Your brain isn’t broken, it’s overloaded. I’m sitting down with a cup of tea and naming the thing so many of us feel but rarely say out loud: life is loud, busy, and weirdly serious, and we’ll do almost anything to avoid an empty moment. If you’ve ever found yourself “productively” organizing junk, scrolling Threads a little too long, or filling every pause with content, you’re in good company.

I talk about why constant distraction feels so tempting in 2026, how information overload can keep our nervous system stuck on high alert, and why quiet can feel uncomfortable at first. We practice a simple reset I love called a “nothing pocket” a short, timed window where you do nothing on purpose so your mind can breathe again. From there, we shift into the real mission: joy. What’s actually fun for you right now? When did we stop playing, and why did adulthood become a loop of work, chores, and screens?

We get practical with ideas to bring play back without overhauling your whole life: revisiting what you loved as a kid, scheduling it like it matters, trying an “artist date” style weekly adventure, checking local events, going to things alone, following tiny creative urges like doodling, and even shaking out energy with a five-minute dance break while dinner cooks. The goal is simple: more play, more core memories, less autopilot.

If this lights something up, share it with a friend who needs more fun, tag me so I can thank you, and please leave a five-star review on Spotify or Apple to help this community grow.

Thank you for listening to Self(ish) Confidence! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or on your social media and tag me @jess.clerke so I can personally thank you for helping spread some confidence + love!

Check out my website at: www.jessclerke.com

If you're on instagram, come say hi!! 👋👋
My Personal Account ---> @jess.clerke
The Podcast Account ---> @selfishconfidence

You can be wildly capable and still be running on 0%. That’s the tension we’re naming today: how so many of us show up for work, partners, kids, friends, and family without hesitation, while our own needs get whatever crumbs are left. When life feels like chaos, change, and constant responsibility, self-care doesn’t just slip, it disappears, and we start calling it “normal.”

I’m sharing a grounding reframe that’s been hitting me hard lately: mothering yourself. Not a parenting talk, not a perfect-routine fantasy. It’s a way to ask, “If I were my own mom, what would I do for me right now?” Would I tell myself to go to bed instead of watching one more show? Would I actually eat something nourishing instead of pushing through on fumes? Would I problem-solve my stress, digestion, and sleep the same way I’d do for someone I love? We’ll get real about the mental load, the full-plate feeling, and why stopping can be the moment your body finally gets a chance to send warning signs.

Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s depleted, and leave a review so more women can find the reminder they deserve.

Join the Self(ish) Sisterhood at the Founding Sisters Rate: $22/month or $222/year.

Thank you for listening to Self(ish) Confidence! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or on your social media and tag me @jess.clerke so I can personally thank you for helping spread some confidence + love!

Check out my website at: www.jessclerke.com

If you're on instagram, come say hi!! 👋👋
My Personal Account ---> @jess.clerke
The Podcast Account ---> @selfishconfidence

Ever feel the air shift and know something is about to change? That’s where we are as we hit our 300th episode—a milestone built on messy first takes, wobbly courage, and a relentless promise to show up even when it’s scary. I trace the arc from a whisper in 2021 to a life I couldn’t have sketched back then: leaving a first business, closing a dream editor role, stepping onto stages, hosting retreats, and choosing motherhood after once saying “never.” The common thread isn’t polish. It’s motion.

We dive into the power of honouring past versions of ourselves—the ones who said the awkward thing, recorded in closets, and tried ideas that didn’t land. I talk about learning styles through the lens of Human Design, why my 3/5 “trial and error” path looks like throwing spaghetti and then teaching what stuck, and how your path might prefer research and plans. Either way, traction beats theory. Expect failures and let them sort you toward what actually fits. Four years from now, you’ll thank the you who took one brave step today.

This conversation is also a love note to community. Not everyone has a ride-or-die cheerleader at home, so I built spaces where belief is contagious and momentum multiplies. From tiny actions like borrowing a library mic or texting a potential collaborator, to big leaps like launching a retreat, the magic shows up when you do. If fear is loud, bring it with you. If you’re cringing, you’re growing. Hit play for a candid, practical push to stop waiting for perfect timing and start shaping the life you want, one small, honest action at a time.

Join the Self(ish) Sisterhood at the Founding Sisters Rate: $22/month or $222/year.

Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and tell me the first step you’re taking today—I want to cheer you on.

Thank you for listening to Self(ish) Confidence! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or on your social media and tag me @jess.clerke so I can personally thank you for helping spread some confidence + love!

Check out my website at: www.jessclerke.com

If you're on instagram, come say hi!! 👋👋
My Personal Account ---> @jess.clerke
The Podcast Account ---> @selfishconfidence

When life gets loud, confidence needs a home. We start with a chair, a candle, and a cup of tea—and end with a blueprint for handling chaos with more ease. After a week that knocked our whole household down with the flu, I share how a simple room refresh turned into a creative reawakening and why building a space that feels like you can change how you show up, even on the hard days.

If you’ve been craving calm, the nervous system toolkit here is for you. We talk grounding in nature, sensory anchors like a signature candle or essential oil, a “sleepy song” that cues relaxation, and tactile objects that steady your breath. These rituals are rehearsed on neutral days so they’re ready when things wobble. We also practice flexibility on purpose—swapping dinner plans, shifting workouts—to teach our bodies that change isn’t danger. Add in real-world readiness with an updated first-aid kit and go-bag, and you’ve got compassionate preparedness without fear.

Community is the final pillar. I relaunched the Selfish Sisterhood with connection first, plus an optional Moms Club thread for parents who need a village in their pocket and local meetups for those near Halifax. Whether you’re a new mom, a creative craving momentum, or simply tired of the noise online, you’ll find tools and people here to help you steady your week and protect your spark.

Join the Self(ish) Sisterhood at the Founding Sisters Rate: $22/month or $222/year.

If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs steadier days, and leave a review so more women can find their people and their calm.

Thank you for listening to Self(ish) Confidence! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or on your social media and tag me @jess.clerke so I can personally thank you for helping spread some confidence + love!

Check out my website at: www.jessclerke.com

If you're on instagram, come say hi!! 👋👋
My Personal Account ---> @jess.clerke
The Podcast Account ---> @selfishconfidence

Ever feel like your brain won’t stick to one task, your to-do list breeds at night, and every decision carries the weight of a parenting manual? Same. Jess sits down to unpack the first year of motherhood with candor and humor: why trusting your intuition beats crowdsourced panic, how a “second baby mindset” lowers stress on the very first kid, and the simple truth that rest isn’t a reward—it’s strategy.

We walk through seven real-life lessons that actually change the day-to-day: combo feeding to relieve pressure, splitting night shifts to protect sanity, and asking for help without apology. Jess gets honest about identity too—the part no one can do for you. There’s no going back to who you were before, and that can feel like loss until you realize it’s an opening. With therapy, deconditioning old beliefs about time and worth, and a tighter circle, the new version starts to feel like home. That shift touches everything from how you work to how you show up for joy, like stopping to feel snow on your face instead of racing to the car.

Community is the throughline. The village probably won’t arrive fully formed; you’ll build it from neighbors, online groups, library programs, and one friend who answers at 2 a.m. That’s why we’re reopening the Selfish Sisterhood—connection first, less calendar clutter, deeper support. And when sleep wobbles or routines fall apart, we lean on a grounding mantra: it’s just a phase. It will pass. Meanwhile, choose presence where you can and laugh at the yogurt on the floor before you wipe it up.

If this resonates, hit play and share it with a friend who could use a softer, sturdier way to parent. Subscribe for more honest conversations, rate the show to help others find it, and drop your biggest life lesson in a review—what would you tell your younger self?

Self(ish) Sisterhood ---> https://jessclerke.com/self-ish-sisterhood

Thank you for listening to Self(ish) Confidence! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or on your social media and tag me @jess.clerke so I can personally thank you for helping spread some confidence + love!

Check out my website at: www.jessclerke.com

If you're on instagram, come say hi!! 👋👋
My Personal Account ---> @jess.clerke
The Podcast Account ---> @selfishconfidence

The world feels loud, the energy is weird, and anxiety is riding shotgun. We open the mic anyway and get real about what self-belief looks like when life is messy, opinions are everywhere, and you’re still figuring out who you are after big changes. A spark from a bold halftime performance kicks things off, but the heart of this conversation lives in the ordinary: showing up when no one’s clapping, protecting your power, and choosing your voice over the chorus of “play it safe.”

I share a simple, sturdy framework for building confidence that lasts. First, curate the right circle—the people who mirror your strength and hype you when your inner voice goes quiet. Second, stack small, measurable wins that prove you do what you say: buy the shoes, run the first kilometer, post the idea, make the ask. Third, visualize the you you’re becoming and reverse-engineer her daily habits, boundaries, and support system. We dig into identity shifts, people-pleasing traps, and how to stop outsourcing validation to likes, gatekeepers, or casual critics.

Subscribe for more real talk on confidence, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review so we can help more women choose themselves, speak their truth, and shine.

Barbados Retreat Waitlist

FREE Vision Board Party - February 15 7PM AST

Thank you for listening to Self(ish) Confidence! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or on your social media and tag me @jess.clerke so I can personally thank you for helping spread some confidence + love!

Check out my website at: www.jessclerke.com

If you're on instagram, come say hi!! 👋👋
My Personal Account ---> @jess.clerke
The Podcast Account ---> @selfishconfidence

The world feels heavy, the snow won’t quit, and emotions sit closer to the surface than usual—so we decided to name it, feel it, and turn it into momentum. We trace a powerful arc from the year of the snake to the year of the horse, unpacking why this transition can stir grief, restlessness, and a craving for renewal. Instead of forcing positivity, we get honest about the last six years, the hope that keeps returning, and the very human need to lay down what no longer fits before we pick up speed.

I share the story behind my favorite Barbados mug and the retreat energy we’re bringing into May: confidence, sisterhood, and the courage to show up as the truest version of ourselves. From there, we dig into the work of shedding. You’ll get simple, grounded rituals to release looping fears and rigid opinions—write it down, burn or bury it, breathe it out—and embodied practices that help emotions move through your body rather than getting stuck in your throat and shoulders. We talk candidly about motherhood and identity, how old judgments can become cages, and why cracking the door on a once impossible desire can change your entire trajectory.

Then comes initiation. The horse year is about action, not endless wishing. We lay out what messy action looks like in real life and why rest is strategic fuel, not a setback. Think fewer screens, more sleep, tiny creative moments, and the confidence that grows when you keep small promises to yourself. By the end, you’ll have prompts to decide what you’re leaving behind, language to speak your next step out loud, and a renewed sense that your energy matters in a world that needs your voice.

If this resonates, send me a DM to share what you’re releasing, grab one of the final retreat spots, or ask about a Human Design reading. And if you’re loving Selfish Confidence, subscribe, share this episode with a friend, and leave a quick review—it helps more women find the courage to act.

Barbados Retreat --> https://jessclerke.com/barbados-retreat

Barbados Retreat Waitlist ---> https://jessclerke.myflodesk.com/retreat

Thank you for listening to Self(ish) Confidence! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or on your social media and tag me @jess.clerke so I can personally thank you for helping spread some confidence + love!

Check out my website at: www.jessclerke.com

If you're on instagram, come say hi!! 👋👋
My Personal Account ---> @jess.clerke
The Podcast Account ---> @selfishconfidence

We get honest about the modern routine: wake to a small screen, work on a medium screen, unwind with a big screen, and fall asleep with the small one again. I share why I stopped obsessing over my child’s screen time and started measuring my own. We explore the real costs—anxiety, comparison, memory slip, and that itchy feeling of never quite being here—as well as the real gifts technology brings when it’s used on purpose. If you’ve ever wondered why your day feels thin after an hour of reels, this conversation will feel like a deep exhale.

You’ll hear practical steps that actually work in a busy life: 5‑minute social media limits with the Be Present app, switching your phone to grayscale to dull the dopamine, deleting high‑drain apps, and moving long replies to desktop. We talk about morning phone fasts that reset cravings, buddy accountability to keep promises, and how boredom becomes a greenhouse for creativity and calm. Along the way, we return to what matters: modeling healthy habits for our kids, finding quiet rituals that lower the anxiety hum, and noticing the small joys—snow-laced trees, a neighbor’s hello, a child turning pages just to hear the sound.

Barbados Self(ish) Retreat --> https://jessclerke.com/barbados-retreat

Be Present App ---> https://www.bepresentapp.com/

If you’re ready to step out of the algorithm and back into your life, press play, try one habit today, and tell me how it goes. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more women can find the tools and community to build real confidence.

Thank you for listening to Self(ish) Confidence! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or on your social media and tag me @jess.clerke so I can personally thank you for helping spread some confidence + love!

Check out my website at: www.jessclerke.com

If you're on instagram, come say hi!! 👋👋
My Personal Account ---> @jess.clerke
The Podcast Account ---> @selfishconfidence