Rays Reflective Coaching

28/05/2026

Last night’s thunder and lightning only woke me slightly, despite the house shaking and the flashes lighting up the whole room.

Yet somehow, on a different night, my own mind can keep me awake all night… even when everything outside is peaceful and quiet.

I think a lot of us know that feeling… lying there exhausted, knowing you 'should' be asleep, but your thoughts just won’t let you switch off.

If we can, sometimes it helps to talk. To write things down. To get creative. To go for a walk, cry, breathe… anything that helps quieten the mind a little before the lights go out and we try to sleep.

17/05/2026

Introducing Menopause Matters Together 🌿

We know menopause can sometimes feel lonely, confusing, emotional, or overwhelming and at times difficult to talk about even though so many women are going through it.

Whether you’re feeling isolated, struggling with changes in yourself, looking for connection, or simply curious to meet others navigating a similar stage of life, you are warmly welcome here.

That’s why we’re creating a gentle Walk & Talk space here in Malvern.

A chance to get outside, breathe, connect, and spend time with others who may understand some of what you’re experiencing.

There’s no pressure, no expectations, and no need to share more than you want to. You’re very welcome to come along for the walk, the conversation, or simply the company.

This is a relaxed peer-support community group for women navigating menopause and peri-menopause.

📍 Malvern, UK
📅 Last Wednesday of each month
💛 Free community event
Upcoming dates: 24 June, 29 July, 26th Aug.

Please note: this is a peer-support space rather than therapy or crisis support.

👉 Click on the link to book your place:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqhgp4_FUgJLxUwjOcsNc4hf1Pe3BcwPk8AwwUdo_WOgLbpQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

15/05/2026

Maybe you’re not stuck.

Maybe you’ve just never questioned the pattern.

From my own experience, I’ve shared a blog below exploring overthinking, self-beliefs, and how your brain learns what feels “impossible” and how that can begin to shift.

👇See below.
https://www.raysreflectivecoaching.com/where-the-impossible-becomes-possible/

07/05/2026

You don’t set out to go against yourself.

It happens in small, quiet moments.
Saying yes when you’re unsure.
Pushing past what you need.
Telling yourself you’ll do it differently next time.

And then comes the self-criticism.
As if being harder on yourself will fix it.

But it doesn’t.

Because this isn’t about trying harder.
It’s about noticing — in real time — what’s actually going on for you.

Catching the moment before you override yourself.
Learning how to pause.
And gently coming back to what feels right for you.

Not perfectly.
But honestly.

This is the work I do with my clients.
If you’re tired of that cycle, you don’t have to keep navigating it alone.

If this resonates, you’re welcome to book a free chemistry call — a relaxed, no-pressure space to explore what’s going on for you 💬
👉 https://calendly.com/raysrichards101/new-meeting

26/04/2026

If you’re constantly second-guessing yourself, it’s easy to assume something’s wrong.

But what if it’s not about being unsure…
and more about not trusting your own voice yet?

I’ve written a blog on this, why we seek validation, how it shows up, and what it looks like to start coming back to yourself.
👇 You can read the full post:
https://www.raysreflectivecoaching.com/why-you-crave-validation-and-how-to-trust-yourself/

Struggling with self-doubt or constantly seeking validation? Learn why you rely on external validation and how to start trusting yourself again.

23/04/2026

You don’t actually want validation.
You want to feel safe.

And somewhere along the way, your brain learned:
“Safety comes from other people approving of me.”

So you chase it.
In your work.
In your relationships.
In your bank balance.
In how you look.
In how you’re perceived.

But here’s what that creates:

You second-guess yourself.
You overthink simple decisions.
You say yes when you mean no.
You look confident on the outside…
but inside, nothing ever feels settled.

I see this all the time.

People who have good jobs, strong friendships, full lives,
but can’t make a decision without checking it with someone else first.

I’ve been there too, not able to tell the difference between what I actually felt, and what I thought I should do.
Always looking outside myself for answers I didn’t trust myself to hold.

Not because we’re incapable.
But because we don’t trust our own internal yes.

And this doesn’t stay small.

It impacts everything:

Your health → stress, burnout, anxiety
Your wealth → undercharging, overgiving, playing small
Your relationships → people-pleasing, resentment, losing yourself

At some point, you have to ask:

What would change if I actually trusted myself?

It’s about learning to sit with your own voice again.
To trust your own decisions.
To validate your own experience before you look outside.

That’s the work I do with my clients.

If you’re ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start building that internal trust:

DM me “VALIDATION”
or book a free chemistry call here: https://calendly.com/raysrichards101/new-meeting

09/04/2026

I took some time out to read A Thousand Different Ways by Cecelia Ahern, after it was recommended to me, and I’m really glad I did.

The story centres on Alice Kelly, who sees and feels the emotions of the people around her. What almost sounds like a gift also feels overwhelming, because she absorbs not only joy and love, but also sadness, anger, fear, and pain.

Alice learns how to live with this intense sensitivity while navigating family relationships, loneliness, belonging, love, self-acceptance, the coping mechanisms that work until they don’t, and the subtle ways we can take on emotions that aren’t always ours.

At its heart, it is about sensitivity, belonging, and learning what is yours to carry.

As both a coach and a fellow human, what really stayed with me was the reminder that we all move through the world with our own lens, shaped by our experiences, emotions, and personal stories.

We don’t just see things differently, we feel them differently too.

So much understanding can grow when we remember that someone else may be seeing and feeling the very same moment in a completely different way.

A thoughtful, insightful read and a lovely way to spend some intentional time out.

04/04/2026

A huge thank you to all the parents for trusting us with your children 💛

And to the wonderful children who attended and created their magical Easter Egg Island, your imagination, energy and creativity made the experience truly special ✨

What a beautiful Easter experience it was.

It was such a joy to watch the children step into a space where they could imagine, create, express and just be themselves. From calming mindfulness moments to laughter-filled drama games and storytelling, every part of the session was filled with creativity and connection 🎭🌿

Seeing confidence grow, friendships form and smiles light up the room is exactly why we love creating these spaces.

These workshops are about so much more than just activities…
They’re about helping children feel safe, seen and free to shine ✨

If you feel your child would love something like this, we'd love to hear from you 💛

Feel free to message me to hear about upcoming workshops and sessions.

25/03/2026

Perspective is a powerful thing and isn’t always obvious when you’re inside it.

Two people can look at the exact same situation…
and experience it completely differently.

Not because one of them is wrong —
but because they’re standing in a different place.

(Think of the number 6 and 9.
From one side, it’s clearly a 6.
From the other, it’s just as clearly a 9.)

Same situation.
Different experience.

And it made me pause and reflect…

How often do we assume our perspective is the truth —
instead of a truth?

Not to invalidate how we feel,
but to gently open up space for something else.

Because sometimes, when things feel heavy or stuck,
it’s not just the situation itself…

…it’s the way we’re seeing it.

So I’m curious:

👉 What perspective are you holding right now?
👉 And is it helping you — or keeping you where you are?

You don’t have to force a new perspective.

Just being open to one can be enough.

I offer a free chemistry call if you’d like space
to explore your perspective more deeply.

You can book here:
👉 https://calendly.com/raysrichards101/new-meeting