As the UK school summer holiday comes to an end I’m wondering about everyone who went away recently – and those who ‘staycationed’.
A holiday is defined in The Cambridge Dictionary as:
“…a time when someone does not go to work or school but is free to do what they want, such as travel or relax.”
Did you do what you wanted? How did it go?
Better than expected, pretty much according to plan – or were you disappointed? Continue reading “What Did YOU Do on Holiday?”
A recent survey revealed that British holidaymakers spend more time sorting out their digital entertainment for a trip than they do on packing the rest of their suitcase. 
Many of us check work emails and messages whilst away on holiday, too.
By contrast, an Ofcom report out last month about our obsession with being online found that more than a third of UK internet users felt the need to take a “digital detox” in the last year – ranging from just a few hours offline to taking an entirely web-free holiday.
I’ve been on a few courses on mindfulness in recent years – it seems to be a bit of a buzzword at the moment, and in danger of being promoted in some circles as a bit of a ‘cure all’ perhaps? There’s a good deal of research being done with the aim of demonstrating how mindfulness might help us increase our alpha brain waves which could increase our creativity and also help relieve the symptoms of conditions such as depression, anxiety and chronic pain. Continue reading “Mindfulness – My Way”
I’m a fan of Malcolm Gladwell’s books – having previously really enjoyed ‘The Tipping Point’ and ‘Blink’.
In our pursuit of excellence and our ‘self-help’ culture we place a lot of emphasis on personal effort and perseverance as the keys to success and often attribute lack of success to lack of effort and someone giving up too easily. Continue reading “Outliers”
A friend put me onto this TED talk by Brené Brown a while ago. Since then I’ve shared it with lots of other people, watched other videos of hers on You Tube (more on vulnerability plus shame and resilience), and read some of her books: ‘Daring Greatly’ and ‘Rising Strong’.
It’s an inspiring talk. Amongst other things, she talks about the importance of human connection and that it won’t happen unless we approach it wholeheartedly, with the courage to risk making ourselves vulnerable to others. Continue reading “The Power of Vulnerability”
This is a book that was recommended to me a few years ago. It’s by James Hollis, is rooted in Jungian psychology, and has the tagline “from misery to meaning in midlife“. Sounds a bundle of fun, I know!
It’s not a very long book, but it’s packed with insight for anyone who thinks they might be having a mid-life crisis and I’ve recommended it to friends, family and clients. Continue reading “The Middle Passage”
Whole People 