Get Merry

We're back, two episodes in a row (look at us go!), we're chatting all things reading: why fiction is its own kind of self-help, how a good book is the ultimate antidote to endless scrolling, and how we are in our romantasy genre era. We really didn't do this topic justice, just getting back into the groover of podcasting. We get into reading as a presence practice (hello, kind of a meditation), why doing things just for the joy of it is so underrated. And a little tangent on why a business needs a whole lot more than money to feel successful. Plus, of course, all the books we've been reading.Key takeaways:Fiction is self-help in disguise. Stories help us process emotions, build empathy, shift perspective and feel less alone, often more enjoyably than a stack of "become a better you" books ever could.Reading is the perfect scroll-stopper. When you're deep in a story, you're participating, not consuming, which is why a book leaves you restorative instead of drained like an Instagram-to-TikTok spiral.It's a beautiful presence practice. If silent meditation feels hard, reading a chapter before bed (phone in another room!) is single-focus, calming and great for sleep.Let go of needing an ROI on everything. You're allowed to read, paint, or learn purely for the joy of it. Not every activity has to "better" you or make money, and that includes how you approach learning.Don't knock the "cliché" books. Romance and romantasy aren't lesser reads. They're fun, human and absolutely worth reclaiming (and yes, Fourth Wing is worth the hype x 100000).Resources & books mentioned:My Brilliant Friend series – Elena FerranteWomen Who Run With the Wolves – Clarissa Pinkola EstésFourth Wing (The Empyrean series) – Rebecca YarrosA Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR), Crescent City & Throne of Glass series – Sarah J. MaasThe Seven Sisters series – Lucinda RileyZodiac Academy series – Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti (I kind of put this down but it's actually so good!!)The Ascended, Riftborne & Duskbound – Greenwich & LennoxMile High / The Windy City series – Liz TomfordeThe Poisoned Daughter (standalone)Alphabet Weekends – Elizabeth NobleConfessions of a Shopaholic – Sophie KinsellaOff Campus (book-based series)Kayla Books – Canadian book reviewer on Instagram (good recommendations)Got a book rec for us? Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!Read for the joy of it. Move for the joy of it. This whole episode is really about doing things for the sake of doing them, not because of what you'll get out of them. And this is kind of similar to our ethos with exercise too!MerryBody is our Yoga, Pilates & Meditation app made for exactly this kind of joyful, no-pressure practice, short, feel-good classes with zero "fix yourself" energy. Roll out your mat and join us: merrybodystudio.com/ — or download straight from your app store: geni.us/merrybody Dreaming of going deeper? The School of MerryBody Yoga Teacher Trainings are all about falling in love with the process, not just chasing the certificate (yes, you'll absolutely get certified, it's Yoga Alliance approved!. Our 200 Hour, Yin Yoga, and Yamas & Niyamas trainings are open now: 200 Hour YTT · Yin Yoga YTT

We're back!! The last time we hit record was November 2025… and somehow it's now June 2026. Oops. But while the podcast went quiet, everything else got busy (in the best way).Life and business update, we didn't get to everything... and far out did I (Emma) always say LIKE that much. Noted, and now working on this forevermore. In this episode:Carla's about to have baby number two, any day now!Emma's has ittle house on a mountain in ItalyWe completely rebuilt and relaunched the MerryBody app, the one we've dreamed about for years!The tiny app features that have doubled our members' class finishesWhy movement really is medicineA very Merrymaker tangent on community + staying grounded when the world feels a bit muchRight now we have all this exciting begin again energy. So good to be back. Let us know if you have any podcast topic ideas!Have a play with the brand-new MerryBody app, if you've never tried MerryBody, head on over here and get your personalised 3 Day Class Plan: https://merrybodystudio.com/plan If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.Always merrymaking,Emma + Carla

How do we have a mind of our own in the world of AI? What even is real or AI? We chat about the rise of AI-generated content and the impact of influencer culture.This is what we spoke about during the episodeAI-generated influencers are looking more and more realistic, especially when they mimic everyday “normal” online life. Crazy we know!How influencer culture affects people's choices more than they realise, from shopping to self-image.Slowing down, practising presence and questioning trends help you stay true to you.Fashion trends create sameness.How to practice critical thinking and stay connected to your own values instead of just repeating opinions from your feed.Yoga, meditation, presence and how slowing down helps you connect to yourself.Stay informed but notice media bias.How we use AI in our business while still keeping our own creativity and ideas. Is it possible?!If you're not yet a MerryBody member, sign up for a 7-day trial not just to exercise daily but also to practise self-acceptance.If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.Always merrymaking,Emma + Carla 

Welcome back to week two of our podcast comeback! In this episode, we're diving deep into something you've been asking about for ages: how to teach yoga online. We're taking you behind the scenes of how we create our MerryBody online classes. Mic issues, sister fights on set, and all the real talk about what it takes to film Yoga and Pilates classes!This is what we spoke about during the episodeWe looked back on our very first online class recordings in 2018 and reflected on how far we’ve come since then, both in confidence and production quality.Feeling comfortable, confident and connected with your videographer makes such a big difference when you're filming online classes.We follow the one-take rule and approach filming like we're teaching in person, which keeps everything authentic and seamless even when we fumble, miscount or say left when we mean right.Our filming setup includes five cameras, professional lighting and lots of natural light because it creates the most beautiful look for our classes.Our monthly themes guide everything we create, from class titles to the actual movements we choose.We broke down our full production workflow from start to finish.We're brainstorming the idea of creating something to help other yoga and Pilates teachers build their online offerings, so let us know if that's something you'd be interested in.If you're not yet a MerryBody member, sign up for the 7-day trial not just to exercise daily but also to practise self-acceptance.If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.Always merrymaking,Emma + Carla

It's been 6 months! Can you believe it. But we are back! And excited to be back. This episode is literally a sister chat, we have no idea if anyone will get to the end of it haha. But you know, we hesitated a moment before hitting publish then thought... no we have to publish it! It's been 6 months after all! So here we go, episode 439 on the Get Merry Podcast Show!This is what we spoke about during the episodeWe built an online Yin Yoga course (we are running it right now, and yes, it's amazing!).We ran the 2025 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Cohort. Another beautiful cohort! We went to Italy for a month with the whole family, Emma got married in Martina Franca! And yes, we are actually planning next week's episode! If you're not yet a MerryBody member, sign up for the 7-day trial not just to exercise daily but also to practise self-acceptance.If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.Always merrymaking,Emma + CarlaP.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage.

In this episode, we take inspiration from the iconic “Mean Girls” scene where the Plastics nitpick their flaws. We chat about self-criticism, body image, social media comparisons and how to choose a path of self-acceptance instead. If you're sick of those thoughts... "all the things wrong with me" kinda thoughts... tune in!This is what we spoke about during the episodeSocial media and influencers affect the skincare culture which leads to young girls wanting anti-aging products.How do we welcome in less comparison and judgement, and more peace, more acceptance and joy?Practising self-acceptance daily is a reminder of the truth that you are amazing just as you are. This is why we created MerryBody.You can't just practise self-acceptance in the moments where you need it.If you put a pause in between that self-criticism thought, it allows you to add reasoning and questioning of that thought.Carla just laughed off a comment about her postpartum belly. That's self-acceptance!Self-acceptance doesn’t mean complacency. It means taking care of yourself holistically, not just being "thin" or what the world thinks you should look or feel like.If you're not yet a MerryBody member, sign up for the 7-day trial not just to exercise daily but also to practise self-acceptance.If you loved this episode, share it with friends and family. Get in touch, we would love to hear from you, send us an email to carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters.Always merrymaking,Emma + CarlaP.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage.