Is it just me or is there a distinctive glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel? We have positive news of a Covid19 vaccine on its way. Food for hungry children in the holidays. A new President intent on unifying the US and addressing climate change. Call me an optimist…but I’m ready for […]

Procrastination…why on earth do we do it to ourselves? Turns out we have a baked in design fault – Time Inconsistency. Our Future Self can set goals but only the Present Self can take action. What seems like a great idea as we go to bed becomes a tedious chore in the morning. Our brain values long-term […]

So…what is Negativity Bias? Our caveman brains are hard wired to notice what hurts us more than what feels good. So depending on which study you use, it takes between 5-12 positive experiences to undo the impact of a negative experience. In effect, the brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and like Teflon for […]

So…how are you feeling about the rule of 6? Maybe you’re happy to support the limit of social contact to stem transmission. Perhaps you’re dreading the increased social limitations. According to the latest ONS data 30.9% of those asked, said their well-being had been affected through feeling Lonely in the past seven days. That’s 7.4 Million of […]

Change thrust upon us outside of our control is rarely comfortable So maybe we can look to theBuddhist principle of impermanence for a little help… According to Buddhism, Attachment is the Root of Suffering Impermanence allows us to cope more easily with trying times. If we accept that life and anything in it is not […]

Spending time thinking about good things from out past, present and future changes out brain chemistry in a positive way. Savouring the moment will improve your mental health Savouring doesn’t just create good feelings, it amplifies them and makes them last longer. More Savouring = More Happiness Savouring is linked to more happiness, greater self […]

Did you know it takes 5-12 positive experiences to over-ride a negative experience? Our survival instincts are naturally honed to remember what might harm us again in the future and so we remember what hurts as a priority.  The good news is that we can meddle with this process and rewire out brain to better […]

So, is it just me or does it feel like things are beginning to settle down a little?… Perhaps work is getting busier, maybe your children are going back to school. Some shops may be reopening, we’re gathering again socially, albeit in a limited, physically distanced way. Maybe now is the time to CONSCIOUSLY decide WHAT […]

So, how’s it been going?… Were you able to choose Happiness last week using Rules 1-8 (see How to be Happy – Part 1)? Maybe you had some wins and some losses. It’s easy to get sidetracked by the ups and downs of everyday life. It seems that Happiness takes practice. Maybe the more we practice the happier […]

How to Be Happy? So, how’s your mood?… Does it feel like the tide is turning a little? Things are opening up, the R rate is staying down. The sun is here to stay and we’re allowed out to enjoy it. Things are getting better, right? Maybe it’s time to be happy again… While it’s easy […]

How to Boost your Self Esteem So, how’s your self-esteem doing?… Perhaps you’re less productive than your colleagues Maybe you’re eating junk food and vegging on the sofa Perhaps your children have become a little feral How are you doing versus everybody else? … TRICK QUESTION!!!! Above all, comparing ourselves to others feeds insecurity External […]

So, how’s the atmosphere at home? … As fuses shorten and time together expands it’s likely that tensions are rising Long term relationships need win: win outcomes or resentment and tempers will boil over Is one party focussing solely on their own needs rather than the health of the relationship? Remember you are on the […]

So, how’s your self-discipline doing during Lockdown? … Up to 95% of our decisions and actions are completed on autopilot The remaining 5% require conscious choices and self-discipline During Lockdown we are making many more conscious choices about what to do with our time and effort We have a limited daily budget of self-control, which may already be used up […]