logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
53m 8s

Is your routine a strait-jacket? How to ...

Fearne Cotton
About this episode

Do you dream of pivoting your career or lifestyle later in life? Poet Donna Ashworth did just that. She began to question the busy, fast-paced, perfectionist lifestyle she assumed was the norm, and decided to start posting and performing her beautiful poetry in her 40s...

 

In this chat with Fearne, Donna explains how she copes with the nerves that come with doing something so new, including hypnotherapy and simply admitting out loud that she’s anxious. She also reflects on how she realised she’d been living with depression and eating disorders for a long time.

 

If you’re not happy it’s up to you to apply change or you can’t expect different outcomes. Donna talks through how to work out if your routine is deliciously comforting for you, or if it’s become a strait-jacket that’s holding you back. Plus, she shares why it’s helpful for others if you’re able to disclose your own ugly truths and flaws.

 

Donna’s latest book of poetry, To The Women, is out on the 13th of February.

 

If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:

 

Naomi Watts

 

Poppy Delbridge

 

Kate Silverton



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Your mental state manifests physically! How your body impacts your brain
Do you notice your body telling you when your brain is struggling? We’re headed back to this year’s Happy Place Festival in Gunnersbury Park, where loads of our guest speakers took to the Talk Stage to talk about the power of the mind-body connection... In this episode – - Breath ... Show More
41m 5s
Aug 21
Sara Cox: I need to be left alone! How to take your holiday reading seriously
Are you obsessed with finding the best books – yes, multiple – to read on holiday? Broadcaster Sara Cox is!Welcome to The Happy Place Guide To Holidays! In this chat – brought to you by British Airways Holidays – Fearne and Sara share their thoughts on how to take your holiday re ... Show More
40m 30s
Aug 18
Why don’t you like yourself? Gabby Bernstein: How to stop numbing difficult emotions
Getting lost in anxiety, shame, or self-loathing? Spiritual leader Gabby Bernstein wants you to acknowledge all the messy parts of your true character. Spoiler: you’re not going suddenly to like yourself overnight, but acknowledging the uncomfortable bits will get you there soone ... Show More
57m 38s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 1
Break This One Habit and Watch Your Self-Worth Transform w Davina Rankin
If you've ever felt like your worth depends on what you do, how you look, or who approves of you — you're not alone. In this raw and empowering conversation, Davina Rankin opens up about her journey of chasing external validation through modelling, relationships, and perfectionis ... Show More
57m 34s
Jan 2025
are you navigating life as a twentysomething? | WELCOME TO 80/20
Are you navigating life as a twenty-something? Lily Rakow fully embraces the 80/20 lifestyle and is inviting you to join her in this imperfect balance of function and fun. With candid conversations about faith, fitness, relationships, mental health, and everything in between, Lil ... Show More
2m 16s
Jul 6
When You Feel the Call to Do More, Here's How to Listen with Layla Kardan
Have you ever felt a quiet (or not-so-quiet) nudge that you’re meant for something more ... but don’t know what to do about it?In this empowering episode, I sit down with award-winning artist, entrepreneur, and mum Layla Kardan, who shares her powerful story of breaking cultural ... Show More
47 m
Mar 2025
Why Your Lifestyle Is Draining Your Health and How to Reset, with Dr. Amy Shah
On SUPERWOMEN, I’m sitting down with Dr. Amy Shah, a double board-certified physician, best-selling author, and nutrition expert. Amy walked away from a traditional medical career to carve her own path in wellness. After spending years training to become a doctor, she found herse ... Show More
52m 43s
Apr 2025
288. "Your calling, won't stop calling" ft. Victoria Hutchins
So many of us worry about finding a purpose and progressing in our career from an early age, but sometimes our path through life looks different to how we imagine it. The poet Victoria Hutchins is one example of this being the case. In today's episode we break down:  How to find ... Show More
56m 28s
Sep 2024
How to Stop Pleasing Everyone But Yourself | Natalie Lue
What if you could finally stop contorting yourself to please others and start living authentically on your own terms? In this honest episode, Natalie Lue, author of "The Joy of Saying No," opens up about her pivotal shift from people-pleasing into embodying her truest self. Natal ... Show More
1h 5m
Sep 2024
Are You Happy?
Are you truly happy with where your life is headed? Or have you been so caught up in the daily grind that you haven’t even stopped to ask yourself?In this episode, I’m diving into a question that came up at our recent Go Inside event—Are you happy? Sounds simple, right? But this ... Show More
16m 6s
May 2020
#19: How to Have a Healthy Mindset About Health and Recovery
This episode is a turning of the tables where Mary gets interviewed by Gabby Male (@gabbymale on IG). Gabby asks Mary questions like… How do you have a healthy mindset with exercise? What is health at every size? How to deal with friends/ family who don’t understand your self-lov ... Show More
51 m
Jan 2025
Gabby Bernstein : Self Help This Is Your Chance to Change Your Life
What does real healing look like, and how can we start today? In this episode of A Really Good Cry, I’m chatting with the incredible Gabby Bernstein—spiritual teacher, author, and someone who’s turned her own pain into purpose. Gabby shares her inspiring journey from addiction an ... Show More
55m 16s
Apr 2025
She Finally Stopped Fighting Ageing & Did THIS Instead — Here’s What Happened Next
In this empowering episode, Erika sits down with Luisa Dunn — a model, photographer, and advocate for age positivity— to explore why she stopped fighting the ageing process and embraced a new narrative around beauty, self-worth, and expression.From the pressures of anti-ageing cu ... Show More
44m 24s