All change comes with risk. But how do you overcome the self-sabotaging thoughts and actually say yes?

Belonging is important to everyone no matter their age. When resting, our brains enter a default network which actually mimics the same neural cognitive system seen when we engage in social interaction. Even babies are biologically designed to seek out human connection and infants as young as 2 weeks old have been shown to exhibit the same neural network described above. Martin Seligman, the 'father of positive psychology,' developed a popular theory of wellbeing - PERMA - th

If there's one thing that's been under strain since the start of the pandemic, it's our relationships. Spending hours together in a limited number of rooms is surely enough to put even the strongest relationship to the test. Throw in home-schooling, whilst also trying to work from home, and you may have the perfect storm! But this article is not just about relationships with a partner or significant other. It also concerns the relationships you have with your children, parent

Transform Your Mind, Transform Your Life! You know that pile of clothes hanging on the treadmill you don't use? And the pile of papers you've been meaning to file but now resembles The Leaning Tower of Pisa? Well it might be time to do something about them, because research confirms they are bad for your physical and mental health. I know! I thought the same thing! How can a pile of inanimate objects impact my wellbeing? Well physically, clutter can cause a build up of dust,

Work-life balance. A phrase we hear all too often, and in my opinion it sends completely the wrong message. It implies that some kind of balance is actually possible, when in reality we all know that achieving a work-life balance is like trying to smell the colour nine. Yet it's a goal that clients often tell me they want to achieve. The trouble with the phrase is that word balance. The dictionary definition of balance is 'an even distribution of weight or a situation where e

A Broad Industry If you're reading this, you probably already have some idea about what coaching is. If you need a little bit more info, check out my article 'Why You Should Get A Coach for 2021' for a description of what coaching is - and isn't! The coaching industry is incredibly broad and covers multiple aspects of life. A quick search on Google will lead you to life coaches, confidence coaches, mindset coaches, executive coaches, relationship coaches, existential coaches,

With everything that’s going on in the world, you might find yourself feeling a bit low at the moment. This is completely understandable, and it is important to remember that all feelings are valid and negative feelings usually pass in time. However, if you notice a sadness or low mood often during the winter months, and rarely during the rest of the year, you may be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of seasonal depression that comes and goes in pa

If you’ve read my blog post ‘Reviewing 2020: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself’ you probably already have a good idea of the areas of your life that would benefit from some attention and TLC. If you haven’t started to review 2020 yet, that is where I would recommend you begin, so head over to the article here and come back once you have answered some or all the questions. If you have some inkling as to the areas of life you want to focus on but still don’t have a clear picture, yo

On a cold, wintry day, what’s better than curling up under a blanket with a good book? In my mind it’s what the word hygge was created for. Even better if you have a fire or candles going and are already in your PJ’s! Bliss! I love reading and books in general. I read and re-read. I…shhh…I even highlight passages and quotes and make notes in the margins of my favourite ones. But don’t tell anyone. That kind of behaviour is often frowned upon. I first read my favourite book, ‘

No matter which way you look at it, life is hard. Our days are filled with a multitude of pressures and frustrations and it is easy to see why so many people feel overwhelmed, anxious and stressed. Over time this pressure builds, and because you are so busy trying to stay on top of everything, you often don’t see the problem until it affects your physical or mental health. Most people are just so focused on getting through their week that they don’t stop to think about whethe

Anyone else totally over 2020 and looking forward to 2021? Me too. But before we completely dismiss 2020 in favour of the bright, shiny, hopeful new year, I think it’s important to look back and reflect on the events of the last 12 months. So much has happened this year. It’s like a whole decade of world-shifting events have been squashed into 365 days. Obviously, COVID-19 was the global headliner. But let’s not forget the devastating bush fires in Australia, the Black Lives

In an ideal world, wellbeing at work would start with the employer. Why should employers care about wellbeing? Well, research tells us that employee wellbeing is directly linked to employee performance. Global employee productivity and engagement is currently at an all-time low, with only 15% of employees actively engaged in their work and enthusiastic about their workplaces. Perhaps more worryingly, 18% are actively disengaged, and their unhappiness and resentment may lead t

No matter how organised you are, there will inevitably be times in your life that make you question your sanity. You know, those moments where you find yourself sat in the car screaming into your handbag in Sainsbury’s carpark? Or you eat a whole bag of fun-sized mars bars on the drive home while wondering why everyone else makes it all look so easy? Well the next time you're scrolling through Instagram comparing yourself to those super-organised, prepared-for-anything smiley

Stress. We use the term negatively most of the time, even though stress is what has kept us alive as humans for thousands of years. It's a biological trigger that tells us when we're in danger and at risk of death; prompting us to take action - to flight, fight, freeze or fawn. I daresay that in prehistoric times this stress was fairly infrequent and usually terminal. For example: imagine running into a sabre-toothed tiger. Huge stress caused by a high risk of death, with onl

Traditionally, the holiday season was a time for families and friends to come together and reconnect. A time to celebrate the events of the year (LOL), share small but well-crafted, thoughtful gifts and to give thanks and acknowledge the passing of another year. You know what it’s like…happy parents smiling lovingly at one another, enjoying a small glass of wine, while the kids play beautifully in front of a roaring fire and snow drifts gently down outside…Hmm…anyone recognis

Tuning our attention into experiences gives us the power to create more opportunities to appreciate positive emotions in daily life. Research shows providing our brains with daily doses of awe, curiosity, gratitude, joy and love can support growth, success and positive social connections in the average person. It can also prevent a downward spiral in those whose mental health is ‘languishing’ or who are at risk of mental health issues. By seeking out momentary positive emotio

Busy. That is the word of the moment. Too busy to stop. Too busy to chat. Too busy to make time for the people you love or yourself. But why? What the hell are we doing to feel so busy all the time? I'm confident you've asked yourself that question. I bet you and your friends have all sat around and said repeatedly, “What has changed to make life feel like this?” I know I have. Whilst I don’t believe there's a quick fix, what I’ve realised is that it all comes down to our app