Women's Circles in Leeds & West Yorkshire

A space to come together, just as you are

I think we underestimate how much we need connection with other women.

Not just the quick conversations between everything else we have to do, but the time to sit together, talk honestly and listen to one another without feeling that we need to have everything figured out.

So much of our lives is spent doing. We are thinking ahead, making decisions, caring for others and trying to keep all the different parts of life moving. Even when we do get a moment to ourselves, it can be difficult to switch off from everything that is going on in our heads.

Women's Circles offer an opportunity to pause and make some space for yourself.

Each circle has a theme, giving us something to explore together. The themes offer a starting point for conversation, reflection and connection, creating space to think about different aspects of being a woman and how these show up in our own lives.

You might arrive with something you want to share, or you might find that listening to other women is what you need most that day. You might discover that something someone says resonates with you, or that hearing a different perspective helps you see something in a new way.

You don't need to arrive with anything prepared, and you don't need to know exactly what you want to get out of the gathering. Sometimes we understand what we need only once we've given ourselves the space to stop.

What happens in a Women's Circle?

We share cacao, homemade cake and a crafting activity, creating time to slow down, enjoy being together and allow conversation to happen naturally.

There's something lovely about sitting around a table, sharing something warm to drink, making something with our hands and having the space to talk without the usual distractions of everyday life.

The theme gives each gathering its own focus, while the crafting activity offers another way to explore, reflect and connect. You don't need to be good at crafting, and there is no expectation to create anything in particular. It's simply an opportunity to get creative and enjoy the process.

There may be things you want to share, or you might prefer to listen, reflect or enjoy a little quiet. There is no pressure to speak, and you don't need to share anything you would rather keep to yourself.

I think there is something really valuable about spending time with other women without the usual expectations of everyday life. We don't need to fix one another, give advice or find a solution to everything that comes up. Sometimes being listened to is enough. Sometimes it helps to know that somebody else has felt something similar. And sometimes we simply need to be around other women and feel part of something.

Is a Women's Circle right for you?

It might be for you if:

• You'd like to meet other women and make some connections.
• You spend most of your time looking after other people and would like a little time for yourself.
• You'd enjoy conversation, cacao and cake, with something to do with your hands.
• You'd rather listen than speak, or the other way round.
• You don't know anyone who comes, and that's perfectly fine.

Why community matters

I think community is something we really need right now.

We live in a world that often encourages us to manage everything independently. We're busy, we're often juggling so many different responsibilities, and much of our communication happens through screens. We can be surrounded by people and still feel quite alone.

Historically, women have gathered together to share knowledge, support one another and move through life's different stages alongside other women. I think there is something important about having spaces where we can return to that sense of connection.

Not because we all need to think the same way or have the same experiences, but because we need opportunities to be around one another, to listen, to laugh, to share what is going on in our lives and to feel part of something.

Community doesn't have to mean having everything in common. Sometimes it starts with simply showing up, sitting alongside someone you haven't met before and discovering that a conversation, a shared experience or a moment of laughter can make a difference.

My hope is that Women's Circles offer a little of this. A space to meet other women, make connections and remind ourselves that we don't have to navigate life entirely on our own.

It's also an opportunity to make time for yourself, enjoy some cacao and homemade cake, get creative and spend time in the company of other women.

Sometimes the simplest things are the ones we need most.

Making space for yourself

It's easy to put ourselves at the bottom of the list, particularly when other people depend on us.

We can become so used to meeting everyone else's needs that we stop noticing our own. We tell ourselves we'll make time when things are quieter, when we've finished this next thing, or when life feels a little less full.

But life doesn't always get quieter.

Sometimes we have to choose to make the space.

Coming to a Women's Circle is one way of doing that. It's time to step away from the usual demands, reconnect with yourself and spend time with other women who are also making space to be there.

You don't need to arrive with anything to give. You can simply come as you are.

Coming along

Women's Circles run monthly in Leeds, each with its own theme. To join one, email me at kayelizabethmizan@gmail.com or send me a message on Instagram. I'll tell you about the next circle, its theme, the date and the price.

Women are welcome from across Leeds and West Yorkshire, including Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Halifax. If you have any allergies or dietary needs, let me know when you get in touch, as the cake is homemade.

If you've had a caesarean and would like a circle for that experience in particular, I also hold Caesarean Circles.

You are welcome

You don't need to know anyone beforehand, have attended a circle before or know what you want to say.

You can simply come as you are.

If you'd like to find out more about the circles, their upcoming themes, when they take place or whether one might be right for you, please get in touch. I'm always happy to answer any questions.

Beaming love your way,
Kay x