Learning to accept emotional distress rather than telling yourself to harden up and get over it can help you cope with life’s ups and downs. On holiday in Oxford, I was making sedate progress down the Isis river in a punt. My brother, a lawyer, was propelling the boat forward with a pole while I…
Following fad diets can be a losing battle for people intent on shedding kilos. We are all familiar with the evidence that proves the latest diet is a winner. A photo of an overweight person in baggy clothes looking glum next to another picture of them at a more healthy weight looking well-groomed and happy.…
Moods for all seasons If you notice your sunny disposition begins to turn frosty as winter approaches, you may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder. Here’s how to banish those winter blues and stay sunny side up all year round. Is it north facing?” I demanded when my long-suffering partner said he had found a property…
By enhancing your emotional and spiritual intelligence you can open up new doors to health, happiness, success and new thinking. Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know, said Ernest Hemingway. Few writers of the 20th century were so widely admired as Hemingway whose economy of style and fierce intelligence created famous novels…
New research shows a positive attitude about getting older can significantly alter how long we live and even how young we look. Ageing is often equated with loss of beauty, loss of function (slowing down, losing memory, increasing frailty and dependency), sometimes a sense of stagnation or disease (arthritis, Alzheimer’s) and social isolation or loneliness.…
Compulsive behaviour such as excessive overeating can be just as addictive as drugs, say experts. But acknowledging them as such is only helpful if it empowers those who are afflicted to take charge of their actions. It’s the time of year when people tend to behave in excessive ways. Parties are ramping up, and multiple…
When worry visits… Getting skilful with worry. Instructions: Many people find that their minds are consumed with worry. The following guide may help reduce the time you spend with worry and rumination. This technique has been shown to be effective with worries and may be part of treatment for people who have anxiety disorders. 1. …
Boost mindfulness by bringing awareness to an everyday activity, like hanging out the washing or showering. I knew I had to take my own advice on living in the moment recently when I reviewed my routine in the morning: On my way to the shower I turned on the computer, checked emails, checked the NZ…
The first step to emotional and spiritual intelligence is learning to reflect on your inner life. Many people see a psychologist because they are confused by the dissatisfaction they feel in their work or relationships. They speak of being restless, unsettled and feeling like they don’t have a plan for their lives. Such people have…
Do you have a habit that you wish to change – smoking, overeating, binge drinking – but don’t seem to make any progress? Maybe it is because you are applying a change technique which is not matched to the situation you are in. Many professionals who help people with behaviour change will know it can…