Having made the mistake of reading the news on my phone before even getting out of bed I find myself under a cloud. It's hard sometimes to resist the gloom, and the irony of hankering after the days when all we had to worry about was Brexit is not lost on me. The last time I felt I was losing … [Read more...] about How To Feel Grateful
Gratitude
How To Cope
My son turned 21 this week amidst scant celebration. He is not one to mope about feeling sorry for himself but it must have been tough spending his 21st with his parents. Inside his card, I wrote out one of my favourite poems, “The Orange” by Wendy Cope. It is an ode to the joy of simplicity … [Read more...] about How To Cope
How To Find Optimism
If I ever said "Mother's Day" my mother would immediately correct me, "It's Mothering Sunday" she would say, in a way which suggested she had reminded me more times than should strictly be necessary. She was very particular about certain things, mostly connected with the church, and utterly … [Read more...] about How To Find Optimism
How To Create A Habit
My supervisor, who I haven't seen for a couple of months, asks me how I am. "I'm good," I tell her. "Have you lost weight?" She says, wondering if the stress of eye surgery has had an impact. "Maybe, but it won't be stress. Sometimes I forget to eat." She raises an eyebrow and I decide … [Read more...] about How To Create A Habit
How To Buy A Car
My car, now fifteen years old, is literally falling apart. Today, the doors won't open at all, which is good for fuel economy but not much else. After I have spent twenty minutes with a screwdriver breaking into my own vehicle I decide to fill up the washer fluid too and then find that the bonnet … [Read more...] about How To Buy A Car