Muse Yourself | Real talk on self-love and starting over

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 [https://www.instagram.com/life.without.kids/] * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE [https://vip.museyourselfpodcast.com/] 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 [https://gemmaj.substack.com/] 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 [https://forms.gle/ystMC6cHZLFmyhs49] * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/whats-your-story/id1725984271] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6crrBEwJRMHt5k5YvYFhNn] Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe [https://gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

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 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/boss-bitch-radio-w-ifbb-pro-diane-flores/id1558918378] and connect with her on Instagram HERE [https://www.instagram.com/thebossbitchdiane/] * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE [https://vip.museyourselfpodcast.com/] 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 [https://gemmaj.substack.com/] 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 [https://forms.gle/ystMC6cHZLFmyhs49] * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/whats-your-story/id1725984271] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6crrBEwJRMHt5k5YvYFhNn] Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe [https://gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

53. When Your Growth Is Quiet: Why You Don’t Need a Big Year-End Transformation

This episode is for the woman who’s been evolving quietly, making small shifts, choosing herself in new ways, and learning to trust her own timeline… Hi Muses, In this final Monday Muse of the year, I’m sharing a reminder that your growth doesn’t have to be loud to be real…it doesn’t have to be dramatic…and it definitely doesn’t have to be tied to the calendar. If you’re closing out the year softly, and with intention, this episode is for you… I’m getting into: * the power of slow, quiet, internal growth * honouring our pace without comparison * letting go of pressure to end the year with a “big win” * trusting that our dreams don’t have a deadline * choosing soft endings and self-love over hustle * remembering that we can begin again anytime, in any moment As you step into a new year, let this be your reminder that you are exactly where you’re meant to be - and your evolution is unfolding exactly as it should - even if it’s happening beneath the surface. And thank you so much for being part of my world this year…I promise you, the magic is only just beginning. Until next year X RESOURCES: * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE [https://vip.museyourselfpodcast.com/] 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 [https://gemmaj.substack.com/] 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 [https://forms.gle/ystMC6cHZLFmyhs49] * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/whats-your-story/id1725984271] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6crrBEwJRMHt5k5YvYFhNn] Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe [https://gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

52. Permission to Be Fully YOU: How to Own Your Path Without Explaining Yourself

This episode is your reminder - no matter the season - that you never need to justify your path, your choices, or the season of life you’re in. Hi Muses, If you’ve ever felt yourself shrink around certain people, fall back into old versions of yourself, or worry about being misunderstood, the conversation on this week’s Monday Muse mini-episode is for you. Whether you’re reconnecting with family, travelling, or navigating environments that test your growth, consider this your invitation to take a breath… a permission slip to stay anchored in who you’re becoming - not who others expect you to be. While this message lands with extra relevance around the holidays, it’s a powerful reminder to carry with you all year long: your life is yours. Your timeline is yours. Your vision is yours. And you don’t need to explain your choices to anyone in order for them to be valid, meaningful, or aligned. Expect a calm, empowering dose of perspective to help you stay grounded, trust yourself, and move through any room - at any time of year - with confidence and peace. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How to stay connected to yourself around others * Why you don’t need to explain or justify your life choices * How to avoid slipping back into old versions of yourself * A grounding reframe for family dynamics and familiar environments * A powerful reminder for owning your path with confidence * How to honour the season you’re in - without guilt If you’re choosing a different path for your life while also navigating family time this month, and need a calm, grounded mindset to see you through - this is the episode for you. PS. If this episode spoke to you, please make sure you’re subscribed so we can reach more women who need these conversations 🖤 Until next time X RESOURCES: * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE [https://vip.museyourselfpodcast.com/] 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 [https://gemmaj.substack.com/] 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 [https://forms.gle/ystMC6cHZLFmyhs49] * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/whats-your-story/id1725984271] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6crrBEwJRMHt5k5YvYFhNn] Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe [https://gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

51. You’re Closer to a Breakthrough Than You Think: How to Shift Perspective and Reclaim Your Power When Life is Challenging

What if you’re closer to a breakthrough than you realise..? Hi Muses, This week I’m reflecting on why it’s so important to remember just how quickly things can turn around - even when it feels like EVERYTHING is going against us - and why what’s on the other side has the potential to be better than you could ever imagine…or to quote Marilyn Monroe: “Things fall apart so that better things can fall together” If you’re in need of a pick-me-up, a little inspiration or just need a loving reminder to keep going, this episode is for you! I’m covering: * Why even the hardest seasons hold the potential for rapid change * How to shift your perspective when everything feels like it’s falling apart * A powerful reminder that you may be just one decision, one connection, or one opportunity away from things completely turning around * How to hold onto hope and possibility even when you can’t see the next step yet This is your reminder that life doesn’t have to take years to shift. We can change the plot anytime. Until next time X RESOURCES + LINKS: * GET YOUR FREE GUIDED VISUALISATION: Sign up HERE [https://vip.museyourselfpodcast.com/] 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 [https://gemmaj.substack.com/] 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 [https://forms.gle/ystMC6cHZLFmyhs49] * Make sure you’re subscribed on your favourite podcast platform! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/whats-your-story/id1725984271] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6crrBEwJRMHt5k5YvYFhNn] Get full access to Muse Yourself Podcast at gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe [https://gemmaj.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]