Living in the Moment: Overcoming Societal Conditioning
We live in a society that conditions us, from a very young age, to live outside of the present moment. Our upbringing, education, and the omnipresence of social media all contribute to a tendency to focus on the past or future, often to the detriment of our ability to appreciate the here and now. This […]
Embracing the Menopause: A Positive and Progressive Approach
Menopause, a natural biological process that signifies the end of a woman’s reproductive years, is often stigmatised or viewed negatively in our society. However, adopting a positive and progressive outlook towards this phase can completely change the experience and open up new realms of self-discovery and growth. Let’s explore how we can navigate this life […]
Redefining Beauty Standards: Unleashing the Power Within
In a world where external appearances often dictate one’s perceived value, it’s crucial to shift the narrative and reclaim the true meaning of beauty. This article invites you on a transformative journey, encouraging you to redefine beauty standards and unlock the profound power within. The Influence of External Beauty Standards Societal norms and media outlets […]
A wish or dream is like a goal but with no energy to make it happen
Embracing the Energy of Action: The Distinction between Dreams, Wishes, and Goals This insightful quote offers a window into an important truth: wishes and dreams are like goals, but without any energy behind them to make them happen. This statement may seem simplistic, but it holds profound implications for how we approach our aspirations and […]
Moving On from Betrayal: Healing After a Cheating Partner
Experiencing betrayal from a cheating partner is a deeply painful experience, marked by a whirlwind of emotions from anger to sadness, disbelief to fear. Yet, it’s crucial to remember that there is a pathway to healing and moving on. How do we navigate this process? Acceptance and Emotional Release The first step towards healing is […]
From Dreams and Wishes to Goals: Harnessing the Power of Aspirations
Many of us often interchange the words ‘dreams,’ ‘wishes,’ and ‘goals’ without discerning their distinctive meanings. However, understanding these differences and how we can translate dreams and wishes into actionable goals is crucial to our personal and professional development. The Differences: Dream, Wish, and Goal A dream is a vision or an ideal that we […]
Achieving Flow State: The Ultimate Human Performance
Often described as being “in the zone,” it’s a mental state in which an individual performing an activity is fully immersed, experiencing a sense of energised focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process. This heightened state of being, discovered by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is accessible to us all, yet, intriguingly, many of us rarely, […]
Understanding Attachment Theory: A Pathway to Personal Development
Attachment theory, pioneered by psychologist John Bowlby, is a psychological model that describes the dynamics of long-term interpersonal relationships. It’s a powerful lens through which we can examine our relationships and our patterns of relating to others. More than this, understanding and applying attachment theory can significantly contribute to our personal growth. The Origins of […]
Wabi-Sabi: Embracing Imperfection for a Happier Life
Wabi-Sabi is a traditional Japanese aesthetic concept, a worldview centred on the acceptance and even admiration of imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. In the relentless pursuit of perfection that often characterises our modern life, embracing the principles of Wabi-Sabi can provide a much-needed shift in perspective and, consequently, a richer, more fulfilling life experience. The Essence […]
Unleashing the Interesting You with a Growth Mindset
Becoming more interesting isn’t about grandiose acts or cultivating a persona; rather, it’s about the choices we make, how we engage with the world, and who we choose to spend our time with. Ultimately, it revolves around adopting a growth mindset, a concept developed by psychologist Carol Dweck, which has transformative potential on how we […]
Shifting Your Perspective: Creating Time and Energy in Life
Creating time and energy in our lives is often not about adding more to our day but rather about changing our perspective towards the things we already do. Life is filled with tasks, both small and significant. Some tasks excite us, aligning perfectly with our values, while others seem mundane, monotonous, or even bothersome. By […]
What does a mentally healthy adult look like (and what are the alternatives?)
From a schema perspective, being a healthy adult mentally involves having a well-integrated self-schema that promotes balanced and adaptive responses to different life situations. A schema, in psychology, refers to a pattern of thought or behavior that organises categories of information and the relationships among them. Our schemas help us understand the world and our […]
Change Starts Within: The Journey to Becoming a Better Person
Often, we find ourselves desiring changes in our relationships, our workplaces, and our broader societies. It’s an inherent part of being human to want to shape our environment to better suit our needs and aspirations. Yet, the most effective change—the one that’s within our control—starts from within ourselves. The Folly of Extrinsic Change The idea […]
The Art of Radical Honesty: How Brutal Truth Can Change Your Life
In a society that often promotes white lies, flattery, and face-saving diplomacy, the concept of radical honesty might seem shocking. Yet, there’s something inherently liberating and transformative about embracing the brutal truth, both within ourselves and in our interactions with others. The Resistance to Honesty We often resist honesty for fear of conflict, rejection, or […]
Happiness is a Choice: 10 Ways to Cultivate Joy in Daily Life
It’s a profound but simple truth: happiness is a choice. Regardless of the situations or circumstances we find ourselves in, we can choose to cultivate joy and positivity in our daily lives. Here are ten ways you can choose happiness each day. 1. Practice Gratitude Gratitude can significantly boost your happiness. Make a habit of […]
Clearing the Clutter: A Guide to Healing and Releasing Emotional Baggage
In life, we all experience situations that create emotional responses, leaving us with feelings of anger, sadness, regret, or guilt. These emotional residues, if not dealt with, accumulate over time, turning into what we often refer to as ’emotional baggage’. Here’s a psychological guide on how to clear, heal, resolve, and release the things that […]
Inspiring Change through TED / TEDx: A Pathway to Enlightened Living
In the quest for self-improvement and personal growth, the resources we draw upon make a significant difference. Whether it’s a thought-provoking book, insightful podcast, or an inspiring website, the right source can illuminate our path and propel us forward. Today, we’re turning our spotlight on one such resource – the treasure trove of knowledge and […]
Are you neurotic and can you change it?
Neuroticism, a component of the widely recognised Five Factor Model of personality, refers to an individual’s tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, worry, fear, anger, and depression. A high degree of neuroticism can influence how we handle stress and interact with the world. This article will guide you in spotting neurotic tendencies and […]
Can our triggers teach us what we need to learn?
Our emotional triggers, often seen as impediments, are actually powerful tools for personal growth. They act as signposts, guiding us towards areas of our lives that need our attention, our compassion, and our understanding. These triggers can be a route to not just self-discovery, but also to self-transformation. Mapping Your Emotional Landscape Emotional triggers can […]
Detaching from Physical Pain: Is it Possible and How to Achieve It
Physical pain is a common human experience that can range from mild discomfort to severe agony. When we’re faced with persistent or chronic pain, it can take a toll on our mental and emotional well-being. However, there is a growing body of research suggesting that it is possible to mentally detach from physical pain and […]
Embracing Essentialism: Simplify Your Life, Say Yes to What Matters
Finding balance and fulfillment in our lives can be a challenging task. We often find ourselves overwhelmed with endless responsibilities and commitments, longing for a simpler and more meaningful existence. Essentialism offers a powerful approach to navigate this complexity and discover a path that aligns with our true values and aspirations. In this article, we […]
Tackling the small conversations so you don’t blow a resentment fuse
The Power of Small Conversations Small conversations are the building blocks of our relationships. They shape our interactions, deepen connections, and allow us to address concerns or misunderstandings. However, we often shy away from these conversations due to various reasons rooted in our upbringing, people-pleasing tendencies, and a lack of effective communication skills. By understanding […]
Creating a Life of Balance and Ease
Do you often find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the demands and responsibilities of daily life? Do you feel like you’re constantly running on a hamster wheel, struggling to keep up with the never-ending to-do list? If so, you’re not alone. Many people today face the challenge of overwhelming stress and a sense of constant busyness. […]
Unraveling Time Inconsistency and its Impact on Productivity
Time inconsistency is a cognitive bias that refers to the tendency of individuals to make choices in the present that are incongruent with their long-term goals and values. It can significantly affect our productivity and hinder our ability to accomplish what we set out to do. By exploring the nature of time inconsistency and identifying […]
Asserting Small Boundaries: The Power and Freedom in Saying No
Boundaries, no matter how small they might seem, play a critical role in maintaining our mental and emotional health. They serve as an invisible line of respect that we expect others to not cross, and they reflect our self-esteem and what we believe we deserve in our relationships. However, asserting boundaries can often be challenging, […]
From Childhood Shame to Adult Empowerment: A Journey of Healing and Growth
Shame is a powerful emotion. Rooted deeply in our formative years, it’s often an unwelcome guest in our emotional house. Stemming from incidents where we may have felt humiliated, embarrassed, or ‘less than’, childhood shame can seep into our adult lives, influencing our behaviour, self-esteem, and relationships. However, it’s essential to know that we can […]
The Balance Between Ego and Soul
When it comes to understanding ourselves and our inner workings, the concepts of the ‘ego’ and the ‘soul’ can be particularly enlightening. They represent two aspects of our consciousness that are often at odds, yet both play essential roles in our lives. The Ego: Our Earthly Anchor The ego, as defined in psychological terms, is […]
Learning to Love Yourself in a Relationship
One of the most profound experiences in life is being in a relationship. It can be a source of joy and shared growth, but it can also become a maze of self-doubt and personal change. One of the key questions we often find ourselves asking is, “Am I changing for them or for me?” Learning […]
Well begun is half done – Sustaining motivation for success.
Whether it’s launching a business, starting a new project, or setting personal goals, laying a solid foundation at the onset can mean the difference between success and failure. It’s a principle that can save time, resources, and sustain our motivations. Foundations in Business: Starting Right The Importance of a Strong Start In the business world, […]
Maximising Your Weekend: Strategies for Rest, Recreation, and Personal Growth
Weekends are golden opportunities for recharging our batteries, cultivating hobbies, fostering personal growth, and building meaningful relationships. Yet, for many of us, it seems that weekends fly by too quickly and come Monday, we feel as drained as we did on Friday evening. So, how can we truly maximise our weekends? Here are some strategies […]
The Art of Stress-Free Productivity: David Allen at TEDxClaremontColleges
David Allen, renowned productivity consultant and author of “Getting Things Done,” shares his insights on achieving stress-free productivity in his TEDx talk at Claremont Colleges. Allen opens his talk by explaining that our ability to be productive is directly linked to our ability to relax. The paradox is that in our fast-paced, high-stress world, relaxation […]
Breaking free from a victim mentality
Some of us choose empowering roles while others unknowingly step into limiting ones, one of which is the role of a victim. A victim mentality is a pervasive pattern of negative thinking that results in feeling helpless, powerless, and often at the mercy of others or circumstances. But how does it affect our lives, and […]
Worrying Enough to Act, Not Enough to Paralyse
Worry can be a useful motivator. However, when it escalates to a point where it stifles action and spawns paralysis, it becomes a hindrance. This article aims to help you find that sweet spot, where worry fuels productive action rather than obstructive anxiety. Understanding the Scale of Worry Worry is not inherently bad. It is […]
Top Tips to Enable a Narcissist
Narcissism is a personality disorder characterised by a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, a lack of empathy for others, and an inflated sense of self-importance. Such relationships are typically unhealthy and toxic. However, to play the devil’s advocate, let’s explore how one could enable a narcissist: Always Put Their Needs First The narcissist […]
Understanding Emotional Intelligence
Success is often associated with high IQs, advanced degrees, and hard skills. Yet, there’s a key player in the journey towards personal and professional achievement that often remains in the shadows: emotional intelligence (EI). The Quintessence of Emotional Intelligence EI, as popularised by psychologist Daniel Goleman, refers to the ability to identify, understand, manage, and […]
Escaping the Dopamine Dragnet of Social Media
The Alluring Bait Social media is the modern-day siren, seducing us with its symphony of viral content, colour, sound, gossip, titilation, virtual interactions, and visual spectacles. With smartphones as our personal pleasure cruisers, we sail the digital world, vulnerable to the siren’s call and to being left floating in stagnent waters. Caught in the Dopamine […]
Navigating the AI Landscape
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Deeper Human Insight In our fast-paced, data-driven world, the combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence (HI) holds enormous potential. AI isn’t just about automation or replacing human tasks. Instead, it’s about augmenting our abilities, stimulating our thinking, and prompting further exploration. AI as an Idea Generator One of the […]
Fostering Kindness While Honouring Personal Boundaries
In a world that can sometimes feel full of negativity, the act of showing kindness can be a powerful force for positive change. However, as important as it is to be kind, it’s equally crucial to respect our personal boundaries to ensure our well-being. This delicate balancing act involves the interplay of our desire to […]
Chasing Emotional Entertainment in Relationships
Falling in love is exhilarating, filled with the intoxicating rush of new experiences, shared moments, and exciting possibilities. But what happens when that initial thrill fades, and the pursuit of novelty takes precedence over nurturing the relationship? This article explores the phenomenon where individuals lose interest as soon as they have become secure in a […]
Finding Your Niche: Balancing Specialisation and Exploration for a Fulfilling Life
In our quest for success and fulfillment, the idea of finding one’s niche often arises. Society often emphasises the importance of specialisation, becoming a master in one particular field. However, it is essential to consider the balance between specialisation and exploration, as there are multiple paths to a fulfilling life. Let’s delve into the significance […]
