Laur Inspired (2025)

21/11/2025

🌍 Lately, I’ve been thinking about how we balance our career goals with our life goals.

For a long time, my focus was almost entirely on career; learning, growing, chasing the next milestone.

And I loved it.

That drive gave me purpose, confidence, and so many opportunities.

But over time, I realised that life isn’t meant to be lived in one lane. There are seasons where work will demand more, and others where life outside of work needs to take the lead.

For me, one of my biggest life goals is to travel and explore as much of the world as I can. To see new places, meet new people, and remind myself how big and fascinating life is beyond my day-to-day routine.

And I’ve learned something important along the way:
 You can’t have everything all at once, but you can have it all, over time.

Balance isn’t a constant. It’s an ebb and flow.
 Sometimes you’re career-focused.
 Sometimes you’re life-focused.
 The key is building the capacity (mentally, emotionally, and practically) to shift between those seasons without guilt.

So if you’re in a phase where work feels all-consuming, or you’re leaning more into the personal side right now, that’s okay. Both matter. Both shape who you are.

Here’s to finding balance, not perfection, and making room for the life you want to build and the world you want to see. 🌏

📸: Throwback to Elephant Mountain, Taipei, 2024

07/11/2025

🌿 It’s Stress Awareness Week this week and I’ve been reflecting on how often stress quietly turns into overwhelm.

Lately I’ve noticed how easy it is to blur the line between the two.

Stress can feel productive. That sense of urgency, the adrenaline that keeps you focused and moving forward.

But overwhelm? That’s different. That’s when the pressure spills over. When your mind feels foggy, even simple tasks feel heavy, and you can’t quite find your footing.

I heard something recently that really stuck with me:
👉 Stress is about pressure. Overwhelm is about capacity.

And that really hit home. Because it’s not always about doing less. Sometimes it’s about pausing long enough to reset your capacity.

A few things I’ve been practising lately that have really helped:

💨 Taking 60 seconds to breathe: not just the quick “inhale, exhale” kind, but a proper pause to calm my nervous system.

📝 Getting everything out of my head and onto paper: once it’s written down, it feels so much more manageable.

🎯 Choosing one small thing to complete: it’s amazing how much clarity one finished task can bring.

🤝 Checking in with others: sometimes the simple “How are you really?” opens up the conversations we all need.

This week is a good reminder that we don’t have to power through everything.
Recognising when we’ve crossed from stress into overwhelm isn’t weakness; it’s awareness.

So, if you’re feeling stretched right now, take a moment to stop, breathe, and reset.

You’re human. And that’s more than enough.

31/10/2025

🎃 October Roundup 🎃

Wow, what a month! October has been all about connection, collaboration, and a healthy dose of fun (and pumpkins 🎃).

Highlights:

🌟 Hosted an online event featuring the brilliant Lily Howe (née Burks), who shared some fantastic insights on resilience at work - my favourite takeaway: “Being out in green spaces restores your pre-frontal cortex - taking breaks is important!” 🌿

🌟 Organised my first in-person CIPD event - such a great experience seeing things come together in real life and I can’t wait to connect with so many passionate HR professionals.

🌟 Put out my next newsletter for the local branch - still learning lots with each edition, but I’m loving the process!

🌟 Took time to network with colleagues across the wider People team, chatting all things workforce planning and mentoring. It’s been so inspiring hearing different perspectives and ideas.

🌟 Attended a coaching workshop, which was a brilliant opportunity to deepen my skills and reflect on how to bring more coaching conversations into my work.

Random little extra:

🎵 I actually won the first round of music bingo this month - I never win at bingo, so this one’s going down as a major highlight!

And of course, since it’s Halloween, it wouldn’t be right to wrap up October without going all out with the pumpkin photo 🎃👻 (and Ralphy 🐶 )

📌 October has been full of growth, learning, and connection - here’s to closing the month on a high and rolling into November with plenty of energy!

24/10/2025

As I drink my coffee, I was thinking about why a lot of people come to this app...

— to find their next career move.

So I’m sharing a few things that really helped me in my job search:

📄 Tailor your CV for each application: it makes a big difference. Show how your experience fits that role, not just any role.

💌 Write a short, genuine cover letter: talk about why you’re excited about the company and how you can add value.

🤝 Go to events, even just to learn. You’ll meet people, build confidence, and often hear about roles you wouldn’t find online.

🌱 Keep learning about your field: it boosts both your passion and how you talk about your work.

It’s not easy, but every step makes you sharper and more prepared for the right opportunity.

If you’re finding it tough out there, I totally understand that feeling - send me a message and let’s talk about it!

16/10/2025

💬 One Conversation Can Change Everything 💬

Recently I had a brilliant chat with Heather Beattie to learn how they run their CIPD committee newsletters and events.

That one conversation sparked so many ideas for how we can grow our CIPD community here in Devon and Cornwall, and better connect our HR professionals locally 🌱

It reminded me that networking isn’t about collecting contacts - it’s about learning, sharing, and growing together.

I’ve also been really inspired by the new People Profession Network launched for the Ambulance Service nationwide, bringing people professionals across the ambulance sector together to collaborate and learn from each other 👏

These kinds of connections make such a difference. Every chat, every shared idea, every “how do you do that?” moment helps us all get better at what we do.

✨ So here’s your reminder for today:

Reach out to someone new.

Ask a question.

Share an idea.

Start a conversation.

You never know what might come from it 💡

08/10/2025

🌿 It’s National Work Life Week, and it’s got me thinking… 🌿

How often do we actually stop and check in on our balance?

Not just the work-life kind, but the whole-life kind, where we feel fulfilled, focused, and not running on empty.

I’ll be honest, it’s something I have to remind myself of too. Work can be all-consuming, especially when you care deeply about what you do (and the people you do it for). But I’ve learned that being at our best professionally starts with taking care of ourselves personally.

Here are a few things that help me keep that balance (most days!):

✨ Setting boundaries and sticking to them (the hard part!)
✨ Remembering that not everything is urgent
✨ Making time for what genuinely fuels me: people, movement, laughter
✨ Embracing flexibility, because life doesn’t always fit neatly into a schedule

My passion has always been about supporting the greatest assets of any business (its people) so they can be at their best and help the organisation thrive too. That means looking after wellbeing, supporting flexibility, and creating workplaces where people feel trusted, valued, and human.

Because to me, HR will always stand for Human Relationships. 🤝

Let’s use this week as a reminder to look after ourselves and each other. Balance isn’t a luxury, it’s what makes everything else sustainable. 💚

03/10/2025

✨ September Roundup ✨

Wow, what a month! September has been packed with new activities, plenty of learning, and a few fun highlights (Bake Off is finally back 🙌 and somehow I’m ending up doing two Zumbathons in the same week 💃).

Recognitions:

🌟 A big thank you to the CIPD Devon & Cornwall Branch Committee for supporting me in joining the team - it’s already been such a great way to connect with the HR community and get exposure to different areas of the field.

🌟 I’ve loved meeting new people across HR this month - every conversation has been a chance to learn, share, and grow my network.

Reflections:

💭 I put together my very first newsletter for the local branch - definitely a learning curve but so rewarding to hit “send” on it!

💭 I also led on organising my first event (including bringing in a speaker!) with the committee team. Such a brilliant experience in teamwork and event planning.

📌 September has been busy, energising, and full of firsts - I’m excited to see what October has in store!

22/09/2025

Want to stand out in your next interview? 🚀
 Most people ramble. The best candidates structure their answers with impact.

That’s where the STAR Method comes in: ✨ Situation ✨ Task ✨ Action ✨ Result

It’s the simplest way to turn any experience into a clear, confident story that shows exactly what you bring to the table.

👉 Swipe through to see how it works (with a real example at the end).

10/09/2025

When you’re early in your career, it’s natural to think promotions and opportunities come just from working the hardest. But here’s the reality:

Your reputation is shaped less by the hours you put in and more by what people say about you when you’re not in the room. Jade Bonacolta calls this your “silent PR.”

I was recently talking with my mentor about this, especially in the context of 1:1s with your manager. Those meetings aren’t just check-ins - they’re one of the best ways to make sure your impact is seen and understood.

A few small shifts I’ve been leaning into:
✨ Always showing up prepared with 3 tangible wins for each 1:1.
✨ Giving teammates credit in meetings (“Building on what x said…”).
✨ Thinking ahead and sending updates before someone has to ask

These are tiny actions, but they build a reputation of reliability, professionalism, and collaboration - things people remember when your name comes up behind closed doors.

Your silent PR is a career asset you can start strengthening today.

👉 What’s one habit you’ve built that’s helped strengthen your reputation at work?

04/09/2025

For anyone who hasn’t used their annual leave yet (or keeps pushing it back) this is your reminder:

Rest isn’t optional🌿

When work consumes all our energy, it’s easy to forget that boundaries exist for a reason. Saying no, stepping away, and taking time off isn’t a weakness, it’s how we protect our mental health and sustain our performance long term.

Burnout doesn’t announce itself loudly, it creeps in quietly. You need time to switch off to reset and reclaim balance.

If your calendar has been full of everything but you, maybe it’s time to schedule that break. You’ve earned it, and you’ll come back stronger for it.

📷: Malaga (the “chill” holiday where I surprised myself and didn’t plan anything, and actually chilled…yes, that is a big deal!)

29/08/2025

Monthly roundup! 🌐 💬 💫

How has your summer been?

Anyone else feel the urge to buy new pens and notebooks that you don’t need with September around the corner? Just me?

I feel like time goes quicker every time I write these roundups!

Here’s a few of the highlights...

2 QUOTES

🌐 “We often think that we want an open road and the ability to choose any direction for ourselves. But sometimes, what we need is a tunnel that can reduce our choices and send us in a focused direction.” - James Clear

We’re well over halfway through 2025 and some of you may have set goals that you’re absolutely smashing, or others that you’ve forgotten about, or maybe don’t matter as much to you anymore. Steering your focus to the goal that means the most to you, the highest priority for you to achieve, will better help you to reach it.

🌐 “HR = Human Relationships. You’re not just enforcing rules. You’re managing emotions, building trust, and helping people grow even when it’s hard” -

This is how I see HR. When people ask why I wanted to get into HR, it’s because I don’t see it as Human Resources, I see it as Human Relationships. When I started my career, I began to realise just how important the people are at any organisation, and how critical it is to support your people through wellbeing, through development, and through building relationships. That’s why HR really matters.

2 RECOGNITIONS

💬 Everyone in my team who has supported me through my induction and training at SWAST!
💬 Support from the local CIPD committee in getting involved and becoming a member myself

2 REFLECTIONS

💫 Knowing your boundaries in work and life is the best thing you can do for your wellbeing
💫 Posting consistently on here for over 6 months to build my personal brand 🥳

We happened to visit Malaga during their annual Feria and stumbled across so much culture!

There’s lots of learning to come as I enter a new chapter, and I can’t wait!

📷: the entrance to the Main Street in Malaga, Calle Larios

Laur Inspired

21/11/2025

07/11/2025

31/10/2025

24/10/2025

16/10/2025

08/10/2025

03/10/2025

22/09/2025

10/09/2025

04/09/2025

29/08/2025

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