That time I made Teresa cry

This blog started life as an episode of my podcast, Unfrazzle. You can listen here if you prefer (6 minutes 47 seconds).

I’ve been supporting the incredible Teresa Heath-Wareing since January 2023.

For a long time, Teresa had dreamed of gathering together some powerhouse women, providing space for them to connect, bringing all that collective wisdom together into mastermind sessions that would spark new ideas and provide different perspectives to help each woman to grow their business.

Teresa came on retreat with me in February 2026 and finally gave that idea the space it needed to become real. She came up with the concept, the name, the list of people she’d love to have in the room, the atmosphere she wanted to create, a moodboard for how it would look, ideas for gift bags, a list of suppliers and the start of a plan to get it done.

And in April, she made it happen.

Teresa, Michelle (Teresa’s amazing right hand woman) and I drove to a beautiful barn in Shropshire and set to work beautifying the space, organising snacks – I’ve never seen so many snacks in all my life – and getting ready for people to arrive the following morning.

The day came, and so did the incredible women Teresa had invited. Honestly. Some big names in the online business space were in that room. All gathered together because they know how brilliant Teresa is and wanted to spend time with her, to soak in her wisdom and to inspire and be inspired by everyone else in the room.

The day was amazing. The room looked stunning. The food was delicious. The little surprises Teresa had thrown in went down a treat and – most importantly – some big decisions and breakthroughs happened when all that collective wisdom and experience came together to support each woman in the room.

It was spectacular.

Teresa, Michelle and I cleared everything away, and had a bit of a debrief before getting an early night to recover. The next morning, we’re up early sorting out the flowers, packing everything into our cars and getting ready to head home.

And I noticed something. As we were bustling around sorting stuff out. Teresa was talking about all the things she’d do differently next time. She was already thinking about the summit that was fast approaching, and all the things that needed to get done once she got home.

So I walked over to where she was standing in the kitchen. Took hold of both her hands. Looked her square in the eye and said “can we just take a pause for a moment. Can you just take a second to notice what you’ve just made happen? To feel proud? You’ve wanted to run an event like this for ages. And you did it. And it was amazing. Can you pause for a moment to really FEEL that? To take it all in?”

 I asked Teresa permission to tell this story, and she was happy for me to share this with you. She also said I could tell you that she blubbed like a baby. Her words, not mine.

So yes, dear reader, by gently forcing her to stop and notice what she’d achieved, I made Teresa cry. 

If we hadn’t taken that moment, she would have been straight into the next thing.

And wouldn’t that have been a shame?

We work so hard in our businesses. We set goals for ourselves. Have things we’d love to accomplish.

So wouldn’t it be a shame if we got so caught up being busy, that we didn’t notice when those things happened?

I mean, obviously Teresa had noticed that she’d run an event.

But she wasn’t letting herself FEEL it.

So I looked her straight in the eye and asked her to feel it. To notice where the feeling was. To really let it wash over her.

I was so proud of what she’d accomplished. I wanted her to feel that too.

Because if we’re always rushing about, thinking about the next thing and the next thing and the next… when do we ever get to notice how far we’ve come? To celebrate the victories that would’ve seemed impossible even just a few months before?

Running a business is hard. And it can often feel relentless.

The least we can do is give ourselves those moments.

Instead of brushing things off, claiming it was no big deal or that anyone could’ve done it, let’s OWN the amazing things we’re doing through our work.

Let’s OWN the impact we’re making. The difference we’re making in our lives.

Because when we can really FEEL that, it will give you the strength and the motivation to keep going when things get hard.

Many years ago one of my 1:1 clients said that I celebrate my clients into success.

And I think that’s true! I invite my Make It happen Club members to tell me three things they’re proud of every single week. I start all my 1:1 calls by asking what we’re celebrating.

Because the more you notice the progress you’re making, the more progress you’ll make. That might sound improbable, but it’s true. Every time you notice something positive – however small - you’re strengthening a neural pathway that knows you’re capable of making amazing things happen. You’re building evidence of your ability to get things done. To make an impact. To grow something amazing. And every time you notice that evidence, you’re rewiring your brain.

So next time you receive an email from a client telling you what a difference you’ve made to their life. Every time you do something difficult. Every time you finish a project and get it out in the world. Instead of moving straight into the next thing on your list, take a pause, and notice how it feels. Remember that a previous version of you would never have believed that that was possible for you. Feel proud. Turn the volume up on that feeling. Really swim in it.

And if it helps to imagine me taking your hands and looking you square in the eye too, go for it.

I’m proud of you. Look at how far you’ve come, and imagine how much further you can go.

As always, I hope that this helps and look forward to seeing you again soon.