Ellie outside on a tree-lined path in the rain, smiling to the camera This is the consequence of taking on a 25km, 16 km bridge walk - the Thames Bridges Trek. This isn't the day itself (which was sunny and to be honest a little too warm). This is today. 3 days later, in the… Continue reading On motivation, goals, and how they don’t always link the way you would expect.
Category: Ellie’s World
What would you write to yourself?
"She manages to be a top quality student without being at all boring or a SWOT". Classic letter writing there from my undergraduate tutor to my prospective PhD supervisors. Today is World Letter Writing Day! What's been the most memorable letter you've received? The ones that stick with me are usually handwritten, and these days… Continue reading What would you write to yourself?
Post holiday struggles
This week has been hard. Last week we were in the west of Scotland, 8 miles down a single track road, surrounded by water, trees and hills. Yes, it was a little rainy, yes we did get lost on walks a few times and do some unnecessary hills, but there was a sense of space.… Continue reading Post holiday struggles
What will you take with you?
Almost exactly 2 years ago I had probably the only truly "good" ending I have had in my life when I left my university job after 26 years. Why was it good? I think that's a combination of having been able to plan it and be in control of much of it, leaving myself time… Continue reading What will you take with you?
Woman, Interrupted… constantly!
Self-care. Love or hate the phrase, it's pretty much impossible to avoid at the moment. Personally there are some days I don't mind it, and other days when it really makes me groan. I'm not sure why to be honest. However, I belong to a number of social media groups around being a freelancer. One… Continue reading Woman, Interrupted… constantly!
Endings…
Sometimes you know the end is coming. For example, I know that Covid bubbles permitting, I now have just 9 mornings of walking my son to primary school left. Nine mornings of seeing where the baby sparrows have gone today, nine mornings of counting cats (if there is one he wins, zero I win, two… Continue reading Endings…
Boiling academics – a post for Mental Health Awareness Week 2021
Its nearly 2 years since I left my employed role as an academic. I left because there was an opportunity to do more of the things I liked and values, and less of the things I found stressful and de-energising. Whilst being self-employed is certainly not stress-free even outside of a global pandemic, there is… Continue reading Boiling academics – a post for Mental Health Awareness Week 2021
Goal setting – what matters is what works for you
I spend many Saturday mornings sorting out goals.... Every January we are bombarded with goal setting tips, ideas and examples, for work, for health, for life. It can feel overwhelming, and I certainly sometimes feel "peer" pressure to set goals. However, I am not always in the right frame of mind to set goals. If… Continue reading Goal setting – what matters is what works for you
Balance or blend?
Work-life balance, juggling roles and responsibilities at work, at home and in the community are topics that often crop up in coaching conversations. Many times they are not the original focus of the coaching, but because I coach the whole person we tend to at least spend some time talking about how work and life… Continue reading Balance or blend?