Do you have any evolutionary friendships?

10/08/201514/07/2016Leave a comment

A few years ago I came across the term ‘evolutionary friends’ in a course on feminine power by Claire Zammit and Katherine Woodward Thomas.

Over your life friendships will come and go and come and stay.

And then once in a while you’ll discover that you have an evolutionary friend.

Evolutionary friends are those amazing souls who’re prepared to see you through the personal transformation changes in your life. These friends have boundless integrity and are prepared to go on the journey with you and to hold you and themselves accountable for following your dreams and becoming the person you’d like to be. Evolutionary friends help you find and stand in your strength and power and cheer at your successes. And they’re prepared to have the difficult conversations when you fail or slip into old behaviours. Continue reading →

Our self-doubt is a traitor

27/07/201514/07/2016Leave a comment

My life belongs to me. What I think, feel, do and believe matters. But what happens when what you think and feel and do sends you into a nosedive rather than filling you with joy?

Most of the time I’m an optimist but I’ve been listening to Doubting Doris, Impatient Ivy and Procrastination Pattie way too often – together they’re the DIP. And when I listen to them I find myself doubting, impatient and procrastinating – a lot! Continue reading →

The right words at the right time

06/07/201514/07/2016Leave a comment

Words have always held a special power for me. Words are the magic of communication, sharing a message or emotion, revealing a truth or idea, offering comfort or advice, giving instructions or feedback.

The right words at the right time can change your life. Sometimes you may have heard the words before but you weren’t really ready to listen to their message until that very moment. Like the Buddhist proverb…

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Continue reading →

Stop for a minute and breathe

22/06/201514/07/2016Leave a comment

When was the last time you took some time out to spend entirely for yourself for absolutely no reason other than you wanted to? What if I added to that question – without feeling guilty?

These days most of us (me too) get so caught up in the busy-ness of our lives that we never seem to take a breath that doesn’t have some task attached to it.

Busy-ness is the new black. Everyone is doing it or expects to be doing it. And most of us wear busy-ness like a badge of honour. Continue reading →

How’ve you been, really?

08/06/201514/07/2016Leave a comment

One of my best friends made a gem of a statement the other day that started me thinking about friendship and mindfulness. We’ve been best friends since we were kids and have stayed best friends even as careers and families kept us geographically distant the last few decades.

Although we live in separate parts of the country at the moment, whenever we catch up, often months apart, it feels like it was yesterday since we spoke. When we fill each other in on what’s been happening, my friend described it like we both have these ’bonus bubbles of life’ between our catch ups. As if the real world is the brief time we spend together, everything else has a sense of scripted alternate reality. Goes to show how present we are and invested in the moment when we’re together. Mmm sounds like we’re being mindful. Continue reading →

Listen … did you hear that?

24/05/201514/07/2016Leave a comment

Being more mindful is a growing practice, in more ways than one. Taking the benefits as read, (more peace of mind and wellbeing, greater focus, creativity and better relationships) how could you start being mindful?

Now the thought of beginning a mindfulness practice, like anything new, can be a bit overwhelming (which is kind of funny when you think that mindfulness is supposed to reduce stress and increase focus). However, I have a simple way to start and you don’t need expensive equipment or fancy outfits and there’s no need to sit cross-legged on the floor (luckily for me as I tend to keel over in about 15 seconds when I do).

So here’s my tip for heading down the road to mindfulness. Continue reading →

Are you a doer or a watcher?

10/05/201514/07/2016Leave a comment

Are you living fully, totally engaged in every moment of your life, good or bad?

Are you a doer? Do you feel the fear and do it anyway; sometimes succeeding, stumbling, soaring, falling, failing, sharing your gifts, your vulnerability and putting yourself out there?

Or are you a watcher? Do you live on the sidelines, wishing your lot was different, always observing, expert at judging and advising others, waiting until it’s perfect before you begin? Continue reading →

If it’s written down, it’s real

15/03/201519/04/2017Leave a comment

I have this note on my desk that I read every time I sit down.

‘My writing matters’. My writing coach encouraged me to put it there to remind myself of what’s important to me. As I mentioned in my last blog, I dreamed of being a writer but got side-tracked with life and work and family.

So to add to Step 1, make my dream conscious, try this. Step 2, write everything down, not just your dreams. Continue reading →

Veronica Strachan & V. E. Patton

My Writing Life

Tag: Tips for a conscious life