Why staring into space can help

Plus don't forget it's writing hour at 9am.

I had a great phone detox weekend. How did you find yours?

I slept a lot - two naps in fact on Saturday. I read a book, I went back to bed and stared into space.

And did lots of thinking.

I thought about you and how kind you’d all been. I’d just like to thank you so much for all the support and good wishes for my new role as Editor-in-Chief of Platinum magazine — I’ve been bowled over by your messages.

Then I thought a lot about the last 7 years.

I’m 57 and in the last 7 years, it’s been like I’ve been at the centre of a hurricane.

Seven years since turning 50 and I’ve feel like I’ve been travelling in a new terrain (literally and metaphorically) where I kept getting lost, losing my compass, then finding my way again by the light of the moon.

There was:
A broken heart.
An empty nest.
A canal boat.
A campervan.
A move to Northumberland.
Starting again from scratch.

Starting a festival.
Rebuilding a freelance career.

Moving house three times.

Finding love again.
Finding my feet — and my words — all over again.

And finally, it feels like I’ve found my way home.

I’m no longer the same but I’m back and am building strong foundations and I don’t feel so shaky and fragile any more.

It feels like a 7 year cycle is over.

Now what?

I begin again.

My intention is still the same - to live my simple, heart-led life in Northumberland. (No, I don’t have to move to London to do the job).

And edit Platinum as part of my new life.

So what is Platinum?

Platinum is a monthly lifestyle magazine aimed at women over 50. It’s for dynamic, wise, funny, warm-hearted, curious women who want to live well now. It’s not about trying to be younger. It’s about feeling good in your own skin, stepping into your power, and shaping a life you love — whether you’re in silver sparkles or a boiler suit.

When I showed Nat, my son's girlfriend my pitch for the mag, she said:
“It makes me want to be 50.”

Yes! That’s exactly the vibe. What if we created a magazine that made women excited about this chapter of life? Not clinging to the past, not obsessed with age-reversal, but embracing the real beauty of being here now — with a head full of wisdom, a heart full of courage, and yeah, maybe the odd hormonal meltdown, but also a very clear sense that it’s not too late.

Why I said yes?

You know I’m all about Heart Leap — the Substack, the writing club, the 9am writing hours (Tues and Thurs, come along!), the creative community of women crafting bold new inner stories. That’s still going strong, and always will. But when this opportunity with Platinum came up, my heart did literally leap.

Because it feels like I am the woman I’m creating the magazine for.

Now, I get to work from home, in my beautiful Northumberland, writing about amazing women who are rebuilding, dreaming new dreams, making art, finding love, choosing peace, leaving old roles and rules behind.

Platinum is for the woman I am now.

And the woman I’m becoming.

And I thought — what if I could do it my way? What if I could help shape a magazine that actually speaks to us? That reflects all our messy, magnificent selves. Which is also fun!

I don’t care what we look like. I care that we’re alive. That we’re curious. That we’re creating something new - and that it can be upbeat and interesting.

What’s next?

So this is me building a new strong foundation in my simple, happy life in Northumberland.
Heart Leap, my self-development and writing community, where we share the journey and write our books and Substacks side by side.
Platinum, a national platform where I get to commission stories and amplify the voices of smart, funny, inspiring women over 50.

I feel like I’m walking the talk — a Platinum woman and a Heart Leaper. This is the life I’ve consciously built — simple, creative, connected. And if you’re in your own season of reinvention, you are so welcome here.

(If you want to see the magazine, then there’s a brilliant intro offer on Platinum right now — 3 issues for just £3. (Yes, £1 an issue!)
You can try it, love it, or quietly pass it to your sister, mum, or friend who might like a little uplift. Click here to get your copy.)

And a quick reminder —
Writing Hour starts today at 9am and Thursday.
We meet twice a week on Zoom in a warm, kind, inspiring group to quietly write for 50 minutes — whether that’s journaling, Substack posts, or working on your book. There’s a little chat at the beginning and end. It’s such a gentle, powerful way to build a writing life.

Here’s the link: