Consolations By David Whyte Since I was a teenager, I’ve had a small pile of books that are my ‘bedside books’. They live in my bedside table or my book-bag when I travel, and they are my go-to's when I want to read something light, nourishing or inspiring. Currently the pile includes the Sufi Book of Life, The Pilgrim of Tinker Creek by Annie ... [Read On]
The Art of Resting and the 7 Types of Rest
I first explored the phenomena of rest after a bout of poor health and burnout about 10 years ago. I recall reading David Whyte’s wonderful words at a yoga retreat - To rest is to give up on the already exhausted will as the prime motivator of endeavor, with its endless outward need to reward itself through established goals. To rest is to give ... [Read On]
How do you feel about celebrating your birthday?
As my birthday rolls around this year, I’ve been thinking about how people feel about their birthday arriving and whether they treat it like a celebration or not. I have friends who feel it’s nothing special and prefer to ignore it, others who acknowledge it but don’t like being made a fuss of, and then others who love an excuse to take the day ... [Read On]
How to really get the juice out of gratitude
I’ll never forget the first time I saw the beautiful images of frozen water crystals in Masaru Emoto’s book, The Hidden Messages in Water. The one for ‘love and appreciation’ was so stunning I think it’s been etched on my visual cortex forever. Anytime I think of this it reminds me how powerful the act of doing gratitude is. It has an energy and ... [Read On]
Hope is always there, even when it feels lost
I’ve lost hope before. When I’ve been ill. Alone. Broke. Sad. Angry. Grieving. I realised recently that as I made my way through those times and came out the other side, even though I may have given up hope at times, it was still there. It's really not easy to see when you're in the thick of it. Maybe you've given up. Perhaps you're in ... [Read On]
3 MORE ways to put your mind in service to your happiness
But wait, there’s more! Following on from my earlier article about putting your mind in service to your happiness, here are three more tips to help you cultivate a mindset that supports a positive mood and a great life. Focus the mind on what you want Even with all the experience and skills and tools I have as a coach and as someone ... [Read On]
Comfort Can Kill Your Spirit
I’ve been super inspired by a number of clients recently who have opted out of their current jobs because of poor leadership, limited opportunities, or a crappy culture. They’ve defined their ideal role or next step and then gone and got it. So good! This is on the back of thinking a lot lately about how attached we can become to the comfort of ... [Read On]
3 Ways to put your mind in service to your happiness
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]
When was the last time you were kind to yourself?
And why does it even matter? Can you recall the last time you were kind to yourself? Was it so recently, even today, that it immediately comes to mind? Or are you searching through your memory banks to see if you can find something? And what do I mean by kindness? I’m talking about treating yourself kindly in the same small and big ways you ... [Read On]
Whole Happy Well
I’ve been thinking a lot a lot lately about how many of our patterns and behaviours are driven by a sense of needing to be available for others and to ‘perform’. Historically my motivation for getting a good night's sleep was so that I could work hard (usually for someone else). I was motivated to eat healthily and keep my weight at a good ... [Read On]