Avoiding overwhelm over the holidays

Lower your expectations Too often we put so much pressure on ourselves to have (and ensure others have) the perfect Christmas or New Year’s Eve that we end up stressed, frazzled and disappointed. What would it be like actively to set a lower expectation for your family this year? What if you were define a […]

Give the gift of listening this Christmas

It’s that time again, folks: ‘tis the season to be jolly, deck the halls, and sing the 12 days. And while it has become fashionable of late to deride the cheesiness of many Christmas traditions and bemoan its commercialisation, I have to say I love this time of year. Whether you choose to celebrate Christmas, […]

Making self-care a daily habit

Treat your feet like friends Clearing out shoes that pinch, jab, squeeze and rub is a radical act of self-care because it has an immediate positive impact on your physical and mental wellbeing. As well as eliminating pain, careful shoe selection makes your movements and activities, boosts your energy, and enables you up to skip […]

Why balance is overrated: the case for living life in chapters

As I type the title of my article this month, I cringe, waiting for the Personal Development and Wellbeing Overlords to strike me down. I have rebelled. I have taken sacred words in vain. I have dared to suggest that the much-coveted and ever elusive balance on which much ink has been spilt and much […]

Controlling your smartphone habit

Turn off notifications You don’t have to completely uninstall every app on your phone to take a break. Simply turn off notifications from Twitter, Facebook, etc. in your phone’s settings or within the app itself. Give yourself the power to choose when you look at the app instead of reacting every time it summons you. […]

Watch your words: redefining bad language

I have never really been much of a swearer. When I was growing up, my mother drilled it into me that swearing is a lazy form of self-expression. She encouraged me to choose my words more carefully, often with more devastating effect than any S- or F-bomb could ever achieve. So, while my French husband […]

Decluttering when the task is overwhelming

1. Divide and conquer Make a (very) long list of all the parts of your home you wish to declutter. Itemise on a small scale. List large drawers individually, same with cupboards. The kitchen might go like this: spice rack, glasses cupboard, crockery cupboard, top drawer, middle drawer, pots and pans drawer… 2. Break it […]

Back to school: rocking the rentrée like a français

This September, I am celebrating the 18th anniversary of life in France. Since my arrival with one suitcase, a seven-month teaching contract, and a tiny room in a sort of Parisian YWCA, my life has undergone numerous metamorphoses. These days, there’s a husband, a house, two kids, good friends, a business, citizenship, and a much […]

Enjoying time with your kids more

1. Concentrate Nothing ruins time with my kids more than when I attempt to multi-task. They hate it when it’s “their time” and I am not giving them my attention; and, once they are off at school or in bed, I always regret when I wasn’t 100% present during the time we had together. Managing […]

Exiting lockdown with new purpose

Asking yourself (and taking the time to answer!) these six powerful questions can help you emerge from lockdown with renewed purpose and a stronger sense of self. One thing has dominated our lives for the last 18 months and, sadly, it has not been Bridgerton or Call My Agent! (although both definitely dominated quite a […]