While we may not like to think of ourselves as animals – and herd animals at that (!) – this is exactly what human beings are. We are naturally social by nature, albeit to varying degrees and with different people (!). 

 

As a result – and however much we may not like to admit it – we’re influenced by what’s going on around us ALL the time. Whether consciously or not. 

 

Perhaps from the people around us. Whether we’re interacting with them or not. What they’re saying, doing, thinking or feeling. 

Or, may be, from a change in what’s going on in the wider world around us. 

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been taking a look at what’s actually going on in our heads. Discovered that, contrary to what we’d like to think, we have very little idea of what’s really going on. Let alone how – or why – it happens… 

 

We know this revelation has been rather unsettling – even scary – for many people. It was for us, the first time we realised that the way we experience life was down to us. 100% of our own making. Without the involvement of any external – or arbitrary – force. Full stop. End of story. 

 

However, the great news is that, this revelation puts us back where we belong. In the driving seat. Gives us the power to choose how we experience our life and what happens in it. And, with everything going on at the time of posting (25th March 2020), there’s never been a time when understanding this has been more important… 

A couple of weeks ago, we mentioned “greenwashing”. It’s the latest tactic being used by companies to make their products appear more natural – greener – than they really are. Even if you haven’t come across this particular term before, you’ll have noticed the plethora of different “green” labels appearing on your favourite products. All those pictures of flowers, rolling green fields and the like. It’s fast becoming another fact of modern life, not just products related to health in some way. 

 

So, what is greenwashing and why is it such a concern? 

Well, here we all are again, going a little further down the rabbit hole to take a look at what’s been going on in our heads for all those years. Without us ever having been aware of it. 

 

While we may like to think we’re in control of our thoughts, sadly, this is a long way from the truth. The only comfort is that we’re all in the same boat. Have all fallen for the same little trick aided, in large part, by the Little Monster in our heads. 

 

And if this sounds like bad news, IT MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT. After all, how on earth can we do anything about it, if no one realises what’s going on? 

 

All going well, over the last couple of weeks, you’ve started to notice what’s going on in your head. Become aware of both the EFFECT of your thoughts, words and deeds – apologies, we still haven’t been able to come up with a less biblical sounding trio (!) – but, more importantly, the CAUSE. The belief – or assumption – underlying them, which sets the ball in motion. 

There are some subjects which we’ve all learnt – usually by bitter experience (!) – are best avoided in polite company. Well, that is, unless you want to light the blue touch paper and stand back to watch the resulting fireworks. And, in the interests of everyone’s blood pressure (!), we’re going to steer well clear of the top two contenders. Religion and politics. Phew! 

 

However, this still leaves plenty of other less contentious – but equally sensitive – subjects. And it’s one of these we’re going to revisit at today. If you’d like a clue to what it is, then you need look no further than a post we wrote a while ago about why horses sweat, men perspire and ladies glow. You can find it here. 

 

Yes, you guessed it, we’re returning to the lovely subject of sweating and the ongoing battle many people have to ensure there’s not a hint of a “whiff” about their person. None at all. 

 

Since the start of the year – and brand new decade (!) – we’ve been looking at our tendency to always look outside for the reasons for whatever’s going on in our lives. Suggesting that, perhaps, we’ve been looking in completely the wrong place. 

 

Instead of looking outside ourselves for the reason – “It’s nothing to do with me, honest Guv” – we should be looking inside. And, this is where it can start to get quite scary for many people. 

 

Before we pick up where we left off a fortnight ago, we’d like to take a quick look at WHY we find it so scary.  

 

Well, the simple answer is that it’s another one of those cunning little tricks, the Little Monster in our heads plays on us; which stops us from making any changes. 

With the near saturation coverage of the Coronavirus outbreak on mainstream media, it’s not surprising it’s become the number one question from clients. As well as from friends and family. A topic of great concern. 

 

While the position is still far from clear, only a little research is needed to show that the picture being painted in the mainstream press is, at best, over simplistic. Unnecessarily alarmist. 

 

As so often is the case, there are a number of different factors playing a part, rather than one single – and easily identifiable – cause. Equally true is that there’s no single – or simple – solution. 

 

However, it’s not the specifics we’d like to focus on today. Instead, we’re going to take a look at two more general issues which keep coming up when we talk to people about it. 

A couple of weeks ago, we looked at our tendency to always look for external reasons for whatever’s happening in our lives. And how this quickly leads on to the perennially favourite “Blame Game”, as we find lots of reasons why whatever it is has nothing to do with us. Honest, guv. 

 

Unfortunately, there’s a big flaw in this logic, which we seem to be completely oblivious to. A very large elephant in the room. If, as we’d like to believe, it was all down to external factors then, a little distance from whatever it is, would solve the problem. Unfortunately, as we all know far too well, this never quite works. Whatever it is just comes with us and continues to press our buttons. 

 

So, continuing with simple logic, if the cause isn’t an external one then there’s only one other place to look. Inside, within ourselves. And this is where it starts to get very interesting, if not a little scary. If you missed this post you can find it here. 

While it’s something we all take for granted – well, until there’s a power cut (!) – it’s easy to forget that mains electricity is a relatively new phenomenon. Or how much it’s changed the way we live our lives in a relatively short period of time. And continues to do so. 

Not surprisingly, we often see this change in terms of all those technological comforts and gizmos electricity brings us. A greatly improved standard of living. 

 

However, there’s another fundamental way in which electricity has changed our lives. One that it’s easy to overlook. It’s all to do with artificial light and how we spend the dark hours of the day. 

It’s interesting how some blog posts trigger a much greater response than others, often not those we expected. We’ve had a great example of this already this year and we’re not quite at the end of January (!). 

 

While the first post of the year, with its different perspective on how we really experience the world has triggered some lively discussions; it was that about cause and effect which really got things going. Particularly our observations about karma, which seems to have touched a rather raw nerve with some people. 

 

Why is this?