The Relaxed Woman

“The Relaxed Woman is not just a book; it’s a manifesto. It’s a wake-up call. It’s a rallying cry not to do more, be more, or have more, but to actually relax into yourself and your life. Nicola’s words are a balm. Every woman needs to read this book!” —Jamie Varon, bestselling author of Radically Content: Being Satisfied in an Endlessly Dissatisfied World

“As a distinctly not-relaxed woman, this book was a great reminder of what we must consider on our journey to becoming calm and content. Hobbs calls into question philosophies and cultural expectations that keep women from being relaxed, and provides helpful questions for personal reflection along the way. If you are unfamiliar with factors keeping women from a calm life, this book is a great place to build your understanding.” —Emily Ballesteros, bestselling author of The Cure for Burnout: How to Find Balance and Reclaim Your Life

“From the first page of Nicola Jane Hobbs’ The Relaxed Woman, I felt my shoulders soften, my breathing slow, and my mind expand. Revelatory, genuinely empowering, and deeply compassionate, this book is sure to help any woman who has felt stretched thin, burned out, or disconnected from feelings of awe and joy. I walked away convinced that relaxation can indeed be a feminist act—a hidden source of liberation that, until now, has been largely untapped. Let the relaxed woman revolution begin!” —Danielle Friedman, author of Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World

“In a world that glorifies hustle and overwhelm, The Relaxed Woman is a refreshing invitation to embrace softness, self-compassion, and ease in your daily routine. It is a thought-provoking read for any woman navigating the tightrope of modern femininity, and struggling to balancing ambition with well-being, who desires to move through life with confidence and calm, free from the pressures of constant striving.” —Melissa Petro, author of Shame on You: How to Be a Woman in the Age of Mortification

“[An] uplifting guide…Drawing from her own therapeutic work and neuroscientific models…psychologist Hobbs (Daily Awakening) outlines how readers can recover a relaxation impulse stamped out by “stress, trauma, and cultural conditioning.”…Interspersing the account with frequent reminders to take brief moments to relax, Hobbs provides readers with practical strategies for self-care while clarifying that resting need not mean ignoring obligations but rather doing away with unproductive stress to preserve energy for one’s priorities. Those in need of a vacation will find this the next best thing.” —Publishers Weekly

“This book is an exhalation—a permission slip to slow down, soften, and relax into who you truly are. The Relaxed Woman is an invitation to release the grip of over-efforting, untangle from the myth of constant productivity, and return to a state of deep trust and ease. Through rich insights and gentle reminders, this book guides you back to yourself—the version of you that moves through life with joy, freedom, and an unshakable sense of peace.” —Amber Rae, bestselling author of Loveable: One Woman’s Path from Good to Free

“The Relaxed Woman is a profound act of resistance against a world that measures women by their productivity and sacrifice. With wisdom and compassion, Nicola Jane Hobbs revives the forgotten archetype of the relaxed woman—one who trusts her body, honors her needs, and reclaims rest as a source of power, freedom, and deep belonging.” —Brittany Piper, author of Body-First Healing: Get Unstuck and Recover from Trauma with Somatic Healing

“This is the book I’ve needed but didn’t know I needed—from the very first line, I felt seen and understood on the deepest of levels. If you, like me, have spent most of your life doing, striving, achieving, rushing, and pushing forward despite deep exhaustion and overwhelm, this book is for you. Through her warm, understanding, inspiring words (and research!), Nicola gives tired women everywhere the permission we’ve been waiting for: you deserve to relax. I can’t wait to gift this book to all of my friends and work through it together!” —Mary Catherine Starr, author of Mama Needs a Minute!