Emanate

28/07/2024

One of my neighbours left this world yesterday.

She was 93 and I only knew her in the final eight years of her life.

One summer day during lockdown she told me about her younger life as we sat on different sides of our shared garden wall.

She told me about her childhood, memories of bombings during world war 2, being evacuated, meeting the love of her life , fighting for a university education, her teaching career, her faith ,her children, she told me her body was tired.

Today I spent the day floating in the sea and jumping of cliffs with a wonderful group of women (including three non-swimmers) pushing ourselves out of of individual comfort zones and making memories we can tell as stories to the generations of women who will follow us.

Why ?

Because this one precious life we have is made for living and none of us know how long we have.

Kellie, one of my fellow adventurers, was diagnosed with ALK-positive lung cancer 8 years ago.

It is a relatively rare form cancer. The vast majority of patients are non-smokers, half are under 50 years of age when diagnosed (some are much younger), and the majority are female. Most patients are diagnosed at Stage 4.

This year we will be breaking down many barriers and facing fears together.

If you have read this far, thank you 🤩

Please share this post and help us to raise awareness.

We want to do what we can and help ALK Positive UK so more people live longer lives and have a chance to share their stories with the generations that will follow ❤️

21/07/2024

🌟 ADHD ? Working From Home During School Holidays? 

Here are three things I have learnt that help me to manage the change in routine🌟

I know first hand that a big change in routine combined with an increase in noise and interruptions can mean that keeping on top of work and being present as a parent can feel really overwhelming.

Here are three practical strategies that I have learnt which help me to navigate those challenges:  

1. Set Clear Boundaries and Schedules

We have a planner on the wall in the kitchen which we use as a visual aid to keep everyone informed and on track and so that my boys know when I am available and when I need focused work time.

2. Encourage Everyone’s Involvement in Planning

We are getting better at this ! Collaborative planning nurtures independence and is particularly helpful for young people who have challenges with executive functioning skills.

3. Take Regular Breaks...

Plan to take breaks at times you know your teens will be at home. I take short, scheduled breaks throughout the day at times when I know my boys will be active at home, or at times when we have pre-agreed for me to give them a lift somewhere.

I know it won’t be too long until I have an empty nest. These are precious moments which leave me feeling connected and re-energised.

And, please remember, taking care of YOUR needs is essential for being the best version of yourself, both at work and at home.

✨ What do you find works well for you and your family ? ✨

04/06/2024

Do you ever find yourself completely overwhelmed and paralysed by what you think 'should' be like really simple tasks and decisions ?


I do !

I also know that this is a survival technique and those 'who do I think I am' stories are how my brain tries to keep me safe from social rejection, by telling me it is unsafe to be seen. To stay small, hidden, part of the crowd.

That is not how I want to live my life.

When we share the stories we tell ourselves with people we love and trust and our stories are met with empathy it creates a sense of safety and connection.

Empathy and connection are social strategies which have the power to release us from the fear that keep us from showing up 🫶

29/05/2024

We all need a gentle reminder now and then 🥰

05/04/2024

We all live in Bubbles.

When you think of hiding, it's time to POP !

Studio Irma - 2020

13/11/2023

🥰

You will see many wonderful people sharing my poem ‘GOOD’ today. In honour of

If you would like to join in my ‘wave of good’ please do, either by reading the poem or sharing it and using

It can be overwhelming when the world feels so hopeless but trust me when I say that your care, your little random acts of kindness matter.
They build.
They balance out the bad.
They create more good.

Make today one where you lead with kindness for everyone and everything and see how it feels. Pop your random acts below for us all to hear.

When the world seems bad remember MOST PEOPLE ARE GOOD.

Keep caring

27/10/2023

Walking into the weekend like….

https://www.facebook.com/reel/613635180759402?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V

25/10/2023

Do you talk to yourself the way you talk to someone you love ?

No ?....

Check out Kristen Neff's work on Self-Compassion

Link in the comments below. 🥰🥰🥰

24/10/2023

23/10/2023

New workshops coming soon 😍

17/10/2023

🤩 Thank you so much for your support 🤩

Showing up on social media isn't something that comes easily to me.

A few people have asked me what it is that I actually do...

Well....

One of the things that I LOVE to do is helping people to use the learning Brené Brown's research to develop tools and practices that they can use in their own lives.

A big part of how we show up in our own lives is about trust.

How we trust in others and in ourselves.

Brené found in her research that trust is built, not through grand gestures but in the smallest of moments. She talks about these moments as being marbles in a jar.

The letter in the photo is very precious to me.

It is a thank you letter gifted to me by someone who came along to one of the very first Daring Greatly groups I facilitated. They called me the "Marble Jar Lady"

Learning about trust was, for them, a revolutionary moment in their journey towards a more courageous and wholehearted life 🥰🥰🥰