E019 The Year I Found My Voice Again: Reflections from GA Wellness

If you have ever reached the end of a year and realised how much you carried without fully noticing it at the time, this episode will resonate. Many women move through survival seasons doing what needs to be done, only recognising the weight once things finally slow down.

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. 

The Year I Found My Voice Again: Reflections from GA Wellness

In this episode of The GA Wellness Podcast, I share the most personal and reflective conversation of the year. I open up about rebuilding after burnout and grief, navigating motherhood as a solo mum and the moments that helped me reconnect with myself. This episode traces how lived experience, psychology and nervous system awareness shaped both me and the evolution of GA Wellness.

You will hear how reflection supports clarity in the body and mind, why survival seasons change the way we show up, and how small, grounded steps helped me move from holding everything together to finding my voice again. This episode offers space to pause, reflect and close the chapter on the year that was.

 🧰 Reflecting on Your Year with Compassion
Your journal and reflection for Episode 019.
👉 https://gawellness.myflodesk.com/holidayreset

🌟 Key takeaways:

• Reflection helps your nervous system integrate what you have lived.
• Small steps support clarity when life feels full.
• Lived experience carries its own wisdom.
• Clarity comes through action.
• Rebuilding is possible even in heavy seasons.

🔁 Episodes referenced in this episode:

• E008 The Myth of Balance: Let’s Talk Seasons
• E011 Mum Guilt Explained: Reframing Rest, Guilt and Self-Care for Mums
• E012 FOMO Detox for Mums: Spotting & Soothing the Fear of Missing Out
• E013 FOMO Detox for Mums: Meet JOMO - The Joy for Your Nervous System
• E014 FOMO Detox for Mums: Building Joyful Boundaries & Making JOMO Your New Normal

By the end of this episode, you will understand how reflection supports nervous system safety and why looking back with compassion helps you move forward with clarity. This episode invites you to honour what you have carried, recognise how far you have come and step into the next season with intention rather than pressure.

📱 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

E019 The Year I Found My Voice Again: Reflections from GA Wellness
Georgia Ann

Opening
This year, GA Wellness became GA Wellness with Georgia Ann™ and I became me again. Here’s the story behind the shift.

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 Back and Why Reflection Matters
Welcome back to the GA Wellness Podcast with Georgia Ann.

I mentioned last week that to truly walk the next path, you first need to look back. Reflection helps you appreciate your journey and understand where you're going and that's exactly what this special year review episode is all about.

I honestly can't believe we're at the end of 2025 already and this is episode 19. How did that happen?

I know I say this often, but it's such an important reminder to slow down and see how far you've come and truly appreciate the journey. Yes, there may be a little JOMO energy coming through here too.

This episode is a really special one. For the first time, I'm going to publicly share my journey and get real, raw and transparent with you.

Stripped Energy and Why I’m Sharing This Now
My favourite singer from the 2000s and still today, Christina Aguilera, released an album back in 2002 called Stripped. It was her way of peeling back the layers, baring her soul and being unapologetically herself.

So, I'm bringing a little of that same energy today. Stripping it back and being honest about what this journey has really been like.

I'm pulling back the curtain and taking you on a little behind the scenes journey. How GA Wellness has grown, the pivots I've made, the messy lessons I've learned and where we're heading as we step into 2026.

Of course, I can't talk about this year without talking about Nigel, who you heard from last week. He was the person who gave me that one question, ‘what are you doing?’  It sparked everything you're listening to now.

Nigel, if you're tuning in, this one's for you too.

Before GA Wellness: Burnout Twice
Before GA Wellness existed, there was burnout. Twice.

The first time was in my 20s, when I was teaching back-to-back fitness classes and living completely on adrenaline. I thought I was healthy because I moved every day, but underneath it all I was running on fumes.

The second time was different. This was much deeper. It was grief burnout after my husband passed away and I want to say this up front, this is the first time I'm really opening up and talking about what happened here in a public space.

So, I'm being vulnerable with you because this part of my story matters.

That season was my pivotal moment. It changed everything. It stripped me right back a little, like the Stripped album reference I mentioned earlier. It showed me what survival really looked like and what it takes to rebuild. Slowly, tenderly, piece by piece.

It changed how I see health, how I see balance and honestly, how I parent. That's where boundaries began for me. That's when I stopped people pleasing because from that moment on, it was just Ellie and me. Me figuring out how to be a single mum. Me learning how to hold it all together and realising I couldn't.

Learning How to Do Life Alone
I had to learn how to do things I'd never done before. Things that sound simple until you're standing there, wrench in hand, thinking, I have no idea what I'm doing Unclogging the bath drain. Finding the fuse box. Pumping air in my tyres. Paying bills on my own.

Nik had always taken care of all of that. For five years, I was the breadwinner while he looked after the house and navigated his own journey with illness. I'm so grateful for everything he did for us because he made sure Ellie and I could stand on our own two feet when the time came.

The first months after he passed were a blur of grief and learning. It was heavy, but unexpected. Underneath the heaviness was something else. A gratitude for the way he'd prepared us and a small, steady spark that told me we were going to be okay.

He prepared me as best as he could so I could continue without him as a mum, as a woman, as someone learning how to rebuild from the ground up.

I had to think back to all the lessons he taught me in those last few years. The practical things, but also the deeper ones about patience, resilience and slowing down.

Nik was incredible at record keeping. He's what we'd call the ‘objective king’ back at his job at DHS. So of course everything was labelled, documented and in its proper place. He made sure Ellie and I had everything we needed, notes, lists, folders, all so organised that even through the fog I could slowly piece things together.

I'd find myself remembering little things he'd say, how to pay the bills, which plumber to call, how to reset the fuse box, even how to navigate Flybuys and Woolies rewards so we could maximise our rewards earnings.

Over time, the unknowns didn't feel quite so impossible. Standing on my own with a little one watching me, figuring it all out started to feel doable. Still messy. Yes. Emotional but doable.

Nigel’s Question and the Switch Flicking Back On
Then near the end of 2024, right before Christmas, I met Nigel.

At that point I was starting to step into a new chapter, but I was still carrying a lot of self-doubt. I was tinkering with side hustles that didn't really feel like me. I was just trying to find my footing again and Nigel, in true Nigel fashion, didn't let me hide behind uncertainty for long.

He turned around and said to me, ‘what are you doing? You're not a salesperson. You care deeply about helping people. Why aren't you doing that?’ That one question shook me. It was like he'd flicked on a switch in my brain that had been off for a decade.

Everything I studied, everything I'd once loved, psychology, wellness, human behaviour, started rushing back. It was like rediscovering parts of myself I'd buried under years of survival.

That conversation became the turning point, not just for me, but for what would eventually become GA Wellness with Georgia Ann™.

That conversation with Nigel stayed with me. It replayed in my mind for weeks. His tone. The clarity in his voice. The way he said it, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I remember thinking, he’s right.

January 2025: Clarity Comes from Action
By January 2025, something in me had shifted. I stopped waiting for the perfect time, the perfect plan, the perfect confidence. I reminded myself, clarity comes from action. You can't find your path by thinking about it. You find it by taking the first step.

So I pulled everything I knew, 20 years of teaching, my studies with Cadence Health, now Well Health College, my curiosity about the mind and body and my lived experience, grief, motherhood, burnout and healing. 

I'd always loved psychology, the way it connects the dots between what we think, how we feel and what we do. Maslow's hierarchy of needs had always made sense to me. So, I started mapping it alongside what I knew about wellness and the more I thought about it, four key pillars started to form, hydration, nutrition, self care and fitness. The same four pillars that would become the HNSF method and the foundation of everything we do at GA Wellness.

From the start I knew self-care needed to be about nervous system. That's where real change happens. The science behind how our body calms itself, how the brain rewires, how small habits become identity. I wanted GA Wellness to blend all of that together. The science, the soul and the story.

Real Life Wellness, Not Fluff
I wasn't interested in surface level wellness. The fluff you see on Instagram, the hacks and the ‘woo’ of wellness.

I'm a woman of science and soul, so I wanted real life wellness. Something that fits into the school drop offs, work deadlines, grief anniversaries, late night laundry and real life. Especially if Ellie has had a late night.

In early 2025, the first evolution of GA Wellness began. I started writing, sketching, recording voice notes. I gave myself permission to explore. It wasn't perfect, it's never been perfect but I wanted to create something that made wellness simple again.

Something that helped women, especially mums like me, reconnect with themselves in small, practical ways. I wanted something I wish I'd had when I was rebuilding myself.

Using My Voice Again: The Podcast is Born
Once I saw how clearly it all fit together, I set myself a mission, use my voice again. I'd been a group fitness instructor for years, so speaking felt natural and that's how the GA Wellness podcast was born.

I didn't want it to sound like every other wellness podcast. I wanted each episode to feel like sitting down with a friend over chai, learning something new, but feeling seen. That's where the idea for the Cuppa & Check-In journals came from. They're a way to take what you learn and make it your own.

I was decisive about how I wanted the podcast to be. I wanted intention behind it, but I also wanted to show that I know through life experience, not just study or research.

Being a widow at 39 was confronting. I've said to my peers over the years that you can either sink or you can swim and I refused to sink. That mindset became my motivation to lean into what I needed. I switched off social media, got quiet and started listening to myself again. That became the heartbeat of the podcast. To show you ways to swim, not sink, through life.

Why I Build in Arcs: My Love of Behind the Scenes
A little behind the scenes about me, I love movies and TV series. Always have.

I'm fascinated by how they're made. The mechanics of storytelling. All the behind the scenes stuff most people never see. Back in the day when we had Blu Rays, I was that person who would watch every single behind the scenes featurette and listen to the director's commentary. I loved hearing why they made certain choices or how they built a scene. I think that's where my love for storytelling really started. The idea that there's always more happening beyond the surface. 

So, I built a podcast using that same structure. Each episode is part of a bigger picture, like an arc in a TV series. Every story connects, but there's space between them to breathe, reflect and integrate because I know what it's like to be busy, to crave calm and have no energy left for another to do.

Every arc ties back to the HNSF method and the Learn, Try, Become journey. That's the thread that runs through all of GA Wellness. I first spoke about the Learn, Try, Become journey back in episode seven. That's the one where we learned about habits and why you can't hustle your way into wellness.

Unlike the TV series I love, there's no ‘big bang’ and no ‘big bad’ waiting for you at the end. I just want you to be gentler with yourself, a little more aware a little more grounded. Kind to yourself.

The Pivot: Nervous System Regulation Was the Puzzle
In some forums back in July this year, I was sharing a little bit about the work I was doing. The HNSF method, the podcast, the whole direction GA Wellness was heading.

I started getting messages from women and men saying things like, ‘Georgia, I've never heard anyone explain wellness like this’.  ‘I love how you talk about it without the BS’ .’ I didn't realise that's what the nervous system actually does’.

That's when the penny dropped. Nervous system regulation wasn't just part of the puzzle. It was the puzzle. Everything I'd been teaching, hydration, nutrition, self-care, fitness and movement, it all fed back to the nervous system. It was the thread tying it all together.

My body had been trying to tell me this the whole time. When I finally slowed down and listened, I could feel it. My nervous system was saying, ‘this is where we need to go’.

So, I pivoted GA Wellness again, this time into something even more focused. Something that spoke directly to what women were really craving, regulation. rhythm. relief.

Nervous System Reset and the Rise of Mum Guilt
That's when the Nervous System Reset program was born. It started as one-on-one coaching with a few incredible women. Women who were burnt out, overwhelmed and trying to find their way back to themselves.

We talked about the different seasons of life and how their body reacts to each one. We unpacked triggers, built tiny habits that stuck and designed personalised toolkits that matched their real life rhythms.

I don't believe in one size fits all, so everything was personalised. Throughout those sessions, one theme kept coming up, mum guilt.

That heavy feeling that sneaks in underneath everything else. The guilt for taking five minutes for yourself, the guilt for saying no, the guilt for not being everything to everyone. It shows up in different ways, but it's the same thing underneath. That's why I knew we needed to talk about it. Why we feel it, what's happening in the body when it hits and how to start releasing it.

That's how the Mum Guilt arc on the podcast was born. Back in episode 11, I wanted to put words to something so many of us carry and show that there's nothing wrong with needing rest, space or support.

FOMO, JOMO and the Couch Week That Changed Something
Once we started unpacking Mum guilt, something else started to show up too, FOMO, the fear of missing out that creeps in when you see everyone else doing more.

I remember saying to one of my clients, this isn't really about the event or the invite. It's your body scanning for safety. ‘Is my nervous system asking, am I still part of the tribe and am I still safe?’ That clicked with them.

JOMO is different, I actually learned that phrase from a colleague at work. I remember telling her about a week I'd had off, my first proper leave in ages. I'd been so excited to slow down.

Then Ellie and I both came down with colds. There we were, day four of my break, surrounded by tissues, eating popcorn, playing computer games and watching movies on the couch. 

I said to her, half joking, I've literally spent my first four days of leave being sick. She smiled and said, sounds like you've discovered JOMO. The joy of missing out. That line stuck with me because even though we'd both been sick, I realised how peaceful it felt to just stop.

No pressure to be anywhere. No guilt for resting. Just being together in that moment. That's when I really understood it. JOMO is giving yourself permission to rest without apology. It's recognising that your nervous system sometimes needs quiet. That week on the couch became the heart of the FOMO to JOMO arc. I wanted to remind people that the moments where you slow down aren't wasted. They're healing.

Seasons, Patterns and Why Community Matters
Through the podcast and the coaching sessions, I noticed something incredible, the women leaning into JOMO, rest, reflection, slower rhythms, were the ones making lasting changes.

That week on the couch taught me more than I realised at the time. After that, I started seeing patterns everywhere. Not just in myself, but in clients, friends, even colleagues at work. We were all moving through cycles, no one was naming them. 

Some were in full on survival chaos, juggling kids, deadlines, mental load, wondering why they felt fried. Others were in growth season. Full of energy, new ideas, ready to take on the world.

Some were in transition. Letting go of what wasn't working anymore. Others were craving rest but didn't know how to stop without feeling guilty. 

that's when it hit me, we all have seasons and our nervous system responds to those seasons in completely different ways. The same habit that feels easy in one season can feel impossible in another.

That doesn't mean you're failing. It means your body's asking for something different. When I started to see life this way, as seasons rather than constant expectations, everything clicked.

I stopped trying to push through, I started listening. I began teaching my clients to do the same. The more I talked about it, the more people said, oh my gosh, that's me. That's exactly where I'm at. It became clear it wasn't just about information anymore, it’s about connection, community, having people around you who can say, you're not crazy, you're just in survival season. Or hey, that's me too, growth season will come.

That's why I created the Balanced Bella Community. I wanted a space for women to land when life feels too loud. A space where they could share what season they're in, swap stories and feel supported instead of judged. A space where everyone could learn, try and become together.

How C.A.L.M Pathways Was Born
Out of that, something even bigger began to take shape.

The more I supported women through their seasons, the more I realised they were all walking a similar path. One that started with connection, moved into alignment, asked them to lean in and ended with those tiny, powerful moments that remind you why you started.

That's where the framework for the C.A.L.M Pathways  - Connect, Align, Lean In, Moments™ was born.

It's the anchor beneath everything I teach now, a reminder that no matter which season you're in, you can still find calm, clarity and connection. It's more than a framework. It's how I actually live.

I'm so excited to share that the C.A.L.M Pathway is now officially open for founding members. This is the next evolution of GA Wellness with Georgia Ann and where all of this comes together.

If you've been listening this year and something inside of you has been whispering, this is what I need, I'd love for you to join me inside. All the details are waiting for you in the episode description.

Why the Name Shift Matters: GA Wellness with Georgia Ann
When I look back now, I can see that every pivot I've had in my life, not just recently, but even back in my early years, has shaped where I am today. Every breakdown, every breakthrough, every time I've stepped completely out of my comfort zone without a parachute or a safety net and just gone for it.

All of it has shaped both GA Wellness and me. It's one of the main reasons I decided to pivot the name and officially file it as GA Wellness with Georgia™ because this isn't just a business. It's not just some brand I built on a whiteboard, it's my life.

GA Wellness is everything I've lived, learned, broken, rebuilt and studied, turned into a framework that other women can grow through. It's my story, my science and my soul woven together in a way that I hope helps someone else feel less alone in theirs.

I didn't learn those lessons from a course or a book. I learned them the hard way, in real life with real emotions and real people beside me.

Burnout taught me boundaries. Grief taught me gratitude. Motherhood taught me to slow down. Community taught me that we heal faster together. My own nervous system taught me to listen. These are the lessons that built GA Wellness. They're the reason I teach the way I do, the reason this podcast exists and the reason I believe small, sustainable shifts matter way more than quick fixes ever will.

The truth is, I'm still learning. I'm still figuring things out. What I've learned is this, When you keep showing up for yourself, even in small, quiet ways, things start to shift. This is what I want for you as well.

The Science of Reflection: Narrative Integration
It's natural to look back at the year that was and I wanted to share where I've come from and what this year has taught me. When I pause and reflect, I can see how much I've grown, not just as a coach or a founder, but as a woman and as a mum. I feel like I've really come into my own this year. The end of year brings this kind of reflection and yes, there's science behind it.

When we look back, there's part of our brain called the prefrontal cortex, which switches on. It's the part that helps us make sense of experiences, connect the dots between what's happened, how we felt and what we learned. It's also the part that helps us plan, imagine and create meaning.

Psychologists call this narrative integration. Think of it as your mind's way of tidying up. Going through the memories, lessons and emotions from the year and turning them into a story that feels whole. When your brain links those pieces together, it sends signals to your body that say, ‘we're safe, we understand what happened.’

That understanding switches off the stress response. Your breathing becomes slower. Your heart rate steadies. You literally feel yourself ground again. So, reflection isn't just about remembering, it's about integration.

It's your mind and body working together to close the loop on unfinished stories. That's why it feels so natural at the end of the year. Your brain is trying to process the chapter you've lived so you can make sense of the one that's coming next.

Your Reflection Prompts for 2025
Before we wrap up, I want to leave you with a little something to help you reflect on your year too. Take a moment wherever you can and ask yourself: What did this year teach me about myself? What do I want to carry forward into 2026? What can I finally put down?

It doesn't need to be perfect. You know me, I'm not about perfection. Even a few scribbled words can bring a surprising amount of clarity.

Announcement: GA Wellness Reflection Bundles
Before we finish up, I've got something really exciting to share with you.

On the 2nd of December, I'm releasing the GA Wellness Reflection Bundles. Curated collections of all the journal prompts from this year, plus a few new ones that haven't been shared anywhere else.

No more scrolling through emails or chasing links. Everything's beautifully packaged in one place, ready for you to download and enjoy. You'll find the details and links in the show notes. It's my way of helping you slow down and make sense of your own story before we open a brand new one next year.

What’s Coming Next
Next week I'll be back with our final episode of the year. It's a little summer send off to help you step into 2026 with calm and a grounded mindset.

Then I'll be taking a proper break before we return mid January with our brand new arc. Until then, take a breath, reflect, celebrate how far you've come.

Remember, it's not about perfection. It's about growth, grace and giving yourself the space to just be. 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 cheque 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.