All posts tagged: mindfulness

Tides of Change and Bright Stars

Once, when I was first training as a counsellor we were asked to think about some of the most significant changes that had happened to us. Then we were asked to think of one change we would characterise as ‘good’ and one we would judge to have had an ‘adverse or bad’ impact on our lives. I’d normally like to consider myself a pretty optimistic person; yet I found the ‘adverse’ changes far easier to pick out then the one’s I had been an active participant in. My counselling tutor then went onto conduct a session on our brains negativity bias and how as humans we are hardwired to linger on those tough changes and less likely to celebrate or recognise the good ones. That particular afternoon has stuck with me. Change will happen. Sometimes it will be of our own making (like our choice to relocate to NZ for a year) sometimes it will be forced upon us. We lose our job, we lose a loved one, unexpected ill health. Sometimes change hides under …

Meditation Apps: To Calm or to Headspace?

I mourn the days when I had a brick phone that could be dropped down six flights of stairs and be completely fine. I miss having my black block that rang when I was called and beeped when I had a text. I miss snake, I miss the simplicity of it. It’s taken me quite a long time to get over the fact that the world isn’t going to go back to these friendly non-invasive blocks. It’s taken me a little while to realise that I am probably being nostalgic about my old phone and my old relationship with technology. The truth is, I’m not going back… So the question is how do I make my smart phone something that allows me to feel free and to benefit from it; without the pitfalls of the social media hamster wheel and the illusion that I am free to be contacted any time of the day or night. For me, finding meditation apps has been a huge tick in the smart phone’s favour. I’m a big fan …