Most people have their creature comforts, those small but significant things that lift the spirits, ease the mind and bring joy. They can make life bearable, even when the world seems unkind, hostile or unknowable. It’s easy to assume that such comforts are, by definition, material – plush bed linen atop the perfect mattress, a …
Uncertainty is a challenging beast. Caught in its grip, it can paralyse progress and destroy dreams. Sometimes, its causes are external and beyond one’s personal control. Over the past few months, communities worldwide have found themselves in a holding pattern, waiting for the day when they will once more be allowed to embrace loved ones, …
A touch of frost, a fl urry of snow, a sudden downpour, a bracing easterly wind – a spell of inclement weather often prompts people to scurry indoors, batten down the hatches and hole up until the worst has passed. And why not? There’s a lot to be said for sitting on the sofa, mug …
Snap, crackle, pop. What image do those three words bring to mind? A certain childhood breakfast cereal, perhaps? Add flicker, glow and enchant to the list and hopefully a more toasty picture emerges, that of an open fire, emanating heat and radiating comfort while simultaneously mesmerising and grounding those whose faces flush pink in its …
Tree-hugging’s an oft-maligned activity, those who practise it written off as weird, eccentric or quirky. Yet trees are one of nature’s most precious resources. They sequester carbon, ease flooding, moderate rising temperatures and nurture troubled souls. Surely it would be stranger not to acknowledge their presence, to take it for granted even and only raise …
What are you good at? Baking, running, writing? Are your talents visible, award-winning even, on display for all to see – the first-prize rosette for a lemon drizzle cake, the medal acknowledging a completed marathon, the winner’s certificate for a short story? No? Don’t worry. The reality is that most skills, accomplishments and triumphs are …
Few things are accessible to everyone. Cost, geography and expectations – both internal and external – frequently get in the way. Yet right on our doorstep whether that’s in deep countryside or a densely populated city is one of the world’s most awe-inspiring sights. And its power to lift the spirits and feed the soul …
Change is constant. Mostly, it’s slow, almost imperceptible and then one day makes its presence felt in an unexpected moment. Occasionally, it’s so swift the very ground seems to give way. This is perhaps especially so when it comes to the person who raised you or someone who helped shape your life. Think of a …
Finding yourself. What images do those two words conjure up? Heading off on a post-college gap year with friends, taking a sabbatical mid-career and spending it at home with close family, buying a one-way ticket and embarking on a solo global adventure? For many, of course, extended trips with the sole purpose of self-reflection are …
Pressure. It comes in many shapes and guises – the pressure to perform at work, to look after family, to be there for friends. But what about a less tangible burden, one that’s often accompanied by large internalised servings of self-judgment and disapprobation? What about the pressure to persevere with a career or friendship, no …