Protest!
Untrained effort #30
This year’s seasonal greetings come with a strong dose of discontent.
From Brussels to Bulgaria, citizens are taking to the streets to protest. I’ve been in awe of the organised tactics the farmers are deploying, from blockading Greece to burying the European capital in potatoes, or spraying cow’s blood in France. They feel powerful because of their numbers and existing capital (like the millions of tractors parked at the Bulgarian-Greek border). But it is really their organisation that sets them apart for me.
This autumn/winter period has been quite interesting on a personal level since i spent more time in Bulgaria, working on a new project (and getting involved in another one!). I therefore had the chance to be in Sofia for one of the biggest peaceful protests to date and let me tell you: what a time to be alive. Not neceseraly because change will unfold immediatly and drastically (the governement did resign but has since tried to orchestrate new outrageous manoeuvers) but because these protests are rooted in a generational shift and are producing the most excellent (pop) culture. From memes to songs and new catch phrases, the mobilisation of thousands of younger people is in itself creating an identity shift which has been really interesting to witness. What’s been baffling is that TV commentators are still looking down on young people, “these kids that do not know what they want” without realising they are poopooing real voters, many of whom are, or will be, shouldering the economical (and demographic) growth of the country.
But enough of politics, for g*d sakes! It is Christmas after all - the time to be jolly and full of cheese! Aaah yes, i forgot that in some places in the world being with family means avoiding discussions and heated debates. Too bad i’m Balkan and the two things i like the most this time of the year is pickled vegetables and a good old rant about the state of the world!
So, wherever you are and however you are spending these last few 2025 days remember: make your needs heard and organise. There is strengh in numbers so don’t do it alone. Be strategic and take the long view. Protest! And do not settle for less than what you deserve.
Happy, Merry 2026 everyone - see you on the flip side.
Care & Resilience training
I’ve partnered with European Alternatives to create an online, self-paced, written training abour care and resilience. More than just lighting a candle, drawing a bath and hoping for the best, this series of newsletters will compile lots of practical tools and exercices for in-depth work without overwhelm.
To access the training, you need to sign up below to received the emails in the new year. There will be three newsletters delivered weekly from 8th Jan.
Нощни Пеперуди - Night Butterflies
I’ve been having a really interesting time working with leading, Bulgarian, documentary theatre company Vox Populi on a new project. “Night Butterflies” (or moths) is a verbatim show centering female sex workers. It opens on 21st January at Toplocentrala in Sofia and will be my first work as assistant director. I’ve learned a great deal from the women we’ve interviewed and cannot wait to see how everything comes togeter: i’ll be in rehearsals from the 10th Jan and cannot wait!
Return
Something else that has been occupying a lot of my mental RAM is the idea of ‘return’ - it’s impossibility, it’s messiness and all the feelings realted to it (both joyful and unsettling). I’ve written about it for In Other Words, a publication by Metal - a socially engaged creative company - which will be out in the new year. I’ve applied for funding to R&D it and i have been chatting with Bulgarians who have chosen to come back. I suspect that this will be a creative obsession for the next few years so i am also looking for someone to give me a hand…
If you are a phd student at one of the White Rose universitites, i’d love to hear from you! I’m looking for a project/research assistant to investigate this topic a bit deeper. If you are into the intersection between research and the arts - this might be just for you. Deadline for expressions of interest is 6th Jan.
Imposter Syndrom
Those of you diehard fans might have read about my imposter syndrom workshop in the last newsletter. Christina Poulton, who hosted me, has put together this very handy resource. If your inner critique is taking up a bit too much space this holiday season, there are a few handy tips to deal with it.
And if you need more or ongoing support do not hesitate to contact me for a free coaching enquiry. I’m back at my desk from the 8th Jan and have new year slots still available.
And if you are still here…
Thank you for reading! Hope you have a fab end of the year. I’m leaving you with some winter shots from stunning Parys mountain/Mynydd Parys in Anglesey, a disused copper mine i visited yesterday.
