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#24 Flow with Felicity, February 2026



This newsletter was first sent to subscribers on Friday 5th February 2026. If you'd like to subscribe, you can sign up here:





A void, an escape, an indulgence - what was January?!

 

Ok, so January was a bit of a weird one this year. In the spirit of releasing (see Jan FwF) I chose to let go of my usual rhythm of admin Mondays, seeing clients of Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday and playing Friday/ Saturday/ Sunday. There were reasons behind my choice, but it's what I've learnt (again!) from the loss of rhythm that matters most. I drift. Without the building blocks of my time, I lose focus and seemingly any sense of productivity. Everything becomes quite blurry.

 

Isn't it just wonderful how life likes to teach us the same lessons repeatedly!

 

And so my thoughts this month, feel like that, a bit blurry. It's also exacerbated by having had surgery this week to remove a skin cancer lump off my lip. All good, no need to worry! But it has severely limited my ability to speak, eat, drink and yuck, clean my teeth this week. Oh and no bending down for 10 days, so goodbye yoga and weights.

 

It's yet another distortion to the routines and rhythms of my life. When I can't do/ don't do what I usually do, it turns out I gravitate to being very sedentary. It feels like a very indulgent escape from reality. I wonder where it will take me?!

 

What rhythms and routines enable you in your life?


Which ones are yours alone, and which ones do you share with someone else?

 

So I've three things to share with you this time:

  • What is the shape of your life?

  • Bravery in coaching relationships

  • My favourite new recipe

 

And my focus for February (maybe if I tell you it will help me actually focus!)

Working on the content for How to Coach Workplace Relationships.

 



What Shape is Your Life?

 

This question hit me twice in one week. Firstly, in a slightly different format from my coach supervisor:

 

"What is the shape of your river at the moment? And where is it going?"

 






The questions, posed by my coach supervisor during a recent group session, made me stop in my tracks and smile. There is something wonderfully full-circle about having your own framework reflected back at you to gain fresh perspective.

 

Instantly, a vision appeared: I am currently in a "big meander." The water is gentle, the banks are wide and flat, and there are no pressure points in sight. Right now, I’m simply allowing myself to drift. Even if it feels uncomfortable. It's a practice of throwing everything up in the air and to see what wants to be re-introduced.

 

So, while I previously mentioned letting the theme of rivers ebb away from this newsletter, it seems they aren't quite ready to leave me yet!

 

And the question came a second time, in the regular newsletter from Bruce Feiler.

 

The Geometry of Our Journeys

I’ve always been a visual person, but I know that metaphors don't resonate with everyone. However, I was fascinated to find a similar thread in Feiler’s newsletter (you may remember Feiler from our previous exploration of ‘Life Quakes in Flow with Felicity November 2024)

 

Feiler asked his readers a simple question: "What shape is your life?"

 

He discovered that most people’s answers fall into three distinct buckets:

 

  • LINES : Those who see their lives as a river, a zigzag, or a mountain range. These people tend to focus on agency—what they build, make, or create. The "shape" of their life is often synonymous with their work and progress.

  • CIRCLES : Those who see shapes like hearts, houses, or even a minivan. This group prioritises belonging—family, community, and coworkers. Their lives are defined by their relationships rather than their achievements.

  • STARS : Those who choose symbols like lightbulbs, crosses, or butterflies. These individuals prioritise causes—their purpose, passion, and service. Their life is shaped by their belief systems.

 

Mike drop moment

As someone who instinctively views life as a river or a mountain range, I am firmly in the "Lines" bucket. Hearing the point about agency was a mike drop moment for me; it helped reveal my own bias toward "doing" and "creating" as a way of measuring my life's path.

 

It's why I find drifting a bit awkward! And links to my 2026 intention of supporting an 'ease of being' as an antidote to always "doing".

 

So, I’d love to know: if you had to draw your life right now, what shape would it take? Are you a Line, a Circle, or a Star? Drop me a comment or hit reply—I’d love to hear what your "river" looks like today.

 

Read Bruce Feiler’s The Simple Question That Could Reshape Your Life.


Bravery in Relationships

 

Are we losing our human capability for being brave in relationships? And how can the coaching relationship role model and nurture this for our clients?

 

This were the questions I was left with after attending a UK ICF webinar: TEAM COACHING AND AI – FRIEND, FOE, OR FUTURE PARTNER?

 

It was a fascinating panel discussion around how AI is being used in team coaching, and more broadly about AI in coaching. Sam Isaacson, who I rate as being both knowledgeable and pragmatic about AI in coaching shared this insight:

 

It takes more bravery to speak your truth with another human than it does to share it with AI

 

This resonated with an insight I had from my time as a Trustee for a charity that focused on minimising isolation and loneliness with older members of our society. They preferred speaking by telephone not on video, because it felt easier, safer and more equalising.

 

When liaising with Childline, we'd hear the same back. Children felt it was easier to chat online than they did on the telephone.

 

All of these highlight that the distance and asynchronicity in communication releases inhibitions and allows for more vulnerability. It is easy to speak one's truth.

 

In my mind, there is no doubt that EASY is good for a first step, so AI coaching can have a very valid role. And, at the same time, the human to human coaching relationship is an important place for developing the capacity and capability for individuals to be brave. So that they can go beyond easy, and take further steps.

 

If we practice bravery with our coaches and support partners, we build the skill for other areas of life.

 

BTW, This was the first of three team coaching webinars being offered by the UK ICF, with the next two in March, so there's still time to register. 

 

You can read the research paper that Sam was referencing here

  


My latest favourite recipe

 

As a life long scratch cook, I'm always on the look out for a nutritious healthy recipe that isn't too much hassle, and this is my latest favourite from the Doctor's Kitchen:

 

 

It's a veggie recipe packed with protein and fibre, and as a two-stage preparation, I've found it relatively easy to prepare. It's gone down so well with all our guests in Switzerland this winter!

 

And on the health front, I'm loving reading Plant Powered Plus by Dr Will Bulsiewicz. He has linked 130 diseases to a poor gut microbiome, and proposes 4 nutritional workhorses to bring back health to our gut. I heard about him via this ZOE podcast.

 

It is a guide on how to eat yourself to better energy and vitality.



February Focus

 

Now having returned to the UK for a month, this is the question on my mind:

 

What and how to share with other coaches and leaders what I’ve learnt from 10 years of Coaching Workplace relationships?

 

I’d value your input...

 

What workplace relationship situations do you find hardest / stickiest to know how to approach with your clients and teams?

 

What's your sense of what would be helpful? Just hit 'reply' and let me know.

Sending you ease, joy, connection and adventures with a picture from one of my favourite January ski days in Switzerland. The perfect combo of fresh snow and sun!


Thank you for joining me.

 

All the best, Felicity x

Supporting your wisdom | be better together








This newsletter was first sent to subscribers on Friday 5th February 2026. If you'd like to subscribe, you can sign up here:





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