What determines how compassionate we are? I have just watched a fantastic TED talk from 2007 by Daniel Goleman, a psychologist who researches emotional intelligence. Apparently, our degree of compassion (whether or not we would stop to help a stranger) …
Why is self-compassion so important? I have just watched a wonderful TED talk by Kristen Neff. In it she explains why treating ourselves with the same kindness we would offer to a friend is really important. Too often we treat …
How can we train our brain to make ourselves happier? I have just watched this wonderful TED talk by Dr. Rick Hanson. He describes how in order to improve our happiness and confidence we need to first overcome the brain’s …
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What are your goals? Recently I have been looking at the areas of my life that I would like to improve upon. Some of my goals are large and some are small. A lot of them have been on my …
How does mindfulness work? Mindfulness is a type of meditation where we focus on the present moment. So how on earth does that produce the many positive effects that mindfulness has? Neuroplasticity Neuroplasticity is the ability of pathways connecting different …
How do I silence the inner critic? You know the one. You’re feeling all motivated, and ready to go ahead with your resolutions. But something keeps making you put things off. You have a little nagging voice in your head …
Why should I practice mindfulness? It’s a very stressful time for everybody at the moment. I have had to stop myself watching the news because I find it so overwhelming. I have taken a bit of control back, and I …
What is emotional intelligence? The ability to understand, use and manage our emotions. Once we learn to master this, we can use it to manage our stress levels, communicate more effectively, relate and empathise with other people, and diffuse conflict …
Why is the number three so important? There’s something magical about it, and not just for me. There are countless examples of the religious and cultural significance of the number three throughout many societies. Stories always have a start, middle …
Do you often find yourself asking “How can I reduce my stress levels?” I certainly do. Life seems to provide us with a never-ending supply of challenging situations to overcome. We seem to work ever longer hours, but are less …