20/01/2026
Whilst the world is busy dissecting the Beckhams 👀 I want to take a moment for the actual national treasure that is Declan Donnelly.
I actually think it’s genuinely refreshing that Dec has spoken so openly on Fearne’s about how he can’t just sit down and watch tv without that nagging feeling that he should be doing something else.
So many of us will recognise that constant low-level anxiety, because so many of us are quietly living with the exact same thing.
The inability to fully switch off.
The background hum of “I should be more productive right now.”
From a nervous system perspective, this makes complete sense 👇
When your nervous system has been living in a mild but chronic stress response, rest doesn’t feel safe.
Stillness feels unfamiliar and slowing down can bring guilt instead of relief.
So your body stays on alert - scanning, planning, doing - even when you’re exhausted. Because your system has learned that being alert = being safe.
This is especially common in:
• high achievers
• parents & care givers
• people who’ve lived in hustle or survival mode for a long time
• anyone who’s been praised for productivity over rest
And no, the answer isn’t meditation harder, complicated morning routines, or just ‘being more present’. It’s teaching your nervous system that nothing bad happens when you stop.
That’s why, if you work with me or come to my sessions, we rest first - always. Not as a reward. Not once you’ve earned it. We move intuitively, not performatively. There’s nothing to fix, improve or prove. And I share practical tools that help an overactive nervous system actually down-regulate; so your body can stop bracing, unclench, and learn what safety feels like again.
So shoutout to Dec for reminding us that just because this way of living is common, it doesn’t mean it’s normal. We don’t have to live in constant tension, in a state of vigilance awaiting next thing. We can break free from this old conditioning and live life unhustled - without opting out of ambition or shrinking ourselves in the process.
Hands up if you can relate 🙆♀️