Hello and welcome! I’m Claire, founder of Woman on a Mission, a place designed to help women feel calm, confident and energised every day. Here on the Woman on a Mission blog, I share practical tips, inspiration and small, meaningful missions to support you in your home, lifestyle and wellbeing.
I’m so pleased you’re here. Grab a comfy seat, a cup of something lovely, and let’s dive in.
My Story.
I’ve always loved helping people feel their best. My first career was in Oncology Nursing, where I learned the true meaning of compassion, resilience and balance. After becoming a mum, I retrained as a Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach, creating Devon Fit Camp and later wellbeing retreats across the UK and Europe. Those years taught me that true wellness isn’t just about fitness, it’s about creating calm and confidence in every part of life.
My journey has also been shaped by my experiences with cancer, both personally and professionally. At the time of writing, I’ve completed the London Marathon four consecutive years, raising funds for Coppafeel! and Cancer Research UK and a couple more since for DKMS, the Blood Cancer Charity, of which I’m a proud ambassador. These causes are incredibly close to my heart, and you’ll find more about my fundraising and advocacy work here.
I love seeing my friends and family happy, being by the sea, interiors, candles, white flowers, a good Sauvignon (although I’ve been pretty tee-total over the last year or so) and sunny days, whatever the season.
Why Woman on a Mission Matters ?
Woman on a Mission began as a way to support the women I coached who wanted to feel more in control of their lives. It’s now a lifestyle brand that blends wellbeing, organisation, interiors and mindset. My mission is to help women feel calm, confident and energised, one small mission at a time.
Life is full of missions, big and small. Whether it’s creating healthier routines, tackling a home project, or simply taking a moment for yourself, each mission is a step toward a more balanced and fulfilling life. Your mission might be big or small, from tackling a renovation to simply leaving the house on time. Whatever it is, doing it well starts with looking after yourself first.
These mini missions are small but effective. One a week adds up to 52 in a year, 52 ways to bring positive, motivating habits into your life. Here on the blog and my Instagram, I share “mini missions” and Power Hours, small actions that can make a surprisingly big difference.
A Little About Me.
You’ll usually find me hiking along the Devon lanes (especially as the sun comes up) or out on the South West Coast Path, one of my favourite places to reset and refocus.
I can also be found at the gym or at the pilates studio, at my desk, pottering in the garden or decorating! I love being outside, feeling fit, and making our home a calm, happy space. With my children all grown up and at university, life has taken on a new rhythm, but I still love being an active and involved mum. they still swim competitively and we love to support them.
You’ll also hear me talk about my favourite “F words” — Fun, Food, Fitness, Faith (self-belief), Friendship, Family, Finance, and Focus, the foundations of a happy, fulfilled life. And of course, there are a few “f**k it” moments too, because we’re all human!
Your Mission, One Step at a Time
Whatever your mission in life, work, home, or garden, it’s good to know someone is there to support you. Our house is our home, our castle, the place we feel safe and special, and as we spend our downtime there, let’s focus on how to feel amazing while at home.
I live my life one mission at a time, hence the name, but my passion is to share my nuggets with as many people as I can. On this blog, I’ll be sharing insights on home and living, lifestyle, wellbeingandorganisation.
Join Me.
If you’re ready to create a calmer, more confident life you love, you’re in the right place. Join my Woman on a Mission community to get inspiration, practical tips and a sprinkle of motivation straight to your inbox.
I’m delighted to welcome you to the Woman on a Mission Blog. Let’s make this next chapter your happiest, most balanced one yet. This is a place where I hope to help you create boundaries around what matters most, so you feel in control and able to live guilt-free while accomplishing what’s important to you.
I’d also love to know more about you, how you found the blog, what brought you here and what you’d love to see more of. I always read the comments and truly enjoy getting to know this wonderful community, so please do say hello below. I can’t wait to hear from you.
Creating a routine each morning that works for you, which in turn helps you boost your productivity, makes all the difference to your day.
However, it is tempting to stay under the duvet as the mornings are that much darker! The consequences of tapping that snooze button once or maybe three times, are that an already busy hour becomes even more chaotic.
How have your mornings been going this week..?
Let’s start slow before we make any adjustments..
What does your routine look like at the moment?
How would you like it to look in comparison?
Grab a cuppa and 5 minutes to scribble anything that comes into your mind in your journal.
It helps to have a clear vison of the now and the wish..
I know it sounds crazy but writing it down brings a clearer idea of what you are striving to achieve.
Do you wake up every morning full of vigour, ready to tackle the day with all of your energy, youthfulness and vitality?
No? Well, if it helps, you’re not alone. Promise!
Many of us virtually sleepwalk through the morning in a serious mental and physical fog, desperately plying ourselves with coffee in an attempt to wake up!
If this sounds like you, you might think you’re just not a morning person, and there’s nothing you can do about it. This isn’t the case.
While it’s true we all have varying predispositions to being either a “night owl” or a “morning person” it is possible to boost your morning energy, with a few simple strategies.
Going to a room that’s inviting and calm to sleep really does have a positive impact on a productive day.
Get A Good Nights Sleep.
Obvious I know, a good nights sleep increases productivity to function at our best and most of us need around 8 hours of sleep each night. If this sounds too good to be true, here are a few tips:
Establish a routine.
What does your routine look like at the moment?
Go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day.
Your body loves routine, and sleeping similar hours each day helps adjust your circadian rhythms, so that you naturally fall asleep and wake up refreshed.
Vigorous exercise or mentally stressful activities in the last hour or two before bedtime, can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
Chill out and relax before you go to bed. Watching Squid Game in bed isn’t the answer to relaxed sleeping, sorry!
The body responds to light and it is much easier to sleep in a completely dark room. Light can actually interfere with the body’s production of melatonin, a neurotransmitter which helps us sleep. Keep electronics and low lighting from alarm clocks to a minimum, especially your mobile phone. In an ideal world, it should be left outside your bedroom.
Start your morning right with a healthy, feel good breakfast.
Eat A Healthy Breakfast.
One of the main causes of low energy in the morning is low blood sugar due to the overnight fast and in addition to skipping breakfast.
We know this don’t we but eating a balanced breakfast, with a source of protein, whole grain carbohydrates, and fruits or vegetables prevents that mid morning slump and reaching for the biscuit barrell.
Avoiding sugary, highly processed carbs each morning, which trigger rapid peaks and troughs in blood sugar levels, means that those dips in energy will be gone and your productivity on point!
Avoid Excessive Caffeine And Alcohol.
Many of us feel dependent on the caffeine in tea or coffee, to get us through the morning. It does indeed provide a temporary boost, although this boost isn’t always as effective as you’d first think. Excessive caffeine can impair your ability to relax and it can interfere with your usual sleep patterns too. Alcohol on the other hand, tends to disturb your sleep cycle, leading to frequent waking, a poor night’s sleep overall and maybe even adding to that foggy head in the morning!
I’ve been loving these non alcoholic drinks which I’ve been switching for a glass of fizz – they are super yummy and low in sugar too.
Exercise In The Morning
One of the best ways to boost your morning energy, and ability to concentrate, is to get some exercise first thing in the morning. It was one of the many reasons I ran my fitness camps in the mornings at 6am and 9am.
Exercise helps improve your circulation, strength and flexibility, as well as your mood.
Exercising before work also gives you more energy on the job, while boosting your creativity.
As an added bonus, many studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning are the most consistent at staying with their exercise plan.
Waiting to exercise in the afternoon or evening, problems or scheduling conflicts often occur and prevent you from getting your workout in. (I know I’m guilty of this!)
Going for a morning walk, jog, swim session, or working out in your own home ensures that no matter what else happens that day, you’ve already had a chance to exercise. No excuses, hehe!
On a side note if my workout gear is all ready to go, prepped the night before, there is another little nudge to getting it done! Especially if you have arrange to workout with a friend.
Start your morning at the day ready to be productive
Creating A Morning Ritual Helps With Productivity
Try getting into the habit of starting your day with a relaxing ritual. Bare with me, especially if your morning this morning started with the alarm not going off and everyone charging out of the door clutching shoes and toast..!
Start slow but aim high – little by little introduce the above tips and it’ll happen! Promise!
I love to set my alarm that little bit earlier and head out for a walk in the Devon lanes, meditate or stretch. I know that might sound a little strange but I am SO much more productive for doing so.
Taking time out to simply be thankful for the day ahead, listening to uplifting music will help you to feel more in control of your day and set you up to deal with whatever life throws at you.
Remember, dreary, sleepy, foggy mornings don’t have to be the norm… With a little planning and preparation, you can start your day full of energy, enthusiasm and vitality!
Let’s make those little adjustments to a calmer and more efficient life without adding more!
Welcome to this blog, based on my experiences that I hope you’ll find useful if you are preparing for your child to leave home for University for the first time. I’ve compiled a list of what we did to prepare and what we packed in the hope it helps you support your fresher and family.
Firstly, congratulations! I really think we as parents need to stop, breathe and give ourselves a pat on the back of getting this far in parenthood. Yay! I hope that by sharing my experiences of navigating this emotional rollercoaster of a time, it”ll help you feel that you’re not only not on your own but it will help you save more and spend less.
It’s hard to believe that this time last year we were through with exams, both our teens had completed GCSE’s and A levels earlier in the summer, and we were in limbo waiting for results…
Our eldest had applied to University and is the first to leave home. In all honesty, I wasn’t ready.. I’m not sure if it’s because of lockdown and all the usual landmarks of school prom, leavers assemblies and more, hadn’t happened. It seemed the lead up to this time arrived so darn quickly..
This time reminds me very much of how it was when we were expecting our girl to arrive into the world – no idea what to expect as new parents, what we would really need, (the list appeared endless for such a teeny human!) and also how we would feel as a couple becoming a family.
Except this time was so very different, we were getting ready for our 18 year old to fly out into the big wide world and my heart was breaking. Of course I wouldn’t dampen her excited spirits but we’re close and it was so very odd, knowing our lives would be changed..
“Slipping through my fingers all the time I try to capture every minute The feeling in it Slipping through my fingers all the time”
Lyrics from Slipping Through My Fingers, Abba
There seemed SO much and yet so little information out there about our young adults leaving home. This period of time reminded me of when we were expecting our second child. I was keen each of our little family equally involved in the new arrival. Except this time we were preparing for a sibling to leave home, not arrive for the first time. We are extremely lucky, our children are very close. I knew my sons life would also change, they aren’t just as siblings, they are friends. Life would be different for all of us in our little household.
What did I do? I got list writing and preparing of course! It’s what I do!
I’ve compiled a list of what we packed and what we did to prepare in the hope it helps you support your fresher and family.
Kitchen Items
The temptation is to go overboard and get one of everything you own in your home kitchen. The truth is, you really don’t need to.
Here’s what we bought and has proved very useful – our girl used everything!
Tin opener
Sharp knife
Wooden spoon
Spatula
Kitchen Tongs
Kitchen Scissors
Cheese grater
Vegetable peeler
Saucepan (1 large, 1 small)
Frying pan
2 plates, 2 bowls 2 mugs
Resealable freezer bags
Sealing clips of different sizes for bags of pasta etc.
Bedroom Items
Similar to the kitchen items, I’d advise to pack what you know you will need and anything else you can order via Amazon or use as an excuse to visit! Remember even though they have gone off to University, shops exist and they will be fine!
Prepare with an aim to make the room as homely as possible. My girl and I went to buy the dovet and covers together, it was fun deciding on a new colour scheme from her room at home. I added a couple of items which I’ll share in my next blog Little Mission ~ Helping Your Fresher Settle Into their new Life
Cushions, throws, rugs, plants and photographs all add an instant homely feel. Check University halls individual guidelines as most won’t allow items such as kettles and candles.
Storage solutions are key for Uni rooms and this is where your trusty home furnishing stores such as Ikea, Homebase, Dunelm etc come in. Baskets and under bed storage bags are invaluable.
We packed smart as much as we could.
The dovet, pillows, pillow cases, towels etc we vacum packed into storage bag which saved a huge amount of space in the car. When in the room, these bags
A top tip we were given was to simply lift the clothes out of the wardrobe on their hangers put a dustbin bag over the hangers to form a temporary cover. When you arrive, you can simply hook them straight into the hanging space!
By planning ahead and spreading the costs, over what is an extremely expensive time, I hope you will have saved a little money too. Remember facebook marketplace and many of the homestores I mentioned earlier will have offers on for Univeristy students so keep a look out.
On that note, we found that shopping earlier, especially in Ikea, was key. (not an ad at all!) The store proves very popular at this time of year so don’t leave everything to the last minute.
I really hope this has helped take away a little of the overwhelm for you and your new University student in the preparation for them flying the nest. It’s an emotional roller coaster of a time but ride the wave in the knowledge you’ve supported your little one to this stage and you aren’t alone.
Stay in touch for more in this series including helping your fresher settling into their new life and how to manage moving in day!
Let me know in the comments if this helped and how you’re feeling.
On the day that traditionally is the Monday in January when people feel more sad, I’m sharing my simple and effective ways to stop the Blues. Do you have the Blues this January? It’s not uncommon.
Some people call today Blue Monday but this year it seems it’s taking some of us longer to get over the January blues.
Why is that?
Christmas and all the festivities that come with it is over..
New Year has been celebrated and the Champagne corks have been tidied along with several trips to the bottle bank!!
You may still even be finding pine needles!
Normality (whatever that is!) has resumed!
It’s cold and dark and although we’ve had a dry winter, summer seems a long way off. Oh and then to top it all off your friendly postie arrives with some bills!
No more ‘happy” post filling our letter boxes but those hideous brown envelopes informing us we need to pay the bills.
Darn it – everything was happy and smiley and we forgot reality for a while. Yes this week is a week when many of us feel a bit blue!
‘No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world’
robin williams
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a recognised condition. It’s also known as Winter Depression, winter blues, summer depression, summer blues or seasonal depression.. a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms during the winter or summer…
So no, you are not going mad if you feel a bit blue this week..
Join in the conversation on Instagram or Facebook and link in with this weeks Mission to help combat those blues.
What’s your plan of attack this January..?
Are you feeling overwhelmed, not sure where to start?
Maybe you’ve had so many big ideas this New Year that this year was going to be different to last year and maybe the year before that, but it’s all fallen a bit flat?
If you’d like a helping hand with your Missions this year, I’d love to help. Visit my Instagram or join my free Facebook Group “Mission HQ” for this weeks Mission and where you can join the conversation.
‘Extraordinary things are always hiding in places people never think to look’
Jodi picoult
Here are my top tips to stop the Blues this January and help you feeling a little bit brighter again.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s OK to have a good cry or feel a bit rubbish sometimes, it’s how you deal with it that counts.
Talk to loved ones and good friends, it’s OK to be vulnerable and share how you are feeling.
Be kind to yourself, holistically. Self care goes a long way especially at this time of year.
My Free Consistency Checklist is a tool to help you keep track of your progress each day. Be consistent with your actions; stay hydrated, eat fresh foods and make sure you get plenty of sleep and you’ll be amazed with the difference it makes.
Get outside in the fresh air..
You might be reading this when there is possibly a howling gale going on outside and snow might even be forecast but wear the right clothes are you will feel better for it. Honest, even if it’s a quick trip around the block!
Get some Vitamin D in you!
We all know that vitamin D is essential for maintenance of teeth and bone health. It does this by supporting the incorporation of calcium and reducing the loss of calcium from the teeth and bone structure. But did you know that if your vitamin D levels are low, you can feel blue?
A way to boost your vitamin D and your immune system, especially in winter when there is not much sun around is to do so with a Vitamin D supplement. I love these ones.
Light Therapy.
Light helps relieve the blue feeling also, although there is not much light around at the moment. Something else you can try is an investment in a Dawn Alarm Clock..
There are lots on the market, with lots of different price tags! However, they have been proved to be very effective and an 85% better response than using bright light therapies.
They work by waking you up with a gradual brightening light – helping you feel alert and energised all day. The light cues your body to produce more cortisol, setting a sleep and wake cycle which aids early mornings and beating those winter blues.
* A study in 2012 showed that patents who used dawn alarm clock experienced improvement during the first week and increased results throughout several weeks.
Most studies have found the dawn alarm clocks most effective seasonally as opposed to all year round, until frequent natural light exposure is naturally obtained. i.e. the clocks go back and spring has sprung!
Avery D.
Interesting don’t you think?
Finally, if the blues don’t seem to be going away, please don’t be afraid of seeking professional help, You don’t have to deal with them on your own.
The moon and the sun this evening at The RingFeeder – a view that always makes me smile. The beautiful South Hams, Devon at it’s best.
Before I go, here’s a quick fix you can do right now, so stop what you’re doing and give these a try!
* Scribble a list of all the things that make you smile.. * Stick on a top tune and dance around the kitchen. Feel free to check out my playlists on Spotify * Look through a photo album of a fun summer holidays and plan another. * Release those feel-good endorphins!
Whatever your Mission this year, this January, be sure that by trying these quick little tips, will help do a little something to keep the Blues this January at bay. .
Escaping into a beautiful book – bliss.
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll know that my “go to” treat to cheer me up is a walk in the great outdoors, flowers, candles and of course hugs from my family too.. Guaranteed to make me smile every time and they are calorie free too 😉
I’d love top know what you are doing to stop the blues this January. Let me know in the comments.
Wishing you a very Happy Monday,
PS Remember you can find some free organisational tools that will help reduce overwhelm and help you feel more in control.
* (Avery, D. H.; Eder, D. N.; Bolte, M. A.; Hellekson, C. J.; Dunner, D. L.; Vitiello, M. V.; Prinz, P. N. (2001). “Dawn simulation and bright light in the treatment of SAD: A controlled study”.Biological psychiatry 50 (3): 205“216) (The Can-SAD Study: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Light Therapy and Fluoxetine in Patients with Winter Seasonal Affective Disorder”.American Journal of Psychiatry163 (5): 805“812.
** Woman on a Mission will occasionally contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase from an affiliate site, then I may make a very small commission from that purchase but this will not cost you anything additional at all. Any sponsored posts will be noted as such but as always I only include products that I truly love and I will always be 100% authentic.
It’s January 2022. How are you reflecting on the last 12 months? It’s certainly been a turbulent time – many highs and lows. The week between Christmas and New Year is often a time where we sit and reflect on the year. However for me, this is best done when the decorations are down, teens have gone back to school and there is a little space to breathe.
I’d love you to make time to sit and reflect in a cosy spot this week with a mug of something lovely and your favourite journal or notebook. I’ll be guiding you through a simple yet powerful way to reflect in order to feel empowered moving into this next year.
Firstly, before we delve in, I really want to share my gratitude to each and everyone of you who have subscribed and read my blog, followed along on my instagram and social channels. Every comment and message has been fabulous. I’m excited to be sharing more with you over the next year. I truly believe 2022 is going to been to remember don’t you?
“Life’s not about expecting, hoping and wishing, it’s about doing, being and becoming.”
There are two main questions I’d love you to consider whilst reading this post.
What is the biggest thing you have learned about yourself this year?
What will you be reflecting on this time next year?
Don’t worry; you won’t need to answer them right now!
Things are different today. Uncertain.
We have woken up every day for almost two years trying to digest the enormity of what is happening in the world around us..
We’ve baked, created, home schooled, worked out in the garden, worked from home, even finished jigsaws and so much more but have we actually taken the time to scribe and put on down paper how this decade has affected us to date?
If us grown-ups find it hard to comprehend, how do our children even begin to take it all in..?
I’ve always been a big fan of journaling – it helps free the mind, especially at the end of the year, as we start a brand new one. Taking the time to reflect, acknowledge what you’ve achieved and how you feel about everything is key. It’s often as we do this, we appreciate there are probably way more successes that you first imagined.
“Identify your problems but give your power and energy to solutions.”
tony robbins
I’m going to invite you to journal about last year…
Sounds scary – it’s not trust me. I’m sharing a format with you I’ve used for years with my coaching clients and also with my children. It’s simple but effective. Grab a comfy spot and let’s dig in!
WINS – what have been the highlights of your year
I wonder if you’ve taken time to celebrate each Win as it’s happened, without flying onto the next thing?
It’s easy to forget all that comes with a win, the lead up, the effort taken to get there.
At times a BIG win can be an anticlimax so it’s important to STOP and take a moment to celebrate! Write each win down and if you’ve not celebrate yet… take a moment to consider how you will acknowledge your achievements of last year, no matter how big or how small. A win is a win!
STRUGGLES – what been you been struggling with..
There have been so many struggles we’ve had to deal with individually and as a Nation over the last year. each one of us has a different experience. But you’re here, you got through it and are that much stronger because of it.
Use this time to journal your reflection on what exactly you struggled specifically with and with that in mind, what you might need to let go of this forthcoming year.
LESSONS – what have you learned from the wins and struggles..
Putting the Wins and Struggles together..
Often we can put emotion into an event or a time line but when able to reflect back this way, you’ll always be able to see there will be something you can take forward.
Looking back without emotion, we can see events clearer, enabling us to learn from any event or even a whole year.
“It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.”
paulo coelho
Wherever you decide to journal and document your review or thoughts about last year, make sure you’re warm, cosy and have a drink to hand xx
Remember those questions I asked you to consider whilst reading this post?
What is the biggest thing you have learned about yourself this year?
Finally, how can you plan to make this forthcoming day and year even better?
What will you be reflecting on this time next year?
I love this quote from Judy Garland and think it would be wonderful if we all lived by it, don’t you?
“Well, we have a whole new year ahead of us. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all be a little more gentle with each other, a little more loving, and have a little more empathy, and maybe, next year at this time we’d like each other a little more.”
judy garland
Let me know how you get on with the Reflection. You may even want to do this with your family and friends.
Please share this post with anyone you think would love it too..
I’m the creator of Woman on a Mission, a lifestyle space dedicated to helping women bring more calm, confidence and balance into everyday life. Born from my own journey to slow down and live with greater intention, it offers inspiration around wellbeing, organisation, home and mindset, one meaningful mission at a time
Establish a routine.
