In my other life as a journalist, I spend a lot of time writing about white-sand beaches. And I’ve been lucky enough to walk along such beaches in exotic locations, as well as experience the silky softness of dune sand in the desert. But I’ve rarely stopped to think about individual grains of sand. Thank goodness, then, for Dr Gary Greenberg, who has put them under a microscope and … [Read more...] about What we miss while our heads are in the sand
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Jane Fonda and the Third Act
Yesterday I talked about writing to heal and how cathartic it can be to put down on paper the life experiences which have affected you the most. This is particularly important for those of us approaching what Jane Fonda calls the Third Act - life beyond 60. In an inspiring TED talk posted this month, the well-preserved actress says: “I have come to find that an appropriate metaphor for … [Read more...] about Jane Fonda and the Third Act
On the value of values
Yesterday I wrote about a study that revealed how a group of women who had spent 15 minutes writing about their core values actually lost weight. While this might seem like an unlikely diet, it’s worth a shot. What might interfere with your plan, however, is not knowing what your most important values are. You’ll know if you aren’t aligned with your values, as you may experience … [Read more...] about On the value of values
Is the pen mightier than the diet?
All you need to do to lose weight is spend 15 minutes writing about the values that are most important to you. This is according to a new study published in the magazine Psychological Science, in which researchers recruited 45 female undergraduates who had a body mass index of 23 or higher (58 per cent of the women were classified as overweight or obese). Each woman was weighed, then given a … [Read more...] about Is the pen mightier than the diet?
What would you write in a letter to your future self?
I doubt if she was listening, but yesterday I told Demi Moore that there’s nothing wrong with her. She may benefit from writing a letter to her future self, just to make sure she doesn’t forget how blessed she is right now. She has a successful acting career, pots of money, several gorgeous homes, three delightful daughters, a good relationship with the father of her children, and a host of … [Read more...] about What would you write in a letter to your future self?
There’s nothing wrong with you or me, Demi
Following on from yesterday’s rant about cosmetic surgery (there’s a good reason why it’s also called plastic), I was disturbed yet not surprised to read an interview with the newly separated Mrs Ashton Kutcher, aka Demi Moore, in which she was quoted as saying: “What scares me is that I’m going to ultimately find out at the end of my life that I’m really not lovable, that … [Read more...] about There’s nothing wrong with you or me, Demi