Women’s Health Unwrapped
Episode 145:
The power of intention in managing stress
Are you just about holding it all together - but inside, you’re fraying at the edges?
“You’re not failing—you’re just carrying too much. Midlife isn’t just about physical changes; it’s the emotional weight and invisible load that no one else can see but you feel every day. The pressure to hold it all together, to keep showing up, to keep doing—it adds up. And when you’re always in go-mode, it’s easy to think you’re not doing enough. But maybe you don’t need to do more. ”
— Nicola Farndell
“I thought stress was just part of success. Everyone else seemed to cope, so I kept pushing—until I realised I wasn’t coping, I was just surviving. The pressure wasn’t only coming from my job. It was the guilt, the perfectionism, the belief that slowing down meant failing. That’s what burned me out. What changed everything was getting honest about what I really needed.”
— Gail Grace
In this episode of Women’s Health Unwrapped:
If you've ever told yourself to just keep pushing... this conversation is for you.
I’m joined by personal performance and wellbeing coach Gail Grace to talk about a topic that quietly affects so many women: chronic stress.
Gail shares her powerful story of reaching burnout in a high-pressure corporate career - before realising the real problem wasn’t just her workload. It was the internal pressure, the guilt, the belief that coping meant constantly doing more.
Together, we unpack why so many women in midlife are hitting a breaking point, how to recognise the subtle signs of stress before they become symptoms, and what to do when “pushing through” is no longer sustainable. This is an honest, insightful and practical episode that reminds us: You’re not weak. You’re just carrying too much—and there is another way.
In our conversation we’re unwrapping:
How small pauses in your day can reduce overwhelm.
Why it’s the little stressors—not the big events—that lead to burnout.
How chronic stress symptoms show up in midlife.
What it really means to live with intention (and how to start).
The difference between external pressures and internal beliefs.
How what you think and the language you use shapes your experience of stress.
Why self-care doesn’t need to be big or fancy to make a difference; small habits matter most.
The simple but powerful 90-second rule for managing stress in the moment.
Why self-awareness is the foundation for lasting change.
About Gail Grace:
Gail Grace is a certified Personal Performance and Well-Being Coach with over eight years of experience helping individuals build confidence, manage stress, and create lasting balance.
After over a decade in the male-dominated construction and rail industries, Gail left corporate life burned out and disconnected from herself. That lived experience now fuels her mission to support women in rewriting their internal narratives, preventing burnout, and building healthier ways to work and live.
She works with both individuals and organisations to challenge imposter syndrome, reshape unhelpful thought patterns, and embed wellbeing as the foundation for long-term success.
Connect withGail:
Feeling constantly on edge—but not sure how to switch off?
You’re not the only one—and it’s not your fault.
If life has become a cycle of doing, juggling, and silently holding it all together, it’s no wonder you feel overstretched. But calm isn’t out of reach. It just needs space to return.
My free Perimenopause Revival Guide will gently help you reset your nervous system, reconnect with your needs, and build small habits that bring clarity, energy and emotional ease back into your daily life.
Inside, you’ll find simple, manageable ways to reduce overwhelm, support your wellbeing, and create breathing space in even the busiest seasons—without pressure or perfection.
Download your free guide and begin making space for you again.
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