Laura Reflecting on the first 3 months of the year: A celebration and a course correction
Hello 31st March! Ooooof quarter one…where the bloomin’ heck did you go?!
As I write this on Easter Sunday…I am revelling in the space of a 4-day weekend. I heard Easter described on social media as a miles better holiday than Christmas - all the space but without the family drama and excessive commitments. Is that how you feel I wonder? As a child free woman in her 40s I often wonder how reflective my experience is of my peers and this audience but I most definitely feel this way about Easter.
Anyway…within this space I find myself luxuriating in…I have found the opportunity to reflect on my first Quarter. To look back on the intentions that I set myself at the beginning of the new year - to see how I was tracking! To reflect on all the stuff that has felt good - to celebrate myself! And also to notice which parts of life feel a little out of alignment - and to course correct. Really pausing to connect to myself and what feels important for my life. The ultimate gift in a world that wants us to keep moving forward at pace and constantly striving for more!
We are all craving space - am I right?
On Wednesday Kenny and I hosted our March Radiant Leadership workshop and we provided some personal reflection space for the women to do exactly this. I could feel a collective exhale as we provided such a simple but profound opportunity for the leaders in this group. They didn’t need to learn more…to think about more…to add more to their plates. What they needed more than anything was to pause and to connect. It was so obvious how deeply this is missing within our workplaces and it was a pleasure to witness the aha moments, insights and revelations! The joy of our work!
And so…I have offered myself the same kindness this weekend.
Reflecting on my 2024 intentions
You can read the blog we put out there earlier in the year where we each talked about the intentions that feel true to us for 2024. For me, this year my themes were:
Interconnectedness - building meaningful relationships and community back in the UK
Service - considering my impact in terms of how I best serve my communities (through work and volunteering activities) and make positive change to the world
Presence - slow down, make space and connect deeply to the every day moments of my life
And so I closed my eyes, put my hand on my heart and allowed myself to honestly feel how aligned I felt to these intentions.
Had I lived my life through these filters? Where had I dropped the ball and been sucked away and pulled off track from these intentions and into old, hustle culture-y ways of being? And where had I done bloody great?!
I noted down general themes and feelings - a way of just observing and noticing how consciously I have been moving through the world. And then I just went to town on the following two questions:
What has been great about Quarter 1?
Where does the balance need to shift / some of my focus need to go looking forward to Quarter 2?
Great things about Quarter 1:
Kenny and I getting out into Manchester and really spreading the message about our work and getting visible in different networks and communities
Wrapping up another Women Rising programme and feeling, seeing and hearing the DEEP impact that this has had on the women from a personal perspective but also on how it is shifting their workplace culture
A very positive online dating experience which resulted in a lot of joy, great sex and hope that great connections can be found in the 2024 dating world (a belief that I have previously not held)
Reconnecting in person in Cheshire to a beautiful group of friends resulting in two amazing dinners which included more laughing than I have done in ages, deep / juicy conversation and a beautiful support for each other
I started playing cricket - this not only gives me a sense of pure joy (sport is my happy place) but also has helped to create bonds with my local community
A very structured and consistent exercise regime - focused on strength, core stability and building a body for longevity
Finding an amazing local yoga teacher, ecstatic dance guides and a beautiful Kirtan singing circle all in Cheshire - having this stuff locally to connect me to myself, my spiritual essence and my community feels so so important
Living with Katy and finding such happiness in sharing a house again after 9 years of living alone
I have been much more disciplined in sticking to my budget each month - adopting a much more conscious approach to purchasing
Getting back into the cold water and feeling the stimulation of nature and the cold experience
Feeling much more steady, grounded and supported than I did last year
Where I could shift the balance a little bit:
More nature - slower and longer mindful walks with Chutney in the mornings and dedicated solo hiking weekends
Devotional morning practice has been a bit inconsistent and I really benefit from more consistency with this
More time alone in general - the dial has shifted significantly the other way and I have nailed the community intention but as things settle I need to ensure I still have space for time with myself
More space to think, contemplate, write and create with my work - to mull over thoughts, feelings and ideas so this depth can be fed into the work I do
Yoga has taken a back seat as I have built consistently with pilates and strength training - bring in 2 x per week yoga now for my emotional and spiritual health and JOY!
Earlier to bed
Music and dancing is my ultimate happy place - plot more of this in for Q2 (already done - easy one to action!!)
Work - moving our networking activity and relationships into more structured proposals
Volunteering project still not off the ground - why am I procrastinating on this? I cannot find the perfect thing so just start
Continue the dating momentum - stay open to intimacy and a relationship
Gut health is a bit all over the show - make this a priority in Q2
And so Winter…I think that is a wrap!
It has been a bloody good one and as always, has held a lot of wisdom and lessons!
Spring - I look forward to seeing what you hold and I endeavour to move through the next 12-weeks with a gentleness and containment that is required so I do not burn out!
I travel to India on Wednesday to kick the season off with a serious reset. I will be ‘Eat Pray Loving’ my way to Rishikesh in Northern India to stay in an Ashram where I will reconnect to myself through yoga, meditation and ritual in a deep and quiet way. And then I move North for some trekking through the Himalayas and a chance to feel the bigness of nature and the beauty of the interconnectedness of life.
Namaste lovelies…I will see you on the other side.
Laura xx