About me

I’m Simone Clarkin, a professional life design coach based in the UK. 

I created Wild Alchemy because I wanted to share what I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way!) about creating a life that feels right. I help women in midlife, to pause, take stock, and start shaping a future that feels inspiring, peaceful, and in tune with who they are. 

 

 

Simone Clarkin, smiling and laughing, enjoys a coffee by a sunny window.

If you’re ready to explore what ‘next‘ might look like for you, keep reading. I’d love for you to get to know me and see if we’re a good fit. 

Why midlife?

Because I’ve been there. Ten years ago, everything looked fine on the outside. I had been working hard to build an award-winning business and was enjoying my life. But inside I knew something wasn’t right.  

Then came menopause, a reminder of the passage of time,  followed by a cancer diagnosis, a reminder of my mortality. Suddenly, everything came into sharp focus, and I started to ask myself: Is this really how I want to spend the rest of my time here? 

The honest answer was no. But I was stuck. I didn’t know what I wanted instead, and I was honestly terrified to leave my comfort zone. I was just hoping someone else would show me the path. 

That wasn’t going to happen, so the universe gave me a forceful nudge. My business started failing, and eventually, I had to close it down. 

After I closed the doors, I finally had the space to stop and think about how I wanted my life to be. I spent that time learning, from the ground up, how to build a life that I genuinely love. a life where I can be creative, feel useful, and just be happy. 

A dark blue background that fades into a brighter blue. A light blue, against the background there's a line drawing of a butterfly. Small golden stars are scattered around the scene.

Connecting the dots

The deep realization that led me to build a life I genuinely love wasn’t guesswork. It was actually the culmination of a lifelong obsession with human behavior.

I started way back, studying social anthropology, languages, and psychology – always intrigued by what makes us tick. Then, years later, at 58, I formally cemented that knowledge with a Master’s in Coaching from Newcastle University.

Combine that foundation with my decades of work creating award-winning customer experiences. I spent my whole career watching what truly lights people up and what holds them back. All of this has taught me one crucial thing: Confidence doesn’t wait for you to feel ready. It only shows up when you start taking those messy, small steps, even if you’re still a little scared.

Simone Clarkin of A Life Less Ordinary Coaching sits at a bench desk looking at a laptop computer. A mobile phone and a coffee cup are beside her.

My new ordinary

On a day-to-day note, I’m passionate about sustainable food (not just cooking it, but eating it too!) and I’ve just started a fun new adventure: trying to grow my own fruit and vegetables. I love spending quality time with my family. That includes our cat, Weasley, who definitely runs the show around here! When I want to clear my head and find inspiration, you can usually find me enjoying yoga or taking long walks along the beach near my home. 

A beach scene with the tide out, revealing wet sand and shallow pools. Low cliffs line part of the shoreline, and a moody, overcast sky looms above. Two people are silhouetted in the distance, walking near the water’s edge.

I know from personal experience that midlife is not an ending, but a beginning. A time of possibility. And often, it’s those quiet nagging whispers that lead us toward the most meaningful change. 

I also believe that the key to a happy life is to imagine the daily life we want to live, our ideal everyday, and then work backward to create it. 

Look forward to meeting you soon,

Hand written signature: Simone
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