Earlier this month, I celebrated the first birthday of Take Flight, the group offering I created last autumn to support women beyond their one-to-one coaching with me. We launched in early November with our first group call and our private Facebook community, and since then new members have joined and the space has grown into a vibrant hub of encouragement, reflection and inspiration.
Take Flight is designed for women who have completed coaching with me and want to continue their journey in a supportive, low-pressure way. Each month, I offer spotlight coaching during our group call; members can bring an issue they’d like help with and receive focused one-to-one support in the presence of the group. One of the most meaningful parts of this process is how everyone benefits. The insights, the breakthroughs and the shared wisdom ripple out through the whole group.
Between calls, our private Facebook group gives everyone another channel for connection. Over the past year we’ve supported each other through early retirement, the first anniversary of a partner’s death, relocation, changes in working hours, job interviews, house renovations, a car accident, adjusting to life without a much-loved dog and the beginnings of a new relationship. We’ve also shared joy, including beautiful photos from the Isles of Scilly, Yorkshire, Albania and Somerset.
A Word for the Year
As part of our New Year ritual, each of us chose a word to guide and ground us through 2025. (Previous guiding words for me have included Expand, Loving and Expansion.) This year I revealed my word, Self-belief, on 1st January.
If the idea of choosing a single guiding word, instead of a long list of resolutions, appeals to you… what would your word be?
Themes, Intentions and Inspiration
Our self-care theme this year was captured beautifully by the Louisa May Alcott quote:
“Keep good company, read good books, love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.”
Members worked on improving sleep, setting healthier boundaries at work and recommitting to different forms of exercise. We set monthly intentions and checked in with each other along the way.
We were inspired by words from others too, including Roy T. Bennett’s reminder:
“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.”
Alongside deep personal work, we celebrated so many milestones: an agent requesting the first three chapters of a completed novel, the creation of a new vision board, an interest in Feng Shui, the delivery of new writing workshops and a succesful digital detox. We also shared videos, books and podcasts we loved, from Mel Robbins to What’s Up Docs?, Matthew Hussey and Kimberley Wilson.
Our favourite quote of the year was this powerful reminder:
“Do the things you used to talk about doing but never did. Know when to let go and when to hold on tight. Stop rushing. Don’t be intimidated to say it like it is. Stop apologising all the time. Learn to say no, so your yes has some oomph. Spend time with the friends who lift you up, and cut loose the ones who bring you down. Stop giving your power away. Be more concerned with being interested than being interesting. Be old enough to appreciate your freedom, and young enough to enjoy it. Finally know who you are.”
– Kristin Armstrong
A First Birthday Celebration
For our anniversary call, I invited an embodiment coach to guide us through a wonderful exercise. I also gifted everyone a bespoke A5 Take Flight notebook to record their journeys. This is something I’ll now offer to all new members when they join.
As we step into a new year, I’m already excited about everything that awaits us, the growth, the breakthroughs and, of course, the chance to celebrate again in another twelve months.