The Self-Care Lie Nobody's Talking About

Feeling Overwhelmed? Use the CALMS Method Now

If stress, overwhelm or burnout is starting to affect your health, relationships, work or ability to enjoy life, Baz and Loz can help you understand what is happening in your body and begin building practical tools to recover.Baz, also known as Barry Ash, and Loz are burnout recovery specialists who support individuals, business owners and teams to recognise the signs of chronic stress, complete the stress response cycle and create healthier ways of living and working. Their approach is honest, down-to-earth and practical, helping people move away from simply “pushing through” and towards feeling calmer, clearer and more in control.To find out more about working with Baz and Loz, visit their website or get in touch to explore their burnout recovery support, coaching, workshops and resources.Episode DescriptionIn this special guided episode of the Stress Less Live More podcast, Baz, also known as Barry Ash, takes you through the CALMS Method meditation — a calming, body-led practice designed to help you connect with stress, understand where it is showing up, and complete the stress response cycle.This episode is a practical meditation-style session, so find somewhere quiet and comfortable where you can sit, breathe and tune in to your body. Baz gently guides you through each stage of the CALMS Method: becoming conscious of what is stressing you, asking your body where the stress is being held, listening to what your body needs, moving in response, and then noticing how the stress has shifted.Rather than trying to ignore, suppress or think your way out of stress, this practice encourages you to pause, listen and respond to your body with curiosity. You may notice sensations, colours, textures, emotions or physical urges to move. The aim is not to force stress to disappear completely, but to help it move through the body and reduce in intensity.This is an episode you can return to whenever you feel tense, overwhelmed, stuck or disconnected from yourself.The Stress Less Live More podcast, hosted by Baz and Loz, explores stress, burnout, recovery and what it really means to live a calmer, healthier and more intentional life. Through honest conversations, practical tools and real-life insights, the podcast helps listeners understand their stress patterns, reconnect with their body, and build a life that feels more sustainable.Remember: you’ve got one life. Live it. Make it count.

The Self-Care Lie Nobody's Talking About

In this episode of Stress Less Live More, Baz and Loz unpack the common misconceptions around self-care and challenge the idea that it has to look soft, slow, indulgent or Instagram-worthy. They explore how self-care is often reduced to baths, candles, spa days or “Self-Care Sunday”, when in reality it should be seen as essential maintenance for the body, mind, energy and nervous system.The conversation reframes self-care as something personal, practical and sometimes even challenging. Baz shares that self-care for him can look like running, mountain biking, being in nature or sitting by a tree, while Loz talks about prayer, meditation, jigsaw puzzles, music and CrossFit. Together, they encourage listeners to stop asking what self-care “should” look like and instead ask: what is draining me, what am I avoiding, what boundaries protect my energy, and when did I last feel off duty?Why self-care has become performativeThe problem with “Self-Care Sunday”Why self-care is not always soft or relaxingSelf-care as essential maintenanceWhy rest should not be treated as a rewardThe difference between true self-care and “festering”How TV, scrolling and news can drain your energyWhy self-care can feel selfish, especially for parents and leadersNervous system regulation and coming back to balanceQuestions to help listeners define what self-care looks like for themUseful reflection questions from the episode:What is draining me right now?What am I avoiding?What boundaries would protect my energy?Where am I confusing urgency with importance?When did I last feel off duty?00:00 — Intro: What Do You Picture When You Hear Self-Care?01:07 — Why Self-Care Has Become a Buzzword02:13 — Misconception 1: Self-Care Is Soft04:28 — Self-Care as Essential Maintenance05:13 — Misconception 2: Self-Care Is a Reward06:14 — Moving the Goalposts on Rest07:25 — Real-Life Example: Housework Before Rest09:11 — Misconception 3: Self-Care Means Doing Less10:41 — Is Binge-Watching Really Self-Care?11:10 — What Are You Feeding Your Mind With?13:15 — Misconception 4: Self-Care Is Selfish14:35 — Why Being “Selfish” Can Help You Be More Selfless15:28 — Self-Care and Nervous System Regulation17:17 — Reframing Self-Care With Better Questions18:15 — Boundaries, Energy and Feeling Off Duty19:37 — Making Self-Care Personal and Real20:23 — Baz and Loz Share Their Own Self-Care Practices21:17 — Final Reminder: You’ve Got One Life, Live It

When Work Takes Over Everything Else

This episode explores the dangerous myth that working longer hours leads to greater success, using a real client story of extreme overworking to highlight the reality of burnout. Baz and Loz unpack how modern work culture has normalised exhaustion, leading individuals to ignore both mental and physical warning signs until their body forces them to stop.The conversation reframes rest—not as a luxury—but as a strategic necessity for performance, creativity, and long-term health. Through practical tools like the “Weekend Audit” and relatable analogies (including athletes and nervous system responses), the episode provides listeners with a powerful mindset shift: productivity isn’t about hours worked, but about energy managed.Episode Overview:Why working weekends is NOT a badge of honourThe hidden health risks of overworkingThe nervous system’s role in burnoutThe “identity trap” of tying self-worth to productivityPractical tools to reclaim your time and energyKey Topics Covered:Burnout from excessive working hoursWHO statistics on overwork and health risksEmotional and physical warning signsBoundaries for business owners and professionalsLeadership responsibility in setting work cultureWeekend recovery as a performance strategy

Your Success vs Their Success | What's the Difference?

In this episode, Baz and Loz explore a powerful question: whose version of success are you actually living? They unpack how many people unknowingly inherit their definition of success from parents, teachers, social media, or wider society, then spend years chasing goals that look impressive from the outside but feel empty on the inside. The conversation reframes success not as money, followers, status, or material possessions, but as something deeply personal and connected to purpose, identity, and fulfilment.A key thread running through the episode is the link between burnout and identity misalignment. Loz shares how chasing a version of success modelled by others contributed to burnout, while both hosts emphasise that true success must be rooted in your own values and core identity. They also introduce a broader framework for defining success across areas such as emotional wellbeing, relationships, time freedom, joy, and aliveness, helping listeners build a healthier and more sustainable version of success for themselves.00:00 Are You Living Your Version of Success?00:43 Why “Looking Successful” Can Still Feel Empty03:01 What Success Actually Means04:27 Who Set Your Goals in the First Place?06:09 The Social Media Trap of Inherited Success08:27 What Success Means to Baz and Loz09:19 Billionaire vs Waking Up Alive: Two Views of Success12:18 The Burnout Equation Explained14:15 Journal Prompt: “I Will Feel Successful When…”17:47 The 9 Different Types of Success22:10 Redefining Success in Real Life23:53 Final Thoughts: Build a Version That Belongs to You

We Dress as Superheroes to Bring Smiles to Sick Children

In this episode, Baz and Loz take listeners behind the scenes of their superhero world, sharing how their journey into cosplay began and why it became so much more than dressing up. What starts as a fun, light-hearted conversation about Wonder Woman, Superman, costumes and comic conventions quickly reveals a deeply emotional story about purpose, grief, legacy and service. They explain how a chance conversation in a comic shop planted the seed, and how their shared love of superheroes unexpectedly linked back to their earliest childhood memories.The emotional heart of the episode comes when they reflect on Baz’s mum’s illness and passing, and how that experience transformed cosplay from a hobby into a mission to create smiles, hope and memories for sick children and their families. Alongside funny stories about costumes, comic cons and awkward public requests, the episode carries a powerful message: joy matters, imagination heals, and living more sometimes means stepping fully into something bigger than yourself.Baz and Loz share the full story behind their superhero alter egos, from childhood memories and comic shop encounters to charity work, hospital visits and comic con experiences. This is a personal, funny and emotional episode about identity, purpose, grief and using cosplay to spread hope.Main topics coveredHow Baz and Loz became Superman and Wonder WomanThe role of Get Ready Comics and Paul in inspiring their journeyChildhood superhero memories and their early connectionBuilding screen-accurate costumes and the cost behind themHow grief gave their cosplay mission deeper meaningCharity fundraising and hospital visitsComic con moments, cosplay culture and confidenceBoundaries, consent and public interactions in costumeWhy their mission is all about smiles, memories and hopeOrganisations / names mentionedGet Ready ComicsMake-A-WishGreat Ormond StreetPilgrims HospiceDemelzaMCM Comic ConNew York Comic ConYour Video TeamTheir YouTube channel:  @oursuperherolife  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCvfBJxoa52uMXJDCPmBEuQA]Suggested audience-facing show notes copyWhat’s the real story behind Baz and Loz becoming Superman and Wonder Woman?In this special episode of Stress Less Live More, Baz and Loz open up about their superhero journey — from comic shops and cosplay accuracy to charity work, grief, purpose and creating smiles for children and families going through unimaginably difficult times.This episode is funny, heartfelt and full of meaning. You’ll hear:how it all startedwhy cosplay became something much deeper than a hobbythe emotional story that shaped their missionbehind-the-scenes truths about costumes, comic cons and character workwhy “smile and pass it on” means so much to themIf you’ve ever wondered what sits behind the capes, this is the episode for you.Chapters00:00 – Welcome: today we’re talking superheroes00:35 – Why people always ask about their superhero story01:31 – The real beginning of Baz and Loz’s cosplay journey02:02 – Meeting Paul from Get Ready Comics03:20 – The moment charity cosplay clicked03:54 – Their childhood superhero connection05:24 – Why Superman and Wonder Woman felt right07:10 – The mission: creating 3 million smiles07:44 – The truth about building the costumes09:20 – Superman suit details, fragility and cape struggles11:20 – Wonder Woman costume evolution and accuracy15:21 – How much the costumes actually cost16:02 – When the journey became deeply personal16:19 – Baz’s mum, grief and finding deeper purpose18:50 – Shaving the beard for charity20:51 – Comic con highlights and unexpected moments22:20 – Inspiring others to cosplay23:40 – Quickfire superhero questions26:34 – Costume malfunctions and emotional moments27:00 – The Demelza story that stayed with them28:35 – If they had real superpowers…29:26 – Final message: smiles, memories and hope