Get a Better Handle On Life

How do you stay upbeat and happy when Life throws the worst stuff at you? It helps if you know your purpose. I'm in conversation with Terry Tucker as he explains his quest for purpose amidst life's chaos, and finding clarity and direction during great uncertainty. Explore the importance of resilience, adaptability, and perseverance in navigating life's crossroads. We hear from a guest who exemplif...

The Secret Campsite is a small tent-only campsite near Lewes, in East Sussex, in the UK. Focused on nature, peace and outdoor space, the ethos of the site is to encourage contact with nature, especially the local wildlife.  You don't often find Nature, wildlife, and business in the same sentence, let alone in a fully functioning business with a special ethos.  Understanding the natural world seems...

If unexpected events often leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed, this podcast episode is for you. Whether you typically manage your stress levels well, or not, a sudden change of plan can push you past your limit, and into overwhelm. Listen to this episode and learn how better to cope with unexpected occurrences that can leave you feeling anxious and stressed. I'll tell you what is meant by...

Have you ever been desparate to change your life or something about yourself by you didn't know where to start? You knew exactly whare your goal was, but you just didn't know where to start or how to get there? If so, this episode is for you. Daniel Hauge is a young, Danish entrepreneur who worked that out. It wasn't easy, but he learned how to stick to the plan, deal with the obstacles, and get t...

How important is it to thank your colleagues at work? Listen how you can transform your workplace culture for the better, AND boost your own popularity. Regular contributor Rick Gough and I explore recognition at work from both sides, giving and receiving, and why acknowledging the efforts and accomplishments of colleagues is more than just a gesture – it's a cornerstone of building a positive and...

I was attempting to get Alexa to play my favourite track, but my words came out all wrong. I guessed I might be having some sort of cerebral malfunction, and it turned out to be right.  It's what is called a TIA, or mini stroke, and it is also a warning sign. Fortunately, the NHS team came to the rescue. Don't let them tell you "the NHS is broken". But it's not all bad! A lot of good came out of i...

There is, what I call the ‘logic of depression’. It completely skews your thinking when you are depressed. If you suffer from depression, you’ll know how utterly it can take you over and leave you feeling powerless to do anything about it. When we understand how this faulty logic hijacks the mind and narrows our ability to see beyond the restricted view it dictates, we can begin to see new possibi...

Discover actionable strategies to heal a broken heart in this insightful podcast episode. Grieving the loss of a loved one is a universal human experience, but it doesn't have to consume you. Join me as I navigate the journey of healing, offering practical tips and comforting guidance. While the pain can feel overwhelming, remember that growth often emerges from adversity. Tune in to emerge strong...

Love it or hate it, feedback is never really popular. Most of us don't like giving feedback, and when it comes to receiving it, feedback is even less popular. Many people openly mistrust it! Feedback is intended to help us be better at what we do, so where do these negative feelings come from? I'm in conversation with wise-manager and regular guest, Rick Gough. He shares his insights from his 28 y...

Conventional wisdom is generally accepted, but it may or may not be the best advice to follow if you want to lead a fulfilling and unconventional life.  Because conventional wisdom usually goes unquestioned, it can create problems when incorrect ideas gain wide acceptance. This can make exploring new ideas much more difficult. In cases such as this, incorrect conventional wisdom can interfere with...

Eric was drawn into counselling after a slow process of realisation that, unless he did, he would lose someone who was extremely precious to him. When we mentioned accountancy in this enlightening discussion, it was to draw parallels between learning, self-discovery, ambition, and success. What we discovered though, is the remarkable power of conversation to go where it needs to so that we can dis...

Leaving a a well paid job to follow your dream is always a risk, but that's what Mohammed Kasujee did. He shares his inspiring story and offers guidance to others who may be holding themselves back. Do you feel that life has more to offer you than your current situation allows? Or, maybe you are almost ready to take a leap of faith and do your own thing? What about friends and family, would they e...

Surveys continue to show that employers are looking for qualities in their employees that will add value to the organisation.  Interviews are rarely pitched to draw out technical skills or knowledge, which are taken as read and supported by experience and qualifications.  Sure, they want proof that your skills are up to date, but, many questions are aimed at establishing more abstract and hard-to-...

The World Health Organisation says that there is an 'epidemic of Sleeplessness', but this is unhelpful, says Dr Neil Stanley. In our conversations this straight talking expert points out the if you are someone whose sleep could be improved, then "the solution is in your hands". In his refreshingly direct style, Dr Stanley demystifies sleeplessness and talks about the contributing factors that tend...

I regularly get questions like "How do I find my purpose?". I'm basing this episode on some of the replies I've sent out.  Finding your purpose means discerning a point at which your strengths, talents, interests (or beliefs) come together, to indicate a direction and/or course of action in your life. And that just the start. Personally, I'm not sure that it's a good use of one's time to be asking...

For years I struggled to create my online persona. Influenced by what I was seeing and hearing online – there are many slick, smiley, positive and upbeat presenters out there – I struggled to make the transition from live presenting to a live audience, to presenting myself in the virtual world. I thought I'd have to be like the great presenters I was seeing, but it doesn't come naturally to me to...

Mental wellbeing doesn't come about by accident, and the world we have created can easily threaten the balance we rely on to stay mentally resilient and healthy.  What we think of as mental wellbeing is different for each of us. But people with positive mental health generally do a number of things that give them a sense of wellbeing and protect their psychological and emotional health. If you ser...

As today's guest, Rick Gough, says, at work it's great to be able to say "Yes". You'll be seen in a positive light for your willingness and 'can-do attitude, and possibly even improve your career prospects. And it's nice to please others. But, as Rick says, it comes at a cost.  There's a time to say "No"; it can be empowering, and "good for everybody". In this episode we discuss the whys and where...

Have you ever blames a communication breakdown with the explanation the someone "wasn't listening"? Most of us have, at some time.  Like it or not, at work and elsewhere you'll be judged on your communicaton skills. Thery influence not only how others perceive you, but also how much they like, respect, and trust you. In order to communicate effectively you have to 'own' your message, and if that's...

We are all used to the idea of stress; it is now a recognised fact of life in many jobs. But burnout is different, and more serious. Burnout is a reaction to prolonged and unremitting stress. It results in physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. Typically, this is accompanied by feelings of cynicism, a loss of interest in the job, self-doubt and doubts about the value of your work, loss of conf...

We live in a wealthy technological age where we have all we need at our disposal. One of the costs of this is a steadily rising tide of demands and pressures which produce stress in us. There’s a lot to do and have, and it’s tempting to try and have it all! For many people, this means that they are so busy so much of the time that they no longer have the space, nor the ability to focus on managing...

ARISE – Start your day on a positive note then supercharge your day with this soothing, guided mindfulness exercise.  Over the years, I have built up a sizeable archive of resources. These are exercises, video and audio tracks that I've produced for a specific purpose, then filed and forgotten about. This ARISE track is one of these. I produced it (I think) for my online course on Mindfulness, now...

What are the pros and cons of working from home? As we have moved on from the enforced home working due to the Pandemic, more of us now have the freedom to choose to work in or away from the office.  In the old days many organisations resisted the idea of home working. That obstacle has now largely disappeared, and so has (mostly) the stigma that if you worked from home you were not quite as serio...

Freelancer, solopreneur, or simply working from home? Working for yourself is great if you are cut out for it, and even if you're not you can still make a go of it if your start with your eyes open and the right mindset. Be ready for the hurdles and give yourself the advantage.  Starting a business can bring unexpected emotional stresses, but the pitfalls can be handled if you are ready for them....

In this episode, I'm sharing some ideas on what can loosely be called, Alternative Career Guidance. There's plenty of conventional career advice out there, most of it sensible and sound, but it all points one way.  Pretty well every week I get questions relating to choosing the 'right' path to a career, or tension about how to prepare. Underlying many of these questions is uncertainty and even pre...