Hello friend.
Welcome to Authoring Hope.
The Coffee Shop Sessions.
There's something I love about sitting in the familiar atmosphere of a coffee shop.
The quiet conversations,
The background noise.
The warmth of a drink in your hands.
And the feeling that life is moving around you while you take a moment to pause within it.
These sessions are designed to help you sink into that pause and claim it.
And invite you to write a little with a space to reflect,
To breathe,
To journal.
And to reconnect with yourself for a little while.
I'll gently guide you through each session with prompts,
Reflections and writing exercises.
Designed to help you find a little clarity.
Process your thoughts.
And explore what's happening beneath the surface.
And while I loved this idea of a coffee shop.
You really can do this anywhere.
A quiet room at home.
Park bench,
A train journey.
Or a cosy corner of a library.
The important thing is simply this.
You're choosing to pause intentionally.
So wherever you are and whatever's in your cup.
I'm really glad you're here.
Today's journey is called Tides,
To navigate change.
Gather whatever drink you would like.
As we settle into place.
Life moves in seasons.
And some tides bring things in.
And others carry things away.
This session is for the in-between.
When something is changing.
Ending.
Beginning or quietly reshaping you.
Open your notebook.
Take a sip of your drink.
As we take them.
A little time to arrive.
If it's comfortable to do so where you are,
Perhaps we close the eyes.
And imagine the rhythm of water.
Drawing in.
And drawing out.
And we can echo that with our breath.
Drawing in.
Flooring out.
Completely unhurried.
And as we consider this rhythm.
Of breath and time.
We might consider.
What in our lives currently feels like movement.
Could be a transition.
Question.
A loss.
A possibility.
Or a coming.
You might ask yourself.
What is changing within me right now?
And just when you feel ready.
You may open the eyes if they're closed.
And we'll begin writing with our first prompt.
Our first of three writing prompts is,
What am I currently outgrowing?
What am I currently outgrowing?
It could be a mindset or a role.
An old identity or a relationship dynamic.
Will take seven minutes to write about what no longer fits.
For seven minutes.
What am I currently outgrowing?
As we come to the end of our seven minutes,
You can finish any thoughts or ideas.
And our second writing prompt is,
What am I being invited into?
What am I being invited into?
Even space of uncertainty can carry invitations.
What possibilities might be emerging.
What new desires,
Strengths or directions are appearing.
For seven minutes,
What am I being invited into?
Coming to the close of those seven minutes.
Take your time to finish what you're writing.
And for our third writing prompt.
What feels difficult about this season of change.
What might feel unclear or what might we be fearful of losing.
What are we grieving?
We'll see if we can give language to the transition.
So for seven minutes.
What feels difficult about this season of change.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Our seven minutes is coming to a close.
So take your time to finish your words,
Your sentence,
Your idea.
And you can take pause here if you'd like to take some lovely sips of your drink or if you'd like to take a little stretch.
Wiggle,
A little reset.
When you feel ready,
We're going to take our deeper dive writing tasks.
You're going to have 12 minutes.
To write a conversation between your past self your present self and your future self.
Let each version of you speak.
What does your past self need to acknowledge?
What is your present self?
Struggling to hold.
And what wisdom.
It's your future self.
Offer.
You can allow the dialogue to unfold in whatever way comes to you.
For 12 minutes.
Write a conversation between your past and present.
Present and future selves.
You can take your time as we come to the end of both our 12-minute writing tasks.
And the end of our time together is in sight.
You can take all the time you like to look back over your writing.
You might notice what words are repeated,
Or notice what surprised you.
Even in transition.
There are things we can trust in.
And maybe that is connected to what you have written today.
As we find our way back to the shore.
Thank you for sharing these moments with me.
I hope this session gave you a little space to pause amidst the familiar hum of life.
A quiet moment to gather your thoughts.
Conjure new ideas.
And let plans gently brew.
Farewell for now.
And until next time.
Keep writing.
Keep reflecting.
And keep authoring hope.
