Mucked Up My Self-Care Podcast

The Mental Load is in a Self-Care Crisis

What if the reason self-care feels impossible isn't laziness, lack of time, or poor planning — but the invisible, never-ending mental load that mums carry every single day? In this episode of Mucked Up My Self Care, Linda and Jill get real about the weight of the mental load: the planning, scheduling, remembering, and organising that keeps the family ship afloat — and quietly drowns our capacity for self-care. From pregnancy brain to tea towels that seem to multiply on the bench, this conversation is warm, honest, and deeply relatable for any mum who has ever felt like her brain just won't switch off. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: * Why the mental load is a self-care crisis — and the research that backs it up * How mums carry the majority of household mental load tasks and what that actually costs us * Why awareness of the mental load isn't always enough to change it — and what the real gap is * What it looks like to gently let go of mental load tasks, even just for a season * How to start sharing the load with a partner, your kids, or your wider support network * Why passing off even one small task out loud can be a powerful first step * The role society and systems play in keeping mums overwhelmed — and why it's not your fault * How to identify the one piece of your mental load you've been silently carrying alone The mental load doesn't take a day off — but you deserve a break from carrying it all alone. Whether you're deep in pregnancy, parenting solo, or navigating a household where the invisible work still somehow lands on your shoulders, this episode is your reminder: you are not failing. You are carrying too much. Jill and Linda invite you to start small — name the one thing you've been silently managing, and consider who else could hold a piece of it. That conversation? That's self-care too. Until next week, we hope you can unstuck your muck! 💛 📩 Want simple self-care ideas to get you started? Email us at muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com [muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com] and we'll send our favourite five simple ideas. 👋 Find Jill @mamaoutspoken and mamaoutspoken.com [https://mamaoutspoken.com] 💬 Connect with Linda @hellolindabonney or lindabonney.com [https://lindabonney.com]

How Moms Around the World Do Self-Care

Self-care is universal — every mum on the planet needs it. But what it actually looks like? That part is anything but. In this episode of Mucked Up My Self Care, Linda (Tasmania) and Jill (New York) go bigger than their own backyards and explore how mums around the world live out self-care — and why, in so many Western cultures, it's become the loneliest version of all. From the guilt of resting to the power of a real village, this conversation will have you rethinking everything you thought self-care had to look like. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why self-care looks so different depending on where you live in the world * How collectivist cultures weave rest into community — without anyone needing to earn it * Why the Western version of self-care can feel so isolating, and what we’re missing * What a “village” actually means in modern motherhood — and how to start building one * How mum guilt is shaped by culture, and what it looks like in places where it barely exists * Simple, realistic things you can borrow from other cultures to fill the gaps in your own self-care * Why asking one person for something small this week might be the most powerful thing you do Self-care doesn’t have to look the way you’ve been told it should. Whether your version is an afternoon nap, a slow walk to school, or finally texting that friend to ask for help — it counts. Linda and Jill invite you to look beyond your own backyard, borrow what resonates, and give yourself full permission to build a version of self-care that actually fits your life. The village starts with one small ask. Why not make it this week? Until next week, we hope you can unstuck your muck! 💛 📩 Listening from a culture that prioritises rest or community? We’d love to hear from you! Message us at muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com [muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com] 👋 Find Jill @mamaoutspoken and mamaoutspoken.com [https://mamaoutspoken.com] 💬 Connect with Linda @hellolindabonney or lindabonney.com [https://lindabonney.com]

Why Moms Feel Guilty When Doing Good Things for Themselves

You finally carve out time for yourself...and then spend the whole time feeling terrible about it. Sound familiar? In this episode of Mucked Up My Self-Care, Jill and Linda get real about the guilt loop that keeps so many moms stuck, and why doing something good for yourself can somehow end up feeling so bad. From messy houses and cancelled plans to babysitters, date nights, and the invisible weight of generational conditioning, this conversation is both honest and relatable. In this episode, you'll learn: * Why self-care guilt shows up even when you're doing everything "right" * How the state of your home can quietly drive your inner critic * What generational patterns might be keeping you stuck in the guilt loop * Why asking for help and putting yourself first go hand in hand (and why both feel hard) * How to notice and name guilt before it talks you out of your self-care * The powerful difference between earning self-care and simply deserving it You are not a bad mum for taking care of yourself. You're actually a better one for it. Whether you're wrestling with a messy house, a packed schedule, or the nagging voice that says not yet, Jill and Linda remind you that unlearning guilt is a process, and you don't have to do it perfectly to make progress. This week, try swapping "I earned this" for "I deserve this", and see what shifts. Until next week, we hope you can unstuck your muck! 💛 * 📩 Need help figuring out where to start with self-care? Message us at muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com [muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com] and we'll send our favourite five simple ideas. * 👋 Find Jill @mamaoutspoken and mamaoutspoken.com [http://mamaoutspoken.com/] * 💬 Connect with Linda @hellolindabonney or lindabonney.com [http://lindabonney.com/]

What Happens When You Outgrow Yourself and Self-Care?

Growth is rarely linear, and it's almost never pretty. In this season two debut of Mucked Up My Self Care, Jill and Linda are back — and they are not the same women who started this podcast. From pregnancy announcements and pregnancy symptoms to solo parenting four kids 24/7 and navigating grief, this episode is a raw, honest look at what it means to evolve publicly and privately, and what you have to let go of to make room for who you're becoming. If you've ever felt like slowing down means falling behind, this one's for you. In this episode, you'll hear: 1. Why slowing down can actually be the most intentional form of growth — and how Jill and Linda are applying that to the podcast in season two 2. Jill's big announcement: after years of trying, baby number two is on the way — and pregnancy symptoms are no joke the second time around 3. What it really means to be a solo parent (hint: it's not the same as single parenting) and how Linda is navigating that 100% on her own 4. How grief, miscarriage, and massive life shifts shaped the decision to take a break — and why that was one of the smartest moves they've made 5. The quarterly check-in strategy that keeps this cross-world collaboration grounded and growing 6. Why posting less can actually mean doing more — and what season two is going to look like 7. How to give yourself permission to outgrow the version of you that got you started Growth doesn't always look like doing more. Sometimes it looks like a 3-year-old pouring cereal five times a day while you try to hold it all together — and finding the grace in that chaos anyway. Jill and Linda get vulnerable about the behind-the-scenes moments that nobody sees, the habits and expectations worth letting go of, and why our taste buds regenerating every couple of weeks might just be the best metaphor for self-care growth you'll hear today. You're allowed to outgrow the old version of you. And we're here to hold that space. Until next episode, we hope you can unstuck your muck! 💛 📩 What are you giving yourself permission to outgrow? Tell us at muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com [muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com] — we'd love to hear from you! 👋 Find Jill @mamaoutspoken and mamaoutspoken.com 💬 Connect with Linda @hellolindabonney or lindabonney.com

A Pause for Self Care

After 125 episodes of real, messy conversations about self-care, Jill and Linda take a moment to pause and reflect. In this episode, they share their weekly highs and lows—celebrating joyful moments like Halloween with family while also navigating the deep grief of losing a loved one. It’s a reminder that life rarely holds just one emotion at a time. They also open up about an important decision for the podcast: taking a seasonal pause. After consistently showing up week after week, they’re giving themselves permission to step back, recharge, and return refreshed in the new year. This conversation is honest, heartfelt, and a powerful reminder that sometimes self-care looks like pressing pause. In this episode, you'll hear: 1. Jill shares joyful Halloween memories with her son—and the heartbreaking news of her father’s passing after his battle with cancer. 2. Linda reflects on the sweet and funny moments of parenting a toddler discovering her voice and personality. 3. The emotional complexity of holding joy and grief at the same time. 4. Why Jill and Linda decided to pause the podcast after 125 weekly episodes. 5. How taking breaks can actually be an essential part of sustainable self-care. 6. What listeners can expect when Mucked Up My Self Care returns next season. Self-care sometimes means pushing through—but other times it means giving yourself permission to pause. Jill and Linda aren’t saying goodbye—they’re simply pressing pause so they can come back refreshed and ready for more honest conversations about motherhood, life, and self-care. Until next season, we hope you can unstuck your muck! 💛 📩 Need help figuring out where to start with self-care? Message us at muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com [muckedupmyselfcarepodcast@gmail.com] and we'll send our favorite simple self-care ideas—no thinking required! 👋 Find Jill @mamaoutspoken and mamaoutspoken.com 💬 Connect with Linda @hellolindabonney or lindabonney.com