Walking the Birks of Aberfeldy recently, I was struck by the power of the waterfalls, their speed, strength and beauty. It got me thinking about the people I meet who tell me they have ‘no’ or ‘little’ power. There’s a lot more to power than age or seniority. We could have expert power, based on… Continue reading Power
Category: Awareness
The Calm After the Storm
After a wet and windy few days, it was good to wake up to calmness. Even better to spend time walking around the Glenmore Forest, breathing in the fresh, crisp, pine air. Calmness is a wonderful, underrated thing. Something I learned rather slowly, after realising that living on your nerves is tiring and not always… Continue reading The Calm After the Storm
Turning Points
Our lives are full of turning points, waiting for us to notice them and act on them. 40 years ago this week, I left home for the first time to study at Portsmouth Polytechnic. I was incredibly lucky to study something that still interests me today, at a time when you could get a full… Continue reading Turning Points
Tranquility
Sometimes all you need is your loved ones and nature. We’ve just enjoyed a wonderful week on an eco-estate in North East Perthshire. The landscape was unspoilt and pure, the wildlife all roamed freely and time seemed to stand still. Everywhere we walked, we moved quietly, to give the wildlife enough peace so we could… Continue reading Tranquility
Looking Out to Sea
There is something relaxing about looking out to sea. Water can have such a calming effect on us. Look a little deeper. The sea teaches us much more. The open spaces create a blank canvas to plan and carry out our next moves. It can throw the unexpected towards us, teaching us to thrive in… Continue reading Looking Out to Sea
Happy Returns
July has been a month of happy returns. Last week, I enjoyed my first work trip in four years to London, our former home city. This week, we returned to Lochan Mor for a sunny, summer woodland walk to see the lilies in full bloom. It’s wonderful to experience new places. It’s similarly refreshing to… Continue reading Happy Returns
Beside the Seaside
Sometimes, when taking a walk on the beach at home, we can see people staring out to sea. That simple-looking act can be so good for our mental health and anxiety. There are plenty of physical health benefits of sea air. It’s great for our respiratory system, and can help with skin and sleep issues… Continue reading Beside the Seaside
Breaking the Ice
Working with a keen group of US-based interns this week, I was asked a surprising question. ‘Are you Red or Blue?’ I get asked this question frequently by people in the UK, but it was the first time from a US audience. It’s a football (soccer) thing. When you’re from Liverpool like me, you’re born… Continue reading Breaking the Ice
Use What You’re Given
A lovely coastal walk recently showed a couple of interesting landmarks. The first was a cairn, that someone had painstakingly created from the stones lying around the sand and water. The second was a monkey puzzle tree that had clearly been blown onto the coastal land and found a way of growing and thriving in… Continue reading Use What You’re Given
Nature’s Excellence
We are what we repeatedly do, excellence is not an act, but a habit (Aristotle) Walking around Glen Feshie today, it was easy to see the excellence of the great old trees around the Uath Lochan. Every year, they withstand whatever winter throws at them, before they bloom in the spring. There is so much… Continue reading Nature’s Excellence