Welcome to March 

I wanted to open this months newsletter with a few ‘ah ha’ moments.

Last month I intentionally paused and created space. In that time, I have focused on looking within P&M, at what we do, how we do it, why we do it.

I work best with pen and paper and so, with nice big A3 sheets I have re-written the P&M blue print. The scribbles, translate into a plan, into a vision and into how I want to lead going forward.

Ah Ha one – That being the founder means I can pull on my years of experience and training to write the vision and plan I want. I don’t have to use the corporate jargon, or the agreed terminology that others measure success by. Success to me looks different. It combines all our four values together, it purposely builds in rest and creates space for challenges.

Ah Ha two – That I work best when in flow. I have sat for days writing, thinking, considering my words until I found clarity. It is about generating the ideas and then shifting small things to allow the consultancy to go into a new phase. I have a confidence that it will all embed seamlessly, as this phase is about refining what brings me joy and weaving this into the already established foundations. Keeping motivated as a founder goes in waves but going back to these plans will keep me anchored when it all gets a bit choppy – which it inevitably does!

Ah Ha three – That I was craving space on my own. Full on hermit mode was activated and this only happened when I stepped away from showing up constantly online. I adore being around people, there is an energy working with clients, co- working and connecting that is both energizing and exhausting. The moment I stepped back, all the good stuff began to happen, the thoughts flowed and recharging happened. Going forward I have planned in two phases in the year to just pause, recharge and breathe, having hit burnout more than once, I am proactively practicing what I preach.

The reality is I get very little time on my own, but this doesn’t mean space can’t be created within the every day. It feels like any moment now I will be back in the garden, watching the sunrises as the rest of the house sleeps and the changes I have made now become the norm.

Connecting when the time is right

As I look at the diary this month, there is not much wriggle room, the days are filled with client work, networking, self development and a whole heap of appointments. It’s not overwhelming because it’s planned, and knowing that brings me comfort.

A common conversation I have with founders often revolves around identifying the ‘perfect’ time to let go and delegate responsibilities to others. No matter the maturity of your company, bottlenecks creep in. These can manifest at various levels: from leadership, where the main decision maker must be constantly available to keep the cogs turning, to HR, where a standalone professional is swamped with operational tasks but yearns for time to think strategically.

We get it… we have been there, in both situations and finding people you trust and who ‘get it’ is usually one of the biggest barriers. It means being vulnerable and asking for help, before the metaphorical Jenga tower, which you have been carefully managing falls over.

An obvious solution is to outsource, bringing in knowledge and differing perspectives, can help you see things differently. We enjoy mentoring others to make their own decisions, nudging ideas for them to explore but we also love to offer solutions.

At P&M we outsource to other founders we enjoy working with. This works for us and a few years ago, Mandy and her EA team stepped in, they support me with all sorts behind the scenes and have a rare opening for new clients. This might be your sign to reach out to them for a little helping hand.

Ripples within the Peony Community

In December, I offered the opportunity for individuals to nominate themselves or others for the chance to receive two coaching sessions with me through the Peony Community. The response was overwhelming, but I am confident that the sessions went to the right person. In just a few hours we moved from feeling unsure about multiply changes, to calmness and a greater self belief, that anything is achievable.

I will always respect confidentiality, and with permission share snippets of feedback.

This one line, says it all.

I genuinely felt heard in the coaching sessions

Investing in ourselves is scary. It is something we often know will be beneficial but it is all about timing. So when the time is right for you, the Peony Community offers you affordable and accessible coaching, to fit around your life, your budgets and creates space for you, to just be you.

Work with Us in 2025.

Our focus is on connecting with clients who care about their people. This means investing in experienced, knowledgeable HR support. We know times are tricky, but employment law is complex and managing and understanding people is nuanced.

We can work as a retained services, working longer term alongside you or project based, helping you unpick your people problem and providing solutions.

And finally….

Back to recommending things I enjoy- that you may too.

Last month, alongside purposely not creating content, I added One Sec to my phone as a way to break the habit of the scroll. It means now I go on to social media with an intention, I have saved hours already in a short time and feel lighter for it.

I am also recommending solo dates. I had 2 last month- the first to the cinema in the day, to watch the new Bridget Jones film, double bonus of booking it through Vitality rewards and taking time off and not feeling guilty. A friend of mine said that this freedom is something she aspires to achieve one day. The second, a day at Champneys, to focus on writing up my P&M blueprint and building in some rest time, I plan in 4 wellbeing days a year into the P&M calendar, again tapping into the Vitality rewards. It is a win win.

Book Challenge- this year I aim to read ’25 in ’25’ and am currently on book 5. I am recording them all on the StoryGraph and have a mix of fiction and non fiction. I will share the good ones here and any recommendations are welcome!

Love to hear your thoughts on how pausing supports you. Until next month….

Alice