Finding My Pack: Six Months of Growth, Quiet, and Light

 

Finding My Pack: Six Months of Growth, Quiet, and Light

Six months ago, the goal that I set myself was really simple. I would aim to write a blog once a month, as a record and a chance to reflect on my new journey as a business owner. Starting from scratch — literally nothing — completely changing careers — I thought that writing a blog would enable me to process the new world around me, but also be a way of keeping in touch with my customers, and give potential new customers a chance to get to know me on a more personal level and understand why Beau’s Best Friends was, and still is, so important to me.

I tried writing the next instalment back at the end of April. Beltane was just upon us, and despite the feeling of hopefulness in the air, I felt lost for words. I didn’t feel like I had anything new to say. Call it writer’s block or a lack of creative flow, but what I did write felt false and pretentious — so much so that I couldn’t bring myself to publish it. Everything sounded too much like, “Hey, look at me, aren’t I doing great?” and that just wasn’t my truth at the time.

The reality was that some days I was still struggling internally with my own doubts and self‑criticism. And the truth is — however much I love walking my lovely dogs and spending time with all of your furry friends — it can feel quite isolating. I spend a lot of time on my own, which definitely has its perks, but I do miss human connection. A laugh, a joke, a cuppa, the sharing of an idea. However much we deny it, it got me thinking about how similar we are to the dogs we love. We thrive when we feel part of something — part of a pack.

We sometimes need (even when we refuse to admit it) those closest to us to take the lead. We need to lean on them. We need their love, support, and guidance if we’re to become the best version of ourselves.

Looking back over the past two months, that’s exactly what I’ve allowed myself to do. I’ve been quiet. I’ve been reflective. I’ve allowed the support of my pack to lift me up. They’ve helped me feel more secure in the choices and decisions I’ve made — both personally and within the business. That support has led me to review and update the Terms & Conditions for Beau’s Best Friends, and it’s also given me the clarity to develop a full business plan of goals for the next six months.

This feels particularly apt as we move towards the summer solstice and the next sabbat, Litha. As we celebrate the power of the light and the fertility of the land, that’s exactly what I feel I can celebrate about Beau’s Best Friends — the fertility of an idea planted back in October that has now bloomed into fruitfulness. A tiny seed of a thought has become a living entity, something I know will continue to grow even more over the next six months.

I’m thankful to have found my pack. My pack of loyal customers and regulars who now fill most of my weekly slots. My pack within the community who continue to support me with their amazing 5‑star reviews and recommendations. My pack of local business owners who mentor and guide me with love and encouragement. And the most important pack of all — my closest friends and family.

You have lifted me in so many ways. Just like the sun, you continue to help me shine.

What the Dogs Continue to Give Me — And What I Hope to Give Back

As I look ahead, I know the dogs will continue to do for me what they’ve already done so beautifully — keep me grounded, keep me moving, keep me connected to the land and to myself. Since January 2025, I’ve lost four stone. My health has improved, my mind feels clearer, and my spirit feels rooted again. That daily rhythm of walking through fields, woods, and open sky has been the most natural form of healing I’ve ever known.

This connection to nature isn’t just good for me — it’s good for them. Dogs thrive when they’re allowed to be part of the land, to follow scents, to feel the wind, to move in a way that honours who they truly are. When your dogs walk with me, they’re not just getting exercise — they’re part of something bigger. They’re part of a relationship with nature, with the seasons, with the quiet magic that comes from being outdoors every single day. That connection nourishes them just as much as it nourishes me.

If you’d like your dog to experience that same grounding, that same joy, that same sense of belonging to the world around them, I’d love to welcome them into our pack.

Because the truth is: they’ve helped me become healthier, happier, and more connected — and I feel humbled and grateful every single day to be able to offer that same gift back to them.

If you’d like to follow along as Beau’s Best Friends continues to grow — or if you’re looking for caring, reliable support for your dog — I’d love for you to explore what I offer. From everyday walks to our new pet photoshoot sessions and my freshly published ebook, everything is gathered in one place on my Linktree.

Thank you for being part of this journey and for helping Beau’s Best Friends become what it is today.
https://linktr.ee/beausbestfriends

March Moments: Finding Light in the Little Things

March has come and gone in what feels like a heartbeat. One moment I was easing into the year, and now here I am on Easter Monday, taking a quiet pause to reflect on the first quarter of Beau’s Best Friends. These monthly reflections have become a ritual I genuinely treasure — a moment to stop, breathe, and acknowledge how far this little business has come in such a short time.

I’m realising more and more that I can be my own biggest critic. I pile pressure on myself without even noticing, often driven by that old fear of failure. But Spring has a way of softening things. With the equinox, Ostara, and the returning light, I’ve been reminded to shift my focus. Instead of fear, I’m choosing gratitude. Instead of worrying about what hasn’t happened yet, I’m celebrating what has.

🌼 My March Gratitude List — a love letter to the light that’s found its way into my month:

1. 💛 My wonderful customers:

Your trust means everything. Every booking, every repeat booking, every message — you are the reason this business is growing. Knowing that you choose to come back to Beau’s Best Friends is the biggest compliment I could ever receive.

2. ⭐ The 5-star reviews:

Every public review so far has been five stars. I still can’t quite believe it. Your words reassure me that the care, intention, and heart I pour into this work is felt and appreciated.

3. 🤝 Collaboration & connection:

Dog walking can be a solitary job, so the networking, shared ideas, and mutual support have been invaluable. Teaming up with another pet services business has been a highlight — proof that community over competition is always the way forward.

4. 📱 Social media support:

Over 1200 Instagram followers — what a milestone. Every like, comment, share, and follow helps a small business like mine more than you know. Your engagement tells me that Beau’s Best Friends has something meaningful to offer.

5. ☀️ Sunshine moments:

Those walks where the sun breaks through, the dogs are joyful, and I suddenly realise *this is my job now* — they’re magic. As someone who has wrestled with imposter syndrome, these moments feel like little gifts reminding me that I’ve earned this.

6. 🏡 My husband & family:

Their support — emotional, financial, practical, loving — has been the foundation beneath this entire transition. From burnout to rebirth, they’ve held me through every step.

7. 🐾 Beau & Henry:

My boys. My muses. My daily joy. Without them, Beau’s Best Friends wouldn’t exist. They sparked the idea, and they continue to inspire everything I do.

🌷 Looking Ahead to April

What will April bring? More creativity, more customers, more gratitude — I hope so. What I do know is that it will bring new adventures, new firsts, and new stories to tell.

One of those firsts is already on the horizon: My very first event — Bishton Barks at Bishton Hall, Rugeley — on Sunday 26th August. I’m so excited to host a stall there and meet even more wonderful dogs and their humans from our community.

💛 A Little Invitation to You

If you’ve been following along, supporting from afar, or thinking about joining the Beau’s Best Friends family, I’d love to welcome you in this Spring.

Here’s how you can be part of the journey:

🐕 Book a walk, visit, or sleepover if your dog needs gentle, mindful care

🔁 Share my posts to help a small local business reach more lovely dog owners

👋 Say hello at Bishton Barks — I’d love to meet you and your pup

📸 Join me on Instagram for daily dog joy, behind-the-scenes moments, and updates

Your support — in any form — helps this little dream continue to grow.

If you’d like to follow along as Beau’s Best Friends continues to grow — or if you’re looking for caring, reliable support for your dog — I’d love for you to explore what I offer. From everyday walks to our new pet photoshoot sessions and my freshly published ebook, everything is gathered in one place on my Linktree.

Thank you for being part of this journey and for helping Beau’s Best Friends become what it is today.
https://linktr.ee/beausbestfriends

FEBRUARY REFLECTIONS: Light Returning, Creativity Rising

A Month of Light and Renewal

Has it been a month already? I can hardly believe how quickly the time has passed since I wrote my last blog and reflected on the relief and change that January brought me. The new year arrived with promise, and February has deepened that feeling even more — building upon the successes that laid the foundations for Beau’s Best Friends at the start of the year.

The Hopefulness of February

There’s always something hopeful about February. The sun begins to break through a little more, the light stretches its gifts across the day, and it feels like magic unfolding before our eyes. The signs of spring — snowdrops, daffodils, and that gentle shift in the air — have kept me hopeful that the business I’m building with Beau’s will also unfold before me, if I simply wait, trust, and plan my time carefully. And the best part is… that is exactly what has happened.

Growing a Community, One Connection at a Time

This month has been all about building relationships within my local community, with a focus on increasing engagement, followers, and customers through active promotion of my business pages on Facebook, Instagram, and Google. I still can’t quite believe it, but I now have an active community of 1,200 followers on Instagram — compared to just 700 at the start of the month. Thank you to everyone who has clicked, liked, shared, or supported in any way. You have all helped make this happen, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

A Heartfelt Thank You for Your Support

I’m also incredibly appreciative of the 5‑star reviews I’ve received on Google. I’ve been blown away by the wonderful comments about my services. Getting feedback from you — my customers — means the world to me. Spending time with your pets is a joy, but hearing how much my work means to you has helped me rediscover my purpose. It has reassured me that making this huge life change was the right decision.

Finding My Place in the Local Business Community

I’ve also been overwhelmed by the support I’ve received from the local business community in and around Rugeley and Lichfield. Working from home can sometimes feel isolating, and although I adore the pets I spend my days with, it’s important to have that human interaction and space to share ideas. Through networking with The Hive in Rugeley, Lichfield Women’s Networking, and My Midlands, I’ve found a wonderfully supportive community who have welcomed me with open arms. They’ve shared encouragement, positivity, and enthusiasm for my business, and many have gone out of their way to promote my services — something that has helped me gain even more exposure.

A Creative Collaboration Takes Shape

This support has also led to a very exciting partnership this month. Beau’s Best Friends has teamed up with another local entrepreneur — Leah Jay Photography — to offer pet photoshoots alongside your usual dog walk or drop‑in. These photographs are a beautiful keepsake of your pet, and they help Beau’s stand out from the competition by offering something creative, soulful, and special. It just shows how many opportunities there are for collaboration, and how small businesses can truly lift one another up.

Creativity Returning: My First Published Ebook

Creativity has been flowing through me more than ever this month. For the first time in a long time, the fire of imagination has been present in my daily life. Perhaps it’s because my mind finally feels rested — no longer tired, but sparked by the world around me. This burst of inspiration has led to me creating and publishing my first ebook: “Wanders With Your Dog – A Guide to Local Walks in Staffordshire.”

The book offers advice to dog owners about the importance of walking — not just for your dog’s wellbeing, but for your own mental health too. It also shares my favourite local walks in the Rugeley and Lichfield areas: the hidden gems, the magical places, the everyday routes I know so well. I still can’t quite believe I’m now a published author. If this sounds like something you’d love — especially as the weather begins to warm and the mud (hopefully!) starts to disappear — you can find the link to purchase it through my Linktree:  https://linktr.ee/beausbestfriends

The Energy of the Fire Horse

This sense of renewal has been echoed by the arrival of the Chinese astrological new year — the Year of the Fire Horse. It is believed that the Fire Horse helps us shed the final layers of an identity that no longer serves us. With the brightness of this month, the new energy I’ve felt, and a growing belief in myself, I can feel that shedding happening. From here on in, things — in the words of D:Ream — can only get better.

Stepping Into Purpose

My soul has finally found its new purpose, and for the first time in a long time, I feel fulfilled.

If you’d like to follow along as Beau’s Best Friends continues to grow — or if you’re looking for caring, reliable support for your dog — I’d love for you to explore what I offer. From everyday walks to our new pet photoshoot sessions and my freshly published ebook, everything is gathered in one place on my Linktree.

Thank you for being part of this journey and for helping Beau’s Best Friends become what it is today.
https://linktr.ee/beausbestfriends

Finding Myself Again: Dogs, Nature, and a Leap of Faith — January Reflections

January: A New Beginning

The Myth of the New Year Reset

Wow! What a beginning to the year January has been. People always believe that when the clock strikes midnight on 31st December, the chance for a fresh start, a new beginning, or the magical opportunity to become a better version of yourself truly begins. There’s a magic in the air, a hopefulness that the new year will sweep away the old stuff — the bad habits and the relationships that continually pull you down.

My New Year Started With Fear, Not Fireworks

For me, on that date, I was full of apprehension, nervousness, and anxiety. Only weeks before, I had officially launched Beau’s Best Friends as my new business, taking the plunge into self‑employment after having a very secure job in the public sector for 18 years. I swear that when I told people what I was going to do, they looked at me as if I was mad — crazy, even — with thoughts of “I’m sure she’s gone insane?” This was usually followed by more serious and sensible questions like, “What about your pension?”

Now, to me, that is at least another twenty years away, and being the very middle‑aged person that I am at nearly 44, I thought — rather depressingly — that I only have half of my life left to figure it all out, so I have to make the most of it. Being an Aries hot‑head, the only thing I can ever do is live in the moment, and if the moment isn’t making me happy, then I have to do something about it — immediately.

Why I Created Beau’s Best Friends

Regarding the creation of Beau's Best Friends, it’s a question I’m asked about a lot. I absolutely love animals of any kind, and I love being outside in nature. The times when I have sought peace in my life, or have felt worried or out of control, I’ve always managed to put my mind back into a moment of pure joy and calm by putting on my boots, grabbing a lead, and wandering off down the canal towpath with my best buddies — my dogs, Henry and Beau.

There were many moments, particularly when Covid hit us all hard and walking became my salvation, when I wondered how I could turn this feeling — this action — into a career choice. After nearly two decades in a structured, demanding environment, I realised that the pace and nature of the role no longer aligned with the life I wanted to lead. It wasn’t about the organisation or the people — it was simply that my priorities had shifted, and I needed a different rhythm, one that supported my wellbeing and allowed me to reconnect with the things that made me feel grounded.

It became clear that something had to change, and I wanted that change to be on my own terms. So I took the leap.

Finding My Spiritual Path in Nature

Alongside all of this, something else was quietly growing in me — a pull toward spirituality that I’d never fully explored before. I’ve started embracing neo‑paganism and walking the path of a baby druid — still learning, still curious, still finding my way. It’s not about rituals or labels for me; it’s about recognising the sacred in the everyday. The whisper of wind through the reeds. The way the canal reflects the sky. The grounding comfort of mud under my boots. The sense that nature holds answers if you’re quiet enough to listen.

This spiritual shift has woven itself into my work without me even trying. Every walk feels like a small act of devotion. Every animal I care for reminds me of the interconnectedness of everything. And every moment outdoors strengthens that feeling of belonging — to the land, to myself, to something bigger.

Training, Leaping, and Launching Into the Unknown

I got myself canine‑trained, completed my Dog First Aid certification in November, and launched myself into the unknown full of expectation, excitement, and apprehension. Anyone would think I was an astronaut heading into space — not a dog walker!

January’s Gifts: People, Pets, and Possibility

So, January — why is it then that I’m thanking you for a new beginning? I’m thanking you for making me realise that my dream is more than a possibility, that there is real potential out there. I’ve managed to meet and greet some wonderful people from all different backgrounds, and all of them so far have become one of “Beau’s Besties” by joining my pack.

I’ve met a variety of dogs and cats with their own individual quirks, each of which has made me smile every time I’ve met them and every time I’ve walked them. They’ve helped me realise my self‑worth again — that I can change career at 43 and the world will not explode.

What’s more, the creative side of me is thriving. It’s as if the stress has been removed and my imagination station is in overdrive. I genuinely haven’t been this creative since my time at Bretton Hall twenty years ago.

A Message for Anyone Thinking of Changing Their Life

You may be asking — why is she writing this? Because if anything, on a positive note, there is a life out there, and you can make it what you want it to be. Go and buck that trend. Make those changes, however big or small they may be. Most of all — make yourself happy.

I’m not going to lie, financially things are a lot tougher than they were, but I’m also not as frivolous. I don’t need to cheer myself up by buying myself gifts; my gifts are now the wagging tails and the wet noses, the wind in my hair and the smell of wet grass.

So if you’ve booked your pet in with me over this past month, then I want to say a big thank you — this feeling of satisfaction and inner peace that I have is because of you. And to anyone who has clicked on a post, liked, or commented — another massive shout‑out for engaging with my content and helping me get the name Beau’s Best Friends out there. I couldn’t be in this position without you.

If you happen to still be reading this and are wondering if you can change your life too, I can assure you that you can. All it takes is little steps, just like a walk, and you will finally get to where you’re meant to be.