I lost my sunglasses yesterday while out walking the dawg, as he pulled me along a watercourse that he can navigate well and I can’t. He’s barely two foot tall, I’m a lumbering six foot magnet for thorns and foliage behind him. My beloved affectionately (well, not so affectionately) refers to the glasses as the ‘Turdinators’. If the Terminator’s cool shades had turned to crap, … Continue reading Lost, mebbe better off not found

When you’re doing scary stuff, it can be easier with company. They might not take the steps with you, they might just help by holding you accountable and cheering you on. Today, I asked a dear friend to keep me right, using stickK. There’s real money on the line, making it a proper commitment. It’s also reminded me I’m very lucky. Lucky to have friends … Continue reading Phone a dear friend, kinda

I went for a long hot run yesterday and, unusually sensibly for me, decided to put some factor 50 on. Every now and again I caught the scent of the sun cream, which immediately put me in mind of beautiful holidays I’ve enjoyed abroad. That and the run across a beautiful Peak District landscape gave me a sense of awe and appreciation that really lifted … Continue reading Evocative sunblock

There’s research that points to 21 days being the necessary time for a habit to form. App developers, blog writers, and even life coaches latched on to that. They offer exhortations based on 21 days that will lead (probably through seven secret steps) to incredible breakthroughs! Except the research concludes that 21 days is merely an average. There’s significant variation (18 to 274 days, I … Continue reading 21 days, or so, to a better habit

An excerpt from ‘Coaching with Compassion’: “People don’t change when they’re told what’s wrong with them, they change when they feel sufficiently supported to undertake the change they already know is due.” I don’t think that’s always true, but it’s closer than the position we usually take. It’s easier to point out flaws and expect someone to quickly address them, than to nourish and encourage … Continue reading When people change, and what they need

There’s a place on my local high street to get tattoos, and the front door has a sign advertising laser removal that you can’t miss right on the way in. I’m not sure if it’s tongue in cheek, but it certainly seems incongruous. If I were going to get a tattoo, I’d want to go to the place that’s confident I’m going to love it. … Continue reading Tattoo studio – laser removal also available

Trying to do some vector drawing tasks recently, I’ve been battling with Inkscape – a powerful, free design tool. I’m very familiar with CorelDraw that does the same thing, but I’d need to pay for. A little frustrated with my IT setup, ‘quirks’ of the Inkscape UI, and having to re-learn things that are familiar, left me nearly paralysed. Then I remembered what’s obvious and … Continue reading CorelDraw – I miss you

It’s about the last kind of video I want to watch, and yet. Any time I hear a phrase like “get your seven figure income” my eyebrows knit rather than my heart rate races, and yet. I found myself in almost complete agreement. Read key books Work on your mindset Think beyond the self Remember things need time Keep at it Nothing earth shattering, merely … Continue reading Become a millionaire, said the YouTuber

When enjoying leaving drinks from my job recently, it was nice to hear the positive difference I’d made to people and how they felt. I offered that perhaps a key reason was how I aim to give ‘unconditional positive regard’. I’m not sure they’re the right words, but they’re the fewest I can boil the sentiment down to. I like the Goethe quote: “Treat people … Continue reading Leading with unconditional positive regard

I’ve helped a few people get into running, and other things, which really just means nudging them past the point of “I can’t see myself getting better at xyz”. Barring real physiological or psychological barriers, I suggest it’s mostly a function of time spent. It’s a choice. I wish I’d seen this more clearly as a younger person. That there’s lots of stuff that you … Continue reading If you can’t see yourself being a runner