The Encouragement Diaries

What's your Xmas tradition? Here are some of the more unusual ones - you'll appreciate yours all the more after listening to these🙌

Often the most inspiring ideas come from a chance conversation rather than the intense team meeting. Learning to pay it forward will change the world🙌

Permacrisis can actually be reduced to temporary glitch if you know how🙌

Do you know how many times and how long it took for the Son of Krakatoa to rise up? Or the amazing story of what happened next? Listen on to see the results of the 'bubbling'.

Now this is one road to avoid!

Yeast - a wonderful power source and secret weapon against overwhelming odds 🙌

The decision to hang out the Washing Line could make all the difference to Adele Penguins, who are about to become extinct. Stand up for the Washing Line🙌

The impact of influencers, lemmings, antelopes and BBL (all is revealed in the podcast😁)

Sometimes it's when we pop our heads round the corner that we come across something wonderfully unexpected. That's what happened to Lucinda Sieger and me in Kirkcubbright.

Our inner voice is a wonderful compass to how we live and act. Too often it gets drowned out by doubts and other voices. Listening to our inner voice gives us peace, direction and purpose.

Smells and memories are intertwined so why not recreate some of your favourite smells when you are feeling the need for some joy , encouragement or just for the pleasure the memory brings.

Honest and truthful journalism that tells the stories of real people and situations is what connects people and builds communities. Well done Fiona Reid in all that you do as Editor for the group of papers in Dumfries and Galloway🙌

There are times something special happens to really lift our hearts and for me, and many others that was hearing the exceptionally talent Adam Blake busking the blues🎉🙌

CSLewis has great wisdom about people and how they can grow beautufully.

Its so nice to actually meet a person and get to know their story. A bullet pointed CV only says so much.

Swedish journalist Helene enjoys a friendship with Lucinda Sieger which all started via a Greek connection. What are the ingredients for a real friendship - apart from sharing a bottle of wine🙌

The perfect combo for wellbeing: kissing a flower and the 5 minute self-pity party🎉

In conversations, we can get sucked into point scoring, or worse, one upmanship - usually because of insecurity or trying to look good. Here's a good tip on how to avoid digging a pit for falling in to\0/

Robert Burns designed and built Ellisland Farm as an enlightened farmer. It is the most important and significant of all his homes and it's where, in three years, he wrote some of his most important works, and a quarter of his total output! Formerly a Member of Parliament, Joan McAlpine is the Business Development Manager and the queen of multitasking - so interesting and encouraging 🎉

A murky pond, a building site and then the unexpected happens - life finds a way 🙌

Her father was a Holocaust survivor who ended up in Scotland and his daughter, Dot Getcliffe moved through the arts and found herself becoming a deacon! Hear Dot share some of her humorous stories from her book Deacon Pink🙌

Here's a wonderful and encouraging poem about the good that comes from turning a blind eye so as to e the good.

Do you worry about your cholesterol or weight? Mother and son Ruby and Adam Malik make for joyful encouragement😁

The perils of ignorance dressed up by waffling with conviction 🤣