Playing The Fool

Jarna Saunders

Welcome to the PLAYING THE FOOL Podcast, I am your host Jarna Saunders. I am a proud as f**k Life and Relationship Coach and personal development nerd, with a HUGE passion to get every single woman in the arena of their own lives.  I have over 10 years’ experience coaching 100's of women and couples. I've been where you may be right now: for years I sat on the side-lines of my life, stuck in fear, in my head, in the past of that ONE TIME I was put back in my corner and I let it cripple me with fear. That was until one day when the PAIN of staying hidden was too much to take and I made the choice to get my butt in  the ARENA of MY OWN life. To take the risk of looking like a beginner, looking silly and GOD forbid looking like a FOOL. My promise to you is to show up here in all my parts and seasons with my heart proudly on my sleeve, gate keeping nothing but asking us all to WALK OUR GOD DAM ARSES out of the corners we were never born to exist in. Let's Play.

  1. 5D AGO

    Episode 34: Success Shouldn't Make You Cringe: Living Life on Your Terms.

    In this episode, I dive into a topic that sparked a powerful conversation inside my community this week: integrity. I share my honest reflections on what it means to truly live in integrity, how easy it is to slip out of it, and why building trust with yourself is one of the most important things you can do in life. For me, integrity is about being of my word to myself. It’s about honoring the promises I make to take care of my body, my mind, my relationships, and my life. And while I’m not perfect, I’ve learned that the more I keep those promises, the more peace, confidence, and self-trust I build. I also explore how integrity connects deeply with success and why I’ve had to completely redefine what success means to me. For so long, success felt like something tied to money, status, awards, or achievements. But the older I get, the more I realize that real success is much more personal. In this conversation, I reflect on the role of courage, self-advocacy, and personal responsibility in creating a life I’m proud of. I talk about the importance of speaking up, setting standards, and taking care of my mental and emotional health so I can show up fully in my life. I also share how my understanding of success has evolved through my experiences as a partner, a mother, and a coach. Financial stability and a beautiful home might look like success from the outside but if your relationships lack connection, safety, and love, it can still feel incredibly empty. Ultimately, this episode is an invitation to pause and ask yourself some deeper questions: What does success actually look like for you?  What kind of life would make you feel truly proud?  And are your daily choices aligned with the values you say matter most? Because when we live in integrity with ourselves, when we honor our values and show up in a way that feels true, we create a kind of success that goes far beyond money or recognition. We create a life that feels peaceful, aligned, and deeply meaningful. If this episode resonated with you and you’re ready to create something deeper, safer, and more honest in your relationships, I would love to support you. You can work with me inside Tender, where we explore connection, communication, and emotional safety in a supportive space, or through Relationship Coaching, where we go deeper into transforming the way you show up in love and partnership.

    50 min
  2. MAR 11

    Episode 33: The Accountability Gap: Navigating "The Gap" in Relationships

    In this episode of Playing The Fool, I try something new and answer relationship questions sent in by my incredible community.   I start by talking about the “accountability gap” a dynamic where one partner is expressing the emotional impact of something while the other is focused on defending their intention. When this happens, couples often end up having two completely different conversations, leaving both people feeling unheard and in deep frustration.   I also explore how defensiveness in relationships can often come from shame, not a lack of care. For some people, hearing that they hurt their partner can quickly translate into feeling like they are the problem, which can trigger justification or shutdown instead of understanding.   I share insights from my work with women and couples, and why healthy relationships require two people willing to reflect, take accountability, and grow together.   And as always we keep going back into the EGO, what it is, what it isn’t and how we all have one.   Relationships are so challenging for so many of us as we were often never modelled what healthy and safe adult communication looks like in the home. If this feels like something that you struggle with and would like support to learn how to show up for yourself in a more effective way then have a look at the way we can work together in Tender and Relation Ship Coaching.   It really is life changing when you say YES to DOING this work.  If you’re ready to create something deeper, safer and more honest I would love to work with you inside Tender or through Relationship Coaching. For more relationship wisdom and practical tips, follow Dr. Rachel @heydrrachel.

    50 min
  3. MAR 4

    Episode 32: Relationships: Asking, Receiving, and Fighting for Connection

    In this episode, I’m talking about the real work of relationships. The beautiful parts, the messy middle, and the growth that’s required when two people choose each other long term. Shane and I recently celebrated 13 years of marriage, and it had me reflecting, not just on us, but on what LOVE actually is and what it isn’t and the courage it takes to be in the work together. It’s not perfection.   It’s not avoiding conflict.   And it’s not one person doing all the emotional heavy lifting. (This is so frikin common) For a long time, many women have quietly carried that weight, wondering if they’re too sensitive, too demanding, or somehow the problem.   And I just don’t believe that anymore. Healthy relationships require brave women AND brave men.   Men who are willing to reflect, communicate, take ownership of their parts in the relationship and grow. Women who feel safe enough to ask for what they need without shrinking themselves.    Connection isn’t built by one person trying harder. It’s built when two adults show up in their bodies, with their egos in the back seat of the relationship.    If you’ve ever felt like you’re working overtime to hold everything together and the resentment and disconnection keeps building then this is for you.  If you’re ready to create something deeper, safer and more honest I would love to work with you inside Tender or through Relationship Coaching.

    38 min
  4. FEB 4

    Episode 29: Love, Courage and Trust: But What Comes First?

    The Heart Is the Bar is an invitation into this work. A 12-week container where trust, courage, and self-love stop being concepts and start becoming lived experiences. If this episode stirred something in you, if these questions are already whispering (or shouting), this is your sign. You don’t have to do this alone. Join the incredible community of women and start now. DOORS CLOSE SUNDAY THE 8TH OF FEBRUARY.  The Heart is the Bar This episode was inspired by a powerful moment from our recent Heart is the Bar Event.  At the heart of it all was one foundational question: What actually comes first, trust or love? We explored how courage is the starting point. The courage to show up. The courage to say yes. The courage to choose yourself, even when it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar and like you are letting people down. When we work the muscle of courage, something beautiful happens, trust begins to form. Trust in yourself. Trust in your inner knowing. And from that place, love naturally follows. One of the questions I asked the women was: Can you have trust without love? Most said yes. But can you have love without trust? Most said no. And if there’s no trust… is what we’re calling love actually love at all? These are the kinds of conversations we sit inside during this work,  not to be right or wrong, but to feel into what is true for you. To listen for what feels alive in your body. To gently unravel the stories you’ve been living inside and decide whether they still fit and what choice you can make now. This is the energy of this next 12-week journey. It feels solid, grounded, foundational, anchored deeply in the heart, with a powerful current of femininity running through it. Real women. Big hearts. Honest conversations. A willingness to meet yourself where you are and walk forward with courage. Find me on Instagram: jarnasaunders Or my Website .

    56 min

About

Welcome to the PLAYING THE FOOL Podcast, I am your host Jarna Saunders. I am a proud as f**k Life and Relationship Coach and personal development nerd, with a HUGE passion to get every single woman in the arena of their own lives.  I have over 10 years’ experience coaching 100's of women and couples. I've been where you may be right now: for years I sat on the side-lines of my life, stuck in fear, in my head, in the past of that ONE TIME I was put back in my corner and I let it cripple me with fear. That was until one day when the PAIN of staying hidden was too much to take and I made the choice to get my butt in  the ARENA of MY OWN life. To take the risk of looking like a beginner, looking silly and GOD forbid looking like a FOOL. My promise to you is to show up here in all my parts and seasons with my heart proudly on my sleeve, gate keeping nothing but asking us all to WALK OUR GOD DAM ARSES out of the corners we were never born to exist in. Let's Play.