Rainbow Diaries: Will Challenge & Remembrance!
Sunday 17 November 2024: Weeks 7 & 8!
So, after boasting last week about how regular this blog has been, I’m not just a few days late… I actually missed a whole week!!
The hugely successful (but exhausting for me!) Will Challenge led straight into Remembrance weekend and this year it was a biggie for our family (as you’ll see below) and then back home for a week focusing on Sadmin… this course is going to be SO amazing! I’ve been busy tweaking the content, adding in extra bonuses and yesterday I thought up another fabulous expert session to help with overwhelm and nervous system regulation.
Anyhow, onto the weekly diaries…
1. This Week's Internal Weather Report!
In Will Challenge week I got my ECG and blood results from the amazing NHS and thankfully everything is normal… so the chest pains were anxiety after all. Isn’t it amazing how our internal world can have such a significant effect on our physical health?
Anyhow, here goes for the weekly weather forecast…
Storm clouds: The biggest storm over the past two weeks has been juggling home and work life… I had cleared my diary specially so that I could be present for Will Challenge week… but then I was invited to an awards event, had to take my younger child to the orthodontist and I had a few GP appointments myself, all of which took up precious child-free hours and resulted in less time to respond to all the hundreds of Will Challenge comments. Then this last week I underestimated the emotional hangover from Remembrance… which hit the girls and I hard and which has needed more of my time than anticipated. The work-life-kids juggle is real for so many of us - hugs to all fellow busy parents!
Rainbow: The brightest rainbows this fortnight have been hearing that I am a finalist for the West Country Women Small Business of the Year award, getting my finalist certificate at the beautiful Powderham Castle and all the wonderful comments about the Will Challenge.
Sunshine: So often my sunshine moments relate to personal connection with others… and over the last two weeks there have been so many: going to the fireworks at the Commando Training Centre with my younger daughter, the kids riding our big horse Jerry, meeting a friend of a friend at the Powderham Castle event, catching up with an old Uni mate who popped by for a cuppa on their way down the M5, seeing so many of my late husband’s Royal Marine mates, doing an Instagram live with show manager Michael at the Clean & Tidy show, having one of my kids’ friends for a sleepover, going to a Christmas fair with my parents and a truly blissful lunch with my family. But it’s sometimes the simple things, like swapping stories about our lives over supper with my folks and my girls, that mean the most.
2. Business Reflections
Grief and Life Coaching updates: 1:1 client appointments hit pause consciously in Will Challenge week but stepped up again last week. I always love to hear the progress clients make and in Will Challenge week I got three emails from past participants telling me that because of my Will Challenge they have recently signed new Wills with solicitors - definitely Rainbow Moments!
Course creation update: I am SO excited about the Sadmin course… it really is something that I know will make a positive difference… my husband’s amasing preparation for death is a lasting legacy for the girls and me. There are still a few VIP Sadmin course spaces (which means a free 1:1 with me) - if you want to join us don’t forget to enter the code WillChallenge10 at checkout… full details of payment plans etc are here!
Light-bulb moment: The Rainbow Hunting business model works… doing a show to increase awareness about what I do and to advocate for talking about tricky conversations… then running a Will Challenge which is FREE to all and makes a huge difference to people whether they become a paid client or not, then showcasing the fabulous Sadmin course in a free webinar to explain everything we should all have in place… it makes me so happy that my business can help others with something that will make a tricky time SO much easier for others.
3. Parenting Teens in Grief
Family highlights: These are all related to the military… attending fireworks night at the Royal Marine commando training centre (CTC) in Will Challenge week, the emotional reunion of Simon’s training mates over Remembrance weekend and then watching my younger daughter in her first CCF parade. I’m aware CTC might hold nightmares for many guys who’ve been beasted there, but it’s a happy place for me… there are so many treasured memories of my late husband and our early time together when he was in training and later when he returned as Adj… and I love that the kids get to see more about what their dad did and why he loved the Marines so much!
Challenge of the week: The challenge from the past couple of weeks might seem familiar to other parents… keeping my cool when I felt disregulated by work… the nervous system regulation work has been so beneficial… so much so that, when my booking system crashed and no-one was able to book onto the Sadmin course, my elder daughter told me that I was “scarily calm”… but following on from Remembrance a work drama seemed small stuff and I was pleased not to be triggered into fight or flight mode.
Lesson learned: Simon did the most amazing job of “dying well”… the effort he put into the whole process was inspirational… from the legal paperwork to the personal stuff like vlogs, memory boxes, future event gifts (the girls wore their forget-me-not heart hair lockets at Remembrance) and letters… everything he did provided an emotional handrail that eight years later is still the frame around which we live… my mission is that others create the same for their loved ones… hence the Sadmin course!
4. Adventures with ADD
Classic ADD moment: This was a true “dippy Emma” moment… not only did I get sucked into the sales pitch for Green Chef (the fancy arm of Hello Fresh box meals) but I then forget to cancel our Hello Fresh order… so last week we had five meals instead of three turning up… then… (yup, you guessed it!)… I did the same again… when I logged in to “be more organised” and hit pause on one subscription, I realised I’d missed the cut off date… so we have both turning up again this week!
Coping strategy spotlight: My brain has never been great at memorising details… so I have to PLAN and ORGANISE, yet that’s something the ADD part of me often finds dull… But, I know how much it helps, so the coping strategy this week is to sit down the night before and focus on one priority and three extra jobs each day… and see how I get on!
ND silver lining: The upside to the absolute fortune I’m spending on these Green Chef & Hello Fresh meals is that we are eating much healthier meals… which we are all loving!
5. Widow's Corner
Memory Lane: Anything that involves the Royal Marines triggers memories for us… at Fireworks Night I remembered us taking the kids when they were tiny - with them in ear-defenders and cute woolly hats, one on Simon’s shoulders and one on mine… and the comforting presence of having him with us just felt so safe. Then the reunion the night before Remembrance Sunday was down at Stonehouse barracks… the famous Corps of Drums, the haunting sound of the bugle that took us back to his graveside, and so many familiar faces… they genuinely feel like family… it is such a privilege to be part of that amazing organisation… amongst people who genuinely have our back.
Grief self care: The best self care this week was to slow down… the kids had an epic emotional hangover from seeing Simon’s friends which meant they needed me more than ever… so looking after myself involved going back to bed one morning after dropping them at school… without good sleep I’m no use to anyone!
Bittersweet rainbows: Seeing all those gorgeous Royal Marine friends… and the TLC that they have for the girls and I, for which I am forever grateful… I love just being in their presence, but the reunion was a sad anniversary, the number of names of those who are no longer with us was hauntingly long and there was one person we wished couple be brought back to life to enjoy it all… yet it was so lovely to see folk and catch up.
6. Horse Tales
Update from the stables: I’m so pleased all those fireworks are over… it’s meant we can relax into the dark nights and it doesn’t seem so much of a chore… the horses have been ridden more and both the kids and the animals are enjoying it.
Horse Rainbows: I’ve realised that time with our animals is truly downtime for me… I know I spend a lot of it poo-picking, mucking out, filling hay nets and replenishing water, but my busy brain gets a rest… there are no rushing to-do lists and thoughts bouncing around… our phones are only used to take photos… it really is quality time together… definitely Rainbow Moment territory!
7. Sadmin Check-in
Weekly paperwork win: In all honesty, my paperwork has taken a back-bench whilst I’ve been helping others… so I need the Sadmin course as much as everyone else! I love doing it alongside each intake of people… so watch this space!
Current Sadmin challenge: Checking the horse lorry MOT and service… my elder daughter wants to get back out competing… I have at least run the lorry and checked it still works!
Tip of the week: Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brains and bodies each day… if you aren’t getting enough at night… I’d highly recommend moving things around and prioritising a daytime nap!
8. Looking Ahead
Next week's goal: As well as a number of discovery calls and a few 1:1 sessions… next week’s main focus is selling the Sadmin course! It’s never going to be this cheap again, the expert guest sessions alone are worth more than the course, let alone my time, the amazing online Trello dashboard and the Little Book of Admin I’ll be posting out… so if you are interested grab your space asap - there’s a special discount code for professional organisers and declutterers (please email me if that’s you), a re-joiners lower fee for those who have done the course before and want to have another go and 10% off for everyone else… enter the discount code WillChallenge10 at checkout before Monday 25 November 2024 to save your space.
Self-care plan: More of the same next week… it’s looking to be a busy one, so loads of focus on sleep, good food, lots of fluids, time outside, time on my shakti mat and of course some rainbows with my girls!!
As ever, thank you for taking time to read my ramblings… if anything has resonated please send me an email or message me on social media and let me know.
Finally, please remember… however you are feeling… you are not alone… there are amazing charities out there who can support and if you want to make an investment in yourself I’m here for coaching. Please listen to your gut and reach for the support you feel you need.
Until next week, keep hunting for those rainbows!
Take care of your gorgeous selves!
Emma x
PS Don’t forget to check out the 1:1 coaching packages, as well as being the most popular, the six session package is where great work is done… more details are here.