Muse Yourself | Women Who Rise

Gemma James
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For the woman becoming her OWN muse. Hosted by journalist & writer Gemma James, Muse Yourself is the global platform for powerful female voices - home to unfiltered, unapologetic conversations on womanhood, identity, ambition, relationships, reinvention, and everything that shapes us. With raw solo episodes and inspiring deep-dives from women who have burned it all down and rewritten the story, consider every episode your permission slip to WANT more, BE more, and finally start taking up the space you DESERVE. If you’re a woman who’s ready to rise - unapologetically and on your OWN terms - you’re in the right place. gemmaj.substack.com

  1. 63.Muse Moments #4:Dating After Heartbreak... Why the ‘Spark’ Isn’t What You Think

    MAR 17

    63.Muse Moments #4:Dating After Heartbreak... Why the ‘Spark’ Isn’t What You Think

    Hi Muses, In this Muse Moments mini episode, I’m sharing another powerful clip from my conversation with relationship therapist Lauren Walsh about dating after heartbreak and what healthy love actually looks like. After experiencing loss, breakup, or deep heartbreak, so many of us struggle to find the balance between protecting ourselves, and not completely shutting ourselves off from finding love again…. In this clip, Lauren shares why taking time to heal is essential, why rushing into the next relationship can sometimes delay healing, and how building a strong relationship with yourself is the foundation for everything. She also unpacks a surprising truth about modern dating: why the intense “spark” we chase can actually be anxiety - not chemistry - and why healthy love often feels very different from what we’ve been conditioned to expect. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Why giving yourself time after heartbreak is essential for healing * The importance of strengthening your relationship with yourself first * How to recognise the signs of a healthy relationship * Why feeling calm and safe with someone matters more than intense chemistry * The truth about the “spark” and what your nervous system is trying to tell you If you’ve ever wondered how to open your heart again after heartbreak — or what healthy love actually feels like — this conversation is for you. Want More? This clip comes from Episode 17 of the Muse Yourself podcast with relationship therapist Lauren Walsh, which you can listen to in full 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 at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    14 min
  2. 62.Muse Moments #3: Is It Fear or Misalignment? How To Know When It’s Time To Change Your Life

    MAR 10

    62.Muse Moments #3: Is It Fear or Misalignment? How To Know When It’s Time To Change Your Life

    Hi Muses, Welcome back to Muse Moments — a curated mini-series featuring powerful clips from some of the most downloaded conversations we’ve had on the show. In this episode, we revisit a moment from my very first conversation with coach and energy healer Maria Rei, who shares the story of the moment she realised the life she had built had strayed so far from one that felt like hers, she barely recognised it. On the surface, everything looked right — the job, the relationships, the life she thought she was supposed to want…but internally, everything was deeply misaligned. Maria made a radical decision: walking away from everything she had built and travelling to Asia alone for six months to completely reinvent her life. But the real transformation wasn’t in the geography — it was in the identity shift. In this bite-sized conversation, we explore the moment when you realise something in your life isn’t working anymore… and how to tell whether the resistance you’re feeling is fear or misalignment. If you’ve ever felt like you’re living a life that looks right on paper but doesn’t feel right in your body, this conversation is for you… In this episode we explore: * Why people-pleasing can quietly shape the entire direction of our lives without us even realising * The moment many women realise the life they built isn’t actually theirs * Why changing your environment doesn’t automatically solve deeper patterns * The key difference between fear and true misalignment * How learning to enjoy your own company can transform your life * Why the quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life * The power of choosing yourself — even when it means starting over Want More? This clip comes from my full conversation with Maria Rei in Episode 8: ‘How to blow up your life, start over, and master self-love along the way, with Relationship Mentor Maria Rei’ 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 at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

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

    MAR 3

    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 at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

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

    FEB 24

    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 at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    19 min
  5. 59. When You Can't Stop Living In The Past...

    FEB 17

    59. When You Can't Stop Living In The Past...

    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 at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

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

    FEB 10

    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 at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

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

    FEB 3

    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 at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

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

    JAN 27

    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 at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 24m
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About

For the woman becoming her OWN muse. Hosted by journalist & writer Gemma James, Muse Yourself is the global platform for powerful female voices - home to unfiltered, unapologetic conversations on womanhood, identity, ambition, relationships, reinvention, and everything that shapes us. With raw solo episodes and inspiring deep-dives from women who have burned it all down and rewritten the story, consider every episode your permission slip to WANT more, BE more, and finally start taking up the space you DESERVE. If you’re a woman who’s ready to rise - unapologetically and on your OWN terms - you’re in the right place. gemmaj.substack.com

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