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Surviving Christmas: 7 Top Tips For a Calmer Big Day
In my house, Christmas means dragging, kicking and screaming, the young adults in my family who have inherited the Grinch gene from my husband. And though I understand and respect why some people don’t like Christmas, my response to that attitude is not on my watch, and definitely not at my Christmas table. Hence, despite…
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The “Little Things” That Make Life Beautiful
Nature’s gentle awakening is usually followed by my not-so-gentle awakening from my puppy as he springs onto the bed with his crazy, infectious excitement for life. I am not a morning person, but it is hard to resist the look of certainty in his eyes that the day will be a good one, no matter…
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4 Important Life Lessons I Share With My Kids
That crazy decision was terrifying at the time but I do believe it made us stronger, more resilient, and gave us an incredible learning opportunity. It has given me more time to recover in the wake of family crises, more time for self-care and exercise – the best therapy for my brain – and the…
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7 Essential Truths About Ageing – and Why It’s Not That Bad
Western society expects women to challenge the ageing process at every turn, whilst other cultures embrace it. We celebrate youth, influenced by celebrities like the Kardashions, under-nourished catwalk models, older men who date younger women – but thank you, Keanu Reeves, for bucking the trend – and actresses who “have work” to remain employed.
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Who’s Really on Trial in Sexual Assault Cases?
Sadly, their low chance of a conviction (less than 10%) discourages most women from coming forward, encouraging the perpetrators who commit these heinous crimes to reoffend.
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Modern Parenting: A Full-Time Job With No Off-Switch
Parenting needs a rebrand. With more of us working and the pressure to parent perfectly, “doing the best we can” seems much more achievable. With unacceptable behaviour escalating in classrooms and youth suicide on the rise, something must give.
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Why I’m Having A Women-Only Birthday Party
Surely, if men truly valued us and saw us as equals, they would feel as strongly about our struggles as they do the Middle East crisis.
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Life Lessons: Measuring Success Beyond Society’s Standards
At some point during the last few years, I experienced a light bulb moment and finally realised who I want to be during this next stage. I realised when I looked back, that society had indoctinated me to seek its narrow definition of success – where, ultimately, materialism is the most popular measure, in the…
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When The Worst Happens: Embracing Acceptance
Control isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are valid reasons we put certain people in positions of control. However, as we’ve seen in recent stories of coercive control in relationships and the fears many of us felt about Trump’s win, it can be dangerous when it is abused. Relinquishing control is something some parents also…
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Anxiety and The Hidden Power of Uncertainty
The worst advice someone can give people like me is to stop worrying. Not only is that reductive, telling me to stop worrying makes me worry about why I worry so much. I am an Olympian in overthinking, and controlling my spiralling thoughts is just not that simple. It is also exhausting.
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11 Life Lessons My Dog Taught Me
Prior to our vet’s final visit to our home, I cradled our fifteen-year old dog Luna in my arms, sobbing uncontrollably. I thought I was prepared, but in that moment of our total vulnerability, it was all too much. It felt wrong to end her life this way, and when her body went limp, and…
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How to Support A Loved One Struggling with Mental Health Issues
With a decade of experience in this area, I feel an obligation to share with anyone in a similar situation the strategies that have helped us support our loved one and our own mental health along the way.
LOUISA SIMMONDS 