Why Women's Wellbeing needs more than just 'coping'

For much of my life, I learned early to be strong, responsible, and resilient - often at the expense of my own needs. Over time, I realised that what we often call 'coping' is actually quiet endurance. And endurance, while admirable, can come at a cost.

Happy Mind Wellbeing Coach was created because I reached a point where coping was no longer enough. I wanted to understand why my body and mind were responding the way they were - and more importantly, how women could be supported to reconnect with themselves in a kinder, more sustainable way.

Women's Wellbeing is not One-Size-Fits-All!

Women's wellbeing is deeply affected by:

*Hormonal changes (including perimenopause and menopause)

*Trauma and life experiences

*Caring responsibilities

*Medical dismissal

*Body changes we did not choose

*The pressure to 'hold it all together'

"Holding it all together"

Yet too often women are offered surface-level solutions that can sometimes feel like a tick boxing, condescending, one way conversation that does not offer positive outcomes. Sometimes these surface level solutions can sound like:

*Keep pushing through

*Maybe some anti- depressants could help

*Women are resilient

*Sometimes you have to learn to cope with the stress

*Maybe you need to improve your diet

*Or - "Stop being so selfish, I have real patients to deal with" - yes, this was a statement said to me by my GP when I was heading from ante-natal depression to post-natal depression (even quicker with the help of my then GP)

What is often missing is space to feel heard, to be truly listened to, and tools that help women understand their own patterns, rather than trying to fit into someone else's idea of wellness.

From Lived Experience to Purpose

My work is shaped by lived experience, education, mindfulness practice, holistic approaches, and years of working with women in community settings.

I don't believe women are broken, I believe many women are exhausted from adapting and bending to fit a narrative that they truly don't resonate with as it is easier than trying to be heard or to explain how they feel, when they sometimes they really dont know how to explain how they feel - how many times have women walked out of the GP surgeries with pain relief, a leaflet to self sign post to something that is not relevant, or feeling even flatter than they did before they went in.

That experience and belief nearly led me to accept that was just they way my life was meant to be. However, something in me felt compelled to start being kinder to myself and start believing that I deserved better which led me to develop something practical, compassionate, and grounded in real life accessible ways that would improve not only my life, but my daughters lives too. This was about letting go of what should be and accepting what is and what could be. I created a way for not only myself to know who I was, but for other women to start learning about who they were too.

The Women's Wellness Manual

I created 'The Women's Wellness Manual' which is not a self-help book telling you how you should be.

It is a personal, reflective guide that helps you understand:

*What you are like when you are well

*What changes when you are not well

*How stress, hormones, emotions, and life events show up in your body

*Early warning signs before you spiral

*What actually helps you feel regulated and grounded

Think of it as:

'A manual for how you operate - not how you are expected to operate'

The manual encourages curiosity instead of self-criticism, and awareness instead of suppression.

Wellbeing in Nature and in your community

Alongside the manual, my work includes

*Outdoor wellbeing sessions

*Mindfulness based practices in nature

*Community conversations around health and wellbeing

*Creating safe, non-judgemental spaces for women to reconnect with themselves

Nature plays a key role in my work - not as a trend but as a reminder that we are not meant to be productive and on the go all the time, we are allowed to give ourselves space to:

Regulate, Rest, Reconnect and Re-establish connection within.

Rebellion in Plain Sight

Women are often praised for coping quietly, multi-tasking, spinning plates so effortlessly that no one sees that sometimes it is all an act. It is safer to just get on with it as asking for help can sometimes feel like a weakness.

'Mask - Don't Ask'

But that mask can and will slip, and this is where change happens - the Rebellion!

Sometimes rebellion doesn't look loud, sometimes it can look like:

Listening to your body

Questioning what you've been told is 'normal'

Choosing to understand over endurance

Giving yourself permission to exist as you are

That quiet yet tenacious shift is powerful - You are Powerful

An Invitation

Happy Mind Wellbeing Coach exists for women who:

*Feel unheard or overlooked

*Are tired of pretending they are fine

*Want to understand themselves, not fix themselves (you are not broken)

*Are ready for embracing alternative approaches to improve their wellbeing that feels person centred not performative

You are not hard to reach, you are not a statistic, you are not just meant to get on with it, you are an amazing, beautiful, vibrant, spiritual, energetic, individual, quirky, unique, shy, happy, quiet, tenacious women who has been easy to ignore!

You matter, so why don't you start Rebelling in Plain sight.

All my love

Melissa x