Happy Mother's Day! I hope you have had a wonderful day!
Today I am sharing with you some wonderful advice from Life Coach, Libby Blakemore. Libby shares her background and experience on how she became a life coach and advice for our busy, gorgeous mothers! Perfect for Mother's Day!
Tell me a bit about your background and how you arrived at life coaching?
Like a lot of life coaches, my road here was more meandering than direct!
I started my career in law, working in large commercial firms in Sydney and London. While I always felt satisfied doing thorough work, I never felt personally very fulfilled but I wasn’t sure that I should be. I speculatively applied one day to study art history in London, and was accepted. I eventually did a MA, interned in an auction house and worked in a major gallery in business development, which was a great blend of my commercial background and interest in art, and it felt absolutely magic.
I was married at the time and had my daughter in London with the plan being that we would return to Sydney and I would continue to work in the art sector in Sydney. It didn’t quite work out like that, instead returned home to Adelaide as a single parent!
Even though I found work in business development in the not-for-profit sector, it was really through navigating a divorce, single parenthood and re-building a life that I started to read and research how other people had overcome life challenges, and found life coaching. I loved it and devour books when my daughter was in bed at night. I started sharing what I was finding with my friends in emails which I called ‘Libby’s tips’ and then one of them suggested that I be a life coach. I said: ‘Don’t be ridiculous! Is that even a proper job?!’ It was after I was made redundant from a business development position that I thought: ‘Okay why not follow this up?’. I started a life coaching course and felt like I had truly returned home. It was unbelievable, and I haven’t looked back. I set up my business in 2016 and I have been gradually building it ever since.
What do you think are some of the challenges facing women today?
A lot of the women I see have been so busy doing everything for everyone else (work, children, house) that life feels like a big to-do list rather than the gift it actually is.
They’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed and not giving themselves permission to rest properly, to relax and have fun and to enjoy things for their own sake.
The truth is however women are still primarily responsible for the caring load for children and housework and they’re working as well. They’re they’re essentially trying to work like their fathers did and run the household and the children like their mothers; and as a generation we’re also spending more time with children more intensely than our parents did. Following this model, there is limited time for women to do things for themselves..
But it’s not how it has to be.
The first place to start to reclaim some time is by asking for help, whether by outsourcing (eg The Family Cook say?!), sharing the load with friends and asking your partner/family for more help.
What’s your professional advice on how to achieve work, life, kids balance?
I think women need to ease up themselves about balance. It’s unrealistic.
There will be things that take priority at a particular times and that’s normal.
To the extent that it’s possible get clear on what is important to you and your family, as opposed to what’s urgent, and start to create your life from the inside out. It may take time to pause and think through but it will make things easier in the long run.
If health and fitness is important to you, then put that in your calendar first before other things fill its place. If family time/date nights are important, put those in the diary and fiercely protect them.
Also, try not to over schedule. It will give you a feeling of more time and space, even if it’s just a buffer of 15 minutes between tasks. This allows for last minute things to crop up/go wrong, which they always do.
And remember that everyone else is doing imperfectly too. No one has everything sorted and perfectly in balance!
If you had one tip to share with our readers, what would it be?
One of the most effective ways to reduce stress, in addition to a stillness practice, is for women to spend time with benevolent women - the friends who are supportive, kind, generous and make you laugh. So if you can’t make it to the gym, catch up with a kind bestie instead!
If you want to get more tips from Libby you can reach her at libby@libbyblakemore.com. Being the generous soul she is, I am sure she will be only too happy to answer any questions you have.
Mother's Day May Giveaway
This month I wanted to do something special and a little different from what we normally do. I wanted to give someone some time to reset, refresh and relax. So one lucky 'Weekly Value Bundle' subscriber will win $100 gift voucher at Temple Day Spa. Adelaide's only 5 star day spa + skin clinic. Choose your treatment of preference and spend some time just for you! I am delighted to announce this month's winner is Jane Burton. Congratulations Jane! I hope you enjoy this gorgeous prize.
Each month we also give one of our newsletter subscribers a $50 The Family Cook gift card to enjoy. This month's winner is Sarah Walsh. Enjoy Sarah!
I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.
If there is anything I can do to make your life easier, please sing out!
Best wishes,
Victoria x
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This Week's Menu
Oven Baked Chicken Parmigiana with Roasted Potato, Peas & Carrots (GF)
Gourmet "Bangers & Mash" (GF)
Beef Masaman Curry with Rice (GF)
Penne Amatriciana
Mexican Bean Sweet Potato (V) (GF)
Next Week's Menu
Lamb Stew with Creamy Mash
Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli
Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
Apricot Stuffed Chicken with Mash & Greens
Butter Chicken