If you have always fancied giving writing a go, whether it be a book, short story, poetry, blogging or journalism, there can’t be a better time than the dark days of January. It’s cold and gloomy outside, television is rubbish. We’ve all had enough of the news and could do with switching off social media.… Read More So, you want to be a writer?
Last night I listened to Reverend Richard Coles and journalist Arifa Akbar talk about their journey of grief as part of Bradford Literature Festival. Rev Coles spoke of the death of his partner Rev David Coles to alcoholism in 2019 and Arifa Akbar spoke of the death of her sister aged just 45 to tuberculosis.… Read More My grief journey
Mother’s Day is here again and like so many who have lost their mother I’ve struggled during the run-up to it. The barrage of non-stop advertising on social media and television has been relentless and it’s hard to escape. It’s more than twenty years since my mother died of cancer; she was just 51 at… Read More Mother’s Day and grief – shouldn’t I be over this now?
We spent eight years trying for a baby with four losses along with way – it was one of the most challenging times of our lives. As anyone who has been through this knows the stress is relentless and it seems to impact on every aspect of your life. Completely out of the blue, aged 43… Read More Seven ways to keep your sanity when trying for a baby
It’s National Stress Awareness Day and as I glance over my Instagram feed all I can see is a barrage motivational quotes from over-achievers running marathons and climbing mountains. I just can’t seem to get away from memes telling me to ‘never give up’ or ‘you can do this’ or a personal favourite ‘you don’t… Read More Give yourself permission to rest
10 years ago after months of running on my own I decided I was ready to take the next step.On a cold February night I pulled up outside my local club, spotted the gathering of super-fit people and fled. The week after I went again, this time got out of the car. It changed my life… Read More Why everyone should join a running club
Having long had my own addiction to self-help books I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Marianne Power’s Help Me, which sounded like the self help book to end all self help books. Marketed as ‘one woman’s quest to find out if self-help really can change your life’ each chapter is a canter through famous… Read More Book Review: Help Me by Marianne Powers
‘Amazing things happen when you start your own love affair with happiness,’ says Jacqueline Pirtle in the opening line of 365 Days of Happiness. It’s a great concept and one explored in other ‘self help’ books I’ve read which encourage people to really focus and embrace happiness. Swiss-born Pirtle aka Freaky Healer is an energy… Read More Book Review: 365 Days of Happiness
I’m alway sceptical of books that tell you how to be happy and transform your life with some magic formula. However having seen one of the authors, Andy Cope, speak at an event a few years ago I had an idea The Art of Being Brilliant might be a good read. The book, also written… Read More Book review: The Art of Being Brilliant
It’s a funny old thing grief, before you have experienced it you might imagine it to be a series of sad episodes, a few tears before really feeling like you are over it, then getting on with your life as normal. Of course, for those of us who have experienced it that couldn’t be further… Read More Slightly quirky ways of dealing with grief