This week I had the same conversation with two of my clients. They are both struggling with a team member who they feel is deliberately being awkward. Here’s the reality, most people are tired, stressed and have a lot of emotional baggage knocking around. Most people are stuck in their own heads trying to make their way through the maze of their own life. They aren’t often thinking about you. 

A little while ago I was having a big sort out of my cabin, and all the paperwork and course notes that we all tend to hold on to! It was interesting to see how basic and simple a lot of the coursework was. I remember doing my coach training and struggling to learn some starter sentences to get us all going. I struggled to learn all the key phrases and how to hold the structure of all the things a session should include in my head whilst also listening to my clients!

"Keep calm and carry on"—remember when that phrase first popped up?

It felt clever, like the perfect antidote to our fast-paced, stress-filled world. Soon enough, it was everywhere—on mugs, posters, even underwear. Then came mindfulness, sliding into its place as the next big thing. It wasn’t just about meditation anymore; it became a brand—packaged into apps, books, and retreats that promised peace in just a few clicks.

Recently, I went on a hot air balloon flight. I’ll be honest, it was a cold November day, slightly drizzly, and I had a million things I could have filled the day with. In all honesty, I didn’t want to go, but as it was a gift, I went. I dropped off a friend on the way, and as she left the car, she said, ‘If you’re feeling moody about it, then think, what if this was the last time I ever get to do this thing?’ I immediately reframed my thinking and switched to focusing on all the wonderful photos I could take

As many of you know, I am working towards world peace because I believe that a good leader can change the world (sadly the reverse is also true), and I want world peace! I believe that great leaders come from those who focus on getting themselves in the best mental health they can. This might sound like I’m creating selfish leaders, but my experience (and research backs me up) is that if a person is in a good place, then their focus will turn outward. People who are struggling on the inside will only be focused on themselves. This isn’t narcissism; this is biology.

When I was in the Maldives 20 years ago, I haggled so hard over the wooden Buddha you see in the picture, that the shop owner told my husband he wished I was his wife and took us for ice cream! He wanted me to come and work for him! 

20 years later, I have a little grandson who is just 2. Twice now, when he’s come to my house, he sees the figure of the Buddha with his head in his hands. He crouches down with his head almost touching the floor, trying to see the Buddha’s face, and says, "Are you okay?" as he strokes his back. It makes my heart ache even remembering it. 

I work from a cabin in my garden, so several times a day I walk down my garden and back. In summer, this isn’t really noticeable, but in winter, when the grass is longer and the ground is damper, a distinct ‘path’ forms. Even though I notice this and try to make myself walk a different route to save the grass, I just can’t seem to absentmindedly stop following this path. It’s crazy because I could literally walk anywhere else in the garden, but still, my mind just follows this indented pathway.

For as long as I can remember I have been a deep sleeper. As a child I was known to sleep through thunder storms that woke the neighbourhood but not me. As I got older and had children this became a problem. I literally couldn’t stay awake for night feeds without a struggle. When I had my third child, I called it a day the morning after the night before when in the middle of sitting up in bed breastfeeding my son, I had slowly slid sideways down the wall as I fell asleep. Tearfully I said I just couldn’t do this anymore and that feed became a formula feed with their dad. Luckily I had partners who got by on less sleep than me.

A while ago, I posted this photo on LinkedIn and asked the question: 

‘What does this remind you of?’ 

It got loads of comments: ‘pick and mix when I was a kid’, ‘10p mix-ups’, ‘my granny’, etc. 

The post sparked off a lot of memories for people — memories they were instantly able to go back to just by looking at the photo. Memories that included places, people, tastes, and emotions.

Do you ever go through those times when it’s only after the event that you realise how much it affected you? Having our awareness switched on all the time is key to being able to navigate these times in our lives so that we stay focused and do what is right as we go. It prevents the awful realisations after the event. 

Emotional intelligence in leadership is often misunderstood. This article explains why sensitivity is a strength, not a weakness, and how it impacts performance and decision making.

Staying silent in leadership moments can damage trust, credibility and relationships. This article explores accountability, difficult conversations and what strong leaders do differently.