7 Ways to Disconnect and Recharge Without Taking Time Off

Sometimes taking a vacation or retreat just isn’t possible. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to disconnect and recharge right where you are. With a few small changes, you can bring moments of peace and calm into your daily life, without needing to book time off work or escape your routine.

We all need breaks, but let’s face it: taking time off can be tricky, whether it’s due to a busy schedule, financial limitations, or life’s constant demands. The good news is you don’t need a week off to feel refreshed. By incorporating these small practices into your daily routine, you can create moments of calm no matter how hectic your life feels.

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Here are 7 ways to disconnect and recharge without needing a vacation:

1. Unplug for 15 Minutes a Day:

   Whether it’s during your lunch break or just before bed, set aside a few minutes to step away from screens. Use this time to breathe, reflect, or simply sit in silence.

2. Create a Soothing Space at Home:

   Designate a spot in your home that feels calming—a cozy chair, a corner of your bedroom, or a peaceful nook where you can retreat for a few moments.

3. Take a Nature Break:

   If you can’t get away, bring nature to you. Sit outside for a few minutes, open a window, or tend to a plant. Nature’s calming effect is immediate, even in small doses.

4. Practice Mindful Breathing:

   Whenever stress creeps in, pause for a moment to focus on your breath. Deep breathing can help calm your mind and reduce anxiety.

5. Stretch or Move Your Body:

   A few minutes of stretching or light movement can help release tension and recharge your energy levels.

6. Gratitude Check-In:

   At the end of each day, write down three things you’re grateful for. This practice shifts your focus from stress to appreciation.

7. Meditate or Journal:

   Spend 5 minutes reflecting on your thoughts or doing a quick guided meditation to clear your mind.

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By building these practices into your daily life, you’ll feel less drained and more recharged—even without taking a full vacation. And if you want a structured, supportive approach to making these habits stick, our Everyday Retreat can help.

With just a few mindful moments each day, you’ll feel more grounded, energized, and ready to take on whatever life throws at you. It’s about finding balance without stepping away from your responsibilities.

Ready to disconnect and recharge without the need for time off? Join our Everyday Retreat for daily lessons that will help you build these practices into your routine.

Spring Cleaning for Your Mind: A Gentle Reset for Emotional and Mental Well-being

A few days ago, I opened my wardrobe and realised something: I was holding onto clothes I didn’t even like anymore. Sweaters I’d bought on sale but never worn. Dresses I used to love but now felt like someone else’s style. Even a coat that I’d impulse bought and never worn.

I hesitated at first, but as I started filling up a donation bag, I felt lighter. It wasn’t just about the clothes. It was about making space.

And then it hit me—what else am I holding onto that no longer fits?

It’s easy to recognise physical clutter, but what about the emotional and mental clutter that lingers? The grudges we tuck away like forgotten receipts. The old thought patterns that no longer match who we are. The relationships that, if we’re honest, don’t feel good anymore.

Spring is here. And with it, an invitation: to clear out, to make space, to reset.

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1. Clear Emotional Clutter

We all carry things we no longer need—memories that sting, regrets that wake us up, stories we keep telling ourselves even though they no longer feel true.

Start here: What emotional weight are you still carrying?

• Release grudges and resentments.

  Imagine them as heavy bags you’ve been carrying for years. Now, imagine setting them down. How would it feel to let go? Forgiveness isn’t about saying what happened was okay—it’s about freeing yourself from carrying it.

• Process unresolved feelings.

  Some emotions don’t disappear just because we ignore them. They sit, unspoken, waiting for acknowledgment. Journaling, emotions coaching, voice notes to yourself, even a long walk where you just let your mind wander—give them space to be heard.

• Practice forgiveness—especially for yourself.

  You are not the same person you were when you made that mistake. You have grown. Things may have shifted for you. It’s time to be gentler with yourself.

Let go of guilt about things you can’t change. Some things are not yours to carry anymore.

Reflection: What emotional patterns am I ready to release?

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2. Audit Your Relationships

I once had a friendship that felt like wearing shoes that didn’t fit anymore. At first, I ignored the discomfort. Then, I made excuses. Maybe I just need to try harder. Maybe I’m being too sensitive. But deep down, I knew—I was shrinking myself to make space for someone else.

If a relationship makes you feel smaller, drained, or unseen, it’s okay to reassess.

• Who energises you? Who drains you?

  Pay attention to how you feel after spending time with someone. Light? Inspired? Or exhausted and uneasy?

• Set boundaries.

  You are not obligated to be available 24/7. Boundaries are not selfish; they are self-respect.

• Nurture connections that bring joy.

  Send a text to someone who makes you laugh. Plan that coffee date. Show up for the people who show up for you.

• Release toxic ties.

  Some relationships run their course. It’s okay to let go.

Reflection: Which relationships need more attention or boundaries?

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3. Reset Mental Habits

Your thoughts create the environment you live in. If your mind feels like a messy room full of old magazines and half-written to-do lists, maybe it’s time to tidy up.

• Challenge negative thought patterns.

  Notice when your mind spirals into old fears or assumptions. Ask: Is this actually true?

• Update old beliefs.

  Some beliefs kept you safe once. But do they still serve you now?

• Replace self-criticism with self-compassion.

  If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, don’t say it to yourself.

• Create new positive mental routines.

  Five deep breaths in the morning. A gratitude list at night. A daily reminder that you are doing enough. Small shifts create big change.

Reflection: What new habits would support my mental well-being?

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4. Digital Emotional Declutter

A few weeks ago, I scrolled through my social media and realised—I was following accounts that made me feel terrible. Comparison, self-doubt, a subtle feeling of not enoughness.

Spring cleaning isn’t just for your closet; it’s for your digital space too.

• Unfollow accounts that trigger anxiety.

  If it doesn’t uplift or inspire you, let it go.

• Clear out old emotional emails or messages.

  That text thread from three years ago? You don’t need it.

• Delete photos that bring up negative memories.

  You don’t have to keep reminders of things that hurt you.

• Set digital boundaries.

  Turn off notifications. Take a break from doomscrolling. Choose real life over screen life.

Reflection: How can I create more space for joy and peace in my daily life?

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5. Refresh Your Self-Care

Self-care isn’t just spa days and bubble baths. It’s the way you treat yourself when no one is watching.

• Reassess your stress management.

  Are your coping mechanisms actually helping, or just numbing?

• Introduce mindfulness.

  Even five minutes of stillness can reset your entire day.

• Create space for joy.

  Not productivity. Not efficiency. Joy.

• Rethink your routines.

  Maybe your mornings don’t need to feel rushed. Maybe your evenings don’t need to end in mindless scrolling. What could you shift?

Reflection: What’s one small thing I can do to care for myself today?

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A Final Note: Take It Slow

Spring cleaning isn’t about fixing yourself. You are not something that needs fixing.

It’s about making space—for ease, for joy, for the person you are becoming.

So start small. Unfollow that account. Take a deep breath. Send the text. Write the letter you’ll never send.

And trust that, in the clearing, something new will bloom.

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Want more ways to bring lightness and joy into your days?

Life feels better when we make space for what truly matters. Our newsletter is like a gentle nudge toward feeling good, filled with real-life wellbeing tips, thoughtful reflections, and small shifts that make a big difference.

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How to Live Through These Middle Years Without Losing Your Mind

No one really prepares you for this part of life.

The middle.

The not-yet and not-anymore. The quiet unraveling of who you used to be, and the awkward, slightly blurry sketch of who you might become.

It doesn’t come with fanfare. There’s no clear rite of passage, no guidebook, no “welcome to the middle” sign. It just arrives one day — gently, slowly, imperceptibly — and suddenly you’re standing in your own life, wondering why everything feels slightly unfamiliar.

You’ve done all the things. You’ve built, carried, supported, managed, held.

You’ve grown careers, raised children, maintained relationships, paid bills, and kept things going.

But now there’s a low hum underneath it all. A quiet ache. A restlessness you can’t quite explain. A whisper: Is this it? Is this what it’s meant to feel like now?

You still care, but you feel slightly outside of your own life.

You’re still showing up, but something in you is shifting.

You’re not unhappy — but you’re not lit up either. You’re not falling apart — but you’re not fully yourself.

Welcome to the middle.

And if you’re wondering how to live through this part without losing your mind, here’s what I want to tell you:

> You don’t have to have a plan.

You don’t have to reinvent yourself.

You don’t have to rush toward answers.

You’re allowed to be in between.

You’re allowed to feel unsure.

You’re allowed to move through this part slowly, gently, with your hands outstretched in the dark, feeling your way into something new — even if you don’t know what it is yet.

Because these middle years aren’t about fixing.

They’re about listening.

To your longing.

To your boredom.

To your fatigue.

To your desire for something you can’t yet name.

To honor the parts of you that are tired of performing.

To grieve the parts of you that no longer feel like home.

To create space — even a tiny bit — for the version of you that’s quietly trying to emerge.

You don’t need to know what’s next.

You just need to know what you want more of.

What you want less of.

What you’re done pretending about.

What you’re ready to start tending to — even if it’s only a flicker.

Sometimes that’s all the direction you need.

Try this:

Make a list — no pressure to get it right.

>Write two headings: More of this / Less of that. And then brainstorm your response.

Like:

More reading. Less rushing.

More compassion. Less proving.

More trust. Less noise.

That’s how we live through the middle.

Not by mastering it.

But by recognizing ourselves here — fully, imperfectly, honestly.

And maybe, just maybe, finding that this part of life — the messy, in-between part — holds more meaning than we were ever taught to expect.

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Book a Midlife Coaching Session

Our 90-minute Midlife Mapping Session is for you if you’re feeling uncertain, overwhelmed, or in need of a reset. It’s designed to help you:

• Identify where you are now, where you want to be, and what’s in the way

• Explore your values, needs, and evolving priorities

• Gain immediate insights into patterns that may be keeping you stuck

• Leave with practical next steps tailored to your needs

Who is this for?
This session is ideal if you want clarity and direction but aren’t ready for a long-term coaching commitment. Book here.

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Not sure if coaching is for you? We get it; it took us experiencing coaching to understand what it really is. That’s why we offer a free coaching consultation to see how talking through where you are might help with where you want to go.

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Need more support as you navigate midlife and figure out what’s next? Subscribe to our newsletter for practical ways to move through this period with more clarity and intention.

When Trying to Feel Better Starts to Feel Like Pressure

There’s a strange irony in midlife:

You start trying to take care of yourself just at the moment you feel most disconnected from yourself.

You read the books. You save the Instagram posts. You sign up for the newsletters, download the meditation apps and promise yourself that this week you’ll really do it.

You’ll stretch. Journal. Eat better. Rest more. Be present. Meditate. Cut out caffeine. Maybe even finally take those supplements you bought months ago and keep forgetting to open.

You try.

But somehow, even the trying feels heavy. Like it’s yet another thing you’re not doing quite right.

You start to wonder if self-care is just another version of self-judgment — a performance you’re meant to keep up, while secretly wondering if you’ve missed some essential instruction manual that everyone else seems to have read.

And maybe, beneath all the pressure, you start to feel something even harder to admit:

> That trying to feel better is making you feel worse.

I remember a moment — not so long ago — when I stood in the kitchen staring at half-opened supplements and wondering if I even had the energy, or time, to blend that green smoothie I believed would help. I was tired. Not just physically, but soul-tired. And somewhere in me, a voice whispered: What are you doing this for, really? Who are you trying to be right now?

Because the truth was — I didn’t want a smoothie (even though I really love them).

I wanted stillness.

I wanted to feel something again that didn’t feel like a task.

I wanted to feel myself again — not the version of me who ticked all the boxes, but the one who could sit down in the quiet and still recognize her own thoughts.

And that’s what I’ve come to believe:

Wellbeing isn’t something we’re meant to achieve.

It’s something we can tend to. Gently. Kindly. Imperfectly.

Not through someone else’s morning routine or a podcast’s list of non-negotiables. But through our own noticing. Our own honest relationship with ourselves. Our own tiny, ordinary acts of kindness — not as a means to optimize ourselves, but simply to meet ourselves where we actually are.

Some days that might look like journaling.

Some days it might look like making toast and sitting down for five minutes while it’s still warm.

Some days it might look like doing nothing at all.

And that’s enough. Truly.

Because you don’t need the perfect wellness plan.

You need more permission to be human in your own life.

You’re not failing at self-care.

You’re just exhausted from trying to do it in a way that was never designed for your actual days.

So here’s a suggestion, if you need one today:

> What if well-being didn’t need to be a routine you follow, but a relationship you build — slowly, kindly, intuitively?

One that’s shaped by your own rhythm. Your own energy. Your own life as it actually is — not the life you wish you were living.

Maybe it starts with making a really great coffee before you check your email.

Or choosing that latest fiction blockbuster over one more scroll.

Or simply asking yourself: What do I need today — not in theory, but in reality?

Maybe you don’t need more effort.

Maybe you just need less pressure.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s the beginning of feeling better — not as something you achieve, but something just to keep you connected to yourself even in the most wobbly of days.

Well-being Prescriptions for Midlife

We don’t believe that well-being is one thing to all people. We’ve found that we all need something different from it — some of us to feel calmer, others more energized; some to deal with the overwhelm, others with the disconnection; and some of us to reach for our purpose, others for a paintbrush.

Learn more about our well-being prescriptions here. Find out more about what you need it to be, and do, for you.

Midlife can look different for each of us. Write your own plan for a way through it that works for you.

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Not sure if coaching is for you? We get it; it took us experiencing coaching to understand what it really is. That’s why we offer a free coaching consultation to see how talking through where you are might help with where you want to go.

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Curious how to find your own way to well during these midlife days? Subscribe to our newsletter here.

How to Welcome Positive Emotions This Spring (Even If It Doesn’t Come Naturally)

There’s something about spring that stirs hope, especially as our tired souls emerge from winter. The first birdsong. The slant of softer light. A few stubborn daffodils daring to bloom. It’s easy to think, ooh, maybe I could feel a little better, too.

But — this might feel counterintuitive — sometimes welcoming in positive emotions is hard for us, feeling better isn’t automatic. Joy doesn’t arrive just because the sun does. Sometimes it’s harder to welcome good feelings than it is to stay wrapped in the familiar (dis)comfort of stress, self-protection, or just getting through the day.

Maybe you’ve learned to keep your emotions tightly in check. Maybe you’ve absorbed the message that happiness is indulgent, or that you need to earn rest and softness before they’re allowed. Maybe joy feels fluffy. Or unreachable. Or for other people.

If that’s you, you’re not doing life wrong. You’re simply human.

And still, spring can be an invitation.

Not for a complete overhaul. Not for a shiny new self. But for a quiet kind of reawakening — a practice of letting in a little more light.

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What Makes It Hard to Feel Good?

There are real reasons why positive emotions don’t always land easily.

We’re often taught from early on to downplay joy, contain excitement, or push pleasure aside. Maybe you grew up in a household where emotions were inconvenient. Or maybe you’ve spent years in survival mode, managing responsibilities, caring for others, being strong.

So, when softness or lightness shows up, it can feel… alien. Or unsafe. Or suspicious.

And yet, what the research tells us is this: positive emotions aren’t fluffy. They’re foundational.

They help us build psychological flexibility, reduce stress, foster connection, and expand our ability to navigate life’s messier seasons.

Even small moments of joy — a good conversation, a warm cup of tea, sunlight on your face — can change your internal weather over time.

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Three Gentle Practices to Let More Lightness In

This spring, what if you didn’t try to overhaul your emotional life, but simply tended to it? Like a garden. Slowly. Kindly. With no pressure for perfection.

Here are three small ways to begin:

1. Name the Good

Just like we’re encouraged to name the hard feelings, we can also start naming the good ones. Contentment. Ease. Gratitude. Curiosity. Hope.

At the end of each day, ask yourself: Was there a moment of something good today? Try to label it. Let your body register it.

It’s not about toxic positivity. It’s about acknowledging that good feelings do show up — even in the middle of hard (though slightly more beautiful) seasons.

2. Let Joy Feel Small

Positive emotions don’t need to be fireworks. They can be tiny. Let yourself feel gladness in the mundane — a laugh that surprised you, the way your dog greets you, the smell of clean sheets.

The researcher Barbara Fredrickson calls these “micro-moments of positivity.” They’re enough. They matter. They build emotional muscle.

3. Create a Ritual of Softness

If you struggle to feel, try creating a practice that gives your emotions somewhere to land.

This could be:

• A five-minute morning check-in: What do I need today?

• A short walk where you notice something beautiful.

• A weekly journaling ritual: What am I learning about how I feel?

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Let Spring Be Permission, Not Pressure

There’s no emotional finish line here. You don’t have to be happy because it’s spring. But what if you gently allowed a little more space for the emotions that support your well-being, without guilt, without judgment?

You’re allowed to feel joy without explanation.

You’re allowed to feel lightness, even if others are struggling.

You’re allowed to feel good, simply because you are alive.

That might take practice. That’s okay.

Let it be a soft reset, not a transformation. A return to something tender and true in yourself. Something that might just be beginning to bloom.

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Want help making sense of your emotions?

If this post resonated, you might love our Emotions newsletter. It offers more ways to help you notice, name, and navigate your emotional landscape in a way that feels kind and doable.

Sign up here to receive it straight to your inbox.

Let’s make emotional well-being feel more accessible, one feeling at a time.

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What Coaching Really Is (and Isn’t): A Q&A for Curious People

Maybe you’ve been reading along for a while now — nodding, recognising something in yourself, slowly starting to feel seen again.

And maybe, quietly, you’ve wondered…

Would coaching help me?

Is it for someone like me?

Do I even know what it really is?

We hear those questions a lot.

So here are our non-sales-speak answers (because there’s already too much hustle in this industry).

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Q: Is coaching just life advice?

Not at all.

In fact, coaching isn’t advice-giving.

It’s not someone telling you what to do.

It’s not a checklist or a five-step plan or a quick fix.

Coaching is a conversation where you get to hear yourself more clearly.

It’s space.

It’s reflection.

It’s being asked the kinds of questions that help you untangle what’s really going on beneath the surface, in a way that feels safe, not exposing.

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Q: But I’m not trying to “transform my life.” Would coaching still be useful?

Absolutely.

Coaching doesn’t have to be about big reinventions.

In fact, the most powerful work often starts in the smallest moments — when you notice what you’re tired of carrying, or what you’ve been quietly craving, or what part of you you’ve been ignoring.

You don’t need a grand plan.

You just need a willingness to come back into focus again.

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Q: I’ve seen a lot of shiny coaching online. I’m not sure that’s for me.

Us too.

And this isn’t that.

Our coaching isn’t about perfection or even performance.

It’s about being human, and finally having a space where you don’t have to keep holding it all together.

There’s no hype here. No positive vibes only.

Just grounded, clear, thoughtful support for the real version of you — the one who’s doing her best, even when she’s unsure what that looks like anymore.

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Q: Do I need a goal to bring to coaching?

No. You just need to bring yourself.

You don’t need a mission statement or a project plan.

Sometimes the goal is simply: to feel like yourself again.

To hear your own thoughts. To name your own needs. To soften.

That’s more than enough to begin.

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Q: What even happens in a session? What do we actually do?

We talk. We pause. We ask better questions. We listen inward.

Sometimes there are tears. Sometimes laughter. Sometimes we sit in silence for a moment because something lands, and that alone is a shift.

We might name what you’re carrying.

We might explore what’s underneath the overwhelm.

We might simply ask: Where do you want to feel more like yourself again?

It’s not a script. It’s not therapy.

It’s a gentle, guided space for self-connection — at your pace, in your language.

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Q: Who is this really for?

It’s for the woman who’s wondering what happened to her spark.

The one who feels emotionally full but strangely flat.

The one who wants to feel seen, not just by the world (that would be nice too), but by herself.

It’s for the woman who’s quietly tired of being the person everyone relies on… but doesn’t know where to put her own feelings.

It’s for you, if something in you has whispered:

I want more space. I want to feel more real. I want to come back to myself.

It’s for you if you have questions and you’re living in the space between.

It’s for you if you just need to press pause on life for an hour.

If this sounds familiar, we think you’ll find these sessions exactly what you need right now.

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There is nothing we love to do more then hold the space for you and to ask the big questions that hold the shifts you need.

You can read more about our Coaching Sessions here and our current Drop-Ins here.

And if you’re not on our mailing list, join here, for more guidance for all your lost days.

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The Weight You’re Carrying Isn’t Just Yours

There’s a kind of tiredness that doesn’t go away with rest.

You can sleep, hydrate, do your yoga, take your magnesium, go for a walk.

And still, it lingers — that low, heavy weight that sits behind your eyes or beneath your ribs. The kind that doesn’t show up in test results, but feels like it’s etched into your bones.

It’s not just physical. It’s not just emotional.

It’s a kind of invisible load — one that builds quietly over time.

And so many of us are carrying it.

Especially in midlife, especially as women, especially in lives that look “fine” on the outside.

We carry the decisions. The dynamics. The moods. The mental load. The silent remembering. The keeping-track-of-everything-and-everyone.

We carry the birthdays and the groceries and the dentist appointments.

We carry the emotional climate of our homes.

We carry what’s going on with the kids, what might be going on with our partners, what we’re starting to see happening with our parents.

We carry our friends, when they’re falling apart. We carry their fears, gently, quietly, alongside our own.

We hold it all. And then we wonder why we’re tired.

For a long time, I didn’t realise I was carrying anything extra.

I thought I was just tired because I wasn’t getting enough done.

I thought I needed to be more organised, more balanced, more productive.

I thought maybe I was weak. Even lazy. Possibly undisciplined.

But I wasn’t. I was just human. I was just heavy with things no one could see.

It wasn’t until I stopped — properly stopped — that I realised just how much I’d been holding. How much space it had taken up inside me. How much I’d quietly internalised as mine to carry.

The emotional labour. The mental noise. The weight of trying to be all the things to all the people, all of the time.

And the truth is: it wasn’t all mine.

It never was.

Some of it belonged to expectations I didn’t set.

Some to roles I inherited, but did not choose.

Some to a culture that praises women for being tireless, generous, and self-sacrificing — but never asks what it costs them to keep showing up that way.

And some of it, most painfully, was weight I carried simply because no one else thought to hold it for me.

If any of this feels familiar, I want you to know this:

You’re not imagining it.

The weight is real.

And you don’t have to keep carrying it all.

You are allowed to lay something down.

You are allowed to ask for help.

You are allowed to stop trying to be the steady one, the good one, the one who always has it together.

You don’t need to earn rest.

You don’t need to justify your tiredness.

You don’t need to explain why it feels so hard — even when your life looks okay.

Sometimes the most radical act of care is simply to say: This is too much for me.

And let that be reason enough.

There’s no perfect solution. No five-step fix.

But there is a beginning.

And it starts with naming what you’ve been holding — gently, kindly, without judgment.

Because once you can name it, you don’t have to carry it alone anymore.

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Our Midlife Coaching Sessions

If this resonates, learn more about our coaching sessions for midlife and beyond. Explore everything from emotional labour to midlife burnout, and discover small ways to feel more connected again.

If you’re in midlife, these sessions will help you have a better relationship with this time. You’ll identify your needs and desires, bridge any gaps between where you are and where you want to be, and cultivate strategies for making it all that much better.

You’ll discover how to navigate midlife and beyond in ways that feel more intentional and even positive.

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Need more guidance as you navigate midlife? Subscribe to our newsletter about the messy bits in the middle.

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How Emotions Shape Our Increasingly Isolated Lives

Have you ever wondered why it feels harder to connect these days? You’re not imagining it. Life has shifted, and with it, our emotions have too. What we’re feeling (or not) might play a bigger role in how we engage with others—and ourselves—than we thought.

From stress to loneliness, our feelings often push us toward isolation, even when what we crave is connection. But we’ve found that understanding this emotional interplay can help us break free from this sense of disconnection and move toward a more connected, fulfilling life.

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The Emotional Side of Disconnection

Our feelings are deeply intertwined with how we navigate the world. Stress, fear, and overwhelm often lead to withdrawal, while positive emotions like curiosity and joy can inspire us to seek connection.

Some common emotions that can drive disconnection include:

1. Stress and Overwhelm

• Modern life feels like a constant race. Between work, family, and endless to-do lists, stress leaves little room for meaningful connection.

• When overwhelmed, we tend to retreat, choosing solitude or distraction over engagement.

2. Fear and Vulnerability

• Fear of rejection or judgment can make reaching out feel risky, leading us to avoid social situations altogether.

• Past experiences of hurt or betrayal may create emotional walls that keep others at a distance.

3. Loneliness and Shame

• Loneliness often perpetuates itself. When we feel disconnected, shame can convince us that we’re the problem, making it harder to take steps toward connection.

• This creates a cycle: disconnection fuels negative emotions, which then reinforce isolation.

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When Isolation Becomes a Cycle

The longer we stay disconnected, the harder it can feel to break the cycle. This is because isolation reinforces the very emotions that keep us apart:

• Stress compounds stress: Without social outlets, stress builds, making re-engagement feel even more overwhelming.

• Loneliness intensifies: The absence of connection magnifies feelings of emptiness, leading to further withdrawal.

Recognizing this cycle is the first step toward shifting it. The next steps might include:

1. Name Your Emotions

Awareness is the antidote to avoidance. Spend time identifying and naming what you’re feeling:

• Are you avoiding connection because you’re afraid of rejection?

• Does stress make you feel like you don’t have time to engage with others?

• Journaling or mindfulness practices can help you explore these emotions without judgment.

2. Reframe Disconnection as an Opportunity

Disconnection doesn’t have to be a dead end—it can be a starting point for better understanding yourself.

• Use periods of solitude to reflect on what truly matters to you.

• Ask yourself: What kind of connections would feel meaningful right now?

3. Seek Out Moments of Joy and Curiosity

Positive emotions like joy and curiosity can nudge you toward connection.

• Try something new: Join a group or take a class that sparks your interest.

• Revisit an old passion: Shared interests often lead to natural connections with like-minded people.

4. Foster Emotional Safety

Strong connections thrive on emotional safety. Deepen relationships by being vulnerable in small, manageable ways:

• Share a personal story with a trusted friend.

• Show up authentically in conversations, even if it feels a little scary.

5. Make Connection a Habit

Connection doesn’t have to be grand or time-consuming. Small, intentional actions can go a long way:

• Send a quick text to someone you care about.

• Schedule a weekly walk with a friend or family member.

• Join a virtual or in-person community aligned with your interests.

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Emotions as a Bridge to Connection

Your feelings don’t need to be obstacles—they can also be clues. By understanding how emotions like stress, fear, and joy shape your behavior, you can begin to take intentional steps toward connection.

Whether it’s reaching out to a friend, trying a new activity, or exploring what’s holding you back, the journey to reconnection starts with acknowledging what you’re feeling.

Connection is closer than you think—it begins with this one small step.

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Your emotions are the key to connection. Our emotions coaching sessions help you understand which feelings can hold you back, help you reconnect with your inner self, and build deeper, more meaningful relationships.

Curious to know more? Click here to explore emotions coaching and how your feelings can help you better connect with both yourself and others.

You can also sign up for our special newsletter dedicated to better understanding your emotional life. Subscribe here.

You’re Not Lost — You’re Just In The Middle Of Something

I used to think there were two main states of being:

You were either together or falling apart.

That’s the narrative we’re sold, isn’t it? You’re thriving or you’re in crisis. You’re either fine or you’re flailing. You’re either lit up by life or you’re struggling to breathe through it.

But what about the space in between?

What about that strange middle place where you’re not exactly unhappy… but not quite yourself either? Where you can still laugh, still function, still tick off the to-do list — but quietly, you feel like you’ve slipped out of your own skin a bit?

That’s the place I found myself in during my own midlife.

Nothing catastrophic had happened. In many ways, things were “fine.” But I’d lost my footing. I couldn’t hear myself clearly. I wasn’t sure what I wanted anymore — or even what I needed. I’d look at my calendar, my inbox, the stack of supplements I’d meant to take, and feel like I was watching a version of myself go through the motions, while another part of me stood on the edges whispering, Is this still you?

For a while, I didn’t talk about it. I thought maybe I was just being ungrateful. Maybe I needed to meditate more. Journal more. Try harder. Optimise better.

But then I started noticing something. The women around me — the ones I admired most — were saying the same thing, in different ways.

“I feel like the years are passing, and I’m not quite in them.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to want anymore.”
“I used to be passionate about things. Now I just feel… dulled.”

And so many of us thought we were alone in it. That we’d missed some essential life skill. That we were failing at midlife.

But what if we’re not?

What if this isn’t failure at all — just a kind of reorientation? A necessary pause. A space between who we’ve been and who we’re becoming.

A middle.

A tender, necessary, often overlooked middle.

In the natural world, there’s a term called the liminal space — a threshold, a transitional place where one thing hasn’t fully ended, and another hasn’t quite begun. It’s where the caterpillar has melted in the chrysalis, but isn’t yet a butterfly. It’s uncomfortable, undefined, and invisible from the outside. But it’s where real change begins.

I think midlife is its own kind of chrysalis.

Not a crisis. Not a decline. But a quiet restructuring. An unlearning. A becoming.

And like all middles, it takes time. It takes permission. It takes gentleness.

So if you’re here too — in this strange in-between place — know this:

You’re not lost (though if you are this might help).
You’re just in the middle of something.
And it’s okay if you don’t know what that something is yet.

Just keep paying attention.
Not to what you should be doing. Not to what everyone else is shouting about. But to what quietly feels like you. To what softens your breath. To what stirs a small flicker of feeling.

This isn’t about becoming a new person.
It’s about slowly remembering the one you already are — the one you’ve always been.

Even in the middle.

Especially in the middle.

Midlife is a pivotal time for many women—a stage of life where everything feels like it's shifting. You might find yourself reflecting on how much has changed, wondering if you're on the right path, or even questioning who you’ve become.

It’s natural to feel overwhelmed or unsure about what comes next, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. If midlife feels like uncharted territory, we're here to support you.

Find out more about our Midlife Coaching Sessions here.

Embracing Messy Emotions: 5 Steps to Feel, Not Fix

We all experience messy emotions—those uncomfortable feelings like anxiety, anger, or sadness. But what if instead of trying to fix them, you allowed yourself to feel them? Today, we’re exploring how embracing your emotions can help reduce stress, improve self-esteem, and nurture your overall wellbeing.

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What Are Messy Emotions, and Why Do They Matter?

Emotions that you might interpret as messy—like fear, frustration, and grief—aren’t “negative.” They’re essential signals that help us understand our needs and values.

Examples of messy emotions and their messages:

• Anxiety: Highlights uncertainty or a fear of failure.

• Anger: Signals that a boundary has been crossed.

• Sadness: Indicates a sense of loss or unmet needs.

By leaning into these emotions, rather than suppressing them, you can gain valuable insights into your inner world and how you can better relate to the outer one too.

Why do we try to fix our emotions then?

Modern life promotes quick fixes: “stay positive,” “think happy thoughts,” or “power through.” While this mindset feels productive, it can lead to stress, burnout, and a disconnection from yourself.

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5 Steps to Embrace Messy Emotions

1. Identify What You’re Feeling

Start by naming the emotion you’re experiencing. Research shows that simply labelling an emotion can reduce its intensity and help you process it.

2. Get Curious About Your Emotions

Ask yourself: Why is this emotion showing up? What need or boundary is being highlighted? This step fosters emotional clarity and self-awareness.

3. Allow Yourself to Feel It Fully

Instead of suppressing emotions, practice sitting with them. Notice how they feel in your body—like a tight chest or a knot in your stomach—and breathe through the sensation.

4. Reflect on the Lessons

Once you’ve sat with your emotions, consider what actions they might inspire. Do you need to set a boundary, communicate your feelings, or make a change in your environment?

5. Let Go Without Judgment

Embrace the idea that emotions are temporary. Once you’ve processed them, let them pass naturally instead of clinging to guilt or self-criticism.

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Journal Prompt: Connecting with Your Messy Emotions

Take 10 minutes to reflect on a recent emotional experience:

• What were you feeling?

• What might that emotion have been trying to tell you?

• How can you respond with self-compassion?

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Why Feeling, Not Fixing, is Key to Self-Connection

Messy emotions aren’t problems to solve; they’re guides to understanding yourself. When you embrace your feelings, you reduce emotional overwhelm, boost your confidence, and create deeper connections with others.

Emotions coaching can help you explore your emotional patterns, process feelings constructively, and build resilience. This process isn’t about suppressing what you feel but rather understanding which emotions are showing up and why.

Embracing messy emotions is a powerful way to improve your mental well-being, strengthen relationships, and live with greater clarity.

Instead of fixing your emotions, try leaning into them. You might discover that the feelings you once avoided are the key to living a more balanced, fulfilling life.

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If you’re curious about how to better understand what you’re feeling (and why you’re feeling it), subscribe to our newsletter. You’ll get to explore all the feels.

Why I Collect Places: A Human-Centered Guidebook to Better Wellbeing

There’s a certain kind of magic in finding a place that feels just right. A small bookstore where the owner remembers your name. A café where the coffee is secondary to the conversation. A public park that holds space for quiet moments.

I’ve always been drawn to places like these—the ones that anchor us, remind us of who we are, and offer ways back to ourselves, and each other. It’s why I started Our Guide to Life, a collection of human-centered spaces that nurture our wellbeing in ways that often go overlooked as we rush through our days.

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Wellbeing Beyond the Expected

When we talk about wellbeing, the conversation so often stops at wellness trends—meditation apps, self-care routines, morning rituals. And while all of that has its place, what if wellbeing was also connected to where we live, how we shape our worlds, and how we create space for each other.

That’s what I’ve been exploring. Beyond the polished wellness industry, there are places—hidden, local, ordinary—that hold a different kind of support.

• The museum that allows your mind to soar and your imagination to expand.

• The coworking space that brings people into your days, and not just more ways to be productive.

• The bakery that somehow soothes you, even if croissants are a far cry from green juice.

These places aren’t selling a version of self-improvement. They’re simply there, existing in a way that makes life a little softer, a little easier, and sometimes even a little more magical.

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Why Now?

We’re living in an era of increasing isolation. Studies show that loneliness is as harmful to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. At the same time, the places that have historically brought us together—independent cafes, bookshops, music venues—are struggling to survive.

The irony is, we need them more than ever. We need places where we can show up as humans. Places where we don’t have to earn our belonging, where connection isn’t transactional, and where simply being present is enough.

This is why I collect places—not just for myself, but for anyone who might be looking for a way to feel at home in the world again.

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A Guidebook for Everyday Wellbeing

Our Guide to Life is an evolving collection of the places that matter—places that meet you wherever you are and offer something real. It’s a growing map of

• Independent and unexpected spaces—community gardens, unusual storefronts, gathering places.

• Places that hold stories—libraries, bookshops, cultural hubs.

• Third places that aren’t home or work—cafés, coworking spots, creative studios.

• Spaces that make room for joy—live music venues, art workshops, immersive experiences.

Some of these places will be in your own backyard. Some might be places you’ve never thought to look. But they all share one thing in common: they make life into something to explore, making us more connected and more human.

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A Collective Exploration

But this isn’t just my guidebook—it’s ours.

The places that matter most to you might be different from mine. Maybe it’s the beach at sunset where you exhale fully for the first time in days. Or the record shop where you’ve had the best conversations with strangers.

We all have places that ground us, restore us, and remind us that we belong. And when we share them, we make it easier for others to find their own.

So, tell me—where’s your place? The one that holds you when you need it most? The one that brings you back to yourself? Your happy place? Your calm place?

Let’s build this guide together. Because the right place, at the right moment, can change everything.

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P.S. If you run a place that you think would fit in our Guidebook reach out to us. We’ll send you details to apply.

Glove Factory Studios

Perfect For

Freelancers, creatives, and entrepreneurs who want a unique workspace—somewhere that encourages focus, connection, and maybe even a mid-morning swim.

Why You’ll Love It

Tucked away in the Wiltshire countryside, Glove Factory Studios is far more than a workspace—it’s a hub for creativity, collaboration, and connection. Set in a beautifully restored Victorian glove factory, it’s home to independent businesses, freelancers, and creatives who want more than just an office—they want a space that inspires ideas, fosters community, and embraces work-life balance in the best way possible.

With light-filled studios, a rural setting, and a café that feels like a creative meeting ground, this is a workspace designed for people who think differently, work independently, but love being part of something bigger.

What Makes It Special

• An inspiring setting – A heritage industrial building meets modern design, creating a workspace that feels both professional and creative.

• A built-in creative community – More than just a place to work, it’s a network of like-minded people, with regular talks, events, and collaboration opportunities.

• Surrounded by nature – With open countryside, walking trails, and even wild swimming nearby, this is a space that understands the balance between productivity and wellbeing.

The Story Behind It

Glove Factory Studios was founded with the belief that where you work should inspire you, not drain you. Over the years, it’s evolved into a thriving community of designers, writers, makers, and entrepreneurs, all drawn to its unique blend of rural calm and creative energy. From its history as a glove-making factory to its reinvention as a workspace for modern independents, its story is one of transformation, creativity, and new possibilities.

Something Else We Love

Their onsite wild swimming club, the Glove Dippers—yes, really. With a natural swimming pond, members can take a dip before, after, or even between meetings. It’s the kind of workplace perk you don’t know you need until you try it.

We also love it for coworking, dropping in when working from home gets a little lonely. Oh and the gorgeous cafe on site, Wild Herb at the Field Kitchen is the perfect any-time of day pick me up.

The If Lost Take

We love Glove Factory Studios because it proves that work doesn’t have to happen in dull offices or overrun cafés. It’s a space that prioritizes both creativity and wellbeing, offering a place where people can build businesses, spark ideas, and create their own version of that illusive work-life balance.

Some Practical Details

Website | Social Media

Holt, Bradford on Avon, UK

Sherlock & Pages

Perfect For

Anyone seeking books that inspire a deeper connection with nature, those interested in locating meaning in their lives, and anyone looking to support independent book shops.

Why You’ll Love It

Nestled in the heart of Frome, Sherlock & Pages is a tiny bookshop — of just 1500 titles — with a big ambition. Co-founder Luke Sherlock has said “My dream as a person is to have the most beautiful, soulful bookshop surrounded by stories and community.”

True to his promise, together with his partner Agathe Cavicchioli, he has created somewhere magical — and sometimes mischievous — that holds a carefully curated collection of books that mostly celebrate nature, but also bring in other areas such as conservation, folklore, history and pilgrimage.

This truly charming book shop invites you to embark on journeys — sometimes physical, sometimes of the mind and spirit, all while fostering a deep connection to the natural world.

What Makes It Special

• Nature-Centered Collection – Specializing in books about nature, conservation, and environmental sustainability, Sherlock & Pages offers readers a chance to reconnect with some of the best writing about the natural world.

• Community Reach – In a town that believes in maintaining its independent spirit, Sherlock & Pages foster a sense of community and shared values. They are always happy to recommend the latest titles or beloved reads when you stop by. But don’t worry if you’re not local, you can also check out their YouTube Channel

• Personal Touch & Advocacy – The people behind it have created not just a platform for cherished reads, but also for the story of the joys and difficulties of running a bookshop. Making literal space in the world for the things we love can be extraordinarily hard and rewarding. Their campaigns, and honesty, around this have highlighted how important it is to support the independent spaces in our community because when we don’t, we lose them too.

The Story Behind It

Luke Sherlock and Agathe Cavicchioli, both with backgrounds in climate action and sustainability, founded Sherlock & Pages in October 2023. After experiencing an intense bout of climate anxiety, Luke sought to create a positive space for community building and discussion on conservation, including what’s past and what’s to come.

Their shared passion for nature and literature led them to establish a sanctuary where readers can explore themes of nature, conservation, and history, anything that helps us connect with the world around us in restorative ways.

The shop's tagline, "Long Live the Hedgerows," reflects its dedication to conservation and the natural world.

The If Lost Take

We love Sherlock & Pages because it’s more than just a bookshop—it’s a beacon for environmental consciousness and a kind of nature-led self-exploration. It’s clear focus feels refreshing, as it brings together stories that inspire action and reflection, encouraging us all to become stewards of the world around us, even if that means that we just start noticing it again.

Something Else We Love

Luke has also created an avid following on Instagram through his account @englishpilgrim for his pilgrimages to churches, and has written his own book on the subject: Forgotten Church: Exploring England’s Hidden Treasures.

Some Practical Details

Website | Social Media

Frome, Somerset, UK

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P.S.

If you visit, make sure to pop next door to independent shop Seed and the gorgeous florist Bramble & Wild.

Charleston

Perfect For

Anyone who loves art, history, and a bit of creative rebellion. If you believe that life itself should be an artwork, you’ll feel right at home here

Why You’ll Love It

More than just a house, Charleston is a living, breathing piece of art history—once the home of the Bloomsbury Group, a radical collective of artists, writers, and thinkers who redefined creativity, relationships, and modern life. Every inch of the house, from painted walls to hand-decorated furniture, tells a story of rebellion, artistic freedom, and a refusal to follow convention. It’s a place that invites you to step inside a world where creativity had no limits—and to leave inspired to create your own.

What Makes It Special

• An artist’s dream home – Charleston isn’t just decorated; it’s painted from floor to ceiling, inside and out.

• The garden is a creative project in itself too – Designed by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, it’s full of colour and sculptural beauty.

• A hub for creative minds today – From literary festivals to exhibitions, Charleston is still very much alive, a gathering place for ideas and imagination. Check out their events for up-to-date information.

The Story Behind It

In 1916, artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant left London behind and moved to Charleston with their unconventional household. What started as a rural retreat became the heart of the Bloomsbury Group, where Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, and E.M. Forster would visit, debate, and create. Unlike the rigid, buttoned-up world of their time, Charleston was a space of artistic and personal freedom, where boundaries were blurred, rules were broken, and the walls—quite literally—became the canvas. Today, it stands as a testament to the power of living creatively, without constraints.

Something Else We Love

The Charleston shop is a treasure trove for lovers of art, literature, and design, with prints, ceramics, and homewares inspired by the house itself. But our favourites? Their fabric collection. If you’ve ever wanted to wrap yourself in Bloomsbury-inspired patterns, this is your chance. Their notepads make sweet gifts and make you feel like you’ve borrowing a little of their creativity. And we couldn’t resist buying Deceived with Kindness by Vanessa Bell’s daughter Angelica Garnett when we stopped by to better understand what it was like to grow up here.

The If Lost Take

We love Charleston because it’s not just a museum—it’s a manifesto for a different way of living. The Bloomsbury Group believed in art as a way of life, in challenging convention, and in finding beauty in the everyday. Stepping into Charleston is stepping into a world where those ideas are still alive and waiting for you to take them home.

Some Practical Details

Website | Social Media

Firle, East Sussex, UK

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P.S.

If you visit, check out some of our favourite local places in nearby Lewes:

• For independent shopping: Nord, Leadbetter & Good, Closet and Botts and From Victoria

• For coffee: Trading Post Coffee Roasters

• For eco-conscious snacks: Seasons

• For a little bit of nature: Bulb Florist

• For children’s books: Bags of Books

• For culture (and lunch): The Depot

• For artisan breads and pastries: Flint Owl Bakery

The Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden

Perfect For

Anyone who wants to be immersed in the story of art, seek out The Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden in St Ives. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to create something truly lasting, this is your place.

Why You’ll Love It

Tucked away in the heart of St Ives, this isn’t just a museum—it’s an escape into the mind of one of the UK’s most celebrated sculptors. Barbara Hepworth lived and worked here for the last 26 years of her life, and stepping into her home and garden feels like stepping into her world. From the intimate, light-filled studio to the lush outdoor sculpture garden, every part of this space invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and see the world as she did—through form, texture, and movement.

What Makes It Special

• A sculptor’s world, frozen in time – Hepworth’s workshop remains untouched, complete with tools, unfinished pieces, and even her white work coat, as if she just stepped out for a moment.

• The sculpture garden – A hidden oasis where her iconic stone and bronze works sit between tropical plants, perfectly framed by Cornish light.

• Awe in the everyday – Hepworth’s work invites you to pay attention, whether that’s noticing the shadows, reframing space, and seeing shape in a whole new way.

The Story Behind It

After Hepworth’s sudden passing in 1975, her wish was clear—she wanted her home and studio to remain as she left it, a place where people could experience her work in the environment that shaped it. Honouring this, the Barbara Hepworth Museum was established later that year by her family, with Tate taking over its care in 1980. Today, it stands as one of the most personal and intimate artist museums in the world, a place where her legacy is preserved not just in her sculptures, but in the very air of the studio she worked in.

Something Else We Love

It’s not just about the art—it’s about stepping into Hepworth’s way of seeing the world. One of the most moving parts of the experience? Seeing her unfinished works, left exactly as they were when she passed, mid-creation. It’s a rare, raw glimpse into the mind of an artist, proof that the creative process is never truly finished.

The If Lost Take

We love the Barbara Hepworth Museum because it’s not just about seeing art—it’s about experiencing the world through an artist’s eyes. Hepworth believed in sculpture as something to be lived with, and this place brings that philosophy to life. Whether you’re an art lover or just someone seeking a moment of quiet awe, this is a space that lingers with you long after you leave.

Some Practical Details

St Ives, Cornwall, UK

Website | Social Media

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P.S.

If you do visit, also check out our favourite local places:

• For coffee: The Yellow Canary and Yallah Coffee.

• For morning pastries, artisan loaves and of course Cornish pasties: St Ives Bakery

• For browsing: independent book shop St Ives Bookseller.

• And of course, another awe-inspiring cultural destination: Tate St Ives.

Self Space

Perfect For

Anyone navigating life’s challenges—whether it’s stress, burnout, relationships, self-doubt, or just the need to talk things through with someone who truly listens.

Why You’ll Love It

Self Space is rewriting the rulebook on mental and emotional wellbeing. Think of it as a therapy studio for modern life—warm, welcoming, and refreshingly free from the clinical, impersonal feel of traditional therapy settings. Whether you need a one-off session or ongoing support, they make getting help as easy as grabbing a coffee (and honestly, just as essential).

What Makes It Special

• No waiting lists – Book a session when you actually need it, not months down the line.

• Flexible therapy – From in-person appointments from across its sites in London to online sessions from anywhere.

• A modern, stigma-free approach – No judgment, just real conversations with expert therapists who get it.

The Story Behind It

Self Space was co-founded in 2018 by therapists Jodie Cariss and Chance Marshall. Frustrated by long wait times and clinical settings, they envisioned a more accessible and contemporary approach to mental health support. Starting from a small workshop in Shoreditch, they now plan to expand Self Space across the UK, offering a radically different way of accessing mental health support.

The If Lost Take

We love Self Space because it makes mental wellbeing as normal as physical wellbeing—like seeing a PT, but for your mind. It’s approachable, practical, and built for the way life actually works. If traditional therapy has ever felt intimidating, this is the alternative you’ve been looking for.

Something Else We Love

Self Space isn’t just about talking—it’s about making mental wellbeing part of everyday life. Their brilliantly designed merch does just that, from their book How to Grow Through What You Go Through (a straight-talking guide to navigating life’s ups and downs) to candles and tote bags stamped with reminders like “I’m a mess”—which, let’s be honest, we all feel at some point.

They also have one of the best mental health Instagram accounts out there. Expect refreshingly real, no-BS advice on everything from setting boundaries to handling burnout—plus the occasional reminder that you don’t have to “fix” yourself to be worthy.

Practical Details to Know

Self Space has Multiple locations + online

Website | Social Media

How to Find Calm When Life Feels Overwhelming: 5 Daily Practices for Mental Wellbeing

When life feels overwhelming, it’s hard to know where to begin. You’re juggling a million things, and the thought of carving out time for self-care seems impossible. But what if you could start with just 5 minutes a day? A small pause to breathe, reflect, and recharge—right in the middle of your busy life.

We often think of wellbeing as something that requires big gestures—a week at a retreat, a long vacation, or a complete lifestyle overhaul. But the reality is that true mental wellbeing comes from the small, consistent actions we take each day. When stress is mounting and you’re feeling frazzled, these daily practices can help bring calm and clarity to your life.

Here are five easy practices to incorporate into your day:

1. 5-Minute Breathing Breaks:

   A simple deep-breathing exercise can calm your nervous system and help you regain focus.

2. Journaling for Reflection:

   Spend a few minutes writing about your thoughts or emotions. It doesn’t have to be deep—just getting things out of your head and onto paper can feel like a release.

3. Unplugging from Tech: Take intentional tech-free moments during your day, whether it’s during meals or a 15-minute screen break.

4. Connecting with Nature: Even a short walk outside can provide a fresh perspective. If you can’t get outside, bring nature indoors with houseplants or open windows.

5. Gratitude Practice: Reflect on 1-2 things you’re grateful for each day. This simple practice can shift your mindset and help you appreciate the positives, even in challenging times.

By starting small, you’ll find it’s easier to manage your stress and feel more grounded. And if you’re looking for more structure and support to make these habits stick, the Everyday Retreat is designed to help you do just that, with live meet-ups and daily lessons that fit right into your schedule.

With just 10 minutes a day, you’ll be able to create space for calm in your life. These small practices add up, helping you navigate overwhelming days with more ease, clarity, and a deeper sense of wellbeing.

Ready to dive deeper? Join our live Everyday Retreat and explore these practices with expert guidance and support. Join as a paid Substack Member and get access to this course from April 7 for free.

Hi There, About Those Emotions You’ve Been Putting Off...

…You meant to get to them, didn’t you? The tightness in your shoulders, the lump in your throat, the exhaustion you can’t quite name. But there were emails to send, dinner to cook, a child to reassure, a parent to check in on. There was a day to get through.

So, you did what you always do. You told yourself: later.

Later, when things slow down. Later, when work isn’t so demanding. Later, when the kids don’t need you as much. Later, when there’s finally space for you to feel whatever it is that’s been hovering in the background.

But here’s the thing about later: It keeps moving.

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The Habit of Emotional Postponement

Somewhere along the way, we started treating emotions like a luxury—something we’ll get around to when everything else is handled. We file them away under “To Be Dealt With", telling ourselves that now isn’t the right time. We think we’re being practical, responsible, even strong.

And yet, emotional postponement might not be doing all the things we hope it is.

The feelings don’t disappear. They show up in different ways:

• In the way your body holds tension that no amount of stretching seems to release.

• In the numbness when someone asks how you really are, and you don’t even know where to start.

• In the way small inconveniences—traffic, a forgotten password, a misplaced set of keys—feel like the last straw.

Even though we’re too busy to acknowledge all we’re feeling, often our emotions are there anyway, just under the surface coming out in other ways — we’re just not noticing.

And sometimes, when we’re too busy to feel what’s really happening is that we’re afraid to. Because what if we start feeling and don’t know how to stop? What if we unravel? What if it’s just… too much? What if we don’t have the time to deal with all that comes up?

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Midlife, Overwhelm & The Fear of Feeling

This emotional deferral becomes particularly acute in midlife. By now, we’ve learned the mechanics of coping: We smooth the edges, take the sting out, keep ourselves functioning. But at what cost?

• The cost of feeling emotionally disconnected—not just from others, but from yourself.

• The cost of waking up one morning and realizing you don’t quite recognize the person you’ve become.

• The cost of knowing something needs to change, but not knowing how to start.

Women in midlife often find themselves in a paradox: feeling overwhelmed, yet somehow also feeling numb. The weight of responsibility, constant decision-making, and emotional caretaking leaves little space for their own emotions. The more they push them aside, the more distant they feel from their true selves.

And emotions? They don’t disappear. They wait. They show up as tension, exhaustion, irritability, or a vague sense that something is missing.

As Dr. Sharon Blackie writes, midlife is “a profoundly alchemical process, designed to transform us from the inside out.” But we can’t transform if we don’t allow ourselves to feel.

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So, Where Do We Begin?

Maybe the answer isn’t about finding more time for emotions, but recognizing they’re already here. Woven into our everyday moments. They’re in the tightness of our breath, the way we move through our days, the things that irritate us, the things that bring unexpected tears to our eyes.

Maybe the question isn’t whether we can afford to feel.

Maybe it’s whether we can afford not to.

If you’ve been feeling emotionally overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck, emotions coaching can help you navigate this phase with clarity and confidence.

Find out more about this month’s Midlife + Emotions Sessions here.

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A Better Way to Well: Your Personalized Well-being Prescription

Life can feel heavy when you’re navigating overwhelm, loneliness, or a sense of disconnection. Maybe you feel stuck in routines that feel like a trap rather than a release, you’re struggling to find your footing, maybe even your way, or you’re simply wondering what’s missing because there’s something.

That’s why we created our Well-being Prescriptions: to find out where you are, figure out where you want to be, and explore what sits in the gap between the two. Rather than forcing you into trending self-care routines, this is an invitation to get curious about your life again, have a safe and supportive space to explore all that life can be, and create a plan for your well-being that fits with your days.

Inspired by social prescribing, our approach blends Culture Therapy, carefully chosen places from our Guide to Life, and an understanding of what you actually need. Most importantly, it starts with how you feel right now.

This personalized approach is designed to help you feel grounded, connected, and emotionally well—on your own terms.

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What is Well-being Anyway?

Well-being isn’t just about ticking off a to-do list of meditation, journaling, and yoga (these are good in themselves, but the pressure to pick them might not be). It’s about finding what genuinely supports you—mentally, emotionally, and socially. Our goals around well-being are different for each of us but what we might share is that there’s something at its core around these:

• Emotional health – Learning to navigate your emotions with self-compassion rather than resistance

• Mental balance – Managing stress, uncertainty, and change with some tools, self-understanding, and support

• Connection – Feeling supported by people, places, and experiences that make you’re life bigger in a good way

How we find our way to better well-being is personal. What works for someone else may not be what you need. That’s why our approach always starts with you.

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How We Create Your Bespoke Well-being Prescription

Your Well-being Prescription is built around you, using three core elements:

We Start with How You Feel

Before creating anything, we begin with your reality today. Are you feeling:

• Lost? Unsure where to go next or what’s missing?

• Disconnected? Feeling detached from yourself or others?

• Overwhelmed? Struggling to manage stress, burnout, or emotions?

• Lonely? Longing for deeper relationships or more meaningful experiences?

• Or something else? A mix of the above or a general blah-ness.

This approach helps us understand what’s happening beneath the surface—so we can tailor your Well-being Prescription to what will truly help.

We Look at What You Need

Everyone’s well-being needs are different. Some of us need more space, others need more connection. Some need creativity, others need calm.

Through our framework, we uncover what’s missing or what you’re craving right now—whether it’s:

• Rest – Slowing down, prioritizing sleep, and reducing stress

• Clarity – Finding direction and making sense of where you are

• Purpose – Reconnecting with what feels meaningful to you

• Play – Bringing more joy, creativity, and fun into your life

• Connection – Strengthening relationships or finding community

• Or something else: Whether that’s something you’ve lost contact with or something new you’re hoping to seek out.

3. We Curate a Well-being Prescription Just for You

Once we understand how you feel and what you need we create a Well-being Prescription that may include:

Culture Therapy – A handpicked selection of books, podcasts, and creative resources designed to support your emotional well-being.

Places from our Guide to Life – Thoughtfully designed spaces that foster connection, creativity, and mental wellness. Whether it’s an awe-inspiring museum, a community garden, or a cozy bookshop, we recommend places that help you feel at home in the world.

Practical Tools & Practices – Small, actionable steps that fit into your life, including journaling prompts, breathwork exercises, creative rituals, or moments of connection

One-on-One Support – If needed, we offer further coaching sessions designed to explore the key obstacles to your well-being as you implement your practice.

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Why This Works for Anyone Feeling Lost, Lonely, or Overwhelmed…

• It’s personalized to you – Instead of trend-led self-care tips, you get a well-being prescription that meets you where you are.

• It helps you navigate uncertainty – Using curiosity and self-acceptance, it guides you toward what feels good for you.

• It’s practical and flexible – No rigid self-care routines—just real-life well-being that evolves with you.

• It connects you to the world around you – Through culture, creativity, and inspiring places, you gain experiences that nourish rather than deplete you.

Our Well-being Prescriptions can help.

We provide practical, personalized support that blends culture, creativity, and connection to help you find a way of living that feels right for you. Our sessions give you the time, space and framework to get creative about your life again.

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A New Approach to Well-being—Starting with You

If you’re feeling lost, overwhelmed, disconnected, or lonely (or insert whatever you are feeling here), your Well-being Prescription will help you:

• Reorient yourself and find clarity

• Rediscover what truly supports your well-being

• Create a life that offers more of what you need

Want to explore what your bespoke Well-being Prescription could look like?

Reach out today to learn more.

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Please note that the Well-being Prescriptions are not medical recommendations and are never recommended as a replacement for medical advice. They are also not designed for anyone experiencing severe mental health challenges or trauma.

Reframing the Mind-Body Connection: Learning to Listen to Yourself Again

A few weeks ago, a friend told me that she couldn’t remember the last time she truly felt in her body.

“I know I move through the world,” she said, “but it’s like I’m just a floating head. I think. I analyze. I make decisions. But my body? It’s just there. Until it’s hurting, or exhausted, or screaming for attention.”

She’s not alone in this. So many of us have been trained to treat our bodies as tools—things we push, manage, or ignore until they demand otherwise. We think of movement in terms of productivity or goals: Am I exercising enough? Eating the right things? Doing what I should be doing to ‘take care’ of myself?

But what if we shifted the way we see this connection? What if our bodies weren’t just things to be worked on but something far more profound—something to be listened to?

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What We Get Wrong About the Mind-Body Connection

For years, we’ve been fed the idea that mental well-being happens in the mind alone. That clarity, calm, or resilience are things we can think our way into. We read the books, listen to the podcasts, and try to force our thoughts into new, more positive directions. And yet, despite all the knowledge we gather, we still feel anxious, restless, disconnected.

That’s because the body isn’t separate from the mind—it’s the other half of the conversation.

Think about the last time you felt deeply stressed. Maybe your stomach was in knots, or your shoulders were locked up so tightly you had to remind yourself to breathe. Maybe you noticed your heart racing, or that creeping exhaustion that makes even simple things feel overwhelming.

This isn’t just coincidence—it’s communication. The body is always talking to us, offering signals about what’s happening beneath the surface. But we don’t always listen.

We override exhaustion with caffeine. We push through discomfort with sheer willpower. We rationalize away emotions rather than sitting with them. We think: I don’t have time to feel this right now. And slowly, we lose the ability to hear what our bodies are trying to say.

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Finding a Different Way

Rebuilding a mind-body connection isn’t about rigid wellness routines or strict rules. It’s about coming home to yourself again—learning to notice what your body is telling you and responding with something other than frustration or dismissal.

I used to think movement was only valuable if it had a purpose. A workout, a goal, something trackable. But then I started walking just to walk. No tracker. No agenda. Just time spent moving, paying attention to how my body felt that day. Was I tired? Energized? Stiff? What changed as I moved?

At first, it felt strange, almost pointless. But something shifted. I began to notice how movement changed my mental state. How a short walk could clear my thoughts in ways sitting at my desk never could. How stretching in the morning made me feel more present. How even the smallest physical shifts—unclenching my jaw, dropping my shoulders—changed the way I felt inside.

This wasn’t about doing more. It was about listening more.

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How We Reconnect

For some, the first step is noticing where disconnection shows up. Maybe it’s in the way you eat—rushing through meals without tasting them. Maybe it’s in the way you breathe—shallow, fast, like you’re always bracing for something. Maybe it’s the way stress lives in your body—tension in your neck, a restless energy that never quite settles.

For others, the shift comes from redefining movement. Instead of forcing yourself into a strict workout plan, what happens if you just explore what feels good? Maybe it’s dancing in your kitchen or stretching in a way that feels nourishing. Maybe it’s long walks or slow mornings with warm tea and time to breathe deeply.

And sometimes, it’s about learning to pause. Checking in. Asking yourself, Where am I? How do I feel? What do I need right now? Not in a way that demands an immediate fix, but in a way that simply makes space for the answer.

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A Different Kind of Well-being

The way we care for ourselves is so often framed around discipline—eat better, exercise more, think positive. But what if real well-being wasn’t about control? What if it was about kindness?

Because the truth is, your body isn’t something to fix. It isn’t something to push or perfect. It’s something to be in a relationship with. To listen to. To move alongside, rather than against.

This shift doesn’t happen overnight. But it starts with one small thing: the willingness to listen.

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If You Need Support, We’re Here

If reconnecting with yourself feels like an uphill climb, we can help. Our Well-Being Prescriptions are designed to help you create sustainable, gentle practices that support both your mind and body—without the pressure, the guilt, or the overwhelm.

Get Your Personalised Well-Being Prescription

Because taking care of yourself should feel like something woven into your life, not another thing on your to-do list.