It's time to Lean In.

I am so excited to share that I have led my first face to face Lean In Circle with incredible women I have met locally over the last 18 months and I left feeling so energised and hungry for more.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Lean In Circles, these were created by LeanIn.org and are defined as: small groups of women who get together, offering “a safe space to share struggles, give and get advice, and celebrate each other’s wins.”

There are currently 56,000 Circle Leaders in 188 countries and anyone can become a Lean In Circle leader.

As this closely aligns with my ethos, I decided to Lean In a while back. I did this virtually with friends, sometimes with past clients. But I felt I needed more. I have always wanted to positively impact my community. Having recently moved, I decided it was time to challenge myself and bring local women together.

So six of us got together in a tiny pub full of Wednesday cheer, in my new home - central Winchester. As the leader of this circle, I was nervous, excited and hopeful all at once. None of us really knew each other. What if no one gets along? What if I am not good enough to lead this circle? What if these women find it a waste of time? These were all thoughts popping through my head.

But we started the chat. We began by just getting to know another and the conversation flowed so naturally. We ended up discussing everything - from who we are and what we aspire to be, to who takes on the burden of doing the laundry and the packing before going away, those feelings of inadequacy we feel at times at work or as a parent, and the mental load. We celebrated our partners and our lives, while also recognising we all strive for more.

We laughed. We listened intently. We shared. We challenged. And there it was the beginning of our journey towards vulnerability. And as Brene Brown, an American research professor says, “Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage.”

So to all of you women out there, Lean In. Join a circle. Lead a Circle. There is space for each and everyone of you.

I firmly believe that together, with the support of all the incredible men in our lives, we can make a difference.