Dec 13, 2021Ho Ho Ho or No No No?Christmas can be stressful for us all — a time full of shoulds and oughts and have-to’s. So why not lighten the load and chuckle a bit instead? My latest episode of The Tyranny of the Shoulds podcast is filled with guests from all over the world — from Nigeria…Christmas1 min read
Oct 6, 2021Get up offa that thing!Here we are in October, with the leaves falling and the sun shining in between all the rain. Back in the heady days of August I said “au revoir” to my Spoon-by-Spoon blog and I gave you good people a break from my incessant scribblings. But as we know, au…Procrastination3 min read
Aug 27, 2021Swim, Jump or Fly? It’s Up to YouIf you love your career then this blog post isn’t for you — nothing for you here, please skip on by. If you’re a “Sunday night dreader”, a “wishing away the weeker”, or “isn’t there more to life than this-er” then welcome. Please dip your toes in, the water is…Careers9 min read
Aug 10, 2021Sooner Than ExpectedI know, I know… so much for taking a break — I can’t keep away. Here I am back at my regular Tuesday morning slot, writing to you. I will lock my laptop away after this, I promise. Whilst I’m closing the drawer on my blog it’s an opportunity to…Expectations2 min read
Aug 3, 2021We’ll meet againLast week I wrote about the art of taking a break — time off from our endeavours to keep things fresh, to see the world through different lenses. So here I am letting you know that this is it — I’m bowing out. I may be back in the autumn…Rest3 min read
Jul 27, 2021Learning the art of the breakWe learn from each other all the time. From our children, our parents, colleagues, clients and friends. Even Donald Trump has taught us a thing or two — the perils of fake tan and trying to tame hair in later life. He has also reminded us to trust our instincts. …Creativity4 min read
Jul 20, 2021How long is a piece of string?This is a good question. If you’re in the market for string you can buy it in many places. DIY store B&Q has 60 metres of cotton twine for sale. Their natural garden twine comes in at 50 metres. Mosey on down to supermarket chain Sainsbury’s and you’ll get general…Language5 min read
Jul 13, 2021So close and yet so farWelcome to summer! Normally a time to explore new places, eat different cuisines and stretch our horizons. But this year is different. Many of us will be vacationing closer to home. Holidays that will be far enough away from our neighbourhoods to feel like a break but reducing the risks…Family6 min read
Jul 5, 2021What we see isn’t thereWhen I was a child, I came across an old book of prints tucked away in a dark corner of the library. There was a particular print which caught my eye. It was called Relativity by the artist Escher. I was drawn in by the faceless people (or was it…Illusion6 min read
Jun 29, 2021Improve your life in six secondsOm Mani Padme Hum. Or, in its original ancient language of Sanskrit — ॐ मणिपद्मे हूँ If you’ve done any yoga in the past, this chant might be familiar to you. There are debates about its meaning, but “Mani Padme” is often translated as “jewel in the Lotus.” The Lotus…Breathing5 min read
