Retaining balance in turmoil
“Balance is not something you can find; it’s something you create” (ANON) For many, the December holidays and approach to the New Year is not only a time of relaxation and family fun, but also a time...
View ArticleThe most influential inventions?
When considering inventions, one might be able to say rather quickly that digital devices have made the most impact on day-to-day life – this is not necessarily true, however, as I grew up without...
View ArticleDon’t let others’ words negatively impact your mental health
“Sticks and stones will break our bones, but words will break our hearts” (Robert Fulghum) The words and/or actions of others can negatively impact our mental health unless we develop mechanisms to...
View ArticleBuild your professional brand
Industry and other professional stars are not always gods among women and men. Often, they are regular people like everyone else. When they speak to a crowd of their peers, they are not necessarily the...
View ArticleUnmasking humble-bragging
“Humility does not mean you think less of yourself. It means you think of yourself less” (Kenneth H Blanchard) In the famous tale of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, the spoilt and over-indulged...
View ArticleReleasing the shackles of fear
“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart” (Roy T Bennett) If ever there was a time for contribution, meaningful acts of compassion, and kindness, it is now!...
View ArticleCreative adjustments to reach goals
“She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her away, she adjusted her sails” (Elizabeth Edwards) Music is filled with themes…and variations on themes. Most importantly, the variation on the...
View ArticleWhen others disappoint you
“One of the problems is that I internalise everything. I can’t express anger; I grow a tumour instead” (Woody Allen) The greatest test of any relationship is what happens when someone lets you down –...
View ArticlePerseverance in the face of failure
“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did” (Newt Gingrich) Failure and fatigue are characteristic of the lives of everyone. Life is not “plain...
View ArticleLet wisdom develop character
“There are more things to do than we ever shall get done; there are more books to read than we can ever look at; there are more avenues to enjoyment than we ever shall find time to travel. Life appeals...
View ArticleOvercoming adversity to release hope
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it” (Helen Keller) Many of life’s difficulties are short-term and swiftly come to an end as we get re-employed, or sort...
View ArticleTaking responsibility despite circumstances
“I believe that every right implies a responsibility, every opportunity, an obligation, every possession, a duty” (Nelson Rockefeller) I am sure that you have heard the words ‘that’s not my...
View ArticleClarify expectations to avoid mistrust
“Almost all conflict is a result of violated expectations” (Blaine Lee, The Power Principle) To avoid relational frustrations and mistrust, expectations between people need to be clarified. This is...
View ArticleAnswering the ‘Why do I exist?’ question
“I have immortal longings in me” (William Shakespeare) Trying to find meaning in our crazy and confused world seems to be a never-ending quest – the current chaos globally working its way into our...
View ArticleFinding your share of happiness
“Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn’t stop to enjoy it” (William Feather) The term ‘balance’ does not imply that we spend equal time...
View ArticleTransmitter or transformer?
“When we look upon this earth, the opportunities take shape within the problems” (Nelson A Rockefeller) Adversity is a part of all our lives. At times, adversity seems to break the spirit of some. More...
View ArticleAssertiveness when you feel put down
“Our ultimate freedom is the right and the power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us” (Dr Steven R Covey) When confronted by significant differences of opinion with...
View ArticleBe led by your heart’s dreams
“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart” (Roy T Bennett) According to psychology research (Lisa Fritscher: Very Well Mind), fear is a primal emotion that...
View ArticleGetting the boss to listen to your ideas
I have spoken to many employees in various business contexts who feel that their voices are not heard – their ideas are not listened to. As such, they feel that they don’t have a real contribution to...
View ArticleInnovation is a process
“The mind celebrates a little triumph every time it formulates a thought” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) The work involved in using your creativity and imagination to innovate evokes many emotions – sometimes...
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