I get easily distracted, especially at my computer: Endless dopamine triggers, resistance to starting things, nowhere to put physical energy. Music sometimes helps, but the music can become a distraction in itself. It’s early days, but I’ve been finding Brain.FM… Read More »Music That’s Been Helping Me Settle
One of the many ways in which I was quite an unusual child was how carefully I rationed Easter eggs. Where most children would eat their whole chocolate egg in a frenzy of sugary abandon, I would nibble mine tiny… Read More »Maybe It’s Time to Eat the Marshmallow?
Lovely fun chat with Master Coach Trainer Claire Pedrick on how doing improv can support your coaching skills. “Our overthinking creates underthinking in others.” Claire Coaching with Presence If you’d like to explore this more with Claire and either me… Read More »Improv and Coaching – Thriving in the Unknown
Clown, troubadour, coach and writer Angela Halvorsen Bogo relates her experiences in theatre, clowning, and storytelling. Through the lens of her varied life story we touch on authenticity, vulnerability, organisational change, play, supporting people with dementia, and value of fostering… Read More »A Fool’s Journey – Talking with Angela Halvorsen Bogo
I wrote last month about a style of discovery journaling I’ve been finding useful. I’ve heard for a while that various AI tools such as ChatGPT can be really helpful for journaling companions. Write what’s on your mind (already helpful) then ask… Read More »Using AI to Support Journaling
A thoughtful, moving film on the healing power of theatre. It follows hard-as-nails prisoners in New York’s Sing Sing jail as they go to a theatre class. In a lovely circularity, many of the actors in the film are graduates of that… Read More »Arts for Growth – Sing Sing film
You know when you are enjoying a juicy conversation with a friend and stumble into ideas you didn’t know you had? I’ve been getting similar “aha” moments from an improv-inspired form of journaling. I’ve been calling it Discovery Journaling. It… Read More »Discovery Journaling
“There are two attitudes you can bring to your interactions with others. You can want something from them like a favour, money, approval, or for them to change. Or you can enjoy them for who they are.”Sam Harris This is… Read More »Your Joy IS A Gift
Think you’re “not creative” or “not playful”? We have different talents. But your capacity for creativity, fun and playfulness is unlikely to be zero. And the more you use it, the more you get. The Two Modes of Creativity As… Read More »Think You’re Not Creative? You might be using the wrong tool for the job.
“If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”Dolly Parton Sometimes we might be in difficult circumstances. Pleasant and unpleasant emotions can exist at the same time. Someone close to me has been unwell recently and I… Read More »Rainbows
I’m really enjoying Henry Shukman’s meditation app/course The Way. And also his book Original Love as an accompaniment to it. I find his way of highlighting different aspects of meditation – Mindfulness, Support, Flow and Awakening really helpful. Particularly themes… Read More »Support and Ease
Overthinking tells us that if only we had a bit more information, we could proceed, free of doubt and with guaranteed success. But learning to embrace an element of not knowing can lead to more freedom, wonder and discovery. Spoiler Alert! The… Read More »The Gifts of Not Knowing
Peak experiences like an amazing improv scene, mind opening meditation are exciting! But, in improv, productivity, and simply being present for our lives, concentrating only on occasional special experiences can get in the way. There’s a line in a Zen… Read More »Ordinary Mind Is the Way
Lovely fun conversation with Claire Pedrick MCC on coaching, presence and improv. As I commented right at the start of the conversation, the chapter titles of Claire’s book – Not Knowing, Courage, Partnership, Silence, The Dance, Trust – could the… Read More »Improv and Coaching
Fun conversation with Lex of Pleasure Rebels about the similarities and differences between improv and kink. We discussed aliveness, connection, shadows, misconceptions about kink and improv, fun, integrating changes into everyday life and how to calibrate exploring practices that feel… Read More »Crossovers of Improv and Kink
I hope spring is springing for you. I’ve been able to get back to going to my local park in the mornings and reacquaint myself with the dog walkers. We don’t really know each other. But we see each other,… Read More »The Ingredients of Fun
Trigger warning: References to imagined – not actual – death I had an “interesting” experience a few weeks ago that brought into focus for me the importance of using time well. To make the story less stressful, I’ll tell you the… Read More »An “Interesting” Experience and Playful Productivity
Although I’ve been teaching improv a lot recently, I’ve been a therapist, coach and teacher much longer. Here are four ways improv has helped my coaching and teaching. Healing Laughter Laughter can be healing. It helps us loosen up around… Read More »How improv has helped my coaching and teaching
Ach! Writing an article, designing a course, describing what you do on your website, or trying to do another creative task can leave you tearing your hair out! Ach! Writing an article, designing a course, describing what you do on… Read More »Playful Escapes When Perfectionism Jams Up Your Creativity
These ideas come from The Master and His Emissary, by Iain McGilchrist. Links below. (Article – not particularly funny!) What can the way a bird pecks at a seed tell us about ourselves and society? This is the big idea… Read More »Our Two “Takes” on the World