Hogmanay 2024

Dear friends

How has your Christmas been? And your betweenmas? I recently wrote about this season on Substack, and the feeling that the days at the end of the year always give me – potential, possibility, reconnection. I tend to struggle to slow down, but the enforced break of Christmas, when everything gets still and quiet, reminds me how much we need these gentle check-ins with ourselves. It takes a few days, but I gradually find myself sensing into my edges and boundaries again, noticing where they feel strained and under pressure, or where there is rightness and certainty. I don’t go in for New Years resolutions. I do like a reset though – an acknowledgement of what has been working well, and what has shifted out of balance.

2024 was a year of tremendous growth for Beatha Coaching, almost without design, which is probably the best kind of growth because it means my offerings are meeting needs. The Coaching Community has expanded and welcomed in some wonderful new members, bringing their generosity and support to the space. I’ve worked with almost double the number of clients this year. Yoga has become more integrated into my practice too, going from ‘mental health by stealth’ to just, ‘mental health y’all’. I have built some beautiful supportive relationships with women working toward the same values and it means so much to be connected with them. At the same time, I have felt more disconnected from my roots in coaching and trauma informed practice – so much doing has meant less time for CPD and networking and that is something I would like to rebuild in 2025. I’ve also dropped a lot of my own writing projects in the last couple of months to make space for workshops and classes for others, and I am keen to find a way back to balance again as we head into January.

When I condense my reflections down, they coalesce around a goal of rebuilding concentration. I don’t think I am alone in noticing an increasing inability to sit with just one thing, to do just one thing at a time, to not constantly reach for noise or screens or task lists. Memory is often rose tinted, and I know that the reality of my PhD was a lot of struggle and juggle, but recently I have been feeling a pull to the stillness of a library and a longing for those sustained periods of reading and thought. In the community group coaching session before Christmas we discussed ways to come off social media, and it was interesting to notice how we all referenced older technologies – the radio, a notebook, actual books… In 2025, rather than making any dramatic changes I would just like to do what I am doing but with more concentration. Quality of attention will, I think, do more for stress management and for my practice than any other changes I might consider making.

How about you? What has the break for the holidays taught you, and how will you be going into 2025? Click reply on this email and let me know!

Beatha Coaching Community in 2025

Mindfulness is an overused term these days, but in a way being mindful is exactly what I am describing. And so it is fitting that one of our first events in 2025 will be a workshop on Mindfulness for Academics in February (requested by members). Before then, though, we have a month of lovely supportive events coming up in January. Join us for:

• Weekly co-writing hour (starts back 14/1/25)
• Embodied Stress Relief workshop (22/1/25)
• Group coaching (31/1/25)

AND free access to a half-day mini writing retreat next Tuesday 7th Jan 1-5pm… (details below)

Membership starts at £12 a month and is worth about £80 a month, so it’s an incredible deal. Community members also get priority access to me, a reduced cost for 1-2-1 coaching, and the support of a genuinely lovely group of women all working in or beyond careers in academia.

To start 2025 I am giving away a FREE MONTH of access to the community to any women who would like to give it a try. Just click on the button below and I’ll get your free 30 day membership activated. At the end of the month you can choose to walk away or renew for a monthly membership at a tier that suits your budget (£12/£14/£18).

Start your year write – mini retreat

Tuesday 7th Jan 1-5pm GMT via zoom, all writers welcome

1-2.45 – WRITING TO NOURISH – We’ll take a deep dive into writing practices that support and expand our wellbeing. This section will be exploratory, playful, and reflective, inviting you to explore potentially new forms and approaches and to leave perfectionism at the door.

2.45-3.15 – Break

3.15-5 – NOURISH YOUR WRITING – In part two we will turn to ongoing projects and the kinds of writing that occupy our everyday. This section will be about fueling and supporting ongoing writing commitments in a sustainable way. The session will finish with discussion and coaching.

Both sessions will be run on zoom and the recording will be available for you to download for 30 days afterwards. The retreat is FREE for members of Beatha Coaching Community, or £25 for non-members. Please register to join the retreat below, or email me for your free 30 day trial of the membership before next week to get access to the retreat included. I look forward to writing with you.

And lastly…

As we close out the year you might be tempted to think about health and wellbeing resolutions. A gentle, loving reminder that extreme changes are never good for you (or sustainable), especially not if they are driven by frustration, anxiety, or shame. As you head toward 2025, can you find a loving and compassionate voice to support you in your planning? Perhaps take a look at this short video from last month’s workshop on Resting in Unrestful Times to get some ideas:

Remember, my YouTube channel has loads of short, gentle movement practices to help support your nervous system and keep you feeling better in your body, all free and accessible on demand.

You are also really welcome to join me THIS WEEK for two supportive events.

On Thursday at 7pm we have the January Slow Writers Club – a supportive immersion into your writing practice to kick start the year. You can find out more and register here.

And on Friday at 10am I’ll be streaming a live yoga class from The Yoga Tree in Stirling – somatic movement, a slow flow, and nidra, for £10. You can register to join me here.

That’s it for now folks, see you next month and next year.

With much love and best wishes this Hogmanay,

Francesca x