From Defeat to Direction
And an online workshop: From Defeat to Direction, a live coaching experience to reclaim your energy and focus - this Sunday, May 4th
Welcome to Unfolding Conversations, the newsletter of littlefrenchretreat.com and TamsinJardinier.com - for restorative practices, creative inspiration, and a mindful approach to life and work…
I want to share something personal that happened this week. I was on day 14 of leading a 30-day yoga challenge when I had to pause—my back gave out. It wasn’t dramatic, just clear that my body was saying no more. And despite all I know, and all I teach, I felt a wave of disappointment rise.
Not because I didn’t want to rest—I did. But because I felt I was letting others down. Because my mind had already leapt ahead to day 30, to the sense of completion, to the outcome. Yet when life stepped in with a different result, be it temporary, I felt what I could only name as defeat.
But here’s the gift of mindful practice— it doesn’t abandon us in our misfortunes. Yoga gives us tools not just for the mat, but for moments exactly like this. It reminds us of aparigraha—non-attachment—and the quiet strength of surrender. It invites us to meet life as it is, not just as we planned.
And so, slowly, I began to see that defeat wasn’t the end of the challenge. It was an invitation. To pause. To recalibrate. To remember that the heart of yoga isn’t about pushing through—it’s about listening. It’s about showing up honestly, even if that means stopping. And after a day’s rest, I began considering the events that led up to this point and could ask the right questions to invite a new approach to prevent me from finding myself in the same situation, once I began to teach again.
If you’re navigating a change of plan, a pause, a sense of failure—know this: you’re not behind. You’re exactly where you need to be.
Join me this Sunday for the subscribers’ monthly online workshop
May 4th, 11h00 European time (recorded and reposted to this article)
Workshop: “From Defeat to Direction”
A live coaching experience to reclaim your energy and focus
Have you hit a pause—whether from burnout, disappointment, or a shift in plans—and found yourself stuck in the story of defeat?
You're not alone. As a coach, I guide people through these pivotal moments—when life doesn’t go to plan and something deeper is asking to be heard.
This mini-workshop is a taster of my coaching work—a space to begin uncovering what’s really underneath the feeling of disappointment and falling behind, to discover what becomes possible when we listen closely, recalibrate, and move forward with more clarity.
This isn’t about fixing everything in one session. It’s about starting the conversation—with yourself and with support.
In This 60-Minute Taster, You Will:
Be gently guided through reflection practices to uncover where your energy is being drained
Gain insight into how attachment to outcomes may be quietly shaping your choices
Learn a coaching tool to shift from stuck to curious
Begin naming what your next step might be—without pressure
Connect with a supportive space where your truth is welcome
What Happens Next:
This workshop is a preview of my 1:1 coaching work. At the end, I’ll share how we can go deeper together, including a chance to book a 30-minute free discovery call for those curious to continue.
You’ll leave with a glimpse of what’s possible—not just in theory, but in you.
For confidentiality, I have uploaded the audio version below;
Until next time,
Much love, Tamsin x