Take A Breath

Polly Warren
  • 5.0 (26)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast for creating practical calm in the messy middle of midlife. This is your space to pause.  Because life in midlife is full-on. Between work, family, menopause, and the mental load, your nervous system can easily end up in constant overdrive — leaving you feeling exhausted, reactive, and overwhelmed by even the smallest things.  Each week, I’ll share my own tools, alongside honest conversations and practical nervous system support —  to help you create more calm, peace, joy, and inner steadiness. Not by escaping your life, because that’s totally unrealistic, but by meeting it differently. So when you're ready, let’s take a breath together… 

  1. 38 MIN AGO

    Step One to a Regulated Nervous System: AWARENESS

    In this episode of Take a Breath, I’m sharing why awareness is always the first step in nervous system regulation — and why, without it, even the best tools and techniques won’t truly stick. So many of us are living on autopilot, reacting before we even realise we’re reacting. I know this deeply, because that was me for most of my life. In this episode, I gently unpack how awareness takes us out of automatic mode, creates space, and gives us back choice — without forcing, fixing, or judging ourselves. This is a foundational episode if you want to feel calmer, more grounded, and less hijacked by your reactions in everyday life. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why awareness always comes before breathwork, tools, or techniques when it comes to regulating your nervous systemWhat awareness actually looks like in real life (and what it isn’t)How awareness creates “the gap” between feeling and reacting — and why that gap is where regulation beginsHow simply noticing and pausing can begin to rewire your nervous system through neuroplasticityHow to start making awareness more natural and automatic in daily lifeIf you’ve ever thought, “I know I’m overreacting but I can’t seem to stop,” this episode will help you understand why — and, more importantly, offer a much gentler way forward. Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at: info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    36 min

  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    Thursday Thoughts — Breaking The Cycle Of Negativity

    On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about breaking the cycle of negativity. We explore how easy it is to get caught in those negative spirals where one thought leads to another and suddenly we're knee-deep in a full-on wallow, feeling pretty rubbish about everything. We chat about how the way we feel most of the time becomes the energy we're putting out into the world — and how that energy attracts more of the same right back to us. We also share some of the practical things we both use to gently interrupt a negative spiral and shift our state when we notice ourselves heading down that familiar path. We hope that you enjoy this conversation. Love,  Polly & Lucy x Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at: info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    31 min

  3. 17 FEB

    How to Embrace Your Second Spring — and Why Rest Is Part of It with Kate Codrington

    This week on Take a Breath, I’m joined by brilliant Kate Codrington — author, therapist, facilitator, speaker, and guide for women navigating the menopause transition. Kate is the author of Second Spring, named one of the seven best books on menopause by the New York Times, and The Perimenopause Journal (2024), described as “an essential resource” by leading endocrinologist Professor Annice Mukherjee. With over 30 years’ experience as a therapist, Kate brings psychological depth, nervous system wisdom, and compassion to the conversation around midlife. In this episode of Take a Breath, we explore menopause not as something to push through or “fix,” but as a natural rite of passage. A threshold. A season rich with meaning, creativity, and the potential for profound self-discovery. If you’ve been feeling unsettled, wired, more emotional than usual, or unsure of who you’re becoming, this conversation offers context and reassurance. Together, we explore: Why menopause is both a physical and psychological transition — and how it mirrors the seasons of nature and your inner lifeThe three phases of midlife: separation, surrender, and emergence — and how understanding them can reduce fear and self-doubtWhy rest is not indulgent, but a necessary nervous system reset for chronically busy, overstimulated womenHow Yoga Nidra and deep rest practices create safety, restoration, and deep repair Why midlife is an invitation to reclaim your inner authority, creative fertility, and self-trust — rather than trying to be who you once wereKate’s voice is calm, grounded, and deeply validating. This episode offers permission to slow down, let go of what no longer fits, and trust the wisdom of this season — even when it feels messy. Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at: info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    52 min

  4. 12 FEB

    Thursday Thoughts - The Patriarchy

    On this week's Thursday's Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking all about the patriarchy. This social system that historically centres white men as the default holders of power, money, status and authority, is woven into the very fabric of society. It shows up in a million subtle - and not so subtle - ways: women playing small because they’ve been taught to be pleasing, quiet, polite and accommodating; women taking on the ‘invisible load’ of housework and kid-min; women being put down at work or at home because of the inherent and subconscious belief that men are somehow superior. In this conversation, Lucy and I talk about how the patriarchy has shown up in our own lives, as well as how things are so much worse for women in other countries and cultures. And this is exactly why women need to start speaking up and standing up for both themselves, and the many, many women who are less fortunate than those of us in western cultures. We hope you’ll find something interesting in here. Love, Polly & Lucy x Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at: info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    34 min

  5. 10 FEB

    How to Know if Your Nervous System’s Actually Regulated — or Just Coping

    There’s a lot of noise right now about calming your nervous system and staying regulated — and for many of us, that creates more pressure than peace. In this solo episode, I gently unpack what nervous system regulation actually means, why staying calm isn’t the goal, and how midlife and perimenopause can shift the way your system responds to stress. I also introduce a simple metaphor to help you understand what’s really going on inside your body — and why so many of us feel stuck, reactive, or exhausted without knowing why. This episode is an invitation to pause, notice, and begin to understand what your nervous system has been trying to tell you. In this episode, we explore: How to recognise the signs of coping vs. true regulationWhy stress isn’t the enemyHow your nervous system responds to everyday lifeA powerful metaphor to help you notice what state you’re inWhat starts to shift when you can name it, instead of judge itDownload 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at: info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    31 min

  6. 5 FEB

    Thursday Thoughts - Being The Main Character in Your Own Life

    On this week's Thursday's Thoughts, Lucy and I talk about what it really means to shift out of the background and into the lead role of your own life. We chat about how easy it is, especially for women, to unconsciously slip into a supporting role, putting everyone else’s needs first, waiting for the “right time,” or playing small out of habit rather than intention. We explore how being the main character doesn’t mean being loud or dramatic. It simply means taking up space in your own life. And it doesn’t require a big, sweeping change — sometimes it’s just one small moment where you back yourself and remember that you’re allowed to take the lead and want more. We hope you find something useful in here. Love, Polly & Lucy xx Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at: info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    30 min

  7. 3 FEB

    How to Find What’s Next When You’re Ready for a Career Change with Ashley Jablow

    Midlife can be a season of subtle (or not-so-subtle) shifts. The things that once felt like a perfect fit — a role, a path, a version of you — start to feel off. But what comes next isn’t always clear. In this episode, I’m joined by Ashley Jablow, Founder of Wayfinders Collective and former Presidential Innovation Fellow in the Obama Administration. Ashley now helps people and organisations navigate meaningful change — with curiosity, strategy, and soul. Together, we explore what it really looks like to move towards something more aligned… especially when you’re not quite sure what that is yet. In this episode, we talk about: How to recognise when you’ve outgrown a role or identity — even if it still “looks good on paper”Ashley’s gentle 4-step framework for navigating career or life transitions without burning it all downWhy guilt, fear, and indecision show up during change — and how to move through them with more clarity and self-trustThe surprising power of reflection journals How playful tools like alter egos can help you step into a bolder, more aligned version of yourself✨ Whether you’re pivoting from a long-term role, returning to yourself after caregiving, or just feeling ready for something new… this conversation will meet you right where you are. For more about Ashley go to: https://www.ashleyjablow.com/ https://www.lifedesignschool.co/ Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at: info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    48 min

  8. 29 JAN

    Thursday Thoughts - The Power Of Nature In A World Gone Mad

    On today’s Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about the power of intentionally tuning into nature during crazy times. Most of us would agree that the state of the world right now is…alot. It can feel overwhelming and scary, to say the least, and it’s easy to feel completely out of control. One of the best ways to put things into perspective - not to mention regulate our overstimulated nervous systems - is to remember that we are a part of something much, much greater than ourselves. Sometimes a walk in nature is all we need to feel calmer; a cuddle with our cat can bring us back to joy; and noticing the beauty of the flowers or the birds can make us feel more grounded. So if you’re feeling upset, scared, or horrified by what’s happening in the world, one of the best things you can do is surround yourself with nature - whether that’s a walk along the coast, or just popping into your local city park. We sincerely hope you’ll find something helpful or interesting in here. Love, Polly & Lucy x Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at: info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    28 min
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5
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26 Ratings

About

A podcast for creating practical calm in the messy middle of midlife. This is your space to pause.  Because life in midlife is full-on. Between work, family, menopause, and the mental load, your nervous system can easily end up in constant overdrive — leaving you feeling exhausted, reactive, and overwhelmed by even the smallest things.  Each week, I’ll share my own tools, alongside honest conversations and practical nervous system support —  to help you create more calm, peace, joy, and inner steadiness. Not by escaping your life, because that’s totally unrealistic, but by meeting it differently. So when you're ready, let’s take a breath together… 

Information

  • Creator
    Polly Warren
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    299
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Take A Breath
  • Show Website
    Take A Breath

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