As I walked into the gym last night Carlos was on his way out. He smiled his usual warm smile and asked me how I was. While we exchanged pleasantries I noticed the receptionist looking a bit puzzled. ‘Are you guys friends?’ he asked. ‘Or do you work together?’ ‘No,’ I replied. ‘Our gym routines […]
WELLBEING
Video: Celebrating the Shades of Autumn
You can’t count on the English Summer, but Autumn is usually splendid and this year is no exception. From beautiful sunny days to foggy mornings and howling winds, it’s been a fantastic season. A couple of wonderfully bright days this week inspired me to put together this animated slideshow of some of my favourite Autumn […]
Video: Brene Brown & The Power of Vulnerability
Earlier this year I was introduced to the work of Brené Brown and it’s had a huge impact on my journey towards becoming a more authentic version of myself. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work who is well known for her ground-breaking research on shame […]
Would you Let Your Hair go Fifty Shades of Grey?
Let me start with a confession. The truth is … I’m not a natural blonde! There, I’ve said it. But you probably knew that already. If you’re a forty-something woman like myself, you’ll realise that at our age we’re all hiding the ravages of time with one of the greatest age-defying inventions of all – […]
Understanding Personality Types with Myers-Briggs®
One of my most memorable moments while walking the South Downs Way was a conversation we had about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) – a method of understanding different personality types. The four of us had been walking together for a few days and our different personalities were becoming more obvious over time. I enjoyed […]
The Joy of Walking the South Downs Way
I did it! I walked 100 miles from Winchester to Eastbourne along the South Downs Way. The walk took 9 days and is the greatest physical achievement of my life – so far. The South Downs Way is mostly on a chalk ridge with spectacular views and for much of the walk you can see […]
Fitness Challenge 2012: Walking the South Downs Way
It’s time to put on my walking boots and get fit. In September I’m going to be walking the South Downs Way with my partner and a couple of friends. It’s a 100 mile trail from Winchester in Hampshire all the way down to Eastbourne on the south coast and I can’t wait! Walking a […]
Lessons from The Bauhaus: Creative Experiment &Time for Play
This week I decided to take some time out from my usual schedule and treat myself to the Bauhaus: Art as Life exhibition at the Barbican in London. Time for Me I enjoy going to exhibitions alone. It means I can take my time if I want to read every word and linger in front […]
Tales from the Vegetable Patch: Part 4 – The First Harvest
There was great excitement and jubilation in the kitchen last week as I harvested my first crop of leaves from the vegetable garden. My war against the slugs and snails appears to have paid off and we feasted on a selection of chard and beetroot leaves for dinner. Beetroot and chard leaves are rich in […]
10 Steps to Happiness
I’ve been thinking a lot about happiness lately. Partly because I would like to feel happier than I do. It’s not that I have a lot to be unhappy about, it’s more like what Gretchen Rubin describes in the opening to her inspiring memoir, The Happiness Project: I wasn’t depressed and I wasn’t having a […]