Hello & Welcome to the Honouring Your True Self Community!

Are you exhausted from looking after everyone else but find it hard to stop
over-giving?

Are you fed up of repressing, suppressing and ignoring parts of yourself that are screaming to be expressed?

Do you long to rest and play more?

This is a Magazine for deeply caring and over giving people pleasers who want to make the shift from Exhausted Caretakers to Empowered Caretakers.

It is my intention to build this magazine into a cosy space where we can collaborate, get support and share, the good the bad and the ugly of
Becoming Our True Selves.

I am looking for people to collaborate on this project with guest posts, your own stories of success, podcast interviews (especially if you have overcome adversity) and more. I would love to hear from you if being here sparks ideas and you would like to connect.
Get in touch by emailing: yourtrueself@proton.me

It is possible, more healthy and desireable to remain caring AND feel nourished, fulfilled, fully expressed and happy in yourself.

Being in Community means you feel less alone and gives you the peer support you need when you lack confidence and need a boost.

Sharing your Thoughts, Ideas and Struggles about what stops you Flourishing and what needs to happen for you to Nurture your Nature, you learn to TRUST yourself and Thrive rather than just Survive.

If you are a caretaker or people pleaser running on empty, feel numb or are functioning on autopilot and want to get some zest back into your life, you’re in the right place and we would love it if you came and joined us.

“Karen helps you to understand your own behaviours, where they originate from and how these patterns can prevent you from putting yourself first. Clearing the path to seeing what your personal needs are, gives great release and confidence to accept and listen to your true self.” Lucy Anderburg

Subscribers get regular inspiration

Discussions, Explorations and Encouragement while Cultivating Compassion for Yourself.
The chance to be part of a Community of Empowered Caretakers all helping each other succeed.
Private Community Chat Threads to Support each other when you’re frightened, stuck or confused
Find the confidence to be more Discerning in Prioritising your Wellbeing & Trust Yourself while you Cultivate Healthy Boundaries and Self-Care.
Feel Inspired and Motivated by other people’s stories while making the shift from Exhausted Caretaker to Empowered Caretaker

“Karen is the most beautiful person I’ve met in a very long time. She exudes a rare gentleness and authenticity that inspire confidence and trust without judgement. She’s been through immense difficulties herself and turned her experience of the darkest times into joy, a zest for life and a genuine desire to help the rest of us to do the same.” Emma Jones

A bit about me

I am a recovering people pleaser and over giver and at my core a deeply caring person.

As a multi-passionate chameleon my interests flit from one thing to another. I like to dance through life doing a variety of things. This can look to other people like I don’t care or don’t finish things and used to make me feel ashamed. But the truth is this is how I maintain a sense of flow and wonder for life and I am learning to embrace this quality in myself.

As an emotional being (which most of us are) I am learning to feel again. At a very young age I learned to suppress my emotions and repress my true authentic self in order to feel accepted and safe. But I now know that it’s safe to be myself and that was my immature child self trying to make sense of the world. She also needs acceptance and compassion.

I am working towards building a life where I can wake up in the morning and do whatever I feel like doing. Shoulds, oughts and musts are being thrown out in favour of honouring and trusting my own needs, wants and desires unapologetically. More solitude. More fun. More play. More creativity. More time in nature. More learning, expanding and evolving. And more rest.

I follow a simple, healthy lifestyle and live aligned with my values as much as possible.

I brought up a large family of children and step children with my husband. I am an art, colour, nature, cat and people lover. A Quiet, Gentle, Sensitive Introvert. I have a gift for making the complicated simple, organising and systemising home environments and a common-sense approach to life.

I have been through some profound experiences (losing my eldest son, brother a friend and an uncle in three separate road crashes in one year being among them) that shape and inform who I am and how I work and live.

I was a Life Coach for almost twenty years and before that a nurse.

Please note, I am no longer coaching. ^😊

^{Instead I am following my passions for creativity through writing, painting, sewing, knitting and other creative endevours when I get the chance.}

I am a published author with the short story of my son’s death in this anthology of inspiring stories: Believe You Can Live a Life You Love at 50+: True Stories to Inspire Women by Sue Williams

Where I live

I live in the beautiful British countryside, in an old rustic farmhouse, with my husband, three adult sons (aka kidults) and two kitties called Misty (or often Fluffy) and Marigold. Guess which is which. 😆

“The world changes not because someone tells us to do something, but because we each make a decision to do something different. Karen has done just that!”

Linda Parkinson Hardman, The Writing Shed

I look forward to connecting with you soon.

With Love
From my True Self to Yours
xx Karen xx

PS. If you would like to contribute or collaborate please get in touch by emailing Karen with this email: yourtrueself@proton.me

PPS. If you subscribe and download the substack app, you can view any of the posts without having to find them in your email inbox.