It’s not easy when we’re feeling overwhelmed, so knowing what to do next can be useful. Here’s some food for thought. When we are activated – that is, when we are in ‘Fight or Flight’, when our heart starts pounding … Continue reading 5 Ideas for Managing an Intense Emotion
This article includes an activity for managing overwhelm, which may not be right for everyone. Being able to regulate our emotions in difficult moments can be key to managing overwhelm, and form part of an “Emotional First Aid Kit”. One … Continue reading The 5-4-3-2-1 Activity
Note to the reader, this article makes reference to trauma and alludes to violence, including abuse. Please take care of yourself if you choose to read this article, and keep in mind these Terms and Conditions of use. You may … Continue reading Exploring Dimensions of Safety as a Well-being Tool
Values are the things that matter most to us. You may have a clear idea of what your values are already. Many people, for example, believe that honesty is an important quality. Values, Goals and Principles You may find that … Continue reading What are values and why are they important for our health?
There’s a Zen story about a horse which suddenly appeared with rider, galloping down a road. The man riding the horse looked as if he had somewhere important to go. Another man, at the side of the road, shouted … Continue reading Spiritual Health: A Missing Piece of the Wellness Conversation
In a world that’s getting busier and more polarised, we can find ourselves in increasingly cluttered and chaotic spaces. Finding time to create or seek out places to retreat can be useful for the mind, body and soul. As we … Continue reading The Importance of Sanctuary and Tips to Get You Started
In a world that feels like it’s moving faster than ever, it makes sense if you’re feeling overwhelmed right now. Life events, like bereavement, or money worries can take their toll and before too long we might find we’ve lost some … Continue reading Lost Your Sparkle? Here’s 5 Tips to Boost Your Mojo
Note to reader: the purpose of the articles featured in this magazine is to make emerging ideas readable. For an in-depth understanding of any topic discussed, please refer to the original authors or research of these concepts. Have you ever … Continue reading What is The Window of Tolerance (and How Can We Widen It)?
There are some emerging techniques that are proving popular in helping people manage difficult moments. These may be particularly useful if you understand or can relate to the impact of trauma. One is the “Four Elements Exercise”, a technique suggested … Continue reading The Four Elements Exercise
The shadow is the part of us that is made up of all that we hide from others: our shame, our fears and our wounds, but also our divine spirit, our blinding beauty and our hidden talents. Charlie Morley It’s … Continue reading Shadow Work and Healing the Inner Child
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as ‘tapping’, uses certain meridian points as a way to help relax the body, calm the mind and nourish the soul. In The Tapping Solution, Nick Ortner explains meridians as: “…the basis of the … Continue reading What is Emotional Freedom Technique? (EFT/Tapping)
You will often see the use of affirmations promoted as a popular way of helping people overcome difficulty or to succeed in a particular area of their life. They became particularly popular around the 90s, encouraged by a famous author … Continue reading What are Affirmations, Mantras and Compassion Statements? (Examples included)
This is a concept discussed by Françoise Mathieu in her workbook on Compassion Fatigue. It can be a useful way to help people measure how they’re feeling and whether or not it’s time to reset and recharge. If you’re beginning the … Continue reading The Traffic Light Check-In: A tip for measuring your well-being
You have probably heard of the Intelligence Quotient, or IQ, and more recently, on the back of work from psychologists like Daniel Goleman, an expansion of this in to discussions around Emotional Intelligence (EQ). What you may not know, is … Continue reading What is Spiritual Intelligence?
Sometimes it helps to know where we’re going, especially if we don’t want to stay where we are. In the ever-changing landscape of the 21st Century though, we might not be sure about our direction of travel or where to … Continue reading Big Picture Goals, Awakened Awareness and The Power of Intention
There are lots of different ways to keep a journal, and some find it useful whether new to mindfulness or a seasoned meditator. In the early days of your learning, it can be particularly useful to keep a record of your experiences, … Continue reading How to Keep a Meditation Journal
Mindfulness is believed to date back 2500 years, to the time of the original Buddha, who was born Siddhartha Gautama. While the concept of mindfulness has been around for centuries, it’s just as relevant today, especially for enhancing our well-being, … Continue reading What is Mindfulness and Is It Right For Me?
Music is like time travel; it can transport us to another time and place in our minds. It can also help improve our mood and put a bit of sparkle in our step. In fact, research from Harvard University suggests … Continue reading 20 Feel-Good Songs to Help You Sparkle
There are lots of ways you can implement mindfulness into your every day life, one way is through your morning routine. Here are some ideas that might help. 1. Tune In You might be woken up by your alarm or perhaps you … Continue reading Mindful Mornings: 3 Tips to Get Your Day Started
There may have been a time when you were younger when you loved nothing more than to get out a colouring book and crayons, and lose hours simply shading in a picture. The notion of doing something similar as an … Continue reading What is Mindful Colouring?
Have you ever curled up in the evening, with a warm blanket, some scented candles and maybe a hot chocolate topped with marshmallows? If so, you may have already been enjoying the Danish concept of Hygge. Roughly pronounced ‘hugar’ (like … Continue reading What is Hygge? Learn About the Danish Path to Happiness
This article explores what journalling is, how it might help and where you might start. Journalling isn’t always right or helpful for everyone, especially if your mood is low or it creates more anxiety; do what’s right for you. If … Continue reading Keeping a Journal and How it Can Help [Template Included]
For a while now, there’s been an acronym to describe the fear of missing out: FOMO. This is most commonly used to describe the feelings we may get, if we believe we’ll miss an opportunity or won’t get to experience … Continue reading JOMO – 3 Ways to Experience the Joy of Missing Out
In a world where information is available at our finger tips, there will still be times when an internet search engine can’t give us the answers we need. If you’ve found yourself in a situation that develops into, or exacerbates, anxiety you’ll … Continue reading How to Create a ‘Not-Knowing’ Plan
In our busy and changing world it often feels like there’s not enough time, especially when it comes to taking care of ourselves. Whether you’re taking care of someone you’re worried about, or just rushing from one task to another, the … Continue reading Self-Care for Busy People
We talk a lot about self-care these days and it can help in terms of helping us manage things like our resilience to some extent. In Answers In The Dark, I include a section called the Self-Care Check In, which looks at … Continue reading Self-Care for Bad Days [Worksheet Included]
Most of us are familiar with the green box that contains items we may need in the event of an emergency. Some of us may even keep a few necessary items in our bag, just in case. (Safety pins are … Continue reading How to Create an Emotional First Aid Kit
Contains show spoilers, and makes reference to bullying, racism and homophobia. If you’ve been following the journey of the lovable coach Ted Lasso and his assistant Coach Beard, you may well have noticed a tinge of sadness that the show … Continue reading 3 Reasons You Might Be Grieving the End of Ted Lasso
Helping You Sparkle™ Magazine 