...For Creative People: Summer lovin'
Edition 33: Rest & reset
Hi friends,
How do you rest & reset in the warmer months? Perhaps it’s by exploring new places or returning to well-loved spaces, landscapes and people. Maybe you like to take time alone or prefer to reconnect with people you love. And what are the senses associated with your summer break — the tastes, sounds and aromas you associate with July and August? I’m taking more time to explore and be with people I love.
Instead of online workshops during these warm months, I’m offering clients the opportunity to visit and reset with me near the coast where I live. I have several clients coming here to Worthing for bespoke 1-2-1 retreats. We’ll enjoy a delicious brunch or lunch, go to a light, bright, plant-filled studio space for coaching and vision-boarding, make time to wander along the seafront and for relaxing yoga.
And then I’m taking a trip to Wales and Ireland to kick back for a bit.
(Workshops are back in September of course).
I’d love to hear what you’re up to, see your photos and enjoy your creative work. You can comment on here, on any of my social media channels, or email me any time.
Helen
I took this photo while walking home from the most recent Women In Business Worthing event. What a beautiful commute!
Save the Date: Sunday 3rd Sept
I’m having a party and you’re invited. It’s on Sunday 3rd September from 3pm-6pm and it’s free, you just need to be on the guest list. Reply to the invitation that all subscribers to this newsletter will soon receive, to let us know if you can make it.
The party is to celebrate the book I had published back in 2021, when all the bookshops were shut because of covid. Imagine living in a book town (as I did at the time), being able to see book shops from your window and yet having your own book launch party cancelled. It definitely wasn’t the worst thing that happened during those times and I tried to make the best of the situation with virtual gatherings. But I admit I felt a little robbed of that opportunity to celebrate. And, if you’re a client of mine, you’ll know what an important role celebration plays in the work we do together. Especially for freelancers and founders who work independently.
The vibe of the event will be informal and joyful. There’ll be lots of opportunities to mingle and relax. The bar will be open, serving soft and alcoholic drinks, and free snacks will be available. I’m also planning on human bingo (with a lovely prize) and other attractions on the day. Oh, also, it’s a very short walk to the beach…
Subscribers will automatically receive an invitation, but if you have any questions, you can email Kate on: kate@coachingbyhelen.com
photo of Layla Robinson by Billie Charity
Changes
As someone who doesn’t own a TV, I’m an avid listener of radio, podcasts, audiobooks and online meditations. So it’s no surprise that I adore Annie Macmanus’ Changes podcast, which was recommended to me by my friend Clare. Not only does the theme resonate with me as a coach — each of the interviewees are asked to talk about some sort of pivotal changes that have happened in their lives — but I also love the eclectic mix of people Annie chooses to speak to. I’m not a celebrity lover per se, but the guests tend to be people I’ve heard of and have time for, so it’s all right up my street. In fact, I’ve met several of her guests, including Rosie Jones, Emma Gannon, Grace Dent and Will Young — although not all at the same time, that would be a wonderful dinner party.
There’s a lovely openness about Annie’s interview style and she recently opened up about her own feelings of loneliness. Her empathy seems to bring the best out in those she speaks to and all the episodes I’ve heard are inspiring and uplifting, without avoiding hard themes. If like me you’re an ‘audio’ person, give it a listen.
Dordogne Retreat
Monday 4th - Friday 8th September
If you'd value the opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to give yourself space to think and work, Becky Slack is hosting a "workcation" at her 18thcentury watermill, in the heart of Dordogne countryside, between Monday 4th and Friday 8th September. The package offers comfortable accommodation, meals cooked by a classically trained chef using local ingredients; high-speed internet; accountability sessions and networking, along with optional excursions to local attractions and — of course — plenty of time to work, think and rest.
Prices: Becky is offering readers of this newsletter a 20% discount if you book before 30 July. Prices start from £706 per person.
For more info, contact Becky at becky.slack@your-agenda.com
Case Study: Ben Pelhan, Senior Creative, Brickwall Films
Founded in 2005, Brickwall is a film and animation agency. Using the power of visual storytelling, they work with causes, organisations and brands to persuade, educate and inspire audiences.
They started out working on music videos and other commissions, until landing an NHS trust project, which led to more and more work with the NHS, and then beyond.
“We've grown, and still do a lot of healthcare work but have added education, sustainability, and causes to our areas of focus. We work with government, charity, and corporate clients — including NHS, National Grid, NSPCC, BBC Bitesize, MSD, WHO, Alzheimer's Research UK and more.” Ben tells us.
Ben loves what he does making films, and is aiming for more ambitious projects. In his non-paying career, he would like to publish a poetry collection and perform his work more.
I asked Ben if there was a big turning point in his career so far:
“Moving to London was a big turning point. Both my degrees are in writing, but I was always pursuing filmmaking alongside that work in an amateur and semi-professional capacity. In London, I finally started working in a proper professional setting.”
Ben started at Brickwall at entry-level, as a junior level contractor, and worked his way up in just a few years to full-time Senior Creative. Ben told us it’s thanks to the company’s supportive and straightforward culture which allowed him to progress quickly.
We talked about how coaching has helped Ben:
“For starters, just having the regularly recurring time for reflection blocked off in the diary is great. Without that, it's easy to go about business as usual and never stop to think about what you're doing exactly, how you're going about it, or why. It's easy to miss chances to grow and develop. So just having that regularly scheduled time is good.”
Ben told me that: “Helen's insight and general approach to facilitating my own reflection and exploration made that time incredibly valuable. Oftentimes she leads me to ideas I already had in my head but until then I hadn't articulated to myself. This kind of support has helped me bring down my stress levels at work, improve my general approach to looking ahead and planning, get more engaged with my personal creative work, and be more assertive in and out of the office.”
We discuss what motivates Ben at work:
“The opportunity to do the work well and to be creative with it — to try things I haven't done before or to do familiar things in a new way. Budget and time constraints are often barriers to making especially interesting work, and for some projects that's fine. But enough of the time there is room for it, it just takes some doing — oftentimes the space for it isn't just there, you have to make it. And those things Helen has helped me work on, being less stressed, more forward-looking, and more assertive, all help with keeping the best bits of creativity alive in a project.”
“For example, I recently made a short film to support a campaign for an EU Restoration of Nature Law where the narration was a poem. I really enjoyed that, and it brought some of my personal creative interests into my professional ones, and it provided a strong foundation for the film in my own opinion. But it did require persevering and advocating for the concept and a lot of the finer details. I managed to maintain my energy for that work and the resulting film turned out quite nicely.”
You can find Brickwall at brickwall.uk.com. They’re always keen to hear about interesting projects.
You can follow Ben on Instagram @benpelhan. Ben tells me it’s mainly proud dad content, but occasionally he gets up to other things there!
Outside of work hours, Ben is a poet, and always interested in exciting reading opportunities (to spectate or perform) and cool publications.
Interview by Kate Williams
Please join me on Monday 4th September for my next workshop.
I’ll guide you as we journal together on the themes of Curiosity & Learning. All welcome, I’d love to see you there.
Learning doesn't have to be academic, this is about sparking your curiosity appetite to try new things, then seeing where that leads
Still reading? Have a look at this article in Ideal Home about avoiding the Sunday Scaries. Or have a read of this guide I created about how to win new clients.