The mind. Friend or foe? Many of us have challenges at different times with our mind getting too busy or too negative, or simply taking up too much space in our consciousness. Honestly, I used to think my mind was more troublesome than helpful and I just wanted it to shut up, behave and let me be happy. It can distract us or make us doubt. It ... 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
These ain’t normal times, peeps (watch out for subliminal stress)
This week, one of the coach directories I belong to, Get Coached, posted a poignant message: You are not ‘working from home’. You are at home, during a crisis, trying to work. While I’m not a fan of dramatic words like ‘crisis’, it’s hard to argue with it right now. We all have a lot on our minds. There’s a lot going on, a fair amount ... 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
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