Now there is a phrase that made me stop and do a mental double-take: ‘hardening of the oughteries‘. I first heard the term when it was used by a client in relation to herself. We are familiar with what happens in our blood vessels when they fur up from a poor diet, and we end…
When you say ‘yes’, what are you saying ‘no’ to?
What is the cost of saying yes, both tangible and intangible? In our voyage through the tricky waters of boundaries, saying yes to requests from others or to situations that arise when we actually would prefer to say no, is possibly one of the most difficult boundaries to maintain. If I say ‘yes’ to this,…
Become what you already are
Become what you already are. A bishop used this phrase on the radio this week, and it has stayed with me. We are more than half way through the year now, and the summer season, whatever that means to you, is here. For me, that means less time writing and shorter musings. The year is…
Don’t look back in regret
How are you living today to minimise your end-of-life regrets? What do you most want to NOT regret at the end of your life, and how is that affecting your choices today? To not look back in regret? These past few weeks have seen me musing on common death bed regrets, and the implications of…
How to have more confidence
Have you seen the Sound of Music? Maria at one point is trying to motivate herself into feeling more confident by – of course – singing a song. I must dream of the things I am seeking. I am seeking the courage I lack… I have confidence in confidence alone! Besides, which you see, I…
The cost of courage
Where have you shown courage of late? And what has been the cost of courage for you? It takes courage to stand up for yourself or someone else in the face of opposition. Saying a bold ‘no’, or a faith-and-fear-filled ‘yes’ both take courage, and also require a counting of the cost. Much less glamorous but…
Practice what you preach
The last trait of genuine people, as outlined in a recent article, is that they practice what they preach. Genuine people are not self-righteous. They are comfortable in their own skin, know who they are and what they can do, and don’t set themselves up in judgement over anyone else. Living with genuineness makes it…
Getting in touch with our emotions
Do you know what is going on under the surface within your own soul? What does it mean for you to be in touch with your own genuine emotions? And what is the impact of this? A heavy start this week perhaps. It seems that on television and in the media at present that are…
Do what you say, say what you mean
Have you ever come across someone who openly behaves in a different way to how they encourage you to behave? I have past experience in a work environment of someone who quite clearly expressed a desire for us to “do what I say, not what I do!” – ie they ignored their own rules and…
Can you tell when people are full of it?
This is another behaviour of people who are genuine – being able to tell when people are full of it. This is where we have got to on our meanderings through traits of genuine people. I like writing series like this as the idea simply serves as a jumping off point for reflection and self…