Hi, I’m Kirsty - founder of Alive Essence, creator of The Vitality Deck, and owner of a busy social media agency based on the Isle of Man.

For years I helped other businesses grow online - yet behind the scenes, I was running on empty. The constant notifications, the pressure to always be “on”, and the endless scroll left me burnt out. Even when I wasn’t working, I couldn’t switch off. My phone was never far from reach, and neither was the mental noise that came with it.

Long before burnout, there were signs. I’d battled low mood and cycles of negative thinking which deepened when my little one was born. Later, when I launched my business, the rollercoaster of highs and lows further took their toll.

At some point, I recognised something had to change. I knew I needed to feel better, but I didn’t know how.

So, I started experimenting. I made tiny shifts - stepping outside when I wanted to stay in bed, heading to the sea when my mood dipped, noticing what drained me and deliberately reducing it. I left my phone in another room.

I stopped watching the news. I reduced alcohol. And, little by little, things
changed.

When I later trained in Positive Psychology Coaching, it helped me make sense of everything I’d discovered the hard way. It wasn’t just about positive thinking - it was about the foundations of wellbeing itself.

The PERMAH framework, developed by psychologist Martin Seligman and expanded by Niyc Pidgeon, became my anchor:

We need Positive emotion to lift us, Engagement to immerse us, Relationships to connect us, Meaning to guide us, Accomplishment to remind us
of our growth, and Health - both physical and emotional - to sustain it all.

When even one of those pillars starts to wobble, everything else can feel unsteady. But when we nurture them, life begins to flow again.

That understanding became the foundation for Alive Essence - a reminder that balance and vitality don’t come from doing more, but from noticing, pausing, and reconnecting with what truly supports us.

Alive Essence exists to share what helped me - simple, powerful practices rooted in science and self-compassion.

From mindful breathing and gratitude to sleep, sea air and stillness, these micro-moments have the power to shift everything. If they help just one other person rediscover their spark, then it’s all been worth it.

Qualifications & Training

• Level 1 Pranic Healing – 2025
• Positive Psychology Coaching Accreditation – 2022
• Mini MBA in Marketing – 2021
• Facebook Adcelerator Programme – 2018
• Digital Mums Social Media Management Training – 2017
• PGCE in Secondary Music Education – 2001
• BMus (Hons) – 2000