One of my values is aliveness. I love experiencing new things, people and places. For me it’s what life is about and when lockdown began I became aware pretty quickly that I’d have to re-evaluate my approach to this value in order to keep honouring it. So instead of going out to …
At points this week I’ve felt incredibly fed up of lockdown. The feeling ebbs and flows but overall I have experienced an underlying rumble of ‘enough now’ and at times it has felt a little unbearable. A few years ago I was given a beautiful book called ‘The Poetry Pharmacy’ by William …
When we’re faced with uncertainty we naturally spring into high alert / fight or flight. I imagine for many of us right now we are in that space, looking out for the next change or impact of the current global situation. You know you are in fight or flight when your chest …
The past few weeks have been a huge challenge for all of us, there’s no doubt. And for many of us feelings of anxiety or fear have cropped up, sometimes in random moments, sometimes for more of a prolonged period of time, and I think it’s really important to acknowledge that anxiety. …
Well, what can I say, it has been such a turbulent time for all of us over the past few weeks. And as we know of course there is more to come. Never have I come to rely on my own resilience building strategies more than now. Never have I felt so …
At Bird, we do a tonne of teaching around being emotionally aware. We give tools and strategies that help people to feel their emotions, and to let them go rather than suppress them or ruminate on them. What can happen, when one is emotionally aware, is that emotions can come up quite …
In his book ‘Lost Connections‘ Johann Hari talks about the importance of connection in tackling depression and anxiety. He talks about connection to nature and connection to each other, and how both can help us to feel held and safe and supported. It can be hard, as grown ups, to find the …
Last weekend I went along to my first Extinction Rebellion meeting. I arrived and was immediately welcomed and invited to join a group of rebels who were discussing the emotional impact of the climate emergency, and thinking of ways to self-support. I was impressed that this movement understands from the get go …
I recently read an incredible book by Glennon Doyle Melton called Love Warrior. It’s about her relationship with herself and her husband through many trials and tribulations. One of the key themes from the book was the importance of building a strong and loving relationship with ourselves. The author escaped herself with …
Humans are tribes folk. We thrive when we have ‘our people’ around us. Historically we would help each other raise the children, we’d tend the land for the benefit of the community. We’d be supported and held as part of a collective. Of course, there were some costs to such a model, …
