Do you like a bit of naughty but nice?
5 Jul
Would you describe a treat to yourself as ‘naughty but nice’? ‘Naughty but nice’ is associated with having a cupcake or something. And yes – I think that is probably a good description of taking in a huge sugar hit. However, I know that I often label things that are simply “treaty”, and not to do with potentially unhealthy food, in my head as being ‘naughty but nice’. If I were to buy some flowers for the house, for example….
Choice – what choice?
7 Jun
How much choice do you have in your life? I know I have often felt stuck in a spiral with no choice at all. Indeed, I can’t control macro things in the world; exploding interest rates, wars, global wars, lock-ins due to pandemics, and I was falling into the trap of thinking that I couldn’t control anything about my life. I would get up in the morning and allow my ever expanding to-do list to whizz about in my head,…
Do you set yourself up to fail?
1 Mar
“I am so sorry about that, it was awful. I need a stiff drink.” Those were the words of a rather distressed musician who felt that her performance playing the flute had been very poor. Where was she playing? At an audition? Taking the centre stage at the Albert Hall with exacting critics? No, in an informal gathering, mainly of other amateur musicians she knew and a sprinkling of their friends, at an occasion set up to be a; “jolly,…
Can you find 193.5 hours in your week?
9 Feb
You can’t, can you, because there are only 168 hours in the week! I have been doing this fascinating exercise with my coach… One of the things I am working on is getting my week, in terms of time allocation, realistic, while still striving. We did this exercise, where I looked at what I am actually doing and how I want to divide my time. We only added up the hours afterwards to find that I am wildly overestimating the…
How much do you think before you speak?
1 Dec
Words can cost lives, loves and freedom – really? Absolutely they can. Words on their own of course, don’t have much power. The meaning behind them is created through the tone of our voice if we are the speaker, and the interpretation that we spin through our own personal biases, situation, and history, if we are the listener. So you need to be very careful how you use them. You need to be very careful of your facts, if you…
The beauty of restraint
3 Nov
I have just got back from Japan. A beautiful country with an ingrained culture of respect and politeness. We experienced firsthand the Japanese “kokuminsei”, or natural character, in all its dignity. The Japanese value social harmony, observe hierarchy, and prefer to avoid conflict. They are open to service and going out of their way to help strangers, while not being servile. Quite an art. It is really shocking to read today in The Guardian that Japan is suffering from an…
It’s so frustrating!
4 Aug
I’m a confident person, I am good at what I do, I am ready for promotion. So why then do I not feel this when I am under the spotlight at an interview? Why do I suddenly come over all… “What if I forget what to say?” “Everyone else waiting looks so confident?” “What if they don’t think I am serious enough?” I have heard this so many times. I am currently working with an awesome client who is so…
Why bother with a human coach?
7 Jul
“If they are looking for some emotional support, they can go onto ‘Insta’ and sign up with a Chatbot there.” So said a teacher I was working with, about a group of teenagers in her class. Really? Is that a thing? I thought AI was brilliant at content selection and research, and that it can also copy people’s writing styles voices and impersonate them. It can crib you a good essay! But use as a therapist? Or a personal coach?…
Always wear your real pants!
9 Jun
“Have you got your pants on?” “Yes Mummy, I’ve got my pretend pants on!” So said my granddaughter (2 ½) to her mother. She likes to go commando, but this afternoon she was going to a party, and a girl needs to have her REAL pants on to go to a party! I’ve been thinking a lot about pretend stuff recently. A lot about the AI explosion. Some of the benefits of AI, we are told, is that they can…
Unplug yourself – it’s magic!
7 Apr
“Almost everything will work better if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” I love this quote from author, Anne Lamont. Last month, I wrote about my addiction to filling far too much of the 24-hour day – a huge proportion with work – and not holding back on the socialising and granny-ing – so my brain seems to be permanently wired. Sleep is poor, because even when I clear my brain for rest, through breathing exercises and…