by Preeti Sumai | October, 2018 | Introvert
Introverts often get their energy from their inner world (Loehken, 2014), and being an introvert myself, I usually do my best thinking when I am alone. However, I also (nothing to do with being an introvert!) have a tendency to perceive certain aspects of myself as a weakness, including those that are related to my introverted personality. For example, I sometimes see my quiet nature as a drawback, particularly at work. More recently though, I have been learning that it can actually be a strength, and when used in the right way it can build my confidence and motivate me. Being an introvert in the workplace As an introvert, the workplace can be a difficult place to navigate. The open-plan office environments that are so popular don’t always allow for quiet time, and conversations can take place throughout the day using up a lot of my energy with little time to recharge. Meetings can require people to think on their feet and make decisions, and I (like many other introverts) prefer time to reflect before speaking up. Focusing on my strengths Recently I have begun to learn that aspects of my introverted personality provide me with a number of strengths and when used appropriately can bring many benefits. There are two things that have helped bring about this change. One is reading the book ‘Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking’ by Susan Cain (2012), which has helped me appreciate all the great things about being an introvert. The second thing was an assignment I completed as part of my Masters in Applied Positive...
by Steve Emery | September, 2018 | kindness
When I was in my late teens I worked in a factory just outside of Birmingham. I can clearly remember a cartoon one of my work mates had pinned on his locker. There were four captions, the first showed a boss yelling and wagging his finger at a worker. The next caption showed the worker yelling and finger wagging at his wife. The next showed his wife doing the same to her son, and the final one showed the son doing the same to a poor confused looking dog. I asked him why he had the cartoon pinned to his locker and he told me it was to remind him not to take any of his work issues home with him. What this cartoon illustrated so well is just how our emotions are transferred. One act of rudeness or aggression can have a devastating effect as it’s passed along the chain. There have even been times in history where one solitary act of aggression has led to riots and even murder somewhere down the line. It’s believed that each act will go through three degrees of separation, so it will affect people that the aggressor has never met and who presumably has no quarrel with. In modern times it doesn’t just stop there. With social media there is an opportunity to vent anger out publicly which can potentially be read by a thousand or more people, all getting angry at something they are witnessing. So, can the same thing happen with kindness? Passing on kindness According to research, there is also a ripple effect with kindness, but the difference...
by Stuart Dickson | September, 2018 | death
At the end of July, my beloved Nan sadly passed away. My Mum asked me if I would be prepared to write and read a eulogy for her, knowing she would not be able to do it herself. I agreed to do it even though I have neither written nor read a eulogy before. I felt truly honoured that I was asked to do it although I knew it was going to be one of the hardest things I have done in my life. Where to start? Getting started was somewhat of a challenge. I kept putting it off, knowing I still had time to write it, as the funeral was three weeks after her death. Thankfully, the good old Internet gave me some tips on how to go about it. One of the suggestions was to ask family members and friends for stories that could be shared as part of the eulogy. One of my Nan’s oldest friends Pam was also her sister-in-law. They became friends whilst they were growing up in an orphanage. Pam shared some stories with her daughter who then emailed them to me. There were some funny stories, some of which I had heard before. It was the perfect opening for me to start writing. Catharsis The day arrived when I had told myself I had to sit down and write the eulogy. I was to do nothing else until I had come up with a first draft. I had been putting it off so much, that I had built a dread and fear of the task that lay ahead and was doubting my...
by Inge Beckers | September, 2018 | Nature
While we live our busy lives, we tend to forget how beneficial it can be to spend time in nature. Is there anything more beautiful then nature? Being outdoors is not only fun, it is also good for the brain, body and soul. Every minute spent in nature offers a boost to our mental and physical well-being. Research shows that what you experience in your environment not only changes your mood, but also how your nervous, endocrine and immune systems works as well. Viewing scenes of nature reduces anger, fear and stress and it will have a positive effect on your mood and overall mental health. It even reduces blood pressure and muscle tension. Just being in nature, listening to the sounds of the wind russling through the leaves, listening to the birds, all singing different songs, from the chitty chatty little swallows to the powerful, harsh call of the magpie. It is then that, time after time, I realize that being in awe for nature, is the most powerful way to connect with your authentic inner self. When I do this, my mind calms down and my senses are more alert. Being in nature is food for my brain. After a busy day it helps me to reset my brain and restore itself. There is proof that being in nature helps improve our cognitive function and our creative thinking skills. This is because being in nature helps reduce levels of cortisol, which is a stress hormone. What if you are stressed and have no time for a walk. Well, just looking at nature from your office window can...
by Nicola Morgan | September, 2018 | Education, Nicola Morgan
In the early days of positive psychology, there was a ‘neck up’ approach; how to be happy, how to live well, how to be ‘positive’. One of the ground-breaking pioneers in promoting a more holistic approach was Kate Heffron (Heffron, 2013) who started to consider the importance of the body in optimal functioning. This article is about food and ways in which it can help us flourish or live well. I must confess a personal interest in the subject matter here – I am a foodie. By that I mean, I am passionate about food. On my last count, I owned 76 books on the subject. I like growing food, cooking food, shopping for food, eating food, photographing food, sharing food with others and going out for food. I think you might have got the idea here. Food for Good Health – it’s important but doesn’t need to be complicated The importance of food in health is increasingly the subject of public discussion. A study published in the Lancet in 2015 advocated the recognition of diet and nutrition as central determinants of mental and physical health. Essentially, our bodies need to work properly for us to function well and what we feed our bodies will be of primary importance – it is more significant, more fundamental than other measures such as journal writing or other similar measures when it comes to our optimal functioning. (Heffron, 2013), Good nutrition can significantly reduce the risk of a wide range of illnesses. Sugar has been identified as one of the bad guys in the quest for a healthy mind and body. While...
