It’s 2024.
The gifting industry is booming (the UK market alone is valued at £10 billion) yet overwhelm, loneliness and isolation are at an all-time high. It’s harder than ever to show up for ones we love in meaningful, impactful ways and as individuals, we’re more disconnected than ever before.
Somewhere along the way we’ve lost sight of what really matters, what really helps during life’s big and sometimes not so big moments. And it's impacting how we as a society respond to each other in times of need.
I intend to uncover why as I journey in pursuit of what I’m coining “The Art of Showing Up”.
Or to put it differently, how to ensure that you never find yourself saying “I wish I knew how to help” again, and our inner circles, aka the people we love the most, are NEVER ever doing it alone.
I don’t yet have the answers. But I have started my research.
In fact, I’ve spoken to hundreds of women, just like you, who each generously shared their stories, their lived experiences, and candidly revealed what actually helped them through. (Spoiler – it wasn’t ‘stuff’ ordered from a generic gifting site. In many cases it wasn’t purchased at all).
As I’ve gathered insights, listened to stories and collected anecdotes, I’ve compiled a list of all the ways in which we can show up for each other which ensure we feel seen, heard and supported.
In time I intend to formalise my findings through four key pillars: How to Show Up, When to Show Up, What to Show Up With, and How to Ask For help.
But for now, to start, I share with you this…
The Art of Showing Up – a manifesto in the making:
Inner circle, not the masses.
The ones you love the most, the handful of people who know you inside and out, who look after you when you’re too busy looking after everyone else.
Moments, not milestones.
Birthdays, Anniversaries, Holidays, Promotions, Loss, Heartbreak… These milestones punctuate our weeks, months, years, lives… but cumulatively they do not make a life. Life happens in the moments in between, in the day to day, when no one else is looking. This is when we show up.
Help, not just stuff.
We know our inner circle intimately and intuitively understand what they really need in that moment. We never settle for generic, but-this-is-what-we-do-stuff, when what they really need is support, or time, or words, or presence.
Ease, never add.
Flowers need tending. Stuff needs somewhere to live. We only ever add items to the to-do list, if we tick something else of, or make space elsewhere.
Perfection, reimagined.
In celebration of the real woman, not the superwoman. The one who acknowledges she can’t do it all and doesn’t have to. The one who learns how to ask for help, to offer help, and graciously receive it.
Well-timed words.
The 8 minute voice notes, the ‘I-just-need-to-rant’ texts, wise words shared just when you need to hear them, sometimes when no words are spoken at all – heartfelt, honest, real exchanges that give so much more than a generic gift ever could.
All you need is less.
There is beauty in simplicity, and simply being together. Phones away, attuned, presence. Sometimes, showing up just means showing them that you are there, and that you see and hear them.
Connection is our life force
We all need it more than we know; connection with others literally keeps us healthy. Mentally, emotionally and physically. And spending quality time with the ones we love is a life raft. Walks, saunas, swims, coffee dates, nights out, playdates - it's magic.
If you’d like to join me on this journey and have a story to tell that could help us shape and curate the gifts that get to the heart of what’s needed when life happens most, then we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch here and we’ll arrange a time to talk.
This is for you, for me and for the ones we love the most so that we’re never doing it alone.
Kate x
