Anya Pearse at Summercamp 2022

Slow down. Be gentle. Invite joy.

Hey there. I’m Anya.

I help smart and kind people reject burnout and embrace soft living with less guilt or shame.

“What if we stopped celebrating being busy as a measurement of importance?

What if instead we celebrated how much time we had spent listening, pondering, meditating, and enjoying time with the most important people in our lives?”

— Greg McKeown, Essentialism

Do you struggle with people-pleasing? You’re not alone.

I know so many big-hearted and caring people who;

  • Don’t know how to set boundaries

  • Are unable to connect with their own needs

  • Habitually prioritise the needs of others

  • Struggle to give themselves the care they give others

Which is why I’ve made a free 4-part 50-minute video course, The People Pleaser’s First Aid Kit.

It comes complete with videos, audios, and transcripts!

Watch “Why do we people-please?”

Sign up to my newsletter for full instant access

* indicates required

Intuit Mailchimp

  • An Hour of Kindness

    Give yourself the gentleness you need

  • Coaching

    Explore your options and uncover a way forward

  • The Unlocking Happiness Summit

    8 experts, unlocking happiness 20 minutes at a time. FREE ACCESS

What is “soft living”?

Originating amongst Nigerian influencers in 2022, “a soft life” began as a way to describe “easy and comfortable living.”

Since then, it’s been misused to describe a desire for wealth, luxury, and financial dependence.

However, psychologist Mark Traver’s defines it in Forbes as:

  • A rejection of hustle culture

  • Revitalising health through self-care

  • Living intentionally while creating boundaries

I have an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology, studying ‘the science of what makes life worth living.’

Positive psychology reveals what’s fundamental for our wellbeing: focusing on self-compassion, relationships, meaning, and creativity. I see a strong link to soft living.

I’ve also lived with a disabling chronic health condition since 2006. This has involved self-care, self-compassion, saying no, and embracing a quieter way of living.

And so to me, a soft life is how I’ve lived for almost 20 years.

Anya Pearse and Mark Steadman

The A - Z of Happiness Podcast

With Anya Pearse and Mark Steadman

Explore the science of happiness, one letter at a time.