Ever felt like “a big fish in a small pond” at some point in your life? That’s right, just like the one in the picture above.

Back in 2015, fresh from a painful breakup, I was about to deliver a speech to a large audience. Overwhelmed with sadness and exhaustion, I felt completely drained. I had extensive public speaking experience, but this time felt different.

Recently, while both working and enjoying a cup of coffee at a café, I couldn’t help but overhear a couple's conversation. I didn't catch the entire discussion, but one line stood out: "Tell me one thing you always wanted me to do differently but you have never mentioned."

I’ve just revisited the TV series “The Mentalist,” and it’s reminded me of how personality differences can be both a curse and a blessing in relationships.

Patrick Jane, the charming mentalist, joins forces with Theresa Lisbon, the by-the-book detective.

“Why can’t I just rid myself of this sadness?” my friend said. “I can delete an unwanted photo or donate old clothes. It’d be so convenient if I could do the same with emotions.”

In the first part, I discussed the close relationship between conflict and connection and shared three essentials to improve the way we approach and handle conflicts in relationships.

Now, let’s build on that with two more tips aimed at easing tensions in our interactions and creating a lighter atmosphere.

Observing my 10-year-old nephew and his 5-year-old sister, my niece, engage in quarrels and fights, it often feels as though they will be at odds or even enemies forever, or at least estranged for weeks on end.

Patience can be a refusal to conform to the relentless pace of modern life, glorification of instant gratification, speed of communication, and pressure to do more. It can serve as an antidote to boredom and discomfort with uncertainty.

In my interactions with my readers, workshop attendees, friends, and clients, one question emerges more frequently than any other lately: “How do I establish a mental health routine for myself and truly prioritise my emotional wellbeing?”

Back when I was consulting for a big tech company, I witnessed an odd rule set by the team lead: every time someone complained, they had to drop 50 cents into a jar.

One of the most valuable skills I’ve learned in life is the ability to adopt a broadened, flexible perspective towards self. It’s about learning to disentangle myself from my inner experiences, recognising that I’m not merely my emotion, my thought, or my memory itself, but rather the container that holds it.

Perhaps it’s the fast-paced modern life, the relentless busyness, information overload, the fear of missing out, or the discomfort of commitment. Whatever the reason, many of us find ourselves caught in a common dilemma: a wide gap between talking about our values and truly living them out.

Imagine you’re embarking on a train trip to your desired destination. When you get to the station, you’re faced with a choice between two trains. One appears a bit old, with uncomfortable and slightly dirty seats, the other looks much more comfortable and induces reliability.

Do you remember the day- or, if you’re not old enough to recall, perhaps you've read or heard about it—when cereals were promoted as essential for our health due to their nutritious content?

Recently, I accompanied a friend of mine to a doctor because she has been experiencing some health issues. During our second visit, after completing some tests, the doctor prescribed medication and concluded with the same old, well-intentioned advice: “You should avoid stress!”

In my previous post, I shared how to say no to non-essential requests. I talked about the importance of focusing on getting the right things done instead of doing everything you can. This is how you achieve efficiency while protecting your wellbeing.

I have a confession to make. I’ve been enjoying saying no. I’ve been turning down requests to participate in new projects, saying no thanks to invitations to speak, and declining demands on my time across the board.

Let’s talk about burnout—that physical-emotional feeling that you can’t carry on with your job for one more Zoom call without losing your mind—and how leaders can prevent it.

As a leader of a team, and someone who works with leaders to help them stay emotionally well, I’ve witnessed…

Life is unpredictable. Brace yourself with a suite of coping mechanisms, internal and external…