When you nominate someone else: A love letter in disguise

This month, I ran a giveaway. One free 90-minute Deep Dive coaching session to celebrate the 4 year anniversary of Small Circle becoming my full-time work.

But what I received in return wasn’t what I expected.

I asked my community to nominate someone else—someone they believed needed career support but might not ask for it. And what I got was a series of anonymous love letters. Each one telling me:
“They’re struggling.”
“They won’t say it out loud.”
“But I believe in them—and I think you could help.”

One friend wrote about her partner:
“He is the classic ‘put himself last’ person… I’d love for you to challenge his ‘naysayer’ tendencies about himself.”

Another nominated a cousin, a senior leader and mum, worn down by a competitive job market:
“She probably doesn’t think she needs coaching, but job hunting can be isolating. She’d benefit from another voice, especially one without an agenda.”

Others spoke of career stagnation, burnout, toxic work environments, or the quiet ache of feeling lost at midlife.
“She’s never quite found happiness in her work, and now her health and wellbeing are suffering. It’s a life upgrade she needs—not just a job one.”

In each of these messages, I heard something powerful:
Someone sees you, and wants more for you.

That’s what this giveaway became. A quiet act of care. A passing of the torch from one support person to another. Because sometimes, the person who needs help won’t ask for it—but someone else will raise their hand on their behalf.

I see this often in my coaching work. The ones who are always strong for others. The high achievers in quiet crisis. The caregivers who’ve forgotten their own needs. The breadwinners who stay stuck for financial safety. The ones who “should” be fine—but aren’t.

This giveaway reminded me how important it is to be seen. Not just for our potential, but in the messy middle of figuring things out.

So if no one’s told you lately:
You are not behind.
You are not alone.
And you don’t need to have it all figured out to deserve support.

To everyone who nominated someone: thank you. You reminded me why this work matters. You reminded me that love often looks like this—a quiet message, an anonymous nudge, a chance gifted from one heart to another.

And to those who were nominated: someone believes in you. Maybe this is your sign to believe in yourself too.

With love and gratitude,
Hannah x