The Leadership for Women Blog
with Vanessa May
Do life well, whole and with courage.
The Exhaustion Trap: Overcome the habit that keeps you slogging it out.
What drives your exhaustion? It's a relentless cycle. You push and slog it out to keep up or get ahead. You can't switch off because there's always something else to focus on and achieve. You juggle work and home, and your boundaries blur with hybrid working. You enjoy the flexibility...
How to stand up for yourself when the jokes are at your expense
I’ve been reflecting on situations that bring out my passivity. One of those is humour that isn’t funny. You know the moments; they’re point-scoring conversations full of quips and innuendos at your expense. They’re conversations that have a derogatory tone where someone is puffing their ego up by putting you...
How to create your own support team
Sometimes in life, we experience hard things. Sometimes when it hurts the tendency is to react by armouring up, being tough and going it alone. After all, you absolutely know that you can rely on yourself – but can you? Being fiercely independent and stoic can also mean that you’re...
How to clear the noise when you’re overwhelmed
I woke up this morning feeling anxious. My brain has too many tabs open. It was full of things that were on my list that needed attention. Each one felt massively important and urgent. I am at capacity this week with work, and I notice how my week started with...
How to tune back into your intuition when you’ve tapped out
Does having power or no power change your behaviour? It happened to me last week. I was in the middle of a work gig and something weird was going on. Something felt off. If I use metaphor to describe it, it was like the moment before a thunderstorm. Something...
Why women fail to experience true career success
I often hear experiences of women working harder, earning less, staying in unhealthy work environments and juggling everything whilst putting themselves last. These women share their stories of struggle, pushing hard and frustration. They feel like they take one step forward and two steps back. They come to coaching with...
Why it’s actually OK to be selfish
One common thread among the women I work with is this notion of having to hurry everything. They wake up with a list in their heads, then jump onto the wheel of juggling work and life and the many roles that come with it. They’re so busy – but it’s...
How to stop apologising and own your authority
Live Courageously is a book for women who conform to people pleasing, procrastinating, burning out, self-doubt and imposter syndrome but know they’re built for more. The book draws on my own experience and those of women I’ve coached. Women like me who have surrendered to playing small, holding back, keeping...
How to stop people pleasing and claim your courage
People pleasing has been an old protective habit of mine. For much of my life, I focused my attention on others’ needs – trying to do my best to accommodate, help or satisfy them. I became very good at this behaviour, but I also started to notice I was developing...
3 simple steps to rediscover happiness at work
You’re not sleeping well. You used to work out and meditate but don’t feel motivated. Your main concern is your work performance, but you get distracted easily and working from home isn’t helping with your motivation. You feel stuck, bored, and less competent, and you want to feel happier without...
Why you should break your own rules
One of my favourite phrases is that your first marriage is with yourself. I love it because it reminds me that my first and foremost job is to get into right relationship with myself. Sounds easy? I can tell you it’s been a lifelong challenge. There have been many times...
How to move through negative emotions
One of the common things I see in coaching is clients arriving in a tough spot. They share the story of what’s going on and how stuck they feel. They want to know the way out and when this feeling will pass. It’s such a human place. Who wants to...
How to embrace being a highly sensitive person
“You’re too sensitive.” “You need to grow a tougher skin.” “You’re made of sterner stuff than this.” Sound familiar? These phrases have been a part of my life experience and I genuinely thought something was wrong with me that I felt everything so deeply. So what were some of the...
How to get rid of expectations
The dictionary defines an expectation as “a strong belief that something will happen or be the case.” It is then followed by the statement, “reality has not lived up to expectations.” Herein is the conundrum: how do you have a strong belief that something will happen without being so attached...
The Exhaustion Trap: Overcome the habit that keeps you slogging it out.
What drives your exhaustion? It's a relentless cycle. You push and slog it out to keep up or get ahead. You can't switch off because there's always something else to focus on and achieve. You juggle work and home, and your boundaries blur with hybrid working. You enjoy the flexibility...
How to stand up for yourself when the jokes are at your expense
I’ve been reflecting on situations that bring out my passivity. One of those is humour that isn’t funny. You know the moments; they’re point-scoring conversations full of quips and innuendos at your expense. They’re conversations that have a derogatory tone where someone is puffing their ego up by putting you...
How to create your own support team
Sometimes in life, we experience hard things. Sometimes when it hurts the tendency is to react by armouring up, being tough and going it alone. After all, you absolutely know that you can rely on yourself – but can you? Being fiercely independent and stoic can also mean that you’re...
How to clear the noise when you’re overwhelmed
I woke up this morning feeling anxious. My brain has too many tabs open. It was full of things that were on my list that needed attention. Each one felt massively important and urgent. I am at capacity this week with work, and I notice how my week started with...
How to tune back into your intuition when you’ve tapped out
Does having power or no power change your behaviour? It happened to me last week. I was in the middle of a work gig and something weird was going on. Something felt off. If I use metaphor to describe it, it was like the moment before a thunderstorm. Something...
Why women fail to experience true career success
I often hear experiences of women working harder, earning less, staying in unhealthy work environments and juggling everything whilst putting themselves last. These women share their stories of struggle, pushing hard and frustration. They feel like they take one step forward and two steps back. They come to coaching with...
Why it’s actually OK to be selfish
One common thread among the women I work with is this notion of having to hurry everything. They wake up with a list in their heads, then jump onto the wheel of juggling work and life and the many roles that come with it. They’re so busy – but it’s...
How to stop apologising and own your authority
Live Courageously is a book for women who conform to people pleasing, procrastinating, burning out, self-doubt and imposter syndrome but know they’re built for more. The book draws on my own experience and those of women I’ve coached. Women like me who have surrendered to playing small, holding back, keeping...
How to stop people pleasing and claim your courage
People pleasing has been an old protective habit of mine. For much of my life, I focused my attention on others’ needs – trying to do my best to accommodate, help or satisfy them. I became very good at this behaviour, but I also started to notice I was developing...
3 simple steps to rediscover happiness at work
You’re not sleeping well. You used to work out and meditate but don’t feel motivated. Your main concern is your work performance, but you get distracted easily and working from home isn’t helping with your motivation. You feel stuck, bored, and less competent, and you want to feel happier without...
Why you should break your own rules
One of my favourite phrases is that your first marriage is with yourself. I love it because it reminds me that my first and foremost job is to get into right relationship with myself. Sounds easy? I can tell you it’s been a lifelong challenge. There have been many times...
How to move through negative emotions
One of the common things I see in coaching is clients arriving in a tough spot. They share the story of what’s going on and how stuck they feel. They want to know the way out and when this feeling will pass. It’s such a human place. Who wants to...
How to embrace being a highly sensitive person
“You’re too sensitive.” “You need to grow a tougher skin.” “You’re made of sterner stuff than this.” Sound familiar? These phrases have been a part of my life experience and I genuinely thought something was wrong with me that I felt everything so deeply. So what were some of the...
How to get rid of expectations
The dictionary defines an expectation as “a strong belief that something will happen or be the case.” It is then followed by the statement, “reality has not lived up to expectations.” Herein is the conundrum: how do you have a strong belief that something will happen without being so attached...
