I’m writing this on a Saturday morning, and for some reason I woke up feeling quietly annoyed at myself. Not in a dramatic, life-is-falling-apart way, but more in that uncomfortable way where you realise you’ve been drifting. I think it’s because I haven’t been intentional with my time. I’ve been reacting to whatever shows up in front of me - messages, work, the next thing in my diary. But I don’t want to move through my weeks on autopilot. I want to protect space for the things that genuinely matter to me, the things I say I care about, but somehow never quite prioritise. Which probably means I need to do something very unglamorous: plan better, organise myself properly, and be more deliberate with where my time and energy go instead of spreading them everywhere and wondering why I feel flat.

My thoughts keep coming back to women in their 40s and 50s, and how much support so many of them need - with health, fitness, mindset, money, confidence and direction. There are people out there helping, of course, but so many women still feel like they’re navigating it all on their own, unsure where to start or who to trust. I think community is part of it - a real one, not another group you join and forget about, but something where people actually feel seen, supported and gently held to account.

Yesterday, a client told me she doesn’t do the exercise classes at the gym (the same gym I go to), and that she’s thinking of ending her membership. But she does want to build up her fitness, and that got me thinking. If she started going regularly, she’d probably start building a routine - and that’s where a bit of accountability can make all the difference. A familiar face. Someone who notices if you don’t show up. A connection with the instructor. That’s what makes excuses harder to lean on.

I know this because it happened to me. I went to Body Combat last night, even though I was exhausted and could have easily skipped it, simply because I’d told the instructor I’d be there. Afterwards, of course, I felt better.

The thing is, the reason I even got into Body Combat in the first place was because the instructor kept encouraging me to go. At first, I didn’t like it. I have zero coordination and felt completely out of my depth. But I kept showing up until one day, it clicked. Suddenly I really enjoyed it. If I’m honest, I probably wouldn’t have gotten there on my own. That’s the power of having someone in your corner. Someone who expects you, notices you, and gently keeps you going until you start doing it for yourself.

At the same time, I’ve started to reshape how I run my business, and one thing has become really clear to me: people excel when they focus on their natural strengths, rather than being forced to be good at everything. One of the women who works with me is amazing with clients and communication but she openly admits she struggles with certain admin tasks. Rather than hoping she’ll somehow improve at these tasks, I’m now focusing her work entirely on client onboarding, communication, and provider contact, while shifting the back-office and technical responsibilities to someone who thrives in those areas. This way, everyone is playing to their strengths, and the business runs far more smoothly.

The receptionist where I work recently told me that when new systems were introduced, she worried she wouldn’t be able to keep up or handle the tasks. But this is the same woman who talks to everyone with ease and makes people feel welcome the moment they walk through the door. For a front-of-house role, that isn’t just a nice extra, it’s the core skill. And she’s exceptional at it. Her people skills are genuinely remarkable.

So no, it doesn’t really matter that she isn’t great with the systems or technology they use. There are others who can handle that side of things. What matters is that she’s doing work that plays to her strengths. And honestly, I think this applies far beyond business. We’re all more effective when we focus on what we’re naturally good at, rather than forcing ourselves into roles that don’t fit.

We put so much pressure on ourselves (and on each other) to be perfectly well-rounded, capable in every direction, as if that’s the only way to succeed. But maybe things actually work better when we stop trying to fix what isn’t natural and start building around what is.

I still don’t know exactly what I’m building. I can’t see the full picture, and that low-level frustration of not having the path mapped out is still there. But that’s okay. Maybe the real joy isn’t in reaching the destination at all, it’s in the journey itself, in letting things unfold in their own way, learning as you go, and being comfortable with not knowing exactly what comes next. I just need to trust that the path will reveal itself slowly, as I connect with the right people at the right time. Maybe this Saturday-morning irritation is just the start - the little nudge reminding me to be a bit more intentional about the life I’m creating. 🩷