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If there was an absolute 'truth' in what we see and hear, all recipients of the same information would have a consensus opinion. Yet this is not so - whether it is academic life, politics, religion, the family context or any other domain of life, we invariably diverge and disagree on all manner of things. The differences arise because we filter and prioritise information based on our existing outlook - often one that we have held for a long time. It's almost impossible to separate ourselves from whatever it is we observe. Our cultural heritage, pre-existing beliefs, historical experiences and future needs...they all colour the picture before us. Understanding this process might make us less adamant in our view and more open to possibilities. When we give ourselves permission to look at our beliefs and conclusions through the eyes of another, and they do likewise, we each appreciate a bigger, more rounded view. We then see further and deeper, than we could have seen alone. https://www.instagram.com/p/CJvMVT4raBz/?igshid=19vlcct4t7e0r

As we ready ourselves to step into 2021, we can all breathe a sigh of relief to put an extraordinary year behind us. The losses we have suffered will hurt. The anxiety that arose from the prevailing uncertainty will be hard to shake off. But time will heal, as always it does. Beyond the pain, let us celebrate the determination of the human race, and the care and compassion that became manifest in the villages, towns and cities around us. And, let us embrace the possibilities that lie ahead. May it be a year where we regain health, appreciate those who remain with us and live with a newfound respect for the natural world. We have learned very clearly that there are forces in this universe that incapacitate us, regardless of our technology, wealth or military strength. We have yet to realise that we exert just such a force upon other beings on this planet - a place we do not own, but share with them. Perhaps 2021 will be a time we heal ourselves, but also treat our climate and natural world in a manner that brings health and vitality for us all. Where there is a will, there is a way. #stepinto2021 #HappyNewYear #BeyondCovid19 #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CJbRVhKrQdD/?igshid=1ia268430htmm

A balanced existence combines an appreciation of what we have with an awareness of what we most need. It may be virtuous to be patient, as we wait for life to unfold, but there is a place for self-determined action. Decide what will fulfil you, and then work to make it happen. #makeithappen #selfdeterminination #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CJVsgw2rVnh/?igshid=dyrml1c72p9v

Special dates in the annual calendar are just categorisations that human beings have conceived, otherwise no time is any more or less special than any other. But certain dates do symbolise something important - peace, forgiveness and joy at Christmas, and a chance for newfound hope and renewal on the 1st January. Even our birthday reminds us another year has passed - what will we do with the year ahead? How well did we make use of the year that has passed? Did we make more friends, or lose them along the way? Such milestones do help us reflect, and can invite the changes we most need to see or experience in our lives - because we all know that decades pass by in the blink of an eye, if we are not mindful. As we all keep safe this Christmas, and make the best of what has been a truly difficult time, let's work for even more togetherness and community spirit in the time ahead. We are always happy to support local wellbeing initiatives - with our time, venue and expertise. Let us know if you have an idea, and we will work to bring it to life. #hopeandrenewal #communityspirit #peaceforgivenessjoy #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CJIrh3aLMFu/?igshid=aq0ynd9hmhmm

It is the season where we begin wrapping gifts for those we love, to share on Christmas Day. Whilst kindness can't be bought or sold it certainly can be shared, as possibly one of the most important gifts we will ever make. However, as we send it out, let us also remember to direct kindness towards our own self. Surprisingly, the more we offer to ourselves, the more we have to give to others. The more we share, the more we seem to find. And so this mathematical conundrum rolls on, as giving and receiving merge into a perpetual cycle of large heartedness. That sounds like the kind of Christmas we all need and hope for. #giveandtake #actsofkindness #loveyourself #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CJEiBJlrzJO/?igshid=1t36h7lxho37

Snowflakes are amazingly intricate, as if shaped and designed by a master sculptor. They are fashioned in the space between the earth and the sky when moisture in the air mingles with temperatures at or below freezing point. Life too can present circumstances where we ‘freeze’ or feel paralysed. We can find ourselves 'out in the cold', due to some social rejection or event that draws the very warmth from us. We have to choose whether to be extinguished by these pressures, or whether to stand out with dignity and composure. Something beautiful can always follow a fall, if we direct the right attitude towards it. #resilience #standout #composure #rightattitude #copingwithchange #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CJB0u-Krvg7/?igshid=bvth82p4uqsi

We live in an abundant world, full of natural resources and unspoilt beauty. Yet so much passes us by! It would benefit us to look up from our desk from time to time, to replenish and reenergise ourselves. The Native Americans knew it well - when trees are no more, lakes and rivers have run dry and the air has been laced with dust, we will realise that money cannot nourish us. Taking care of our world, through sincere appreciation and respect, will allow the world to keep taking care of us. #forestbathing #climateemergency #mutualrespect #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CI6Ke_EBsy-/?igshid=469lzt2cmyco

We live in an abundant world, full of natural resources and unspoilt beauty. Yet so much passes us by! It would benefit us to look up from our desk from time to time, to replenish and reenergise ourselves. The Native Americans knew it well - when trees are no more, lakes and rivers have run dry and the air has been laced with dust, we will realise that money cannot nourish us. Taking care of our world, through sincere appreciation and respect, will allow the world to keep taking care of us. #forestbathing #climateemergency #mutualrespect #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CI54Kyxhp63/?igshid=qjm8u20vx32o

Think about the quarrels and fall-outs taking place in the streets, offices and homes of our towns and cities. When you look down at those places from a higher plane, there is silence, tranquility and calm. Clearly, those conflicts are not resolved by our retreat to a safer place, but they do cease to impact us, and we are refreshed by the break. Escapism is of course unhelpful in the longer term. But what if we could raise our perspective in the midst of those fall-outs and look down at what is happening from an elevated vantage point? Might the unnecessary stress and noise be quietened? May we then respond, rather than react? Say something that soothes, rather than enflames? #raiseperspective #stressmanagement #conflictresolution #respondratherthanreact #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CI0K-idhMAR/?igshid=4wazwb9gds5c

Present mindedness is much needed to overcome regretful journeys into the past, and fretful mentalisations of what is yet to come. But what if your present circumstances are deeply challenging? It is then that you must buckle down, gather your strength and find the means to survive. Reminding yourself that this moment (day, week, month or year) like so many others before it, will pass. Refuse to allow difficult moments to limit or define you. The moments are like clouds floating in and out of view, whereas you are as still, vast and boundless as the sky. The moments do not contain you, any more than the clouds contain the sky. https://www.instagram.com/p/CIuxSykBC2C/?igshid=kg0e2lmlv910

There are no absolutes, either in failure or success. Life is a changing canvass of experiences, and it helps to remember you are on a great journey of discovery. Getting stuck with a difficult situation, or becoming preoccupied with the need to get something just right, takes away from your sense of joy and happiness. Do the best possible, and if things don't work out shake it off and try again. When you focus on what matters and appreciate what is good in your world, all will be well. #keepgoing #positiveattitude #fluidityandflow #solihullwellbeingclinic #resilience https://www.instagram.com/p/CInweLKh5RC/?igshid=1r5jg6xneyfv5

How we start and end our day, often determines our mood state and connection to ourselves, as well as others. If we book-end our day by filling our heart and mind with enjoyable, positive and growth-related thoughts and feelings, we will not only move through the day with vibrancy, but also sleep soundly at night. Waking to tragedies in the news, or settling to bed after watching violence (psychological or otherwise) in film, it's no wonder we live in a state of heightened arousal and fear. So settle down to a meaningful book, listen to some soul-stirring music, or spend some time in simple quietude. You will see the difference it makes, in just 1 or 2 days. #solihullwellbeingclinic #relaxandenjoy #calmdays #buildresilience #vibrantdays #sleepsoundly https://www.instagram.com/p/CIiEBaMhs4-/?igshid=15cfgk8ghtnqx

When things feel overwhelming, the instinct can be to speed up, do more and work harder. In so doing, we add to our heightened state of arousal, which is already obstructing our ability to think clearly or make sound judgements. The best thing to do, is to pause.....sit down...be calm. Just a short 5-10mins of grounding yourself by noticing your breath, looking out at the sky, watching the leaves blow about in the wind or observing the steam swirl in the air as your kettle boils (in preparation for a refreshing cup of tea, of course!) can make the world of difference. When we are still, we gain the sense of clarity we need. Stillness and clarity are great beginnings for a productive and enjoyable day. #becalm #grounding #managestress #noworriesnoproblems #solihullwellbeingclinic #clinicalpsychologydirect #drbobbysura https://www.instagram.com/p/CIQTX7FBKoA/?igshid=1ut9003th8bxj

Smartphones and gadgets do a lot to bring us closer together. They are also a cause of disconnect with people immediately around us. Anyone with a teenager will attest to this issue - so much communication 'out there', so little at home. A day a week without the phone is the kind of technology-dieting some people are increasingly employing. To put our gadgets away for periods of time through the day, is also a welcome strategy - especially dinner time with the family. After all, technology was supposed to serve us - yet we seem to have become enslaved by it! Find a little freedom, look up...smile. There is a world outside of the screen. #technologydieting #screenaddiction #putawayyourphone #socialconnections #bepresent #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CH8ERlShAzQ/?igshid=ywtm1vayutn8

This funny take on the Mona Lisa reminds me of a friend during early University years, who would distinguish between being 'worried' and being 'concerned' about issues. Worry is often wasted energy, which weighs us down with fear and trepidation. Being concerned on the other hand, is sending energy towards a problem, with a focus on finding a resolution if one exists, and accepting that we did what we could even if we could not change things. Concern comes from a place of ability, composure and hopefulness, whereas worry comes from lack, insecurity and helplessness. As this pandemic rolls on, be concerned but don't give in to worry. Do what you can, and keep living the life you have. Without due care, worry might shorten the time we have or at the very least take the joy of living from us. #overcomeworry #resiliencethroughcovid #positivecoping #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CHzvS5ShG8X/?igshid=1ptbr4m5kpr2z

Our understanding of stress tells us that when feeling threatened or at risk, the body reacts by either preparing to escape (flight), stand our ground (fight), going numb (freeze) or becoming submissive (flop). These automatic reactions are often necessary to get by in the immediate term - to survive - but staying at this level of nervous system arousal or shut down means we can't progress. Heightened stress responses are also major contributors to cardio-vascular disease and cancer, to name just two worrying health needs. Covid 19 is of course worrying, and our front line staff are having to live with this very real threat as a normal part of their working life, each day. Whether the dangers we face are actual or perceived, we can do much to reduce their impact on us physically, and also to sidestep the burn-out they may otherwise cause, if we learn to manage our thoughts and emotions. Fortunately, we are getting better as a society at learning to take a breath, compose ourselves, connect to our deeper purpose and meet the demand that is before us. Mindfulness, meditation, relaxation training and resilience building are all contributing to psychological health at home, college and in the workplace. We hope these positive trends continue, as we need them more than ever before. #stressmanagement #copewithcovid #mindfulness #meditation #emotionalregulation #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CHvRvu5jgin/?igshid=p8sjjdh9rc67

I'll never forget the feeling of holding my daughters for the first time - one on a snowy February night and needing some immediate incubation (which was challenging), and the other who almost arrived en-route to hospital, and had to be warmed underneath my sweater, for skin to skin contact! Both elicited a loving joy that is indescribable - one of those experiences that has to be had, and can't be accessed through words. Our children are great and unique gifts - they change our lives in so many beautiful ways. It is incumbent upon us to return our gratitude through a loving environment in which they may grow - one that is safe, empowering, appreciative, responsive and unconditionally accepting. Children raised in this way, go onto make the world a brighter place. It may seem undoable if we try to get it perfect. Remember, there is enough resilience in human life that we only ever need to be 'good enough'. #goodenoughparenting #parentchildattachment #familylove #enrichinglives #solihullwellbeingclinic https://www.instagram.com/p/CHnL2HCBTHS/?igshid=xc9srukwv2i0