Site improvements
My website is having some changes made to improve access and readability. As I did not want to close the site during alterations, some functions may not be working properly over the next few weeks. I hope this does not inconvenience you, and please remember that you can email me and arrange a phone call if you need any information about me or my services that you cannot find on the site.
Learning by doing
Some things can only be learned by doing them, but unfortunately we live in an age where this is undervalued. When we learn something by doing it, at the same time we'll pick up or develop loads of skills and talents which are incidental to the primary task we are learning. Increasingly things are expected to be 'taught' and 'learned' in classrooms. Universities and colleges are really good at teaching parts of a subject such as its history or theories relating to it, but less good at handling the practical ...
“Powerful Simplicity”
The sun was shining, we talked, we walked by the river, and later in the gardens, we shared, we listened. We thought a lot, this was time-out for us, after all. We didn't need to think 'where to' or how' or 'when', there were no deadlines, only supportive structure. We had lunch, and what a great lunch it was. We learned about each other, but most of all we learned about ourselves, and how we could move towards creating a better life, with relaxation and enjoyment, to better face our ...
Need a Break? Take a Day for Yourself
Do you ever feel in need of a break, to take time to step back and think about where your life is taking you? Whether through work or personal circumstances we all hit moments when we feel that we could benefit from a little space to relax and reflect. I would go so far as to say that we all need the opportunity sometimes. Furthermore, it is now evident from studies into resilience that the people who fare best under pressure – they recover more quickly and are better motivated ...
New: How to Reorient Your Life
I am launching a new series of personal development workshops and retreats this autumn under the banner of Inner Landscapes. Designed for people who want to take some time out for themselves, the events combine facilitated activities with the natural environment, to inspire development and promote wellbeing. For the earlybird price of just £80.00 you can devote a day to yourself, in a relaxing and restorative setting, and learn ways to enhance personal growth and fulfilment.
Vulnerability
In this video Dr Brené Brown explains that vulnerability is what gives our lives meaning and purpose. But when we cut ourselves off from the risky business of being vulnerable, we also exclude joy, love and fulfilment. Since these are also the aspects that give us the reserves we need to face adversity, protecting ourselves from feeling vulnerable also makes us less resilient.
One small step…
Where do you start when you want to change something? Often we aim too high by setting ourselves targets that seem unattainable, or are too abstract. Leo Babauta has some answers in The Half Step That Will Change Your Life, and Oliver Burkman discussed the importance of small victories in his column recently.
Review: Beating Combat Stress
John Henden's latest book will have wider appeal than the title suggests, for though it may appear to be written for professionals working in a specialised area, it also puts practical techniques into the hands of anyone who is in a position to support sufferers of post-traumatic stress. In his words “the book’s twin purpose is to provide a handbook for practitioners and at the same time to be a self-help book or buddy-aid manual.”
Conflict At Work is Costly
Conflict is obviously costly in financial terms, but more important is the cost to morale, working relationships and personal well-being. Conflict causes misery and burns up energy that would otherwise used productively for work. But it doesn’t have to be like this. If you are involved in a dispute at work (or elsewhere) here are some things you can do to start to resolve it.
