Take A Breath

In this Thursday Thoughts episode, Lucy and I are talking about feeling stuck, as well as ways to get unstuck by taking the smallest possible first step to build momentum. We talk about moving physically or changing scenery — getting outside, shaking the body, or taking a break — to shift stagnant energy and allow inspiration to return. I talk about how I'm using the BBC/NHS Couch to 5K app a...

On this week’s Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about gratitude, and how taking the time to appreciate what we already have can make such a difference to how we feel. We share some of our own experiences of finding gratitude in everyday moments, and discuss how easy it is to take the little things for granted, particularly when life gets busy. We also talk about different ways to practise...

On this week's episode of Thursday Thoughts Lucy and I explore whether or not you see yourself as a lucky person, and how that belief shapes your experience of life.  We discuss how a victim mindset and negative narratives like “things never work out for me” can reinforce feeling unlucky, while choosing a more empowering perspective can help you notice opportunities and “create your own luck....

On this week’s Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about people pleasing, and what can happen when we prioritise other people’s needs, opinions and expectations over our own. We chat about getting to know ourselves better, setting healthier boundaries, and becoming more comfortable with the fact that not everyone is going to like us - and that’s OK. We also discuss why saying ‘no’ doesn’t al...

On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about anxiety. Most of us are familiar with worrying about things that haven't even happened, but what do we do when anxiety starts becoming a problem? Lucy and I talk candidly about our own experiences of anxiety, as well as a few practical things that we can all do to try and allay those unhelpful thoughts and feelings. We hope y...

On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about fitness. We each share what our own fitness routines look like, covering strength training, Sprint Interval Training (SIT), running, rebounding, and good old walking. Given that fitness is so important, especially as we age, we hope you'll find something useful or inspiring in here. Love, Polly & Lucy x Download 15 Breath...

This week on Thursday’s Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about optimisation, and whether our constant quest to look and feel better might actually be making us feel worse. We’re bombarded on social media with advice on how to optimise almost every area of our health and wellbeing. Add in wearables and apps tracking everything from sleep and steps to heart rate and recovery, and it can feel like th...

On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about our tendency to keep striving for the next thing, rather than appreciating what we already have. We talk about the ‘hedonic treadmill’ - the idea that even when we achieve something we really wanted, the happiness it brings often doesn’t last, and before long we’re looking towards the next goal. I share how I sometimes forget that...

On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about cultivating a beginner’s mindset, as well as the difference between fixed and growth mindsets. In our conversation, we talk about how people often avoid trying new things because they're worried about not being good immediately, when the truth is that we all start knowing nothing — and we learn through effort and failure.  I...

On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about the ego and how it can hold us back from taking action. We explore how the ego often comes from a place of fear and judgement, making it one of the loudest voices in our minds. We also share ways to become more aware of that inner voice, question whether it's actually telling us the truth, and choose curiosity instead. We hop...

On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking all about confidence and how to build more of it. We share why we prefer to think of confidence as a verb rather than a noun. Confidence isn't something you magically have before you start – it's something you create. It grows when you find a little courage, get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and take action anyway. Onl...

On today’s Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about comparison. As the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy, but we can all be guilty of it to a greater or lesser extent. And it’s even harder to keep it under control in this age of screens and social media. Rather than comparing ourselves to others and allowing them to make us feel bad about ourselves, let’s use comparison as motivat...

On this week’s Thursday's Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about taking responsibility. How often do you avoid doing the hard thing, even though you know it’s exactly what needs to be done? The truth is, no one else can do it for us. We all have to choose our hard. Taking responsibility isn’t about blame or pressure – it’s about recognising the incredible power you already have to shape your...

On this week's Thursday's Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about the mistake that so many of us make which is thinking that things will be better when… We’ve all done it, haven’t we? Things will better when I’m earning more money; things will be better when I’ve started the new job; things will be better once I move into the new home. Ultimately, those ‘big’ moments in life are fleeting,...

When you're the one everyone relies on, it's easy to believe your own needs can wait. You keep going. You juggle work, family, the mental load and everyone else's expectations, telling yourself you'll slow down when life gets quieter.  But what if looking after yourself isn't selfish at all? What if it's the very thing that allows you to keep showing up without losing...

On this week’s Tuesday Motivation, Lucyband I are chatting about the importance of movement. As we get older, we naturally lose both muscle and bone mass, so keeping our bodies moving is one of the best investments we can make in our long term health and wellbeing. We talk about how consistency matters more than perfection, how to make movement enjoyable, and simple ways to fit it into your everyd...

On today’s Thursday's Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about how important it is to find the joy in life, rather than being constantly weighed down by all of the ‘shoulds’. The truth is that life is short, and we sometimes forget to enjoy the ride. Instead of taking it all so seriously, let’s remember that we’re all travelling on a giant sphere hurtling through space - so we might as well enj...

Have you ever stopped and wondered, Who am I now? Midlife has a way of prompting those questions. As our lives, priorities and responsibilities change, many of us begin to realise that the identities we've carried for years no longer feel like the right fit. In this week's episode of Take a Breath , I'm joined by Jen O'Brien, who shares her inspiring journey from aeronautical e...

On this week’s Monday Motivation, Lucy and I are talking all about sleep. Sleep is one of the foundations of good health, yet it's something so many of us struggle to get enough of. In this episode, we chat about some of the simple things we've found really help us sleep better, from creating a healthier sleep environment to small habits that can make a big difference. We hope there&apos...

For years, I never considered myself an anxious person. Then, during perimenopause, something shifted. I found myself worrying in ways I never had before, feeling overwhelmed by things I'd always coped with and wondering why I suddenly didn't feel like myself anymore. In this episode, I'm sharing everything I've learnt about anxiety through my own experience, my work with hundr...

On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking all about boundaries. Women in particular have been conditioned to believe that they should give OF themselves long before they should give TO themselves. But this can lead to burnout and resentment. And this is where boundaries come in. The truth is that if we don’t implement boundaries, we’ll forever end up saying yes to things we don...

I’ve just returned from Self Love Camp, a retreat where I spent a few days guiding breathwork, listening to inspiring speakers, learning new things, and stepping away from the routines of everyday life. As I drove home, I found myself reflecting on something I always notice after retreats and intentional breaks: I come back feeling different. Clearer. More creative. More connected to myself. And i...

On this week’s Monday Motivation, Lucy and I are chatting about the importance of checking in on your goals now that we’re nearly halfway through the year. As always, we wander off into a few interesting tangents along the way! But at its heart, this conversation is a gentle reminder to pause, reflect, and ask yourself: Are you heading in the direction you want to go? And are you getting there in...

Pelvic floor issues are often seen as an inevitable part of getting older, having children, or going through menopause. But what if many of the symptoms women experience are actually signs that the body is asking for support rather than something we simply have to accept? In this episode, I chat to Jana Shirley, a pelvic floor and women's health specialist, Pilates practitioner and founder of...

On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about radio stations.  More specifically, what metaphorical radio station you are tuning into. Before you tune into a specific radio station, every single station is available to you. And it’s the same with life. Every day, we have a choice about what we want to tune into. It’s all available to us - Joy FM, Anger FM, Hope FM, Hate FM, Z...