For most of my adult life - and maybe even before that – I thought of myself as a worrier. Even during periods of my life when things were going smoothly, I used to become suspicious and find something – anything – to worry about. But a couple of things eventually shifted that mindset. One was a quote by the spiritual teacher Ram Dass, who said, “Worrying is like praying for what you don’t … [Read more...] about How to stop worrying and start living: a tribute to my friend Julia
Storytelling
Where did it all begin? And where will it go from here?
I was recently invited by narrative photographer and film-maker Riccardo Sai to discuss origin stories - what they are, how to tell them, and how you can use them to promote your business. You can watch the whole interview below. It has been a while since I tried to tell my own origin story. There's a version on my About Me page - but I think I could improve on it. So I sat down yesterday and … [Read more...] about Where did it all begin? And where will it go from here?
Why I can’t wait to be 80. No, really…
I have recently been writing a series of articles about loneliness. Not because I’m feeling lonely, but because I’ve been commissioned by a client and it’s an important topic that’s affecting a lot of people as the result of lockdown. So loneliness is definitely on my radar at the moment – and often what’s on your radar keeps popping up on your radar. I’m also doing a four-week course called … [Read more...] about Why I can’t wait to be 80. No, really…
A year on, how will the Covid story end?
On this day last year, I was frantically packing clothes into a suitcase, ready to move into my brother’s house. The first lockdown had been announced the night before and there were a lot of rumours flying around, including one that the army were going to police the streets of London (false, as it turns out). The atmosphere was tense and uncertain, and I couldn’t contemplate living on my own … [Read more...] about A year on, how will the Covid story end?
How Mother’s Day revealed a hidden treasure about my father
It took me a moment to realise the significance of last Sunday, but when it dawned on me that this was the first Mother’s Day we hadn’t been able to celebrate with Mum, I followed the lead of many others on social media and posted a photo. The image I chose was one of Mum at age 17, in 1943 – still in the thick of World War 2 but looking so excited and upbeat. When I posted it on Facebook, my … [Read more...] about How Mother’s Day revealed a hidden treasure about my father
What did your 2020 smell like?
I’m no stranger to the process of reflection. The personal development training I’ve done over the years has taught me to reflect every day on what went well, what didn’t go so well, and what I’d do differently next time. But Rach Allen’s questions were deeper than that. She invited me to reflect on the past year – particularly the period after we originally spoke last July for her podcast 40 … [Read more...] about What did your 2020 smell like?