Welcome to issue 7, and a very happy ‘favourite day of the week’ to those who celebrate, ha!
It is the first couple of days of being 38, and I have felt very special indeed. Ben surprised me with a trip to Soho Farmhouse this weekend, and we did nothing but eat, chill, swim, crash a great series, and SLEEP. It was just what I needed. On the way home from Farmhouse, we went to The Cube with my family (which was so much fun, I highly recommend if you haven’t been). For anyone outside the UK, The Cube is an immersive gameshow-style experience in London - think giant glass cube, timed challenges, and puzzles that test your nerves and coordination. It’s based on the TV show, and it’s just as fun (and slightly stressful if you’re competitive like myself!) in real life as it looks on screen. We had pizza afterwards, and the celebrations wrapped up with a pregnancy massage at home and some cupcakes sent round from my bestie (and Manager) Lucy, yum! So lucky! I have always taught Peloton classes on my birthday. I love when YOU choose to move your body on your special day, and so I make it my priority to do the same. Lastly, Thank You all SO much for your Birthday wishes, I am forever overwhelmed by the love.
In keeping with the openness and honesty I want this newsletter to have, I haven’t responded to as many lovely messages as I would like, nor have I been as active on social media over my Birthday as I may usually have been. Heartbreakingly, one of my closest friends who was courageously fighting cancer, passed away peacefully at home and whilst I’m not yet ready to expand more, it has been a very mixed weekend. I am so grateful he is now at peace and the loss is overwhelmingly heavy at the same time. He was very proud of me doing this newsletter, so knowing Paul, and how much he loved his friends doing their ‘thing’, we will continue with even more love than before…
I’m always reading your comments and emails following any issue I drop, and I was really moved by some of your pet stories after last week's POWER OF PETS segment. Just proves how special our little furry friends can be to us. Check out the comments for some food inspo too, I loved reading how one reader ‘pimps her porridge’ in the mornings and another has a lovely entree salad to keep fuelled.
Quick reno update - our joinery and electrics are ‘Done and Dusted’ in the basement. It’s looking BOLD already, and I love it. Up next, the decorator. The funny thing is, we’re on the other side of the loud drilling now, just as next door has started some work and the noise begins again - typical!
Ok, so this week's read: we really lean into Birthdays this week with CANDLES AND CHAPTERS to kick us off, which blends into CELEBRATING SOBER, and then onto my favourite gift - THE GIFT OF TIME. I couldn’t leave you without some AUTUMNAL LOVE, and of course The List of Joy and LTK.
Let's begin….
Candles & Chapters…
“Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” - David Bowie
Birthdays have a way of sneaking up on us. As kids, if you’re lucky, they’re all balloons, cake, presents and party bags - the most exciting day of the year. A day you feel belongs just to you. Somewhere along the way though, they can become complicated. Now stay with me, promise I’m not going to be a party pooper here. They can, of course, continue to be a source of joy, and an excuse to gather the people you love most. For others though, they can definitely carry a quiet pressure. It’s easy to start measuring them against milestones, ticking boxes, or feeling the dread about where we ‘should’ be by a certain age, especially when you’re considering / being reminded of a biological clock. When you strip it back though, a birthday is the ULTIMATE privilege - not everyone gets the gift of more candles on the cake. It’s another lap around the sun, another year of experiences, laughter, mistakes, growth, and the quiet everyday moments that make up a life. Your life. Getting older is proof that we’re still here, still moving forward, still becoming more ourselves.
There’s also something liberating about ageing. With each year, you step closer to your truest self. You care less about what people think, you celebrate the little wins more, and (if you’re anything like me) one of the funniest parts of getting older is realising the things you start to genuinely care about. Gone are the days of stressing over who’s out where, the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) turns to JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out) real quick. Now it’s the mini thrill of a great parking spot, organised cupboards with some reliable tupperware inside, and a pillow that doesn’t wreck your neck. So glamorous!
The rituals you have around a Birthday really do matter - whether that’s a huge night out, a family meal, or simply carving out a moment to reflect on how far you’ve come. I love the idea that birthdays aren’t just about achievements in the traditional sense, but also about honouring the subtler shifts: the times you softened, the moments you trusted yourself, the ways you kept going when it was hard. I’m a big fan of a ‘pit and peak’ reflection of the year just lived, I do this every year. I also love to know everyone's wishes for the year ahead. I think it’s a gorgeous way to re-align and welcome whatever you want for your life. It’s also a nice way to support your friend or loved one with those wishes.
Last year, when I blew out the candles for my 37th birthday, I had only one wish: to be pregnant by the time my next birthday rolled around. Honestly, I wasn’t sure it would happen. I was still on certain medications that weren’t allowing that to happen and it just felt a little ambitious. To sit here now, typing this, with a baby on the way by Christmas, feels incredibly special. Would I have loved to have been further down the line in the journey of motherhood? Of course, but this is where I’m at, and this is my ‘right’ time. My wish for 38 is less about specifics and more about the essentials - health, happiness, joy, love, and the precious gift of time. On a professional note, I want to grow this community we’re building even more - there’s so many ideas behind the scenes on how to keep elevating and sharing together. Finally, on a very personal note, my biggest want for the year ahead is to embrace this next chapter with open arms. The messy bits, the tiredness, the newness - all of it, because I have a feeling it’s going to be the most special milestone yet.
Milestones look different for everyone - a big job change, buying a home, starting a family, overcoming something hard, or even just finding peace in a part of yourself that used to feel unsettled. Sometimes the smallest shifts are actually the biggest milestones of all. I liken this to the bike. Whilst I celebrate the big number of rides on the leaderboard at Peloton, I also always find time to acknowledge that every time you clip in, it’s a milestone. The big numbers and the everyday consistency both matter. Birthdays remind us to pause and notice those things too, not just what we’ve ‘achieved’ in the eyes of the world, or where we are in someone else’s perfect ‘plan of life’, but how we’ve stretched, softened, and grown within ourselves. However you celebrate, whether with champagne or tea, a quiet walk, or a slice of cake the size of your head, it’s a moment worth marking.
So here’s my CHALLENGE for you this week: Let's call it more of an invitation to pause for a second, whether or not it’s your birthday, and ask yourself two simple questions: What’s one thing you’re grateful for from the past year? And what’s one thing you’re excited to lean into in the year ahead? Sometimes the smallest act of reflection can change the way we see the future. If you’re up for sharing, I’d love to connect in the comments.
“Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.”
And while we’re on the subject of birthdays and milestones, let's get into…..
Celebrating Sober…
Celebrating sober can feel like one of the hardest things in a culture that so often equates a good time with a glass in hand. Birthdays, weddings, holidays, a toast here, a cocktail there, or just a glass to ‘make it special’, the list goes on. I, for one, used to love a glass (or 3) at any chance of ‘fun’. Let me be super clear here, I’m definitely not the ‘alcohol police’ and I’m certainly not suggesting you need to give it up too - this is just my personal choice and experience. A choice born out of wanting to come out the other side of a serious health journey as best I could, whilst simultaneously being at rock bottom with grief where drinking can certainly be a vice to numb how you’re really feeling. I actually found myself feeling grateful for such a clear reason to stop drinking when treatment began. This was in 2022, that year…AGAIN! I just needed to remove anything from my life that wasn’t serving me, and in short, over the years I’ve realised that being sober has actually given me more clarity, more presence, more productivity and a deeper appreciation for the moments themselves. Even little things like remembering every conversation the next morning, feels like a win and I think has made me a better friend.
The question of ‘what are you drinking?’ is almost automatic in most settings, and it can feel uncomfortable to say ‘nothing’. I always say quite firmly but friendly ‘I don’t drink, but I’ll take a look at your non alcoholic options’. I feel like this response is me stating a fact, making my intentions clear and I’ve always found it quite a helpful way to stop the worry of sticking out, being judged, or simply coming across like someone who can’t enjoy themselves in the same way (which by the way, none of that should matter and the right people around you won't make you feel like that).
I find it helpful to have tips for feeling confident when entering a social situation for the first few times when you’ve decided it will be sans alcohol, here they are:
Plan ahead - whether that’s knowing what alcohol-free drink you’ll order (there are so many great options now) or deciding how long you want to stay.
Shift the focus - instead of seeing it as missing out, notice what you gain - remembering every detail, being in control, feeling fresh the next morning.
Own it confidently - People take their cue from you; if you’re matter-of-fact about not drinking, it often lands without fuss.
Focus on connection - Notice the conversations, the laughs, the people - those are the real reasons to be there.
The impact of arriving sober is bigger than you realise. Own it, if that’s your choice. You bring clarity and grounded energy into spaces that can sometimes be chaotic. Your choices might even make other people curious about their own - in a good way, and most importantly, you get to mark the moment in a way that’s aligned with where you are RIGHT NOW. Celebrations aren’t about what’s in your glass, they’re about connection, joy, and memory-making. I will say, drink your soft drink from a nice glass. It really does make a difference, AND can help you to ‘blend in’ with your choice of drink. Here’s how I ‘make my softie sparkle’ on any occasion:
Sparkling Water + Fresh Lime & Bitters - simple, fresh, and feels grown-up.
Alcohol-Free Prosecco or Wine - loads of brilliant options now (try Wild Idol for bubbles and Noughty for the full range).
Mocktails - my go-to is a Virgin margarita and I like it spicy!
Kombucha in a Wine Glass - tart, bubbly, and feels like a treat.
Alcohol-Free Spirit & Tonic - brands like Seedlip give you that same ritual of “pouring a drink”.
“The right people don’t care what’s in your glass, only that you showed up.”
So, whether it’s bubbles or a sparkling softie, be confident in the way you celebrate and connect. You may think you’’re more ‘fun’ or ‘relaxed’ with a drink, but trust me, you’re f**king great as you are!
With Birthdays on my mind this week, I’d love to move onto GIFTS, and specifically the one gift that matters more to me than anything you can wrap up with a bow: TIME.
The Gift Of Time…
Time is the greatest gift you can ever give anyone, because it’s the one thing none of us can get more of, and if birthdays remind me of anything, it’s how precious time really is. We all talk about wanting more of it, yet so often we fill our days to the brim, leaving little space to breathe. I am so guilty of this.
Time really is the quiet currency of our lives and it's only when we pause that we realise the most valuable moments are often the smallest ones - an hour laughing with someone I love feels richer than a whole day spent rushing through a to-do list. Sometimes the to-do list can wait.
What makes time so precious is that it’s both finite and flexible. We don’t get to control how much of it we have, but we do get to choose, at least in part, how we use the hours we’re given. That might mean slowing down, it might mean showing up for someone else, or it might mean fiercely protecting time just for yourself. As we get older, the years feel like they pick up speed, birthdays seem to roll around faster, and seasons blur together. As kids, we couldn’t wait to grow up and I don’t know about you, but I vividly remember adults around me telling me how fast time goes as you get older, and as a child, you can’t comprehend that. As adults, we wish we could slow it all down. Maybe that’s the reminder: to notice time while we’re in it. To give it generously to the people who matter most, and to stop putting ourselves in situations where our time is not valued. When we look back, it won’t be the things we bought or the boxes we ticked that we remember most clearly, it will be the moments where we shared our time, wholeheartedly, with the ones we love. Anyone who knows loss, will know this well.
Time feels faster the older we get because our lives typically become more routine. When we’re little, everything is new: first days, first trips, first friends. As we become adults, the novelty fades.. How can we slow it down again?! In some ways, I think we can if we break the routine, break up the rhythm and reintroduce that sense of newness. Even the smallest change, like taking a new route on your walk or cooking a new recipe, can make time feel richer.
“Too much routine turns days into copies, not originals.”
We don’t always need more time (although how amazing it would be if we really could have all the time in the world, especially with loved ones); we need to feel more in the time we already have. Easy wins like putting your phone down when you’re with loved ones, carving out a few minutes of stillness in the morning, or saying no to something that doesn’t serve you. In those moments, time softens. It expands. It becomes less about the clock, less about rushing and more about presence.
“The beauty of time is that when you meet it with presence, even the simplest moments become unforgettable.”
Autumn has a way of highlighting this too - the shorter days and longer nights gently push us to slow down and notice what (and who) we want to give our hours to. As an Autumn girlie, I thought our final segment could be a little dedication to the leaves, layers and little joys this season brings.
Autumn…My Happy Place…
As an Autumn baby, I can’t help but be biased, but I really do think this is the best season of all. There’s something about autumn that always feels like a reset. Maybe it’s the nostalgia from the childhood years when September (in the UK) meant ‘BACK TO SCHOOL’ with fresh pencil cases, notebooks and the excitement of a new school year. Maybe it’s the crisper mornings, darker evenings, and that golden light that makes even the most ordinary daily walk feel like a movie scene. Autumn reminds us that change is natural, that shedding can be beautiful, and that endings are really just a prelude to new starts. AND MAYBE IT’S HALLOWEEN!!! (one month out friends). It’s easy to think of ‘fresh starts’ as a January thing, but autumn has its own quiet power. I feel like we let the buzz of summer go, and there’s such comfort in the warmer layers, slower evenings, and hearty meals.
Here’s my 3 little things to welcome you in to the Autumnal vibes:
Pick up seasonal flowers or foliage - such a great way to bring Autumn into your home.
Plan a cosy film night - nothing screams we are getting into the cosy season more than a favourite film and a snuggly blanket with snacks.
Wardrobe switch up - bring out the boots, and knitwear. I’d say treat yourself to a little A/W shopping spree too! New season, new staples.
Bonus one, and probably the most obvious for those with a working sense of smell (unlike me) - Embrace the Autumn scents!
There’s a little magic in this season for everyone. Whether it’s a walk through crunchy leaves, a pumpkin on your doorstep, or simply your softest jumper on repeat. I hope this Autumn makes you smile, and if in doubt, throw some pumpkin spice at the situation!
List Of Joy…
📍VISITING: The Cube This is where I went at the weekend with my family. A very fun day out, and you may think I’m crazy early here, but perfect for a Christmas party! Book ahead, get competitive and let me know how you get on.
📺 WATCHING: The Girlfriend So, this is the series Ben and I crashed and completed across my Birthday weekend. Get cosy, and get into it! I’m up for debriefs once you’ve seen it!
🧁 EATING: Reemies Now, I’m sorry because this is one for my UK crew, but please if you’re visiting London, go hunt these down! They are SO good
LTK Of The Week…
WHITE COMPANY DRESSING GOWN - I told you it’s cosy season and this is the way to kickstart any cosy season!
H&M BLANKET - This has been secured for our new snug. Great price, and super cosy!
COWSHED - Nothing screams Soho Farmhouse like Cowshed products. I used them all weekend and I always love.
THOMPSON & SCOTT NOUGHTY PACK - For anyone wanting to give the alcohol free options a go, this brand definitely has great options and this is their full range, which is worth trying! I think it definitely takes some shopping around to find the good options, but they're out there! I like the red wine and bubbles the most from Noughty.
OLIVER BONAS - Because everything tastes better in a nice glass.
CASHMERE AT COS - A/W staple for the wardrobe. I bought a grey one 2 years ago, and treated myself to the black one this year.
PELOTON DREAMBLEND JOGGERS - You can tell I’m in my cosy era, but these joggers along with the zip up jacket is my loungewear of the season.
HALLOWEEN - You all snapped up the ghosts, so here’s another cute addition to your Halloween collection.
That’s a wrap on issue 7 - Thank You for reading and whether it’s Birthday Season or not, I hope there’s some beautiful takeaways for you from today's words.
My gift to you this week is a poll in which you get to choose one of the main topics in next week's newsletter. I want to make sure I’m delivering what you want, so select your topic and I’ll be back in your inboxes next Tuesday.
P.S. Share this with someone who might need it. After all, the greatest gift we can offer each other is time, even if it’s just the time it takes to read something that sparks a conversation.
