Muse Yourself | Self Love & Starting Over

Gemma James
  • 5.0 (5)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

That weekly pep talk from your best friend that leaves you feeling UNSTOPPABLE. This is the podcast for the woman ready to reinvent her world from the inside out - the one making her own rules, rewriting her story, and remembering who the f**k she is. Unfiltered. Unapologetic. Undeniable. I’m Gemma James - podcaster & journalist. In 2017 I was about to turn 30, recently widowed, newly jobless, and on the edge of losing my home - trying to figure out who I was without everything I’d built my whole identity around. But what do we do when life throws us the ultimate plot twist? We rewrite the story. This is a podcast about the rewrite. It’s a place for real talk on what it actually takes to rebuild your life from the inside out - and stories from the women who’ve lived it. Because here’s the thing no one wants you to know… You get to have as many new beginnings as you want. No matter how many times you think you’ve failed, how lost you feel, or how ‘late’ you think you are. Muse Yourself isn’t just a podcast - it’s a full frequency shift. It’s where we start living unapologetically as the main character and lead the way for other women to do the same. Expect intimate, unfiltered conversations on reinvention, healing, self-love, and what it really takes to rebuild your world from the inside out. Through raw storytelling and soul-led interviews, we explore the power of starting over, turning pain into purpose, and stepping into the life you were BORN to create.  If you're a woman who's ready to rise - unapologetically and on your own terms - you're in the right place. Because it’s never too late to change the plot. gemmaj.substack.com

  1. 61.Muse Moments #2: Cara Alwill on how to choose YOURSELF, even when it means being misunderstood

    23 HR AGO

    61.Muse Moments #2: Cara Alwill on how to choose YOURSELF, even when it means being misunderstood

    Hi Muses, In this second episode of Muse Moments, I’m sharing a powerful clip from my conversation with bestselling author Cara Alwill. Cara has featured in Forbes, Business Insider and Oprah Daily, sold more than 300,000 books to date, and is the founder of Publishing House Pink Ink Press. In this mini episode, Cara opens up about the pivotal moments in her life when she knew something wasn’t right — in her relationships, her career, and the path she was expected to follow — and how finding the courage to choose herself over all the external noise changed everything. We talk about walking away from situations that no longer fit, being willing to be misunderstood, and learning to trust the inner voice that keeps calling you toward more. If you’ve been feeling like you’ve outgrown your current life, you’re craving change but you’re constantly worrying what other people will think, and you KNOW you’ve been ignoring your own intuition - this episode is for you. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: * How Cara found the courage to walk away from a relationship that wasn’t aligned * Why feeling “this isn’t enough” is often your intuition speaking * How heartbreak became the catalyst for her reinvention * Why choosing yourself can mean disappointing others * How to reprogram beliefs that keep you stuck in safe but unhappy lives * What it means to be “willing to be misunderstood” * How to recognise the inner voice that won’t shut up * Why you don’t need validation to change direction Want More? This clip comes from my full conversation with Cara Alwill in Episode 22: ‘Cara Alwill on Choosing Yourself: How to Overcome Fear of Judgment, Reclaim Your Power, and use challenges for growth’ Listen to on ITUNES, SPOTIFY, or SUBSTACK If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment on Spotify, send me a message, or share this episode with a friend who needs it…and don’t forget to subscribe - it helps this community grow and reach more women who need these conversations and I appreciate it more than you know… Until next time X RESOURCES + LINKS: * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE to join the MuseLetter list and receive a FREE 10-minute guided visualisation to help you release old identities and step into your most powerful era yet * SUBSCRIBE to my free Substack community HERE to join the conversation and receive new episodes straight to your inbox * CONTACT ME: If you’d like to explore how we can work together you can get in touch HERE * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    20 min
  2. 60. Muse Moments #1: Why You're Scared Of Being Single (And How to Build Real Self-Worth)

    24 FEB

    60. Muse Moments #1: Why You're Scared Of Being Single (And How to Build Real Self-Worth)

    Hi Muses, In the very first episode of Muse Moments, I’m revisiting one of the most powerful conversations I’ve had on the show… This mini episode features a standout clip from my conversation with licensed therapist and couples counsellor Lauren Walsh back in episode 17 of the podcast: ‘Fear of Being Single Forever? How to Date After Heartbreak and Attract Healthy Love.’ There was so much value in this episode but in this clip we explore why so many women fear being single - and how learning to build a strong relationship with ourselves first can change everything... If you’ve ever felt “behind,” questioned your relationship status, or worried about not being where you “should” be by now, this episode is for you. You’ll learn: * How the fear of being single can lead to settling and self-abandonment * How to reframe being single as a powerful season of growth * Why your relationship with yourself is the foundation for every other relationship * Simple ways to start building confidence, self-trust, and emotional independence * How and why journaling and solo dates can deepen your connection with yourself This Episode Is For You If: * You’re single and feel pressure to “figure it out” * You’ve stayed in relationships out of fear of being alone * You’re working on your self-worth and emotional independence * You want healthier, more aligned relationships * You’re learning to choose yourself — without guilt A reminder for you… Being single is not a failure.It’s not something to rush through.And it’s not something to “fix.” It can be one of the most powerful seasons of your life - if you choose to use it that way. Want More? This clip comes from my full conversation with Lauren Walsh in Episode 17: ‘Fear of Being Single Forever? How to Date After Heartbreak and Attract Healthy Love with Licensed Therapist Lauren Walsh.’ Listen to on ITUNES, SPOTIFY, or right HERE on Substack If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment on Spotify, send me a message, or share this episode with a friend who needs it…and don’t forget to subscribe - it helps this community grow and reach more women who need these conversations and I appreciate it more than you know… Until next time X RESOURCES + LINKS: * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE to join the MuseLetter list and receive a FREE 10-minute guided visualisation to help you release old identities and step into your most powerful era yet * SUBSCRIBE to my free Substack community HERE to join the conversation and receive new episodes straight to your inbox * CONTACT ME: If you’d like to explore how we can work together you can get in touch HERE * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    19 min
  3. 59. How To Stop Living In The Past And Create A Better Future

    17 FEB

    59. How To Stop Living In The Past And Create A Better Future

    What if the only thing standing between you and the life you want is the story you’re telling yourself about why you can’t have it? In this short solo episode, I’m talking about why so many of us unknowingly keep ourselves stuck by recycling our old narratives from the past. Whether it’s failed relationships or career struggles, it can be so easy to believe that history will repeat itself…but this DOESN’T need to be your story. Inside this episode: * Why your brain defaults to limiting stories - and how to override it. * How to spot the inner voice that’s keeping you small. * A simple mindset shift to help you stop living in “probability” and start living in possibility. * Why your past (or your present) does NOT define your future. * How to choose new stories that empower, expand, and align with the life you actually want to create. If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly living by your past, this is the episode for you - a reminder that’s it’s never too late to change the story… Until next time, RESOURCES + LINKS: * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE to join the MuseLetter list and receive a FREE 10-minute guided visualisation to help you release old identities and step into your most powerful era yet * SUBSCRIBE to my free Substack community HERE to join the conversation and receive new episodes straight to your inbox * CONTACT ME: If you’d like to explore how we can work together you can get in touch HERE * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    11 min
  4. 58. Your New Life Will Cost You Your Old One: Stepping Into Your Next Chapter

    10 FEB

    58. Your New Life Will Cost You Your Old One: Stepping Into Your Next Chapter

    Muses, you already know when it’s time to release what no longer serves you. Whether it’s a relationship, a job, a place, or an old identity, your intuition is always guiding you…what would change if you trusted it? In this episode I’m covering: * How to recognise the inner nudge that it’s time to move on * Why letting go is an act of trust in your highest self * The natural “grieving” process that can come with expansion - and why it’s not something to avoid, but a sign of growth * How to create space for aligned opportunities, people, and experiences to flow in * What it looks like to walk forward with faith, even before the path is clear Let this be your reminder that everything you want is already waiting for you…all you have to do is trust yourself enough to step into it. Until next time X RESOURCES: * Make sure you’re subscribed wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss an episode: Apple Podcasts | Spotify * JOIN MY SUBSTACK COMMUNITY HERE * WORK WITH ME: If you’d like to explore how we can work together, you can contact me ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠ Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    20 min
  5. 57. A Guide To Blowing Up Your Life: How To Quit It All And Travel The World Full Time, With Lane Scott Jones

    3 FEB

    57. A Guide To Blowing Up Your Life: How To Quit It All And Travel The World Full Time, With Lane Scott Jones

    What if you could walk away from it all and start again? Hi Muses, In this episode of Muse Yourself, I’m joined by writer and speaker Lane Scott-Jones. Lane is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer, speaker, and the voice behind Second Rodeo, a Substack newsletter about reinvention and lifestyle design. Her writing has been published in Longreads, Good Grit, the Nashville Scene, and she’s been a featured speaker at events hosted by TEDx, Creative Mornings, Soho House, and more - and today she’s joining me for a refreshingly honest conversation about reinvention, systematically dismantling everything to start over on your OWN terms, and redesigning your life, one experiment at a time. After the end of her marriage Lane did something so many of us fantasise about - she sold everything she owned, packed a suitcase, began travelling the world full-time..and has lived out of a carry-on ever since. This isn’t just a story about a change of location, but a complete dismantling of the beliefs, expectations, and “default paths” so many of us have been living by, and what’s on the other side when we FINALLY start asking: “Am I living the life I’ve chosen? Or the one I’ve been told to choose?” Together, we’re talking about: * Why so many of us follow a life blueprint we never consciously chose * The quiet grief of losing touch with your own inner knowing * How reinvention doesn’t have to be reckless - it can be intentional and strategic * Why travel can be a powerful gateway to rebuilding self-trust * Letting go of the need for permission, approval, or certainty * The fear of being seen trying - and why it keeps so many women stuck * Redefining success, safety, and stability on your own terms This conversation is for anyone who feels the pull toward a different kind of life - one that might not make sense to everyone else, but feels deeply true to you. You don’t need a crisis to begin again. You don’t need to have it all figured out. And never forget…you’re allowed to want more. Until next time X RESOURCES + LINKS: * Learn more about Lane through her website HERE Find her on Instagram HERE and follow her travel diaries on Substack HERE * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE to join the MuseLetter list and receive a FREE 10-minute guided visualisation to help you release old identities and step into your most powerful era yet * SUBSCRIBE to my free Substack community HERE to join the conversation and receive new episodes straight to your inbox * CONTACT ME: If you’d like to explore how we can work together you can get in touch HERE * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 27m
  6. 56. How to let yourself be happy again after loss: Moving forward when you didn't choose the ending

    27 JAN

    56. How to let yourself be happy again after loss: Moving forward when you didn't choose the ending

    What happens when life ends a chapter in a way you didn’t choose? Hi Muses, In this incredibly honest and moving conversation, I’m joined by Hollywood based critically acclaimed author Zara Barrie to talk about grief, loss, healing, and what it really means to let the light in again when life breaks you apart. Zara is former senior writer for Elite Daily & Go Magazine, once described to ABC News as ‘Sex and the City’s grittier younger sister,’ and has featured in The Cut, The Skinny Confidential, Cosmopolitan, The View, and more. We’re exploring how endings - whether through bereavement, divorce, career loss, or identity collapse - can leave us simultaneously craving a fresh start and terrified of opening our hearts again. This episode isn’t just about grief after losing someone you love. It’s about any ending that changed you - and how healing doesn’t always look the way we were taught it would…and that’s ok. We’re talking about: * Why grief often makes us close ourselves off from joy, love, and connection * The fear of loss that can develop after heartbreak, bereavement, or trauma * Why healing isn’t linear - and why you’re not doing it “wrong” * Letting go of the version of you that existed before everything changed * Why Western culture struggles so much with grief and endings * How creativity, storytelling, podcasts, and art can quite literally save us * The power of sharing your story before you’ve “figured it all out” * Learning to hold grief and gratitude, pain and hope, at the same time We also talk about surrender, control, and why trying to micromanage life after loss can actually keep us stuck - plus the practices that help us feel safe enough to open again, including writing, visualization, and EFT tapping. If you’ve ever felt afraid to let joy back in…If you’re navigating an ending you didn’t choose…If you’re in the messy middle and wondering how to move forward without betraying what you’ve lost… This conversation will make you feel seen, understood, and far less alone. Get comfortable. This one is exactly what you’ve been needing. Until next time X RESOURCES + LINKS: * Connect with Zara on Instagram HERE and Substack HERE * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE to join the MuseLetter list and receive a FREE 10-minute guided visualisation to help you release old identities and step into your most powerful era yet * SUBSCRIBE to my free Substack community HERE to join the conversation and receive new episodes straight to your inbox * CONTACT ME: If you’d like to explore how we can work together you can get in touch HERE * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 24m
  7. 55. How to Choose a Child-Free Life Without Guilt or Apology: Choosing Yourself in a World That Expects Motherhood

    20 JAN

    55. How to Choose a Child-Free Life Without Guilt or Apology: Choosing Yourself in a World That Expects Motherhood

    What does it really mean to choose a child-free life by choice in a world that still equates womanhood with motherhood? Hi Muses, In this powerful - and deeply validating - episode I’m joined by Wilmarie Hernandez, a coach and creator who supports women navigating life without children - intentionally, unapologetically, and on their own terms. We’re exploring what it looks like to redefine womanhood, honour your inner knowing, and design a life that reflects who you truly are - not who society expects you to be. This conversation is for any woman questioning traditional timelines, feeling pressure around motherhood, or carving out a life that doesn’t follow the script. In this episode, we explore: * What it means to be child-free by choice - and why this path deserves celebration, not justification * Knowing you don’t want children from a young age and learning to trust that inner voice * Navigating dating and relationships as a child-free woman * How choosing a child-free life can expand freedom, creativity, travel, and possibility * The emotional impact of societal pressure, family expectations, and internalised guilt * How friendships can shift when your life path looks different - and how to navigate it with compassion * Healing the mother wound and sisterhood wound to build deeper, safer connections with other women * Redefining success, fulfilment, and purpose beyond traditional milestones * Creating a life that feels aligned, expansive, and deeply your own Wilmarie also shares her own journey - from growing up in a traditional culture, to finding love, building a marriage rooted in shared values, and designing a location-independent life filled with meaning, connection, and choice. This episode is a reminder that there is no one right way to be a woman - and that your path is valid simply because it’s yours. ✨ If you’ve ever felt different, questioned the narrative, or needed permission to choose yourself - this conversation is for you. Until next time X RESOURCES + LINKS: * Connect with Wilmarie on Instagram HERE * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE to join the MuseLetter list and receive a FREE 10-minute guided visualisation to help you release old identities and step into your most powerful era yet * SUBSCRIBE to my free Substack community HERE to join the conversation and receive new episodes straight to your inbox * CONTACT ME: If you’d like to explore how we can work together you can get in touch HERE * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 20m
  8. 54. From Teen Single Mum to Global Fitness Empire: Transforming Mental Health Through Exercise with Bodybuilding Pro Diane Flores

    8 JAN

    54. From Teen Single Mum to Global Fitness Empire: Transforming Mental Health Through Exercise with Bodybuilding Pro Diane Flores

    What if you didn’t need to see the entire path ahead before you took the first step? Hi Muses, I have such an incredible episode for you this week… I’m joined by IFBB bodybuilding pro, serial entrepreneur, and host of the hit podcast Boss Bitch Radio, Diane Flores, to explore reinvention, mental health, self-worth, and what becomes possible when you finally decide you’re worth taking care of. Diane became a single mum at just 16, raising two children alone by 19, living on food stamps, and navigating life largely without support. Despite everything stacked against her, she knew that she was meant for more than just surviving. That inner knowing led her through multiple reinventions: from discovering fitness as a lifeline for her mental health, competing in 16(!) bodybuilding shows, starting an unexpected pole-fitness business with no experience, to building a thriving fitness empire and coaching thousands of women through powerful physical and identity transformations. In this conversation, Diane shares how movement became a form of mental health care, how exercise helped her come off antidepressants, and how learning to take care of her body completely changed how she showed up as a mother, a business owner, and a woman. This episode is a powerful reminder that: * You don’t need the full plan to begin * Confidence is built through action, not perfection * Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish - it’s the foundation of everything If you’re in a season of change, feeling stuck, or craving a version of yourself that feels stronger, calmer, and more aligned - this conversation will meet you exactly where you are. What You’ll Hear in This Episode * Diane’s journey from teenage motherhood and survival mode to purpose-driven success and building an empire that’s helped thousands of women * How exercise became her most powerful mental health tool * Why movement increases our capacity to handle stress * The surprising business that became her first domino moment * How the transformation reaches FAR beyond our bodies when we finally start taking care of ourselves * Why we DON’T need confidence to start * The identity shifts that happen when we finally put ourselves back on our own to-do list If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs permission to take the first step - even without knowing where it leads. And if you’re ready to start seeing yourself as someone worth taking care of, this episode is your reminder: you don’t need to EARN the right to put yourself first. Until next time X RESOURCES + LINKS: * Listen to Diane’s podcast HERE and connect with her on Instagram HERE * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE to join the MuseLetter list and receive a FREE 10-minute guided visualisation to help you release old identities and step into your most powerful era yet * SUBSCRIBE to my free Substack community HERE to join the conversation and receive new episodes straight to your inbox * CONTACT ME: If you’d like to explore how we can work together you can get in touch HERE * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 17m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

That weekly pep talk from your best friend that leaves you feeling UNSTOPPABLE. This is the podcast for the woman ready to reinvent her world from the inside out - the one making her own rules, rewriting her story, and remembering who the f**k she is. Unfiltered. Unapologetic. Undeniable. I’m Gemma James - podcaster & journalist. In 2017 I was about to turn 30, recently widowed, newly jobless, and on the edge of losing my home - trying to figure out who I was without everything I’d built my whole identity around. But what do we do when life throws us the ultimate plot twist? We rewrite the story. This is a podcast about the rewrite. It’s a place for real talk on what it actually takes to rebuild your life from the inside out - and stories from the women who’ve lived it. Because here’s the thing no one wants you to know… You get to have as many new beginnings as you want. No matter how many times you think you’ve failed, how lost you feel, or how ‘late’ you think you are. Muse Yourself isn’t just a podcast - it’s a full frequency shift. It’s where we start living unapologetically as the main character and lead the way for other women to do the same. Expect intimate, unfiltered conversations on reinvention, healing, self-love, and what it really takes to rebuild your world from the inside out. Through raw storytelling and soul-led interviews, we explore the power of starting over, turning pain into purpose, and stepping into the life you were BORN to create.  If you're a woman who's ready to rise - unapologetically and on your own terms - you're in the right place. Because it’s never too late to change the plot. gemmaj.substack.com

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