You are enough: when it’s time to say no to self-improvement

It may seem at best counter-intuitive and at worst blasphemous for a coach to say this, but lately I’ve been pondering question of whether, at some point, we should say enough is enough when it comes to self-improvement and personal development. I’m surely thinking these subversive thoughts in part because the end of the year […]

Stop shoulding on yourself: how to break the habit

Do you ever should on yourself? I sometimes do. It goes something like this. That colleague is getting a new certification. I should do that. That family is going to Lapland for Christmas. We should do that. Maybe I should be using Instagram. Maybe I shouldn’t have left Twitter. That woman looks great with bright […]

The mountains you have climbed

Almost every morning, when I wake my son up for school, he asks whether we have time to play – just the two of us – for a while before his father and sister get up. Since, like most families, our weekday mornings are timed more precisely than an Ocean’s 11-style heist, most of the […]

Know your why

How many “How to make your resolutions last beyond 5th January” articles have you read so far this year? What about “How to set SMART goals for 2024”? I have, thus far, studiously avoided them as I’m a little bit resolutioned out in January, to be honest. As a coach, I support clients with goal-setting, […]

Focus on the how: setting New Year’s Intentions

If I read the phrase “these uncertain times” one more time, I will not be held accountable for my actions. It’s flat, hackneyed, over-used – and I’m sure I’m guilty of having written it myself. That said, it is a fairly accurate description of our current situation. While I don’t believe we live in a […]

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 […]

Making resolutions you will keep

1. Make them SMART. That’s Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. SMART resolutions are clear and have criteria you can use to measure progress. They take into account your starting point and fit with your lifestyle and constraints. Lastly, they have a defined timeline with a target date. 2. Only make one or two. Human […]

Making the New Year mindful

Making the New Year mindful New Year’s resolutions might give you the chills, but there are lots of other practices and rituals you can use to ensure you step into the new year mindfully and with intention. It has been said that April is the cruellest month. However, with all due respect to T. S. […]

How to Réussir La Rentrée

I have long been intrigued by French words for which no satisfactory translation can be found in English. For example, profiter: enjoy, make the most of it, take advantage – none of them really conveys the full meaning of the verb for me. Gourmand: someone who likes food and eating – somewhat reductive, n’est-ce pas? […]