In the toolkit are short, useable tips I have gathered together that have and continue to help me on this voyage into a new and more purposeful life. Subscribe and share with others so we may all keep the momentum going. Let us move towards a more aligned way of living.
What is this toolkit you speak of?
Having taken on numerous coaching roles over the years, both within organisations and as part of holistic support, I have been lucky enough to magpie some fantastic ideas that I keep in my very own personal toolkit. I have cherry picked a handful to share with you. All of them are aiding my transition out of a fast paced career into a more slow and meaningful way of living. They have been such a blessing to me and I hope they are to you too. The road will inevitably get tough sometimes and these tools act like guides that should us along the way.
My first tool are discovering your PiPs. I mentioned this in a note a week or so ago, and it garnered more attention than I expected, so I thought it was time to take a closer look.
“At the end of the day, it isn’t where I came from. Maybe home is somewhere I’m going and never have been before.”
―Warsan Shire
Tool 1: PiPs.
I recognise the word PiP can send a shiver down some people’s spines….a colleague mentioned to me that in some contexts it can mean a performance improvement plan. And my goodness, this could not be further from what this particular tool is.
PiPs stand for ‘Proof it’s Possible’. These are people that provide the evidence that what you are trying to achieve can happen, because it happened to them. It is based on Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques that look at how people organise their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and how ultimately we can reprogramme our brains to think differently to change an outcome.
This technique has come from Lucy Sheridan, aka ‘The Comparison Coach’. She explains more about PiPs here in a reel from Instagram.
She explains how PiPs are ways to find evidence not only that your dream is possible, but also the steps that are likely to get you there too. You can have PiP’s for writing goals, career goals, relationships, homes, energy. Anything that makes sense to you.
Who are my PiPs?
Below I have listed some of my own PiPs, many of them from here on Substack. They are all pretty amazing people.
Beth Kempton; The way Beth talks about writing, is exactly how I hoped writing would be. A way to connect with self, connect to wisdom, and to feel the pull of the universe. Beth released her first book in her late thirties, exactly where I am now. She has been on a roll ever since. Beth is extremely honest about what it is like to live her dream and her newsletter ‘When living the dream looks like a tracksuit and a warmed up fish pie from Tesco’ was a pure tonic. I have also felt pulled to her new book Kokoro which was written in grief, just as I write now. In addition to this, Beth lays the steps for success out clearly in the workshops she offers, and makes you realise all is possible. Her recent workshop ‘How to get a book deal’ was a game changer. It busted a number of myths for me, myths that had fed a narrative that people like me do not write books when nothing could be further from the truth. Beth is fantastic, so if you don’t follow her yet you must.
Chloe Hope; Chloe is an end of life doula. She writes about death and birds. Her writing is so imbued with wisdom, of not only nature but also spirituality. She weaves a magic with her writing that I didn’t know was possible. When I was a child I was an avid birdwatcher, and to see someone write so eloquently about the subject, and have it read so widely is an inspiration. My most favourite piece is ‘….becoming Owl’. Have I mentioned how soothing her voice is too? Chloe shows me that when you write with deep reverence about a subject you love, you will find your people.
Kirsty Gallagher of Lunar Living; Kirsty has a strong sense of purpose. A purpose that she accepts and follows unwaveringly. She teaches me integrity, conviction. She was once a full time yoga teacher, travelling up and down London’s tube lines, teaching all the classes she could. She knew the path of spirituality was for her. When she started talking about living with the moon she received criticism, sceptics ready to laugh her down, to suggest she got a proper job but she persisted. Now she is releasing her 3rd (possibly 4th) book, and has built a life out of what she believes.
Poppy O’Kotcha; “Engaging with a garden is entering a cycle of exchange, we support the land, the land supports us”. On my path to live more closely with nature, this was my biggest hurdle. Understanding how to work the land. I have listened to Poppy on a number of podcasts, and the way she talks about this with such connection, teaches me respect. She discusses how gardening lends itself to working with the collective, and influenced my decision to work in a community garden. I learn every day, and she is proof that time with the land, increases not only our knowledge but our connection to it.
Molly Ella; Molly recently become a bestseller on Substack, and her article on how to do this was insightful, providing steps on how to achieve it. She writes about her slow living life in the Scottish Highlands. She has created what I can only dream of. In her newsletter ‘I want to write because…’ she says “Whether its a spider’s web glistening with autumn dew or the sound of a loved one’s footsteps returning home, I want to capture it. Coax it gently. Squeeze it firmly. Revisit it again and again. Relive it for an eternity.” The affinity I feel with this statement is almost overwhelming. There are others like me out there. Molly provides a sense of community within her Substack, and teaches me how important that is.
Victoria Harrison; Victoria shows me what it is like to leave seasonally. The newsletters she writes are eloquent, full of myth, folklore, and practical ways to embody a more seasonal way of living. I try to cook at least one recipe from her newsletter or share just one story with others. I often find February a tricky month but her February notebook reminded me there is lots to love about this month. She is teaching how small actions can lead to big shifts in how we live.
All of these fantastic people prove that the dream of the life I wish to live is possible, and they will remain my guiding light when the road gets bumpy. I read their stories, I remind myself of what they have done, I look for my next steps and it lights a fire in my soul. It is all attainable, and thanks to them there is proof that it is.
Next steps for using this tool
Keep on the look out for your PiPs. Who has taken a journey that you admire?
Note them down in a notebook, listing what area of your life they link to, and why they should be there.
What steps did they take to get where they are now? Do they offer any advice through interviews, blogs, workshops or Substacks that might help you along the way?
Where are you on that journey now? Feel the excitement bubble, knowing all of this is possible for you too.
Don’t forget to return to them when the light seems to dim. They will reignite you in seconds.
Let me know in the comments below what you think of this toolkit tip, and if you feel called to, share who your PiPs are too!
Thanks so much for the kind mention. I love the idea of a PiP! 💫
You’re so welcome and thank you for being one of my PiPs ❤️✨