Precious People, In 2016 Sophia Amoruso, founder of Nasty Gal clothing company, was named one of the world’s richest self-made women by Forbes. Later that same year she was bankrupt and burnt out from a self-confessed ‘always hustling’ work ethic. After her scorching, she set up a new business venture on a new foundation of self-care. It seems that we humans are addicted to busy – … [Read more...]
Happiness – Plan for It!
Precious people, I hope you’re keeping healthy and topping up vitamin D reserves while you're out and about enjoying summer's burst of colour and heat. I plan for winter at this time of year - lining up my diary with events and activities that will warm my heart, if nothing else, when its grey and cold! So far, 2018 has claimed the lives of two of my dear friends, an old colleague and … [Read more...]
2018 – It’s Up to You!
How to Make the Coming Year a Happy One A few days before my Dad died in 1988 he told my mother not to expect anything from anyone. He was 48. It's taken me a few decades of living - with plenty of mistakes - to understand exactly what he meant. Expecting what others say or do to make us happy - family, friends, fellow workers, strangers - is like walking … [Read more...]
Lighting the Inner Spark
I enjoy this time of year as much as I enjoy the arrival of spring because one thing a few decades of yoga practise has taught me is that optimum health depends on living in sync with Nature's rhythms. It means my body is ready to balance the over activity of the rest of the year with a period of less doing and more stillness - walks in winter's wonderland, savouring the glow of … [Read more...]
The Peril of Doing, Being and Having it All
Well, 2016 has been quite a year, one way or another, for all of us. Endings, beginnings, and plenty more shake ups or just the intensity associated with positive changes and lots happening at the same time. If there is something to be learned from it all, it may be that we know ourselves better having survived the wobbles, knuckle-biting edginess and doldrums as they came up. Intense times … [Read more...]
Set Your Own Pace
Talking to a friend recently about our personal best running times for a weekly public event, I moaned about the resulting painful back making sitting near impossible for a few weeks. My first attempt of the 5km circuit was completed in 35 minutes. I had intended to power walk it in about 50 minutes. I started off quite far back from the start line, happy to be apart from the throng of runners … [Read more...]
Yoga has Landed
Yoga takes a celebrity bow for the second annual UN International Day of Yoga on 21 June, amidst the shock and horror following the savage assassination of the young Jo Cox MP, the frenzied political EU voting debate, and hoards of refugees fleeing into the remaining safe havens on the planet. None of this is new – these are repeat shows playing on a loop of world history. I find myself … [Read more...]
You are Much More than You Think
It is very sad to read about the suicide of the former chief executive of insurance company, Zurich, Martin Senn. How distressing for his family. When I read things like this, rather than point a finger at another corporocrat, I wish that he had had the opportunity to learn that he is so much more than his job. His sense of self-worth was never dependent on how much his annual bonus was or his … [Read more...]
A Wise Cuppa
Yesterday I read Drinking Tea When There's No Way Out by Ajahn Brahm during the all day mindfulness retreat in sunny Beaulieu, Hampshire. It was met with a lot of heart felt nods and knowing smiles by those who attended. A perfect end to a nourishing day of mindfulness practise, self-compassion and care. I hope it inspires you to step back from a tough time, just for a few moments, to simply … [Read more...]
Back to Life…Back to Reality…Back to the Here and Now
I have never known a time like the last few months. So many people feeling wiped out, wired and drained with never ending colds, bugs, exhaustion etc. It brought many people to reevaluate how they've been living, working, being, even the people in their life, and some have resolved to make changes. Scary. After all, it's easier to stick with the same ol' and whinge, isn't … [Read more...]
