No. 17

“Make space for the woman you’re becoming, she needs room to grow.”

As we edge closer to a brand new year, and for me, an entirely new chapter, I have really been ‘in my feels’ about emotional clutter. Not the cupboards (they’ve had more than enough of my nesting energy), but the thoughts, habits, and pressures we carry without even realising we’re lugging them around. The stuff that weighs us down, pulls us off centre, or whispers in our ear when we’re already stretched thin. A lot of it doesn’t deserve a place in 2026.

So, here’s what I believe many of us could be ready to leave in 2025 - written with love, but also with a want for us to leave some stuff firmly at the door:

The habit of being everything to everyone. We’ve all done it. Over-functioning. Over-giving. Over-caring. It’s exhausting. Next year, we’re allowed to take up space without shrinking ourselves for others.

The comparison spiral. Online, offline, sideways, upside down - we’re done. This year has reminded me over and over that nobody’s life looks like it does on Instagram, and the only timeline I need to honour is my own.

Carrying guilt for resting. Enough. Winter taught us (again!) that women’s bodies are seasonal. We’re not meant to run at summer energy all year long. Rest isn’t a luxury, it’s an actual requirement.

Overthinking every tiny thing. Most of the conversations we replay in our heads? The other person isn’t thinking about them. At all. We have to let that shit go. Peace reclaimed.

Trying to ‘bounce back,’ fit a mould, or rush the process. No more. We’re stepping into a year with softness, patience, and a huge amount of respect for our bodies and our journeys. We’ve spoken SO much about how amazing we are across these issues, don’t let it all go. Remember the words. 

The pressure to have a five-year plan. Who said we need one? What about a five-day plan? A five-minute plan? Moving with intention doesn’t require having every detail figured out. For the record, I never do. My brain has NEVER worked like that. I actually find it suffocating. Each to their own. If you’re similar - own it. 

The idea that growth has to be loud. Some of the biggest shifts happen quietly. In private. In moments no one sees. Sometimes it counts most of all in those moments. 

As we ride out the final chapter of  2025, maybe the most liberating thing we can do is clear the emotional shelves. Make space. Choose what feels nourishing. Leave whatever feels tight, heavy, or lonely. There’s something incredibly powerful about deciding what doesn’t get to come with you, but you have to be intentional about that. You have to really believe it and be confident enough to make the changes, and not fall into patterns that don’t serve you. 

“Emotional clutter is anything that dims you. Leave it in the year that taught you better.”

You’re not starting again. You’re starting lighter. Less clutter, and that is exactly what a new year, and a new chapter calls for….

Last week, we talked about celebrating the woman you’ve become this year - the growth you didn’t always see, the strength you didn’t always feel, the softness you learned to offer yourself, and the quiet ways you kept showing up. That reflection matters, and it deserved its moment. I know from the comments, that you really enjoyed it. 

So, this week, we’re widening the lens.

Rather than celebrating your evolution alone, this is a moment for the women who…
…have carried heavy things quietly.
…loved fiercely, even when they were tired.
…held families, friendships, teams, and themselves together in a year that asked a lot.
…made small changes that no one else saw but mattered deeply.
…felt overlooked, stretched, or uncertain - yet kept going anyway.
…showed up imperfectly, honestly, and with heart.

Where last week was about seeing yourself, this week is about seeing each other - our community who all experience the invisible emotional labour, the strength beneath the softness, the chapters lived quietly between the milestones. It’s a widening of the circle… a reminder that here, you are part of something bigger than your own story.

Last week was a well deserved self-celebration. This week is collective recognition. Both lead beautifully into how we close out this year together. 

And as the year is coming to an end, may we take a moment to reflect….

When I pressed send on Issue 1 back in late summer, I hoped this would be a bit like a cosy group chat you actually wanted to be in. You’ve made it so much more than that.

Together, we’ve moved through a lot. We’ve talked about mindset shifts and the power of spotting one small win a day. We’ve dug into rest as a form of strength, not a reward you have to earn. We’ve looked at comparison and the pressure to be ‘on’ all the time, and we’ve reminded ourselves that how life feels off-screen matters far more than how it looks on it. We’ve reframed movement as power, not punishment. We’ve unpacked boundaries and saying no, especially for those of us who default to people-pleasing. More recently, we’ve explored presence, over-giving and the art of receiving, women’s winter energy, emotional clutter, and celebrating the woman you’ve become this year. That’s not light stuff. You’ve met it all with so much honesty, and heart.

You’ve also held me through some huge chapters. I’ve spoken openly about breast cancer, fertility, fatigue, fear, hope, grief and healing without flinching. You’ve replied with your own stories, your own scars, your own wins and wobbles. This space has never just been about my words; it’s been about what you’ve brought to them.

If you ever need a little reminder, all of these issues are still there for you to come back to. 

Thank you for reading, replying, sharing, forwarding, laughing at the mishaps, crying at the tender bits, and trusting me with your time and your stories. Thank you for letting this be a place where we don’t have to pretend it’s all fine. Thank You for making Tuesday the best day of the week 🙂