Finding a silver lining in every raincloud

1.Think about what would be different. When life throws you a curve ball, it’s tempting to think about all the things that would be much better if it hadn’t. If I hadn’t flunked that test, I wouldn’t be studying for retakes right now. If I hadn’t missed the train, I wouldn’t be waiting for the […]

Check your alignment to make your choices serve your purpose

Despite my relative youth I have had what used to be called “quite a few different jobs” and is now referred to as a “portfolio career”. In each of my incarnations, I have learned new skills and worked with some wonderful people who have often become friends. During one of my past lives working in […]

Finally tackling a nagging task

1. Identify your “why”. Any task is easier when you have a clear idea of why you are doing it. Finishing my family photo album “because it’s already May and I really should” just doesn’t do it for me. However, remembering the joy we all shared when we showed our kids the album I made […]

Hope springs eternal

Of late, my family has been enjoying our first small but successful crop of tulips, grape hyacinths and narcissi. They have provided a joyful burst of colour in some slightly bare patches of the garden and offered a much-needed springtime boost while the rest of our plants take their time unfurling and emerging. Whilst we […]

Creating more memories

1. Adopt a holiday attitude – When we are on holiday, everything around us seems interesting, beautiful or memorable. A building, a park, a meal in a restaurant, even a bus ride. In the right setting, all of these things become photo-worthy. But what if your whole life were like that? On your daily walk […]

Kissing frogs in a leap of faith

It’s hard to take a leap of faith and say “yes” to life, but sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs and risk meeting some toads if you are to have a chance of creating the life you want and achieving your heart’s desire. Because it only takes one frog turning into a prince […]

Letting go of the day and starting the evening mindfully

1. Clear away the day’s detritus. If you’re working from home – perhaps at the kitchen or dining table or at a desk in your living space – it can be hard to switch off when you down tools for the day. However tempting it is to leave the laptop and files out ready to […]

Keeping track to build new habits

If you’re trying to establish healthy new habits, it can help to hold yourself accountable using a home-made habit tracker. I tried one out for a month and learned some valuable lessons in the process. As a former nail-biter, I speak from experience when I say that it is hard to break a habit. However, […]

Organising your to-do list when it feels out of control

1. First, separate tasks into categories – personal, professional, family, admin… Then list the tasks, adding a status against each one. I use a star to signify that I have to perform an action. When I am waiting on someone else to complete their part before I can do mine, I write something like “pending […]

Making the most of the day

What if shifting your focus from having a good day to making the most of your day could liberate you to enjoy even the dreariest of chore-filled days?  Every morning, as I see my children off to school and the childminder’s house, I give them the same three things: a hug, a kiss, and a […]