I’ve lost hope before. When I’ve been ill. Alone. Broke. Sad. Angry. Grieving. I realised recently that as I made my way through those times and came out the other side, even though I may have given up hope at times, it was still there. It's really not easy to see when you're in the thick of it. Maybe you've given up. Perhaps you're in ... [Read On]
Could you be getting caught up in “I’ll try” thinking?
How easy is it to get caught up in “I’ll try” thinking ?? Do you hear yourself say it to people? “I’ll try and get that to you by this time.” “I’ll try and be there.” “I’ll try and do it.” “I’ll try” can mean I’m going to do this, but really I’m not that keen or enthusiastic. Or it feels too much on top of what I’m already doing. Or I’m ... [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]
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]
Lockdown Resources to Help You Thrive
Dear ones, Here in New Zealand we've found ourselves plunged into a very sudden level 4 lockdown and whilst it was very much on the cards, it’s still very jarring and very disruptive. There are a lot of very’s in that sentence but I guess that’s the nature of the week we’ve had! Here are a range of free resources at Start With You to help to ... [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]
Stripping things back to the essentials
For me, June has been a month of enjoying the simplicities of life; enjoying a thermos of fresh ginger tea on cold mornings, lighting candles in the early wintry evenings. With all the rain we’ve had here, I’ve been chasing the sun on the days it has appeared and soaking it up. I’m feeling like my solar battery has been filled up again. Sunshine is ... [Read On]
Worn Out? Stressed? It Could be Covid Stress.
If you’ve not been feeling quite yourself lately, feeling low, stuck in a lot of stress, or have lost your motivation or mojo, welcome to humanity. You’re not alone. And it could be Covid stress or some form of the ‘Covid blues’. We’re in a pandemic. Life has changed. And it’s affecting people in many different ways. Numerous people I’ve spoken ... [Read On]
Hiring a coach is an act of courage.
Gentlemen, this one is for you. Yes, I offer coaching for men, and at least half my coaching clients are male – business owners, directors, leaders and professionals. One of them was telling me yesterday about two recent conversations with male friends of his about their challenges around stress and mental health. He was feeling really good ... [Read On]