🧿PATIENCE🧿

PLUS 20% discount for the rest of the year...

Hello my lovely Substackers,

Just a little note before this piece to let you know that I have a special offer as a thank you for supporting me this year. A few months ago I made the decision to not put myself through the publishing process again. Instead, I am doing it myself and publishing my own words here for all of you, mostly behind Substack’s paywall. I made this decision as publishers are mainly only interested in those with huge followings, so you could be an influencer without proper clinical experience and get a publishing deal over an expert. But I don’t want to spend my days accruing followers when I would rather love and nurture the amazing ones I have. I am so grateful for the support I’ve received from all of you whilst navigating all the changes in my body and circumstances, you have no idea how much it means to me.

I would like to gift you all 20% off all future billings when you upgrade your subscription before the end of the year. This works out at just £1.80 a week, barely two coffees a month, and will grant you access to all my Substack archives, extra writings and musings.

I hope that by sharing my story I am changing hearts and minds. In this time of deep change - collectively and personally - our relationships with one another are what counts. Whatever you do in the world keep creating and being brave. Love, Emma xxx

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🧿PATIENCE🧿

“The impatient person is one who does not trust in the flow of life”

- Richard Rudd

I used to be a very impatient person - not in clinic, never in clinic. Actually that’s not entirely true; I can’t abide lateness, even in a client (actually especially in a client). The internal dialogue is always “why would you be late when you’ve paid all this money?”, “does this person value their time more than mine?” etc etc.

I know it’s my military upbringing and boarding school experience. Unfortunately punctuality is imprinted on my brain, and every neural pathway I have is hardwired to being on time. Whilst we are here, I’m also into clean shoes, a firm handshake and generally doing what we say we are going to do in life. All out dated values I know.

I feel as if patience would naturally belong with those values, I suspect it was a command too far - you know my own private rebellion against a childhood full of rules and standards. I’m not sure, but I don’t think anyone that knows me would describe me as a patient person (historically). 

Jo Thorne Photography

So I’m a self-confessed impatient person, except when it comes to listening: I’m an excellent listener, not a listener just waiting to give an opinion. I listen with my heart and there is no room for impatience there. 

Impatience can have its advantages; I talk straight. I’m not one to talk in riddles, you know ‘beating about the bush’, avoiding talking about what’s important or difficult. The first full sentence my second daughter Violet spoke, with matching hand gestures, was '“Come on, man! Move it!”, presumably because she’d heard me say it so much driving. I was a very impatient driver!

My best friend Victoria still hasn’t forgiven me for my absolute refusal to back out of The Lister Hospital carpark because it would have meant being late! I was both impatient and stubborn - I admit. But my need to be on time for a meeting was so hard wired in my brain I couldn’t back down. Actually back out onto Chelsea Bridge Road would be a more accurate description.