Overwhelm is Optional

By Heidi Marke

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Category: Self-Improvement

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Subscribers: 6
Reviews: 0
Episodes: 233

Description

Exploring how to have more focus and satisfaction at work and switch off, laugh easily and be present at home.


Hosted by Heidi Marke, The Gentle Rebel Coach and creator of The One Minute Marke, a simple 60-second practice to reduce overwhelm and author of Overwhelm is Optional and The Gentle Rebellious One Minute Journal.


Challenging the idea that overwhelm and exhaustion are the price of success.



Thank you to purpleplanet.com for the music.


Episode Date
Why Inspiration Turns Into Frustration And How To Stop The Spiral
Apr 01, 2026
What If Success Never Required Self-Sacrifice?
Mar 25, 2026
From Burnout to Stamina: How Spring Energy and Purpose Fuel Lasting Joy
Mar 18, 2026
Rebel Quietly: How to Master Your Attention and End the Overwhelm Cycle
Mar 11, 2026
Overwhelm Is Optional Returns: Why I Paused 226 Episodes - and What I Learned About Overwhelm, Burnout and Starting Over
Mar 04, 2026
Overwhelm is No Longer Optional
Mar 13, 2025
From Overwhelm to Joy: Transforming Fear with Rumi’s Wisdom
Mar 04, 2025
Feeling Stuck? You’re Not. The Truth About Lasting Change & Transformation
Feb 22, 2025
Overwhelmed & Exhausted? Here’s How to Break the Cycle
Feb 15, 2025
How I Use ChatGPT to Free My Mind & Make Life Easier
Feb 08, 2025
Break Free from Overwhelm: Mind Traps from Yellowstone
Feb 05, 2025
What NASA’s Fatigue Research Can Teach Us About Listening to Ourselves
Jan 25, 2025
How to Overcome Overwhelm & Achieve Your Dreams
Jan 18, 2025
Transforming Chaos to Clarity: Prioritizing What Truly Matters in 2025
Jan 12, 2025
Overwhelmed? Try This Joyful Transformation!
Dec 31, 2024
Creating Space for Yourself During the Holiday Chaos
Dec 22, 2024
How to Break Free from Overwhelm and Reclaim Your Life
Dec 15, 2024
Space for You: How to Gently Reclaim Ease Amid End-of-Year Chaos
Dec 11, 2024
Easing End-of-Year Overwhelm: Gentle Practices to Create Space and Joy
Dec 01, 2024
Meetings Without Breaks? How to Cope and Reclaim Your Time
Nov 24, 2024
Whoops Miss Stressy Pants appeared again!
Nov 17, 2024
Finding freedom from self-imposed seasonal pressures
Nov 10, 2024
Crafting a Purposeful Path as the Year Winds Down
Nov 06, 2024
How to find the hidden ease in your life
Oct 26, 2024
Awe and Wonder Amid Chaos: How to Reclaim Your Attention
Oct 19, 2024
How I dealt with a dose of travel overwhelm
Sep 29, 2024
Transform Overwhelm into Calm
Sep 22, 2024
Overwhelm is Optional: Reading an extract to you with Rosie, Nutmeg and Kangarooby
Sep 08, 2024
The Transformative Power of the Mind-Body Connection: with Sara Parrode, The Portable Wellness Coach
Aug 25, 2024
Transforming Branding into a Journey of Authentic Self-Discovery with Emily Rosales
Aug 18, 2024
The weirdest gift from walking The Camino
Aug 11, 2024
Celebrating 200 Episodes: Transform Your Life and Business with the Gentle Rebel Way
Aug 02, 2024
Unlocking Deep Connections Through Storytelling with D Grant Smith
Jul 14, 2024
Breaking Free from the Tyranny of To-Dos: Transforming Stress into Joy and Satisfaction
Jul 07, 2024
Embrace Authenticity and Set Boundaries: Insights with Executive Coach Alyssa Gioscia
Jun 30, 2024
A Gently Rebellious Practice for Finding Peace and Joy Regardless
Jun 23, 2024
Are You Carrying a Mary Poppins Bag? How to Let Go of Life's Unnecessary Burdens
Jun 09, 2024
The Secret to Overcoming Overwhelm — One Small Gently Rebellious Step at a Time
Nov 29, 2023
Christmas: A Very Special Kind of Overwhelm
Nov 22, 2023
Balancing Sleep and Life: From Survival Mode to Thriving
Nov 15, 2023
Strategies to Avoid Burnout
Nov 08, 2023
The Transformative Season: Understanding and Accepting Autumn Grief
Nov 01, 2023
Embracing Life with Play: Laura Haver's Happiness Insights
Oct 24, 2023
The Cool Pheasant's Way: Strategies for a Calm, Controlled Life
Oct 17, 2023
Stripes: my newest Tiny-Huge Life-Changing Practice
Oct 10, 2023
Doing It All is Not the Same as Having It All — and Why That Realisation Changes Everything
Oct 03, 2023
Discovering Ease: How Small Daily Actions Create Profound and Lasting Change
Sep 26, 2023
From Anxiety and Self-Doubt to a Fulfilled Life — David Waldy on Fierce Empathy, Courage and Growth
Sep 19, 2023
The hardest part of The Gentle Rebellion
Sep 12, 2023
The Gentle Rebellion: A New Approach to Work, Life and Personal Fulfilment That Actually Works
Sep 05, 2023
Discovering the Power of Self-Prioritization for Personal and Professional Transformation
Aug 29, 2023
Gently rebelling towards even more freedom and ease
Aug 22, 2023
Embracing Life Instead of Enduring Overwhelm
Aug 15, 2023
Transforming Your Life: The Power of Mornings and Setting Intentions
Aug 08, 2023
Striking a Balance: The Art of Juggling Career and Personal Life
Aug 01, 2023
From Overwhelm to Accomplishment with Holly Ostara
Jul 19, 2023
From Survival Mode to Skilful Living: Reinterpreting the Effects of Pressure
Jul 11, 2023
Finding Contentment in a World Full of Choices
Jul 04, 2023
How to have it all by going small: Part 2
Jun 27, 2023
How to have it all by going small: Part 1
Jun 20, 2023
Free the Ducks: The Balance between Organization and Freedom
Jun 13, 2023
A Tiny-Huge way to have more joy in your life
Jun 06, 2023
What's even smaller than The One Minute Marke?
May 30, 2023
Have it all by imagining it done
May 23, 2023
Have it all by making it small: shrink your bear
May 16, 2023
How to make mountains into molehills
May 09, 2023
How to use The One Minute Marke as a gently rebellious way to deal with fear
May 03, 2023
The One Minute Marke for Travel Anxiety
Apr 25, 2023
Episode 165: To have it all - go small (don’t drop your tail!)
Apr 18, 2023
Episode 164: Everything you want is on the inside of your comfort zone
Apr 04, 2023
Episode 163: Trust there's always an easier way
Mar 28, 2023
Episode 162: Is struggle necessary?
Mar 22, 2023
Episode 161: Why focusing on finishing stuff isn't the answer
Mar 15, 2023
Episode 160: In the future will acting from overwhelm be seen as irresponsible?
Mar 08, 2023
Episode 159: Here's something I've just realised about overwhelm
Mar 01, 2023
Episode 158: Are you overwhelmed by opportunities?
Feb 22, 2023
Episode 157: How to have the ease you think is at the end of your to-do list NOW
Feb 15, 2023
Episode 156: Who's side are you on?
Feb 08, 2023
Episode 155: Are you experiencing this unexpected symptom of overwhelm?
Feb 01, 2023
How to Get Out of Overwhelm in Three Simple Steps — and Make It Optional For Good
Jan 25, 2023
Episode 153: What has making butternut squash soup got to do with you finding more freedom and ease?
Jan 18, 2023
Episode 152: New Year Overwhelm
Jan 11, 2023
Episode 151: It’s not you - it’s overwhelm
Jan 04, 2023
Episode 150: How to have an Unexpectedly Lovely 2023
Dec 28, 2022
Episode 149: How to have an Unexpectedly Lovely Christmas
Dec 21, 2022
Episode 148: How to find the courage to decide what you really want
Dec 14, 2022
Episode 147: Start where you are now for a Gently Rebellious start to 2023
Dec 07, 2022
Episode 146: How I get things done (with as little overwhelm as possible)
Nov 30, 2022
Episode 145: The Gentle Rebel Way to get things done - part 2
Nov 23, 2022
Episode 144: The Gentle Rebel Way to get things done - part 1
Nov 16, 2022
Reclaiming your life with fellow rebel Miles Seecharan
Nov 09, 2022
Episode 142: Rebellious Focus
Nov 02, 2022
Episode 141: This is what Rebellious Selfcare looks like
Oct 25, 2022
Episode 140: Selfcare The Gentle Rebel Way
Oct 18, 2022
Episode 139: The Selfcare Rebellion Part 2
Oct 11, 2022
Episode 138: The Gentle Rebellion against selfcare
Oct 04, 2022
When Everything Feels Too Much — What to Do When Overwhelm Wins
Sep 27, 2022
Episode 136: A spotlight on The One Minute Marke for you
Sep 20, 2022
Reducing money overwhelm with Business Mentor & Money Coach, Jenny Bracelin
Sep 13, 2022
Episode 134: The Straw Bale Build Part 1
Sep 06, 2022
Episode 133: There's a better way
Aug 30, 2022
Episode 132: Can you imagine having a life you feel at home in?
Aug 23, 2022
Episode 131: This is how powerful my gentle rebellion has been!
Aug 16, 2022
Episode 130:Doing Hard Things the Gentle Rebel Way
Aug 09, 2022
Adventures in Overwhelm with Anna Senko: How it felt from the inside was not how it looked from the outside
Aug 02, 2022
Episode 128: I wish I'd known this a long time ago!
Jul 26, 2022
Episode 127: Used to coping and surprised by how overwhelmed you feel?
Jul 19, 2022
Episode 126: Magic happens when you even consider this idea
Jul 12, 2022
5 Hidden Reasons Overwhelm Keeps Coming Back — and How to Finally Change That
Jul 05, 2022
Episode 124: Why I decided to work in and from Glastonbury Festival
Jun 28, 2022
Episode 123: The Power of Mini Adventures
Jun 21, 2022
Episode 122: Think you should be tidier? Think again!
Jun 14, 2022
Episode 121: Personal Growth The Gentle Rebel Way
Jun 07, 2022
Episode 120: Are you in Self Development Hell?
May 31, 2022
From Overwhelming Work Stress to Balance and Ease — A Real Story to Inspire Your Gentle Rebellion
May 24, 2022
Episode 118: One of the biggest mistakes I made under the influence of overwhelm
May 17, 2022
Episode 117: What do you really want?
May 10, 2022
Episode 116: Everything changes when you start doing this
May 03, 2022
Episode 115: So what's the Gentle Rebel's first step then...?
Apr 26, 2022
Episode 114: Let's talk about selfishness
Apr 19, 2022
How to Look After Yourself Without Feeling Selfish — How to Give Yourself Permission
Apr 12, 2022
Episode 112: Here's why you are perfect and a work in progress
Apr 05, 2022
Episode 111: Are you a Struggling Rebel?
Mar 29, 2022
What is The Gentle Rebellion? — For the Quiet Rebels Who Are Done With the Overwhelm, Exhaustion and Frustration Cycle
Mar 23, 2022
Episode 109: Is your rebellious nature causing your struggle and overwhelm?
Mar 16, 2022
How to Market Your Business Without the Overwhelm — with Chloe Morris of Pink Flamingo Marketing
Mar 09, 2022
Drowning in Digital Opportunities? How to Turn Information Overload Back Into Magic
Mar 02, 2022
Is Your Life Actually Working For You? How to Stop Silently Screaming and Get Your Life Back
Feb 23, 2022
Have You Had Enough of Working This Hard to Be Happy? Why Sacrificing Now for Later is a Lie
Feb 16, 2022
How to navigate career overwhelm with Jennifer Wheeler of The Career Progression Programme
Feb 09, 2022
Episode 103: Happy Imbolc - how are you? No, really?
Feb 02, 2022
Is Positive Thinking Adding to Your Overwhelm? — Plus the Worst Advice I Was Ever Given
Jan 26, 2022
Episode 101: Are you disappointed with your start to 2022?
Jan 19, 2022
Episode 100: A Turn of the Year Pause - Pause to Dream 2022
Jan 12, 2022
Episode 99: A Turn of the Year Pause - Pause to Release 2021
Jan 05, 2022
Episode 98: A Turn of the Year Pause - Pause to Celebrate 2021
Dec 29, 2021
Episode 97: A Turn of the Year Pause - Pause to Take Stock
Dec 22, 2021
Episode 96: Christmas Overwhelm
Dec 15, 2021
Episode 95: Struggling with Seasonal Overwhelm?
Dec 08, 2021
Are Your Surroundings Making You More Overwhelmed? How Your Environment Affects Your Energy
Dec 01, 2021
Are You Postponing Your Life? Why "When This, Then That" is Keeping You Stuck
Nov 24, 2021
Episode 92: In celebration of having time for a cold
Nov 17, 2021
Cutting Through Overwhelm with Multi-Million Dollar Entrepreneur Leonie Dawson — $11M in 10 Hours a Week
Nov 10, 2021
The Dietary Cheeseburger Episode — How Your Beliefs Determine What's Actually Possible For You
Nov 03, 2021
Is the Impossible Actually Possible For You? Why What You Want Might Be Closer Than You Think
Oct 26, 2021
Stop Trying So Hard to Be Perfect — The Invisible Pressure That's Quietly Overwhelming You
Oct 19, 2021
Episode 87: Overwhelmed by Life Admin?!
Oct 12, 2021
Is Procrastination Really That Terrible — Or Is It Actually Useful Information?
Oct 05, 2021
Yes, you get to keep that holiday feeling! Here's how.
Sep 28, 2021
Episode 84: What the stress of launching taught me about myself and my work
Sep 21, 2021
One Powerful Practice to Start Today — The Unexpectedly Lovely Technique That Rewires Your Brain
Sep 14, 2021
Why I Don't Teach Stress Relief Techniques — and What I Teach Instead
Sep 08, 2021
Adventures in Overwhelm with Charlotte Russell Co-Founder of The Landscapers Circle
Sep 03, 2021
Episode 80: Why I no longer teach yoga
Aug 31, 2021
There's Nothing Wrong With You — Why Treating Yourself as a Problem to Solve is Making Everything Worse
Aug 27, 2021
How Long is Your Get Better At List? The Hidden Source of Stress You Didn't Know You Had
Aug 24, 2021
Episode 77: Are you dealing with Saturday Morning Ughness?
Aug 21, 2021
Kelly Hinds of Roo-me Property shares her adventures in overwhelm
Aug 17, 2021
When Overwhelm Hits Like a Tidal Wave — My Personal Story and What Actually Helped
Aug 10, 2021
Why Your Journal Should Be Messy, Disposable — and Thrown in the Bin (or Burned)
Aug 03, 2021
No Time and No Energy? Why Time Management Advice Makes It Worse — and What Actually Works
Jul 27, 2021
Combat Fear and Doom With Ninja Self-Distraction Skills — How to Notice the Good Stuff Again
Jul 20, 2021
Episode 71: Is it time to rebel against yourself?
Jul 13, 2021
Episode 70: The Tiger and the Strawberry - dealing with uncomfortable feelings
Jul 06, 2021
How to Release Fear and Start Living Again — A Gentle Rebellion Against Anxiety and Doom
Jun 29, 2021
What is The One Minute Marke? The Fastest Way to Get Out of Overwhelm Without Meditating for Hours
Jun 22, 2021
Weathering Storms — Because There Will Always Be Something to Disturb Your Coffee
Jun 15, 2021
Unexpectedly Lovely Things
Jun 08, 2021
Episode 65: Settle back into the moment
Jun 01, 2021
Episode 64: Dare to create your own adventure - third Tiny-Huge Life-Changing Workshop
May 26, 2021
Episode 63: Reconnect with your internal navigation system - the second Tiny-Huge Life-Changing Workshop
May 25, 2021
Start where you are - The first in a series of Tiny-Huge Life-Changing Workshops
May 24, 2021
The Overwhelming Fear of Disappointing Others — How to Stop It Running Your Life
May 18, 2021
Episode 60: Overwhelmed by 'shoulds' and 'betters'?
May 11, 2021
Don't Listen to This! — Why Listening to Yourself is More Important Than Any Podcast
May 04, 2021
Episode 58: In celebration of duvet days
Apr 27, 2021
Episode 57: Three Tiny-Huge Life-Changing ways to start your day differently
Apr 20, 2021
Episode 56: It's time for some honesty
Apr 13, 2021
Episode 55: Emerge from stress and overwhelm to lead and savour the life of your dreams with sleep expert, Kelly Myerson
Apr 07, 2021
Episode 54: Want more energy? Try this
Mar 30, 2021
Episode 53: Tough day? Try this.
Mar 24, 2021
Episode 52: Is fear causing your overwhelm?
Mar 17, 2021
Episode 51: Adventures in overwhelm with Eli Godin of The Business Buddha
Mar 10, 2021
Episode 50: Overwhelmed by Manipulative Marketing Messages?
Mar 03, 2021
Episode 49: Kickass Mondays: an alternative way to start your week
Feb 24, 2021
Episode 48: Rant warning! Going round in circles and feeling disempowered? This is for you.
Feb 17, 2021
How Neville Wright Turned 37p Into £100 Million — and What It Really Teaches Us About Overwhelm
Feb 10, 2021
It's Time to Take Your Overwhelm More Seriously — A Gentle But Firm Wake-Up Call
Feb 03, 2021
Episode 45: With the inspirational Dan Warburton
Jan 27, 2021
Episode 44: Rebel and create your own morning ritual
Jan 20, 2021
Episode 43: Polar exploration and surviving the overwhelm of home-schooling with Curtis Knapton
Jan 13, 2021
Episode 42: WARNING: READING THE NEWS CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH
Jan 06, 2021
Episode 41: Release and Celebrate 2020
Dec 30, 2020
Episode 40: The Problem with Mindset Work
Dec 23, 2020
Episode 39: Where's your attention going?
Dec 16, 2020
Episode 38: Resting is a rebellious act. So rest.
Dec 09, 2020
Episode 37: How and why you should pause and celebrate
Dec 02, 2020
Episode 36: How to find and strengthen your boundaries
Nov 25, 2020
Episode 35: How to Beat the Overwhelm with Danni Wade: practical tips & insights from one very busy woman
Nov 18, 2020
Episode 34: How thinking about death helps you live more fully
Nov 11, 2020
Episode 33: For NHS staff to help with increased stress and sadness
Nov 04, 2020
Episode 32: Why managing your attention is awesome!
Oct 28, 2020
Episode 31: Time is not the real reason
Oct 20, 2020
Episode 30: Squeeze the benefits of meditation into your life with ease
Oct 13, 2020
Stuck in If/When/Just Get Through Mode? This Episode is For You
Oct 06, 2020
Episode 28: Interview with intuitive healer and maven, Lexie Wrightson
Sep 22, 2020
Episode 27: Bad night's sleep?
Sep 15, 2020
Episode 26: An Ambassador for Joy meets an Ambassador for Ease with Kori Gouge
Sep 08, 2020
Interview With a Zen Master — What Julian Daizan Skinner Taught Me About Overwhelm, Meditation and Awakening
Sep 01, 2020
Episode 24: How to avoid burn out with Lizzie Vince of Find Your Mojo Coaching
Aug 25, 2020
Episode 23: Social Media overwhelm anyone?! Part 2 - rebel!
Aug 18, 2020
Episode 22: Social Media overwhelm anyone?! Part 1
Aug 11, 2020
Episode 21: What’s your Kryptonite?
Aug 04, 2020
Episode 20: How to harvest your gifts of lockdown
Jul 28, 2020
Episode 19: Entreprepreneurs and Overwhelm with Paula Warman of The Landscaper's Circle
Jul 21, 2020
Episode 17: Let go of your week part 1
Jul 17, 2020
Episode 18 Let go of your week part 2: Lying down practice to bridge the working week to weekend
Jul 17, 2020
Episode 16: Rebel - take back control of your attention
Jul 14, 2020
Episode 15: Overwhelm and other people
Jul 07, 2020
Episode 14: Reducing Overwhelm for Parents during the GCSE years with Emily Hughes
Jun 30, 2020
Episode 13: Invoking the spirit of Glastonbury to think about holidays and overwhelm
Jun 23, 2020
Your Whack-a-Mole To-Do List — How to Make It Work For You Instead of Against You
Jun 16, 2020
Episode 11: Success versus health
Jun 09, 2020
Episode 10: The problem with mindfulness
Jun 03, 2020
What's the Opposite of Overwhelm? Why the Answer is Ease — and How to Get There
May 27, 2020
Episode 8: Drop the judgement
May 20, 2020
Stopping the Shoulds — How to Free Yourself From the Obligations That Are Overwhelming You
May 13, 2020
How to Start Your Day Without Overwhelm — A Morning Routine for Busy, Driven Minds
Apr 20, 2020
How to Stop Living in Your Head — The Body Tuning Technique That Ends Overwhelm
Apr 10, 2020
Episode 4: Using your experience of lockdown to reduce overwhelm
Apr 04, 2020
Episode 3: A special very short episode for overwhelmed parents in homeschooling lockdown
Mar 28, 2020
Episode 2: How can we use lockdown to reduce overwhelm?
Mar 26, 2020
What Does "Overwhelm is Optional" Actually Mean? Plus a Technique to Get Out of It Right Now
Mar 25, 2020