Yoga for Tired People

Earlier this year I had the most incredible privilege to sit down for a chat with the absolute powerhouse that is Jennie Godfrey.

The warmth, honesty, and candid humour that Jennie brings to the conversation make it very easy to see why her first two books have become such runaway, huge success.

In her fifties, Jennie stepped away from a successful career in HR to write The List of Suspicious Things which was published in 2025 and reached number 1 on the Sunday Times Bestsellers List and followed it with The Barbecue at No. 9 which became an instant bestseller.

I loved my conversation with Jennie, I loved her telling me she has never been happier in her life than in her 50’s and her openness, curiosity and generosity is infectious.

I am so happy that I get to share this conversation with you and I hope you enjoy listening half as much as I enjoyed making it.

Much Love,

Jo xx

PS

Next week I’m sharing the conversation I had with Suzy Reading (do I have the best job or what?)

Last Thursday as I was teaching Let’s Rest, I felt a little tickle in my throat. I coughed, spluttered and then uttered the dreaded words, “I think I might be coming down with something”.

Well, I was.

By bedtime I was shivering and feverish and in full on poorly mode.

And anyone who knows me knows I am a terrible patient. I can never quite believe that illness has struck me down, ME of all people.

However, if yoga has taught me anything it’s taught me the importance of acceptance, letting go of expectation and rest.

Easier said than done of course. But I’ve spent the weekend in bed eating soup and getting in my cats way.

Why am I telling you this? Well I want some sympathy of course.

And it gave me a chance to test ride this relaxation and you know? It might just be my favourite one I’ve ever recorded.

I can’t wait for you to listen and let your imagination run free.

It’s a cosy autumnal relaxation and I really hope you enjoy it.

Much Love,

Jo xx

PS

I don’t think I’ve ever been more aware of the cultural differences in my audience as when I was recording this. I kept thinking of autumnal things and realising I was sounding like a cross between a Dickens character and a wizard.

I’ve tried to limit my references to ‘bangers and mash’, ‘bobbing for apples’, ‘sparklers’, and ‘penny for the Guy’ but if some slip in please feel free to just make up whatever you think it means 🤣

Heelllo,

So after a false start I finally went live this afternoon for a lovely soul restore session to celebrate hitting 50k subscribers!

Here is the recording so you can join in if you missed it live, or to return to it if you enjoyed it the first time.

We did a time fold visualisation that I use in my own life to help me learn about and reach my goals.

I hope you enjoy!

Every month in the Zoom Studio we meet up and do a Soul Restore Circle, where we journal, ground ourselves and take time to connect to our inner wisdom.

The Zoom Studio has been closed for a long time to new members as I like to keep the space cosy but we have 3 spaces come up so if you’ve had your eye on joining, now is the time.

Here are the links to the sessions in the library I mentioned in the Q&A

Well what can I say, thank you so much to Alice Bramhill for such a generous and enlightening conversation.

Alice is an Accredited Interpersonal Psychotherapist, AuDHD Coach & Registered Independent Mental Health Nurse who has just published her first book ‘I need my space (but I like you too)’ a practical guide for to navigating relationships with a neurodivergent brain.

I read it at the weekend and found it so helpful, I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I enjoyed having it.

A big apology for getting the timings all muddled today, my dyslexia is really kicking my bum at the minute and numbers and dates are being particularly tricky for me.

Also I lose internet connection halfway through the conversation but Alice is a total professional and manages to effortlessly keep it afloat until I return, thank you!

I’m looking forward to reading the comments on this one,

Much Love,

Jo xx

The guided kitchen reset has become one of the most popular sessions ever, and so many people have been asking for more rooms, so of course I am happy to oblige.

Here is a mindful clean of the bathroom.

Remember, its not about getting it perfect, just taking some time to get what you can get done and enjoy yourself at the same time.

So grap your mop, your, vacuum cleaner your clothes, your cleaning spray and press play.

And for people who missed the kitchen reset, here it is.

The way we speak is so powerful.

In almost every culture there is a form of sacred speech. We have prayer, chanting, spells, mantra.

Using language to weave the world is innate to us as human beings, and has been used as part of religion, spirituality and ritual since records began.

But we don’t have to have an organised belief system to access it’s benefits.

I love affirmations; I love how flexible and empowering they are and how quickly they make a difference.

For me, affirmations are not about forcing myself to believe something or to deny reality but a way to shift the lens I am seeing the world through. A way to influence the landscape of my mind.

I hope you enjoy this session, you can do a formal relaxation and sit and listen to it or you can have it on in the background as you go about your morning.

Merry August everyone, I hope you’re having a wonderful summer whatever you’re up to (or winter, my southern hemisphere friends)

I’ve had lots of requests for a session you can do in a small space when you’re travelling, so your wish is my command: here’s a short routine for your whole body, for when you’re stretched on space but still need to stretch your body.

Enjoy!

Did you ever read a bed time story as a child?

Or maybe you listen to the radio, or have a comfort TV show that you watch before bed.

The human brain is primed to find stories comforting and relaxing. For millennia we have told tales in the evening in front of a fire. They remind us of safety, of belonging, of being part of a tribe.

A sleep story is an adult bedtime story, specifically picked for their gentle, cosy nature. They are interesting enough to stop your mind wandering but not so interesting you get involved in the plot.

I have wanted to record one for ages but it’s a little bit different to what I normally post so I haven’t had the confidence. So when someone in my zoom studio specifically asked for one, I jumped at the chance.

I have chosen the Wind in the Willows as this was a particular favourite of mine when I was a child, and if people enjoy it I will make it into a series.

So pop it on when you’re dropping off and let me know.

Did you know?

That you can now download substack videos so you can watch them offline. Just click the three dots and choose download so you can then listen without having to be connected to the internet.

That means you can listen without being distracted by other things.

Oh that little green eyed monster.

We all have one, and it can cause so much misery in our own minds and in our relationships.

Jealousy can be a destructive emotion if we let it fester or push it down or use it to lash out, but it can also be a message from our deeper wisdom guiding us on our desires and showing us our path towards a truthful life.For years I struggled to know what I wanted in life, I’d been living in survival mode just trying to be liked and fit in, and when I came out of it I didn’t know who I was or what I wanted.

And it wasn’t until I started turning with curiosity and compassion to the parts of myself that I had tried to push down that I realised they’d been showing me the way the whole time.Tapping into your intuition doesn’t just mean looking for positive signs but also listening the less socially acceptable parts of us too.Yoga teaches us that emotions are morally neutral, they are all part of being human, it’s what we do with them and how we act that matters.

What is your green eyed monster trying to tell you?

Coming up on Monday we have something a little bit different.It’s a bedtime story for helping you drift off to sleep. 💤I’ve recorded the first chapter of Wind in the Willows as a super relaxing sleepy story to make you feel comforted and put you in a slumber.This is an experiment and if people like it I’ll make a series. Look out for it in your inbox on Monday.

I’m a terrible tooth grinder, I’ve even chewed through the teeth grinding retainer they gave me (whoops) and when I’m stressed it’s so much worse.

But over the years I’ve learnt that if I do regular, simple, jaw releases throughout the day then the culmination of tension is way less and I grind far less too. (Though it’s never fully gone away).

This is the one minute session that I do, Enjoy!!

Could you do me a favour?

Gosh, that sentence is so hard to type isn’t it! Do you find it hard to ask for help too?

As you probably know (and can tell) Yoga for Tired People is made entirely by me, I don’t have a team or an ad budget, it’s just been me in my spare room with my laptop.

And yet it has grown into the most wonderful community of the best people on the internet (that’s you).

And I’m not afraid to admit that I would love it to grow even more, I have a secret dream of Yoga for Tired People becoming a household name, and it becomes normal for everyone to take short breaks throughout their day to stretch and relax.

So can you help me get the word out?

If you enjoy the sessions here can I ask you to share Yoga for Tired People with anyone you can think of that would also enjoy the sessions?

And let’s see if we can get everyone stretching, relaxing and grounding themselves.