Posts tagged “Mindset”

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Everyone is always doing the best they know how

Posted on 13th November 2019 at 07:55

With the annual madness that is Christmas / Thanksgiving / Black Friday approaching all too rapidly, it’s easy to be swept away by it all. It’s a topic we revisit every year around this time, although from various different angles. If you’d like a quick reminder, here they are:

How to reduce the stress of the occasion.

A reminder that it doesn’t have to be perfect.

Suggestions for a new recipe for family gatherings.

The power of acceptance.

And, for those who want to go a little further, the art of forgiveness.

This year, we’d like to give you a little thought – or mantra, if you prefer – to help smooth your way through life all year round. Not just at this time of year.

Let your problems go

Posted on 23rd October 2019 at 08:35

We love listening to people talking, not always for what they’re saying (!) but the words they’re using. Whether we realise it or not, we all have our own particular favourite – or “pet” – words, which we seem to use more than others.

And then there are the “pet” phrases which can become infamous in a family or group of friends. One which springs readily to mind – and is always guaranteed to bring a rather rueful smile to family gatherings – comes courtesy of an older family member, who starts many of her observations on life with “I’m not being funny or anything but …”. The response to this is always the same, “No, you’re not being funny at all!”.

Here be dragons...

Posted on 9th October 2019 at 08:30

We love this expression and it perfectly sums up what we’d like to talk about today. If you haven’t come across this phrase before, it dates back to the Middle Ages and was used by map makers to indicate unchartered areas. As little was known about them they were assumed to be dangerous, harbouring all sorts of monsters and other unmentionable beasts. Hence the warning writ large on early maps.

Meditation, aka quieting your mind

Posted on 18th September 2019 at 08:19

It’s been a while since we wrote about meditation – July 2016 to be precise – and it’s been interesting to watch how it’s gradually become more “mainstream.” You can find the post here.

Despite this, there’s no doubt that meditation does still retain its slightly hippy’ish connotations, as well as being the butt of many jokes and caricatures. This is such a shame as never has it been needed more.

At the very least, meditation provides a simple antidote to the ever increasing pace of modern life. It allows us to hit the “pause” – or “reset” – button giving a little time away from our own particular stresses and strains. Even better, this short time away brings with it a greater objectivity, so we can then view our lives from a calmer and less subjective perspective. And that’s without all the benefits it brings to our bodies.

With all of these good things, why is there still such resistance to it?

Life is what you focus on

Posted on 4th September 2019 at 08:46

We haven’t mentioned serendipity recently – or synchronicity if you prefer (!) – but either way we had a lovely example of it in action shortly after posting last week’s blog about daring to dream. It came courtesy of a blog we subscribe to.

For a whole host of different reasons, many people seem to find it hard to start dreaming about what they really want. “Isn’t it being selfish?” “How could it ever happen?” Not to mention all the other rubbish the Little Monster in their head comes up with (!). And we’re sure your own Little Monster has their own particular favourites too…

So, here’s a great reminder of how to get things moving in the right direction, by focussing on the positive rather than the negative.

Daring to dream

Posted on 28th August 2019 at 09:15

As clients and regular readers of this blog will know, we love getting people’s “little grey cells” working.

Perhaps with a completely different perspective on something they’ve never stopped to think about before. And can then never see in quite the same way again…

Or, by asking what seems like a very simple question, which gets them thinking in a very different way.

Looking back on recent blog posts we’ve done a lot of the former but less of the later and thought it was time to redress the balance.

So, if you’re ready for one of those simple little questions to get you thinking, here we go.

Summer time and the living is easy...

Posted on 14th August 2019 at 08:30

With it being the middle of the holiday season – hurrah (!) – we’re going to keep this week’s post short and sweet.

Whether you’re currently on holiday, about to go or just back why not STOP for a moment.

Take a deep breath – or two (!) – and notice how you’re feeling right now.

Then take another deep breath – or two (!) – and let any cares or worries you have drift away.

Notice how you’re sitting or standing. Whether you’re tense or relaxed.

Carrying the world on your shoulders or, perhaps, have them up round your ears (!). Then just let your body relax.

Social Media and FOMO, the fear of missing out

Posted on 31st July 2019 at 07:56

Over the last couple of years Social Media has increasingly found itself in the spotlight and, all too often, for all the wrong reasons. While concern has tended to focus on its effect on children and teenagers, it’s become clear that adults are far from immune from its charms and, in many cases, are just as bad…

It’s a subject we talk to clients about regularly – whether their own love affair with it or someone else’s (!) – and has featured in this blog a couple of times in the past. These have looked at its impact on our lives, particularly its addictive nature, and can be found here and here.

However, this isn't what we wanted to focus on today.

A simple trick to instantly feel better

Posted on 17th July 2019 at 08:30

(and, before anyone gets the wrong idea, it doesn’t involve the use of addictive or mind altering substances!)

As clients and regular readers of this blog will know, we love challenging the accepted wisdom on many different topics. Often this involves taking a closer look at the logic – or beliefs – which underpin it. Sadly, many don’t survive closer scrutiny, clearing the way for a completely new perspective on the subject.

What always strikes us as particularly interesting is how often the new approach seems to be counter intuitive. The complete opposite of the – old – accepted wisdom. However, bizarrely, it ends up having exactly the result we’ve been seeking for so long. And, usually, much more easily – and quickly – too.

And if this all sounds a bit abstract, bear with us, it’ll all make sense in a minute.

Life is what you make it, always has been, always will

Posted on 3rd July 2019 at 09:30

Perhaps it’s the rather “start / stop” summer we’ve been having this year. Or, dare we mention it, the ongoing Brexit / political machinations (!). Or, may be, something else completely and much more personal.

Anyway, whatever the perceived cause, we’ve noticed that many people seem to be less than their normal happy selves at the moment. And, we should say that we’re using the word “happy” in its broadest sense (!).

So, it seemed like a good time for a quick reminder of the three suggestions we regularly give clients to help get them back on track.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then here we go.

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