Infographic

You have likely noticed a change in the workplace with the arrival of the ‘Millennials’! From a leadership point of view, are we embracing this change or are we sticking to how we believe ‘things should be’? [Read more…]

I find body language fascinating! We can glean so much useful information about a person when we meet with them in person. As a counsellor, I am very much aware of the fact that we can pick up on micro-expressions of the face and learn a lot when attempting to make eye contact. However, as mentioned previously in Business Etiquette and Body Language Blunders, we do need to be aware of how we automatically judge others and situations.

When Custom Writing shared the following infographic with me about body language, I thought it was excellent as it takes this topic much further with 30 signs to watch out for and includes interesting stats and facts.

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There are so many negative connotations when we hear the word ‘alone’. However, ‘being alone’ or ‘alone time’ can provide great benefits and contributes to our emotional wellbeing. For some time I have been a great advocate of ‘mindful walking‘ as a way to engage in some physical exercise and make space so we can reflect (maybe even allow for some problem-solving), feel the ground beneath our feet, smell the air and listen to the sounds around us – in effect ‘see’ or become aware of what is around us. It’s this awareness that leads us to give attention to ‘the present moment’ and ‘being mindful’. [Read more…]

We are slowly approaching that time of year when we reach for the tissues and dig out our allergy remedies. But have you considered how flowers can affect your overall wellbeing? This wonderful infographic highlights how flowers can affect our mood in general and impact both our mental and physical health.

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For several years, workplace wellbeing has been an area I feel passionate about. Having personally experienced the pressures, and witnessing firsthand the effects of stress in the workplace, and how many of workplace policies are lacking to support the ‘workforce’ I continue to be an advocate for improvements and supporting individuals by using mindfulness to improve their wellbeing. [Read more…]

When we meet with someone in person, most of our senses are involved and when we are aware of another’s body language we can pick up on micro-expressions of the face and make eye contact which can provide us with a huge amount of useful information. However, the downside of of meeting anyone for the the first time especially, is that we automatically make judgements.

We all automatically judge and it’s one of the automatisms we contend with daily; we judge others, situations/events and ourselves. By judging we often create an immediate conflict or struggle. – Judgement from ‘Your Mindful Journey’

Even though it can aid our own emotional stability when we are mindful of our automatic response to judge others, by being aware of using our body language skills to help us with business etiquette can provide us with great insight. On the other hand when conducting business with others, like when attending for interview or in a business meeting, are we consciously aware of our own body language blunders? [Read more…]

There can be various underlying issues that may affect our sleep; issues such as anxiety, depression and stress being the most common. However, there can also be specific things that can affect our sleep such as worry, grief, trauma, lifestyle, sleep routine, mental health disorders, physical health conditions and even side-effects from taking medication.

If you are having trouble sleeping, why not try out some of these natural remedies?

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Even though depression can be part of the ageing process, the physical and mental health of our older loved one’s is of paramount importance. Keeping communication, and contact, open can help an older person immensely with their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. This lovely infographic, provided by Be Independent Home Care – an Irish home care company 100% owned and managed by nurses, and helps us identify any signs of depression in our older loved ones and looks at the differences between depression and dementia. [Read more…]

Almost 4 years ago, I wrote a piece about the effects of bullying because when I’m meeting and working with those who are psychologically distressed, I found one cause can frequently be attributed to the experience of being bullied in their early years. So, I asked if this is A Lifelong Legacy? especially as I have seen the effects from the ages 11 to over 60.

Sadly, even with all the awareness raised about bullying, this subject is still of great concern. We still see some concerning statistics that 43% of teens report that they have been bullied and that 90% of those who witness cyber bullying ignore it. [Read more…]

We welcome guest author, Maureen Sanford, who shares an informative guide on depression and mental health specifically relating to the UK. Especially interesting to note are the ‘gender divide’ and how our younger generation is affected by mental health issues. Like Maureen, raising awareness of a subject that is often misunderstood (even by those to whom we are close) is very close to my heart – not only as I see this in my role as a counsellor but as previously in my experience of 18 years as a paramedic.

Although one in six people experience a common mental health problem every week, issues are often misunderstood and people can feel isolated. The triggers can be varied, and affect people from all walks of life. Overwhelming stress at work, school or home, constant money problems, the loss of a social support system and a family history of mood disorders are among the causes. [Read more…]