Dear reader,

Firstly, many of you sent me such kind and thoughtful messages after last week’s letter on friendship breakups. Thank you for the love! 💛

A long weekend at a cottage in the countryside could not come at a better time to go be, process and feel.

My friend and I decided to take a full phone and social media break for the weekend. We stayed in the most beautiful cottage in New Forest—straight out of The Holiday! I mean, look at this...

We want to go back. Honestly, it was dreamy.

I’m feeling resistant right now being on laptop typing this. I feel resistant being on my phone. I could have gone a whole week without it. The experience was liberating.

So, I thought I’d share what I observed during this weekend about it.

What I noticed from taking a break from my phone:

🌍 We live more on our phones than in the world.
I’ve noticed we don’t take the world in through our own eyes enough. We experience so much of life through screens. We live in a constant flow of notifications, and it all washes over us, leaving us drained and overwhelmed. We scroll, thinking it’s a mind break, when in reality, it depletes us even more. We feel we have to respond instantly, when delayed gratification is totally okay.

📵 I felt resistant to picking it back up.
That’s what a break does. It makes you realize how much lighter your mind feels without the constant pings, notifications, and endless scrolling.

👀 You become more present.
We took in every moment with all our senses—whether it was a cozy roast dinner, hearing the sounds of the fire place, the sight of wild ponies roaming the moors, or the crisp spring air. Sometimes, not taking an Instagram photo lets you savour the moment even more.

😴 I slept better than I have in months.
Science backs this up—blue light from screens interferes with melatonin production, which affects sleep quality. Not having that screen time before bed (and replacing it with a book instead!) made such a difference.

🧘‍♀️ My mind felt more at peace.
Constant phone use increases cortisol levels (our stress hormone). Without the noise of social media or the pressure to respond instantly, I felt a deeper sense of calm.

🚫 No imposter syndrome.
The endless noise of comparison and pressure was gone. Without seeing what everyone else was doing, I wasn’t measuring myself against that. I felt more content, more accepting, more enough, just where I was.

💭 It freed up space to hear myself.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, I highly recommend a phone break. It gives you the mental space to tune in, reflect, and hear what’s truly going on inside.

How can you bring this into your daily routine?

✨ Try having at least an hour without screens in the morning and before bed.
✨ Set ‘phone-free’ time! Maybe a Sunday afternoon, or an evening each week.

If you want to join me in carving out some screen-free time, I’m hosting the Connected Circle next week, which is a beautiful way to do that. It’s a space to quiet the noise and get present with yourself and others whilst connecting and moving, without distractions.

I would love to see you there! More details below.

With love,
Es

🫀 THE CONNECTED CIRCLE:
Bold & Brave Boundary Setting🫀

 📅 Thursday, April 10th
⏳ 7pm-9pm |
📍 The Bath House | Hackney Wick

WHAT IS THE CONNECTED CIRCLE?

The Connected Circle is a 2-hour guided sharing circle designed to foster meaningful connections through mindfulness, reflective conversations, and interactive connection activities. This is a space where we co-create a heartful experience, rooted in real-time, authentic sharing.

💡 This Month's Theme: BOLD & BRAVE BOUNDARY SETTING
Setting boundaries is an act of self-respect and courage. In this month's circle, we will explore what it means to set and uphold boundaries with confidence, clarity, and compassion—in friendships, relationships, work, and everyday life.

THIS SPACE IS FOR YOU IF:

✔️ You struggle to say no and often put others’ needs before your own.
✔️ You want to set boundaries without guilt and express your needs with confidence.
✔️ You feel drained by one-sided relationships or overcommitment.
✔️ You crave deep, authentic conversations that nourish your heart.
✔️ You're navigating life transitions, heartbreak, burnout, or change and need support in protecting your energy.
✔️ You long to be part of a supportive, diverse community where vulnerability is met with kindness.
✔️ You’re ready to step into your power by setting boundaries that honor your well-being.

Boundaries aren’t about pushing people away—they’re about creating space for deeper, healthier connections. If this resonates, this circle is for you. 💛

What to Expect:

💛 Mindful Opening – A guided meditation to shift from ‘doing’ to ‘being’.
💬 Connection Cards – Use of connection cards to ease into meaningful conversations.
🤝 Sharing Circle – A prompted sharing circle about boundaries.
👥 Paired Activity: Boundaries in Action – Engage in real-life boundary-setting scenarios in pairs to understand how boundary setting is experienced in somatic level.
🧘‍♀️ Closing Meditation – A restful practice to integrate the evening’s insights.

There’s no pressure to talk—sometimes, just being present is enough. This is a place where silence is honored, stories are welcomed, and every emotion has space to exist.

Come alone or bring a friend and let's empower ourselves and each other with the power of boundary setting!

✨ Reserve your spot now!