Many of us have the perception that creativity is for artists, writers and designers. We think that the title of artist must surely be reserved for those with a clear and recognized talent. But the judgement of “good” creativity is subjective, and it is the act of creation itself that holds so many benefits for us. To create something is simply to make something that did not exist before, and there can be many satisfying results.

You wake up with the best of intentions, but before you know it your day becomes a blur of doing; of moving from one task to the next in relentless succession until the end of the day arrives and you flop, with relief, onto the couch, where you attempt to give your brain a break by zoning out to tech or TV. Sound familiar?

The Oxford Dictionary definition of “Wellness” is: A condition obtained when a person achieves a level of health that minimizes the chances of becoming ill. I am not convinced that the absence of sickness (whether it be physical or mental) is the best way to describe feeling well.

I like this definition far better (found on the Pfizer website as a result of a google search):
Wellness is the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, you're thriving.

It’s a cliché, but I feel as if the year ahead is a blank canvas, and there lies great opportunity in how I would like to fill it. Realistically, there will be many things that happen this year that are out of our control, that will be challenging and difficult. If we cannot control those circumstances – we can decide how we would like to handle them, and give ourselves a framework that will aid us in coping as and when hard things happen.

The end of the year presents an opportunity, for many of us, to slow down… in order to reset for the next session of speeding up. Sometimes the degree of the slowing down is relative to the speed of the pace we were keeping, and in many of our cases, it was just too fast.

December is a wonderful month to set some clear intentions for your future; and begin to act on them, rather than waiting for the start of a new year. There is no time like today to begin making the changes that will add up to the outcome that you are looking for. And when January rolls around, you’ll have the days of December under your belt already, and have covered some ground.

It’s an unwanted and extremely unsettling feeling… things not going according to plan. Especially when a plan was in place.
Plans are safe, and they keep us organized and on track. I’ve just had a big lesson recently – something important that I planned for ages in advance went awry, and unfortunately so did I.

It’s so easy to be efficient and effective with our phones virtually attached to us and serving up a steady flow of communication. The different forms of messaging get funneled through in various formats – a messaging service; an email service; an inter-office communication service. We feel a compulsive need to check, read, and revert. To be available. To be visibly swift and responsive, often at the cost of methodical and qualitative. Before we know it; this adds up to a few hours of checking per day…

To move is to use the body that we have been given – for mood, for action, for energy – to literally cover ground. There are few things more satisfying than the feeling after a stint of intentional movement; whether it be a walk, a run, a cardio burst, a swim, or a stretching session.

It seems that rushing has become part of our DNA. Being in a hurry or constantly on the move – it’s all become part of a busy-ness badge that we feel compelled to wear. Why the frenetic pace on the treadmill of life, when its actually us that control the speed buttons?

There are people that walk the earth for their allotted time that bring true gifts to others. Their very way of being is a source of light and strength, and they disperse a peace and kindness naturally, in a way that boosts and benefits other people.

It happens so easily; getting stuck in a rut. A holding pattern of the same habits and actions that keep us in the same place. Not completely ground to a halt, but moving far too slowly to be gaining any proper ground. Comfortable perhaps, but boring, and unsatisfying.

When we intend to spend quality time with someone, the quality of that time is not measured by the amount of information or the depth of communication. It’s about passing the time together, and sharing what feels natural, in the moment. Connecting, through silence.

This year consider going for less… but growing more.
To focus (depth) on fewer things (less), in the interests of better results (growth).

The last days of the year bring both the sense of an ending, and the possibility of a beginning. I find myself looking back at the year as a whole, almost in a summarized form. I’m aware of the main things I found difficult (changes in my business, the declining health of a cherished family member), and then the things that brought joy (changes in my business, family holidays, time together with loved ones).

Sudden change can leave us reeling. It pulls us right out of our comfort zone, and can make the world around us feel frightening, and even hostile. Change is often the result of a build-up of small things, or a series of little events, that add up to one big decision that needs to be made.

Each of us have a number of balls in the air – some of them light and brightly colored, others dull and surprisingly heavy, and others still that are just downright slippery; causing us to sometimes drop the whole lot.

Life can present us with some pretty significant wake up calls. Events that jolt us, or force us to pause, knocking us right off that hamster wheel that seemed to be so important.

 Our day-to-day cares fade away in the face of the finality of death. Small worries are just that, and it is a privilege to be confronted with them, and have the opportunity to find solutions. Big worries have their place too, and the chance to navigate the challenges they present us with allow us to grow, if we remember to look at them that way.

 Who says that once you have made your bed, you have to lie in it always? What if you lie in it for just a bit, and realize that it’s not quite the way you want it, and you choose to make it again? In fact, you get to make it again every day… and by degrees, you can make it just the way you want it.