Stress Management Tips for Cat-Loving Performers

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In this solo episode of Tails and Tassels, I share my top stress management tips for performers, from daily rituals and time management strategies to the grounding power of spending time with my cats. These simple but effective techniques help me avoid burnout and stay balanced in my busy life as a burlesque performer and podcast host.

✨ Links and Resources:

• Qveen Herby Patreon (for aura cleansing meditations)
• Peloton (for movement + relaxation)
• Happy Mew Year Episode on Setting Intentions

🎤 Stay Connected:

• Follow me on Instagram: @gemmasmithnyc, @tailsandtasselspod
• Follow Catbaret on Instagram: @catbareshow

💌 Get in Touch:
What’s your favorite way to manage stress? I’d love to hear your tips! Connect with me on Instagram, send a voice memo to tailsandtasselspod@gmail.com, or leave a comment—I’ll be sharing listener feedback in future episodes!

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Transcript

Gemma Smith (00:06.592)
and welcome back to Tails and Tassels, the show where you learn about the lives of burlesque and nightlife performers, their craft, their cats, and how the two worlds intertwine. I'm your host, Gemma Smith, by day. I'm a manager at a kitten nursery. And by night, I host The Catbaret Beret, a cat-themed variety show in New York City. In today's solo episode, I'm getting real about managing stress. 

Gemma Smith (00:35.814)
and doing my best to stay grounded while juggling a busy life of burlesque, podcasting, producing the cat beret, plus working by day in animal welfare. In this mini episode, I'm sharing five ways I manage stress, from morning rituals to breaking down big projects, and of course, the grounding power of cuddling with my cats. These tips are simple, honest, and easy to incorporate into your routine. 

Gemma Smith (01:05.164)
Before we dive in, I did receive some feedback from some of you listeners on your words for the year based off my last solo episode. So Jenny from Manhattan told me that her word is action, less talking about doing things and asking permission or overthinking, and more doing them. Some other words of the year shared to me through Instagram. 

Gemma Smith (01:34.624)
were limitless, go, peace, and courage. Another person shared that they choose as many words of the year as necessary. Sometimes it's an inspirational quote. Their words this year are self-care, selfish, and fun. So if you haven't shared with me your words for the year or any New Year ritual that you have, go back, listen to episode 10. 

Gemma Smith (02:02.198)
then DM me, email me, and I'll be sure to share your words on the next solo episode. All right. So let's dive into the five ways that I manage stress. My first tip is my morning routine. Now, I want to be real with you. This isn't an impossible morning routine, like wake up at 530, meditate for an hour. It's not like that. This is something that is simple and manageable for me. 

Gemma Smith (02:31.926)
And I'll be real that I don't follow this morning routine seven days a week. But on days I'm working at my day job, I've noticed having this time to myself in the morning has been a game changer. And I genuinely feel so much better when I follow this routine. So what is it? Well, it starts, of course, with cats. Lion-o in the morning loves to come into the bed and cuddle with me. And it's 

Gemma Smith (03:00.054)
A very specific cuddle, he goes around my husband's side of the bed, over the pillows to my side, and then down the left side of the bed where I am, even though the door is closer just to my side of the bed. He has this funny way. So sometimes I get up and I'm ready to start the rest of my routine, but I see him waiting for me outside the door to cuddle. So I've now set my alarm a little bit earlier. So we have at least 

Gemma Smith (03:26.296)
five to 10 minutes in the morning where I can just cuddle with him in bed. Once I've gotten my lion o' cuddles, of course I feed both the cats. My Luna deserves some love too. But next up is water, make my coffee and do a morning meditation or, or a cleanse by my favorite artist. She's a vocalist. She's also has a creative living podcast, Qveen Herby. I'm a member of her Patreon. 

Gemma Smith (03:54.944)
So morning meditation or aura cleanse by Qveen Herby while I drink my water and my coffee. And like I said, it's not an hour meditation. These meditations are five to eight minutes long. The aura cleanses, I used to feel silly at first sitting in front of the screen and she's like spraying a mist and now I have a little mist I use on myself to wake me up in the morning. But it's really nice to just 

Gemma Smith (04:22.962)
not look at my phone and scroll first thing, number one, and take a moment to be present. I've noticed that I always feel better after I do the meditation. And you can do, of course, any meditation. They're on YouTube, Headspace app, People Love. I like a guided meditation. And again, that five to eight minutes is enough for me. So after I... 

Gemma Smith (04:47.072)
After I do my meditation, I like to put on a playlist of some of my favorite songs that are very upbeat and positive to start my morning, and I journal. And I only journal for about five minutes. I do one page front and back, and it's just stream of consciousness, whatever's on my mind, whatever I'm anxious about, whatever I'm doing today. There's no real judgment. It's just to get pen to paper. So I've done my meditation, I do my journaling, and then after that, 

Gemma Smith (05:16.238)
I do Peloton and as I said, I'm gonna be honest here. I don't do the classes. I'm not like working out hardcore burning hundreds of calories. I'm doing it for about 30 minutes on a day I have more time, 45 to reality TV shows. I am watching Peacock. I am watching any Bravo show that you can think of. We've got some Real Housewives. We've got some. 

Gemma Smith (05:42.702)
Summer House perhaps, Real Housewives Potomac, Real Housewives Beverly Hills, Real Housewives New York. That's what I'm watching in the morning during Peloton. And it gives me something to look forward to when I'm doing the Peloton. And doing that is really for my mental health. It's to get my body moving, get my blood flowing, and it kind of just clears my brain. That is my morning routine. It's nothing too intense, I hope, but I notice a huge difference in my mental health. 

Gemma Smith (06:11.852)
when I do this versus the days I don't. And also if it's a day I'm going to my day job, it gives me that time in the morning that I'm giving back to myself. I know not everyone's a morning person. So for you, it might be better that you do this in the evening, a time after work. Like it's really whatever works best for you. A lot of burlesque performers, nightlife performers listening to this may not have day jobs like I do. They may full time make a living performing. 

Gemma Smith (06:41.504)
at night and so it's all going to look different based on your schedule and what works for you. Number two, another way that I manage stress is by time management. I am very naturally type A and organized and I like schedules. I honestly struggle with spontaneity and flexibility. There's areas for me to grow. I know myself, but 

Gemma Smith (07:08.768)
It's a big one for me. To avoid overwhelm, I have to manage my time. And I've learned that if I don't map out my time, then maybe I won't get anything done, or worse, I'll overdo it. I have a tendency to keep taking action as a coping mechanism sometimes for anxiety, but it can absolutely lead to burnout. So I schedule time for work, for the podcast, for cat beret planning, for time with friends. 

Gemma Smith (07:38.246)
and time for rest and of course play because that's my word for 2025. Blocking out rest is just as important as blocking out work. For me, I literally in a blue marker in my passion planner, I write rest on the evenings that I am not gonna make any plans other than watching an episode of Columbo with my husband. We're like on season nine. So DM me if you... 

Gemma Smith (08:05.396)
If you watch Columbo, so random. Okay, so how does this relate to my cat themed projects, my creative projects, right? So for example, for Cat Beret, I have a running to do list for each show starting at eight weeks out, then it goes to seven weeks out, six weeks and so on. And when I first plan the show, like book the date and the venue, I dump out all of the actions I need into different weeks. 

Gemma Smith (08:34.38)
I actually have a template, so I just copy the template and then adjust it for there. And with all of the actions in different weeks, I then can focus on completing actions one week at a time, and it really helps and not get overwhelmed by the weeks closer to the show. For example, eight weeks out might be post to save the date, confirm the show with the venue, confirm cast, start a run of show. Seven weeks out might be 

Gemma Smith (09:03.308)
Confirm show photographer, email to cast for details, confirm raffle prizes, things like that. And I have it all the way down, including social media, what I'm gonna post on social media and when. And having this running Google Doc, it's a Google Sheet has been insanely helpful. And I'm actually thinking of fine tuning this and finessing it and sharing it as a download for my 

Gemma Smith (09:32.758)
listeners to help plan your shows because I find that this organization has really, really helped me. I'm also an event coordinator. I've worked as a day of coordinator for folks' weddings. I've been hired in that capacity. So as far as planning events and timelines and producing, I have a lot of experience that I would love to share. And I'm always learning too from all of you. 

Gemma Smith (09:58.894)
Before we pounce into the next few ways I manage stress, I did want to give a Catbaret beret shout out. So I'll invite you to join us for a Galentine's Day party on Thursday, February 13th at Caveat here in New York City on the Lower East Side, doors at nine, show at 930. We're going to be celebrating felines and friendship. And it's not just for the gals, okay? In this case, Galentine's is gender neutral. 

Gemma Smith (10:28.264)
All are welcome, except your cats, okay? Humans only. But if you'd like to join virtually, we have tickets available for only $10. There's also an interactive chat feature. You can join from home with your kitty cat. That would be so much fun. Early bird tickets are on sale now to the Cat Beret in New York City in person for only $20. We've got an incredible lineup. I'll be doing a burlesque tribute to my cat. 

Gemma Smith (10:57.228)
So check out the link in the show notes. I'd love to celebrate with you and grow our community of cat lovers. And the third way that I manage stress is to feel my feelings. Sometimes the best thing you can do when you're feeling overwhelmed or anxious is to let it out. I'm not afraid to have a good cry or sit with my emotions. You know, I got divorced when I was 30 and that was a really hard time for me. 

Gemma Smith (11:26.462)
And that's when I really learned how to feel my feelings. I would try to push them away. It was just very hard. And when I learned to let my feelings wash over me like a wave, this metaphor really helped me. I would let my feelings wash over me like a wave, and then they would wash back out. And I do still struggle sometimes when I'm feeling a certain way and I don't want to feel that way. 

Gemma Smith (11:56.174)
I have to remind myself of this metaphor and remind myself that feelings aren't bad, feelings aren't facts, feelings are just feelings and they're meant to be felt. It's so important to sit with yourself and make space for your emotions and not to judge them. And journaling also helps with that, talking to a friend, which leads me into my next tip. Number four, another way that I help manage stress and stay grounded. 

Gemma Smith (12:25.074)
is community. My words for the year truly are play and also community. For me, it's important to connect with others in a meaningful way and also to let my hair down and have some fun. Whether it's hanging out with my husband, Alan, seeing a burlesque show with my friend Tabby Twitch, or meeting with my monthly creative mastermind group as an extrovert, 

Gemma Smith (12:52.242)
I need this social time to recharge. Everyone's different. Community may look different to you and how much of it that you need, but I do think it's important to connect with others, to feel seen and heard and appreciated and valued is very meaningful. And so for me, when I've isolated too much and I'm not connecting with friends, I notice it affects my stress. And a reminder that it's normal to feel stressed. 

Gemma Smith (13:21.196)
It's okay to feel stressed. Stress is a part of life, right? It's gonna be here no matter what, but it's helpful to have tips to help you manage and process stress, and self-compassion is key. Okay, so my last, but certainly not least way that I manage stress is cat connection and grounding techniques. 

Gemma Smith (13:49.678)
Cat connection is key. Lion-o and Luna remind me to be present. I am so grateful for them. And I don't know about you, but my cats are 10 and 11, and I've had them since they were kittens. And sometimes my brain goes to thinking about that they're not going to be here forever. Of course, that's going to cause me more anxiety and stress. But I remind myself to be... 

Gemma Smith (14:14.242)
present in the moment with them and that they're here now and that I love them. So I try to truly be present with them. 

Gemma Smith (14:24.022)
I also practice some grounding exercises while hanging out with them, but also when I'm out and about and my brain is thinking a million things. So I like to, you may have done this, notice five things that I see, four things that I hear, three things that I touch, two things that I smell and one that I taste. It helps me reset and focus when I'm feeling super anxious. 

Gemma Smith (14:50.242)
So those are two kind of grounding techniques that I have, my cats and also being present in the moment. Also, perhaps this is TMI, but I don't think it is because you're my cat loving creatives who get it, but I always feel relief and my stress just melts away after I hear my cat lion, pee in the litter box, his urine is music to my ears. 

Gemma Smith (15:18.892)
I cannot believe I said that, but Lion-o has had two previous urinary obstructions and those are life-threatening and extremely stressful. If you know, you know, we're going to touch on that in a future solo episode. So his urine is truly music to my ears. In closing, stress is a part of life, right? But it doesn't have to take over. These five practices, my morning routine, time management, feeling my feelings. 

Gemma Smith (15:48.056)
community and connecting with my cats helped me stay balanced. And I would love to hear from you. What do you do to manage stress? Do these resonate? Do you have other ideas? Please drop me a comment, send a DM. I'd love to hear your tips. And that's a wrap for this episode of Tails and Tassels. So if you have any questions, comments, or just want to say meow, feel free to send us an email at talesandtasselspod at gmail.com. 

Gemma Smith (16:32.84)
Thank you for listening and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Also join our community on Instagram at Tails and Tossels Pod for more updates and behind the scenes fun. See you next time, kitty cats.