In: Bits of Life

2022 was a busy year for me. I completed a GradDip in Applied Psychology, which with a full-time job (and family), was a full-on endeavour, and I didn’t read as much as I usually would. But books were/are my go-to sanctuary when I tuck myself into bed for the night, and I really only have one criterion – it has to be an enjoyable read. The consequence is that I move from book to book, and many of them, while I enjoyed them while reading them, I can’t even remember several months later.Read More

In: Get Organized

But often, it seems to me (and I have been there) these tools stop being means to an end, but they become an end in themselves. Too many bells and whistles, and you end up working for those tools rather than the other way around.
I gave up long ago (although it is tempting) on constantly updating and prettifying my tools.Read More

In: Snippets of Wisdom

Recently I took a short training at work called “Listen More, Talk Less” and it all seems to come down to – not sharing – but asking better, more powerful questions.

When we focus on listening (rather than waiting for an opportunity to speak (guilty!)), we can come up with good questions that can keep a conversation going.

I am definitely going to practice this skill.Read More

In: Examined Life

Reflexive practice is when we reflect on what we have learned (from a situation, but also from a book, research or a conversation) and how this learning applies to our broader social context. Reflexive practice can help us develop critical thinking and become aware of how our social positioning may influence our opinions and observations. Read More

In: Examined Life

Reasons to keep a personal blog – In retrospect – I should have just kept on with writing – for fun, to relax, to share, but mainly – for myself. Here are some mistakes I made and my reasons to keep blogging. Read More

In: Examined Life

Their websites have a very clean, minimalist look.
Many you wouldn’t find unless you knew they existed (they are hardly fighting for SEO rankings – which is kind of refreshing)
They are just there, for their owners and the rest of us who like a peek into that semi-private sphere and who like to get new ideas from others **(that is, literally, how I procrastinate)**.Read More

In: Examined Life

Next time when that not so exciting neighbor invites you to a barbecue, just say yes and don’t dwell on it. If you don’t feel like going… go anyway.

It is not self-love to say ‘I’d rather stay at home’ and deny yourself social contact but it is self-love to meet some new people or rekindle old friendships, relax and have fun.
No man is an island, after all.
Read More

In: Examined Life

From experience, when you have kids and a full-time job (or just kids, or just a full time job), the only way to get your to-dos under control is to live intentionally. And to do that is to DELETE your to-do items.
Let go of everything you think you should do. Here is how.Read More