Val Mattinson Consulting

31/08/2026

If I could sit beside this little girl, I wonder what I would tell her.

Birthdays have a way of making you look backwards as well as forwards. And as I look at this photograph, I find myself wondering what I would say to this little girl.

I'd tell her not to worry quite so much about being sensitive.

Some people will laugh at the things you feel deeply. Some will tell you that you're too emotional.

Don't let them convince you that these are weaknesses.

Your sensitivity will become one of the things that allows you to understand people, notice the things others miss and care deeply about the work you do.

I'd tell you that it's okay not to know the answer.

You don't have to be the cleverest person in the room, and you certainly don't have to pretend you know everything. Some of the wisest people you'll meet are the ones who are comfortable saying, "I don't know. Let's work it out.”

I'd tell you that kindness is a strength.

You'll be surrounded by strong, independent women throughout your life, and you'll learn so much from them. Their strength will become part of you.

I'd tell you to keep dancing around the room when your favourite music comes on. Dance like nobody's watching.

Keep learning. Be curious. Life is full of fascinating things to discover.

Most of all, I'd tell you this:

You don't need to change yourself to find happiness.

The happiest places, and the happiest relationships you'll have, will be with people who see you, accept you and make space for you to be completely yourself.

Looking at that little girl now, I think she would be quite surprised by some of the places life has taken her.

There have been plenty of twists. Things I never expected. Things I thought would happen that didn't. Things I didn't plan for that turned out to be some of the most important parts of my story.

And I certainly haven't got everything figured out.

But perhaps that's the point.

I'm still learning. Still curious. Still finding new things to love.

Especially with September just around the corner - it's always a lovely reminder that there is something rather wonderful about a new season and a fresh page.

So, little Val, keep being you.
Val x

20/08/2026

I always notice a change in August.

It’s subtle, but it’s there. The pace seems to shift a little. People are away, diaries have a bit more breathing room, and there’s a different feeling in the air. Even the light seems to have changed by the time I close my laptop for the day.

And although summer isn’t quite over, I can feel September beginning to creep into my thoughts.

I’ve always rather liked this time of year. Perhaps it’s the old school feeling of a new term beginning – new notebooks, sharpened pencils, a fresh timetable and that slightly optimistic feeling that anything might be possible!

I’m not quite sure I need the sharpened pencils anymore, but I still like the sense of turning a page.

I don’t think September needs to be about becoming a completely new version of yourself, though. There’s enough pressure to do that at the beginning of January!

For me, it’s much more interesting to look at where you actually are.

What has happened since January? What surprised you? What worked better than expected? What didn’t quite go to plan? And perhaps there are things you were convinced you’d have done by now that simply haven’t happened.

That’s okay too.

There may also be things you didn’t plan for at all that have turned out to be much more important than you could have anticipated.

I think that’s why I like this little pause in the year. It gives us a chance to notice what has changed before we rush into deciding what needs to happen next.

I’ve started thinking about a few of those questions myself: what do I want to carry forward, what can I happily leave behind, and what deserves a little more of my attention before the year is over?

I’m trying not to turn those questions into another list of things I must accomplish, though.

There is still plenty of summer left, after all.

And for now, I’m quite happy to enjoy it.

Val x

17/08/2026

There was a time when I found it quite difficult to have a quiet day without feeling that I should be doing something.

If I wasn't working, I was catching up. If I wasn't catching up, I was planning. And if I wasn't doing either of those things, I was probably thinking about all the things I could be doing!

I'm much better at leaving some space now. Not always, and certainly not perfectly, but I understand the value of it much more.

Some of my most useful thoughts have arrived when I wasn't actively trying to think about anything at all. A walk, a quiet morning, an afternoon with nowhere I particularly need to be.

I've come to realise that rest doesn't always need to be earned by finishing everything first.

Because, of course, everything is never finished.

There will always be another email, another idea or another job waiting for us.

So perhaps this is a little reminder for the week ahead:

You don't have to earn a quiet day.

I hope you manage to find one.

Val x

13/08/2026

I've been thinking about how easily being available can become confused with being helpful.

We're all so used to being connected now that it's incredibly easy to respond to something the moment it arrives. An email, a WhatsApp message, a question from a client, or a notification that catches your eye. And because it only takes a minute, we tell ourselves it isn't really interrupting anything.

But those little interruptions add up.

I've noticed over the years that some of my best thinking happens when nobody can reach me for a while. Not because I'm ignoring anyone, but because I'm able to give whatever I'm doing my full attention.

There's something quite different about sitting down to work through an idea when you're not half expecting your phone to light up.

I've become much more protective of that time as my business has evolved. Not perfectly, I should add! I'm still very capable of checking my phone when I said I wouldn't. But I'm much more conscious now of the difference between being available and being present.

They aren't quite the same thing.

And I think that's worth remembering when we're running a business. Being constantly available doesn't necessarily mean we're providing a better service, being more productive, or being a better business owner. Sometimes stepping away is exactly what allows us to come back with more attention, better ideas, and a little more patience.

So rather than asking myself, "How can I fit more into my day?", I'm trying to ask a slightly different question:

"What deserves my full attention?"

I think that's a much better question.

Val x

09/08/2026

When was the last time you really checked in with your business?

Not just your to-do list.

Not your sales figures.

But the bigger picture.

Are you still working towards the things that matter to you?

Have your priorities changed since January?

Is there something you've been putting off that you'd really like to make space for?

And perhaps the most important question:

Does the business you're building still look like the business you want?

Over on the blog I've shared a post all about the value of a mid-year business reset – a simple three-step process to help you review, reflect and recalibrate before the final few months of the year gather pace.

And if you're reading this later in the year, don't worry. A reset doesn't have to happen at exactly the halfway point. In fact, I think September can be a particularly lovely time to pause, take stock and get back to what matters.

I've also shared a little more about The September Reset in the post, for anyone who'd value some dedicated space to think things through with me.

You can read the full post here:

How to Have a Mid-Year Business Reset

https://www.valmattinson.com/news/how-to-have-a-mid-year-business-reset

I hope you find it useful – and perhaps it gives you a few questions to sit with over the coming weeks.

Val x

When’s the last time you checked in with your business goals and dreams? Are you on track, heading off course, or ready to reroute completely?

06/08/2026

This week, I've been thinking about how quickly we expect ourselves to have the answers.

Whether it's a decision in our business, a challenge we're working through or simply trying to work out what comes next, it's easy to feel that we should know.

I've certainly felt that way at different points in my career.

But experience has taught me that clarity doesn't always arrive the moment we ask for it.

Sometimes it comes after we've stepped away for a while.

Sometimes after a conversation with someone we trust.

Sometimes after a good night's sleep.

I've found that giving myself permission to pause isn't about putting things off. It's about giving myself the chance to see things more clearly.

If you've got something on your mind at the moment, I hope you can find a little space this weekend to slow down and let your thoughts settle.

The answer might not be as far away as it feels.

Have a lovely weekend.

Val x

03/08/2026

There are some Mondays when I begin the week with a clear plan.

And there are others when I'm carrying around lots of thoughts, ideas, and questions, without quite knowing where they'll lead.

A younger version of me would probably have found that uncomfortable.

These days, I've learned not to rush those weeks.

Instead, I make a cup of coffee, open my notebook, go for a walk, or simply give myself a little time to think.

More often than not, that's when things begin to fall into place.

Not all at once.

Just enough to take the next step.

If this week has begun with more questions than answers, perhaps that's okay.

I hope you find a little space this week to pause, reflect and enjoy the journey, wherever it may be taking you.

Wishing you a lovely week.

Val x

30/07/2026

From The Desk

You don’t have to wait until something is wrong to change it.

I think this is something we forget in business. We’re very good at recognising when something clearly isn’t working.

- The service that isn’t selling.
- The client relationship that isn’t right.
- The diary that’s become completely unmanageable.
- The idea that’s costing more than it’s creating.
- Those things eventually demand our attention.

But what about the things that are… fine?

- The service that still sells, but no longer excites you.
- The way you’ve always worked, even though it doesn’t quite suit the life you have now.
- The opportunities you continue to accept because you’ve never really stopped to decide whether you still want them.
- The business that looks successful from the outside, but feels rather different from the inside.

Sometimes we wait for a problem to give us permission to make a change.

I’ve learnt that we don’t need to. We’re allowed to refine something simply because we’ve grown. We’re allowed to change our minds or to want something different from our business than we wanted three years ago. We’re allowed to make those changes before something becomes unbearable.

Perhaps that’s one of the most valuable things about creating space to think. It gives us an opportunity to notice the small things before they become the big things.

As September approaches, that’s something I’m thinking about in my own business too.

Not:
“What needs fixing?”
But:
“What could be better?”

There’s quite a difference between the two.

Val x

27/07/2026

Monday Notes

There’s something about September that has always felt like a fresh start to me.

Perhaps it goes all the way back to those back-to-school days — new term, new notebooks, new routines and that feeling of beginning again.

Even as adults, I think some of that stays with us.

September arrives, and there’s an expectation that it’s time to get back to it.

Back to work.

Back to routine.

Back to being productive.

Back to all those things we promised ourselves we’d tackle after the summer.

But I’ve been wondering whether there’s another way to look at it.

What if September wasn’t about getting back to work, but getting back to what matters?

Not necessarily doing more.

Perhaps doing less of the things that aren’t taking you where you want to go.

Making space for the idea you’ve been putting off.

Returning your attention to something that matters to you.

Being more selective about the work you accept.

Re-establishing a boundary that’s quietly disappeared.

Or simply remembering what you wanted your business to give you in the first place.

A reset doesn’t have to mean tearing everything up and starting again.

Sometimes it’s simply about recognising where we’ve drifted and making a conscious decision about what we want to return to.

That’s very much what The September Reset means to me.

So, as another Monday begins, here’s my question for you:

What would you like to get back to?

I’d love to hear your answer.

Have a wonderful week.

Val x

23/07/2026

This evening, I’d like to leave you with a question.

Not one to answer immediately.

Just one to carry with you.

If you could make one meaningful change to your business before the end of this year, what would it be?

Not the longest to-do list.

Not the highest turnover.

Not another qualification.

Just one change that would make your business feel more aligned, more enjoyable or more sustainable.

September has always felt like a natural time to ask ourselves these questions.

Before the final few months of the year gather pace.

Before Christmas begins to fill the diary.

Before another year slips by.

That’s why I’ve created The September Reset.

Not because you need to do more.

But because sometimes the most valuable thing we can do is create the space to think.

If you’re quietly feeling that now might be the right time to pause, reflect and refocus, I’d love to help.

Have a peaceful evening.

Val x

📸: Megan Wilson