In a day and age where we have become aware that we need to correct our need to consume. Many of us have actively moved away from mindlessly consuming goods. Shifting ourselves towards buying fewer, quality items and working towards a more minimalistic lifestyle. We have acknowledged on some level the wastefulness of physical consuming of goods, and the negative effects on the earth. However, it has struck me in the last couple years how we seem to have shifted as a society towards a different type of consumerism. Consuming knowledge and content instead of just things. I am constantly amazed at the amount of people producing content daily –…

Some things you know, but seem to be forgotten when you need them most. Especially in our world of constant distraction. It is also true that hindsight is the best teacher. Looking back from this side of the year, I am able to see what had unfolded in me towards the end of 2021. My afternoons with the children after work became increasingly distracted and I heard myself regularly telling my children to wait with their requests, finding ‘no’ as my first response. My phone was a regular retreat in the hope of rest, in which minutes became hours without intention. Not that it helped in any case. I was…

‘Look, Mom.’ ‘Look at me.’ The words echo in the distance as I sit fixed on the rectangle of light. Images have me trapped as they move in an upward stream. I am looking. But looking for what? For something to fill that gap. To distract me from the noise within. And around. The clashing thoughts and feelings. For something to lift my soul. Searching… to feel greater. To myself. And to others. Looking for what? Meanwhile… There wait those little eyes. That calling soul. Eyes looking at ME. Searching to be seen. To be noticed. For signs of greatness. When shall these two pairs of eyes meet? And be…

These days we are so impatient. Living in an instant world. We cannot bear to have to wait for anything. Back in the day, when people used to grow things from seeds they knew the ropes… You prepare the soil, you dig a hole, you put the seed in. And then you wait… For a long time. You water. And you wait. You have no clue what’s going on under the surface. And you have no idea which seeds will be successful and which won’t. You can only wait, hope and pray. In today’s day and age, it is so different. We want big rewards from our actions. But we…

The last season of life has been intense. For us all. So much has happened. And not happened. Life has thrown us a series of curved balls and this has had a very real effect. We have all experienced change of our normal ways of life, and with that change has come many things (big and small) that we have lost. Some forms of loss seem silly compared with others. But they all affect us in very real ways. And it is right that our emotions should follow. This first occurred to me on Mother’s Day on the way to and from the shop as I had an ‘outing’ by…

Jealousy is a horrible feeling. It seems to grip the heart and suffocate the life out of you. I have fortunately not lived with it for extended periods, but have most definitely experienced it’s destructive power within. Jealous: ‘feeling or showing an envious resentment of someone or their achievements, possessions, or perceived advantages.‘ Growing up with a sister lends itself to comparison. My sister and I were very different in our abilities and interests, but I often used to be jealous of what she was able to do. Not to mention comparing my physical appearance with hers. Somehow, we tend to compare ourselves more to people who are more similar…

From the time a baby is born, it is required to grow. For the first few weeks of its life, growth is the main objective of the parents and caregivers. All of their time and energy is focused around helping that tiny body get the food, sleep and care it needs to grow. As children grow parents give a lot of attention to helping them reach their physical milestones. They ensure that new skills are learnt and that progress is made along the expected growth curve. This applies not only physically but also to their mental and social skills. If at any point they stop growing or learning this is…

Last year I realised the importance of confidence whilst observing the children in my class. A couple of them refused to participate in activities because they doubted their abilities. They kept saying ‘I can’t’ and shied away from making any effort. However, it was clear to see that they were more than able. In contrast, we watched the movie ‘Catch me if you can’. The story is about a guy who had absolutely no skills or training, but managed to fake his way into flying as a pilot. He learnt the lingo, forged cheques and found a uniform, but one of the things that made him pull it off was…

While completing an interior design course a couple years ago it dawned on me. That all good design rests on the ability to show restraint.   (Restraint: A measure or condition that keeps someone or something under control.) Restraint is the ability to hold yourself back from the many options available to you so that you can achieve a specific result.  I am someone who enjoys many different interior styles. In the past I have tried to include too many of these within one room or home. The end result is cluttered and messy. It is far less impactful than when I have limited myself and been really fussy about…

This one goes out to the Millennial Generation. And beyond. We are a generation that were born for purpose. We are driven towards living meaningful lives and doing things that will change the world. And rightly so.  Growing up I was such a thinker. I could see no purpose in meaningless tasks such as tidying my room and helping around the home. I spent much time pondering the purposeful activities I would get involved in and avoided the others. I was a generally well-behaved, compliant child. But had great difficulty applying myself to real life tasks.  As life has progressed, a massive reality has dawned on me. The seemingly meaningless…