I want to wish you… a Christmas. Not necessarily a “Merry Christmas” or a “Happy Christmas,” because I know that’s not how it feels for everyone. For some, it’s joyful and magical; for others, it’s hard or chaotic—or maybe just another day. And that’s okay. I also don't want to write something general and vague or insincere. I want to say something truthful and real. So here goes. I hope it covers you all. If Christmas is exciting and magical for you: If you’re counting down the days with a twinkle in your eye and excitement in your heart, I [...]

Every morning, my son hops on his scooter and zips down the road to his friend’s house, where they meet up to ride to school together. And every morning, I’ve started tagging along for those few hundred metres with our dog, Nanook. It’s become one of my favourite parts of the day. The world is still dark, but the twinkling Christmas lights are starting to glow in windows. It’s peaceful, and for those few minutes, it’s just me, my son, and Nanook padding along. A tiny pocket of time before the day gets busy. This morning, as we neared his [...]

The other day, I was at one of my favourite coffee shops. It’s got that perfect mix of atmosphere: the low hum of conversation, the steady whirr of the coffee grinder, and just the right kind of music drifting through the space. The barista there, Tom, knows my order before I even say it. It’s a place full of interesting people, each wrapped up in their own little worlds. I’d settled in with my coffee, already engrossed in a new book, so I didn’t notice the couple who had slipped in and taken the table next to mine. Eventually, though, [...]

I’ve always loved the writer Ann Patchett—her novels, essays, and especially her way of capturing the messy, complicated reality of being human speak to me in a way that makes me feel less alone. There’s one quote of hers that I keep coming back to, and often share with my clients, a metaphor that perfectly sums up the struggle so many of us face, not just in creative work, but in everyday life. In one of her essays, she talks about the feeling of having a perfect, beautiful idea for a book in her head. She describes it like a [...]

The other day, during a coaching session, one of my dear clients shared with me a motto that she had raised her sons with: "All it takes is 20 seconds of insane courage." As she said it, something clicked within me. I could see how that single phrase had guided her through so many tough moments in her life. It’s such a simple yet powerful idea, isn’t it? The notion that we don’t have to be fearless or fully prepared; sometimes, all we need is a brief moment of courage to take the leap, to do the thing. So often, [...]

Picture the scene: I'm out on a walk with my brilliant dog, Nanook. It's one of those mid-September days—there's a slight chill in the air, the leaves are just beginning to turn, and there's that unmistakable crispness that tells you summer is fading. I'm listening to one of my favourite podcasts and feeling pretty content - not at all a scene reflecting irrational anger, quite the opposite really. A few hundred metres ahead, I notice a woman walking her dog too. As I get closer, I see her dog crouched over, clearly in the middle of doing a poo on [...]

People often question how I cope with living in two different places, with so much to-ing and fro-ing. "Do you find it stressful?" they ask. I don't find it stressful, no. But I find the "leaving" and the "returning" hard to navigate. I feel discombobulated and untethered and, well, a bit sad. And these feelings begin to heighten in the days leading up to the "leaving" as we live amongst half-packed boxes and suitcases and the deep-knowing that we won't be here again for many months. I was talking with a dear client yesterday about liminality. He is someone who [...]

Ever had one of those days where you need a break from everything? That was me last Sunday. After a full week of client work, parenting my endlessly curious and chatty 9-year-old, and life’s general chaos, I was wiped out. I almost skipped my yoga nidra and sound bath class, but I knew my frayed nervous system needed it. So there I was, mat down, eye mask on, surrendering to the teacher’s soothing voice. Just as I started to relax and melt into my mat, someone started snoring. Really fucking LOUD too. I spent the rest of the 90-minute class [...]

“Liz - go to your room!” What on earth does being banished to my room for being ‘naughty’ as a child have to do with my relationship with my wife? Oh, just about everything. I grew up in a household where expressing emotions wasn’t exactly encouraged. There were eruptions, no doubt, but then… silence. Disappointment, anger, and sadness were swept under the rug and in time, I learned to keep my feelings and needs to myself. On the other hand, my wife grew up in a family with a lot of shouting. When we first got together, and I started [...]

Guten Morgen, ich möchte ein Bier. I wouldn’t go as far as proclaiming I’m bilingual. My level of German is badly conversational, if that, which explains why I’m wishing you a good morning and asking for a beer at 10 am sitting in my cute new flat in Macclesfield. (No, we haven’t moved back to the UK for good). My wife and I decided to move to Germany from London 8 years ago when we first became parents. It was the right decision for us back then and the stage of life we were in, and I love the tranquil [...]