Vanessa May · Courage Unfolding – A Year Of Reflection, Rediscovery And Brave Beginnings   This time last year I was preparing to launch my book. I was excited, nervous, and anxious. I wasn’t new to writing having in the past blogged for Psychologies Life Labs, Huffington Post and Tiny…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…