditation cushion required. Works anywhere, even while wrapping presents at midnight!

Download Your Free 10 Minute Reset Here

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Episode 32: The Invisible Imprint - Unravelling Our Pre-Birth Programming
• Book: "Waking the Tiger" by Peter Levine

If you resonate with anything shared in this episode, please send me a DM on Instagram @therachelbale - I'd love to hear from you!

NEXT STEPS:

• Download your free 10 Minute Reset
• Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss an episode!
• Follow me on Instagram @therachelbale

Remember: Just because something's common doesn't mean it's normal. You don't have to accept this level of anxiety as your default state.

The most exhausting job you have is pretending you’ve got it all together.

In this powerful episode, we dive deep into the reality of high-achieving women who appear to “have it all together” on the outside… but experience constant anxiety and tension on the inside.

We explore the hidden costs of maintaining this facade and how it affects every aspect of our lives – from our relationships to our physical health.

In this episode we discuss:

• The exhausting gap between looking composed externally while feeling constantly braced internally
• How this state of anxiety seeps into our relationships, work and ability to stay present
• The physical toll of chronic stress that we’ve normalised as “just part of life”
• Why pushing harder and doing more is actually making us LESS effective at the very things we’re trying to do better
• How reconnecting with our breath can be the key to breaking free from survival mode

If you resonate with anything shared in this episode, please send me a DM on Instagram @therachelbale - I'd love to hear from you!

FREE RESOURCE:

Ready to break free from constant tension and anxiety? My FREE 10 Minute Breath Reset is your instant calm switch that will take you from stressed & overwhelmed to calm & grounded in minutes. No special equipment needed, just 10 minutes to reset your nervous system and return to calm.

NEXT STEPS:

• Download your free 10 Minute Breath Reset - your practical tool for finding calm anytime, anywhere
• Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss an episode!
• Follow me on Instagram @therachelbale

What if everything you've been taught about building confidence is actually keeping you stuck in an endless cycle of proving your worth?

Today on the podcast, we’re exploring the critical distinction between self-confidence and self-worth that most people aren’t aware of… and why understanding the difference might just change everything.

In this episode I’m sharing:

• Why achieving goals often leaves us feeling temporarily high but quickly empty again
• The fundamental difference between self-confidence (what you can DO) and self-worth (who you ARE)
• How society’s obsession with achievement unknowingly keeps us stuck in patterns of proving our worth
• Why working on your limiting beliefs may help you reach success but won't necessarily make you feel fulfilled and satiated 
• Why strengthening self-worth actually makes you more resilient and ambitious, not less

If you’ve ever felt like no achievement is ever quite enough, or you’re caught in an endless cycle of chasing the next big milestone, this episode if for you.

I'd love to connect with you about this episode! If anything shared resonates with you, please send me a DM on Instagram @therachelbale -- I'd love to hear from you!

NEXT STEPS:

Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss an episode!

Follow me on Instagram@therachelbale

When I first started working with my designer, Jenna Guihen, I naively thought we’d just be creating pretty visuals (ha!). 

What actually happened was a profound journey into understanding how our brands can become living, breathing expressions of our soul's work. 

In this episode I’m joined by Jenna herself where we go BTS of the sacred way she creates that kind of magic.

Jenna Guihen is the visionary founder and Creative Director of Wild Folk Creative, where she transforms the traditional approach to branding. With over 13 years of experience in the industry, Jenna is passionate about breaking the mold by emphasizing authenticity and the power of storytelling.

Her approach is rooted in the belief that every brand has a unique narrative waiting to be told. Jenna excels at guiding brands to uncover their true essence, helping them articulate their values and mission in a way that resonates deeply with their audiences. Through her innovative and intuitive methods, she creates emotionally resonant experiences that not only capture attention but also foster meaningful connections.

Jenna’s commitment to nurturing creativity and pushing boundaries allows her clients to stand out in a crowded marketplace, ensuring their brands not only make an impact but also leave a lasting impression. At Wild Folk Creative, she invites brands on a transformative journey to discover their authentic voice and share it with the world.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why most branding feels empty and how we worked together to create something that actually carried my unique energy
• Branding energetics and the importance of having a strong energetic connection to your brand (& how to develop this)
• What it takes to create an emotionally resonant brand – from both the client and the designer
• The liberation that comes from finally having a brand that feels like coming home
• A BTS look at Jenna’s signature creative process that resulted in branding that felt like a direct reflection of both the soul of my business and also me as an individual
• The common traps Jenna sees businesses fall into when it comes to their branding
• 3 things you can start doing now to move back into resonance with your brand

If you've ever felt like your brand isn't quite capturing the essence of your work, or you're just curious about what the BTS of my rebrand has looked like, this episode is for you.

I'd love to connect with you about this episode! If anything shared resonates with you, please send me a DM on Instagram @therachelbale – I'd love to hear from you!

CONNECT WITH JENNA: 

Instagram: @wildfolkcreative

Website: Wildfolk Creative

Branding archetypes: https://iconicfox.com.au/brand-archetypes/ 

NEXT STEPS: 

Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss an episode! 

Follow me on Instagram @therachelbale

Ever wonder how much your life was shaped before you even took your first breath?

Our journey doesn't start at birth – it begins in the womb, where we're already soaking up the world around us.

In this episode, we're diving into the hidden influences of our earliest environment. I'm sharing how stress echoes through generations, some personal reflections about my own pregnancies (including the fears I had about my daughter’s exposure to stress before birth), and why understanding these early imprints can be so empowering as we heal. 

In this episode I'm sharing:

• How our prenatal experience sets the stage for life and how the womb may not be the paradise we think it is
• How chronic stress during pregnancy can alter genetic functioning and impact a child's stress response for life 
• My personal journey with prenatal anxiety after a traumatic miscarriage and its potential effects on my daughter
• The generational nature of trauma and how our ancestors’ stress might still be living in our bodies
• The broader societal issue of women being the emotional shock absorbers of the world (and what it’s costing us)
• Why we need to shift our perspective from blaming parents and what we should be looking at instead
• The empowering realization that healing is always possible, no matter when we become aware of these patterns

I'd love to connect with you about this episode! If you resonate with anything shared this week, please send me a DM on Instagram – I'd love to hear from you!

REFERENCED:

31. Trauma, dissociation & healing through breathwork (my untold story)

NEXT STEPS: 

Subscribe to the Podcast so you don't miss an episode! 

Follow me on my NEW Instagram account @therachelbale

In this raw and vulnerable episode, I’m taking you BTS of some of the traumatic experiences in my life, the effect these events had on my nervous system and mental health, and how I empowered myself to heal from the inside out.

TRIGGER WARNING: pregnancy loss, childbirth, mental illness

In this episode I’m sharing:

• How my childhood and teen years led me away from my authentic self and how that set me up in adulthood for a life of anxiety, people-pleasing and disconnection
  
  
• What chronic stress did to my nervous system over time, ultimately leading to burnout and exiting a career I’d dedicated almost a decade of my life to
  
  
• Why entrepreneurship wasn’t the ticket to freedom and peace that I’d been hoping for (and what it actually looked like instead)
  
  
• How the trauma I experienced during pregnancy loss, two highly interventionist births and difficult postpartum periods led to dissociation and a diagnosis of postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression
  
  
• My decision to embark on a self-healing journey and heal myself at the root cause, rather than mask my symptoms, and how breathwork was instrumental in my healing journey
  
  

Disclaimer: the content in this episode does not take the place of professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

I’d love to connect with you about this episode! If your resonate with anything shared this week, please send me a DM on Instagram – I’d love to hear from you!

NEXT STEPS:

Subscribe to the Podcast so you don’t miss an episode and you can follow along on the journey from here!

Follow me on my NEW Instagram account @therachelbale