This month marks Carers Week (9–15 June) and Men's Health Week (9–15 June), two important reminders to look after our own well-being. I've written about the importance of carers – and this includes parents, too – and looking after their own health and well-being first before assisting others. You probably know the famous oxygen mask analogy – putting on yours first before assisting others. The guilt of stopping, even for a moment, was huge. But with TRE, I realised that looki

Do you know the book When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté? I love it and just the title alone says so much. Over the years, I’ve heard variations of the same story in many different places; socially, at business networking events, on the tennis court, during conversations with potential clients and from friends. And although the details differ, there is a common thread. Many people don’t realise how much stress they’re carrying because they’re still functioning. For instance,

I have written before about war anxiety, albeit in an abstract way. Leila Moeeni Recently I came across some writing by Leila Moeeni, which touched me deeply and I invited her to write a guest post for us. Leila describes beautifully – although I'm not sure if that's the right word in this context – what many people carry and her words remind us that war is much, much more than we hear and see on the news. It can live in the body, in thoughts, in memories, in sleep, in grief

Self-care has become a familiar term*, especially when we are talking about well-being, resilience and prevention, but I feel it can feel overused or reduced to bubble baths, candles or a spa day. I only recently discovered that there is an official definition by The World Health Organization, no less: “Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and cope with illness and disability with or without the

Someone asked me: "Aren't you worried about the state of the world?" I allowed myself to breathe and then I said, "what is most important is not to allow your anxiety about what happens in the world to fill your heart. If your heart is filled with anxiety, you will get sick, and you will not be able to help." Thich Nhat Hanh Photo by William Warby on Unsplash I found the above quote and thought it's a good addition to my last blog post . 'The state of the world' is not just s

I just read an article* discussing war anxiety and what therapists recommend to help people cope. Even though the wars are happening relatively far away, the emotional impact can be very real. Continuous news cycles, disturbing images, uncertainty about the future and a sense of helplessness can leave many people feeling overwhelmed, anxious or constantly on edge. Therapists in the article recommend a range of helpful strategies: regulating your news intake focus on what you

Well, thinking about it - the question is quite normal (whatever 'normal' is), but I'd love to have your very honest answer. Photo by Ana Municio on Unsplash You might have been interested in TRE for a while or you might have been following my work out of curiosity? I'm really curious to learn more about any obstacles – big or small – that's stopping people from taking action. So, here's my question: Is there anything that’s holding you back from learning TRE? Maybe you ar

I recently saw on social media that Deborah Meaden (of Dragons' Den fame) said in an interview with Living Magazine: “When people take time out of what they consider as their working hours, they often feel guilty. I don’t feel an ounce of guilt, because I know it is going to make me much more efficient, a much better decision maker and a much nicer person to be around. I can be much more helpful when I’ve got my balance right. So I work on keeping my balance right.” It soun

Every February, the UK marks National Heart Month , which is a good opportunity to look at our hearts and our habits. The encouraging news is that even small changes can make a real difference to heart health, at any age. Want to join me for a drive? The body as a high-performance vehicle I like the idea of comparing the body to a high-performance vehicle. And yes, sometimes I wonder if some people take better care of their cars than of themselves, well, that might be my G

Sometimes you watch a film that stays with you long after the credits roll. That’s exactly how I felt after watching Late Shift recently. It’s a Swiss-German production, originally titled Heldin (Heroine) and it follows Floria, a dedicated nurse working in an understaffed hospital ward. If you're a nurse or a doctor yourself, this won’t come as a surprise. And even for me, it wasn’t exactly new information. I'm fully aware that the NHS and healthcare systems everywhere ar

Do you know what was significant about yesterday ( Friday 9 th January) ? It’s known as Quitters’ Day (second Friday in January). The day when most people abandon their New Year’s resolutions. And no, Quitters’ Day isn’t about laziness or a lack of discipline. I don't know this plant, but I love taking pictures It’s about asking too much of ourselves , too quickly, often for the wrong reasons and at a – for many people – particularly bleak and dark time in the middle of win

You may be busy preparing for the festive period. Still, may I briefly interrupt? Because I have a wee gift for you. A gift that helps you de-stress gently and with ease. Whether you are super-organised or rushing around doing last-minute tasks. Even when everything seems under control, when you’re performing well and managing beautifully, it doesn’t always mean your nervous system is well-regulated. It reminds me of a swan gliding calmly across a lake, while paddling furious

Today, I’m setting an example … and if it inspires you, consider this your permission (in case you need or want it, that is) to do the same. The last couple of weeks have been full-on, and I simply haven't taken the time to draft a new blog post. Instead, I did exactly what I always preach and recommend to others: I put myself first. Of course, thoughts like these came up: But I’ve always managed to write the post on time I enjoy creating these; I could just stay at my compu

Well, it doesn’t need to. You'll find and choose, what's right for you. Recently, someone in my meditation* group shared that he and his friend had been testing a high-end massage chair, full of cutting edge, scientifically proven technology. He described it like a work of wonder: It's gently vibrating, it feels like a massage treatment, you'll experience full-body relaxation, it's supporting the nervous system, easing stress and anxiety, aches and pains … and provides a fab

British Summer Time ended a while ago and the clocks went back. How do you feel about this? 'Yippee, I had an extra hour in bed' or 'Oh no, my sleep pattern is still disrupted.' If you’re in that second group, you’re certainly not alone. Each year, as we ‘fall back,’ many people feel a little off-kilter, slow in the morning, restless at night or just emotionally unsettled. Your body also keeps time Our bodies have their own internal clocks, a deep intelligence that tells u

Recently, a friend asked me an interesting question: Is there anything you don't tell your audience, but they should know about you? And my immediate answer was: With me, it's WYSIWYG. Do you know this acronym? It stands for: 'What you see is what you get' . The phrase became popular in the late 1970s to early 1980s during the rise of PCs and while I wasn’t in IT in the 1970s, but much later, we still used it. But back to the point. That phrase still resonates with me, becau

I recently came across this quote and thought, well, that's so true. "Winners never quit. Winners also never get to go home early. I know a lot of winners. They all look exhausted." James Bore It also made me pause. Because so many people I see display this 'winner' energy, constantly pushing, rarely resting, quietly burning out and many are wearing this like a badge of honour. “I felt overwhelmed. After learning TRE, I finally felt calm in my body, something I hadn’t exper

I've heard so many carers and parents stating that they don't have time to look after themselves. And I totally get it. It must be...

I'm just back from my Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training , so I wanted you to be the first to know that I am now a certified Mental...

Today I invite you to take just a couple of minutes (honestly, you won't need longer) to notice your body. Noticing tiny details Really...