Insights

Earlier this year, I wrote an article about deliberately throwing myself into something that scared me: a brand-new sport. Not because I was naturally athletic, nor because I wanted accolades. I did it because I wanted to feel proud of doing something outside my comfort zone. The goal wasn’t victory — it was courage, effort, and the thrill of confronting uncertainty head-on. First Slalom competition, one spill and four overtakers. First time EVER on a slalom run! Six months l

If someone had told me on 1 January 2025 that by December I’d be writing a retrospective about coaching conversations, corporate talks, Women’s Circles, podcasts, and all the moments that made me pause, I’d probably have given them a side-eye and muttered, “Are you serious?” And yet, here I am. Running Pause and Empower this year has meant embracing both the chaos and the clarity that comes when midlife transitions, menopause, career uncertainty, and life’s bigger questions c

By Amanda Connolly, Career & Wellbeing Coach, Pause & Empower Hello wonderful women transitioning through career, life, and yes — that menopausal chapter too. It’s Amanda here, waving a light-hearted but earnest hello. Right now we’re edging into the week of 3–7 November 2025—yes, you guessed it: International Stress Awareness Week .   isma.org.uk +1  This is a perfect moment for us to pause, reflect, and align our work-lives and menopausal lives in a way that honours both ou

The books say that autumn is the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. But let’s be honest: here in the UK, it’s also the season when...

Around three years ago, I found myself grappling with the challenges of maintaining contract roles, unknowingly hindered by undiagnosed...