There are some stories that reach into the very core of your being, stories that don’t just move you, but awaken something inside. My recent podcast conversation with Tracy Martin was one of those moments.

By the age of fifteen, Tracy had already experienced profound loss, both her parents gone before she had even finished growing up. Just three years later, a life-altering car accident changed everything. At eighteen, she was left a paraplegic, grieving the loss of her then-boyfriend who died in the crash, and their unborn child.

To sit across from Tracy and listen to her speak with such honesty, strength, and grace was a humbling experience. Her story is not one of simple survival, it is one of continual adaptation. She had to learn to live in a body that no longer felt like her own, to rebuild a life after unimaginable pain, and to find purpose where only loss once existed.

As I listened, I found myself reflecting on my own younger self, the part of me who once lived in survival mode. When we face trauma, whether it’s the pain of abuse, loss, or any kind of deep suffering, our instinct is to protect ourselves. Our brains and bodies move into survival mode, doing whatever it takes to keep us safe. But survival, while necessary in the moment, isn’t a place we are meant to stay forever.

Living in survival becomes exhausting. It narrows our world and limits our capacity for joy, love, and connection. The real healing begins when we start to unlearn the coping mechanisms that once kept us safe but now hold us back. We begin to adapt in new ways - ways that invite in trust, surrender, and courage.

This journey isn’t easy. It requires us to do the very thing that once felt impossible, to let go of control and allow life to hold us again. To believe that we can be more than what happened to us.

Tracy’s story is a testament to that truth. Through immense loss, she found the strength not only to keep living but to use her voice and creativity to inspire others. Her debut book, So Not Me, is loosely based on her own experiences and delves deeply into the themes of trauma, healing, and the power of human connection. It’s a reminder that even through pain, we can create meaning, that adaptation can lead us to transformation.

Listening to Tracy reminded me that adapting isn’t about forgetting who we were before the pain, it’s about allowing life to reshape us into who we are meant to become.

May we all find the courage, like Tracy, to adapt, to grow, and to keep choosing life - even when it breaks us open.

Listen to the full conversation here: What keeps you going when you are told - You will never walk again.

Sharon Fitzmaurice

Holistic Wellness Coach, Author & Podcast Host

As November begins, nature quietly invites us inward. The days grow shorter, the air cools, and light softens into shades of gold and grey. For some, this darker season brings a deep sense of comfort, a time to rest, reflect, and replenish. For others, it can feel heavy, lonely, or uncertain, as though the spirit itself is dimming with the fading light.

Neither experience is wrong. Both are part of our human rhythm.

Our ancestors recognised this turning of the year as sacred, a time to honour the cycle of life, death, and renewal. Today, science offers another understanding through the circadian rhythm, the internal clock that governs our sleep, energy, hormones, and mood.

As daylight fades earlier, our brains naturally produce more melatonin, inviting us to rest, and less serotonin, the chemical that supports motivation and balance. This shift can make us feel slower or less energised, not as a failing, but as a biological reflection of the season itself.

The darker months are, in many ways, a mirror, showing us where we need to pause, tend, and realign.
True wellbeing is not about constant brightness or endless productivity. It’s about learning to move with the natural ebb and flow of our energy, rather than against it.

Some of us may find nourishment in quiet evenings, comforting rituals, and deeper self-reflection. Others may feel supported by gentle movement, laughter, or creative expression that keeps energy flowing. What matters most is that we listen, really listen to what our bodies, minds, and hearts are asking for.

This season invites us to ask:
What does wellbeing mean for me in this moment?
What truly helps me feel balanced, whole, and at peace?

A few ways to nurture yourself as we enter the darker half of the year:

Seek light each morning. Even a few minutes outdoors helps balance your natural rhythm and lift your mood.
Nourish your body kindly. Warm foods, rest, and gentle movement support both physical and emotional wellbeing.
Create cosy rituals. Candlelight, music, gratitude journaling, or mindful breathing, small acts that ground and soothe.
Connect with others. Shared warmth, conversation, and community remind us we’re never alone in our cycles of change.

The darker season is not something to endure; it’s an invitation to realign with your inner light, to restore balance, deepen connection, and remember that every pause has a purpose.

Darkness is not the absence of light. It is where light is nurtured, where healing begins, and where wellbeing quietly takes root.

Reflection

As you move through this month, take a few quiet moments to ask yourself:
What part of me is asking to slow down?
Where might I bring more gentleness and care?
What does my soul need to feel well this season?

Write what comes, breathe deeply, and know that you are exactly where you need to be, moving in harmony with the rhythm of life itself.

Enjoy my guided Mindful Awareness meditation to support you.

Catch up with my latest podcast guests to keep you company in the darker evenings.

Sharon Fitzmaurice

Holistic Wellness Coach, Author & Podcast Host