Teen yoga: how it benefits your brain
If I had done yoga as a teen all my issues would have been sorted, right? Hmmm. Possibly not. What I do know is that it would have given me the tools to cope better with the pressures. For me…
Reflection: 3 ways to go with the flow
It's not very British to write an end of year reflection, especially on going with the flow. The last time I did something similar a friend from the US said I sounded very American. I think she meant positive -…
My imperfect yoga practice
What does your yoga practice look like? Bathed in sunlight, sat on the mat in your best gear, all peace and light? Me too. Yeah right ... My yoga practice can actually be more like this experience. Recently, I was…
Why you should do the yoga postures you ‘hate’
The yoga postures we most dislike are actually the best for us. Really? Is this just another thing that teachers say, along with flowering your buttocks (no, I don't say this!)? I couldn't bear this posture called crow, crane or…
Finding some inspiration (rather than irritation) in your inbox
Back to work blues? Greeted by a mass of emails and retreating to the kitchen/toilet/cafe at every opportunity? Emails can be a poke in the face at work - yet another thing to do, someone complaining or a 'who stole…
With the best intentions…
'You don't want to reflect on the past year or make new year resolutions. Just keep going - or you'll drive yourself crazy!' This is what a wise and hilariously frank friend said to me on New Year's Eve. She's…
No sleep till Christmas?! How to find your sleepy (s)elf
Just a few sleeps till Christmas ... though I feel like I'm not getting much shut-eye at all. I can't say it's the excitement of festivities (freelancers have few/no parties - boohoo), or worry that I've forgotten something (pretty sorted…
Loving the ‘loneliness’ of the long-distance writer
Once upon a time I won a prize from my local running club. A winner's medal for a time-trial? An award for a personal best in a half-marathon? No - a copy of Little Miss Chatterbox for, erm, conversing. I…
Meditation: how your breath can reap benefits
Do you want to remove negative thought patterns and be calm, mindful and able to stay in the present? You’re not alone. It sounds pretty ideal, hey? The meditation technique Prana Samyama, which involves focusing on the natural breath, offers…
How to survive the three peaks 24-hour challenge
Clinging to loose mountain rock amid gale-force winds, I looked to my friend Karen and thought: ‘what have you done?’ It’s always good in a crisis to find someone to blame. Then I laughed, picked myself up, wobbling like a…