Time to reflect & celebrating my achievements

Plus, Substack posts I've loved lately

Photo by Raychan on Unsplash

Time to reflect

In the last few weeks, I’ve been totally inspired by some fab posts on here lately talking about the Autumn Equinox (which was a few days ago now) and using it as a time to reflect:

• This post from Elizabeth on

  The Other Path
  on warm and nourishing activities to celebrate Mabon/the Autumn Equinox

• This post from

  Lyndsay Kaldor
  on Autumn as the season of soul and I loved this quote:

“…autumn energy continues to draw me to listen inwards, pulling me away from overwhelm back towards balance, urging me to fill my cup first and allow myself to really be held'“.

Before I read these posts I didn’t know anything about the Autumn Equinox, but having some time to reflect at this time of the year, feels right.

When I did have a chance to reflect (which I’ll be honest was more of a ‘thoughts popping into my head’ kind of thing rather than a having a lovely sit down with candles, tea and my journal), I realised all of things that I’ve achieved in the last few months:

• At the end of May, I launched this Substack and have been writing weekly-ish newsletters since then

• In early June, I launched my podcast - The Inspiring Mums Podcast and have so far released 10 episode

• Last weekend, I ran my first Mini Retreat for Mums, which was just incredible (I’ll be talking about this more in another post soon). This retreat was an idea I’d had in my head for about 4 years, so to have it actually happen was so special.

Celebrating my achievements

I always encourage my coaching clients to celebrate their achievements, because it boosts your confidence, self-belief and makes you realise how far you’ve come. Also, if we just do the thing, then don’t celebrate it, it takes the joy out of it too.

So, here I am, taking my own advice and celebrating the fact that I’ve done all of these things, all by myself.

I’ve also done these things too all whilst having no childcare (bar the odd hour when my mum has my son when I record a guest podcast episode). I feel like that’s important to say, because I’ve fitted all of this into nap-times and once my kids are asleep. I didn’t know if it would be possible when I started, but I wanted to to try and I’m proud that I have.

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What have I learnt from all of these things that I’ve achieved?

• Writing and podcasting about motherhood, coaching and running events for mums is 100% the type of work I want to do and that I love, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’m on the right path. That’s a good feeling, it’s what spurs me on and gives me so much self-belief around my what I do.

• There’s no point stressing about whether I will get the thing done, because I always do. Somehow or someway, I get things done when they are supposed to be done.

• I can’t plan for every eventuality. Actually, it’s in those moments that are unexpected and that weren’t in ‘the plan’ which often end up being the most enjoyable. ( This post from

  Claudia Wilde
  is along similar lines and is a permission slip to try and see what happens, no matter the outcome.)

• Taking imperfect action and doing something before I’m ready, is the way that I’ve made progress with all of these achievements.

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Autumn

Staying on the autumn theme, autumn is definitely my favourite season. I enjoyed this post from

Simple & Calm

where Sophie talks about how her energy rises and mood lifts in the Autumn - I can definitely relate to this after the intense summer holidays.

One way that I’ve been trying to connect more to the seasons more is having a cuppa in the garden in the morning outside, just for a few minutes (I have to be quick because my youngest runs for any door if he hears it being unlocked, he wants to be in the garden at all times, or more specifically, the shed!).

And I’ve been taking those few minutes, just to notice what’s around me.

One morning last week, here’s what I noticed:

• Red berries on the trees

• How green and lush everything looked

• My roses and passionflower still in bloom

• Huge apples still hanging on to our apple tree

• How fast the clouds were moving

I’m going to keep trying to practice this mini moment every morning, taking a few minutes of fresh air with a hot cuppa just feels lovely, even in the rain!

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More Substack posts that have inspired me lately

• This post from

  Company of Two
  about sharing your triumphs, transitions and magic is a great example of the community part of Substack that I love - reading the comments from a post is just as enjoyable as reading a post.

• This post from

  Postpartum Matters CIC
  is vulnerable, celebratory and part manifesto all at once - I’m so pleased that they were awarded funding recently, the work they do for mums in their area sounds amazing.

• This post from Stacey at

  Slow Folk
  on the gifts of grief, and how grief helped her live a slower, simpler, more purposeful life was so inspiring. Stacey writes about grief in such an accurate and honest way, it was refreshing to read.

• This post from

  Asia Suler
  and the paradox of motherhood and these words in particular landed with me:

"You look backwards with joy, you look forward with ache. You look backwards with ache, you look forward with joy."

• This post from

  Kylie-Ann
  really made me think about ‘the village’ and accepting help and how complex it all is.

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I’d love to hear from you in the comments:

• What Substack posts have you loved lately?

• What are your favourite things about Autumn?

• What are your proud of achieving lately?