Create Yourself - Practical Activities for Self-discovery, Transformation and change.

Let’s face it when challenging things happen.  We all face tough times and life can throw us curve balls.  The problem is that when we are feeling stressed, anxious or low we are not always at our most resourceful. It's hard during these difficult times to think about what could help us the most.   This is why it’s always good to prepare for these times in advance.  It helps to...

In today's episode we look at activities you can do to feel better about ourselves.  Often when we are feeling in a bad place we tend to focus in on all the things that are not working in our lives, whilst the good stuff gets totally overshadowed. We forget all about our strengths, skills and great qualities, all the wonderful things about us that make us unique and special.   These exer...

In this episode I talk about setbacks.   Setbacks are a normal part of life, things don't always go according to plan. So its important to recognise that setback are likely and they do not mean that you are useless, that its all pointless and that you are a failure. Watch out how you talk to yourself during these times because this has such a powerful impact on us. The way we talk to ourselve...

Most of us want to fit in and feel like we belong. Its normal to want to feel that we feel connected with others. But relationships with others is not always easy. It can be fraught sometimes with difficulties and even the best of relationships can have its ups and downs. In this episode I offer some suggestions of ways we can build better relationships with people. You can find out more about me...

Here's a reminder of the 5 steps to challenge unhelpful thinking. 1) Identify the thought 2) Write it down 3) Challenge it Ask yourself, Is this true?  Is this fair? Is there another way of looking at the situation What would you say to a friend who had a similar thought? 4) rewrite the thought. Create a more balanced and realistic thought. We can also apply mindfulness which helps us to lear...

If you are experiencing stress & anxiety it can help hugely to understand why we experience it. In a nutshell it is our bodies natural response to any perceived threat. This is called the Fight/flight response that has evolved to protect us from danger & keep us safe. These days assorts of things can trigger our flight/fight response to switch on. It helps to remember that this is a totally normal...

This is such a simple, yet effective activity to do. All you have to do is make a list of 20 activities and pastimes that you enjoy. It really is that easy.  The activities may be things that you used to do as a child or in the past, or things that you currently enjoy doing.  It might even include things that you've hardly tried but are drawn to.  Activities that you have a sense th...

A short (6 minute) mediation practice. As we know the breath is a powerful tool. In this very simple short meditation I invite you to let go of whatever is stagnant & stuck. By letting go we create space for new possibilities & opportunities. What do you need to let go of the most right now? What is holding you back? When we start to let go we make way for new growth & learning. We make space for...

Today I share some of the things that make me feel bad. This is part of last weeks simple exercise where we got pen & paper and brainstormed all the things that make us feel good. On the other half of the paper I want you to tap into the things that bring you down & make you feel bad about yourself. After you’ve done it see if you can notice an themes or patterns. What stands out for you? Is there...

We all want to feel good. In this session I talk you through a very simple activity of reminding yourself of all the things that make you feel good about yourself. All you need is paper, pen & a spare 10 minutes. I share all the things that help me to feel good too. Although we probably know what makes us feel good, we don’t always do them! For instance I know dancing makes me feel amazing but I’v...

In this episode we harness the creative potential & power of our amazing minds. Guided imagery & visualisation are powerful tools that can help us create a life true to who we are & what we want. In this guided exercise I encourage you to step into & fully experience your ideal day five years from now. How do you want to feel? What do you want to be doing? By tapping into our limitless imagination...

Often when we choose to meditate or relax we are not as fully comfortable as we could be. In this practice I want you to see if you can make yourself that bit more comfortable. What adjustments do you need to make? What could you do to make yourself just 5% more comfortable? Comfort is King! So grab a pillow, maybe an eye mask or a flannel and a blanket. Maybe even a rolled up towel for the ankles...

We spend so much time stuck in our heads that we miss so much of what is going on around us. During this walking practice I help you to appreciate & savour the world around you. It involves using all your senses to be fully present & fully experience the here & now. Enjoy!

In this New Year episode I talk about grounding techniques that I find helpful. There are so many different ones so it is trial & error to find one that works for you. Be willing to experiment. Like any skills it takes time & practice.

This is a good practice to do for 1-3 minutes to begin with. The breath is the perfect anchor to tether us to the present moment...and it’s literally under our noses.

Even just taking one simple breath can help us come back to the present moment. Give the breath your full undivided attention. Be with it, beginning, middle & end.

This is such a simple Grounding Technique that you can do it anytime & anywhere. It will help anchor you back into the present moment.

We all need human contact and connection. If we feel disconnected from others, lonely & isolated it can effect our mental health & Wellbeing. It is harder than ever to be connected to others with all the restrictions at the moment due to the governments response to Corona. In this episode I consider just a few ways we can reach out to others & connect.

In dark times it’s good to have strategies & ways to help you feel better. In this episode I talk you through what you might include in your own wellbeing plan or Mental Health First Aid kit.

In this podcast I talk you through the key steps to exploring your emotions. Pause, Notice, Name the Feeling, Explore, Validate & Need. Originally there was 5 but I’ve added an extra one. Too often we suppress & push down our emotions. Yet what we resist, has a tendency to persist. This simple, easy to follow practice will help you to acknowledge, validate & experience your feelings more fully. Le...

Most of us avoid, suppress, deny & ignore our emotions. We rarely take the time to fully validate & experience them. It’s perhaps too uncomfortable, unsettling or scary. Yet by resisting our emotions we create another layer of potential struggle & pain. I this practice we notice, acknowledge & allow our emotions to be just as they are.

It’s easy to get caught up in overthinking. A simple definition of overthinking is to think about something for too long or too much. We all do it. The first step to changing a tendency to overthink is to catch yourself in the act. Notice how your overthinking impacts you. Does it make you hesitate or doubt yourself? Perhaps you end up losing motivation & confidence? Let’s start getting out of our...

When we are anxious it can feel like we have no control. Yet we can control our breath. The breath can be our secret tool for helping ease anxiety. This simple practice explains how by changing our breath pattern we can start to send a signal to our bodies that we are safe.

I’ve just been flicking through an old journal from 2016 & I came across a timed piece of writing titled who am I. On the spur of the moment, with nothing better to do with myself on a Friday night, I decided to share it. My challenge to you is to have a go at a 20 minutes timed writing exercise.