Let's catch up...

Hello, hello, hello! How are you all doing? 

I’m back, gently dipping my toes in the pond of all things work after taking some time out this summer, and one of the first things I wanted to do was sit down and write a big old catch up blog post. For those of you who might not know, my business actually started out as a blog way back when - I used to write hundreds of posts a year and I absolutely loved it. Things have naturally slowed down a little round here in the last few years, and in the last 12 months particularly, this blog has taken a bit of a back seat while I focused all of my writing energy on uni assignments. But, I’d like to change that moving forwards - this space has always been one of my favourite ways to connect with you all, and so this is my commitment to you that there’ll be a new post here at least once a week.

So, let’s start today with a little catch up. I’ve been fairly absent everywhere this summer, and that has been intentional - I decided to slow things down in my business around the end of June so that I could pour all of my focus into finishing my Masters degree. For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been completing an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology this past year, and with 2 assignments and a hefty dissertation due in at the end of July, I knew I needed to ease up the pressure. That meant pressing pause on the podcast, reducing the number of clients I was working with and basically only saying yes to the absolute essentials. 

I’m happy to report that with lots of focus and determination, I managed to get everything submitted on time (in fact, a few days before it was actually due - something I never quite managed as an undergrad!), and last week I found out that I not only passed the course, but will be graduating with a distinction. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I can’t quite believe it - completing this course has been something of an emotional rollercoaster for me, and I’ve dealt with A LOT of academic imposter syndrome. But it’s also been a completely transformational experience - I have learned so much, met some incredible people and truly cemented my passion for all things positive psychology and coaching. To receive such great results was just the icing on the cake.

I felt like I hit a bit of a wall once everything was tied up at the end of July, something I’d kinda expected would happen. There was the exhaustion that often arrives after meeting a big deadline, but there was also a lot of pandemic related fatigue to deal with too. For that reason, I purposefully kept August as free from work as possible. The end of uni coincided with the reopening of life here in the UK, and I wanted to be fully present for that. This last month I’ve just been keeping things ticking over business wise, and making the most of newfound freedom in all regards the rest of the time.

So what has that involved? Lots of time with friends and family for a start. I’ve relished having people around our dining table for a big Sunday roast again, meeting my Mum and sister for midweek lunches, and hanging out with my niece and nephew. I’ve taken a few trips, including UK city breaks, a very exciting campervan adventure and some time by the sea. I’ve read a tonne of books, rewatched loads of 00s rom-coms and let myself sleep as much as I wanted. As someone who has always struggled to switch off from work I thought it would be hard to give myself so much free time, but the truth is, I needed it. I sunk straight into rest and play because it was what my mind and body had been aching for for a really long time. 

And it has done me the world of good. It has felt so lovely to be able to reconnect with some sort of normality again. To dance and laugh and watch sunsets and be spontaneous and stay up late and eat great food and hug loved ones and swim. It has topped me up in ways that I didn’t know I needed, and made me realise just how tough we have all been to survive life without so many of its riches in the last 18 months. I feel inspired again for the first time in ages, and full of excitement and energy for the coming season.

I’ve got some really exciting things on the horizon - some that I’ll be sharing with you soon, and others that I’ll be working on for a while longer yet. I’m so ready to be back at my desk, working on new stuff, reconnecting with my wonderful coaching clients and creating content again. And I’m itching to get back into a routine. I haven’t had one for a really long time now, and with autumn just around the corner, I’m ready to focus my energy on fresh plans and rhythms. If you’re feeling the same way, I’ll be hosting a workshop on Thursday to help us do just that - it’s called The Reset, and I’d love to see you there.

Thank you so much for sticking around - 2021 has been a weird, chaotic and challenging year so far, but it’s been one full of growth and learning too. I’m determined to make these last 4 months of it as joyful and purposeful as possible, and I really hope you’ll stick around for the ride. Who’s with me?