How Does Being Kind to Yourself Help You?
How does being kind to yourself help you? Being kind to yourself can feel at odds with your usual thinking. It perhaps doesn’t come naturally, would you agree? Yet being kind to yourself, also known as self-compassion, is one of the most important qualities we can nurture as human beings. And of course, kindness towards…
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What is Inclusiveness?
This is inclusiveness That sunset each evening and sunrise each morning – incredible, awe-inspiring, multi-coloured! A wonderful display for your eyes. You’re included every day if you wish to turn up! All weather inclusiveness! Everyone experiences the rain, storms, snow and sunshine. No one is exempt, according, of course, to where you live. And any…
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How to be your own Best Friend
A best friend is always on your side A cheerleader and a supporter. What better than to be your own best friend and support yourself with emotional resilience, courage and kindness? These are qualities you can nurture with mindfulness and self-compassion especially when life feels so stressful or out of balance. There has been an…
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A Meditation for Love and Strength
Love from the Heart I invite you to place a hand gently upon your heart centre, which is in the middle of your chest towards your throat. With each breath you breathe in, imagine that your whole chest area is expanding. The heart chakra here, is associated with the colour emerald green. Imagine you’re standing…
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What does it mean to live from your heart?
How can you live from your heart instead of inside your mind with it’s linear thinking, logical thoughts, problem-solving and story-telling? Follow your breath and notice your posture and find yourself moving towards your heart-space. You might like to place a hand gently on your heart centre which is in the centre of your chest…
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How to Honour and Value Yourself
Today we live in a society that places value on financial wealth. But I don’t want to focus on that, let’s look instead at how every single one of us has value, and how it’s not related to finances of any kind. ‘Namaste’ In India, the Hindu greeting of ‘Namaste’ acknowledges that there is something…
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What is Forgiveness and How do I Forgive?
The word ‘forgiveness’ might sound a very heavy word and can have a lot of associations for people. For me, brought up as a child in the catholic faith, it was part of a process of judgment. You did something perceived as wrong and forgiveness only came about from an all-knowing God via a priest…
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The Myth of the New You
Do you feel you’re not Being or Doing enough? At the start of a new year it’s easy to look critically at ourselves. We decide that we’re not being or doing enough. All the things that need improvement seem glaringly obvious. We read how everyone else is setting goals for success. When we compare ourselves…
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World Kindness Day
13th November is designated ‘World Kindness Day’ This sits fittingly alongside the ‘Children in Need’ charity fund-raising events here in the UK. But you don’t need a ‘day’ to talk about kindness. Every day is an opportunity to experience it and share kindnesses with others. Here are some reminders: ‘Kindness’ is a strength and an…
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What to Do When your World Caves in
What is the first thing you do when your world caves in – through bad news or a shocking experience? Christiane Wolf suggests that rather than having to face it – knowing you can’t force acceptance straight away, the best response is to ask yourself, ‘What is the kindest thing for me right now?’ When…
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Take better care of your stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety can take on a life of their own. We end up worrying about the stress and anxiety. We feel we need to beat it, overpower it, take charge of it. Here’s an alternative: use the language of love. Be loving, inspiring and uplifting towards yourself because it’s a fact that where the…
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Open Your Heart to the World
What do you do when you hear of sad or shocking news from around the world? Difficult news In these instances you might feel helpless. Even within your own home and workplace you may experience turmoil. How can you open your heart to the world? It might feel easier to shut down. Perhaps you have…
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Shift from Anxiety to Self-compassion
We tend to be hard task-masters, tough on ourselves. We sometimes view gentleness, compassion and kindness as weaknesses. Does this sound familiar? Our media and the world around us is aggressive and harsh, cruel and judgmental. This further supports the idea that kindness and self-compassion are soft options. Yet a shift from anxiety to self-compassion…
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The Number One Intention to Bring to Your Life
An intention is an aim or a plan. It’s a gentle invitation. Simple yet profound. And this is the number one intention I invite you to bring to your life. Whatever you are experiencing: health issues obstacles failure confusion hopelessness loneliness a wobble in confidence or self-belief you’ve lost your way you’re on the receiving…
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Mindfulness is a String of Pearls
Mindfulness is a string of pearls that holds together the best values you might wish to embody: acceptance peace patience gratitude compassion joy love and so many more strong qualities Mindfulness If you practice mindfulness and meditation, it doesn’t mean you shut the world out. It’s not about staying safe in your own little bubble.…
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You and your Lionheart
Your 2 minute recording: Your Lionheart Every breath you take flows through your heart. I like this idea of being connected to your lionheart. It can be a reminder to help you when you feel overwhelmed, timid or anxious. Because ‘Le Coeur’ is French for heart and ‘Cor’ is Latin for heart. Both are closely…
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‘I don’t feel good enough!’
Most of us put on a brave front. We push ourselves harder and we keep positive. And yet beneath the veneer of success or mask of serenity that we’ve created, we often don’t feel good enough. Those constant stories A ‘trance of unworthiness’ lies beneath all our endeavours. This is Tara Brach’s term – a…
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Signs of Stress
What, for you, are the most obvious signs of stress? A little stress is healthy but when you’re experiencing it for longer lengths of time, it can become a problem. Some of your most obvious signs of stress might be easy to pinpoint yet signs of stress can reveal themselves in more complex ways. There…
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Find your Light through Loneliness
Loneliness It’s a taboo subject – unless you’re referring to elderly people who are lonely, and then it’s ok to talk about it. Whether you live on your own, or you are in a relationship that has no true intimacy, it can feel shameful or ungrateful to say out loud that you’re lonely. No-one who…
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Meditation as a political act
Have you ever thought of meditation as a political act? It’s the difference between being awake and sleepwalking through your life In recent days I’ve turned to Jack Kornfield’s book, ‘The Wise Heart’ especially chapter 22 ‘Tending the World’ as the world is feeling unsettled, violent and hurting. Here, Jack Kornfield talks about the Buddhist…
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The Power of Quiet
‘Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking’ is Susan Cain‘s best-selling publication from 2012. Cain has sparked a huge amount of interest as she highlights the power of quiet. She focuses on fundamental aspects of all our personalities. Are you introvert or extrovert or somewhere in-between? Introverts & Extroverts at…
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