Looking around, it is hard to ignore the pace of the world. Drivers in Johannesburg, mums in carparks, people at the grocery store – going at breakneck speeds! Or is it me? Everyone is in a rush to get somewhere. Yes true. However, I can’t help but think how do we put the “brake” on? What’s the rush? By the way, questions that I ask myself all too often!
Read more “The start and end date. Its the dash that counts…”
I am so mindful these days about how busy, active and frazzled most people in my world are. Traffic, schedules, meetings and even “holidays” can place us constantly in the “doing” mode vs the “being” mode. Reacting constantly to the environment, obligations and diaries creates an external locus of control and a lack of centeredness, balance and equilibrium. The operative word here – REACTING i.e. a “created automaticity” – moving mindlessly from one task, appointment, activity to the other.
Read more “Choose to do one thing”
Two seemingly unrelated topics you may say? What is the intersect between wellness and leadership? And why does it matter?
Read more “Wellness and leadership”
So much has been written about the art and science of communication. As human beings, we communicate ALL the time – even when we are silent. Without belabouring the history and techniques of different ways of getting our ideas across, I thought I would share some of my own personal insights in one of the most powerful skills that we need to have in order to allow some of “our world out” and the rest of the world “in”
Read more “Enabling Awareness – Lets Talk!”
When was the last time that you took a pen to write – either in your journal or perhaps a letter to someone? Living in a society that promotes paperlessness often means that we use our smart phones or tablets to write. Personally, I find this challenging, because I often get distracted by an email, text, notification of some sort. Ok. Ok! So, maybe am not so “focused”!
Read more “Writing for your health?”
Theres no doubt about it. We are living in a fast paced world in which stress levels are generally high. Our brains are wired to deal with this by releasing stress hormones (cortisol ->then adrenalin). Chronic stress, causes cortisol levels to soar and this is not without consequence.
Rising cortisol levels leads to weight gain, depressed immunity, elevated blood pressure, fertility issues, increased appetite, sodium and water retention – to name but a few effects.
So what can you do about it?
Do you want to change something? To move? To Shift?
Have you had limited success till now? Falling back into old ways which make it hard for you to create a lasting impact.
There is a reason for this. The human brain is hardwired in a way that resists change. As we learn and become “ourselves” we create neural circuitry that makes “unwiring” really challenging. Most times this serves us. Imagine needing to learn how to drive a car every time you get behind the wheel, or a bike, or a computer for that matter.
Medical Professionals are one of the most overlooked people with respect to their own HEALTH and WELLness? Their jobs involve great human compassion, time, dedication. While physically demanding, you also have to have great mental, spiritual and emotional fortitude too! This is why so many medical professionals suffer from exhaustion, demotivation and eventually burnout.
Read more “Whose looking after you?”
Today, on the first day of 2016, I feel “reflective” about the significance of a “New Year”. While I see extensive celebrations, fireworks taking off, champagne being popped & am so grateful to witness and be a part of this happy time with friends and family, I find myself reflecting on what exactly the New Year (in general) means for me and our society at large.
Read more “New year?!”
So, now that you have some insight on the way in which you can be at cause over your biology and neurology, is it possible to use some of this to manage one of the biggest causes of dis-ease of our time? Stress. By now, I am sure that you can guess that the answer is indeed a resounding YES!!
Read more “Day Five: Making it count. Managing stress”
So, we’ve spoken about genes, the environment, and getting to the core – the cause. Is there more, that we have at our disposal, to use, in order to “show up” differently?
Evidence in neuroscience is showing that by shifting and moving, by thinking differently, we are able to “wire-in” new thoughts. As we discussed yesterday, this changes the neurochemistry and the genetic expression of the body. Performing tasks, and thinking in the same way, day in and day out hardwires only certain neuronal pathways.
So, you always thought : “I was born this way”, “It’s in my genes”, “I can’t change this”. Partly right. A lot of information and coding is in fact written in the DNA. However, new studies in the emerging field of epigenetics is showing that the environment is also very important, in determining HOW those genes are expressed. It is this environment, around the cells of the body, which is directly affected by your thoughts – which trigger the hormones and biochemistry we spoke about yesterday. The body is in fact, the most incredible apothecary in the universe – its chemistry can be changed in the flash of a thought!
Read more “Day Three: It’s in your genes? How do we show up?”
The mind, the body and emotions are what we are born with – the instincts to think, care and experience. As we ‘grow up” we are conditioned to focus on the intellectual – the mind, at the expense of looking at our bodies and our emotions. Heres an experiment – close your eyes and think about something pleasant.
Read more “Day Two : The mind, body and spirit? Changing your biochemistry”
Today, I start a 5 day blog that will explore the intriguing concept of mind and body and its effect of life and health in general. Join me as we look at some of this together. The topics that I will cover are
Day One: Your created reality. Blue or green lenses?
Day Two : The mind, body and spirit? Changing your biochemistry.
Day Three: It’s in your genes? How do we show up?
Day Four: Neuroscience. Teaching an old dog new tricks?
Day Five: Making it count. Managing stress
What you need to feel good, whole and together, may be closer to your reach than you think. You may not need to go to the pharmacy, juice your veggies or climb the mountain. Our bodies, an intricate, and most intelligent system of energy, links and flow, is with us here and now.
Read more “Going Within for powerful relaxation and balance.”
My attention and thought has recently settled on “personal dilemmas”. Much of this, because I see my own reflection a few years ago. Some of my symptoms – confusion, “my mind is driving me nuts”, “I’m just not sure”. Now, as I look on, I can almost sense the racing minds – 160km/hr on the highway! One thought leads to another, and another, and another. Before you know it, your brain is swimming. The outcome – exhaustion, fatigue, discontentment. The cause – misalignment. Gandhi said true happiness comes when what you think, say, do and feel are in alignment. What does this mean?
Read more “Charting the waters => using your own personal compass and GPS :)”
I have recently become increasingly aware of how much influence our thoughts have on defining what our world looks and feels like. They create the background and ambience to our entire living experience. In this state of heightened awareness, I have becoming increasingly mindful of how I can change my perspective of the world by consciously choosing to think and see things as they are rather than how I think they are.
Read more “Define your thoughts and you define your world”
Better attention span. Focus. Concentration. Living in the present time. These are some of the words that can be associated with mindfulness. A practice that helps us focus, live in the now and to be truly present. I have been trying to understand why the world is becoming so “mindless”? Do you find that people are physically present but mentally absent? Here are some of my observations as to why this is happening.
Read more “Mindlessness – A cure awaits”
Recently, my hubby and I started riding a tandem bicycle as part of a training program for a race that we have entered. As with many things, I tried to see the parallels between life and leadership from pedaling away on this amazing machine. For me riding in tandem means synchronicity, team work and one goal. I was quite interested to see that the machine is so well set up for two people to move “as one”.
Read more “Leadership and life lessons from “being on a tandem””
Recently, I have had contact with a few brand names that prompted me to think a bit deeper about how companies represent their brands and strategy. Why do some brands come across true to their inherent value proposition? Why do employees of some companies trult LIVE the brand? On the other hand, why do some customers come back truly disappointed as soon as they have interacted with a company leaving them with a stark contrast between their expectations and the reality?
Read more “Faking it”