Published inThoughts And Ideas·Oct 22Permission to Stand Up for YourselfYou don’t need permission to stand up for yourself and I don’t need permission either, but for some reason, I really appreciate being told I have it. I’m assuming it’s because I grew up in a Patriarchal system, but perhaps that’s wrong and there are loads of cis men out…Life4 min readLife4 min read
Oct 21Your trauma doesn’t give you a free pass to be an arsehole“If you don’t have your shit sorted out by the age of 23, it’s on you, not your parents” A few years ago I heard someone say this and Hoo Boy did it resonate. I’m not sure many people make it to adulthood without experiencing some level of trauma, but…Life4 min readLife4 min read
Published inAge of Awareness·Jun 2Dear Principal,Dear Aine, I’ve been trying to think about what to say to you, as my 18-year association with the Primary school comes to an end. You’ve played an instrumental part in all of my children’s lives, not just as their teacher, then their Principal, but as someone who has supported…Family4 min readFamily4 min read
Sep 6, 2022The PigeonThe two girls were excited to be in the City of Derry. Ava’s mum said they could go shopping by themselves for a bit, and after exploring Primark and the Foyleside shopping centre the girls bought themselves a sandwich and found a quiet space to eat. …Parenting2 min readParenting2 min read
Apr 26, 2022Today everything good is trueJust for today, pretend all the good things anyone has ever said about you — are all true. The praise your kindest teacher gave you, nice things friends or family said, lovely comments from strangers or people online. It’s all true. Every bit of it. I’m a little late…Life1 min readLife1 min read
Apr 20, 2022Looking for good thingsToday is about actively looking for things that feel good as you go about your day. Be attentive to your thoughts and choose thoughts that make you feel good. Look for good in the world around you, colours you like, things to appreciate. Practice seeking good things. I’m in…Life1 min readLife1 min read
Apr 19, 2022A fresh startToday’s joy practice is a small reminder that today is a new day, and that every day we get to recreate ourselves and our lives if we choose. How will you choose to approach the day ahead? What would you like to do differently? …Life1 min readLife1 min read
Apr 17, 2022Increasing self-loveToday is self-esteem & self-love exercise. If you can increase your self love then you will increase the amount of joy you can receive. Learning to accept compliments is an easy way to start this work. Even if you don't believe what's being said is true, be gracious and…Self2 min readSelf2 min read
Apr 16, 2022Letting goMost of us will have something, or more than one thing, that we don’t like about our past behaviour. Sometimes it can be hard to let go of shaming ourselves or beating up on ourselves for something we did a long time ago, perhaps even when we were still children.Life2 min readLife2 min read
Apr 15, 2022Practicing boundariesToday is about your boundaries. If you haven’t thought about what they are before then the easiest way get into it is to think about any time you’ve ever been annoyed with someone. Chances are your annoyance is to do with a crossed boundary. Unless you’re very lucky, most…Self Improvement2 min readSelf Improvement2 min read
