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Staying true to yourself in lockdown

Posted on by abivarious_29aov12d

The problem with indecision

Self-isolation and lockdown….two things that unite virtually the entire world. Almost every single human being is either in one of them, recently released from one of them or dreading one of them.

For many, lockdown is a long expanse of free time. I use the term free loosely, in full acknowledgement that many are grappling with energy-filled children and grumpy other halves.

For others, there is little change. Take me for example. I work from home every day and have done for years, my husband is also always at home and my son is 17 and therefore pretty much invisible except for mealtimes. No adjustment there.

Assuming you are someone with the unknown expanse of empty days ahead of you, how do you feel about that? Do you feel occupied, maybe even overwhelmed by the full time care of children that should be in school? Do you feel under pressure to be something that feels impossible? Continue reading “Staying true to yourself in lockdown” →

New Year’s Resolutions in February…Anyone?

Posted on by abivarious_29aov12d

New Years Resolution RIP

Let’s start with a question….how many new year’s resolutions did you make and how many of them made it into February?

Good Intentions

If you are anything like me, then you made a couple that felt do-able and (to my shame) neither of them made it as far as the end of January.  And this realisation creates an immediate sense of failure doesn’t it.  We start the year with so many good intentions and yet less than 1/12th of the way in, we’ve reverted back to our 2018 state. Continue reading “New Year’s Resolutions in February…Anyone?” →

Snapchat Dysmorphia – When a Filter is no longer enough

Posted on by abivarious_29aov12d

Has it ever occurred to you that in the world today – with all of it’s technology and “progress” – it is getting harder and harder to maintain our self esteem?  We exist in a culture of perfectionism.  Our children face a barrage of comparison and constant sharing of images.

Social media has created a culture that screams “look at me”.

For some, the pressure that this creates can lead to very real issues with body image and self esteem.

And this “look at me” culture was amplified when the concept of the selfie became popular.  Suddenly it was okay to take a picture of ourselves pouting and share it with the world.  I thought that was a bit odd in all honesty, but I couldn’t see the harm in it unless it became an obsession.

But then things got a bit more advanced and filters were introduced.  We could add bunny ears to our pictures or distort our faces in ‘hilarious’ ways.  Again, all pretty harmless right? Continue reading “Snapchat Dysmorphia – When a Filter is no longer enough” →

We Knew the Game Was Ours – How England’s Mindset Won the Game

Posted on by abivarious_29aov12d

We Knew the Game Was Ours - How England's Mindset Won the Game

Last night I was sat – along with most of the English population – watching the World Cup game between England and Columbia. It was an ugly game with some very nasty tactics from Columbia and a gargantuan effort not to rise to the provocation by the England team. We weren’t without fault but overall I thought we handled it okay.

But what struck me about the whole situation was how calm the England Manager, Gareth Southgate looked throughout. He was completed focussed and in the moment.

After the nail-biting penalties and (long overdue) victory for England, the players were interviewed and each had the same thing to say. We knew the game was ours. We knew we had to just stay in the moment. We knew we had to own it.

The thing is – England have had a very patchy few years when it comes to football. Disappointment seems to follow them around like an annoying smell. To have overcome all of the pressure that this collective disappointment creates is nothing short of a miracle.

So how does this have any relevance to an Empowerment Coach who doesn’t much care for football? Continue reading “We Knew the Game Was Ours – How England’s Mindset Won the Game” →