Rachel Haith of Inspired Life Group is sharing her exciting plans for the end of 2023!

IT’S NOVEMBER! The year is coming to an end and Q4 is well under way. We’re talking to businesses about their plans for the final two months of the year.

Today we’re talking to Rachel Haith, based in Lincoln is a coach and speaker from Inspired Life Group. Rachel supports driven professionals and founders to live by design - not by accident, to feel worthy and to open their eyes to the choices they have. She helps people to believe in, and empower, themselves.

What’s your business highlight for this month or last month?
My most recent business highlight was being asked to collaborate with a business owner that I have huge respect and admiration for. I can’t spill the beans just yet but suffice it to say that our values align really closely and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together in terms of helping people to believe in themselves and shine their light really brightly.

And what about a personal highlight?
A personal highlight was helping my mum and stepdad celebrate their October birthdays in style. They’ve had a tough few years health wise and it was just lovely to see their reactions to being a bit spoiled and made a fuss of. I think surprises are always a great tool to make someone feel special, and it worked really well on both these occasions, leading to many smiles and even some happy tears.

This month was Bonfire Night and Diwali. Do either of those hold meaning or memory for you?
I have really fond memories of going to firework displays as a child, and I’m told I loved fireworks even as a small baby. It usually also involved ‘bonfire tea’, consisting of jacket potatoes, sausages and beans. There’s just something wonderful about a hearty meal on a cold night and then being with loved ones to watch the magic that fireworks can create.

November represents Movember – Men’s Health Awareness Month and International Men’s Day (Nov 19). What, if anything does this mean to you?
Men’s health is such an important topic, particularly given the awful stats regarding male suicide rates. I feel really strongly about doing what I can to support the men in my life, as well as male clients, and whilst it’s more socially accepted these days for men to be open about their struggles, it’s important to understand that talking alone is not always the answer for them. I highly recommend following Ryan Parke, who is a Male Mental Health Coach, as the research on this topic is fascinating and incredibly useful in supporting the men we care about. It is also great news that it’s now more the norm for men to go to the doctor with their physical health concerns, but so many still do not, so this, for me, is all about raising awareness and spreading the message that self-care is crucially important for men.

What’s your top tip for being positive as we enter the last month of autumn?
My top tip for being positive is to live a life of gratitude. In my own experience, the regular practice of gratitude, or thinking about/writing down the things I’m grateful for every day, has enabled me to more easily find the things to be grateful for, even when the chips are down. Everyone has down days, we’re all human after all, but nowadays I don’t go down as far and I don’t stay down as long; regular gratitude has been a huge part of that for me. I was already what you might call a ‘glass half-full’ kind of person, but once the practice of gratitude became a regular feature, it just enhanced my ability to see a way forward, even if it looks like things will be difficult.

Did you know November 13 was World Kindness Day? Has anyone shown kindness to you in the last month or so? Tell us how you view kindness in your business or professional role?
Every day should be world kindness day in my opinion, although it’s great to have a specific day to draw attention to it and spread the message of kindness. I love the mantra: “if you can be anything, be kind!” I’ve been shown some amazing kindness in my business recently, in particular, by two business owners who have given their time so generously to me for free; offering incredible insights that will help me to grow my business. Kindness is a non-negotiable for me in my business in the way I interact with the rest of the world; the same can be said for my life in general. I enjoy being of service in my work, whether that’s directly with my clients, or more widely in the messages I convey on my social media channels. I want people to be able to see who I am and what I stand for in my business, and I offer all of that freely and happily, coming from a place of kindness.

It was also Black Friday this month which is now quite mainstream. Do you participate in this within your business? Or do you prefer the Buy Nothing Day?
I have to be honest I’m not a huge fan of the furore around Black Friday, as it seems to send people a bit wild. Occasionally, I might do a very simple offer at that time, but it’s not a crucial part of my marketing.

Are you preparing for Christmas in your business? Can you share what your plans are going to be
Christmas is a really important time for my family and I, so I try and always make sure I take plenty of time off to spend with them over the Christmas holidays. However, I do remain active in the run up to Christmas and I really enjoy helping people to navigate the potential challenges of Christmas. There is a health and wellbeing product arm to my business too, so that always features heavily at Christmas as it’s a great way to help people with their Christmas shopping for loved ones.

Are there any awareness days or special weeks in November which are relevant to your business?
As a Royal Air Force Veteran of 17 years, and more recently a part-time Reservist alongside my business, Armistice Day is a very important time of the year. My clientele often includes service personnel and veterans, as well as their family members, so it’s part of the shared military experience for us all. It’s an opportunity not to glorify war, but to try not to repeat the mistakes of the past whilst remembering those who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we could be free. Whilst the military sector is not the entirety of my business, it’s an important part of it, so Remembrance will always be an important part of my activities; whether taking part, joining the conversation or supporting my clients as needed.

Have you got any events planned for November or December you’d like to shout about – either that you are running or attending?
I’m very excited to tell you that my signature 10-month group coaching and personal development programme, the Inspired Life Collective, starts the next cohort at the end of November. The programme really helps people to get to know themselves better and delve deeper in to what drives them, helping them to really understand what they want from life and how they want, and deserve, to be treated. It’s a really empowering programme and (at the time of writing) there are a couple of slots left for people who are ready to invest in themselves. Maybe that could be someone reading this!

Have you got any services or special offers you’d like to mention?
I’d love to mention the fortnightly podcast I do with another fabulous coach, called Jenny Gordon, of Jenuine Consulting. We call it The Renny Show (Rachel + Jenny = Renny) and in the run up to Christmas we’ll be doing themed shows around things that people struggle with in the festive period, about people-pleasing behaviour around Christmas time, as well as seasonal traditions. You can catch it on my YouTube channel (just search for my name) and everybody is very welcome to join us live, or on catch-up for any of our shows.

And finally, is there anything else you’d like to say?
As we rapidly approach the end of the year, I’d encourage you all to consider whether you’re where you thought you would be by the end of this year. This can be a great time of year for making plans for the following year, as well as aiming to finish the current year on a high. These things rarely happen by accident, so what can you do to ensure that you finish the year strong, and go in to 2024 with a positive mindset? Just some food for thought as we enter the festive season.

Find out more about Rachel by visiting http://www.inspiredlifegroup.co.uk