A definition of wisdom

'With wisdom we can choose to act in ways that increase happiness, health and well-being and decrease emotional pain, despair and anguish. Wisdom is an understanding that actions have consequences. With wisdom we choose to act in ways that avoid harm and increase wellbeing, not only for ourselves but for others. According to the Buddhist …

Embracing difference

Different Drummers If you do not want what I want, please try not to tell me that my want is wrong. Or if my beliefs are different from yours, at least pause before you set out to correct them. Or if my emotion seems less or more intense than yours, given the same circumstances, try …

Finding meaning in suffering

  Andrew Solomon, author of ‘The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression’ sees the forging of meaning in adversity as crucial for the development of resilience. http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/major-depressive-disorder/recovering-depression-and-difficulty-finding-meaning-adversity?cid=dlvr.it In the Ted talk below he talks about his own experiences of adversity, forging meaning and building identity. http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_how_the_worst_moments_in_our_lives_make_us_who_we_are#t-601839

On ‘Failure’

  ‘Downfall brings us to the ground, facing the nitty-gritty, things as they are with no glitter. Success cannot last forever. Everyone’s time runs out. Achievement solidifies us. Believing we are invincible, we want more and more …. We have to crash. Only then can we drop through to a more authentic self.’ American Zen …

On Reflection

We rarely take time in our busy lives to stop and reflect. It’s easy to go from one thing to the next, occupying our mind with work and other distractions, rarely giving ourselves the space to stop and think about how things are going or have gone for us. However developing the ability to reflect …

Taking Risks

It is easy to let things hold us back from what we really want in life – things like fear, worry, uncertainty… But if we want change in our life there is always going to be an element of risk. Change necessitates risk because change involves the creation of an alternative reality and with this …

The Antidote

The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman When I first saw this book on amazon a few years ago I thought ‘wow, that sounds depressing – why would anyone want to read that?’. Thankfully a while later I did decide to read it and I am really glad that I …

Man’s Search for Meaning

He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how. Nietzche Man’s Search For Meaning was written by the Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl in 1946. In it Frankl describes his experiences in Auschwitz concentration camp during the war and talks about his therapeutic philosophy – logotherapy. It is a deeply moving …

The Importance of Suffering

The Importance of Suffering; The Value and Meaning of Emotional Discontent by James Davies If a way to the better there be… it first exacts a full look at the worst (Thomas Hardy,  In Tenebris II). In ‘The Importance of Suffering’ James Davies argues that emotional discontent can lead to positive individual transformation and should not …

The Gifts of Imperfection

by Brene Brown To practice courage, compassion, and connection is to look at life and the people around   us, and say, ‘I’m all in.’ In this book Brene Brown explains how allowing ourselves to be imperfect and honest to others about our flaws is the key to connecting with others. Brown has interviewed thousands …