Slow down. Be gentle. Invite joy.
Hey there. I’m Anya.
I offer a safe harbour to sensitive, kindness-centred people to help them reject burnout and embrace softer 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
Why is my work important?
Because kindness-centred people often need permission to extend their compassion inward.
They're usually the ones holding space for others but may struggle to receive that same gentleness from themselves and others.
Through our time together, you could move:
From people-pleasing to conscious kindness
From overwhelm to intentional boundaries
From "too sensitive" to wisely attuned
From surviving to softly thriving
Are you a kindness-centred person?
You feel…
A natural pull toward helping others feel safe and understood
Genuine joy when others succeed or feel good
Distress when witnessing unkindness
A desire to make spaces gentler and more inclusive
Deep satisfaction in meaningful connections
Sometimes overwhelmed by others' emotions because you feel them so deeply
You think…
"How can I make this easier for everyone?"
"There might be more to the story."
"What might they be going through?"
"I wonder if they need support?"
"How can I help without overextending myself?"
"Maybe we can find a win-win here."
And you…
Pause before responding to understand better
Check in with others unprompted
Remember small details about people
Make space for different perspectives
Apologise genuinely when needed
Choose your words carefully to avoid harm
Try to create safe spaces for vulnerability
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An Hour of Kindness
Give yourself the gift of gentleness
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Coaching
Explore your options and uncover a way forward
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The Unlocking Happiness Summit
8 experts, unlocking happiness 20 minutes at a time.
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
Using boundaries to help you live more intentionally
Why me?
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.
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 comes with videos, audios, and transcripts.
Sign up for my newsletter for instant access!
The A - Z of Happiness Podcast
With Anya Pearse and Mark Steadman
Exploring the science of happiness, one letter at a time.
