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Walking The Talk

I love discussion and debate. The people in my circles are open, thoughtful and curious and we always learn from each others perspective. But public politics are divisive and the separation seems to be getting wider every day. So, for a long time, I have opted to keep my political opinions to within my private…… Continue reading Walking The Talk

A New Page, A New Day

By Michelle Mclean ‘Another notebook?’ my friend rolled her eyes as I ran my fingers over the soft covers. We were in a quirky gift shop and I had naturally gravitated towards the stationary section. Later that day I put my new purchase in a cupboard alongside the rest of the stationary I’ve collected over…… Continue reading A New Page, A New Day

On Finding My Spiritual Self

By Michelle Mclean Crystals. Meditation. Vision Boards. Tarot. Yoga. Journaling. Prayer. Reiki. Breathwork. Fasting. Retreats. Law of attraction. You name it, I’ve probably tried it as part of my journey to become more spiritual. It’s cliched but I use the word journey deliberately. I went from one thing to another, in a constant state of…… Continue reading On Finding My Spiritual Self

Comfortable With The Uncomfortable

By Michelle Mclean I was recently asked to be part of an Instagram Live series called Women Who Write, a month-long celebration of World book Day and International Women’s Day. I have never been involved with a ‘live’ before and I don’t like being videoed, so my natural response was to quickly close the email…… Continue reading Comfortable With The Uncomfortable

Time to Move On?

By Michelle Mclean When disappointments happen it’s common to be told to let go, move on or move forward. Often this is well-meaning advice, dwelling on negatives for too long is not good for us. Sometimes though it can be plain dismissive. I’ve come to believe that this dismissiveness is about the other person’s comfort.…… Continue reading Time to Move On?

Lessons I Have Learned About Change

By Michelle Mclean In my last post, I blogged about the inevitability of change. Since then, I’ve had various conversations about why change feels so difficult. I don’t accept that all change is hard. I think we often make it harder than it needs to be because of how we frame it and because of…… Continue reading Lessons I Have Learned About Change

Change is Inevitable

Early in my professional life, I was a Team Leader in an office environment. I was tasked with implementing some changes that would require people to work in new ways. One of these changes was to establish new teams and have people sat together in their team groups. This was in the days before hot-desking…… Continue reading Change is Inevitable

I’m Proud of You

By Michelle Mclean As this year closes, tell someone that you are proud of them. Send a text, record a voice-note or make a call, telling that person about something that they do/have done that you are particularly proud of. Everyone is doing their best, trying to get by and get better. None of us…… Continue reading I’m Proud of You

An Alternative to Resolutions

By Michelle Mclean There is something about this time of year that has always prompted introspection and reflection. Last Christmas this was particularly prevalent, as the impact of Covid-19 had changed the way we lived and for many, changed what we prioritised. There was increased talk of #bekind, looking after each other and spending time…… Continue reading An Alternative to Resolutions

Permission to Pause

How often do you daydream? I mean really, truly getting lost in your thoughts and drifting off for a while? In a recent article in Psychologies Magazine they covered the idea of soft fascination. This is where we balance periods of intense focus with periods of less intensity. It is giving ourselves permission to pause.…… Continue reading Permission to Pause

Forty

It’s my fortieth birthday this month. People have been politely calling it my ‘big ‘birthday so perhaps I’m only supposed to whisper it or just not mention the number at all. Forty. FORTY. FORTY! Sorry, not sorry. Each birthday is a blessing. I’m grateful every time I get to see another one but especially this…… Continue reading Forty

Root to Rise

Despite having a regular yoga practise, I had a frustrating half an hour on my yoga mat early this morning. I was unsteady and I wobbled the entire time. Even in Tadasana (mountain pose), which is standing still with both feet on the ground, I found it difficult to maintain good balance. There is a…… Continue reading Root to Rise

Study Tips For Students

This summer I graduated from the Open University having studied Creative Writing and English Literature on their Open Degree pathway. Like so many who opt to study with the OU, I did so because of the flexibility it offered. I’ve since been reflecting on how that flexibility worked for me in practice around my commitments…… Continue reading Study Tips For Students

Goldilocks Was On To Something

By Michelle Mclean Goldilocks has a bad reputation. What with the trespassing and the criminal damage, she’s not too popular, especially amongst bears. I think she might have been on to something though. Hear me out… You know the story. A curious girl stops off (uninvited) at a house in the woods, scoffs some porridge,…… Continue reading Goldilocks Was On To Something

There’s No Such Thing As The Perfect Time

In 2015, whilst on maternity leave with my second child, I felt a sense of restlessness and a loss of identity. I had a sense that something needed to change but I couldn’t quite identify what. Unable to get clarity, I asked myself some of my favourite questions I’ve asked my coaching clients and then…… Continue reading There’s No Such Thing As The Perfect Time

The Wim Hof Method: I Tried It And Survived!

By Adrian Mclean I was intrigued by the subtitle of Wim Hof’s book  ‘Activate Your Potential, Transcend Your Limits’ and also by a man who is comfortable sitting in ice cold temperatures in his pants! I don’t do well in the cold so I was open to ‘transcending’ my own limits in this area, as a…… Continue reading The Wim Hof Method: I Tried It And Survived!

Authenticity

It has been just over a year since my ‘Acceptance’ blog where I shared the journey I had been on with my hair. All of my career I had conformed to the ideals and expectations of others in terms of my visible presence. As a teenager, I had tattoos, and by the time I was…… Continue reading Authenticity

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Power To The People

Read Part 1: Born In The Dark – Performance Virtues In Action Read Part 2: Change Is Coming – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Civic Virtues In Action The 22nd Commonwealth Games, Birmingham 2022. My home town; I am immensely proud of where I am from (just in case you hadn’t caught that over the last…… Continue reading Power To The People

Change is Coming

Here is the link to PART 1 (incase you missed it) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion The British Commonwealth… 56 countries. They are among the world’s biggest, smallest, richest and poorest countries and home to almost 1/3 of the world’s population. I am going to sidestep the wider issue of how the Commonwealth came into existence…… Continue reading Change is Coming

Born in The Dark

Performance Virtues in Action  By Adrian Mclean When we look at sport and the athletes who participate, we naturally focus on their performance and the character traits that are aligned with this. When we talk about performance virtues we are usually highlighting the traits you ‘see’ such as determination to qualify for the next round…… Continue reading Born in The Dark

It’s Been A While…

By Adrian Mclean It’s been a while! I haven’t felt compelled to write for some time. Admittedly, I’ve been bogged down by the mundane and boring, as well as simply existing! The end of the academic year meant some much needed R&R. However, the Commonwealth Games in my home city has brought about an energy…… Continue reading It’s Been A While…

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Categorized as Coaching