What Does It Mean to Work in Alignment?

Back in June, I was at the UKIHCA Health Coaching Conversations conference when, quite unexpectedly, a microphone was thrust into my hand.

Robert Notter had just asked the room:
“What does working in alignment mean to you?”

My dear friend and cheerleader, Izabella Natrins, gently nudged me to speak, saying,
“Harriet is the most aligned coach I know!”
But honestly? I froze. My brain went blank. I couldn’t find the words.

Still, that question stayed with me.

💫 So, What Does It Mean to Work in Alignment?

For me, alignment isn’t something I think—it’s something I feel.

It feels like I’m where I’m supposed to be, doing what I believe in. I feel at ease and in flow.

I feel it:

• When I’m at Supper Club at Lunch Club, working with my dear friend Lexi and surrounded by like-minded souls—our tribe.

• When I walk into the wonderful community of staff at St Wulfstan’s Surgery.

• After a 1:1 coaching session.

I feel alive.
I feel inspired.
I feel energised.

I feel part of something so much bigger than myself.

And you know what? That day at the conference—I was in alignment too. Surrounded by people who shared a passion for wellbeing, who were taking care of themselves and others, who came together to learn, grow, and inspire each other.

“Alignment, for me, is when my values, energy, and actions are all in sync—when I’m working from the heart, with compassion, joy, and purpose.”

It’s taken me a long time to find work that feels fully aligned. It’s taken time and patience. But by following my heart—and my passion for wellbeing—I discovered Health Coaching and HeartMath. And I finally feel at home.

❤️ Health and Wellbeing: What I Live and Breathe

Health coaching isn’t just my job. It’s how I live.

I live and breathe wellbeing because I believe in its power.
I believe every person has the potential to experience a sense of ease and joy—and that this potential is unlocked through intentional, heart-led action, whatever that looks like for you.

I take care of myself with simple wellbeing practices, and I practise HeartMath every day.

Have I mastered it? No. Because we’re all a work in progress.
And I think that’s the point.

But HeartMath gives me a way back to myself—
To my breath.
To gentle compassion.
To love.

Because at the core of it all—regulation, coherence, alignment—it’s really about love.

I’ll never forget one Supper Club evening. I was cooking because Lexi was away, and I was caught up in worry—was it going to be good enough?

And a dear friend simply said to me:

“Don’t worry. It’s all about love anyway.”

How fantastic.

We don’t need to be perfect.
We just need to bring love into the room.

🌟 Working in Alignment Is About Living Our Values

My Core Values:

Compassion, Gratitude, and Courage to Follow Our Hearts

🌸 Compassion

For a long time, I thought I was too sensitive. Too emotional. Too soft.
Now I know: these are my greatest strengths.

I meet difficult emotions with the same compassion I’d offer a friend.
And I’m passionate about helping others foster compassion for themselves and each other.

We are all doing our best. It’s so important to look for the good—in ourselves and in one another.

🌼 Gratitude

Gratitude is a daily practice for me.
It grounds me, gives me perspective, and reminds me—life is a gift.

🌈 Courage to Follow Our Hearts

I’ve followed my heart for a very long time.
And now, I finally feel like I’ve found my purpose.

Many of us search for our purpose. But in her book The Power, Rhonda Byrne writes simply that our purpose is joy—and that the greatest joy is giving:

• Our love

• Our joy

• Our excitement

• Our passion

• Our gratitude

• Our positivity

Similarly, on a recent podcast, Kirsty Gallagher said:

“Our purpose is to be ourselves.”

Again, the theme is the same: follow your heart, do what you love, and you will find your purpose.

That’s what working in alignment is:
Doing what lights you up—and sharing that light with the world.

🌟 To Conclude: Alignment Is a Feeling

If I could go back to that moment at the conference, here’s what I would say:

“For me, working in alignment is how I feel when I’m following my heart—doing work that brings me joy, where I feel at ease and in my flow.

It’s about living my values, taking care of my own wellbeing, and supporting others to do the same. It’s about helping people take care of themselves—and everyone around them—for the benefit of all.

It takes time and effort to find work that energises you and lights you up, but it’s so worth it. I’m so grateful.

So, if you feel inspired to make a change, please—follow your heart.

It really does have all the answers. And quite simply, it’s all about love and joy.”

One of my favourite books is Into the Magic Shop by Dr. James Doty.
He writes:

“The mind wants to divide us… The heart, however, wants to connect and to share.
If we want love, we have to give love.
If we want joy, we have to make others joyful.”

💛 Final Words

Working in alignment isn’t about perfection. It’s about honouring your values, listening to your heart, and showing up with love.