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Becoming the mother I want to be for my daughter
I find it so much easier to focus on my leadership skills in my business and organisation settings. This is the natural default of where our minds go. The most important leadership role I have, though, is not in those arenas. It is in my home where I hold the title of ‘mother’. Do you see yourself as a leader because you are a parent or do you dismiss the importance of this role? I am taking a few minutes to step back and reflect on whether I am becoming the mother I want to be for my daughter. Does anything else even matter if I mess this up? Why…
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When Stress Sneaks Up On You
Is anyone else slow to recognise signs that they are stressed, or is it just me? I have been going through my days, conscious that I am juggling many demands but unconscious of the full impact this has been having on my mind and body. Stress sneaks up on me. My body doesn’t lie though. It gives me signals if I am present enough to listen to them. I started to notice that I was having trouble falling asleep and waking in the night (without the usual daughter interference!). My shoulders were tenser. I had a migraine for the first time in a long time. However, it was a visit…
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Do you need to work on flexibility or letting go of control?
If there is one skill we have all had to grow in over recent times it is flexibility. Plans made in one moment are radically altered by the next day. My daughter’s first day of school for the year postponed. Plans being made for a conference held loosely. Some days I feel agile and ready for anything. Other days it feels like a hit to the gut. At times, I wonder if making a plan for anything is even worth it. I’ve come to realise that I am actually not needing to work on flexibility. I need to work on letting go of control. I get unsettled when something shakes…
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Pursuing ‘who’ not ‘what’ this year
Let’s pause together and take a breath. The start of the year has been full of new possibilities, goal setting and uncertainty. I normally love the start of a new year and getting to dream for the time ahead. This year has challenged me. I wrestled with reflecting and setting goals. Part of me didn’t feel ready to be back in the midst of responsibilities and growth. I have set goals but hold them loosely in many ways. More than ever, I realise it is more about who I am becoming in the pursuit of those goals than ticking off a specific metric. I am pursuing ‘who’ not ‘what’ this…
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Round up of words from 2020
Sharing encouragement and inspiration with you is one of my great joys. It helps me to know what is going on in my head too! This online space is not the only place where I share words. I will be taking a break from publishing words (apart from social media so stay in touch there) for the rest of the year. Before I do, I wanted to round up all of the words I’ve shared in other online spaces for you to peruse here. Maybe you’ll find some encouragement to see you through this season too. Kin Women What freedom means to me Find out who you are and do…
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Acknowledge the progress- 2020 manifesto reflections
Setting a 2020 manifesto felt so grand and motivating at the beginning of the year. This year was set to be challenging, growing and exciting. It was still all of those things but in unexpected ways. While 2020 brought global unexpected more than we usually experience, a year rarely works out as we intend from the beginning. But that is the point of having these intentions. They are anchoring points to keep us focused on what is important to us and helping us to grow into the people we want to become. We can acknowledge the progress we make. This is the second part of reflecting on how my 2020…
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2020 Manifesto Progress- failure or growth?
I have sat down to write this 2020 manifesto progress report at least four times. All my best avoidance strategies have come out. Procrastination, finding other ‘important’ tasks to do and mindless games all feature in the past few days. I got curious about why I was so strongly avoiding this. Then the tears sprang up. Reflecting on progress over a year always contains emotion. Add 2020 to that. The story I am telling myself is that I have failed to meet the goals I set and the manifesto I established. The critical part of me is loud in the background. So what is the truth? I am asking myself…
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Ideas for an intentional and life-giving Advent 2020
Advent 2020 is almost upon us. I know many are really looking forward to Christmas this year as a way to bring joy into a hard year. I think it is more important than ever to consider how we will mark this season. This is our opportunity to set our intentions and milk all the joy and peace that is available, even if this season looks different than usual. I am re-releasing my free Advent Planner and Reflections ebook, updated with this year’s dates, to help you to plan what this season will look like for you. I have written about Advent many times before and shared many ideas and…
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Reflecting on 2020 and how I have grown
It would be so easy to get to this point in the year and rush to move on. The desire to push this crazy year into the past is tempting. I see that sentiment in so many places. I understand it but I don’t want to take part in it. We can miss the significance, the growth and the lessons if we relegate 2020 to the rubbish pile. An interview I was part of and a planning for 2021 exercise I am doing with my mastermind group has had me reflecting on 2020. I knew from the beginning that 2020 was going to be huge in my life. A…
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Remember that your people are essential in your journey
I hit the end of a week and found myself in a heavy headspace. I stopped to pay attention. It could easily be explained by ‘2020‘ which is now really an adjective! There was more to it though. I realised that I had forgotten that your people are essential in your journey. As I shifted my perspective, do you know what stood out in my mind? Not the amount of tasks I crossed off of my to-do list. Not how clean my house is or isn’t or the meetings and steps taken towards my goals. What stood out most was the moments with friends and family. Where is your time…
Encouragement for women in leadership
