20May

The power of I don’t know

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

It’s International Coaching Week and I’ve been listening to key CTI leaders talk about the future of coaching. It’s been inspiring and evoking. Personally speaking, I’ve been a professional Co-Active coach for ten years and I’ve had the pleasure of coaching 100s of women around the world on matters close to their hearts. I feel inspired by their courage and willingness to transform.

After a week of listening and sharing insights about the coaching industry, one thing is jumping out at me. I wanted to share it with you now.

The power of “I don’t know” is the gateway to transformation:

As coaches (regardless of age or experience levels), we have to be prepared to let go of what we know in order to serve our clients. One of my favourite Master Coaches, Helen House once said, “If I’m asking a question and I know the answer to it, then it’s not coaching. That’s manipulation.” 

It’s essential that we ask open and powerful questions that will create space for deeper insights to emerge, that we can hold and serve the moments of silence required to connect to higher level intelligence. This does not come through easily when we are engaged in daily, outward activities, so we must make space to connect on a deeper level.

We need to stay in this space for long enough to allow a shift to be felt and experienced. This is where aliveness lives, this is where the magic is. From here, clients can experience their own breakthroughs. 

It’s not to say that we don’t have a technique, tool or remedy that we believe will support the client with her vision, but fixing is not coaching. We hold the space of the unknown, we take our clients hands and then we dance with them in THIS moment. 

When we enter the unknown, we create a blank page and together, a new pathway is created that connects the bridge between being and doing. 

If you are at work and you approach all new challenges in the same way, you will become outdated, and innovation will pass you by. While you already hold deep wisdom within you, a beginner’s mind is also essential to the process of transformation and innovation. 

Here’s the ultimate paradox, by stepping into the unknown we connect to a higher field of knowing.

Hold the space of the unknown for innovation to flow.

Go deeper, reach higher: 

There are times when it’s not clear where a session is headed because the territory entered is the unknown. While we may agree a topic at the start, we must also be willing to take a detour because while we are holding the space for change, it is the client who holds the key. 

Welcome this with an open heart and trust that some stuck-ness when/if it arrives is part of the process. To get unstuck, your client may need to experience how it feels to be stuck live in a session. 

In my experience, naming the energy of stuck-ness, resistance etc usually creates an energetic change big enough to create movement. Again, this is of service to the client, trust that everything that comes is a guide.  If you can lean into it, the space will become more expansive. 

Essential ingredients:  

Working with the unknown requires courage and trust. When I step into this space, I choose to become right sized, I shrink myself so that my ego has no place to gather momentum. This requires self-management and a willingness to let go of everything I know. 

To be able to hold this space, I find myself connecting to a wider field of intelligence which for me is best described as “love.” This helps to detach from what I believe is the right action. Find your own form of meaning or higher power because this will help you to stay focused, and connected to the magic IN each moment.

Now it’s your turn:

My challenge to you today is to hold the space of the unknown and practice having a beginner’s mind:

In conversations say, “I don’t know, what do you think?” How does it feel to sit back and hold a bigger context? How does the other person respond to being given the baton of knowing by you?

In my experience, this is when people discover who they really are and what they are capable of. This is facilitated because they have been empowered and given an open space to step into. 

This blog is part of a Powerful Conversations series written by Karen Heras-Kelly, a feminine leader responsible for Empowering women to take their seats at the table since 2012. Karen is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, mindfulness and creative visualisation expert. She is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman, a company dedicated to the empowerment of women in the workplace and the ‘Mindfulness Time at work’ project.

10May

Start within – the mindful roadmap to empowering mental health

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Blog Home, Uncategorized Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Blog Home, Uncategorized

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and there’s never been a better time to begin a new wellbeing practice. Are you ready to create a self-caring and empowering relationship within you?

Last week, I wrote about the importance of creating powerful conversations within you, so today’s focus is practical and provides a how-to-do mindfulness roadmap, as well as an easy access heartfulness exercise to practice. (If you would like to know more about why it matters, you can catch up https://www.atribecalledwoman.com/category/blog/

Here’s my mini mindfulness roadmap on how to start a powerful inward conversation TODAY:

  1. Create a space to be with yourself and agree a time limit. Turn devices on silent and place the faces down – better still put them in another room.
  2. Check in with your perspective? How are you approaching this conversation and what needs to be in place for you to be fully present and mindful? (Top tip: adopt a beginner’s mind perspective and give yourself permission to explore).
  3. If stepping into your being feels strange, scary or you are in avoidance in any way, take a moment to loosen up. Play a song you love, close your eyes, breathe and feel the music in your body. Now you are ready to go deeper.
  4. Spend five minutes, simply breathing and listening to your own breath in silence. If unwelcome thoughts come along, simply breathe them out – breathe in peace, breathe out distractions. Remember you are not your thoughts, you are simply observing them. 
  5. Choose one question you would like to focus on? (Who am I? What’s my dream? What is my purpose? What do I need to let go of in my life? What do I currently not have in my life that I would like more of?) Hold the question and allow your inner knowing to rise – work with the same question for one week and see what wants to be revealed. Some questions can be lifelong companions. Learn to love these enquiry questions and their meaning and you will discover many ways to rise. 
  6. Remember, you are always at choice: What choices will you make today and from what place? Who will you be when you’re doing?

You don’t need to be a meditative monk to be mindful..

What I love about this work, is that it invites us to get creative and find new ways to work within. Some days there is a limit on time and focus, but that doesn’t mean you need to skip your inward conversation and journey. 

Here is one of my quick heartfulness recovery go-to practices:

Remove screens, close your eyes, put your hand on your heart and say silently to yourself, I am here. Keep breathing and saying, I am here and observe, how you relax into this moment. Spend anything from one minute to twenty minutes doing this simple, yet powerful practice. This exercise really works, so do yourself a huge favour and engage…

This blog is part of a Powerful Conversations series written by Karen Heras-Kelly, which includes the following articles: 

  • Building bridges one conversation at a time
  • Listen to reconnect
  • Now is the time for leaders to recover to self
  • When I say Powerful Conversation, you assume?
  • Make your dreams bigger than your limiting beliefs
  • Start by creating powerful conversations within you 

You can catch up on the full series at https://www.atribecalledwoman.com/category/blog/ Karen is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, meditation and creative visualisation expert. Karen is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman and the Breathe Time at work project.

07Apr

When I say powerful conversation, you assume…?

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Blog Home Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Blog Home

This is my fourth article in my Powerful Conversations series and writing it has really got me thinking, in a good way. I’m reflected on some of my recent powerful conversations and realised that these often rise from a place of challenge or a desire for change. There is a definite pull towards a set outcome and change I’m committed to. 

At this point, I’ve tuned into my intuition or inner knowing and I’m following a path that will see me create a space to speak, listen, feel, agree or disagree and then (hopefully) build a new agreement. Or at the very least, agree to reflect and reconnect with the idea of a new outcome next time.  I realise that conversations feel transformational even if the end goal is a long way away because investing time to be with another human feels good when I move from an open heart and mind.

Often when we approach a powerful conversation we have already made our mind how it will be:

This is all very nice so far isn’t it. But here’s the thing, often when we approach a powerful conversation we have already made our mind how it will be, what we will experience, how we will feel and if it will be a success. Feelings like stress, dread, trepidation can overtake what is really happening in the moment and diminish the opportunity to be seen, heard and understood from all sides. What if the biggest gift you could give to someone today was to say, “I’ve never thought of it like that, that’s really interesting, thank you for sharing.”

Breaking free of the old mould:

Without taking time to reflect, often we have framed the conversation in a certain way, based upon our own life experiences and through automatic lenses or a rigid perspective. I hear these words a lot, “I really hate confrontation, which automatically creates an assumption that the conversation will be difficult and painful.” When you show up from this place, it’s likely that you will appear defensive, rigid and closed, and it will show in your face, words and body language.

This is where the commitment to sustainable change becomes essential because without this approach, a resonate outcome for all will be hard to reach. It requires some inner processing and clarity because you are required to both stand in your own shoes and adopt a resonant perspective, as well as see the world through different eyes, only then are you freed up to truly listen and create. 

Karen’s work as a Certified leadership facilitator, coach and visualisation expert empowers you to have high level, powerful and expansive conversations.

Let me give you an example…

If I invited you to engage in a powerful conversation with me how would you feel? What would your first (automatic) response be? What would you assume about me, the conversation and its impact on you? Most importantly, would you be open to the experience?

It is true to say that nearly all humans I have ever met (including myself) have some kind of issue with the idea of power, they want more of it, they fear it, they dislike it, they rebel against it and so on.

Several years ago, I taught at my local university within the faculty of business and law, and asked students across two classes to bring examples of powerful campaigns in for discussion. Their response astounded me, every student from a class of 45 translated the word powerful negatively collecting images focused around nicotine, cancer, war etc. But hope was not totally lost, as one student showcased a different perspective on powerful. Her story communicated the positive impact loving your body (regardless of its outer form) can have on self-esteem. 

BUT the real takeaway from this article is this:

What if the request for a powerful conversation could be a spark that lit you and others up from the inside? What if my intention was to tell you what I saw in you, how you made me feel and how much I valued our relationship? 

These words stand as an invitation to create some space for heart-warming (and powerful) conversations with others – because who said that all powerful conversation need to be steeped in negative conflict? What if this could be a whole hearted and glorious experience for all, now that’s a wonderful perspective to adopt?

Here’s a few tips to get you started:

  • Before you dive in take some time to clear your assumptions and choose a perspective that excites you and makes you feel alive.
  • Then reflect on their impact on you, how they make you feel and what they bring to your day/week etc? 
  • When you think of this person or the topic that you would like to discuss, what do you feel, what do you believe and what do you want them to take away? By accessing your own feelings, you can really bring the conversation to life and that’s very exciting.
  • Then step into the circle, and honour their contribution – making sure you pay close attention to your own impact as you do so?

This blog is part of a Powerful Conversations series written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Karen is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, meditation and creative visualisation expert. Karen is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman and the Breathe Time at work project.

17Mar

Building bridges one conversation at a time

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Uncategorized

Karen Heras-Kelly, Certified Coach & Leadership Facilitator at A Tribe Called Woman

Change begins with a series of powerful (often difficult) conversations. Opening a new dialogue and speaking words that can feel uncomfortable will open the space for transformation and move you closer to your desired goal and outcome. 

It’s rare that a solution arises at the very beginning of a discussion, so leaders need to prepare themselves for the long haul. When it comes to many of the issues that are presenting themselves right now (race, sexuality, gender), wanting change isn’t enough, we have to be willing to pull up a chair and dig deep, together.

Part of the issue is that it’s hard to truly understand how it feels to be a woman today, if you are a man, because you are looking at the world through different lenses. However, by holding the desire to wish to understand more, you have already taken an important step. 

“You’re right, I don’t fully understand how it is for you, but I would love you to share your experiences. I really want to build a different reality alongside you, what do you need from me for us to create a resonant change?”

Then wipe the slate clean and get creative. What could sustainable change really look like, feel like, sound like? What is the end goal and what’s the next step? What is needed to stay on this new path, how will you know that your agreements are working? What will you do to realign when progress is halted?

I want to share a personal antidote here. After the death of Sarah Everard and the outpouring of grief that has happened in the UK, I went to a place of despair. I remembered my own experiences and envisioned a bleak future for my daughter. 

Our world needs to change, so I pulled up a chair, dug my heels in and began some difficult conversations with those I love. Starting with my husband and then my parents. To start with, I was (understandably) met with defensiveness. It seemed nobody wanted to really have this conversation with me, I held the space and I talked, sharing story after story. 

The energy changed and the conversations fell silent, I was wise enough to let things settle. The following day, I heard these words, “we are going to create a different reality for you, we are going to educate you and Mummy will guide you.” Hope landed in my heart and I added, “we are going to support you and talk to you together because both of us are needed in the creation of this new reality.”

My intention is for my daughter to know her worth and for her to be equipped to have her own difficult conversations, starting with “no.” And I plan to involve my husband in this vision because I want our discussions to be balanced and inclusive, for her to know that this is a conversation to be had with women and men.

I truly believe that the change we all seek is one of unification, one where we are educated and supported to listen, honour and create together. It may seem like a long arc, but by sitting down together we stand a chance of furthering change.

My top tips for furthering conversations in the workplace are:

  • Start at home, have difficult conversations with those you share your personal life with first and test the water, grow and share.
  • Meditate or practice mindfulness, connect to nature and get used to listening to your own inner wisdom.
  • Pull up a chair and listen, talk, reflect, listen, agree, create. 
  • Do not be scared to disagree and request space to reconsider and come back, and pull up your again, and start over. Often the answers we seek arrive after a good night’s sleep or while brushing our teeth!
  • Above else, be prepared to listen and then allow what people are saying to be heard, this will build trust.

Holding the space for ongoing conversations builds bridges and creates change

This blog was written by Karen Heras-Kelly, A Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, meditation and creative visualisation expert. Karen is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman.

03Sep

Give yourself permission to feel your feelings without judgement

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

Today, I celebrated myself. I was able to feel stressed and anxious while also being aware of an outpouring of love. My daughter became sick very quickly and the strength of love in my heart and witnessing the love from my parents towards us, opened my heart. I cried tears of love – it was a moment of recollection, of deep gratitude, of coming home to myself and the truth about how loved we are.

13Feb

What’s love got to do what it – Why the corporate world needs to embrace the L word.

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Uncategorized

Can we talk about the L(ove) word? Dare I even say it in the workplace? I feel that I must, I’ve coached hundreds of women and some men over the years who have reached the top of their game, and I realise that we all have the same road to trail.

30Dec

Learning to dance in the storm

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

This is a blog about how feelings are healing, and how trauma was my gateway to unconditional love… It’s been one huge challenging year, full of ups, downs, twists and turns… I’d go as far as to say, it’s been one of my most challenging ones yet. 2018 will be remembered as the year that taught me to dig deeper than ever before and open my heart to unconditional love. In my work as a coach, it appears that I’m not alone in surviving the intensity of this year, and so I wanted to share some of my learnings and challenge you to reflect, and create new beginnings as we enter 2019.

17Sep

Are you ready to shine as a leader today?

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

Who are you when you’re at your natural best, when you allow yourself to shine? What qualities break free in you and what’s your contribution? What conditions are required that allow you to step into your true essence? What lifts your lid and what closes you down? All important questions to sit with for a while that will help you to define how well do you know yourself as an individual and leader?

20Apr

The new road (ways to build hope, trust and connection)

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

This article talks about the importance of cultivating higher level energies in the workplace. More than ever, leaders are being called upon to show a human face, we also need to inspire hope, connection and trust in our teams because when people come together in connection and solidarity, magic happens. I invite you to take some time to reflect right now and consider the energy behind your thoughts, words and deeds. 

Where are you right now on your journey? What are the common emotions that you are feeling? A global pandemic, climate change and humanitarian disasters have us struggling with feelings of overwhelm, hopelessness, despair, and rising anxiety.

But now is not the time to give up hope because all around the world, people are showing up for those in need. Last week, I had two incredible conversations that showcased the magic of leaders committed to showing a human face during the attacks by Russia on the Ukraine. While I cannot reveal the contents of these conversations, they showed me the impact of human connection, compassion, and solidarity. I realized that it’s time to trust again and find our strength to allow connection in, and to open our hearts to the co-creativity of life. 

Be patient and let go

The road to hope can take some time (and it’s a daily choice) because it involves peeling your inner onion. Growth as a human tribe is essential to our evolution, it can also be messy. At each stage of our journey, we are called to investigate our inner closet and invited let go of what no longer fits or is of no use to us, and wider.

The issue is that letting go doesn’t come easily to any of us, instead we hold on and cling, waiting for the next best thing to come by before we jump. We can be waiting for a long time, until eventually holding on becomes too painful and we are moved along by a force bigger than ourselves.

Letting go ahead of time requires trust and belief. We build up protective layers, adopt personas and wear masks, these layers also need to be peeled if we are to live a wholehearted, truthful and creative life, if we are to be leaders with human faces.

We have all lived through so much and surely the idea is not to return to normality, but to break through to the other side and show up as leaders who trust their journey, and are willing to show vulnerability in the face of ongoing trials, and tension?

My invitation to you is this, where can you step into a wholehearted conversation in your life today? What are you not saying to yourself and others that would have you peel off your layers and build human connections?

Where there is a will, there is a way

I want you to know that when you open your heart, and mind to yourself, to those around you and to the unknown, there is wonder. You were born open, naked and ready to learn how to be human. You learned how to fall over and get back up again because it’s part of your DNA. 

Being together informally as a group reinforces human connection – picture for A Tribe Called Woman by Jessie Leong

Desperation repels, trust invites

Desperation is a repelling energy, it won’t take you were you truly want to go. Anything you collect along the way will be attached to insecurities and feel temporary. When you get to your destination, self-sabotaging stories and beliefs will be there to greet you, so you may as well deal with them now?

For you to trust, choose to love and honour who you are. Build a relationship of trust within and for yourself, and watch doors opening. It’s not just about the words you speak, it’s about connecting to who you are being when you speak to them – what energy are you moving from? Peace or war, love or hate, openness or fear? People feel your energy before they hear your words, they remember how you make them feel, so pay close attention to how you are feeling and do some inner spring cleaning if you need to clean-up.

Love is part of connection

I also want to mention the L word, yes that’s right LOVE, if you are not engaging in love then you are not in connection, it’s that simple.

Fundamentally, see yourself through eyes of love and extend this to others and you will discover new possibilities. 

Here’s a mini roadmap on how to start a powerful inward conversation today:

  1. Create a space to really be with yourself. Turn devices on silent and place the faces down – better still put them in another room.
  2. Check in with your perspective? How are you approaching this conversation and what needs to be in place for you to be present? 
  3. Remember, you are always at choice: What choices will you make today and from what place? Who will you be when you’re doing?

The invitation is to stay open, opening your hearts and minds to humanity. You are asked to dig deeper during this time and to stay hopeful. There is always another way, when we stand up for one another and ourselves, we pave the NEW way.

This blog is part of a Powerful Conversations series written by Karen Heras-Kelly, which includes the following articles: 

  • Building bridges one conversation at a time
  • Listen to reconnect
  • Now is the time for leaders to recover to self
  • When I say Powerful Conversation, you assume?
  • Make your dreams bigger than your limiting beliefs

You can catch up on the full series at https://www.atribecalledwoman.com/category/blog/Karen is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, mindfulness and creative visualisation expert. Karen is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman, a company dedicated to the promotion of women and feminine energy, and ‘The Breathe Time at work project.’

05May

Start by creating powerful conversations within you

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Blog Home Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Blog Home

Hello you, welcome to THE most important conversation you will have today, an empowering conversation with you. Are you ready to take an inward journey?

Before, you dive in I want to share these insights with you:

  1. Saying yes to creating powerful, meaningful and empowering conversations is a daily choice. It requires practice, a beginner’s mind (because every day is a new start) and trust (bucket loads of it). 
  2. It requires a curiosity to go deeper than surface chatter and perhaps you are curious about who you are and the meaning of your life? 
  3. A level of understanding of how you show up when you feel empowered and how you behave when you feel triggered is helpful but it doesn’t replace a willingness to keep starting over because that is what an introspective practice looks like. What happened yesterday is technically, old news. 
  4. It requires you to believe in you, to know you are worthy of taking up space and being heard because you have something to contribute. Ultimately, it’s about discovering your inner voice and speaking words that matter to you, these words can be used as a way to connect and disconnect, where need be. You do not need to be part of every conversation, so make your choices clearly and remember, the word “no” is a full sentence.

Why this matters?

If you create the space and tune into your inner voice, all other conversations can flow from this place. It’s easier when you listen deeply to yourself and build in space to check-in. And you can more readily hear the (often unspoken) needs of others.

For example, one of your colleagues volunteers for a new project but you sense that there is a need to lighten her/his load. You fear making an incorrect judgement, what she/he is saying sounds positive and yet, there is an alarm bell ringing. You spend some time reconnecting to yourself and realise that you have a longing to support her/him to see if more work is the true requirement. This is when you take your next step and hold your second powerful conversation).

The more you connect and honour your feelings, the greater the trust between you and you. If you are not in fear then what is possible for you, what quality is available? You can check-in by asking: If I wasn’t experiencing fear right now, what would I do?

Making space to breathe supports awareness of what is happening and needed, this is your way out and through.

When you realise your strength and power, it’s hard to feel compromised by others or situations that are out of your control. It’s also easier to feel connected too. Every time you check in with yourself and choose to unhook from limiting self-talk, it’s a big personal win. Focusing on your inner needs, mental health and wellbeing will support you to express who you are and embody your highest potential.

So I invite you to take five minutes today to tune into your heart and breathe in, and out. Check-in with your feelings at the beginning, midway and end. What are you noticing? Has your mood improved? 

Tune into next week’s blog during Mental Health Awareness Week (UK) and I will share my mini roadmap on how to start a powerful inward conversation.

This blog is part of a Powerful Conversations series written by Karen Heras-Kelly, which includes the following articles: 

  • Building bridges one conversation at a time
  • Listen to reconnect
  • Now is the time for leaders to recover to self
  • When I say Powerful Conversation, you assume?
  • Make your dreams bigger than your limiting beliefs

You can catch up on the full series at https://www.atribecalledwoman.com/category/blog/ Karen is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, meditation and creative visualisation expert. Karen is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman and the Breathe Time at work project.

31Mar

NOW is the time for leaders to recover to self

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Blog Home Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Blog Home

Creative leadership has never been more important and the leadership being called for is harmonious, connected, intuitive and empowering. 

But here’s the thing, harmony does not come naturally to us humans. Harmony certainly isn’t an easy sell because to create harmony we must be truthful, often speaking words that make us feel uncomfortable and naming the elephant in the room. Note to self: harmony is not people pleasing, suppressing your voice to keep the peace and so on, it is taking an active stance in the ongoing evolution of our lives, businesses, communities and planet. Stay true to your values, use your body, mind and spirit to embody them and you will always find a way to communicate what matters.

What I know to be true When you create space for your own evolution and travel within, you will know what is required and discover insights that support you and others, to find new pathways. Those seemingly difficult conversations emerge more easily from an awakened heart and mind. Please put the whipping stick down, get off the hamster wheel and create ‘breathe time’ in your day – over time you will emerge brighter.

To be connected we are required to be visible, to cultivate intimacy based on our interactions is a choice. To choose to stay open and look at life through different lenses and imagine what it is like for the other before we judge or critique them is a practice. It’s one that begins with being kind within yourself first and then expanding this olive branch out to others. To see people for who they really are rather than projecting your own issues or desires onto them. This requires you to be vulnerable and honest with yourself and each other.

A word about intimacy: True intimacy is created when we let go of the need to acquire. Although, we are still required to give and receive. It can be uncomfortable at first because it is not our primary language (secrecy is), but once we overcome our own fears of being seen and feel safe, intimacy brings us closer to life. It keeps us alive, vibrant and in wonder. 

Holding the space: Listening, sensing and then speaking creates powerful conversations that go somewhere – Karen in action pre Covid-19

Starting a new conversation: My conversation is always practical to start with and then elevation is required to tip the balance from surviving to thriving. There has to be time to recover, to reflect to reconnect within every workplace or else your teams will be adrenaline fuelled and working from their reserves. There is only so much the body can withstand, hence with the need to self-care and then share. The benefits of this are huge because when we unite together, transformation happens.

Companies with diverse, balanced and healthy teams perform better it’s that simple. But as a coach who specialises in supporting others, it’s unlikely that you will find leaders putting their hands up and asking for help – if this is not part of the cultural landscape already. Therefore, companies need to create the environment for well-being first.  

When good health is flowing, creativity, collaboration and problem solving takes on a new dimension. I’d go as far as to say that work becomes play, that fun is here to stay. Yes even in a global pandemic.

This blog is part of a Powerful Conversations series written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Karen is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, meditation and creative visualisation expert. Karen is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman and the Breathe Time at work project.

28Oct

My story of wellbeing in COVID times…

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

My story of wellbeing in COVID times… This is a blog about self-reflections, awareness and acknowledgment. It has been written as a bridge of light for anyone who is feeling lost, alone and unsure of their next step. It also provides a healthy boost if you are committed to making an ongoing journey back home to your true self.

08Jun

If it’s anything other than love, you are at war…

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

What does a white woman know of racism? I’m surprised to say, I know more than I realise. Last week set off a time bomb in my inner world, a vibration which was slow to start began growing, a small ember took hold and the heat started to build. Some of the stories in this blog have surprised me because they have been lying dormant for a long time, but as I wrote, memories of times where I experienced racism and sexual discrimination flooded in.

13Jan

What we can all learn about Megxit – a Certified Coach’s perspective

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Uncategorized

I have found myself gripped by Megxit the last few days and as a Certified Coach and Communications Expert of 23 years, I believe this situation is one that offers a lot of learning for us in all areas of our life, especially in the workplace… This blog is dedicated to creating real-life conversations at work, however it can be used in any area of conflict that may be happening in your life right now… Here goes.

04Sep

Breakdowns and breakthroughs are essential change makers

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

In my own personal feminine quest to live, lead and love as an empowered woman, I discovered I was scared of my own lovability* (see my definition of lovability at the end) and the softness and power of my own heart. Today human lovability is often referred to as vulnerability, we’ve covered the deeper meaning with another word, which explains why there is so much confusion in our interactions. How often do you say exactly what you mean in one day?

06Mar

The danger of women v men and how we bring true balance into the workplace

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Uncategorized

The tide is turning in culture, the way we view ourselves and each other. Press for Progress, Me too and Time’s up campaigns fuelled by Oprah Winfrey’s speech at The Golden Globes are creating a growing global awareness around issues of sexual harassment and gender in equality, and putting increasing pressure on Business to change.

19Jan

The witch is back and she’s practicing magic in a coven near you!

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

In a world that is obsessed with controlling time, I have an urge to escape to a place that is held together with a different thread. As women, we are natural harmonisers and our instincts when followed can lead us away from danger, as well as into resonance places – when we follow our longings and share our stories with others, the atmosphere pops. I, like many of my kindred sisters and brothers, have a longing for more of this and I am happy to report that there is a new form of uprising happening in pockets of our world that is bringing people together to celebrate the beauty of life.

03Mar

What’s your dream?

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

I dream of a world where we are not persecuted by our gender, social status, colour, creed, sexual preferences and of course, where we remove our own self imposed restrictions too. I dream of a world where we take responsibility for our words, actions and power, where we keep showing up and creating more of the good stuff, together.

31May

Powerful Conversations change your life

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Uncategorized

I am delighted to mark this moment with a newsflash announcement. Starting on (2.6.21 via InstagramLive) I will be collaborating with the powerful, Astrid Teigaas to take ‘Powerful Conversations’ into a talk-show format. 

We will be discussing the importance of hosting ongoing, Powerful Conversations in your life. Why now? What’s the gift? What are the necessary ingredients? What are the taboos, and pitfalls that get in the way? 

What will it take for each of us to come out of hiding and face the topics that hold meaning and the key to our own empowerment? 

As CTI coaches, we’ve built careers hosting intimate and private powerful conversations, now it’s our turn to go under the microscope in service of personal growth (ours and yours). We promise to bring our collective wisdom, good humour and real life stories to the table. 

Why tune in? We want you to grow with us, we have personal stories to share and plenty to say. Expect opinions, truth telling and vulnerability. 

Astrid is a former lawyer living in Norway. She is one of the fiercest heart people I know, an all-around powerhouse.  She brings forth a no-nonsense approach to asking for what you want. 

I on the other side, spent 17 years building global brands working within the fields of marketing & communication. Positive story telling is part of my DNA. I know how to take a basic truth and make it magical. Hopes, dreams and miracles are my domain – soothing and guiding you into a field of your own possibilities. 

Together, we create a space of authenticity and magic. I will also lead a soothing, throat activating, self esteem boosting meditation to support you to get into the zone… 

Come? We will be on InstagramLive:

  • @motherandbaby @8pm GMT on 2 June 2021.
  • @tribecalledwoman on 6 June 2021 @ 4pm GMT.

This blog is part of a Powerful Conversations series written by Karen Heras-Kelly, which includes the following articles: 

  • Building bridges one conversation at a time
  • Listen to reconnect
  • Now is the time for leaders to recover to self
  • When I say Powerful Conversation, you assume?
  • Make your dreams bigger than your limiting beliefs
  • Start by creating powerful conversations within you 

You can catch up on the full series at https://www.atribecalledwoman.com/category/blog/ Karen is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, meditation and creative visualisation expert. Karen is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman and the Breathe Time at work project.

21Apr

Make your dreams bigger than your limiting beliefs

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Blog Home Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Blog Home

This blog is dedicated to the power of dreaming and to you, the person reading. I have a personal invitation for you, no matter where you are in your journey or what you are dealing with right now, build in time to recover to self and dream again.

My own personal experience with dreaming goes back to my childhood, where I would lose myself in books and create imaginary places that allowed me to be wild, free and inventive. Today, I consider myself to be a professional day-dreamer and this ability has stood me in good stead, as an adult. 

My professional dreaming credentials: I’m generally a magnetic person and my success rate at materialising my dreams over the years surprised even me. I started creating vision boards in 2001 and allowed myself to dream big. My dreams saw me working in LA, NYC and experiencing events like The Oscars and Fashion Weeks. I also saw a family of my own, which took much longer to materialise. What is now clear to me is this, dreams both big and small, evolve from small seeds and over time develop into shape, and form. If you dream often enough and believe in your vision, you will create wonder. How magical is this?

Here’s a fun picture of me living my old dreams with Eva Mendes in LA.

The road to dreaming is not always smooth: This is all sounding rather easy right now isn’t it? Perhaps you are already sensing that there is more to this story? And you would be right because four years ago, something happened to my ability to dream. A tsunami of personal, challenging events impacted my ability and desire to dream, my days became about survival and taking one-step in front of the other. The idea of dreaming became another pressure and my focus was needed inside of myself, it was time to retreat, feel and heal.

This was alarming to me because I even stopped remembering my night dreams, which is a first. Although being woken up every three hours by my baby girl played a part in this too. I wondered if I had lost my ability to dream?

Then, about two years ago, I had a profound dream. One that showed me my future and also saw the creation of a book written by Hillary Keeney called The Pinacle Prayer Book. A new doorway was opening inside of me, my dreams began to return, I was awakening.

Saying yes to creative imagining (your dreams): More recently I spoke to one of my peers about dreaming and she shared that she was working with a new client whose dreams were bigger than her own. She decided to dedicate a new practice to her own dreams and was on a mission to expand her sights. A lightbulb went off in my own mind, “yes this is life enhancing work, dreaming is vital to me too.”

In 2020, I began a practice of my own called, “hopes and dreams for the year.”  This time I took a different approach because my life has also taught me to stay open to what is being given in this present moment. To be grounded in real time is essential to my body, mind and soul.

Staying open and believing is vital: I’ve learned to widen the net while scooping my dreams. For example, while thinking about my business, I wrote these words; “attract profitable, heart-loving, home balanced work.” Looking back today, I can see that this actually happened in a way that allowed me to co-create on a higher level with my dreams. Rather than getting too caught up in the what and how, I choose to stay open and this radiates out like a lighthouse on a dark night.

Taking active steps towards my dreams by having powerful conversations with like-minded individuals supports me to materialise them and I feel deeply grateful to those who believe in me, and support my work (you know who you are). 2020 was a landmark year for my business and I’m convinced that dreaming, observing the impact of my dreams and responding from a place of self-belief are vital ingredients.

Here are my learnings as a professional dreamer:

Let’s face it COVID19 has created challenges we usually only see in the movies. Our sense of freedom, connection, individuality, mental and physical health have all been seriously impacted, the world has changed and we have too.

Pain, trauma, unwanted change, limiting beliefs can result in us choosing to play it safe and minimise our dreams. This is part of our inner survival system and sometimes, putting one step in front of the other is enough.

It takes time to recover from hardships and you can’t push the river. We need to heal before we can fully transform or else we are still operating from an old sense of self. Time away from your dreams is actually a very important step because your attention is required to process and let go of the past. 

Are you ready to cast your net back out to sea?

While it’s important to take time to slow down, recover and allow yourself to feel your feelings, it’s also important to remember to rise again. Without taking a conscious decision to dream again, you will be pulled down into SOS mode – are you ready to cast your net back out to sea?   

Do you want to go on a new dream scaping mission that will allow you to open to life and support your wellbeing? Your realisation of where you are is your starting point, are you allowing your dreams to rise again? Have you cut off your ability to hope for a life that excites and honours you, one that connects to your life purpose? Are you ready to step into trust and longing to elevate your choices?

Karen at work as a Certified leadership facilitator, coach and visualisation expert empowers you to have high level, powerful and expansive conversations.

Here are my top tips to get you back into the dream zone:

  • Be clear and true about your dream/s? What will make you feel alive, joyous and express your values? If growth is important to you, ask what will grow me on a higher level?
  • Be willing to work with life and what is being given in real time? You may be given an experience/relationship that is placed on your path to grow you in a direction that is part of your dream. By being rigid with your vision, you may be missing opportunities under your nose.
  • Time is linear – be patient, love yourself and your journey at all times, and make space (inside and outside of you) for the new to flow in. A soft, open and happy heart responds well to living the dream.

This blog is part of a Powerful Conversations series written by Karen Heras-Kelly, which includes the following articles: 

  • Building bridges one conversation at a time
  • Listen to reconnect
  • Now is the time for leaders to recover to self
  • When I say Powerful Conversation, you assume?

You can catch up on the full series at https://www.atribecalledwoman.com/category/blog/ Karen is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, meditation and creative visualisation expert. Karen is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman and the Breathe Time at work project.

24Mar

Listen to reconnect by Karen Heras-Kelly

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog, Blog Home Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog, Blog Home

 Wellbeing, mental health and how to start new conversations

Covid19 may have halted the way we live our lives, but it has also created wider opportunities to reset and re-emerge. We have all been given time to reset the balance within ourselves, to look at the old stories (and beliefs) we are recreating in life, to clean up, let go of judgements and step into creative leadership.

Perhaps this was the energy we entered into at the start of the pandemic, but one year down the line, our resilience and patience are being tested. So how do you truly support yourself and your people to rise through adversity in the here and now?

Let’s start with listening and everyday conversations:

  • If your people are sick in any way, it will be present in the conversations that are happening or not happening. 
  • Take time to make space for seemingly pointless, everyday conversations and listen with your heart for the cues that reveal where they really are. This does not need to be a complicated process, a simple, “how are you feeling today?” works well.
  • If you tune in, really tune in, you will often hear any words of distress hidden within seemingly everyday conversations. Often, by acknowledging what you are hearing and sensing, you can help someone to feel supported and encourage them to take a positive step.
  • If you listen with your ears what do you hear? 
  • If you listen with your eyes what do you see? 
  • If you listen with your heart, what do you feel when you engage with a colleague who is struggling on the inside?
  • And if you listen with your instincts what do you know? 

Do not automatically trust what you necessarily see (especially through a screen) or what someone is saying, it’s not easy to ask for help, to say I’m struggling when mental health is an issue. This is the time when ironically, we want to hide, pretend and shut down, it’s a time when the pseudo ego can take over. 

But here’s the truth, the time to act is before someone goes into survival mode. In many ways, a proactive strategy is required, as when survival mode is in place it’s going to take more focus to rebuild your people.

Creating an open space to listen builds bridges from here to there – Karen in action during a feminine leadership training pre Covid19.

Build in time to have an everyday, Powerful Conversation and create an environment of safety because job insecurity is creating extra pressure and anxiety. “Hey, I wanted to check in on you today, how are you feeling at the moment?” If you have any data you can add it, “I’m noticing you’ve been quiet in zoom meetings, so I wanted to connect?” Ask about family, animals, hobbies, their favourite food, music, anything other than work and allow yourself to relax into the conversation to see what is needed.

Remember it’s not your responsibility to fix, however by listening you are creating a bridge from there to here and strengthening your relationships.

This blog is part of a Powerful Conversations series written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Karen is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Leadership facilitator, meditation and creative visualisation expert. Karen is the founder of A Tribe Called Woman and the Breathe Time at work project.

16Aug

Why I no longer aspire to be Wonder Woman or any other pseudo-female

Written by Karen Heras-Kelly. Posted in Blog Written by Karen Heras-Kelly on . Posted in Blog

Who did you look up to when you were a child and what does this choice reveal to you? Who inspires you today and what’s the deeper meaning of those you follow? My childhood role model was Wonder Woman because I aspired to her beauty, intelligence and power. As an adult, I see a feminine warrior, fighting for justice from a place of compassion and heart, so it’s easy to understand why she had an impact on me. I also see the damage done by this outdated notion that women have to be and have it all, beautifully poised and groomed while fighting on the right side of the law.

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