E018 When the Holidays Feel Heavy: A Real Chat on Mental Health and Finding Calm with Nigel

For many women, the holiday season brings added pressure, family dynamics and expectations that can make it harder to slow down or enjoy the moment.

If you keep thinking ‘why does this feel so hard right now?’ you might simply be in a different season. That’s completely normal. This $7 Season Mapping Quiz will help you work out where you are and what to focus on next. 

When the Holidays Feel Heavy: A Real Chat on Mental Health and Finding Calm with Nigel 

In this episode of The GA Wellness Podcast, I sit down with Nigel from Amplified Health NZ for an honest conversation about mental health during the holiday season. We explore why this time of year can feel heavy, how stress builds in the body and what helps protect your nervous system when everything feels full. Nigel shares grounded, practical ways to reconnect with what matters and move through December with more ease and intention.

📋 What we covered:

• Nigel’s journey through burnout and the lifestyle changes that led to Amplified Health NZ.
• Why December can feel emotionally intense and how expectations, family pressure and grief play a role.
• How social obligations and comparison increase nervous system load during the holiday season.
• Simple ways to return to connection through everyday moments like movement, food and time outside.
• Why your habits do not need to disappear just because it is Christmas or the holiday season.
• How movement supports mental health and helps regulate stress when life feels busy.
• The power of kindness, community and small actions when loneliness peaks in December.
• Practical advice for protecting your energy and supporting your mental health through the holidays.

🧰 Holiday Nervous System Reset
Your journal and reflection for Episode 018.
👉 https://gawellness.myflodesk.com/holidayreset

🌟 Key takeaways:

• December often feels heavy because expectations increase while capacity stays the same.
• Small actions can support your nervous system more than big plans.
• You do not need to abandon supportive habits during the holiday season.
• Connection, kindness and simplicity matter more than doing everything.
• Calm grows when you slow down and choose what genuinely supports you.

🔁 Episodes referenced in this episode:

• E015 Mobility Matters: Women’s Bodies in Motion Over the Decades
• E016 Mobility Matters: Restorative Movement for Busy Women
• E017 Mobility Matters: Strength for Life

By the end of this episode, you will have a clearer understanding of why the holiday season can feel emotionally demanding and what helps your nervous system feel supported during this time. This conversation offers practical ways to protect your energy, stay connected to what matters and move through December with more calm and care.

📲 Connect with Nigel

Nigel, Amplified Health NZ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amplifiedhealthnz/
Website:

📱 Let’s Connect 

• All links, resources and ways to connect are here https://linktr.ee/GAWellness

🔔 If this episode spoke to you, lovely, please:

• Follow the podcast.
• Leave a quick review (it truly helps!)
• Share with a bestie who’s ready to reclaim wellness on her own terms.

 © 2026 GA Wellness with Georgia Ann™. All content is for educational purposes only and is not medical or psychological advice. 

Transcript

E018 December Calm: Mental Health, Self-Kindness and the Holiday Season (Interview with Nigel)
Georgia Ann with Nigel (Amplified Health NZ)

Opening
You know that feeling when December sneaks up on you and suddenly life goes from calm to chaotic? The end of year rush, the mental load, the expectations. It can feel like you're sprinting to the finish line.

Today’s episode is your permission slip to slow down, breathe and be a little kinder to yourself.

Podcast Intro
Welcome to the GA Wellness Podcast. Small steps, lasting change. I'm your host, Georgia Ann, health coach, solo mum and a woman who's lived through the chaos, the curveballs and the craving for something steadier. After 20 years in the fitness industry and my own journey through grief, motherhood and starting over, I've learned that real wellness isn't about doing more, it's about doing what matters. Each week, we cut through the noise and get real with simple, doable tools to help you feel stronger, calmer and more like you. This isn't about perfection, it's about steady soul led progress because you deserve wellness that fits into your full life, not just one version of it. Let's dive in.

Welcome and Context
Hey lovely. Welcome back to the GA Wellness Podcast with Georgia Ann.

We've got such an exciting episode today. I'll be joined by my second guest, a Kiwi and someone who can really speak to the heart of mental health when it comes to the holiday period.

First, I want to acknowledge our Mobility Matters arc, which we literally wrapped last week. This was a whole series about understanding your body through the decades and learning that strength can look like so many different things. We talked about how your nervous system is the silver thread that ties it all together.

We learned that movement can be many different things and it doesn't necessarily need to be gym gear and treadmills. It can literally be the stretch you do while waiting for the kettle, a walk to the playground, or even doing stair climbs at work. Yes, we actually do have a stair climb club happening at work and that took off probably about a couple of weeks ago.

We also looked at how our bodies change as we move through each decade and what we truly need to feel supported and because I'm such a big believer in integration, as that's where real transformation happens, I've turned it into something tangible and something you can use through your everyday life. It is called the brand new Mobility Matters Playbook and it is officially here.

It's my philosophy, my lived experience and the science all rolled into one down to earth guide that helps you understand how your body evolves over time and what kind of movement supports you right now, out of the four different movement qualities. It's a proper labour of love, equal parts sweat, heart, no fluff and you can grab your copy from the link in the show notes.

Why Nigel Matters to This Story
Now, today's episode feels extra special. Around this time last year, I met someone who completely changed the direction of my life, Nigel from Amplified Health NZ.

We were on a casual Zoom call chatting about wellness products and halfway through, he stopped me and said, what are you doing? You're meant to be helping people. That's clearly where your passion is and honestly, that moment floored me. I think it was because I felt so seen by a stranger, exposed in a way that hadn't happened before. It cracked something open in me that I didn't even realise had closed.

That one conversation became the spark that lit everything you see today. GA Wellness with Georgia Ann™.

So, it feels beautifully full circle to have him here exactly a year later to talk about something that matters so deeply. Mental health, self-kindness and finding calm over the holiday period and for those of us here in Australia and New Zealand, we know this time of year is full on. It's summer holidays, Christmas, New Year's and everything seems to be happening at once but honestly, this conversation will speak to anyone wherever you are in the world.

So grab your beverage, get comfy, maybe pop your feet up and let's welcome Nigel.

Meet Nigel
Georgia: Welcome, Nigel.

Georgia: Oh my gosh. I can't even begin to explain just how excited I am to have you here. We've had a bit of a long journey ourselves over the last year and I think it's really important to speak to the people who haven't met you before. Can you share a little bit of your background and what Amplified Health is all about?

Nigel: Oh, kia ora, Georgie. How are you? Hey, look, thanks for having me. It's a privilege to be here and it all started off a basic conversation and then just about a year later, we are now having a podcast conversation. This is awesome.

Amplified itself. It's a holistic approach to the habit changing and the wellbeing. We work a lot today in the well being space, as we put it and everyone has health and mental health. Changing a tyre can ruin your day and your mental health and it can frustrate you or going for a red light or getting that speeding ticket.

We try and help you out through daily living to give you better tools for your toolbox, to hopefully take on life step by step.

Nigel’s Why and His Turning Point
Georgia: That's beautiful and I can see that in your work and the way that you inspire people as well. What drew you personally into the world of holistic health and mental wellbeing?

Nigel: That's a good question. It's a big question. If I'm being honest, I have no idea. It sort of happened.

I've always had a huge passion for people and always, even back at the school days, always looked after the underdog if I could.

I went through a massive journey of myself. I had cafes, I had bike shops, I had been bankrupt. I've been on the bones of my ass, I've done it all. Even to a point where I had blood clots. I used to smoke a packet of cigarettes a day, drink lots of alcohol, as we all do. We go through those stages.

Then I got to a stage where I was 139 kilos and that is when my health benefits and blood clots started happening and I needed to change. I actually wanted to be around for my kids a lot longer and they gave me a kick in the ass.

So I decided to slightly make a change there and ever since I just went, right, I'm just gonna do a better lifestyle for myself so I'm around a lot longer.

Georgia: Children really do have that influence on you, don't they? It really sounds like you've come from the bottom and worked your way through. Seeing how you've made that change yourself is incredible. What habits did you start with to get you to where you are now?

The Habits That Changed Everything
Nigel: Yeah. Cool. Look, at the start, I was pretty determined to give up smoking. I had this massive throat infection and I was like, right, that's it. I had four days in hospital and didn't have a cigarette. So from there on in and I think I'm on like 15 years now without a cigarette, which is pretty cool.

Georgia: That's awesome.

Nigel: Then I remember going, right, I need to get a bit fitter ad I thought, I'm just gonna go hard out, which you can't do. You just can't. My expectations of myself were huge.

So I got myself a bike and I remember jumping on a bike for the first time thinking, right, I'm just going to do a bike ride, I feel good and I literally went down a massive hill. I got two kilometres, I was out of breath and needed to get picked up. It was great. It was a real kick in the bum again.

I thought, from there on in, I'm just gonna basically go for a walk for 5k or 4k, 3k, whatever I started off with and just start from there.

Ever since then, I pretty much have just kept going and trying to educate myself along the way on what it is that I can do to help my health and there's so many tools out there now that we can learn from.

Georgia: Well, look at you now. Incredible.

Nigel: Yeah, I love it.

Why December Hits So Hard
Georgia: I want to talk about the holiday season and December. For some people it's the happiest and for others it feels really heavy. Pressure, family dynamics, grief, overstimulation. From your perspective, why is this such a tricky time for mental health?

Nigel: I think you nailed it in that question itself, George. There's expectations, there's family, there's all these things that we leave till one day at the end of the year.

Even though we've been working our asses off through the whole year, we get to the end of the year going, oh, it's supposed to be holidays. Yay, but we put so much expectation.

Particularly with all the noise around us through social media these days and TV ads. Get your dad this drill for $499. What? Kids got $499 to buy a drill?

Let's bring it back a few steps. Buying socks or having time with them. Go and enjoy the normal stuff. Have a barbecue, learn how to barbecue with your dad, light a campfire.

My son loves baking with his mum. Get in, do the cool stuff. You don't have to spend a lot of money. Your joy will come just from hanging out. It really will.

We put so much pressure on ourselves and we don't need to. People need to take a big breath. Instead of speeding up over Christmas with all the noise, slow it down a bit.

Georgia: I love that. It ties really well to the Joy of Missing Out, JOMO, that I've been speaking about with my Busy Bellas. Are there patterns you notice with clients at this time of year?

The Pattern Nigel Sees Every Year
Nigel: Again, it comes down to that noise. They start going, oh, I can't afford to get this for my kids. But it's only us that put that expectation in our kids heads.

Because mum and dads work so much these days, the kids actually just want more present time. They want you to be present, get off the phones, go for a hike, go for a bike ride with them.

They will talk so much more. You will feel rewarded by those conversations. They actually do want them more now than ever and particularly over Christmas.

If we're tired and exhausted at the end of the year, imagine how those little kids are. They've got to regulate too and they don't regulate like we do as adults. So, take some time out and enjoy each other's company.

Georgia’s Real Life Example with Ellie
Georgia: You've hit a few really good points there. You said kids need to regulate too and we forget that as adults. I see the same thing with my daughter. When we go out for walks or to what she calls the stretching playground, which is just the outdoor gym, that's when she talks a lot.

We're having all these conversations about ants at the moment. She's giving me the whole life cycle of ants. You're right. That's where it happens.

A lot of my listeners are women juggling families, work, life, admin. From your perspective, is there anything else they can do in daily practises to protect their mental health around this time of year?

Space for the Mum Too
Nigel: Yeah, a hundred percent. If they've got mum and dad there, then they're lucky. If they've only got mum there, they're still lucky but mum needs to tag in a friend or uncle, brother or whatever.

You are no good to your kids or no good to your mate if you don't take out time for yourself. You need to have that space.

I don't care if it's half an hour, 30 minutes or an hour or a day. Make time for yourself. Make time to go for a run. Make whatever it is that makes you happy. Sit in a cafe and watch people for an hour and enjoy the connection of being connected in the world but you need to have your own space. Don't fulfil your space with everybody else's needs without looking after yourself. 100%.

Georgia: I feel that. I always use the oxygen mask theory. You have to put your own oxygen mask on first.

Food, Alcohol and Mood
Georgia: December is the time where food and alcohol consumption is at an all time high. How much do you think nutrition and hydration influence mood and stress levels at this time?

Nigel: Oh, it's not just this time, Georgie. It's bigger than that. Alcohol was never, ever played anything decent in people's behaviour.

There'll be so many people listening right now going, doubt it man, I enjoy that glass of red wine at the end of the day but if you enjoy your sweets or your good food, then just enjoy it.

Remember what a hangover feels like. If you don't want a hangover, don't drink too much. You know what it feels like to eat too much and feel yuck the next day. So be present with yourself instead of just feeding your face because the foods in front of you. Enjoy the flavours.

If you're going to have a glass of wine or a beer, sweet as. Just don't overdo it.

Georgia: I love that. Being more mindful.

Movement Without the “Earn Your Food” Mindset
Georgia: I want to talk about movement. There’s this whole mentality about earning your food and it can stuff around with our mindset. How do you approach movement in relation to mental health during this season?

Nigel: Personally, I don't understand why it needs to change. If you are normally getting up three times a week for a run, why change your habit?

Keep creating the good habit. If it happens to be that you're supposed to do a workout on Christmas Day, you're still going to enjoy your food and everybody's company. Why can't you go for a run in the morning?

It's your present to yourself.

Bouncing back to overconsumption again, if you feel like you're going to overindulge and you've already got good habits going on, then before lunch have a protein shake so that way you're quite full and you don't overindulge.

Make a plan over Christmas. Your plan doesn't have to work until December and then go, right cool, festive season, let's cut it all out now. This is one of the hardest times to keep your habits going. So work a bit harder and take more care of yourself now, so you're setting yourself up for the start of next year.

Georgia: I completely agree. I had a friend who used to go for a run every Christmas morning before the family came over. Just because it's Christmas Day or Boxing Day doesn't mean habits get thrown out the window.

Community, Loneliness and Being Kind
Georgia: You’ve spoken a lot about connection. Why does community matter so much to mental health, especially when loneliness peaks at this time of year?

Nigel: We run an open door space. If anyone's around and they don't have anywhere to go, we'll always put the barbecue on but a simple connection matters. If you're in a cafe and you're enjoying a coffee, just say hi to somebody. That might be the only hi they get for the day.

What you've done is potentially caused a 7 to 10 minute conversation but what you've given them is so much more.

We need to be kind. Everyone's in a rush, everyone's stressed and you don't need to be.

That's why I love snow days. You're forced to slow down. Same thing as Covid, as much as we hated it, it was a beautiful thing in other aspects. People were out walking because there were no obligations.

Give people five minutes of your time. You don't know what that person is going home to. Toxic environment, empty house. Make a conscious effort of being kind to somebody.

Georgia: That’s a real mindset shift. I go to cafes to work, so I'm going to keep that in mind.

If Someone Feels Alone, What’s One First Step
Georgia: For people who don't have a strong network, what's one simple thing they can do themselves to feel less alone?

Nigel: Go to a cafe and don't go to a library. Join a sports group, a music group, a paper mache class, go learn how to cook. There's so many things you can get involved in.

The problem is a lot of people have anxiety to take that first step. If you're at home and you're listening and nervous, pick up the telephone and ask a few questions. Ring somebody. Ask, would this be available for me? Is it something I'm interested in?

That first conversation might help you take that step into a building a circle of people you don't know and get involved.

Georgia: I love that. It’s taking that first step.

Georgia’s Breakthrough Moment
Georgia: You gave me one of the biggest breakthroughs I've ever had. Why do those ‘aha’ moments happen when someone else is holding up a mirror, like you did for me last year?  What would you say to someone who's waiting for their own breakthrough?

Nigel: Waiting for your own breakthrough. That's a big question.

We need to feel purpose and we need to feel accountability. If you've got passion about something, keep following it through and it will come and it will be your why.

I didn't find out my why until way later. I had no idea where I was going in my 20s and 30s, but it all led to where I am today.

Having someone you're accountable to is one of the key things. Find your accountability person, whether that be a health coach, mental health, a colleague.

Most of us work for people so we're accountable to somebody, because we need direction.

One of the scary things is when we are held accountable, we're made to look at ourselves.

Georgia: Yep. Completely.

One Takeaway for the Holiday Season
Georgia: If you could leave everyone listening with one takeaway for protecting their mental health this holiday season, what would that be?

Nigel: They've just got to do what makes them smile. Don't forget the small things and forget about the things that can be done tomorrow. Don't fret too much.

Go for a walk in nature, put your feet on the ground, take some big breaths, spend some time at the beach and honestly just have gratitude for the small things.

Georgia: Love it. That is very close to what my philosophy is as well.

Where to Find Nigel
Georgia: Nigel, thank you so much for joining me and for being the person who helped spark GA Wellness to be what it is now. For our listeners, how can they get in touch with you and get to know more about you and your work?

Nigel: I really appreciate that, George. Keep doing what you're doing because people are listening to you. It only needs to resonate with one.

Amplified Health NZ is my Instagram. And then www.AmplifiedHealthNZ.com. We are available pretty much all the time. We'll always come back to you within 24 to 48 hours at the most.

We are also open through till February when we take a week off. All services generally close down over Christmas time. But if someone's struggling and needs to reach out, it might be through private chat we can always do a Zoom, we can get on the phone.

I still like talking with people, so Zooms are good, but we can do it through a text. If anyone needs to reach out, there's always someone to talk to.

Georgia: Thank you so much, Nigel and I hope you have a fantastic Christmas.

Nigel: And the same with you, George. Thank you so much for having me.

Georgia’s Closing Reflection
What a conversation. Nigel just has this way of making mental health feel human, real, raw and hopeful all at once.

The way he spoke about slowing down, taking a big breath and coming back to the normal stuff, the barbecues, baking with your kids, sitting around a campfire. It is such a grounding reminder that joy doesn't live in the noise and the hustle. It lives in those everyday moments that we often rush past.

When he said everyone's speeding up when they should be slowing down, that line stuck with me because that’s exactly what this season tends to do. It pulls us faster, but what we actually need is space to breathe.

If you've been listening for a while, you'll know this episode really did mean a lot to me personally. Nigel is someone who can really see what it is in people. That conversation where he said, what are you doing? You're meant to be helping people. That's the reason GA Wellness with Georgia Ann™ exists in the way it does today. The podcast, the community, even the frameworks I now teach. He was the catalyst for all of this.

That's why today feels so full circle. We spoke about what goes beyond the holidays. Awareness, compassion and remembering to care for ourselves the way we care for everyone else.

Like Nigel said, you're no good to your kids or anyone else if you don't make space for yourself. That's the oxygen mask moment right there.

I also loved when he talked about kids needing to regulate too. It's something we forget as adults, but they're feeling all the same overstimulation we are. That really hit home for me because it's what I see with Ellie. Our best chats happen when we're walking to school or when we're going to what she calls the stretching playground.

As we head into the holiday season, I hope this episode reminds you that calm doesn't come from doing more. It comes from what matters. Be kind to yourself, protect your space and remember Nigel's words. Do what makes you smile, have gratitude for the little stuff.

Next week, we'll keep this reflection going. I'll be sharing my own lessons and breakthroughs from 2025 and a bit of the science for why reflection is such an important part of transformation.

C.A.L.M Pathway Invitation
Before we wrap up, I have something I'm really proud to share with you. The C.A.L.M Pathway - Connect, Align, Lean in Moments™ is now officially open for founding members.

This has been the heart of everything I've built this year. A membership designed to help you move through your seasons of life with more awareness, connection and calm. It's where we take everything we've learned about here, hydration, nutrition, self care and fitness, which is the HNSF method. With nervous system support, we're going to bring it all into real life together.

Inside, you'll learn how to connect with yourself. Align your habits and mindsets with your season, lean into what supports you and create small, meaningful moments that make you feel calmer without adding to the stress or overwhelm.

If this has sparked something for you and you want to take the next step, I'd love for you to join us. You'll find the link and all the details waiting in the show notes.

Wrap Up and Free Resource Mention
As we wrap up, I just want to say a huge thank you to Nigel for joining me and for being that person who asked the right question at the right time and for you, lovely. I hope this chat gave you both comfort and a few gentle tools you can carry throughout the holidays.

If you'd like a little extra support, I've also put together a free Holiday Nervous System Reset Journal. It's full of simple prompts and ideas to help you stay grounded and calm through the season. You'll find the link waiting for you in the show notes.

Until next week, be gentle with yourself. Take a breath, find a small moment of calm and remember, you're never alone in this and I'm so glad you're here.

Outro

Thanks for being here. Lovely. If today's episode gave you a light bulb moment, helped you feel seen or sparked a small step, I'd love to hear about it.

Tag me over on Instagram @gawellness and share you in so I can cheer you on and if there's a woman in your world that needs this kind of support, send this to her because wellness feels better when we do it together.

Make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss an episode and check the description for all the resources mentioned today plus the link to join my email list, which is where I share exclusive content, early access to offer some freebies and little love notes that I only sent to my community.

If you loved this episode, it would mean the world to me if you left a review.

Until next time, take a deep breath and take care of you.

With love,

Georgia Ann

© 2025 GA Wellness with Georgia Ann™.

All content is for educational purposes only and is not medical or psychological advice.