self help links

Life can be tough, exciting, complicated, challenging and full of questions, great and small. It's helpful to share and face those challenges, and simply give things a try. This is a very small starter selection of links and resources. I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations. If you are an author or expert who would like to join the self help central network then drop me a line.

Positive Living

It might not always feel like it but our natural state is positive, and then life gets in the way!  

It starts with positive thinking

I recently started a lunchtime course on positive thinking. Ironically, the first time I went along I wasn't sure what to expect and thought the whole thing might well be dreadful - I was armed with my negativity. Our teacher did a very simple (or perhaps deceptively simple) meditation with us and you could feel the tension we had all brought in from outside melt away. For me, positive thinking isn't about blindly suppressing everything negative or challenging, but it is about looking for the positive in a situation or looking at how to come through a challenge or how to find things to be grateful for.

I will chart more of my own adventures with positive thinking in my blog and I would love you to share your own ways of being positive with me and any book, poetry or meditation recommendations you can pass on.

Be Present 

I was lucky enough to publish a book that even years later I think about almost every day. Presence by Patsy Rodenburg is based on a very simple but fundamental idea about human energy. As Patsy herself says, it is not a new idea, but I love how she describes it. 

Patsy divides energy into three circles: first, third and second. In the first circle we are inward looking and perhaps withdrawn, our voice might mumble and be difficult to hear or understand, even our body will slightly curve in on itself. Just think of a situation where you don't really want to be there, a difficult or boring meeting, giving a presentation to a room of people, or feeling shy in a social situation. In third circle we bluster and bluff our way through, dominating the space and conversation, speaking loudly and not listening to anyone else. And in second circle we find just the right balance of energy that allows us to fully connect, whether that is with people, a work of art, spotting a beautiful butterfly or just ourselves. 

'Presence is the energy that comes from you and connects you to the outside world... It is when you are fully present that you do your best work and make your deepest impression.' 

Nature Therapy

If you ever need reminding of the positive force of nature stop and listen to a robin in the depths of winter, find a poppy field in October or very simply go for a walk in the woods.