As Easter approaches I'm diving into a week-long digital holiday. I haven’t actually done a proper digital holiday for a couple of years, but my whole being has been screaming for it, and it seems like a very good time to switch off and unplug. Being in nature is really all I’m in the mood for right now, and in amongst a bit of wet weather, I’ll be ... [Read On]
The Mood Mover
If you're feeling stressed, overwhelmed or too hot under the collar at times for your own liking, you're not alone. Stress is very common and managing it can be a real challenge. Having good tools is essential to stress management - and actually it's not about managing stress, it's about transforming it. It's about realising that you can learn to ... [Read On]
Your inner alignment is your super-power
As some of my community will be aware, I’ve had a rather protracted health journey over the last almost 10 years or so. I recall lying in bed one day near the beginning of that journey, bowled over with glandular fever and unable to work. It was mid-afternoon and I was reading a book about healing the body and the importance of knowing why you want ... [Read On]
Are you taking good enough care of yourself right now?
Okay, so there’s a lot going down right now on the home front and around the world. Whether you’ve got a bunch of Covid cases in your workplace, are waiting with bated breath for mandates to be dropped, or concerned for Ukraine, it’s enough to put us a tad off kilter. I’ve had a few days of feeling a bit out of my usual flow and really needing to ... [Read On]
Our unresolved stuff can be a sneaky little energy drain
Do you recall the sensation of finally getting something off your chest or resolving a situation with a friend? Of how much of a relief it was and how much lighter you felt afterwards? Isn’t it funny how often it’s only with retrospect that we realise how much that situation was taking up space within us? How heavy it was on our shoulders? This ... [Read On]
When life feels out of our control it’s time to get IN-powered
So much of what is going on right now has us feeling at the mercy of external circumstances and other people. Have you been feeling that too? Much of the government rhetoric and policies - and mainstream media messaging - this year has fostered fear, uncertainty and disempowerment. And continues to do so. For many, our sense of control and ... [Read On]
Are you being compassionate enough with yourself right now?
Wow, it’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the penultimate month of the year. And what a situation we find ourselves in. I’m feeling very aware of the multiple stressors that people are facing right now, and that they are not only many but also varied, especially for those in lockdown areas or those being severely affected by mandates ... [Read On]
Start With You Means Having Sovereignty Over Yourself
When I rebranded my business to Start With You back in 2015, it was after a lot of exploring and soul-searching, primarily about why I do what I do and what it’s really about. (I can highly recommend Simon Sinek’s book “Start With Why” and his online resources to help with this process, by the way. Oh, and it wasn’t until the following day after ... [Read On]
I don’t believe in stress management
Although I specialise in stress and resilience, among other things, I actually don’t believe in managing stress or stress management. That’s a bit of a mind-bender for some, but this nuance in semantics is actually pretty important. These terms presuppose we’re going to have stress and it needs to be managed, which is buying into the paradigm ... [Read On]
Sometimes the practical tools are just not enough
I’ve always been quite a practical person – able to fix a blown fuse or repair a piece of broken china, or organise a kitchen to work well for the cook. And when I think about it, this actually pervades my approach to personal and professional change and stress transformation. As soon as I started specialising in stress and resilience for instance, ... [Read On]