Your first step towards clarity: The discovery chat.
Thinking about coaching? A free discovery chat is your first step towards clarity, confidence, and support for what’s next.
When people enquire about working with me, I always suggest booking a free discovery chat first. It’s not a sales pitch, it’s a genuine conversation - a chance for us both to explore whether coaching is the right step for you right now.
Here are 5 reasons why I suggest taking this first step:
1. To explore your aspirations
We’ll dive into your hopes and goals, as well as the uncertainties that may be holding you back. It’s often the first time people have voiced these things out loud.
2. To understand your challenges
We’ll talk about what’s going on in your life now, the challenges you’re facing, and what draws you to coaching in the first place.
3. To name the obstacles
Together, we’ll identify the obvious roadblocks in your path and look at how coaching can help you navigate or overcome them.
4. To get a feel for my coaching style
Coaching is personal - you need to feel comfortable with me and the way I work. This chat gives you a taste of what our sessions might feel like.
5. To make sure you get the right support
If I believe another style of coaching or therapy might suit you better, I’ll say so. The aim is to make sure you get the support you need, even if that isn’t with me.
At its heart, the discovery chat is about connection. It’s an opportunity to pause in the middle of life’s noise, reflect on what really matters to you, and begin shaping what comes next with clarity and confidence - with me there to really listen.
Ready to explore?
Midlife can feel messy, uncertain, or full of “what now?” questions. You don’t have to figure it out alone. Start by booking a free discovery chat with me and start a conversation designed to help you pause, reflect, and decide what’s next with more confidence.
Book your discovery chat here.
Remember: you don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. You just need the curiosity to take the first step.
Why Conversations with Vivienne returned.
Conversations with Vivienne is a space for relaxed, inspiring discussions that spark reflection and connection. What began as intimate supper clubs has grown into gatherings that bring people together to share stories, explore perspectives, and find clarity in the middle of life’s noise.
Supper Club, February 2024.
My guests were asked to think back to when they were around 18 or so and to remember how they thought their life might play out in adulthood before they arrived.
I’ve always loved connecting people and sparking discussions with a purpose. Through my life and work I get to meet so many interesting, brilliant humans and I wanted to bring some of them together to explore different perspectives.
Just before the pandemic threw us all a curve ball, I had started what were then called Vivienne’s Supper Clubs. A guest speaker would share their expertise or story, from author Janine van Someren on the positivity of psychology, to Kevin Braddock book on Why Asking for Help Matters, Zoe Tuffs on Hive Behaviours, and Ruth Ramsay on erotic empowerment.
The very first Supper Club back in February 2020 centred on Imposter Syndrome. Since then, the format has evolved, but the heart of it remains the same: relaxed conversations that inspire, challenge, and connect.
Now called Conversations with Vivienne, think of it as a space to hear stories, share ideas, learn, and reflect. I cook something delicious, light the candles, and bring together a table of guests to explore a question that keeps surfacing as my clients navigate midlife transitions.
The first topic for this new season was: Why do we want to lead a more intentional life?
It felt timely. Over that year, many of my clients had been exploring how they could live with more intention, and I wanted to see how others reflected on the same question. Guests were invited to think back to their younger selves: did life unfold as expected, or had it been more like a game of snakes and ladders? And how intentional do they feel now?
As I asked them:
“Have you become more intentional as the years have gone on, or are you still wondering what the f**k am I doing and when will I grow up?”
And for the next one? We’ll be diving into a topic all about identity and role models. Do we get to choose them, and can we become our own role models if no one out there quite fits what we’re looking for?
Want to Make Progress Every Month? Here’s How:
Imagine looking back at the end of the year and feeling genuinely proud of the progress you’ve made every single month. What if you could focus on one meaningful goal at a time, guiding your decisions and actions with purpose? Here’s a simple framework to help you achieve exactly that.
Imagine looking back at the end of the year and feeling genuinely proud of the progress you’ve made every single month.
Yes! I am aware we are barely half way through January but you might as well start now!
What if you could focus on one meaningful goal at a time, guiding your decisions and actions with purpose? Here’s a simple framework to help you achieve exactly that.
Step 1: Identify Your “One Thing”
Start by choosing one clear goal to focus on each month, it can be personal or professional. Your “One Thing” is the goal that, if achieved, will make all your efforts worthwhile. It’s the goal that will create a ripple effect across other areas of your life.
Write it down.
Keep it visible; on a post-it note, your journal, or a blank sheet of paper.
Now, do this twelve times with different goals, one for each month of the year.
These “One Things” will serve as your guideposts for the year, helping you:
Prioritise what truly matters.
Filter out distractions and irrelevant opportunities.
Say “no” to what doesn’t align with your goals.
Step 2: Stream of Consciousness Brainstorming
While deciding on your “One Thing,” it’s natural for your mind to race with ideas, to-dos, and “shoulds.” Capture these thoughts so they don’t derail you (this bit is important to help you not lose focus on working out your One Thing) Think of it as a brain dump (why is there not a nicer word for this action?) where everything goes onto paper.
Here’s what to jot down:
All the things you want to achieve in the coming year.
All the things you’ve been avoiding but know will make a difference.
The long-term ‘important but not urgent’ goals you keep postponing.
Daring or exciting ideas that feel a little “out there” but light you up.
Write each idea on its own post-it note or page. Once you’ve done this, set these aside for review in three months. Remember to add a reminder in your calendar to revisit them. Some will still resonate (I call those ‘keepers’) some you’ll say 'what on earth was I thinking?’ and others are simply not worth pursuing.
Step 3: Accountability Is Key
Having goals is one thing; sticking to them is another. To stay on track remind yourself of the satisfaction you’ll feel when you’ve followed through. Visualise how proud and “smug” you’ll be knowing you’ve made consistent progress.
Here are ways to stay accountable:
Share your “One Thing” with a friend, colleague, or life coach (that’s me!).
Keep a monthly check-in; make a note of your progress and challenges.
Celebrate small wins to maintain momentum. (I will buy myself a doughnut).
Ready to Commit to Your “One Thing”?
If you’re feeling stuck at a crossroads and aren’t sure where to begin, I can help. Together, we’ll explore what your “One Things” could be, clarify your priorities, and build accountability into the process. Imagine the sense of direction and progress you’ll feel by committing to yourself this year.
Book a discovery chat and take the first step. Remember! Your future self will thank you.
👋🏼 I'm Vivienne, a life and career coach. And if you are ready to create structure, make progress, and move forward with clarity? Let’s talk. Book a free discovery chat with me and let’s start mapping out what’s next for you. Your future self will thank you!
How do you separate fact from feeling?
Just as thoughts aren’t facts, feelings aren’t either. Emotions provide information, but when that information is intense and loud, we become more vulnerable to believing it reflects reality. We often think, 'I feel it, so it must be true,' but that’s not always the case.
Just as thoughts aren’t facts, feelings aren’t either. Emotions provide information, but when that information is intense and loud, we become more vulnerable to believing it reflects reality. We often think, 'I feel it, so it must be true,' but that’s not always the case.
So how do you separate fact from feeling?
Here’s a method to try:
Pause & Acknowledge: Take a moment to simply acknowledge the emotion. It’s important to feel it without judgment.
Check the Story you are telling yourself: Is it based on assumptions or fears? What actual evidence supports this narrative?
Challenge the Feeling: Question whether your feelings truly reflect the current situation. Could there be another interpretation? Are there facts that contradict the emotion?
Separate Fact from Feeling: List the facts of the situation vs. the emotions you are experiencing. Facts are objective and unchanging, while emotions fluctuate.
Use Logic and Evidence: Lean towards logic and tangible evidence when making decisions or evaluating a situation, rather than letting emotions dictate their reality.
Remember, emotions are information, not a final verdict on reality.
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If this resonates with you; if you’ve found yourself caught in the tug-of-war between feelings and facts and want to learn how to navigate this with clarity and confidence let’s work on it together.
I offer one-off 90-minute coaching sessions designed to help you untangle the stories you’re telling yourself, gain clarity, and take your next steps with intention. It’s a chance to experience the power of coaching and uncover what’s truly driving your emotions, thoughts, and decisions.
Ready to turn reflection into action? Book your one-off session here and take the first step toward a clearer, more grounded mindset.
Do I need a life coach, a counsellor or a therapist?
Quick answer:
If you want to deal with the now and your future > choose a life/career coach. (i.e. Me!)
Choose a counsellor or therapist if you need to deal with a trauma or something specific from your past.
Quick answer:
If you want to deal with the now and your future > choose a life/career coach. (i.e. Me!)
Choose a counsellor or therapist if you need to deal with a trauma or something specific from your past.
Tell me more…
Coaching:
Coaching is action orientated.
A client chooses to work with me to clarify their goals, identify obstacles, problematic behaviours or barriers they might not have noticed. We would work on creating an action plan to achieve their desired outcomes.
Your goals can be small i.e. finessing how you live your day-to-day life to avoid overwhelm for example. A bigger goal could be working on your career path or how to change career completely, or, wanting to find yourself again after a significant life change; divorce, empty nest syndrome, redundancy.
The main way I differ to a counsellor or therapist is that the journey for the client begins from where they are today. Exploring where they want to be, how they get there, the pain points and obstacles they may encounter along the way. Think action! rather than delving into the past.
I will enable you to find clarity and take control of your life via gently challenging questions and exploratory conversation.
Counsellor:
Counselling is coping-orientated. Counsellors want to help you realise how you feel. In speaking to a counsellor you are more likely to focus on the short-term ‘here and now’ and find ways to manage your current issues and feelings.
Counselling may be more commonly used to treat issues that aren’t necessarily diagnosed mental conditions. These might include things like grief counselling and bereavement, relationship counselling, building coping strategies, and support with issues such as low self-esteem. These issues may be considered to be related to the general ‘ups and downs’ of life, although this isn’t to say that they are any less significant than formal mental health conditions.
It is not uncommon for clients to see a counsellor and then move on to seeing a life coach to help them move forwards once they have dealt with the ‘now’.
Therapist:
With therapy, you are more likely to explore the ‘backstory’ to your problems in order to get to the root cause. This will enable you to understand how your past experiences may have influenced the way you’re feeling, challenge the way you respond to these, and then move forwards.
Therapy is generally a longer-term journey to diagnose and resolve problematic beliefs, behaviours, feelings, relationship issues and sometimes physical responses. e.g. depression, anxiety, OCD or PTSD. This is because therapy is evidence-based and formulation-driven.
It focuses on past traumas and issues to change self-destructive habits, improve (or repair) relationships and work through painful feelings. Therapy focuses on introspection and analysis (the past) with the hope of resolving issues and creating a more stable and manageable future.
I place a great deal of importance on trust and transparency - if you are unsure as to whether you need coaching, therapy or counselling book a discovery chat with me. If, during our chat, I think a form of talking therapy would be better suited to your needs, we can discuss potential alternatives that may be more appropriate.
I am Vivienne, a life and career coach helping clients find the answer to "what am I doing with my life?"
If you are at a crossroads or need guidance to navigate a life stage, book a discovery chat with me and find out how my style of exploratory coaching can help you make sense of it all.
👉🏻 Remember, you can work on your future whilst living your life.