Who are you?

A wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, entrepreneur, manager, colleague…?

But who are you really, as a woman?

Do you know, or have you got lost along the way? Where is home?

“Be yourself; everyone is already taken.”
– Oscar Wilde

Right from an early age, from our first days at school, maybe even earlier, we are moulded by the expectations of society, by the expectations of our parents, but the expectations of our teachers, but these are just that – other people’s expectations for us.

It’s not often that we’re asked: what do you want from life, what are your passions? And if we are asked, we’ll usually answer with what we think is the ‘right’ answer rather than the real answer.

Does who we are and what we really want matter if we’re conforming and doing everything that’s expected of us?

Yes, of course it does.

How many times have you thought, “What’s the point? Why am I doing this?”, or perhaps felt empty, unfulfilled or unhappy with the inevitable thought that there must be something wrong with you? After all you’ve got the good job, nice house, caring husband, loving family; you’ve followed the path that’s been prescribed for you; you’re doing your utmost to please everyone around you, but it still feels like something’s missing.

And do you know what, that thing that’s missing is you, the real you.

We live in a busy, noisy world filled with people telling us what to do and how to live but the fact is nobody knows you like you do – when you stop to listen that is. You are the ultimate expert on you, but it can be hard to hear yourself think let alone listen to anything more subtle.

“Know thyself and all will be revealed.”
– Pamela Theresa Loertscher

So now is the time to change all that, to connect, to discover your identity, who you are, what you want and need and where you’re going in life?

And the best place to start is through my Journey into You Programme

Spend 12 weeks getting to know yourself, discovering who you are, moving, feeling and honouring your body while learning to love yourself and embracing the stories that are part of you.

This programme is your chance to breathe and release, to feel yourself again, to embrace who you are as a woman and to come home. It will enable you to slow down, simplify and start to care for yourself.

The chaotic world we live in, the speed of life and our own desire to succeed and be accepted comes at a great cost to our self. We are starving when it comes to self-compassion, self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-care. We crave simplicity and balance, but we can’t achieve this until we find the time and space to clear and let go of the things that are causing us to feel so overwhelmed in the first place, enabling us to feel and move free from our shackles.

To start with, you need to put yourself first and let go of other people’s expectations, treating life as a journey; a journey that is flexible and unpredictable, moving first this way and then smoothly changing direction or making a U-turn. It’s all about slowing down, observing and creating time for deep listening. Connecting to yourself and your fluctuating monthly energy levels and allowing projects to grow and evolve rather than expecting them to rigidly follow a set path, learning as much from what doesn’t go to plan as from what works well.

In her book Wild Power: Discover the Magic of Your Menstrual Cycle and Awaken the Feminine Path to Power, Alexandra Pope expertly shows us how we can unlock our innate superpowers by connecting to our menstrual cycle.

Cycle awareness is such a powerful tool for us as women. Our energy levels fluctuate throughout our monthly cycles with the first half, spring and summer, being growth energy and the second half, autumn and winter, being drawing in energy.

Problems arise when we don’t honour our menstrual cycle, when we expect to be the same every day. For example, if we don’t follow our cycle the self-critic in autumn will keep popping up all the time as we haven’t experienced the still reflective time of winter.

Menstrual cycle awareness is your ultimate self-care tool – it’s one way of practising Dharma, of protecting yourself from suffering and problems and discovering what is right for you.

“The cycle awareness work has been a revelation, and through working with Lara I have been able to develop a deeper understanding of how my cycle impacts on my energy levels and mood. I have also been able to tune into my body and womb and for the first time in my life have not needed to take painkillers during my period!”
– Rachel

My Journey into You Programme is for you if you…

• Are ready for change
• Don’t want to just feel OK
• Crave simplicity, balance and self-love
• Need time and space for you
• Want to feel whole.

What we’ll do together…

• Discover the wisdom of your monthly menstrual cycle and unearth your innate feminine superpowers
• Connect to you through yogic practices, Mizan Abdominal Massage and breathing and meditation techniques selected to suit your own unique needs
• Balance your body and mind
• Make time and space for you
• Honour and love the woman you are

Lara is a very easy person to connect with which for me has been important… The sessions have been my ‘moment of calm’ and Lara’s advice and support extends beyond your appointment through tips, website links and general coaching. I have felt more energised after the sessions and her guidance has also enabled me to keep up the practice – for me small and often has worked best. My husband and friends have commented on how my pace is at a more healthy speed and I think more about what is best for me. I have heightened my self-awareness and there is no doubt in my mind that Lara’s support has been a big contribution to that.”
– Katie

I specialise in working with women one to one and I would love to be part of your journey of reconnection and self-discovery. I support women to find more balance and harmony in their lives by deepening their inner connection to their own body’s needs, helping them cope pre-conception, with fertility issues, prenatally, postnatally or during times of transition, grief or loss and helping alleviate the symptoms of menstruation, perimenopause or menopause.

Please get in touch if you would like to find out more about how my Journey into You Programme can help you to know yourself and love yourself more.