The Encouragement Manifesto emerged in 2020, a few months after we closed our deli/coffee shop to make room for some new adventures. There were moments of gentle reflection as we waited for a world in the grip of a global pandemic to open up again. The more we thought about what had made our small business feel special for us - and, we hoped, the folk who seemed to be missing it - the more we settled on something like this;
Owner-run; it was just the two of us. We never wrote down the way we worked or who we were. It was in our hearts. We are pretty sure it was clear to our customers who we were and what was important to us. We worked hard to be consistent, to celebrate others, and to stay positive. Our business was built on the successes and strengths of others; kindness and generosity were keystones; we talked about value, not price; slowly, gently, we built a community. We gathered up and shared inspiring stories and we sought to be a pebble in the pond, creating ripples.
As the world unlocked itself, it became clear that many other folk had reflected; lots of people had changed their view of what they wanted from life; for so many of us, priorities had changed and people were wrestling with how to make time for the things that brought them joy. People were craving time in nature, more emphasis on their creative practice, or an improved life/work balance.
We had time on our hands and a whole heap of life experience so we wondered how we might help … the Encouragement Sessions were born. Over the next two years, we offered free one-hour mentoring calls to our existing online community. There was a real purpose to be found in listening to people’s stories, hearing their ideas, and finding ways to sprinkle them with positivity and optimism. Folk told us the calls helped.
In October 2022 - after two years of van life - we moved to a tiny farm in rural France. It felt like a new chapter. We had a new home for us, so what about a new home for our words of encouragement? It did not take long for us to realise that really suited our style. A creative community that spent more time celebrating others than it did talking about itself … writers and artists sharing other people’s work, relishing the words and the sentiments. We started to feel right at home:
But the secret of moving somewhere new is to gently feel your way into the community … it is about how you fit in, not how others have to adjust to your arrival. We took our time, waiting a full year before asking if anyone would be interested in an Encouragement Session. Perhaps our patience paid off … maybe it was just the right moment … but we have been thrilled that folk have warmed to the offer. Free encouragement for anyone who asks.
One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own.
John O’Donohue
Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong
The mentoring is on hold for a couple of months, but will be back in January 2025, the perfect start to a creative year. People are already getting their names down to make sure they grab one of the handful of sessions we will host.
In the meantime, we are celebrating the values at the heart of the Encouragement Manifesto in Notes, celebrating the work of others, finding reasons for optimism, and sharing inspiration wherever we find it.
And we are always celebrating words, including the ones have been kind enough to gift to the members of our community. We hope, very much, to find other writers who feel inspired by one of the values in the Manifesto.
Could that be YOU? We hope so.
Why not check out these beautiful pieces and see if they unlock your words.
Your Words, Gifted
Four years ago we gathered up the values that had underpinned our coffee shop/deli to create the Encouragement Manifesto. We wondered if they might strike a chord with others so we invited some folk to write about the value that most resonated with them
Congratulations!!! Consistency takes us further than anything else in life. And at the core of that consistency are our values. I still think fondly of the session I had and would highly encourage everyone to have a chat. You’ll leave feeling lighter, brighter, and energized.
happy anniversary Barrie and JoJo… loved reading this and have great memories of our encouragement session - positivity and kindness last longer and go deeper than perhaps we imagine, especially when shared with others (if that doesn’t sound too cheesy?).
Thank you.