Confessions of a Group X Instructor

Author: Ellen Elisabeth de Werd

Confessions of a Group X instructor, a podcast for group exercise junkies, and any other oddballs. Meet your host, Ellen de Werd, Creator of the group WARRIOR Rhythm, WARRIOR Strength, WARRIOR Combat, and WARRIOR Revolution group fitness brands. Journey with us through thought-provoking, heartwarming education and inspiration from badass fit pros in the field. Listen, learn, love, and above all laugh!!! HERE. we. grow.
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Language: en

Genres: Fitness, Health & Fitness

Contact email: Get it

Feed URL: Get it

iTunes ID: Get it

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Self-Kindness Over Self-Optimization with Guest Cassie Mazie
Monday, 19 January, 2026

🎙️ #95 with special guest Cassie MazieWe live in a culture obsessed with optimization—biohacking, productivity, and constantly doing more. In this episode, we explore when the pursuit of self-optimization shifts from supportive to harmful, and Cassie talks about how pushing harder isn’t always the answer. We also unpack what self-kindness truly means and how it differs from the version of “self-care” that’s often marketed to us.Through the lens of the fitness industry, we examine the unspoken expectations to override the body, suppress emotions, or ignore intuition in order to meet external standards. This conversation invites honest reflection on how often those pressures show up—and what they cost us over time.We also dive into the idea of success and worth, questioning how productivity, physical appearance, and performance became measures of value in the first place. What does it look like to begin separating who we are from what we produce or how we perform?From there, we bring the conversation into practical, everyday life. We discuss one small but radical act of self-kindness listeners can practice this week—something simple, accessible, and deeply human.Finally, we talk about leadership, boundaries, and permission. We share the boundaries that help protect the nervous system, creativity, and joy, and explore how leaders can offer themselves the same grace, compassion, and understanding they so freely give to the communities they serve.www.biablends.comwww.instagram.com/biablendsBIA’s Newsletter!Thank you so much for listening! Please rate ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and share the show!Check out the WARRIOR formats:⁠https://warriorinstructors.com/⁠🤘🏼 Follow Ellen on Social:⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ellendewerd/⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellendewerd⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ellen.dewerd🏹 Follow WARRIOR on Insta:https://www.instagram.com/warrior_group_fitness_/🏹 Follow WARRIOR on YouTube & TikTok:⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdA3cH7_JBKp30H5vwyVk7w⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@warriorinstructoracademy?lang=en⁠⁠