Resilience at Work Ltd

How do you feel about ageing? 🤔

My answer generally depends on how I’m feeling that day if I’m honest - but I do know that the more adventures I do, the more I retain the confidence in my body to do them - and the more I look forward to what lies ahead…

Which is why it was such a joy to speak to the amazing Caroline Paul - author, surfer, pilot, former fire fighter, TEDx speaker and more - about her new book “Tough Broad” for

In her book, she spotlights the stories of some incredible adventurous women in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond - and the research that supports the positive impact that this can have on our self concept and sense of fulfilment as we age.

And as I hurtle towards my next decade (300 ish days and counting…) I can’t tell you how inspiring it is to hear voices like Caroline - taking up space in the outdoors and the adventure sports she loves - and encouraging others to do the same 🌟

So, if you’ve ever felt less than positive about the ageing process 🙋‍♀️, this is one not to miss - it might just change your whole perspective…😁 Let me@know what you think!

Link to listen in bio or on all the usual platforms 🎧😊

So this episode is pretty timely…😉

Jonny Ball is the host of the ‘Veterans In Politics’ podcast , interviewing over 70 interviewees from across the globe who have ‘stood up to serve again’. He is also Founder of , a not for profit organisation that aims to inspire and support members of the military community to serve in public life. His civilian career has seen him run campaigns at every level of government, from local to National & European elections and as a consultant to military charities as well as a number of MPs. His lengthy Army service includes tours of Northern Ireland and Afghanistan & a Commander Land Forces’ Commendation for his work as a Pashto Linguist and Intelligence Analyst.

Following a traumatic motorcycle accident in 2019, Jonny competed in the 2023 Invictus Games as part of Team UK as part of his own recovery journey through sport, and walked away with a Bronze medal in powerlifting, as well as personal bests in Indoor Rowing and track cycling.

In this episode Jonny shares his motivations for inspiring military veterans into political life and we discuss the the concept of service more broadly. He also candidly shares his personal story of recovery and reconnecting with his own purpose through sport and the community he found in the Invictus Games.

Whether or not you are from a military background, if you’re interested in the concept of service, how we build trust and the power of giving back to change others lives and our own, this is one conversation not to miss! 🔥

I really needed yesterday 🙏

I’ve now been on this doctoral journey for 3.5 years - and safe to say it’s been a bumpy ride at times…😬

Right now I am at a stage where the bumps feel pretty high ⛰️

It is tempting to try and hide the realities (for the sake of my ego if nothing else 🫣) , but today I chose to share the proverbial “warts” with my colleagues and I’m so glad I did.

Because this academic process can feel lonely and brutal at times, so it can really help to know we’re not alone.

And listening to the amazing research presentations from the others in my cohort helped me to believe is possible too 😊

As you can tell from my cheesy grin in this selfie taken at the end of the study session today, I’m feeling pretty filled up 🥛

So I’m very glad I made the trip into London today - and I’m pretty grateful to have such awesome colleagues, supervisors and friends to help those bumps feel that little bit smaller too ❤️

Do you ever feel guilty when you prioritise your own adventures? 😬

I definitely do, but I have done a lot of work on keeping that guilt in the back seat when I make a decision to plan a solo adventure! 🚗

This was also something that was frequently asked of this week’s guest on …

In May 2023, Emma Wood embarked on a two week adventure cycling the length of the UK from John O’Groats to Land’s End 🚴‍♀️

As a busy mum of two girls, with a successful career in financial services, the logistics surrounding this journey were half the battle. But having got a taste of long distance cycling during a 4 day trip cycling unsupported from Dorset to Cornwall, she was ready for a bigger challenge . Accompanied by her dad in the support van,  she set off cycling solo from the north of Scotland on the adventure of her life 🚲

Whilst others have completed this nonetheless challenging route, Emma’s story is extraordinary in that it shows what is possible amongst all the other commitments in our daily lives and the importance of taking time for ourselves s. It would have been totally understandable for Emma to say she was too busy or that she was needed by her family. But by listening to and validating the voice that told her that she needed to do this for herself,  Emma has achieved something amazing and inspired many others to dare to dream and do along the way 🔥

This is an honest and engaging conversation about the guilt and challenges we experience as parents when we decide to head on a solo adventure as well as the benefits we encounter when doing do - and the positive ripple effect that these adventures can have on those around us too 🌀

My incredible grandmother Helen Munro Brooks (nee Thomson)

Not only was her birthday in June, but she also deployed to France five days after the D Day landings - a 24 year old nurse working in Bayeux Field Hospital.

It is hard to imagine what she must have experienced and born witness too. She went on to have a long and successful career in nursing, but her experiences in Normandy stayed with her for the rest of her life.

So today I am taking a moment to reflect on the extraordinary courage and commitment of her and her colleagues and the bravery and sacrifice of so many. We will remember them ❤️

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope”
Lady Bird Johnson

These beautiful poppies stopped me in my tracks on my dog walk today.

Yet they are not in someone’s carefully cultivated garden, but weeds growing next to a scrubby tree on the ground pavement.

No one has tended to them and no one has given them the right conditions to flourish. They have just found a way to thrive.

And in that sense, they are the very definition of resilience.

There are so many events in the world right now that can leave us despairing - feeling powerless and devoid of hope.

I’m certainly not immune.

But when all I can see is bare, scrubby ground, I will try to remember these poppies and resilience and trust that the seeds are still there - and that there remains the possibility that flowers will bloom 🌺

Do you ever find yourself scrolling through social media feeling as if everyone else is having a much more exciting time? 🫣

I definitely do. In fact I even gave a TEDx talk about it 😁

I reckon Bank Holidays are the worst for it. And having spent half of mine stuck on the M25 🤯, I was properly feeling the FOMO this afternoon.

But having finally arrived at my parents house, the dogs needed a walk so I headed out round the fields 🌾

It’s the same walk I’ve done 1000s of times since my parents moved here when I was 6.

So if would be easy to assume that there was nothing new to see and head round on autopilot.

And in fact it could be considered fairly boring, especially compared to all the holiday and adventure photos I’m seeing on my feed….🏝️

But on the way back from my walk I noticed a number of lady birds🐞 on one of the plants at the side of the path. I looked closer and saw hundreds of tiny eggs. It made me wonder what else I was missing, by concentrating on the activity rather than my surroundings…

So I decided to pause and really look amongst the brambles, trees 🌳 and plants framing the path.

And these photos are a collection of what I saw when I stopped to pay attention 👀

I could actually have spent quite a while staring at the same little section of brambles, watching the bees 🐝 fly in and out.

I moved on in the end as the dogs were hassling me. But I couldn’t help feeling a little bit smug that for a moment I had access to a world that most people were just passing by.

It felt like such a privilege - and it made me realise how ridiculous my FOMO was when there was such beauty & splendour right in front of my nose.

So next time you are feel bored with your world or as if everyone is living a more exciting life than you, I’d encourage you to stop for an and take a few minutes to stare at some brambles too.

You never know what you might find… 💚🐛🐜🐞🕷️

When did you last learn something new? 🆕

Would it have made a difference if that was something that many adults can already do and rarely think about?

Because that’s exactly what my latest podcast guest .oseiauthor did.

Last year she learned to swim 💦

This episode of is one that’s very close to my heart. In fact it taps right into the reason I started the podcast in the first place - to share stories like Joyce’s.

Because hers is the very definition of an everyday adventure. She wasn’t trying to swim the channel, take part in a race or get a PB (personal best).

But her journey was just as terrifying and exhilarating as any of the above.

Joyce’s story is testament to what can happen when you embark on an adventure that is uniquely personal to you - and the growth, opportunity and possibility that can occur as a result.

This is a powerful and joyful conversation and I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did ❤️

And hopefully it will inspire you to head out on your own everyday adventure this BH weekend…⛰️

Let me know what you get up to! 😊

Ps link to listen in bio or on all your favourite channels- and we’re now on You Tube too! 🎧

It doesn’t have to grow…🌱

In case it skipped your notice it’s 🧠😁

This year the focus is on movement - which those of you who know me or have followed me for a while - will be aware is something I’m a teeny bit obsessed with…🫣

But one of the common misconceptions around movement is that it needs to be big to have an impact 💥

When the reality is that a small daily practice is accumulative and will have just as much benefit for your mental wellbeing ❤️

In fact, the impact will probably be greater as chances are you’ll keep going 🛞

As an example, this week I’ve committed to 30 days of yoga 🧘‍♀️ I’ve set myself a goal of 10 minutes a day. I’m doing the same sequence, I started using back in the early 00s - and that’s going to stay the same.

Why no growth? 🤷‍♀️

Because my aim is to form a habit so that it becomes as much part of my daily routine as brushing my teeth 🦷

And to do this I just need to show up 😇

And it’s really important that I stick to this pattern because the things that have stopped me making it a habit are: a) lack of time (10 mins is possible); b) decision overwhelm ie which class I should do (this way I don’t have to decide); c) rather be doing something else (there’s not a lot else I can fit into 10 mins - and I can still to do the something else if I want! 🏃‍♀️🏄‍♀️)

I recently published a podcast on 5 steps to an everyday adventure:
1. Find your “why” ❓
2. Identify the time you have 🕰️
3. Pick something you love 🥰
4. Start small 🤏
5. Be “selfish”

So I’m putting it into practice - I’m on Day 4 so I’ll let you know how it goes…but I’m already feeling the mental health benefits⭐️

What movement habit can you start today? 💭

Ps link to listen to the ep in comments 👆

Photo credit 📸:

I am terrible at surfing.

This was the voice in my head as I missed yet another take off at The Wave last Friday.

You see, I’ve been surfing (albeit v inconsistently) for the best part of 30 years.

And whereas in many other sports, I have zero expectations, with surfing it’s very hard to drown out the bit of my brain saying I SHOULD be better.

My 20 year old self would have listened to that voice. She would have spent the weekend beating herself up, feeling a mix of shame and anger for failing in such a public way.

But thankfully I have done a bit of work since then 😅

And I now know three things to be true:

1. Performance doesn’t happen in a straight line. We all have off days - and we do falter it offers an opportunity to test and adjust; to stop and reflect on what’s not working right now so we can move forward again.

2 Context is key. How we are feeling and the environment we are operating in plays a huge role in how we show up regardless of our ability. As does the amount of support we have, how safe we feel and how new the context is we are dealing with. When I reflect on the specific context of this session on the back of a 2.5 drive at the end of a hectic week, I feel proud that I made it out at all! 🙌

3 We get the choose the moments that define us. Sure I missed a few waves. But, I also caught a couple that I was pretty proud of. It was the most beautiful sunny evening, the sun ☀️ was sparkling on the water and despite all the pulls on my time, I had prioritised myself enough to spend a Friday evening with a group of amazing women doing something I loved 🥰

The reality was I could choose to focus on the misses OR acknowledge my frustration, but instead celebrate the wins and laugh about the rest. I chose the 2nd. And I encourage you to do the same.

Because performing in anything isn’t a straight path.

All we can do is to keep showing up, have the humility to learn (even when it sucks) and bank on the fact that one day a wave will come along that you might just catch 🏄‍♀️

Ps an enormous thanks to for a fabulous & unexpectedly tropical Friday evening - it was SO much fun! 🤩

Who’s in for the next one?!

WE ARE BACK! 🎉🎉

It’s been a hot minute, but Season 7 has launched and I could not be more excited 🤩

I’ve kicked off this season with a solo ep (you might remember I did a couple in S6) This one is a really practical episode focused on how you actually get started on an everyday adventure and I share my top 5 tips for making sure you not only start, but stick with it! 🔥

So if you’re interested in habit formation and behaviour change, self care or managing the tyranny of the “shoulds” then this is the episode for you 👆

The link to listen is iin my bio or you can find it by searching for The Everyday Adventure Podcast on your favourite platform 🎧

And if you like what you hear, please do leave a review or share the episode with a friend, it really does help 🙏❤️

I’ll be back in a fortnight with another interview episode, but in the meantime please do have a listen and let me know what you think! 😊

I have the perfect work life balance ⚖️
 
Said literally no-one ever.
 
And well, if they did, it’s a lie ❌
 
Why so harsh? 😡
 
1 Because perfect doesn’t exist. It is a marketing ploy designed to make you feel bad about who you are and to sell you stuff you don’t need. And as Theodore Roosevelt (allegedly) said, comparison is the thief of joy.
 
2 Because we are not in total control of our lives (even though we like to think we
are because if makes us feel safer). Once we can accept that we have some agency, but that we can’t control everything, we start learning to live alongside the uncertainty and stop using our energy to get rid of it.
 
3 Because we are constantly changing and evolving. And the people in our lives are too. What worked for us today may not work for us tomorrow. So, in order to grow, we need to be in a state of shift and flux – and as a result, the elusive “balance” is constantly shifting too.
 
So, should we just give up and accept we’re doomed? 👻
 
Not at all.
 
We simply need to reframe what balance means for us.
 
Be curious and ask ourselves questions.
 
Who am I and what do I need right now?
 
It might be a walk to clear our heads, it might be to sit at our desks and get the project done.
 
Living and working “well” is not about getting the perfect equilibrium on a set of scales.
 
It is about recognising what we need & when (and that we may need support to make this happen), building in time to recover when we do overextend and getting as comfortable as we can with sitting alongside the not knowing.
 
Because then we really can start to make changes that work for us.
 
What do you think? 🤔

I so enjoyed chatting to the lovely this evening about all things Stand Up Paddleboarding, the joy of learning new things and of course her wonderful new book “Stand Up Paddleboarding in the Lake District” ❤️ (which is now available to pre order! 🎉)

I’m such a fan of Jo and her positive outlook and perspective that I could have chatted for hours - however the good news for anyone who missed it & wants to catch up, is that actually our conversation was just over 30 minutes! 😁

It’s over on my podcast account so if you want to hear more, head over the there for a catch up, it’s the perfect kickstart for your summer adventures 😊

Ps if you’ve been missing your dose of the good news is that season 7 is launching very shortly - keep your eyes on the grid to be the first to know when it lands! 🏄‍♀️🤗

Do you enjoy Stand Up Paddleboarding?

If so, please join me at 1845 on Weds 24th April when I’ll be speaking to the incredible Jo Moseley 🤗

Jo is the author of Stand Up Paddleboarding in Great Britain and the newly released Stand Up Paddleboarding in the Lake District. In the summer of 2019, she became the first woman to stand up paddleboard coast to coast 162 miles from Liverpool to Goole.

Jo was one of my very first guests on The Everyday Adventure Podcast back in 2020 and she continues to be an absolute inspiration with her messages around the joy of ageing well (did you know she’s recently started skateboarding! 🛹), that you are never to late to start and we rise by lifting others ❤️

So I cannot wait to chat to her about her latest book and current adventures - if you’re looking for ways to weave more adventure into your life, then this is one conversation you definitely don’t want to miss!

Join us by following my podcast account & simply showing up at 1845 BST this Weds (it’ll be recorded too if you can’t make it) Hope to see you there! 🏄‍♀️

What have you achieved this week?

If your “to do” list is anything like mine it’s probably no shorter on Friday evening than it was on Monday morning 😬

Whatever gets ticked off simply gets replaced…

It’s basically a never ending game of whackamole 🤦‍♀️

So instead I choose not to look back on the tasks I’ve accomplished, but the moments I have enjoyed amidst all the doing - the grabbed gulps of fresh air, the new leaves emerging, moving my body, the conversations with friends and colleagues that have uplifted me & the views I’m lucky to be able to experience in the place I call home 🌊

So I’ll reframe the question…

Not what have you achieved, but what has brought you joy this week? I’d love to know ❤️

When was the last time you had fun at work?

(*Erm that’s not actually the point of work you might say…)

But actually it sort of is 🤔

The average person in the UK will spend approximately 85,000 hours at work in the course of their lifetime.

And that’s a lot of time not to be enjoying yourself.

Of course there are other things we get from work (as well as the money) - a sense of purpose, of contributing to something bigger than ourselves, making a difference, achieving a goal.

But still, I go back to, that’s a lot of time not to be having fun.

Which matters not just because it’s nice to have fun, but because research shows that when work is enjoyable (even if it’s hard) we reduce stress, increase creativity and have better engagement.

It’s better for our mental health and makes good business sense too.

So how do we have more fun at work?

Well we can start by prioritising it. By building a culture where strong connection and a safe & relaxed environment is prized.
And by seeing humour, laughter and play as essential parts of being human - and that there is a place in the workplace for them as well as outside.

Because if we want to have a more engaged workforce, sometimes we need to look beyond the perks and the bonuses and consider whether our people enjoy being at work too 😁

Ps if you are looking for a team offsite or training that is high impact, effective and also a lot of fun, please get in touch - I’d love to help! 🤸‍♀️

Photo credit 📸

What are you doing to build the resilience of your team?
 
The thing about teams is we tend to see them as reliant on the people who are in them. That if we have a strong one, well, that’s just good luck. And if that’s the case, we need to hang onto it as long as we can!
 
But the reality is that teams are dynamic and fluid. Their composition changes due to people joining, leaving or promoting. Their task may change. Their context may change.
 
The best teams know this. They realise that their greatest strength lies in their adaptability, their ability to innovate and their confidence to plan for things to change – and recover quickly.
 
They also know that at the heart of their success is a strong culture of trust, psychological safety and collaboration. And they also know that high performance is not the result of any one person’s actions.
 
Because – as most researchers agree - a group of highly resilient individuals does not automatically make a resilient team. In fact, it could even be the opposite if these members act predominantly in their own self-interest.
 
And resilient teams know that resilience is part of their core workout – a muscle that they need to pay attention to and to build when things are smooth, so that that they have the resources and belief to ride out the storm when they aren’t.
 
So how do you build it?
 
Well, it really comes down to daily small practices – constant checking in and connecting with others, strong processes, good communication etc. But it is also hard to practice when you are caught in the delivery. So in order to kickstart or refresh the process, sometimes teams need to step out of their day to day environment and have permission to pause, reflect and connect.
 
I am now taking bookings for team offsites from late Spring to early Autumn – and whilst I can’t guarantee the weather (although this photo was taken on Saturday!) you can absolutely trust the process. So if you’re looking to kickstart or rebuild your team’s resilience, please do get in touch - I’d love to be able to help ☀️

A selection (mainly selfies 🫣) from a truly wonderful few days in the French Alps 🏔️ I really needed this. 😍
So much fun catching up with the gorgeous ❤️ 30 years on from our first season@in Meribel (93/94…actually we are too young that can’t be right 😂) as well as three very different but separately glorious days spent playing in the ❄️🏂
Every time I get on my snowboard I remember how much I missed it 😁

And for now my cup is full 😊☕️

On I thought I’d share some places that make me happy 😊 (also banned from sharing photos of my kids so dogs will have to steal the limelight 😁) There are others but I have about 50 billion photos in my photo app and only about 5 mins to write this post so these will have to do!

Where is your happy place? ❤️

The other day my tween daughter asked me about skincare routines and what she should be doing. To be fair I’m probably the wrong person to give advice on this given I’ve been using the same Simple moisturiser since about 1998 🫣 - and other than removing mascara & giving my face a wash, that’s the whole routine! 😂

But the conversation was really about appearance and I said the reality is that it’s something most girls and women worry about. But I also asked whether when she was running around with her friends or practicing on her skateboard, it was something she even thought about? 🛹🏃‍♀️To which, of course, the answer was no.

And to me that’s the beauty of sports and moving your body - that when you’re absorbed in what your body can do you forget about how you look. And in an image obsessed society and culture, that freedom just to be is such a gift 💝

According to a 2022 study by Women in Sport of over 4,000, 43% of girls who felt they were sporty at primary pupils, no longer saw themselves this way. Reason cited were fear of being judged or lacking confidence amongst others.

Which is devastating when we know the confidence and joy sport can bring.

But often sport is seen through quite a narrow lens - and it’s either something you’re good at or not - a stigma that can remain into adulthood. So maybe we need to shift the conversation from why we should do sports for physical reasons, to how does it make us feel to move & be in our physical as well as psychological selves, to see it as joy and freedom rather than simply achievement and to prioritise on access to these positive emotions rather than our prowess.

Because I know how much the joy of movement has given me - and it’s certainly been a lot more fun than any skincare routine 😁

What do you think?

“You are allowed to have fun you know?!”

This was my husband’s response to my rather garbled justification of why I was spending at Hemel Ski Centre…🏂

And honestly I don’t even know who I was justifying it too? It wasn’t really him - I knew he had absolutely no issue with me going. And it wasn’t the kids - they’re used to me heading off to do random stuff!

The reality was I think it was to myself. Because the guilt had crept in. Guilt I should be working, guilt and should be doing something meaningful. Guilt I should be back in time to see my kids back from school and take my son to football ⚽️

But on reflection I think it was the perfect way for me to spend it. Evidence shows that women are more likely to do the mental work of keeping a household running – specifically the “anticipating” and “monitoring” stages (Daminger, 2019). Quite frankly it’s exhausting. So if we want to really shift the dial on the gender pay gap and all of the other statistics which highlight the perpetuated inequalities in the workplace, we need to take into account not just the unpaid, but the unseen labour that women do too…

And the fact that for so many of us we’re always on. And that we then berate ourselves for being tired or forgetful, for making mistakes and not showing up perfectly. For feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope.

So the fact that I took a few hours to do something I truly love (and snowboarding really is one of my deepest most enduring loves 😁) with some incredibly inspiring women who were also juggling work and family commitments just to be there, is something to celebrate 🎉

Whilst I recognise the deep privilege that allowed me to make this choice, I’m also aware how rarely many women prioritise themselves above others. So whilst it is only snowboarding, really it’s so much more. And I’m grateful for the women - and men - in my life who help me to remember it too 🙏

Ps huge thank you to for organising such a fantastic and really fun day - looking forward to many more! 🏂🏄‍♀️🛹

After a week of fighting viruses 🦠 (kids and mine 😵‍💫) doctorate amendments, proposal writing and dealing with a sad labrador with a torn paw pad 🐾 I then endured the assault on the senses that is Saturday afternoon clothes shopping in the mall with a tween … (literally no words! 🤯)

So needless to say, stepping outside to catch this glorious sunset yesterday evening was exactly the reset I needed 🧡💛

I’m sharing it here in case you need it too 🌅

Ps no snow here on the south coast ❄️☹️ so get a few runs for me if you’ve found some! 😁

Everyday adventures come in many forms 🎶

I talk a lot about pushing yourself on physical adventures outdoors - but on Saturday night I was very firmly indoors and more out of my comfort zone than I have been in a very long time 😬

In fact, staring at a sea of faces- & some very bright lights - I was completely terrified 😱

Given my experience of solo singing was limited to drunken karaoke renditions of “I will survive” 20 odd years ago (if you know, you know 😁), I had a pretty good reason to be concerned…

How did I get here? 🤔

Well, back in early January, our incredible choir director announced our choir would be performing a showcase of the songs we’d been working on - and she needed a few soloists.

I’m obsessed with SIX (one of our songs) plus I always feel bad when no one puts themselves forward (which, incidentally, has got me into a lot of trouble over the years 🫣)

So, I volunteered 🤦‍♀️

And here I was, about 5 weeks later exhibiting every text book symptom of stage fright. But I was already too far in to quit…

So I stayed - and I even sang (a bit) 😁

I won’t pretend it went perfectly - I missed my cue, jumbled up some words and at one point my vocal chords felt like they had packed up and left the country 😳

But, what I lacked in musical ability was hopefully made up for by my commitment to facial expression 😁 (my 6th form drama teacher would at least be proud!)

And so this is a reminder that you don’t need to be good at something to give it a go. We all start in different places at different times & with different abilities. Usually the hardest part is just showing up 🎶

I’m no better a singer today than I was on Saturday night. But I am just a little bit braver. And if we’re talking resilience, often showing up is all it takes 😊

Ps a huge thank you to my awesome fellow “Queens” lovely supportive choir members and the brilliant photographer 📸 at Forres Sandle Manor for capturing these beauties ❤️