What would make it worth the risk?
The newsletter that begins with a question
It’s very tempting to stick with what you know because making big changes in your life can seem reckless, exposed and insecure. You might find temporary comfort in the familiarity of your environment and the people in it. The pull of short-term safety can be very powerful indeed.
But I’d like to ask you about your long-term wellbeing. What is going on behind the scenes for you?
I sometimes cling to the illusion of safety and comfort in the hope of avoiding conflict, hurting others, and facing the unknown territory of where I might work or live next. I know it can be a very challenging decision to take - to move on from something or someone that feels known. Perhaps this question will support you:
What would make it worth the risk for you?
If you would like to share your response with me, in confidence, then please send me an email: sarah@sarahventurer.com and if you feel that my coaching work would be beneficial to you right now then please ask me about it. Subscribe below to receive more questions like these.
Are you prepared to sacrifice your life for your job? Ranaa Farooq says that she’s not willing to, despite the guilt and fear of judgement that she has felt about leaving the NHS and medicine in general.
Ranaa Farooq is an abstract painter and life coach living in Sheffield, who describes the process of painting itself as therapy. In this interview on my podcast she talks about her artistic journey and realisation that there’s more than one way of helping people.
I think that you'll find this interview particularly valuable if you are:
fearful of changing career because of the sense of responsbility in your current job
feeling negatively affected by your day-to-day work
struggling to envisage a way out of where you are currently working
holding back on what you really want to achieve in your life
thinking you have to stay in your current line of work because you've worked hard to get there and/or because of the perceived expectations of others
curious about art as a form of therapy
Click the button below to listen now. This episode is also available on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and you can download it here to listen offline.
Events in Edale, Peak District
Are you feeling isolated, disconnected and lonely? This is your opportunity to meet new people while walking in nature with a local guide.
There are two options for tickets. The first is a donation (suggested £5 or £10) and the second is free. Please select free if you can't afford to pay. You'll just need to pay for parking on the day, or your train fare.
The next date is Thursday 4th July and if the weather is good I’m planning to guide a circular walk from Edale village up to the top of Mam Tor. More dates for summer will be available soon.
Are you feeling disheartened by the process of job searching or looking into a new career path? Here’s an opportunity to explore a new approach through connecting with nature and each other.
I know that changing careers or searching for a new job can be frustrating and lonely. This is why I’m creating an event that brings people together. We will spend time in nature, explore your journey through a new perspective that encourages a sense of adventure, and connect with each other in a safe and confidential space.
Facilitated by Career Coach Sarah Lister, this session will include:
A guided walk on Kinder Scout in the Peak District
Coaching questions as writing and conversation prompts that inspire new ideas
Time to sketch or to write while enjoying peaceful surroundings
Encouragement to connect with the experience through your senses
We will be a small group of no more than six people. The day will be gentle, curious and playful.
Summer Coaching Scheme - Inspired by nature
Maybe we'll sit and watch,
maybe we'll dance,
maybe we'll touch the softness
of the cotton grass.
In June, the boggy plateau of Kinder Scout comes to life with swaying soft clumps of cotton grass. It can be hypnotic to watch this beautiful sedge bobbing and dancing in the summer breeze.
The characteristics of plants, wildlife and mountain weather naturally intertwine with my outdoor career coaching sessions. Sometimes people notice things while we walk or sit in this beautiful landscape, other times I draw their attention to it.
Often with nature there is more than meets the eye. When you start to research, sketch or watch with more curiosity, it becomes fascinating and sometimes surprising. This reflects the experience of coaching and can hugely complement it, especially by adding a sense of tenderness and play.
I’ve been walking and running with the concept of bringing in a coaching scheme inspired by nature and its seasons for quite some time. Here I am, beginning. While it’s new, it feels familiar. I think this is because I feel I’m naturally guided by the seasons and nature around me by living in this environment.
My summer coaching scheme started here in June, with the white cottongrass representing a blank canvas. It begins with dreaming about what you want to move towards, imagining what that will be like, and talking through what's been getting in the way. Nature will guide my questions and your responses while we walk together across the moorland landscape, sit with a brew on a gritstone boulder, and when we pause to notice what is happening around us with curiosity.
This three-month scheme offers additional support and creative prompts throughout the summer season. If you’d like to have a chat about it, or ask any questions, please send me a message. It doesn’t have to begin in June, just wherever you are.
Thank you for reading my newsletter. I hope you have a wonderful summer and feel accompanied during times of change.