The Secret Power of Kindness

I think that this is one of my all time favourite videos by Russell Brand. If you aren't familiar with his videos, here is a link to Russell's youtube channel for some inspired viewing.

I invite you to hit the pause button for a while, stop and focus on your breathing, allow it to slow it down, for a minute, lets be radical - or even for 5 minutes. Think about a time when someone was kind to you. What was happening at the time, really replay it in your mind and remember the feelings that it created in you.

A challenge for you today: Look for an opportunity to be kind. Bring kindness to your voice when talking to your loved ones.

Have a discussion about kindness at the dinner table, when you next get together with friends, ask them, who was the kindest person that they knew? Ask them, what that person used to do... it's an interesting conversation starter and fascinating to see where the conversation goes next.

Freedom from the Human Condition

The WORLD TRANSFORMATION MOVEMENT (WTM) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to bringing transforming biological understanding to the underlying problem in all human affairs of the human condition — which is our species’ extraordinary capacity for what has been called ‘good and evil’. In particular, the WTM recognises the breakthrough biological explanation of the human condition put forward by Australian biologist Jeremy Griffith in his various publications, especially his 2016 book FREEDOM: The End Of The Human Condition.

“I have no doubt FREEDOM provides the holy grail of insight we have sought for the psychological rehabilitation of the human race. This is the book we have been waiting for, it is the book that saves the world.”

Professor Harry Prosen, Former President of the Canadian Psychiatric Association

You can download the book for free here: Human Condition.com There are also PDF's audio books and a synopsis all free at the website.

The Art of Being A Couple

Over the years, my practice has mostly attracted people seeking help for relationships. I am always open to learning and listening, for ways to help others and of course myself. Here is an elder's wisdom...

"The great thing about marriage is that it creates trust, the most precious of things." Theodore Zeldin

"When will we make the same breakthroughs in the way we treat each other as we have made in technology?" Theodore Zeldin

What Women Want

A wonderful story teller - teacher... Angeles Arrien. If you're wondering about relationships and what people want.

Angeles Arrien is a cultural anthropologist, award-winning author and educator. She lectures and conducts workshops worldwide, bridging cultural anthropology, psychology, and comparative religions. She is also the President of the Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education and Research.

3 Ways to Build a Happy Marriage

One of my values is learning, I am committed learner and love to find out all the latest information on the things that I am passionate about. Relationships have been one of my main areas of focus in my Port Macquarie Counselling practice.

With my value of learning in mind, I am often to be found looking at the latest talks and training online. I think we are so lucky to have access to very skilled minds sharing their information via TED talks, via blogs and other internet sources. Today I discovered Dr Blair West. After listening to his TED talk on ways to build a happy marriage, I looked up his website and discovered the quote below...

"...as authors of our life we need to re-visit what we need to fix within ourselves, but not always …

In your relationship, how much fun and enjoyment are you having? We know that the biggest difference between broken relationships and great ones is not the amount of negative interactions – the frequency is almost the same (although in great relationships it is de-escalated earlier). No, the difference is the amount of fun being had. click here to visit Dr Blair West's blog and read more

Choosing to marry and share your life with someone is one of the most important decisions you can make in life. But with divorce rates approaching fifty percent in some parts of the world, it's clear we could use some help picking a partner. In an actionable, eye-opening talk, psychiatrist George Blair-West shares three keys to preventing divorce -- and spotting potential problems while you're still dating.

Tips for a healthier mind... how to focus on 'what's right'.

Thank you for visiting today. Well I have a couple of offerings for you to watch... one of them is a fabulous video by Dr Daniel Amen being interviewed by Tom Bilyeu. There are some great tips for how we can all have a healthier mind, and how to start focussing on 'what's right'. Dr Amen is a double board certified psychiatrist.

Our brains have a habit of looking for 'what's wrong'. They do that to try to keep us safe. They continually scan our environment in case we are in danger. Most of the time though we aren't and we can be missing lot's of the things that are actually really lovely in our lives.

Lots of wonderful things covered in the talk above. I first watched Dr Amen in this TED talk...

For a free brain assessment with Dr Daniel Amen's clinic visit: Brain Health Assessment

An invitation to visit Nature today and create.

A creative exercise I discovered, and my result above. This challenge, and the gorgeous videos below are from a site called Healing Forest - the link is below. I hope it inspires you to visit a place in nature and create.

Art can be healing, just like nature. When we create art in nature, we are connecting to something deep within ourselves. That which is the source of all ideas, inspiration and insight. It gives us new eyes to see with, new ears to hear with and a new understanding.

“An understanding that we can create art out of anything, including our life.”

FOREST ART WALK

A silent walk in nature to appreciate and create forest art. Over the course of many months and trials, we have come up with a captivating format for an art walk in nature. It is a creative way to engage with the forest and is enjoyable for all age groups. Here’s a simple introduction to the concept.

Walk in the forest. Find interesting things. Create art. First as a group. Then in pairs. And finally on your own.

RULES
1: Don’t damage the forest. Use what’s fallen or about to fall.
2: Take only pictures. Let everything you create, return back to nature.
3: Leave no trace. Spread your artwork in nature before you leave.

Find the rest of this exercise, and much more inspiration at: HealingForest.org

LET Go a film to find calm by Nitlin Das

LET GO
by Nitlin Das

Let go the darkness,
Let go the night.
Clear a little space,
Let in the light.

Let go your loss
Let go your pain.
Dark clouds pass,
So will the rain.

Let go your anger
Let go your hate.
Escape the prison,
Unlock the gate.

Let go the hurt
Let go the regret,
Peace flows when you
forgive and forget

Let go your fears
Let go your tears
Add a little life,
to these fleeting years.

When you are feeling low,
Just remember
Nothing lasts forever

Let go