I have loved dancing ever since I was five years old, a mini-ballerina dressed in a butterfly tutu. I’ve tried a few styles - from ballet and ballroom to barn dancing - but most of all I like moving to music in whatever way the mood takes me. I’ve cut a few rugs on quite a few dancefloors in my time, I can tell you. But as I got older, I guess dancing for the hell of it seemed, well, a bit … [Read more...] about Why I’ll carry on being a dancing queen
Storytelling
Do good, feel good
Random acts of kindness. They seem to be all over the place at the moment. You might have noticed them on the Central Line recently in the form of little red figures holding hands. They are part of Acts of Kindness, a project by artist Michael Landy that celebrates everyday generosity and compassion on the Tube. If you have a story about an act of kindness on the Underground, you can … [Read more...] about Do good, feel good
Don’t Worry, Be Happy – it really works…
In 1988, Don’t Worry, Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin’s anthem to happiness - became the first a capella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. And while many may remember it as a slightly annoying ditty with a bit of whistling, the fact is that McFerrin’s lyrics are brimming with psychological insight. And it’s worth pointing out that the title was inspired by a quote from Indian … [Read more...] about Don’t Worry, Be Happy – it really works…
Memories: fact or fiction?
We all have good memories and bad memories. Both can be equally vivid. Both can seem viscerally real when they flash back into your mind. Memories can trigger a whole series of emotional, physiological and behavioural responses over which you seem to have little control. Therefore memories seem to us to be powerful. And they are - if we let them. But the vital thing to bear in mind about … [Read more...] about Memories: fact or fiction?
What’s your manifesto?
It used to be that only governments and political parties issued manifestos. These days it seems anyone can give a manifesto a go. I’ve come across some brilliant ones recently, from the wonderful Holstee manifesto, a sort of Desiderata for the 21st century to the much quirkier Cult of Done manifesto, which features the following: “Pretending you know what you’re doing is almost the same as … [Read more...] about What’s your manifesto?
The power of a coherent heart
Living from the heart is a metaphor that we all seem to instinctively understand. But what does it mean in practice? According to Doc Childre, founder of the Institute of HeartMath (www.heartmath.org), heart-based living refers to all intentions and actions that express qualities of heart in daily life. These qualities can include appreciating or caring for others, expressing kindness to … [Read more...] about The power of a coherent heart