If you’ve caught yourself thinking, “What’s wrong with me? Why am I so tired?” as December begins, you’re not alone. In this episode, Blaze talks honestly about holiday burnout, year-end exhaustion, and the very human urge to push through our limits instead of listening to our bodies.

We explore how the pressure to “finish strong,” meet end-of-year goals, show up for every holiday event, and take care of everyone else can leave you feeling broken, behind, and strangely guilty for wanting rest. Blaze gently unpacks why you’re so tired—not because you’re failing, but because you’ve been giving so much of yourself for so long. Together, we’ll look at how cumulative stress, people-pleasing, and perfectionism keep you stuck in overdrive, and how to begin shifting toward self-compassion, realistic expectations, and tiny acts of restorative self-care.

You’ll be invited to zoom out and see your life in seasons, to question the urge to push past your breaking point, and to recognize the quiet truth: you’ve already carried so much. This week’s reflection is a love letter to your effort and a reminder that needing rest doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you’re human.

Read the full transcript here.

#holidayburnout #yearendexhaustion #whyiamsotired #emotionalfatigue #selfcompassion #holidayselfcare #burnoutrecovery #restisproductive #anchoredandalive

It’s Thanksgiving week in the U.S. A swirl of holiday travel, flight-delay headlines, full kitchens, and family gatherings that can send stress through the roof. In this timely episode, Blaze explores why rest is powerful and how to actually get it when life is loud. Using a vivid foam-roller story (hello, tight calves after a mountain hike) as a metaphor for releasing muscle tension and emotional knots, she unpacks the productivity myths that fuel burnout, guilt, and “never enough” thinking, especially during the holidays.

You’ll learn practical ways to take mindful breaks (even in a crowded house), work with nervous system regulation in real time, and use compassionate boundaries so you can enjoy connection without abandoning yourself. Blaze talks about ditching “sleep score” anxiety, honoring your body’s need for better sleep and recovery, and turning rest into a steady self-care practice before, during, and after the big day.

If travel plans, cooking timelines, or group dynamics have you clenched, this conversation is your permission slip: rest isn’t laziness; it’s how your body integrates meaning, memory, and gratitude.

You can read the full transcript here.

#Thanksgivingweek #holidaytravelstress #familygatherings #burnoutrecovery #mindfulselfcare #bettersleep #nervoussystemregulation #boundaries #takethebreak #anchoredandalive

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As we head into the third week of November—with darker evenings, more time indoors, and holiday planning in full swing, our spaces start to reflect how we feel. This conversation is about creating room to breathe: clearing physical clutter, easing mental load, and softening emotional clutter so you can welcome gatherings, board-game nights, and cozy winter nesting without losing yourself.

Blaze shares how seasonal shifts change what we notice at home (hello, air filters and tidying the corners), and how organizing a desk, kitchen table, or bedroom floor can unlock surprising stress relief and creativity. You’ll hear gentle strategies for hosting family gatherings with less overwhelm, using boundaries as generosity, and building simple rhythms that support nervous system regulation - so you show up present, not pressured.

This week’s Anchor Practice, The Three Things Clearing, helps you identify one thing to release, one thing to hold close, and one small action that honors your values. Think of it as a verbal tidy-up that frees space in your home, your mind, and your heart right now, and through the quieter January lull ahead.

If you’ve been juggling to-dos, expectations, and everyone else’s needs, let this be your reminder: you can choose simplicity. Making space is not neglect. It’s care.

#holidayplanning #decluttering #mentalclutter #emotionalclutter #winternesting #familygatherings #boundaries #stressrelief #nervoussystemregulation #anchoredandalive

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Right after the Daylight Saving time change, when darker evenings, cooler air, and the first waves of holiday stress arrive, many of us feel a tug between extra energy in the crisp mornings and fall fatigue by late afternoon. In this conversation, Blaze explores how the season itself invites us to slow down, savor the small things (hot tea, soup, birdsong), and practice mindful self-care before the rush of gatherings and to-dos ramps up.

Drawing on personal stories about aging, presence, and sensitivity, Blaze shares how to notice early signs of burnout and overwhelm, honor introvert needs during family gatherings, and set compassionate boundaries so you can enjoy connection without losing yourself. You’ll hear simple ways to tune into your body with tiny check-ins, breath, or a short walk outside, that support nervous system regulation and help you return to what actually matters.

This week’s Anchor Practice, The 60-Second Soften, guides you to pause, release tension, and reset - in the kitchen, in the car, or even between conversations - so you can meet the season with presence, not pressure.

If you’ve been pushing through, let this be your permission slip: you don’t have to earn rest. Slowing down now is how you protect your energy, deepen gratitude, and show up for the people (and moments) you love.

#daylightsaving #holidaystressrelief #fallfatigue #burnoutrecovery #mindfulselfcare #nervoussystemregulation #boundaries #anchoredandalive

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This first episode begins where all true transformations do: in the soil of loss.

When Blaze’s brother Matt died by suicide, life stopped making sense. What followed was a long, disorienting year of grief and healing. One that stripped away everything except what truly mattered. Through that painful stillness, she discovered surprising lessons about emotional resilience, purpose, and what it means to keep living with heart after loss.

Roots and Remembrance is both a tribute and a beginning: the story of how grief reshaped Blaze’s understanding of who she is, and how it planted the seeds for her coaching work, her course, and this podcast. Together, we’ll explore what it looks like to find meaning after tragedy, reconnect to your community, and let love become your compass forward.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support. (If you’re outside the U.S., please look up your local crisis helpline.)

Topics: grief and loss, suicide loss support, emotional healing, personal growth after tragedy, resilience, finding meaning, life after loss

#griefandhealing #emotionalresilience #anchoredandalive #lifecoaching #findingmeaning #selfcompassion

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Welcome to Anchored and Alive: a podcast for sensitive souls craving real self-care, emotional clarity, and a life that actually feels like theirs.

Hosted by life coach Blaze Schwaller, this weekly show offers practical support for deep feelers, burnt-out people-pleasers, and anyone ready to reconnect to their inner knowing.

Each episode brings you grounded tools, seasonal wisdom, and honest conversations about feelings, boundaries, and the practices that help you root deeper, breathe easier, and live more aligned, with magic, meaning and heart.

If you're overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or tired of pretending you're fine when you're not, you're not alone. And you're in the right place.

Subscribe now and start with the first few episodes. You'll feel right at home.

✨ Ready to feel calmer and more connected?
Download your free Emotional Alignment Starter Kit - a soul-centered guide to ease overwhelm and reconnect with what truly matters.
👉 Get your free kit here