Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5rPqJotHx64UMmlyT33Rxa?si=81ebe3691ce446bd

I love this card and it is in fact at the centre of all that I love to do.

We are all unique and have strengths that we were born with to contribute to this incredible world. We rely on these strengths to keep us safe when were are in situations that cause us to feel stress or anxiety. As we grow up these behaviours become unconscious and automatic. And when we overuse or abuse these strengths they cause us stress and anxiety which in turn impacts how we show up in the world. Our performance, our wellbeing and our relationships suffer as a consequence.

So would you like to know what your strengths or super powers are? And would you like to know how these strengths are holding you back in your life – either personal or professional?

If so I am offering a FREE Discovery Session to anyone interested. Please click here to book your slot: https://go.oncehub.com/RMB_Discovery_Session

I look forward to talking to you soon.

Until then, keep shining and reaching your best.

#shineyourlight #reachingmybest #selfsabotage #superpowers #strengths

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7qUg5NY5CkY2V2uIrQqXm6?si=ad6bbcd346484cc0

All change for this week. I was delighted to be joined by Dr Gracie. This was the first time we had met, but I knew that we would have lots to talk about… so you are in for a treat.

We chat about the expectations that society puts on women and how we take on so much. We cover how this impacts our mental health and why it is so important to do something about it.

We both share our experience on how “digging” into the way we show up in the world has lasting positive impact on the way we lead our lives and build strong relationships with those that mean the most to us – this includes some of the challenges of parenting.

This is a great conversation and a MUST listen.

I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed having the conversation.

Here is some more info on Dr Gracie for you:

Dr. Gracie is a highly qualified Doctor in Clinical Psychology and founder of Brain Body Wealth and The Female Mental Health Collective. She is a women’s mental health advocate and specialises in supporting women with their mental health across the lifespan. She offers 1:1 therapy and a 12 week ‘Prioritise You’ Program for mothers who are juggling the multiple demands placed on them which often leads to overwhelm and resentment. You can also be a part of her community The Female Mental Health Collective by joining the waitlist now!

Instagram: @brain.body.wealth

Instagram: @femalementalhealthcollective

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgraciemclaven/

Website: www.brainbodywealth.co.uk

Prioritise You Program: https://drgraciemclaven.lpages.co/prioritise-you-program/

The Female Mental Health Collective Waitlist: https://fmhcollective.com/

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/reachingmybest/episodes/Episode-19—A-representation-of-the-journey-of-self-rediscovery-e2mdal1

I’m back from holiday fully recharged. We all need that all-important time to recharge. It’s a great opportunity to refocus and make small changes in our lives.

My journey of self-rediscovery and self-development has been in full swing for a number of years now. What makes the real difference is embedding new behaviours, with awareness until the new neural pathways are stronger than the old ones.

In this episode, I reshare why I think the Shine Your Light coaching cards are such a valuable tool. Same goes for the Shine Your Light journal.

I’d love for you to like, comment and share this podcast and the cards / journal with anyone that you know would benefit from them.

Have a wonderful week. Keep shining bright and keep reaching for your best.

#shineyourlight #coachingcards #journaling #selfrediscovery #selfdevelopment

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2KzWzCYiTdaWd8L9xpKNeM?si=28d5a5190ac643c9

At the half way point in the year, it’s important to acknowledge how far we have come, what we have learnt, what we want to let go of moving forward and what we hope to achieve in the second half of the year.

The summer months also see the start of people heading off on holidays. My own comes at the end of this week (so there won’t be episodes until the end of the month now!)

Holidays are a time to take a break. Make sure that you put everything you need to take a proper break in place before you go away. This can be really hard for a business owner. Use out of office. Divert important emails to a colleague.

Use the time away to connect with nature. To reconnect with family. Enjoy being in the moment.

When you give yourself this break you will come back fully charged and with new creative ideas that will boost your business in the second half of the year.

Enjoy your summer break. Enjoy the moment!

Until next time!

Keep on shining and reaching for your best!

#summerholiday #bepresent #lettinggo #outofoffice

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Ule1nxFLDvJT5bPpz9mw2?si=2b3978f58d9b4338

These words, Slowing Down to Speed Up, have come into my awareness again over the past couple of days. Figuring that there is a reason for that I decided to make it the topic for this episode – which – and this is A FIRST – I recorded from my garden while sitting in the sun. Completely fun and enjoyable.

As time passes I see how far I have come with the concept of slowing down. What is the rush? Do I really NEED to DO all the things that I think I SHOULD do? No!

Am I lazy if I give myself some time “off” to be present and enjoy the beauty of the moment? No! I am looking after myself and appreciating what IS.

So if you struggle to STOP or have any sort of negative sensations around slowing down then this is the episode for you!

Keep shining and reaching your best!

#slowdown #speedup #slowingdowntospeedup #thismoment #powerofnow

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4pbZGB1Zv5Rc9Wk2FfMb34?si=a89ea7e2155b4ee9

Do you say “Yes” to too much? How does it make you feel when you are over-stretched, putting everyone first and it feels like no-one does anything for you in return?

This is not a good place to be. I know I have been there. And there are times when I still find myself wanting to say Yes to keep others happy, but I am starting to find it easier to say no.

In this episode I explore the reasons why we people please. Underneath people pleasing are the incredible attributes of empathy and kindness. That is not to be forgotten. Yet, pleasing too much can have a huge impact on our wellbeing and our relationships with those that mean a lot to us.

How honest are you being with yourself and your friends if you say what they want to hear? What does that do to the trust in your relationship?

If you want to know if you are a people pleaser then take the FREE Saboteur Assessment here. Then I’d love you to book a call to discuss the results with me. You can do that here: https://go.oncehub.com/SaboteurDiscoverySession

I will be back in two weeks time.

Until then, keep shining your light and reaching for your best!

#peoplepleaser #selfsabotage #owningyourno

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VavwbsBT6DeYpcMdstj6J?si=f68458681081453e

I’ve mentioned before that I have been “living” my own Surrender Experiment and following opportunities that come my way each moment. I call these life’s breadcrumbs.

When it comes down to it we are small cogs in a huge, complex world – I choose to play The Game Life and enjoy every moment.

So in today’s episode, I draw one of the Shine Your Light self-rediscovery coaching cards at random – in fact, my eyes are drawn to a particular flower (I really “should” learn their names!) – Card 17. It’s all about becoming more aware of the sensations in our bodies. I explain the importance and benefits of the Body Scan meditation and some of the resistance I have experienced when practicing it.

I hope you find this inspirational and that it motivates you to give it a try as well.

#thesurrenderexperiment #thegameoflife #shineyourlight #coaching #awarenessofbody #bodyscanmeditation

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4P4e6qco7k7qddTTEBpu2b?si=f49071908a114fe0

The journey of transformation is unpredictable. It happens when you are ready for it. When you are open to hear the insight that you are given.

The journey of transformation is also incredibly fulfilling and rewarding. There is nothing like knowing at a deep level that you have let go of something that was previously holding you back.

When I started my transformation journey I didn’t even know I wanted to go on one. I was just unhappy, stressed and unfulfilled. I started reading and listening to content that inspired me. My curiosity grew. I couldn’t get enough of it. But there is a difference between intellectually understanding something and being able to implement it in your life. That latter part takes time. It happens at its own pace.

I designed the Shine Your Light cards because I wanted people to be able to start transforming without having to read endless books. I wanted to give people a powerful, practical journey.

All that said transformation is hard without a coach. A coach helps you see things you couldn’t see about yourself. They ask questions that others might shy away from – and importantly they ask them from a place of non-judgment – or at least they are supposed to. A coach holds you accountable and keeps you on the path of transformation, however many squiggles there are in the road.

So join me in the episode to hear me share some of my journey and how it is still moving me forward and transforming me.

Know that you have a light to shine and you deserve to shine it!

#shineyourlight #transformation #coachingcards #coaching #lifejourney

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4hnfq7aLgiVwlOz6g899Ek?si=d122749951e94d78

In today’s episode, I am talking all about journaling. This is card 10 in the Shine Your Light self-rediscovery coaching cards.

Journaling can have physical and psychological benefits for us. I have been journaling for 4 years now and it’s become an integral part of my daily habits.

It took me a long time to let go of what I believed I “should” write in my journal. I started with writing very little and it has now evolved into tracking my doing, being, sleep, food, menstrual and lunar cycle. Capturing this data provides us with invaluable information that gives us the power to make choices for ourselves. e.g. with perimenopausal symptoms.

Capturing our observations and reflections from the day gives us space to write from the heart and let go before we go to sleep. And finally noticing 3 things that we are grateful for keeps us in a positive mindset as we head into our slumber.

I’m excited to share that I am launching a Shine Your Light journal that can be used in conjunction with, or independently from the Shine Your Light cards. It’s beautiful and is designed to capture all the things I mention here.

There is a limited amount available at the moment and it’s not quite on the website yet – so if you are interested then drop me an email or DM me.

I’d love to get your thoughts and reflections on journaling.

In the meantime, keep on shining brightly!

#shineyourlight #perimenopause #journaling #selfrediscovery

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4AVJUZqLyIehVoIeNVpsw4?si=a9533e2605c94a08

I have a special treat for Mental Health Awareness Week. In today’s episode I am delighted to be joined by Ceri Hodgkiss from West Kent Mind.

We didn’t plan this conversation and trusted that we would have a good one… and wow the time went really quickly.

We talk about the importance of Movement (this year’s theme) for our mental health. We cover how you can spot signs of someone struggling with their mental health and what we can do if we spot that. We also talk about one of my favourite subjects, mental fitness, and how that can be used as a way of cultivating resistance to the challenges that life throws at us.

Be sure to listen to our conversation and if you feel so inclined please support West Kent Mind here: https://westkentmind.org.uk/i-want-to-support/fundraising/move-for-mental-health/

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#shineyourlight #mentalhealthawarenessweek #mentalfitness #resilience

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7s4wgiuZJPLRvuDa4qtclt?si=9235b934538a463a

Next week is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. Building mental resilience is central to my work. I believe that this is the key to not just surviving but really THRIVING in this busy, highly stimulated, competitive world that we live in.

We can all build mental resilience, just as we can all build other muscles. The key is creating an awareness of how you respond to life’s challenges, then learning and embedding techniques to help you thrive.

In this episode, I share some of my experience with mental health and now mindfulness and Positive Intelligence has made such a difference to my life.

Over the course of next week (w/c 13th May) I will be holding a 50-minute webinar in support of Mental Health Awareness Week and West Kent Mind.

I will be showing you how to respond to life’s challenges, cultivate healthy relationships, enjoy ultimate wellbeing and reach your peak performance.

You can choose from the following times:

Monday 13th May at 12:00

Wednesday 15th May at 18:00

Friday 17th May at 14:00

All times are London, UK. Each session will be the same.

To join a session please register in advance here: https://bit.ly/HowToThriveInLife .

For each person that attends a live session Reaching My Best will make a £1 donation to West Kent Mind.

Please share this episode and details of the webinar with anyone that you care about that would benefit from attending.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#shineyourlight #mentalhealthawarenessweek #mentalfitness #resilience

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iax0xg3jRoReTcseaGkwx?si=f5e5ac4a10fb4ceb

Have you ever spent time observing the judgements you make? It is a truly enlightening experience.

I remember being quite shocked when I noticed how often I made judgements. Now I am more aware of them I can catch myself in the moment and move forward from a place of discernment; with compassion and kindness.

Judgement can be broken down into three categories:

• Judge of self
• Judge of other
• Judge of situation or circumstance.

In this episode, I give examples of each and invite you to make a note of the times you find yourself in judgement over the course of the next week.

This is a confronting and challenging exercise, but the rewards far outweigh the challenge. Give it a go and please share your thoughts and observations. What surprised you most?

#shineyourlight #judgement

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/75YSOgKUJWjNUu1ynqSmF4?si=639b7b007d1d4401

In Monday’s Mindfulness session I chose card 24 – Creativity lies in each of us”.  Today’s episode is all about creativity and I share with you one of my current crate projects.

What started as a day workshop learning sashiko – a Japanese hand embroidery technique -has morphed into a jeans upcycling project to make a sashiko embroidered French cushion for my outdoor bench. I had best get it made so I can make the most of it this summer!

I really believe that we are all creative. We just need to give ourselves the time and space to play with the sort of creativity that brings us joy. Try everything. Sign up for workshops. Enrol in adult education classes. Join the local knitting club. Invite friends over to paint. Pick up an instrument. Sit in the sun with a notepad and pen. I can guarantee that even a small dose of creativity will make you feel amazing! (She says still full of cold!)

Please share your creative projects in the comments. I’d love to see them and creative inspiration from others is SO powerful.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#shineyourlight #reachingmybest #creativity #upcycling #sashiko

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1SFZRKkWFxHLYSGx8DnSC1?si=7e5d32b979084515

Today I am joined by my first guest in Season 2. It’s important to let others shine their light as well.

Emily Hammond is a special guest for me as well as she helped me create the Shine Your Light cards. This was the most beautiful, creative process that I have ever been involved in and it goes to show how when we let our egos go beautiful things can be created.

We talk about how aligned we were throughout the process and how we have received the same Universal nudges about the look, feel and purpose of the cards.

There is a LOT you can take from this conversation to test out in your own life. Above all it requires TRUST!

I’d love to hear about any similar working collaborations that you might have experienced and would welcome any guests that want to share them.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#shineyourlight #reachingmybest #cocreation #universalnudge

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Z5ikbFlxKHxrcUfLEs6QV?si=69356414916640d2

A first for me… pressing record before I know what I am going to be talking about!

In today’s episode I draw a card from my Shine Your Light coaching cards and see what I will spend the episode talking about.

The card I choose is all about how you experience joy… a similar theme to last week’s episode but with more emphasis on committing to a joy project. What did you enJOY as a child? What activity could you do as an adult that would help you experience that same joy? Even if you don’t have the skills yet for this activity you could commit to one small step that would take you towards learning the skills for an activity that brings you joy. When you let go of your ego and what other’s may think of your activity, what would you do to bring you joy.

As I write this I think it is telling that the JOY theme comes up two weeks in a row… I sense that we all need a little more joy in our lives. So what are you going to do to bring you more joy.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#childlikejoy #shineyourlight #reachingmybest

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0iU96Yd1WpzgMctnvis4tw?si=fce0b2c4c10e43bc

This week I selected Card 2 Childlike Joy in my Shine your light self-rediscovery coaching cards, so that was the theme of Monday’s Mindful Meditation and is also the theme of today’s podcast episode.

As adults, we get so caught up in our busy lives that we forget what it’s like to experience childlike joy or any joy for that matter.

Activities that bring us joy help release the happy hormones. And when we are happy we attract happiness… so being full of joy  is really important.

What brought you joy and had you in a flow state as a child? How could you experience that sort of joy today?

What can you do this week that will bring you a little joy?

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#childlikejoy #shineyourlight #reachingmybest

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/27xO239v4mpj0yU7xt4ppr?si=18dcf49c3b91482e

In this week’s Mindful Monday Meditation I selected Card 20 from the Shine your light self-rediscovery coaching cards.

It’s all about bringing awareness to your negative thought spirals. Did you know that it takes 3 positive thoughts to counter balance a negative thought? I find that a sobering thought!!!

Listen to this episode to find out more about negative thought patterns and how they are established. Find out about the power of attracting positive thoughts and how mindfulness plays a role in achieving this.

I also share details of a thoughts tracker that you can download to observe and understand your thoughts as well as a quick practical exercise to stop those negative thoughts in their tracks.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#negativethoughts #positivethoughts #mindfulness

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OkBfnBKPi4TxFlaJzdMK6?si=768a94bdcc7b4875

Have you ever thought about why you are called what you are called? Or how you came to be called that? What is the meaning behind your name and can you see any inspiration in that?

In today’s episode, I share my reflections on words and their use or meaning and I tell the story of how we named our eldest daughter Ruby.

And then, most importantly (of course), I share what I have discovered about my name and what the discovery of its meaning has unlocked in me.

As usual, this is unscripted. From the heart. Unedited. Me in my raw form!!!!

I’d love your thoughts and reflections on your name. Drop them in the comments.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#lightreborn #selfrediscovery #reachingmybest

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Er2TDFaY129Aan3F9gadT?si=a8e721f003eb4021

Where do all the best ideas come from? What is inspiration? When were you last inspired to do something and followed it through – despite the fear you may have felt?

In today’s episode, I talk about how I came up with the idea for my Shine your light coaching cards and how I followed through on that initial idea. If you are looking for inspiration or need a nudge to act on some inspiration that you have had, then make sure you listen to this episode.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#coachingcards #bepresent #inspiration #creativity  #selfrediscovery

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/17Zyrx68H5xuU0wCgc6ePB?si=f96fe66dc45c49fd

In today’s episode I share my new Shine your light coaching cards. They are designed to help take you on a mindful journey of self-rediscovery so that you can shine your light and reach your best. In this episode I will share my intention behind the cards, who they are for and how you can use them.

If you are stuck in a rut or know that something has to change in your life then these cards will help you do that. They take everything that I have learnt and experienced over the past 5 year (or more!) and give you a way to go on a similar journey in a way that works for you.

Understanding who we are and what our purpose is, is a life journey. Everything happens for a reason and there is always something valuable to learn from every “challenging” experience.

If you have been following me for a while you will also know that I am an advocate of mindfulness. This is an incredibly powerful skill that has to ability to improve so many areas of our lives. Learning ways to be more mindful each day provides us with the tools to slow down and be more present. When a challenge then presents itself we can counterbalance our automatic unconscious behaviours with considered options to respond. When we practice this regularly it is a real game changer.

You can see my self-rediscovery coaching cards and purchase them here: https://reachingmybest.com/coaching-cards/

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#coachingcards #mindfulness #selfrediscovery

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OOdxJqD54HLoCKmZfRgLM?si=0aee25e4c05b439e

Welcome to the first episode of the second season of my podcast. You will notice a new name and a new look.

In this episode, I share the reasons for my rebrand and what it’s all about. I share the lessons that I have learnt in the first two years of starting my coaching business.

I speak unscripted, from the heart so I hope you will enjoy it.

You can see my self-rediscovery coaching cards and purchase them here: https://reachingmybest.com/coaching-cards/

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7qUg5NY5CkY2V2uIrQqXm6?si=ad6bbcd346484cc0

All change for this week. I was delighted to be joined by Dr Gracie. This was the first time we had met, but I knew that we would have lots to talk about… so you are in for a treat.

We chat about the expectations that society puts on women and how we take on so much. We cover how this impacts our mental health and why it is so important to do something about it.

We both share our experience on how “digging” into the way we show up in the world has lasting positive impact on the way we lead our lives and build strong relationships with those that mean the most to us – this includes some of the challenges of parenting.

This is a great conversation and a MUST listen.

I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed having the conversation.

Here is some more info on Dr Gracie for you:

Dr. Gracie is a highly qualified Doctor in Clinical Psychology and founder of Brain Body Wealth and The Female Mental Health Collective. She is a women’s mental health advocate and specialises in supporting women with their mental health across the lifespan. She offers 1:1 therapy and a 12 week ‘Prioritise You’ Program for mothers who are juggling the multiple demands placed on them which often leads to overwhelm and resentment. You can also be a part of her community The Female Mental Health Collective by joining the waitlist now!

Instagram: @brain.body.wealth

Instagram: @femalementalhealthcollective

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgraciemclaven/

Website: www.brainbodywealth.co.uk

Prioritise You Program: https://drgraciemclaven.lpages.co/prioritise-you-program/

The Female Mental Health Collective Waitlist: https://fmhcollective.com/

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/reachingmybest/episodes/Episode-19—A-representation-of-the-journey-of-self-rediscovery-e2mdal1

I’m back from holiday fully recharged. We all need that all-important time to recharge. It’s a great opportunity to refocus and make small changes in our lives.

My journey of self-rediscovery and self-development has been in full swing for a number of years now. What makes the real difference is embedding new behaviours, with awareness until the new neural pathways are stronger than the old ones.

In this episode, I reshare why I think the Shine Your Light coaching cards are such a valuable tool. Same goes for the Shine Your Light journal.

I’d love for you to like, comment and share this podcast and the cards / journal with anyone that you know would benefit from them.

Have a wonderful week. Keep shining bright and keep reaching for your best.

#shineyourlight #coachingcards #journaling #selfrediscovery #selfdevelopment

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2KzWzCYiTdaWd8L9xpKNeM?si=28d5a5190ac643c9

At the half way point in the year, it’s important to acknowledge how far we have come, what we have learnt, what we want to let go of moving forward and what we hope to achieve in the second half of the year.

The summer months also see the start of people heading off on holidays. My own comes at the end of this week (so there won’t be episodes until the end of the month now!)

Holidays are a time to take a break. Make sure that you put everything you need to take a proper break in place before you go away. This can be really hard for a business owner. Use out of office. Divert important emails to a colleague.

Use the time away to connect with nature. To reconnect with family. Enjoy being in the moment.

When you give yourself this break you will come back fully charged and with new creative ideas that will boost your business in the second half of the year.

Enjoy your summer break. Enjoy the moment!

Until next time!

Keep on shining and reaching for your best!

#summerholiday #bepresent #lettinggo #outofoffice

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Ule1nxFLDvJT5bPpz9mw2?si=2b3978f58d9b4338

These words, Slowing Down to Speed Up, have come into my awareness again over the past couple of days. Figuring that there is a reason for that I decided to make it the topic for this episode – which – and this is A FIRST – I recorded from my garden while sitting in the sun. Completely fun and enjoyable.

As time passes I see how far I have come with the concept of slowing down. What is the rush? Do I really NEED to DO all the things that I think I SHOULD do? No!

Am I lazy if I give myself some time “off” to be present and enjoy the beauty of the moment? No! I am looking after myself and appreciating what IS.

So if you struggle to STOP or have any sort of negative sensations around slowing down then this is the episode for you!

Keep shining and reaching your best!

#slowdown #speedup #slowingdowntospeedup #thismoment #powerofnow

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4pbZGB1Zv5Rc9Wk2FfMb34?si=a89ea7e2155b4ee9

Do you say “Yes” to too much? How does it make you feel when you are over-stretched, putting everyone first and it feels like no-one does anything for you in return?

This is not a good place to be. I know I have been there. And there are times when I still find myself wanting to say Yes to keep others happy, but I am starting to find it easier to say no.

In this episode I explore the reasons why we people please. Underneath people pleasing are the incredible attributes of empathy and kindness. That is not to be forgotten. Yet, pleasing too much can have a huge impact on our wellbeing and our relationships with those that mean a lot to us.

How honest are you being with yourself and your friends if you say what they want to hear? What does that do to the trust in your relationship?

If you want to know if you are a people pleaser then take the FREE Saboteur Assessment here. Then I’d love you to book a call to discuss the results with me. You can do that here: https://go.oncehub.com/SaboteurDiscoverySession

I will be back in two weeks time.

Until then, keep shining your light and reaching for your best!

#peoplepleaser #selfsabotage #owningyourno

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VavwbsBT6DeYpcMdstj6J?si=f68458681081453e

I’ve mentioned before that I have been “living” my own Surrender Experiment and following opportunities that come my way each moment. I call these life’s breadcrumbs.

When it comes down to it we are small cogs in a huge, complex world – I choose to play The Game Life and enjoy every moment.

So in today’s episode, I draw one of the Shine Your Light self-rediscovery coaching cards at random – in fact, my eyes are drawn to a particular flower (I really “should” learn their names!) – Card 17. It’s all about becoming more aware of the sensations in our bodies. I explain the importance and benefits of the Body Scan meditation and some of the resistance I have experienced when practicing it.

I hope you find this inspirational and that it motivates you to give it a try as well.

#thesurrenderexperiment #thegameoflife #shineyourlight #coaching #awarenessofbody #bodyscanmeditation

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4P4e6qco7k7qddTTEBpu2b?si=f49071908a114fe0

The journey of transformation is unpredictable. It happens when you are ready for it. When you are open to hear the insight that you are given.

The journey of transformation is also incredibly fulfilling and rewarding. There is nothing like knowing at a deep level that you have let go of something that was previously holding you back.

When I started my transformation journey I didn’t even know I wanted to go on one. I was just unhappy, stressed and unfulfilled. I started reading and listening to content that inspired me. My curiosity grew. I couldn’t get enough of it. But there is a difference between intellectually understanding something and being able to implement it in your life. That latter part takes time. It happens at its own pace.

I designed the Shine Your Light cards because I wanted people to be able to start transforming without having to read endless books. I wanted to give people a powerful, practical journey.

All that said transformation is hard without a coach. A coach helps you see things you couldn’t see about yourself. They ask questions that others might shy away from – and importantly they ask them from a place of non-judgment – or at least they are supposed to. A coach holds you accountable and keeps you on the path of transformation, however many squiggles there are in the road.

So join me in the episode to hear me share some of my journey and how it is still moving me forward and transforming me.

Know that you have a light to shine and you deserve to shine it!

#shineyourlight #transformation #coachingcards #coaching #lifejourney

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4hnfq7aLgiVwlOz6g899Ek?si=d122749951e94d78

In today’s episode, I am talking all about journaling. This is card 10 in the Shine Your Light self-rediscovery coaching cards.

Journaling can have physical and psychological benefits for us. I have been journaling for 4 years now and it’s become an integral part of my daily habits.

It took me a long time to let go of what I believed I “should” write in my journal. I started with writing very little and it has now evolved into tracking my doing, being, sleep, food, menstrual and lunar cycle. Capturing this data provides us with invaluable information that gives us the power to make choices for ourselves. e.g. with perimenopausal symptoms.

Capturing our observations and reflections from the day gives us space to write from the heart and let go before we go to sleep. And finally noticing 3 things that we are grateful for keeps us in a positive mindset as we head into our slumber.

I’m excited to share that I am launching a Shine Your Light journal that can be used in conjunction with, or independently from the Shine Your Light cards. It’s beautiful and is designed to capture all the things I mention here.

There is a limited amount available at the moment and it’s not quite on the website yet – so if you are interested then drop me an email or DM me.

I’d love to get your thoughts and reflections on journaling.

In the meantime, keep on shining brightly!

#shineyourlight #perimenopause #journaling #selfrediscovery

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4AVJUZqLyIehVoIeNVpsw4?si=a9533e2605c94a08

I have a special treat for Mental Health Awareness Week. In today’s episode I am delighted to be joined by Ceri Hodgkiss from West Kent Mind.

We didn’t plan this conversation and trusted that we would have a good one… and wow the time went really quickly.

We talk about the importance of Movement (this year’s theme) for our mental health. We cover how you can spot signs of someone struggling with their mental health and what we can do if we spot that. We also talk about one of my favourite subjects, mental fitness, and how that can be used as a way of cultivating resistance to the challenges that life throws at us.

Be sure to listen to our conversation and if you feel so inclined please support West Kent Mind here: https://westkentmind.org.uk/i-want-to-support/fundraising/move-for-mental-health/

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#shineyourlight #mentalhealthawarenessweek #mentalfitness #resilience

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7s4wgiuZJPLRvuDa4qtclt?si=9235b934538a463a

Next week is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. Building mental resilience is central to my work. I believe that this is the key to not just surviving but really THRIVING in this busy, highly stimulated, competitive world that we live in.

We can all build mental resilience, just as we can all build other muscles. The key is creating an awareness of how you respond to life’s challenges, then learning and embedding techniques to help you thrive.

In this episode, I share some of my experience with mental health and now mindfulness and Positive Intelligence has made such a difference to my life.

Over the course of next week (w/c 13th May) I will be holding a 50-minute webinar in support of Mental Health Awareness Week and West Kent Mind.

I will be showing you how to respond to life’s challenges, cultivate healthy relationships, enjoy ultimate wellbeing and reach your peak performance.

You can choose from the following times:

Monday 13th May at 12:00

Wednesday 15th May at 18:00

Friday 17th May at 14:00

All times are London, UK. Each session will be the same.

To join a session please register in advance here: https://bit.ly/HowToThriveInLife .

For each person that attends a live session Reaching My Best will make a £1 donation to West Kent Mind.

Please share this episode and details of the webinar with anyone that you care about that would benefit from attending.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#shineyourlight #mentalhealthawarenessweek #mentalfitness #resilience

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iax0xg3jRoReTcseaGkwx?si=f5e5ac4a10fb4ceb

Have you ever spent time observing the judgements you make? It is a truly enlightening experience.

I remember being quite shocked when I noticed how often I made judgements. Now I am more aware of them I can catch myself in the moment and move forward from a place of discernment; with compassion and kindness.

Judgement can be broken down into three categories:

• Judge of self
• Judge of other
• Judge of situation or circumstance.

In this episode, I give examples of each and invite you to make a note of the times you find yourself in judgement over the course of the next week.

This is a confronting and challenging exercise, but the rewards far outweigh the challenge. Give it a go and please share your thoughts and observations. What surprised you most?

#shineyourlight #judgement

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/75YSOgKUJWjNUu1ynqSmF4?si=639b7b007d1d4401

In Monday’s Mindfulness session I chose card 24 – Creativity lies in each of us”.  Today’s episode is all about creativity and I share with you one of my current crate projects.

What started as a day workshop learning sashiko – a Japanese hand embroidery technique -has morphed into a jeans upcycling project to make a sashiko embroidered French cushion for my outdoor bench. I had best get it made so I can make the most of it this summer!

I really believe that we are all creative. We just need to give ourselves the time and space to play with the sort of creativity that brings us joy. Try everything. Sign up for workshops. Enrol in adult education classes. Join the local knitting club. Invite friends over to paint. Pick up an instrument. Sit in the sun with a notepad and pen. I can guarantee that even a small dose of creativity will make you feel amazing! (She says still full of cold!)

Please share your creative projects in the comments. I’d love to see them and creative inspiration from others is SO powerful.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#shineyourlight #reachingmybest #creativity #upcycling #sashiko

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1SFZRKkWFxHLYSGx8DnSC1?si=7e5d32b979084515

Today I am joined by my first guest in Season 2. It’s important to let others shine their light as well.

Emily Hammond is a special guest for me as well as she helped me create the Shine Your Light cards. This was the most beautiful, creative process that I have ever been involved in and it goes to show how when we let our egos go beautiful things can be created.

We talk about how aligned we were throughout the process and how we have received the same Universal nudges about the look, feel and purpose of the cards.

There is a LOT you can take from this conversation to test out in your own life. Above all it requires TRUST!

I’d love to hear about any similar working collaborations that you might have experienced and would welcome any guests that want to share them.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#shineyourlight #reachingmybest #cocreation #universalnudge

Want to listen to the audio version instead? Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Z5ikbFlxKHxrcUfLEs6QV?si=69356414916640d2

A first for me… pressing record before I know what I am going to be talking about!

In today’s episode I draw a card from my Shine Your Light coaching cards and see what I will spend the episode talking about.

The card I choose is all about how you experience joy… a similar theme to last week’s episode but with more emphasis on committing to a joy project. What did you enJOY as a child? What activity could you do as an adult that would help you experience that same joy? Even if you don’t have the skills yet for this activity you could commit to one small step that would take you towards learning the skills for an activity that brings you joy. When you let go of your ego and what other’s may think of your activity, what would you do to bring you joy.

As I write this I think it is telling that the JOY theme comes up two weeks in a row… I sense that we all need a little more joy in our lives. So what are you going to do to bring you more joy.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#childlikejoy #shineyourlight #reachingmybest

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0iU96Yd1WpzgMctnvis4tw?si=fce0b2c4c10e43bc

This week I selected Card 2 Childlike Joy in my Shine your light self-rediscovery coaching cards, so that was the theme of Monday’s Mindful Meditation and is also the theme of today’s podcast episode.

As adults, we get so caught up in our busy lives that we forget what it’s like to experience childlike joy or any joy for that matter.

Activities that bring us joy help release the happy hormones. And when we are happy we attract happiness… so being full of joy  is really important.

What brought you joy and had you in a flow state as a child? How could you experience that sort of joy today?

What can you do this week that will bring you a little joy?

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#childlikejoy #shineyourlight #reachingmybest

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/27xO239v4mpj0yU7xt4ppr?si=18dcf49c3b91482e

In this week’s Mindful Monday Meditation I selected Card 20 from the Shine your light self-rediscovery coaching cards.

It’s all about bringing awareness to your negative thought spirals. Did you know that it takes 3 positive thoughts to counter balance a negative thought? I find that a sobering thought!!!

Listen to this episode to find out more about negative thought patterns and how they are established. Find out about the power of attracting positive thoughts and how mindfulness plays a role in achieving this.

I also share details of a thoughts tracker that you can download to observe and understand your thoughts as well as a quick practical exercise to stop those negative thoughts in their tracks.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#negativethoughts #positivethoughts #mindfulness

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OkBfnBKPi4TxFlaJzdMK6?si=768a94bdcc7b4875

Have you ever thought about why you are called what you are called? Or how you came to be called that? What is the meaning behind your name and can you see any inspiration in that?

In today’s episode, I share my reflections on words and their use or meaning and I tell the story of how we named our eldest daughter Ruby.

And then, most importantly (of course), I share what I have discovered about my name and what the discovery of its meaning has unlocked in me.

As usual, this is unscripted. From the heart. Unedited. Me in my raw form!!!!

I’d love your thoughts and reflections on your name. Drop them in the comments.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#lightreborn #selfrediscovery #reachingmybest

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Er2TDFaY129Aan3F9gadT?si=a8e721f003eb4021

Where do all the best ideas come from? What is inspiration? When were you last inspired to do something and followed it through – despite the fear you may have felt?

In today’s episode, I talk about how I came up with the idea for my Shine your light coaching cards and how I followed through on that initial idea. If you are looking for inspiration or need a nudge to act on some inspiration that you have had, then make sure you listen to this episode.

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#coachingcards #bepresent #inspiration #creativity  #selfrediscovery

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/17Zyrx68H5xuU0wCgc6ePB?si=f96fe66dc45c49fd

In today’s episode I share my new Shine your light coaching cards. They are designed to help take you on a mindful journey of self-rediscovery so that you can shine your light and reach your best. In this episode I will share my intention behind the cards, who they are for and how you can use them.

If you are stuck in a rut or know that something has to change in your life then these cards will help you do that. They take everything that I have learnt and experienced over the past 5 year (or more!) and give you a way to go on a similar journey in a way that works for you.

Understanding who we are and what our purpose is, is a life journey. Everything happens for a reason and there is always something valuable to learn from every “challenging” experience.

If you have been following me for a while you will also know that I am an advocate of mindfulness. This is an incredibly powerful skill that has to ability to improve so many areas of our lives. Learning ways to be more mindful each day provides us with the tools to slow down and be more present. When a challenge then presents itself we can counterbalance our automatic unconscious behaviours with considered options to respond. When we practice this regularly it is a real game changer.

You can see my self-rediscovery coaching cards and purchase them here: https://reachingmybest.com/coaching-cards/

Keep shining and reaching for your best!

#coachingcards #mindfulness #selfrediscovery

Want to listen to the audio version instead?  Click here.
If you can’t click the link above, please copy & paste this link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OOdxJqD54HLoCKmZfRgLM?si=0aee25e4c05b439e

Welcome to the first episode of the second season of my podcast. You will notice a new name and a new look.

In this episode, I share the reasons for my rebrand and what it’s all about. I share the lessons that I have learnt in the first two years of starting my coaching business.

I speak unscripted, from the heart so I hope you will enjoy it.

You can see my self-rediscovery coaching cards and purchase them here: https://reachingmybest.com/coaching-cards/