The Problem of Consistency

The internet is full of sage words about how important it is to be consistent, so that you can be successful. And it is true that to gain a new habit or skill, attacking it with dedication and consistency is probably necessary. BUT there are so many ways that being consistent can lead to trouble.…

Hello, Libero Network!

I am very excited to tell you that I have signed on to be a resource for the members of the Libero Network. If you don’t know about them, you might not understand why this makes me so happy. The Libero Network began when Lauren Bersaglio decided to go public with her inspiring story of…

http://shilpagupta.com/pages/2010/10iwanttolivewithnofear.htm

How Fear Grows

The only time most people enjoy feeling afraid is in a scary movie or on a roller coaster. There are moments when we actually feel more alive and excited and truly connected to our physical selves because we have allowed a manageable amount of fear in our lives. And then, there are those fearful feelings…

That Meditation Video

I have found that meditation (or, as I practice it, prayer) makes a huge difference to person’s state of mind. I’m going to post a little video I often recommend to people. A warning- it does have a slight Buddhist flavour, so if you are uncomfortable with that, please don’t watch. The point is to…

Rethinking the News

The last two posts have covered some ways to avoid being harmed by the news. But sometimes I need to do more when a story starts really bothering me. Here are a few good questions to ask yourself when you are reeling from something you heard on the news. 1. Do they have the whole…

Good News, Bad News. Which do you want?

This is the second in a series. The last post, No More News? introduced the idea that consuming news can harm your mental health, and explored a few reasons why people might want to continue taking in news. So, once you know yourself, the next step is . . . 2. Know the Media Once…

Just Winging It?

I recently read a very interesting post by Oliver Burkeman in the Guardian called “Everyone is Just Totally Winging It“, which tells one of the basic truths of life. We are all just doing our best. Pretty much no-one actually feels like a fully competent adult who is confident all the time that they are…

Novemberness

It is that time of year again, when the rains have begun (or the first layer of snow has already settled), and the clocks have changed, and it seems to be dark all the time. The news lately has been more than usually disturbing, with attacks on soldiers at home, and the fall from grace…