You Can Change Your Brain
I recently attended a conference where I heard Professor Selena Bartlett speak. Have you ever heard someone say, “That’s just the way I am, I’ve always been like this, and I’m too old to change”? Perhaps you’ve even said something similar yourself. According to Australian neuroscientist Professor Selena Bartlett, there’s some very good news. Our […]
Why Do I Get So Stressed?
Thanks for the question M. Have you ever noticed how two people can experience exactly the same situation, yet one becomes terribly stressed while the other seems to take it all in their stride? Perhaps they’re both stuck in a traffic jam and running late for an important appointment. One is gripping the steering wheel, […]
Why Do We Take Things So Personally?
Thanks for the question J. Have you ever walked into a room, said hello to someone and received little more than a grunt in return? What did you think when they did that? Perhaps, What have I done? Why is she upset with me? Or maybe, Well, if that’s the way he wants to be, […]
The Surprising Power of Face-to-Face Contact
Thanks for the question, T. For example, have you ever spent an hour talking with someone on Zoom, only to finish feeling unsatisfied? You have seen their face, heard their voice, exchanged ideas and perhaps even shared a laugh. However, it doesn’t feel quite the same as sitting across the table from them. We enjoy […]
The Middle Way to Deal With Cancer
The Middle Way to Deal With Cancer Long term readers will know I have metastatic prostate cancer. My PSA levels are steadily worsening, and unless something changes, and perhaps a new cure is found, this disease will shorten my life. I don’t like that reality, but pretending it isn’t there won’t change it. Living with […]
How to Embrace Discomfort: Essential Ways to Thrive
We spend an enormous amount of time making ourselves comfortable. We heat our homes when we’re cold, cool them when we’re hot. We take tablets when something hurts, and reach for our phones when we’re bored. If something leads to anxiety, discomfort, or unhappiness, our learned reaction is to try to remove the feeling. There […]
Are Boundaries Stalling Your Essential Learning to Get Along?
Are We Using Boundaries to Avoid Learning How to Get Along? The word boundary has become part of our everyday language. We are encouraged to set boundaries with our partners, our children, our parents, our friends and even our workmates. However, generally speaking, this is a good thing. Healthy boundaries are important, but I believe […]
How to Let Go of Perfection for Powerful Love
I had a client who shared with me that their partner had listed a huge number of admirable traits… but finished stating that wasn’t enough for them. I started thinking about the damage that perfectionism does to relationships, because this wasn’t the first example I have come across. Most of us have some idea of […]
How Volunteering is Good for Everyone
With the retirement of Aaron Lee from his position of Captain of the Bairnsdale Fire Brigade, I began to ponder the role of volunteers in our community. We often think of volunteering as something we do for other people, we give our time to the local sporting club, CFA, school, community organisation, op shop or […]
We love each other, so why do we fight?
One of the things that often saddens couples is how they can genuinely love each other yet fight so bitterly. We tend to assume that if we really loved each other we wouldn’t fight, but the truth is often quite different. It is probably impossible to have a close relationship without conflict, fortunately, it is […]