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I hope this letter finds you well.
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I’ve been really looking forward to sitting down to write this one.
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Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had some lovely messages, emails, and voice notes from so many of you in response to the last letter — and I just want to say thank you.
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There’s something very special about knowing that what you write is being read… not just skimmed, not just clicked… but actually felt.
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And I feel that too when I hear back from you.
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The past couple of weeks
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When I wrote my last letter, I was just beginning to find my way back into a rhythm again.
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Things felt a little unsettled… a little off… and I was gently trying to bring things back into alignment.
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And since then, something has shifted.
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Not in a big, dramatic way.
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But in small, very real, lived-in ways.
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I’ve started to feel like myself again.
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Stepping back in (gently)
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Over the past two weeks, I stepped back into the classroom for the first time in three years.
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Just a few days each week.
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Nothing major. No big return. No long-term plan.
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Just… easing myself back in.
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And I have to say, I really enjoyed it.
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I wasn’t nervous the way I thought I might be.
I wasn’t overwhelmed.
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I went in, taught the class, had the chats… and came home again.
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It felt familiar. Comfortable.
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The part I didn’t expect
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But what I didn’t fully expect — even though I probably should have — was the tiredness.
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Not just a little dip in energy…
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But that full-body, end-of-term teacher tiredness.
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The kind where your whole system catches up with you the minute you stop.
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Across those few days, I felt it properly.
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That deep, physical tiredness that comes from being “on” all day.
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And it brought me right back to those early September weeks — when everything is adjusting again.
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It was a really clear reminder:
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This kind of work takes a lot out of you.
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But also… something else
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At the very same time, I felt something else too.
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I enjoyed getting dressed, putting on makeup, stepping out into something that felt like mine.
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I enjoyed the routine, the structure, the sense of purpose.
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And maybe most importantly…
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I enjoyed knowing that I could still do it.
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That I hadn’t lost that part of myself.
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And that felt really good.
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What it showed me
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Spreading those days across the two weeks gave me a much clearer picture.
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Not just how I’d feel after one day…
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But how it fits into my life as a whole.
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Because it did take a little more planning. A little more intention.
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Making sure things stayed calm at home.
Making sure I didn’t overload the days around it.
Making space to recover, to reset, to stay grounded.
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And I found myself leaning very gently on the rhythms I’ve been creating.
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The early mornings.
The walks.
The light structure.
The space to pause and reconnect.
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And honestly… that’s what carried me through.
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Finding the balance
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So now I find myself in this really interesting in-between space.
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Part of me enjoys working outside the home.
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Part of me deeply values the life I’ve created here.
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The slower mornings.
The space in my days.
The ability to be present for my family.
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And if I’m being really honest…
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I don’t want to lose that.
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What I do want, I think, is balance.
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A few days here and there.
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Something that brings in a bit of income, a bit of independence…
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Without taking over everything else.
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What I’m learning (in real time)
Over these past couple of weeks, I’ve been writing a lot about creating a life that feels calmer, more intentional, more aligned.
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And now I feel like I’m actually living that out… properly testing it.
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And what I’m learning is this:
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I need structure… but not too much.
I need purpose… but not pressure.
I need space… but not emptiness.
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And maybe most importantly…
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I need to be able to adjust as I go.
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The little things that are helping
Some of the things that have been grounding me lately are surprisingly simple:
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– Getting up early and taking that quiet hour before the house wakes
– Going for my walks, even when I don’t feel like it
– Keeping things lightly planned, rather than rigidly scheduled
– Making space for connection — with my kids, my husband, even just sitting and chatting
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But together, they’ve made these past couple of weeks feel steadier… calmer… more manageable.
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And the honest part
Because of course, it hasn’t all been perfect.
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There have been tired days.
Overwhelming days.
Days where I didn’t feel like doing anything at all.
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Moments where I questioned everything.
Moments where I felt a bit stuck.
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But I’m learning not to panic in those moments.
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Not to assume I’ve “lost it” again.
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Just to pause… and begin again the next day.
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Where I am now
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Right now, after these past couple of weeks, I feel…
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A little tired, yes.
A little sore from Pilates.
A little slower than I was at the start.
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And quietly confident that I’m moving in the right direction.
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If you’re in a similar place
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If you’ve been feeling a bit out of sync lately…
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If you’re trying to find your way back into a rhythm…
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If you’re figuring out what you actually want your days to look like…
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Please know you’re not alone.
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It doesn’t have to be all figured out at once.
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Sometimes it’s just one small step.
One small adjustment.
One day at a time.
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Until next time
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As always, I’d love to hear from you.
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You can reply to this email any time — I read every message, and they mean more than you probably realise.
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And thank you again for being here.
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🌿 P.S.
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If you feel like a little browse this weekend, here are a few gentle reads and resources you might enjoy:
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(This one feels especially fitting right now — a gentle invitation to slow down and savour the simple things.)
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All slow, cosy reads — perfect with a quiet cup of tea or coffee.
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Stay in Touch
If you ever feel like reaching out, please do.
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I’d genuinely love to hear from you — This little letter is very much a two-way conversation. If something here resonates, if you have a thought to share, or if there’s something you’d love to see in a future newsletter, blog post, or printable, I’d really love to hear from you.
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You can reach me any time by:
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Comments on the blog or Instagram are always welcome too. I read every single one.
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Thank you, as always, for being here and for taking the time to read along.
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The Slow September Calendar (Free Printable)
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Welcome September with a beautifully illustrated free printable calendar featuring thirty gentle daily prompts, companion journaling reflections and simple seasonal inspiration to help you embrace a slower, more intentional autumn.
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The Quiet Gift of Beginning Again
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September has always carried the quiet feeling of a fresh beginning. This reflective essay explores why we don't have to wait until January to begin again and how small, intentional changes can gently shape a new season.
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Where Do I Need a Little More Space?
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Sometimes we don't need an entirely different life — we simply need a little more room inside the one we're already living. This gentle reflection explores where you may need more time, physical space, mental space, emotional space or room for something that belongs only to you, and how even a very small pocket of space can make ordinary life feel different. Includes a beautiful free printable.
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What Am I Carrying That Isn’t Mine?
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We can care deeply about the people in our lives without taking responsibility for everything they feel, choose or experience. This gentle reflection explores the worries, expectations, emotions and responsibilities we sometimes carry for other people — and how to recognise what is ours, what belongs to someone else and what we might gently hand back. Includes a beautiful free reflection printable.
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Something can have been completely right for one season of your life and no longer fit the life you're living now. This gentle reflection explores the routines, roles, ambitions, expectations and old versions of ourselves we may have quietly outgrown — and how we might leave some of them behind with gratitude rather than regret. Includes a beautiful free printable.
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