Good morning. I hope this finds you safe and well. I am waking up this weekend to the visceral realisation that it’s already Christmas. I expected to feel this way – we were so busy, so rushed, and so exhausted in autumn that I predicted this: Christmas came suddenly! While we managed to prepare the presents and the tree and plan everything a bit earlier than usual, the holiday weekend still feels sudden.
Reminiscence activities improve communication – this sounds basic, but it is not: sharing the story of our year with others helps us organise those experiences in a coherent story.
While we do so, we articulate the challenges and maybe even identify and name new strengths we have discovered during the challenges we have faced.
Reminiscence activities support our appreciation of our family history – knowing our roots or connecting with our ancestors, even through spiritual practices, can help us ground our current selves in the story of our tribe. I would only note that if we have experienced trauma, especially in our early years or if we happen to have complex attachment patterns, those practices can feel triggering. If that’s the case, it may be a signal for additional, safe, professional explorations too.
Reflecting on the past can reduce symptoms of depression, especially if we connect with past wins, victories or more subtle feelings like love, kindness, gratitude and awe.
As we approach the end of the year, many of us are reflecting on it and collecting learnings. So this month, we are exploring the benefits of reminiscence and nostalgia for our wellbeing.
How are you doing? How was this year for you? December marks the end of the year, a time of slowing down and reflection. I am spending most of my free time looking back at the year 2022 with a heavy heart. If you know me, you may find this surprising: I am, in fact, a sceptical optimist – optimist nonetheless. However, in order to move forward, look into the future and change, I find it incredibly important to pause and assess the past twelve months. Since I started blogging in 2004, I have also used the December time for written, public summaries, so here it is.
Good evening! I hope this post finds you safe and well. It’s a cold and gloomy weekend in Bristol, and it’s raining, so I am wrapping up in blankets and hiding in the comfort of our home. Since various holidays are approaching, I am spending time tidying up the home and putting away my paperwork after completed counselling studies. It’s time to organise and clean up my living spaces, so it is also the time to check in with all our houseplants. Each time I finish a major course, I adopt a tree. Usually, it is an olive tree to symbolise wisdom and peace, but this year, I decided to get a lemon tree. Simply because 2022 was incredibly challenging and sour. As they say: ”When life gives you lemons, make a lemonade”. I hope to make some next summer!
Today, I am offering you a few reflective questions to start exploring your negative tech bias. I have listed the areas people mostly use for daily language myths without noticing that they are doing it.
Last week, I posted about making my winter menu, and good job I did – the snow arrived in Bristol this weekend. It’s officially winter. Everyone in my close family celebrates their Birthdays in winter, so snow inspires me to think about my ancestry. In liberation psychology, ancestry is important as it supports the process of re-authoring the authentic stories of people who, due to racial or other forms of abuse, experienced a loss of identity and agency. I work on re-authoring people’s individual and collective agency a lot across all my services. It can be counselling, coaching and also social media consultancy.
Good morning. It’s foggy and quiet in the UK this week. The mosses “are out”, puffed up, plump, bright green and excited about the soggy weather. Nature is resting, and so am I. I am in a peaceful state of wintering, slowing down softly while finishing various bits and bobs of work before the holidays.