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Blogs - Tips & Topics for well-being

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Stress, so misunderstood! How to use your stress messages to keep healthy and happy!

2 days ago
7 min

Stress, so misunderstood! How to use your stress messages to keep healthy and happy!

April is stress awareness month, so I wanted to share with you some tips for spotting signs of stress in yourself (or others) and ways to help yourself in this situation. Signs you are stressed can include: Raised heartbeat Tightness of the chest or throat. Trouble to breathe easily. Lack of focus or concentration. Headaches. An unsettled stomach. ·Stiffness or tenseness of muscles. Disrupted sleep patterns A feeling of fear, panic or overwhelm Over-thinking. Exhaustion or bu

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What's going on? Understanding Anxiety.

Aug 28, 2020
4 min

What's going on? Understanding Anxiety.

You will often see a post about anxiety with a classic portrayal of someone grasping their hands to their face, looking distressed (Not indifferent to the picture here). And whilst this may be a way in which anxiety and the associated overwhelm is expressed. In truth, anxiety can be more subtle to the outsider and is often hidden from others. A seemingly cheerful and engaged friend, family member or colleague may be experiencing deep and unnerving ripples of anxiety under th

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Wild Well-being - The benefits of connecting with nature

Aug 16, 2020
2 min

Wild Well-being - The benefits of connecting with nature

Back in #WorldWellbeingWeek we celebrate natural well-being through our coaching in nature collaborations. I very much believe well-being is something we can get a daily dose of. Our well-being needs will be unique to each of us. In short, well-being is Being Well in mind and body and having access to support, knowledge and settings that support our ability to enjoy our place in life. You may already be aware of what needs to be right for you, to feel good and well resou

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Work Life Balance- Myth or Mastery

Jul 23, 2020
6 min

Work Life Balance- Myth or Mastery

The concept of Work/life balance comes up often, when exploring personal & workforce well-being. The topic gets mixed opinions. Those who feel (albeit maybe fleetingly) in the driving seat of their work/life balance and those who tut, shrug or brush it off as an unattainable fiction. Life is never transient, and I respect the fact that a work/life balance can often be an eb & flow with many (including myself) having teetered on the “wrong side” of ideal. It's easy to feel lik

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Be your own Guru

Jun 24, 2020
3 min

Be your own Guru

In reflection of #worldwellbeingweek I was considering the term well-being and how to encompass the many ways in which we contribute to a sense of well-being within ourselves and for our wider community. I use 'contribute', because to use a word like achieve feels more like a destination or finish point. I personally relate to the concept of 'optimising' our well-being. The ability to take stock, at any point in our life, to check in and consider the action we take in immedia

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Reflections of Kindness in the cupboard

May 22, 2020
3 min

Reflections of Kindness in the cupboard

This week as part of mental health awareness week I delivered a daily lunch time workshop honouring the principle of Kindness (The chosen theme for the Mental Health Foundations annual campaign) A simple concept of bringing people together (virtually as we have come to expect). Using the principles and power of storytelling, sharing and connection to make a place for kindness. The event's title, came not just from the fact that I was indeed delivering the workshop from my cup

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Creating a self-care movement. #MDBM

Dec 2, 2019
3 min

Creating a self-care movement. #MDBM

I am going to let you into a little secret, I recently embarked on a new self-care movement and it's beginning to catch on! I introduce you to the #MDBM or Mid Day Bath Movement. It all began when, working a long day of an admin/client mix I had been slogging away at the "to do and not yet forgotten" list... (you know the one... where you have left particular tasks for as long is as possible before they go from "aspiration" to "priority". ). The seasons had just started to c

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Unlearning - letting go of stuff that doesn't help

Aug 19, 2019
4 min

Unlearning - letting go of stuff that doesn't help

We spend much of our life focused on learning and expanding our knowledge and breadth of skills to do the things we want to achieve in life. Progressing in a career, completing a new course or qualification, learning to be a parent or a partner. Learning a new hobby, craft or sport.... The things we learn help us to grow and expand our world. Adding layer upon layer to us. Not enough kudos is given to the process of unlearning. By this I mean letting go of something you lea

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New Perspectives: Inspiration & Motivation

Jul 1, 2019
3 min

New Perspectives: Inspiration & Motivation

After a busy weekend celebrating a family members birthday and lapping up plenty of sea air over in Southport, I settled down last night to watch a film. I stumbled across an awe inspiring film called "Charged" the story of Eduardo Garcia who was walking in Remote Montana when he was electrocuted by 2400 volts.... changing his life for ever. Now this film comes with a very large graphic warning, as it details his recovery in the hospital. See Clip Here I love films like thi

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Not just for women: Why men have an important place in well-being activities.

Jun 10, 2019
7 min

Not just for women: Why men have an important place in well-being activities.

JKChangeWork key client focus is on providing services for men. This isn’t to say that I don’t work with female clients. However, there continues to be less direct discussion between men and services on the what, when and how to access support to develop yourself and overcome issues relating to well-being and mental health. We know that men are reported to have higher rates of social isolation and this correlates to trends in male suicide rates. This is a social narrative tha

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Coaching In Nature: Why combine the outdoors with coaching?

Apr 29, 2019
5 min

Coaching In Nature: Why combine the outdoors with coaching?

This year I have been offering a new coaching package combining coaching and the outdoors, which I call Coaching in Nature. You may be interested as to why coaching in nature came about and what the benefits are to setting your coaching session outdoors, so read on to find out more.... I have been actively building nature (particularly woodland) into my own well-being for some time now. Reaping the benefits of feeling refreshed, peaceful, calm and energised after a walk in t

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Finding the Balance #2

Apr 23, 2019
3 min

Finding the Balance #2

I am on my last day of holidays following a fabulous break in Scotland (hence a slightly later blog post then normal). "advocates for well-being" such as coaches/therapists/counsellors/mindful practitioners and Yogi's. We are always harping on about work-life balance and there is a reason for this.... the focus here is optimising your enjoyment and capacity for a peaceful and healthy life. I have a confession! I used to get the balance terribly wrong! These were the "gooey"

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