Kathyshawcoaching

04/06/2026

Over the past few weeks, there’s been a strong theme running through many of my coaching conversations, supervision sessions, and workshops:

Life feels heavy for many people right now.

Whether it’s burnout, grief, leadership pressures, health concerns, caregiving responsibilities, uncertainty, or simply trying to hold everything together… many people are quietly asking themselves:

“How am I going to get through this?”

Recently, I had the privilege of hearing Dr Lucy Hone speak at the Auckland Writers Festival about resilience, grief, and navigating life’s toughest seasons.

What resonated most deeply with me was this:

Resilience is not about pretending everything is okay.
It’s not about pushing through at all costs.
And it certainly isn’t perfection.

Sometimes resilience looks much quieter than that.

Sometimes it looks like:
🧡 asking for help
🧡 taking a day off
🧡 resting
🧡 saying no
🧡 walking around the block
🧡 choosing what matters most today and letting the rest wait

If things feel hard right now, I hope this reminds you:
Feelings are not forecasts.
And hard seasons are not permanent identities 💛

31/05/2026

This month is a goodie - it’s all about having a Joyful June 💛

Let’s look for what’s good this month.

Some mornings are bitterly cold here in the Waikato, but if you slow down enough to notice, the dew on the spiderwebs can look quite magical.

Maybe this month is about paying more attention to the small moments:
☕ the warmth of your morning coffee
🧡 a stranger holding the door open
🌤️ a patch of sunshine on a cold day
😊 a genuine laugh with someone you love

“Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.”
- Alice Morse Earle

Stay warm 💛

29/05/2026

Are you on my mailing list?

Twice a month, I drop into my amazing subscribers' inboxes with practical tips, fresh perspectives, and real advice that really makes a difference 🧡

No spam here, just a lot of valuable insights to help you navigate work, life, and everything in between, all while you take five with a cuppa ☕

My next newsletter goes out on the 2nd of June, and it's all about how I had the privilege of hearing Dr Lucy Hone speak about her new book, How Will I Ever Get Through This? – A practical guide to navigating life’s toughest times.

Want in? Sign up on my website (or message me your email address) 😊

27/05/2026

A conversation I had with one of my clients recently really stayed with me 👇

We were talking about behaviour change and the frustration that comes when we know what would help us… but still struggle to do it consistently.

She said something I hear all the time:

“I think I just need more willpower.”

I think many of us have been taught to believe that. That if we were more disciplined, more motivated, more organised somehow everything would fall into place.

But over the years, both professionally and personally, I’ve realised something important:

Lasting change has very little to do with willpower.
And a lot more to do with design.

Because willpower is unreliable. It changes, depending on:
🔸 stress
🔸 sleep
🔸 hormones
🔸 emotional exhaustion
🔸 workload
🔸 decision fatigue

This is especially true for women juggling work, family, caregiving, leadership, and the mental load of caring for everyone else.

Often, the problem isn’t the person.
It’s the systems supporting them.

Small changes in design can make a huge difference:
▫️ booking things ahead of time
▫️ laying clothes out the night before
▫️ creating routines that remove friction
▫️ using visual reminders
▫️ asking for accountability instead of doing everything alone

It’s not about becoming perfect.
It’s about making the healthy choice easier 🧡

24/05/2026

A memory came up recently from my trip to Japan last year 🧡

I remember spending a lot of time thinking about how we set ourselves up for strong, active, fulfilling lives as we get older.

While travelling, I noticed some people struggling with heavy bags, stairs, and long days of walking - and it really stayed with me.

Not from a place of judgement at all.
More as a quiet reminder of how important it is to care for our health now, not only later.

It made me feel incredibly grateful that I had the strength, energy, and flexibility to fully enjoy the experience. And it also recommitted me to prioritising my wellbeing - physically, mentally, and emotionally.

These are the four pillars I keep coming back to 👇

1️⃣ Sleep: Quality sleep is a superpower, yet one of the first things we sacrifice. It’s crucial for our energy, mood, and overall health.

2️⃣ Movement: This isn’t about punishing workouts! It’s about moving your body, building strength, and improving mobility - and yes, it can be FUN!

3️⃣ Food: The best medicine for your body comes from what you eat. Learning how to fuel yourself well is key to feeling vibrant and strong.

4️⃣ Stress Management: Many of us are stuck in chronic stress mode without realising it. When cortisol floods your body, life feels harder than it needs to be.

Small choices really do add up over time 💛

21/05/2026

How are you feeling at the moment?

If you need a boost, tomorrow morning, try this 👇

First thing in the morning, write down what you want to believe today, i.e. ‘I believe that today is going to be a great day.’
- 𝘋𝘳 𝘑𝘪𝘮 𝘋𝘰𝘵𝘺

After you write this statement down, read it to yourself.
Then say it out loud 😊

If you do this over and over, you wake up every day and:

🔸 pick up the pencil
🔸 write down your affirmation
🔸 read it out loud

Through repetition, you are intentionally embedding this belief about yourself into your brain. This activates the different brain networks we have.

I'd love to know how you go - come back here and comment, or message me 💚

19/05/2026

This is such a beautiful idea 😍

Make a list of the people who have mattered to you throughout your life.

▫️ Your favourite teacher
▫️ A nurse
▫️ Someone you've worked with
▫️ A parent or friend

You get the idea.

Then pick one, write them a letter and let them know the difference they've made to your life.

They may not even realise they've had the impact they've had 🧡

I know I would love to receive this, so I encourage you to give it a try and show someone what they mean to you.

Who did you pick?

17/05/2026

A gentle reminder for anyone being hard on themselves right now:

You do not need to white-knuckle your way through change.

Especially in midlife 💛

Many women are navigating changing hormones, ageing parents, growing children, leadership roles, burnout, grief, relationship shifts and the constant mental load of caring for others.

At some point, relying on willpower alone becomes exhausting.

What works far better is creating a life that supports your energy instead of constantly draining it.

Small changes count.
Support matters.
And making things easier is not 'cheating' - it’s wisdom 🧡

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I dove into this topic in my latest newsletter. If you're not already on my mailing list, you can sign up on my website (or message me your email address and I'll get you added).

14/05/2026

14/05/2026

"Your guidance and support have been invaluable to me as a nurse.

You not only helped me map out my career path and provided assistance for my postgraduate studies, but you also helped me alleviate my concerns."

👉 This is a snippet of the feedback received from a wonderful Auckland-based nurse I mentored, supervised and supported virtually a few years ago 🥰

𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿!

If you're Waikato-based, or we happen to be in the same place at the same time (which has happened on numerous occasions over the years), I can help you in person.

➡️ And if you're located elsewhere in Aotearoa or it simply suits you better to be supported virtually, we can meet on Zoom. Both ways are fantastic.

Book a free 30-minute call and see if I'm the right coach for you (you can find it on my website, DM me, or if you'd prefer, email me: [email protected] 🧡