A Reintroduction
Well, hello there! You might have noticed that things are looking a little different around here. My little slice of the internet got a big old shiny refresh!
It’s something that’s been on my to do list for ages now. I knew I had to make a change as my old blog wasn’t really the best fit for housing things like my podcast or links to the events I’ve been running, but I also felt a little bit emotional about the whole process. My blog has been my little sidekick for such a long time now, and I was so scared of making a mistake and losing the hundreds of posts that have poured out of me over the last 4 years.
But after a lot of Googling and late nights I finally took the plunge, and fingers crossed, everything seems to be working just fine. There are still some tweaks to make and pages to update, but it already feels like a big step in the right direction.
Anyway, I thought I’d use this little refresh as a good excuse to reintroduce myself to you all. Some of you have been following along since the very beginning (thank you, thank you, thank you) and some of you are a little bit newer around here. Either way, let’s get to know each other a little better, shall we?
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So, let’s start with the usual stuff. I’m Sophie, but you already knew that. I’m 29 (and still processing how I feel about that - any other 29 year olds out there who can sympathise?), and I live in Leeds with my husband, Sam, and our little cheeky cat, Lola. I’ve been an official Yorkshire resident for over a decade now (I moved here for uni and kinda forgot to leave), but I’m originally from the North West - if you listen to my podcast, you might have noticed the slight Scouse twang! I love everything about living up north, from the friendly people to the beautiful cities and countryside on our doorstep.
I’ve worked a variety of jobs over the years, but the majority of my career has been spent working in sales and marketing roles for big companies like Disney and Hallmark. More recently I’ve been heading up the retail and expansion team at a beauty tech start up, a role which has not only honed my entrepreneurial spirit, but has also allowed me to reconnect with the work I love the most - coaching and developing a team of amazing people, and helping them to realise what they’re capable of.
Alongside all of those day jobs, I’ve been running this blog in my spare time for over 4 years now. During that time I’ve written about pretty much every topic you can think of, from fashion, to travel, to grief and mental health. Around 12 months ago I realised that what brought me the most joy was creating content that helped people to get more out of their lives. I started to focus more on that topic here on the blog, and also created my newsletter, The Weekly Pep Talk. More recently I launched a podcast talking about all things positivity, and have also been working on some courses to help people think a little differently about their lives.
Earlier this year I decided to merge the experience I have of coaching and developing teams in the corporate world, and combine it with what I’ve been writing about, studying and learning on my own journey over the past few years. That all culminated with launching my 1:1 coaching services last month, a move that has felt more “right for me” than anything I’ve done in a very long time.
I work with brilliant people to help them realise their worth, figure out what they really want out of life, and then create a plan of action to help them get there. I work with my clients to unpick mindset blocks that are holding them back, figure out what the best next step is for them, and help them to get back in touch with those big dreams that have been buried under other people’s expectations and opinions. It’s the most inspiring work I’ve ever done, and I’m so excited to see where it leads in the next few years.
That’s the big stuff covered, but what else is there to know about me? Well, let’s see.
I’m one of those annoying morning people who springs out of bed everyday, and I often get my best work done before 11am. I prefer tea to coffee - always Yorkshire, brewed for a couple of minutes with a splash of milk added at the end. I prefer nights on the sofa to nights on the tiles these days, although I’ll never say no to a glass of red wine!
New York is my favourite city in the world - I know it makes me a giant cliché to admit that, but I don’t care. There’s something about the energy there that is pure magic and just strolling along the streets makes me feel like I could take on the world. I’m also a big fan of weekends at the seaside (I’d love to live by the sea one day), and long walks in the country.
I make a cracking roast dinner, but I hate doing the dishes afterwards. In fact, I can’t think of many household chores that I enjoy! I’m also a creature of habit - my musician husband is always trying to get me hooked on the latest record releases, but the truth is that most of the time you’ll find me still singing along to the same five albums that I loved ten years ago.
I have an argumentative streak which I definitely inherited from my Dad, and I’m a class A people pleaser, a trait that my Mum also shares. I can be as stubborn as ox sometimes, and when I set my heart on something, I’ll work my backside off until I get it. I’m also loyal and protective, and will do just about anything for the people I love.
I can always be found with my nose in a book, and I’ve been the same way since I was a little girl. I’m pretty good with numbers (and have got the A* Maths GCSE to prove it - yep, still weirdly proud of that achievement), but words are my true love - writing them, reading them, speaking them. I love that sense of connection, of understanding the world a little more via the medium of sentences and phrases and conversations.
Other things I love include weepy American TV shows, the fish tacos my husband makes, waking up before my alarm goes off, Sunday mornings spent reading the paper in bed, the feeling of a good run on a sunny day, a cuddle with our family dogs, hanging out with my favourite kids, Reebok Classic trainers, the first page of a brand new notebook and lighting all my favourite candles.
And it probably goes without saying that I’m a bit of an over sharer…
What about you? What’s your story? What do you love?