Calming Connections

27/09/2025

I am pleased and proud to introduce a brand new networking and support group for women that is coming to Herefordshire called AURA.
AURA stands for Align, Uplift, Rise and Achieve.

This is a group run by women aimed for women.
We want to create a community where women support other women.

Community is where we create a setting to build confidence in one another. No matter where we are in life or where we are aiming to achieve- be it in business, home life, fitness, friendships- we will have each others back.

Sometimes all it takes is being around women who refuse to let you shy away and hide, women who look you in the eye and remind you of who you are and your power when you've forgotten it yourself.

We will be the women who clap the strongest, scream the loudest, when you win, who hug you the tighest and remind you the most who the hell you really are when you start doubting yourself or think you are failing, and we will refuse to let you settle for anything less than you deserve.

Strength and confidence doesn't come from perfection and success, it comes from community and togetherness , from knowing you've got people in your corner who won't let you forget that you’ve got this.

Our launch evening is on the 15th October and we will meet the first Wednesday of the month thereafter 19:00 - 21:00 at De Koffie Pot, upstairs above the cafe. We will provide the refreshments. You bring the conversations.

Tickets to our launch night are free but we need you to register so we can provide the correct number of refreshments. You can access tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aura-networking-and-support-opening-night-tickets-1645923344029?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile

For more information and to also see some of the great sessions and guest speakers we have planned take a look at our website

https://auranetworking.co.uk/

Please message me if you have any more questions.

Join us for a night of networking and support at the AURA Opening Night - meet new people and build connections!

11/09/2025

With AURA Networking group we aim to encourage women to commit to support one another. This is a new Networkung group coming to Herefordshire.

Our founding night is a free event on the 15th October at 19:00 at the De Koffie Pot in Hereford.

We will meet once a month. We have guest speakers each month talking about topics wellbeing or work related. We will also have a supportive what’s app group that you can opt into where you can accesss support, promotions or recommendations.

Building relationships and, yes, friendships too.

Like minded women lifting each other up, celebrating one another successes and achievements.

We are committed to providing the best possible format and space for everyone to thrive and feel part of a community.

No more feeling like you are the only one who is struggling or that everyone has it all together except you.

Join us at our launch evening and feel the connection and then leave feeling relaxed after some guided meditation.

Tickets are available here:

https://lnkd.in/eguDpuME

We look forward to welcoming you. For more information please message me or follow our page: https://www.instagram.com/aura_networking_and_support?igsh=ZjdwN2NjNHN4d3M4&utm_source=qr

28/08/2025

A vaccine against stress.

Learn how everyday, simple steps can improve your resilience to stress and overall wellbeing.

Our stress awareness courses cover all things regarding stress, the effects on the body, the causes of stress as well as many different coping strategies for stress.

Message me for more information.

25/07/2025

Gratitude: how often do we stop and think about what we are grateful for?

I’m going to start sharing things that I am grateful for. I would like to say that I will share this daily but I’m realistic and sometimes life gets in the way but I certainly will share regularly.

Gratitude is an easy process towards achieving a greater feeling of wellbeing.

Gratitude helps reduce negative emotions like envy, resentment, frustration, and regret. People who regularly practice gratitude have:

• Lower levels of depression and anxiety
• Increased happiness and life satisfaction
• Greater emotional resilience

Gratitude helps reduce social comparison.

When you’re thankful for what you have, you’re less likely to be envious of others. That leads to:
• Greater confidence
• A stronger sense of identity
• Increased self-worth

With all these benefits, we should all start looking at what we are grateful for.

I would love it if you share with me what you are grateful for and let’s all get more resilient and grateful together 👫👭

25/07/2025

Today is National Schizophrenia Awareness Day.

Of all the mental health conditions, Schizophrenia remains the most stigmatised.

There is still, among many people, the belief that Schizophrenia means “Split personality” but this is not true.

People with schizophrenia interpret reality differently to those around them. They may see or hear things that others do not. This is called hallucinations.

Our level 3 Mental Health First aid course includes Schizophrenia. When I ask people what do they think of when they hear the word Schizophrenia the most common responses are “Crazy” “Violent” “scary”

The reality is that people with schizophrenia are more likely to either be the victims of harm or harm themselves.

Awareness days provide the perfect opportunity to have discussions. Talking about it is one of the best ways to tackle stigma. People are often afraid of what they do not truly understand.

This misconception is not helped by news headlines such as: “man with schizophrenia commits murder”. The very fact that they put this detail in to the headline creates the assumption that the schizophrenia was a factor in the crime.

If this person had gallstones would they write “man with gallstones commits murder?”

Of course not, because it bears no relevance.

Films depicting criminals with schizophrenia are also unhelpful.

People living with Schizophrenia can live, fulfilling and happy lives.

Please be mindful where you obtain information from. Only read and share real, credible information.

Together we can all tackle stigma and discrimination so let’s start now.

21/07/2025

This is a great opportunity to invest in your most important asset- your people.

The funding is limited so don’t delay- ring fence the funding and book dates to suit you.

Mental health problems are increasingly recognized as a major factor in workplace absence, with stress, anxiety, and depression being particularly significant.

Supporting your staff is not only good for your people but it’s good for business.

Improved mental health culture in the workplace reaps the following benefits:

Reduced sickness
Increased productivity
Increased retention
Improved recruitment of high skilled employees
Improved company reputation
Staff are more engaged

Why would you not want to see this and also access the training for half price?

Reach out to myself or Minerva Elite Performance for more information.

13/07/2025

Just listened to a great podcast from Optimising Human Performance with Martin I. Jones and Aldo Kane

I have been following these podcasts and have to say this one was definitely worth a listen.

Wow- the experiences that Aldo has had are amazing but what impressed me the most was his genuineness and how openly he talked about how hard it can be to come down from some of his expeditions.

This hit a chord with me. As a military wife with a husband who goes on long deployments, as tough as it can be when he deploys, reintegration back into a family of 4, can at times, be the hardest part.

From my part, I was so used to doing things on my own, and from his part, he was so used to operating at a high level, having his every word listened to, speaking in a certain way, acting a certain way and then to walk back into the chaos of a family home- well that can be the toughest challenge of all.

Thank you Aldo, for giving me some insight into the other side. Wish I had this years ago, would have really helped with how I dealt with the transition.

The podcast was a great reminder of the importance of grounding before you step back into your home.

Not just after long trips away but everyday.

Transitioning from the role of the Manager, care worker, employee, CEO etc back to that of parent, sibling, caregiver is essential to ensuring the quality of life for all. It’s about how we turn up.

One final note- if you really want to hear about the power of mental resilience listen to the section where he talks about 10days in a bunker. It will blow your mind.

10/07/2025

Yesterday I gave a talk on drug awareness for a local School. This was part of the training for the school organised by Minerva Elite Performance

Armed with my trusted bag of lifelike examples of 24 of the most common prescription and illegal substances, I presented the staff with knowledge regarding current trends of substance abuse in teens, why teens are more vulnerable, the risks associated, the signs to look out for and some support strategies.

I am a great believer in that rather than just telling someone not to take drugs, arm them instead with all the relevant information. Teach them why they are harmful.

Show them some true life stories and once they have all this information and you have given them the opportunity to talk and ask questions, then we have to wait and hope they make the right decisions.

These teachers now have some additional resources and information to further educate the pupils they support.

If we can prevent even just one person from turning to substances, then this is a job well done.

From the life like examples I provide I was able to explain just how similar so many substances appear. Many come as a white powder, tablet form or liquids.

It is for this very reason, that illegal selling and purchasing of drugs can be so harmful.

“You never really know what you are getting” and you can not tell exactly what the ingredients are just by looking.

These talks are not lectures. I don’t tell people what to do. I inform them. I educate them and then they have the opportunity to make the right choice.

Craig Smith DipHE, CMgr MCMI.
Jacki Costello

06/07/2025

What a difference 24 hours can make.

Yesterday I was all dressed up, sat in centre court at Wimbledon watching Novak win in the third round. I had spent nearly 2 hours on my hair and make up and had my new, best dress on.

Today, I’m make up free (and if I’m perfectly honest, a brush hasn’t even touched my hair), comfy clothes on and I’m walking with my dog in a nearby field.

Gone are the high heels to be placed by my old walking trainers.

The contrast could not be more obvious, and yet I feel just as comfortable in both.

This to me is the exemplar of balance in life.

Days where we need to turn up followed by those where we can just be. The rough with the smooth.

My business/work persona is quite different to my personal life.

When at work, I become someone else. I dress for the occasion and this gives me confidence and the feeling of control. “my game face”

It’s so important to have the down days also, to recharge, restock and relax. Taking our feet off the peddle.

The mask can come off and we can just be ourselves. Getting ready for another day.

We can not maintain the constant momentum of keeping up with pressures, demands and expectations without these moments of calm.

What does your perfect day look like?
How do you relax?

04/07/2025

Why is their team outperforming mine when I have all the talent?

It’s a question we’ve heard time and time again from team leads and managers. The frustration is real—on paper, you’ve got the skills, the resumes, the experience. So why do results tell a different story?

The answer often comes down to emotional intelligence (EQ).

Teams that thrive usually aren’t just full of the “smartest” people—they’re full of emotionally intelligent people. They communicate with empathy, manage stress effectively, resolve conflict constructively, and lead with self-awareness.

In contrast, a team that lacks EQ may have the talent, but they’ll struggle with trust, engagement, and cohesion. That friction kills momentum.

If you’ve ever wondered why one team gels while another grinds, emotional intelligence is the missing link.

we offer a hands-on Emotional Intelligence Masterclass designed to help leaders and teams unlock the skills that build real, sustainable performance.

✅ Understand your emotional profile
✅ Lead with empathy
✅ Handle feedback and conflict with confidence
✅ Build psychologically safe, high-performing teams

💡 Let’s stop wondering why others are outperforming us—and start building the skills to lead better.

📩 Reach out to learn more or schedule a session for your team.

03/07/2025

🚗 Empowered Women, Empowered Minds 💪

Last week I delivered a Stress Resilience & Work-Life Balance course for a powerhouse group of senior women in the Constellation Automotive Group — and what an inspiring experience it was!

The course followed discussions I had with their founder and Chairman who laid out their aims for the course and the positive message they wanted to impart to their staff.

In an industry known for its pace, pressure, and precision, it was great to see such committed leaders prioritizing mental wellbeing, emotional agility, and sustainable success — not just for themselves, but for the teams they lead.

We explored:
✅ Practical resilience-building tools
✅ Science-backed stress management techniques
✅ Boundary-setting without guilt
✅ Reframing pressure as purpose

The conversations were honest, vulnerable, and incredibly real — a reminder that even the most high-performing leaders benefit from space to pause, reset, and recalibrate.

To the amazing women who joined: thank you for your openness, your insights, and for proving that balance is not a luxury — it’s a leadership advantage. Thank you also for sharing your experiences and being so engaging.

Some great pictures drawn by the group to illustrate how someone may look who is at the top of the Mental Health Continuum compared with someone at the bottom.

The day also provided a great opportunity for the women to meet one another, network and share experiences. Like many large organisations, with centres spread out nationally and internationally, these women had either never met or only spoken to one another on the phone.

Days like this are a great way to show staff you support them but also for them to meet and collaborate with like minded people.

If you would like to discuss a bespoke course for your organisation, then message me to book a call to discuss.

27/06/2025

If you are a company based in Herefordshire then you can access this training for half price. Message me for more details.