The sun is shining, I’ve been on a few errands, I’ve not been glued to Twitter/Facebook/a computer screen all morning and I’ve had a lovely lunch with my husband at our favourite local restaurant. And in an hour I’m going for a massage at my local spa. Life is good. That’s the story I’m telling myself today, and indeed the story I tell myself on most days. It … [Read more...] about Life is good. But I didn’t always tell that story
stories
Who would you be without your story?
There’s an old Buddhist proverb that says when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I have found this to be true so many times in my life, especially in those moments when serendipity intervenes and I seem to stumble upon just the right book, the perfect website or a new contact who points me in an inspiring direction. It’s appropriate that the proverb is a Buddhist one … [Read more...] about Who would you be without your story?
Why we must listen to the wisdom of elders…
For centuries we respected the wisdom of elders. We listened to their stories and learned from them. Sadly, in recent times, the cult of youth has dominated our culture to such an extent that the old are often ignored, hidden away, disrespected and marginalised. That’s why I was heartened and inspired when I discovered the Legacy Project: Lessons for Living from the Wisest Americans, … [Read more...] about Why we must listen to the wisdom of elders…
How I let myself become an April Fool…
Yes, it’s April Fools’ Day but this post is no joke. As April 1 falls on a Sunday this year, I am marking - rather than celebrating - a defining event. For today is the 39th anniversary of the day - Sunday April 1, 1973 - that my lovely dad had a devastating stroke, when he was only 46 years old. While I am not going tell the story of that event right now, suffice to say it changed … [Read more...] about How I let myself become an April Fool…
When is it time to rewrite the script?
Our brains are hardwired to tell stories. We make sense of our inner and outer worlds by coming up with a narrative. I’ve written here before about our storytelling brains, and how the bulk of our memories are fiction. We all have our stories - from the gossipy small stories to the big, narrative arc of our life story. There’s nothing wrong with telling tales, as long as we remain aware that … [Read more...] about When is it time to rewrite the script?
Memories are only stories
Today is a bank holiday, but I know what you’re thinking. “Oh God, I’ve got to go back to work tomorrow… I’ve been sitting around for a week and a bit and haven’t really achieved anything… All those things I’ve got to do… I haven’t even started on my list… Resolutions? Haven’t even thought of any yet… Does that make … [Read more...] about Memories are only stories