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Simone Sear Coaching & Consultancy, Newmarket (2026)

26/09/2026

I used to devour books.

As a child, teenager, student and Mum, books were a huge part of my life. They brought enjoyment and escapism, helped me learn, introduced me to other people, places and cultures, and gave me a way to see the world differently. I even studied literature when I first went to university.

But somewhere along the way, I completely fell out of love with reading fiction.

For quite a few years, I just couldn’t face picking up a book for fun. If I did, I’d read a few paragraphs and fall asleep, or find my mind wandering, only to realise I hadn’t taken any of it in.

Looking back, I understand why.

I was stressed, overwhelmed, trying to do too much and, if I’m honest, probably a little out of kilter with what I really needed. Something that had always brought me pleasure had become something I couldn’t even switch off enough to enjoy.

The good news is that I’ve recently rediscovered the joy of reading.

A little book club at work has definitely helped to get me started again. But I think what has really enabled me to read for pleasure again is something much bigger.

Feeling settled. More aligned. Having a sense of purpose. Feeling valued. Less stress and more peace.

And suddenly, I can sit down with a book and disappear into it again.

It’s made me think about the things we enjoy and how easy it can be to lose touch with them when life gets busy or stressful.

Sometimes we tell ourselves we’re just too busy. Sometimes we stop making time for the things that used to make us feel good because there always seems to be something more important to do.

But I wonder whether it’s worth noticing when those things start to disappear altogether.

If you stop wanting to see friends, go outside, exercise, read, listen to music, cook, create, laugh or do whatever it is that normally brings you a bit of joy, perhaps it’s worth asking yourself what’s going on underneath that.

It doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. Life changes, interests change and sometimes we simply move on from things.

But perhaps sometimes these changes are little clues that we’re stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted or just not quite where we want to be.

For me, getting my love of reading back feels like a small thing.

But actually, I think it represents something much bigger.

It feels like getting a little piece of myself back.

And perhaps there’s something in that for all of us. Making space for the things we enjoy isn’t frivolous or a waste of time. Sometimes those little things are part of what keeps us well.

So, I’m reading again. And I’m really enjoying it.

📚❤️

💭 Have you ever stopped doing something you loved when life got stressful, and then found your way back to it?

P.S. If you’re reading anything good do let me know in the comments 🙏🏼

12/09/2026

Things have a way of working out in the end…

I’ve heard that said many times, usually when life feels particularly difficult.

But is it true?

I don’t really know.

For some people, things eventually come back together. For others, the path is much less straightforward, and ‘working out’ may not look anything like they expected.

Perhaps that’s because life isn’t a straight line. It’s more like a rollercoaster, with its ups and downs, periods of calm followed by stress or crisis, and hopefully calmer times again.

For some of us, the ride seems to continue over and over, while others get to step off for a while.

Why is that? I don’t really know, but I suspect it’s complex; a mix of our past experiences, the ways we’ve learned to cope, our resilience, the amount we have on our plates and, perhaps most importantly, the support around us.

One thing I keep coming back to is how important it can be to have someone alongside us during those deep dips.

That might be a friend, a trusted person or someone we can talk to professionally - someone who can listen without judgement, let us offload, offer reassurance and guidance, and try to understand what it feels like when we can’t simply step off the rollercoaster.

They may not be able to fix everything, but having someone alongside us can make the next step feel possible. It can also help us feel less alone while we work out what comes next.

It’s important to recognise what helps us as individuals too. To have our own self-care toolkit, even if we don’t always remember to use it.

It might include the people we can call, getting outside, moving our bodies, taking time out, doing something that makes us laugh, getting enough sleep…..whatever helps us feel a little more like ourselves.

None of these things magically make difficult circumstances disappear, but sometimes they help us ride the dip.

Perhaps that’s what I’m taking away from this week.

I don’t know whether everything always works out in the end.

But I do know that things change.

The really difficult periods don’t necessarily last forever. Sometimes we just need support, self-care, self-compassion and enough hope to keep taking the next step.

💭 What helps you when life feels like one big rollercoaster?

05/09/2026

Sometimes it’s not the situation that needs to change, it’s the way we’re looking at it.

I’ve been thinking about this because I’m not a great believer in telling ourselves to “look on the bright side”. When something is difficult, it’s difficult. Pretending otherwise doesn’t make it disappear.

But I do think there’s something powerful in reframing how we look at things.

Reframing doesn’t mean denying what’s happening or trying to convince ourselves that something difficult is actually good. It’s more a step back to ask, “Is there another way I could look at this?”

Sometimes we get so caught up in what isn’t going well that it becomes all we can see. We replay the problem, worry about what might happen next and lose sight of everything else that is still going on around us.

A different perspective might not change the situation, but it can sometimes change how we feel about it.

Maybe something we see as a setback gives us the opportunity to slow down.
Maybe having fewer responsibilities for a while gives us some freedom we didn’t realise we needed.
Maybe a change we didn’t choose opens a door we wouldn’t otherwise have walked through.

And sometimes there is nothing positive about a situation, but there may be something positive we can do while we’re in it.

We can spend time with people who make us feel good.
Get outside.
Do something that makes us laugh.
Focus on the things we can actually influence.
Ask for help when we need it.
Or simply give ourselves permission to have a good day, even when everything isn’t sorted.

I think that’s an important distinction.

Reframing isn’t about sugar-coating difficult circumstances or convincing ourselves that everything happens for a reason.

It’s about seeing whether there’s another way of looking at things that might help us cope a little better.

One difficult part of our life doesn’t have to become our whole life.

Sometimes we can acknowledge that things are hard and still look for the light.

And perhaps that’s where hope comes from, not from pretending everything is OK, but from remembering that things can change, our perspective can change, and there may be more possibilities ahead than we can see right now.

💭 Have you ever found that reframing a situation helped you see it differently?

22/08/2026

This too shall pass…

I seem to have said this quite a bit recently.

To myself.
To people struggling in the heatwaves.
To people feeling on the edge.
To those who feel that hope has disappeared.
To those who are exhausted, overwhelmed and absolutely dog tired.
And sometimes, simply to someone having a really bad day.

It’s one of those sayings that seems to come out of my mouth almost subconsciously, but I’ve been thinking about it this week. What do we actually mean when we say, “This too shall pass”?

Because it can sound a little simplistic, can’t it? Does everything pass? Not necessarily.

Some things change us. Some things leave a lasting mark. Some circumstances are difficult for much longer than we would ever choose.

So perhaps it isn’t about believing that everything will magically get better. Maybe it’s about remembering that this moment isn’t necessarily forever.

Feelings change. Circumstances change. The things that feel completely overwhelming today may feel very different with time, perspective, support or simply a little breathing space.

And sometimes we don’t need to see the whole way out.
We just need to get through today.
Get through the next hour.
Take the next step.
Rest.
Ask for help.
Let someone sit alongside us for a while.

I think that’s why this little saying keeps coming back to me. Not as a promise that everything will be easy, but as a reminder that things can change. That difficult moments can pass. That we don’t always have to have the answers right now.

And perhaps, when hope feels a long way away, sometimes we can borrow a little hope from the possibility that tomorrow might feel different.

“This too shall pass.”

I think I’ll keep it.

💭 Is there a saying or piece of advice that you find yourself returning to when life feels difficult?

15/08/2026

Some weeks, it’s harder to find the positives.

It’s been one of those weeks for me.

There has been so much troubling news. Heatwaves and fires, people losing their homes, the impact of extreme heat on health, the cost of living, emergency services stretched beyond capacity, racism, extreme views and misinformation.

And some of the stories have felt particularly upsetting on a very human level.

I think sometimes we can underestimate the impact that the things happening around us can have on our own wellbeing.

There’s lots of advice about switching off the news, and sometimes that is exactly what we need to do.

But switching it off doesn’t mean the things happening in the world disappear.

So what can we do when it feels as though everything around us is too much?

This week, I’ve tried to notice how I’m feeling rather than simply pushing those feelings away.

I’ve talked to people who understand and empathise. I’ve reminded myself that there are some conversations where, however much we might want to, we simply aren’t going to change someone’s mind.

I’ve thought about my locus of control - what I can influence and what I can’t.

I’ve been doing short, mindfulness meditations, which help me come back to the present moment when my mind has been racing.

I’ve tried to be there for other people where I can.

And I’ve gone back to some of the basics that we sometimes forget when we’re feeling overwhelmed - looking after myself, staying hydrated, eating well, practising self-compassion and noticing the things I’m grateful for.

None of these things change what’s happening in the world.

But they change how I (and maybe we) can meet it.

And perhaps that’s the bit I’m taking away from this week.

We don’t have to be positive about everything.

We don’t have to ignore what’s happening or pretend that difficult things don’t affect us.

But we can acknowledge how we feel, look after ourselves, focus on what is within our control and still notice the things that help us feel grounded.

Because sometimes wellbeing isn’t about feeling good.

Sometimes it’s about finding enough steadiness to keep going when things around us don’t feel very steady at all.

💭 What helps you when the world feels a little too much?

08/08/2026

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about the things we don’t always see.

The person who’s quietly holding everything together.

The one juggling work, family, appointments and endless responsibilities.

The parent or family carer who hasn’t had a proper break in months.

The people who seem to cope with everything.

The friend who always says, “I’m fine.”

It’s easy to look at someone and assume they’re managing.

But often, we have no idea what they might be carrying.

Lately, it feels as though so many people are living with more pressure than they used to.

The reasons are different for everyone, but the feeling can be surprisingly similar.

Trying to keep going.
Trying to do the right thing.
Wondering if they’re doing enough.

There are moments when it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the bigger picture.

To wonder how things got so complicated.

To feel that life’s challenges are bigger than any one of us can solve.

But then I remind myself that while we can’t always change the system, we can influence the world immediately around us.

A phone call.
A conversation.
Offering practical help.
Checking in on someone.
Sharing information that might make life a little easier.
Listening without trying to fix everything.

These things might seem small.

But to the person receiving them, they rarely are.

Hope doesn’t always arrive in big moments.

Sometimes it grows through ordinary acts of kindness, one person at a time.

And perhaps that’s where change begins.

💭 What’s one small thing you could do this week to make someone else’s day a little easier?

01/08/2026

One thing I’ve been reflecting on this week is this…

Sometimes people don’t need all the answers.

They simply need to feel heard.

It’s something I’ve noticed more and more over the years.

When someone is facing a difficult situation, our instinct is often to help.

We offer advice.
Try to solve the problem.
Look for the positives.
Search for the right words.

It all comes from a good place.

But sometimes the most valuable thing we can offer isn’t a solution.

It’s our attention.

What’s interesting is that the situation itself often hasn’t changed by the end of the conversation.

The workload is still there.

The difficult decisions still need making.

The challenges haven’t disappeared.

But something else has changed.

They’ve had the chance to say out loud what they’ve been carrying around in their head.

Someone has listened without rushing to fix, minimise or judge.

And sometimes that’s enough.

Not because the problem has gone away.

But because feeling heard creates just enough breathing space to think more clearly about what comes next.

It’s a gentle reminder that we don’t always have to have the perfect advice.

Sometimes simply being present is enough.

💭 Who in your life helps you feel genuinely heard?

And when was the last time you gave someone else that same gift?

18/07/2026

Today is International Self-Compassion Day.

And compassion has been on my mind this week.

One thing I’ve realised over the years is that I believe in the good in people.

Most people I meet are kind.
Thoughtful.
Patient.
Supportive.

Especially when someone else is having a hard time.

But when it comes to ourselves?

That’s often a very different story.

It’s something I’ve noticed time and time again and, if I’m honest, something I still catch myself doing too.

We speak to ourselves in ways we’d never speak to someone we care about.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably caught yourself doing it too.

We replay conversations.

Focus on mistakes.

Question ourselves.

Tell ourselves we should have done better.

Keep going.

Carry on.

Then wonder why we feel so drained.

Whenever I talk about self-compassion, someone usually says the same thing:

“It’s easier said than done.”

And they’re right.

Because for many of us, being hard on ourselves has become a habit.

Somewhere along the way, many of us learnt that being hard on ourselves would make us stronger, more successful or somehow ‘better’.

But what if the opposite were true?

We know from research that self-compassion isn’t about letting ourselves off the hook.

It’s associated with greater emotional resilience, lower levels of anxiety and depression, healthier motivation and improved wellbeing.

Being compassionate towards ourselves doesn’t make us weaker.

It helps us recover.

So perhaps self-compassion doesn’t have to begin with trying to love ourselves overnight.

Perhaps it starts with something much smaller.

Pausing.

Taking a breath.

Noticing the voice in our head.

And asking one simple question:

“If someone I cared about was feeling exactly like this, what would I say to them?”

Then…

Could I offer myself just a little of that same kindness?

Just a little more than yesterday.

Because how we speak to ourselves really matters.

And perhaps if more of us could treat ourselves with the same compassion we so freely offer others…

…perhaps we’d create a more compassionate world, too.

💭 What’s one small act of self-compassion you could offer yourself today?

11/07/2026

On the importance of switching off…

I had a wonderful week away recently and have been reflecting on just how much I needed it.

Not because life had been particularly difficult.

Just the usual kind of busy, like it is for so many of us.

There’s something about stepping away from our usual routines that allows the mind to settle. For me, being by the sea, walking, resting, sleeping well and simply having nowhere in particular to be reminded me how good it feels to slow down.

Ironically, I came home physically tired because I’d walked miles every day and packed a lot into the week.

But mentally?

I felt lighter.

Clearer.

More energised.

Years ago, I don’t think I’d have allowed myself to switch off quite like this.

I’d have taken work with me.
Checked emails.
Replied to messages.
Convinced myself that everything needed my attention.

I even remember leaving a holiday once to attend what I believed was an ‘important’ meeting.

Looking back, it wasn’t worth missing those precious hours away.

These days, I see rest differently.

Switching off isn’t something we have to earn after we’ve worked hard enough.

It’s part of looking after ourselves.

And it doesn’t have to mean an expensive holiday or travelling abroad.

Sometimes it’s a weekend away.
A day by the coast.
An afternoon in the countryside.
Or simply giving yourself permission to leave work at work and be fully present somewhere else.

Because when we give our minds a chance to rest, we often come back with more energy, more perspective and a greater appreciation for the everyday things we can so easily take for granted.

💭 What helps you properly switch off?

20/06/2026

It’s been a good week.

Not because everything is perfect.

Not because life has suddenly become free of challenges.

But because I’ve found myself noticing lots of good things.

Some in my own life.

And some in the lives of people around me.

Friends receiving good news.

People finding their feet after difficult times.

Positive outcomes that have been long awaited.

Things beginning to fall into place.

And perhaps what I’ve noticed most is how genuinely happy I’ve felt for them.

It’s made me pause and reflect.

Sometimes we spend so much time focusing on what’s next, what’s missing, or what’s not going to plan that we forget to notice what’s already going well.

Not just for ourselves, but for others too.

The last few years have taught me that life has a way of changing.

There are times when things feel difficult, uncertain or out of alignment.

And there are times when things begin to come together again.

Looking back, I’ve realised how much has changed in my own life over the last few years.

Some of those changes were difficult at the time.

Some felt uncomfortable.

Some were not choices I would have made if life hadn’t nudged me in a different direction.

But they’ve led me to a place where I feel genuinely grateful.

Grateful for my work.

Grateful for the people around me.

Grateful for friendships, opportunities and experiences that enrich my life.

And grateful for the simple things too.

Like the sunshine.

Some time away to look forward to (OOO is on).

A quiet moment to pause and appreciate where I am right now.

Maybe that’s my reflection this week.

When life feels good, let yourself notice it.

Pause long enough to appreciate it.

Celebrate the good things happening around you.

Because life isn’t always easy.

But when the sun shines, it’s OK to stand in it for a while.

💭 What’s something good that’s happened recently that you’ve taken time to appreciate?

Simone Sear Coaching & Consultancy

26/09/2026

12/09/2026

05/09/2026

22/08/2026

15/08/2026

08/08/2026

01/08/2026

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