Saturday 10 November 2018

On giving praise and support.

At some time or another I'm sure we've all heard it said that in Britain we tend to pay attention to someone's failures rather than celebrating their successes.

I find this baffling. 

Today on BBC Radio 4  I heard a woman say it again with regards to a battle we won that we rarely hear about - she finished by saying,

"Of course we're more likely to hear about the battles we lost than the battles we won!"

I'm not convinced this is always the case - but I do know I'm tired of witnessing glee at someone's demise rather than elation at their happiness, contentment or achievement.

When a friend, loved one, or a client has a success - whatever form that takes -  I am genuinely delighted for them.

I share their joy and jubilation because I am privileged to be the person they've chosen to tell their story to.  I'm grateful to be around when someone overcomes self doubt and many unspoken, private obstacles to reach their goal. 

Success is such a personal and unique experience.  The observer gleans only a snippet of the battles and self sabotaging thoughts they have managed to subdue in order to stay on the path to where they want to be.

Be kind.
Be grateful.
Be gracious.
Be humble.

When someone wants to share with you - be still and be quiet!  Listen and appreciate that they've chosen to speak to you. 

Isn't it better to listen, support, encourage and praise than ignore, chastise, discourage and condemn? 

We are all struggling in one way or another and small wins should be celebrated!  Let's build each others confidence and bit by bit maybe we can turn this old belief around - maybe one day Britain can be a place where we get pleasure hearing of an individual's achievements, and if someone fails maybe the attention we give to that is to help them learn from it and support them in finding another route to reach their goal.

With love,
Kathleen x

"We can all remember a time when someone encouraged us and made a difference in our lives.  It may be just a moment, but this encouragement could last a lifetime."  - Megan Shull.








Monday 15 October 2018

The hungry opportunist


If someone is deemed to be 'hungry' for something it's generally seen as a good thing as they are thought to be an unstoppable force, driven and determined to get what they want.

In my opinion it can also be a precursor to a much less desirable, more selfish and even destructive state of affairs.

The hungry opportunist is the worst.

They lose sight of the bigger picture and focus only on what they want by pushing, elbowing, instructing, demanding and manipulating their way to the front.

The hungry opportunist has no grace or humility and never acknowledges others -  they are blinkered and focused only on what they want.

They harbour a selfishness like no other -   a tidal wave washing over everyone,  oblivious to the havoc and pain left behind -  keeping an eye on the target without a thought or care for the lives or work of others.

Each of us should pay attention to the warning signs, so that we can spot when we encounter a hungry opportunist.  The signs are:

* They only talk about themselves.
* They show little (if any) interest in you or your loved ones.
* They always talk about their own achievements.
* They think they are somehow special and better than others.
* They rarely pay attention to 'irrelevant' details like names of people who matter to you. 
* They rarely remember anything that you've done or achieved because ultimately you're irrelevant to them.
* Everything you have to say is dismissed with an attempt to change the subject so the conversation can be quickly brought back to themselves.

There is a lot going on in the head of the hungry opportunist.

They do not want to miss out on being in the limelight.  They get aggressive and emotional at the idea of being side-lined. As the observer, you can feel their panic rising as they worry about losing their 'top dog' status.

They can be ruthless in finding ways to grab their way back to the top position - and ultimately we should feel empathy and sadness for these people, while also protecting ourselves.

Why does someone become a hungry opportunist?

I don't know. 

Most likely there is no single reason. 

Most likely it's covering a multitude of insecurities.

Being a hungry opportunist with a focus on the top position keeps them away from their emotions.

To feel, express and be in their emotional body might be too overwhelming and frightening for them.

In this blog post my care is for you. You must protect yourself, be grounded during your interactions with the hungry opportunist and speak clearly about your needs. Do not let them plough through you with their ideas and plans.

You are a person in your own right and your thoughts and opinions matter.  Your bodymind wants to witness you speaking up, expressing your truth and getting your needs met - please love and respect yourself enough to stand up to the hungry opportunist in your life. 

With love,
Kathleen x

"Selfishness comes from poverty in the heart, from the belief that love is not abundant." - Don Miguel  Ruiz.





Friday 31 August 2018

When sleep seems a thing of the past.


There's a particular quality to the silence in the early mornings that helps me feel more connected to the natural world. 

Everything seems to be slowly and sleepily presenting outstretched arms to the new day full of optimism and possibility.

However, recently I've not been sleeping very well and with only 2-3 hours sleep a night I'm finding mornings have turned from my most loyal friend to my most irritating foe.

This lead blanket of tiredness has sapped my usual joy of wakening.  I'm now aware of an unusual feeling of separateness from what has been a lovingly familiar and comforting outside world,
as it rouses from darkness to daylight.

I don't know exactly what has triggered this bout of insomnia, but I am sure it will pass.  I will continue to get up, write, work and do all the things I love. 

Catnaps might be in order until my normal sleep pattern returns, until then I'll take a leaf out of Bertie's book - he's got cat napping down to a fine art!

With love,
Kathleen x

" The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you, do not go back to sleep." - Rumi

"In its early stages, insomnia is almost an oasis in which those who have to think or suffer darkly take refuge." Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette






Friday 13 July 2018

Being patient and staying open to giving love.

I took this photo because I was intrigued by the stark contrast between the grass sheltered from the heat of the sun, and the scorched areas outwith the protection of the leafy canopy.

The outstretched arms weighted with an abundance of leaves cast a silent, shielding shadow over the ground below.  The outline of healthy green grass matched perfectly the curves and twists of each branch, twig and leaf.

I felt weirdly sad for the scorched areas on the periphery of the protective shadow - lying just centimetres from the healing canopy unable to change its fate.

Sometimes it might feel like your arms can't stretch far enough to give those you care about most the succour they so desperately need.

All you can do is show them there is an impregnable haven in your protective arms and simply stay open and ready to give them whatever they need to thrive and be well again - and that will only happen when they are ready and able to receive it.

Be patient.

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it." - Helen Keller.

With love,
Kathleen x

Monday 18 June 2018

Together we are strong and purposeful

I took this photograph last week while visiting Foreland House and Gardens on the west coast island of Islay.  These steps inspired this blog post.

These beautiful stone steps are each slightly different, each unique slab of stone laid carefully years ago allowing access to the potting shed from the walled garden.

One step without the other would make their purpose futile, but each one placed directly where it should be and the structure and form becomes worthwhile and beneficial.

It seems to me that we've all become a bit obsessed with the need to display our individual uniqueness.

Don't get me wrong, we are all wonderfully unique and we are all emotionally fragile, mortal beings.

The threads that weave us together are a stronger truth than the narcissistic belief that we are different or somehow more special than our neighbour.

This striving to claim and expose our specialness has led to a toxic separateness from our fellow man.

What small thing could you do today to help another person (and you) regain that feeling of  connectedness?

With love,
Kathleen x

"Without the human community one single human cannot survive." -  Dalai Lama







Saturday 17 February 2018

Leaving behind the voice that controlled you.

If you've ever been in a relationship where you had to get things right or you'd face dire consequences, even though the controlling relationship that started this belief may have ended long ago, you may still be suffering from a deep rooted belief that you must always make sure other people are okay before tending to your own needs.

The idea that you should do what you want to do can send those who've experienced that type of relationship into a head space that has them confused and reeling at the very thought.

While helping others is noble and good - making sure you're okay and that you're getting your needs met is equally, if not more important.

So where do you put yourself in the pecking order?

If you're not at or near the top, why not?

That voice in your head that stops you from moving in the direction that truly makes your heart sing does not belong to you.  It was "gifted" to you long ago from someone who needed to keep you down, someone who needed to control you.  The idea of you being an independent thinker was, for whatever reason, too difficult for them...but that voice has no power over you now.

No matter how small a change you make, start now.  Start by taking a baby step in the direction of what you really want from this life - from your life today.

With love, Kathleen x

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone elses' life.  Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking.  Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice.  And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." - Steve Jobs








Tuesday 9 January 2018

Seeing the true picture

I could sit and stare at the waves for hours.  My gaze is fixed, but in the periphery of my vision I see wisps of white spray stretching out, squealing for my attention. 
I'm determined to stay fixed in my position, eyes ahead, letting myself sink into contemplative mood refusing to be teased or distracted by the developing drama on either side.
That's always the plan.
Truth is I can't do it.
Maybe I can calm the waves, maybe I can get them to see that there's no need for them to vie for my attention?
But I need to see the whole vista.
I need to have an appreciation of everything;  maybe then I can make some sort of sense of the view in front of me.
So I will keep turning my head and absorbing, observing, understanding all that I can see, only then can I give the best of myself.
"Seeing the bigger picture opens your eyes to what is the truth." - Wadada Leo Smith