How to Stay Balanced and Navigate Transition in Our Fast-Paced World

Life today moves faster than ever before. The internet, instant messaging, and 24-hour news mean we are constantly plugged in and often overwhelmed, off-balance, anxious and stressed.

As a child in Northern Ireland during the 1970s, I remember waiting two years for a Disney movie to reach our local cinema. Now, living in rural France, I can stream new releases the same day they premiere. When I first travelled solo to Australia in 1989, my parents waited weeks for my airmail letters to arrive. Today, I chat with friends down under instantly via WhatsApp. And, as a young woman living in London in the late 80s there was nearly a day’s delay before breaking news from my home in Belfast was reported on the English news channels.  Today I look at my mobile phone here in France with my heart breaking and tears streaming down my face as I watch live feeds of the genocide in Gaza via 24 hour news streaming channels.

Technology has transformed our lives in wonderful ways but the speed of modern living can also throw us off balance. With the rise of AI and the constant demands on our attention, it’s no wonder so many of us feel stressed, anxious, or disconnected. And when you’re already navigating transition — whether it’s a new life stage, a shift in career, or a personal loss — it can feel even more overwhelming.

That’s why it’s essential to create rhythms and rituals that restore balance, presence, and resilience.

• Life has sped up dramatically in just a few decades.

• We are more connected than ever, but also more overstimulated.

• Many women navigating transition feel the strain of juggling constant change with the demands of modern life.

When we don’t pause to restore balance, we risk burnout, disconnection, and overwhelm.

As a true Celt (Irish father, Scottish mother), I’ve long felt connected to the wisdom of our ancestors. Long before modern calendars, their lives were guided by nature and the Wheel of the Year — eight turning points marked by the changing seasons. These eight Sabbats are:

For me, pausing every 6–7 weeks to reflect and align with these seasonal rhythms has been life-changing. Each Sabbat offers guidance for navigating transition — whether that’s letting go of what no longer serves you, planting new intentions, or celebrating growth and abundance.

We’ve just moved through the Autumn Equinox (September 22), a time of release and letting go. Ahead lies Samhain (or Halloween in modern culture) but known as the New Year in the Celtic spiritual calendar. For our ancestors, this was a time of endings and beginnings, when the veil between worlds grew thin and the cycle of death and renewal was honoured.

By marking these seasonal thresholds today, we:

🍂 Slow down and reflect
🌑 Honour endings and new beginnings
🌱 Ground ourselves during uncertainty
☀️ Find meaning and courage in change

Nature’s cycles remind us that transition is natural — and that balance is always possible.

Starting this Samhain, I’ll be hosting an online Women’s Balance Workshops on each of the eight Sabbats. I used to run these seasonal workshops for women in person in Belfast but I stopped when we moved to France 8 years ago. However, following recent requests from my coaching clients and girlfriends, it is clear that they are needed more now than ever so I am starting them again. This time they will be nourishing 3 hour sessions via Zoom which allow you to step out of the busyness of life, reconnect with yourself and a jon with a circle of 10 women frrom the comfort of your own home.

Each gathering is limited to 10 women, ensuring a safe and nourishing circle.

And here’s the best part: for less than the cost of a private coaching session, you’ll receive not only three hours of live guidance and community, but also accountability and practices that carry you forward until the next seasonal turning point.

When we are in times of change — whether it’s moving through menopause, shifting careers, grieving a loss, or starting something new — it can feel uncertain and destabilising.

The Women’s Balance Days are designed to help you:

• Create sacred space during life’s transitions

• Align with seasonal rhythms to move through change

• Find clarity and resilience in uncertain times

• Cultivate balance, intention, and flow