Hello and welcome to our latest newsletter…

Today we’re talking about mindset – why mindset matters, what’s helpful and what we can do to work on our mindset.

We’re also sharing a helpful self-coaching tool and shining a spotlight on our Work Life Discovery Coaching Workshops.

Finally if you work in Energy, Tech or Fire and Rescue – scroll to the end for details of programmes and workshops just for you!

So why not take a short break, now or later and take a few moments for yourself…

In this blog from BetterUp Elizabeth Perry shares that:

And in this article from VeryWellMind:

So we know it’s something worth looking at but is positive thinking something we can improve and learn, and how can we do it?

According to Dr. Martin Seligman it is absolutely something we can learn, the title of his book ‘Learned Optimism’ is a key indicator.

He tells us that optimism is a cognitive skill you can actively develop rather than just an inherent trait. By changing how you interpret events, you can break the habit of negative thinking and his ABCDE technique is a specific way to help. Have a look here.

So what can we do then? Just make ourselves be positive about everything?

Well no, that has challenges in itself and you may have come across this idea of “toxic positivity” as highlighted in this article from The Guardian

So instead we can look at it this way…from verywellmind:

So what can we do to cultivate a mindset that’s positive and helpful for us? We find this a fascinating topic and from all of our reading we’ve summarised our take of some of the best ideas:

1. Reframe unhelpful thoughts and focus on more positive, helpful ones – remember you can choose how you want to think about a situation or yourself, by changing how you think you can impact how you feel, and therefore behave – we share a simple tool to help in ‘A mindful pause’ below.
2. Be present and practice mindfulness – not an easy one we know, especially when you are juggling multiple priorities but taking a moment to pause, to breathe and notice at points throughout each day can make a big difference over time.
3. Practice gratitude – you will have heard us talk about this before, because it works! Whether it’s taking a moment at the end of your day to note down 3 things you are grateful for or using a tool like ‘Hunt the good stuff’ that we shared in this previous newsletter, regularly incorporating some gratitude in your day to day is so helpful for a positive mindset, and you don’t have to just focus on the big things, the small daily moments matter too.
4. Know and accept yourself – what makes you happy? What are your strengths? What is most important to you? If you are clear about this then comparison with others is less important, we can feel more positive about ourselves and our mindset shifts. Our coaching tool here can be a good place to start.
5. Connect with others – we hear all the time that when women come together and share, they feel so much less alone with whatever they are facing. Being around other people who have or are working on their own positive mindset can help lift your mood and support you as you work on yours and you can do the same for others too!
6. Notice the small steps – when we are working towards a vision or big goal we can often forget about the progress we are making, remember each small step is moving you closer to your goal so take a moment to notice and give yourself credit.
7. Consider a growth rather than a fixed mindset – Carol Dweck’s work in this area is fascinating. In this article we are told that “By having a growth mindset, you are more likely to take on challenging tasks and succeed at them because you are more willing to try new strategies or increase your effort than students with a fixed mindset.” One strategy that can help is to use the word “yet”, for example I don’t know how to solve this problem yet this focuses your mind the potential for improvement and allows you to move forward rather than get stuck.
8. Don’t forget the self-care – we all know about self-care, and it’s an easy one to dismiss, but focusing on you and starting with the basics; sleep, healthy diet, fresh air, movement can go a long way to supporting a positive and helpful mindset.

 

So how are you doing against each of these? Maybe pick one or two ideas to work on in the coming months and see the impact on your mindset.

 

 

So many of you have joined us for our Work Life Discovery Coaching Workshop over the years and we’re so pleased it continues to resonate.

When we began talking about setting up Women to Work in 2013 it was important for us to find a way to make coaching accessible for all women. We charged a small fee for the workshop at first, but soon realised that the women just couldn’t justify the investment when it was for ‘themselves’ rather than for home, family, work…they were putting themselves at the bottom of the pile.

So we removed that barrier and decided to offer the workshop for free, and we’ve been doing it for many years now, first in person in Sheffield and then on Zoom. We’ve met so many women over the years and we hear time and time again how the topics we cover are so helpful and the chance to connect with other women is so valuable.

As one recent delegate told us:

“The workshop helped me uncover my core values, recognise my personal strengths, and craft a clear vision for my future — along with a practical action plan to make it happen. The trainers were absolutely fantastic: knowledgeable, supportive, and genuinely inspiring. One of the best parts was connecting with other women who are in a similar place in life—our conversations were honest, empowering, and deeply meaningful. And to think this was all offered for free…just incredible. I left feeling energized, focused, and ready to take the next step.”

So, if you’ve been thinking of joining us, please do! We’d love to welcome you. The groups are small, friendly and welcoming, and if you joined us some time ago you are always welcome again, the tools we share are relevant to revisit, we often do them ourselves!

You can find out more or book a place here.

Alternatively, if you’re someone who prefers to work on something over a longer period and on your own take a look at our Online Workbook or for some personalised support, we offer One to One Coaching too.

Industry specific programmes and workshops

The women on our programmes and workshops tell us time and again how valuable it is to connect with other women like them, women working in the same industry who have a shared understanding.

We currently offer the following industry specific personal development coaching programmes / workshops for women. These programmes / workshops can be booked as an individual or via your organisation – to find out more or to book a place please click on the links or email info@womentowork.co.uk

Women in the Fire Service UK Women’s Development Programme – next programme starts September 2026 – find out more here.

For Women in Energy – Confidence, career planning and resilience – 4 x 1.5hr coaching workshops – next series starts in September 2026 – book your place here.

Women in Tech – as part of Women in Tech week we are delivering a 1 hour free workshop in October – Challenging negative self talk – book your place here.

“The Women to Work ‘Women in Energy’ programme of workshops were really beneficial for breaking things down into clear processes of thinking and providing techniques for developing yourself in both work and life. It was also great to hear other perspectives and learn from others within the industry.”

“I really enjoyed connecting with like minded people across the service. It highlighted the importance of making connections, advocating for yourself and leaning on others for support when needed. It was great to hear inspirational stories from all the other amazing women and see the potential for my own career and future.”

 

We hope to see you soon.

Best wishes
Emma & Jenny