“Life is a storm. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you human is what you do when that storm comes.” Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo. Part 1 explored what Spirit in Action is and Part 2 scoped out why this is important […]
Spirit in Action Part 2
What might a contemporary wisdom embrace? Can we seek to better express a shared narrative that seeks truth and goodness? How do we make this wisdom fit for purpose in 2020? Part 1 explored spirit from two perspectives. First, the outer journey of connecting to a greater reality (Spirit). Second, the inner journey of integrating […]
Spirit in Action: Part 1
“You have covered physical, emotional and cognitive but surely spiritual is the key factor in many people’s resilience?” the question came from a black South African business woman last week. Even across our team she will get a range of answers. Spirit in Action can be the end goal, quietly ignored or actively rejected. The […]
30 Ways to Build Workplace Resilience
Resilience in the workplace is a leading issue for boards, CEOs, and the People and Culture leadership. The workplace drivers for resilience are clear: People and teams in flow multiply productivity Mental skills – specifically situation agility – are essential Productivity requires emotional maturity and collaboration People need support in wellbeing and lifestyle disciplines Change […]
Safetyism, Snowballs and Fragile Youth
Book Review: Coddling of the American Mind, Lukianoff and Haidt, 2018 We parent, teach and support. We want the best for young people. What we are seeing is a collapse of mental well-being. At the same time, events of intimidation, violence and witch hunts increase. Lukianoff and Haidt take us on an evidence-based and carefully […]
The Eudaimonia Drive
Perspectives on Mental Health Week When we hear “mental health”, the words ADHD, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression and suicide tend to surface. This is counter-productive. Aristotle’s and the Stoics eudaimonia is a powerful idea. It may be a better frame to reduce suffering. Supported by 2,500 years of practical philosophy, eudaimonia means good (eu) spirit […]
Train up body, heart and mind
With attention disorders, anxiety and depression swallowing up ever more of our lives, should we wail, gnash our teeth and take our medicines? Or, could we use wellbeing – body, emotion and mind? We have massive, profitable industries to address our suffering. Starting with dubious diagnoses, mental health businesses, psychiatry and pharmaceuticals profit handsomely from […]
A Good Life: Science and Practice
How people bounce, grow, connect and flow Our life is a blaze of consciousness in an eternity of emptiness. Behind us is 13.8 billion years of an expanding universe. Ahead may be 2.8 (or more) billion years. Human life is a fraction of a billionth of time. So short and so precious. So meaningless and […]
A Guide to Resilience and Wellbeing
For 40 years, researchers have been investigating the impact of resilience on health, wellbeing and success. More recently, resilience has gained traction in popular culture, too. Across digital and print media – mothers, employees, trauma survivors and ordinary people are encouraged to harness resilience to improve their lives. In 2015, The New York Times published […]