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What is it about us therapists that we are so against stepping out? What exactly is the worst thing that can happen? Mmmmm……I can think of lots of things, can you!! It is so very easy to work with others regarding stepping out, imposter syndrome, and all the other 'little items' that prevent us from being seen, but can we work with others if we have not worked with ourselves first? Exploring this topic with a client just recently, made me ponder a lot about my own resistance to stepping out. Picking it apart and breaking it down further I arrived at fear of failure. Failing what exactly though, that was perplexing. Fear of looking silly, fear of not being perfect, oops, that’s a common enough one, the fear of not being perfect. All those fears, when they mount up are quite a job to be tackled, aren't they? This work brought me back to a time many years ago when I was a participant in a Tai Chi class. I loved that class, the peace and tranquillity I gained from the practice first, and all the lessons I learned in the class were mind-blowing. All about myself! My irritability, my impatience with myself, my lack of love for myself, my eagerness to beat myself up when I got something wrong. All happened as a matter of routine, all unconscious behaviour, but very damaging. A block to progress some might say. The lesson I learned about being perfect, was a very poignant one. We were doing the twenty-seven points to standing meditation. I went to work the next day and typed them out on a sheet of paper, enlarged it to fit a flip chart stand, and brought it along to the class. We decided there and then that some kind of covering would be a really good idea, as it would protect the poster from becoming damaged or torn. I took out a sheet of clear contact to put on the front of the poster and low and behold it crumpled up in one corner. Anyone who has worked with clear contact knows exactly how frustrating it is to get it to sit properly. I was having forty fits to myself when the instructor swiftly took the poster and pinned it up on the wall in front of the class. He reminded me that nobody was perfect and that was my little piece of perfect imperfection. I was disgusted, to say the least! Having to look at that poster every week soon encouraged me to redefine perfect!!! One reason for not wanting to step out was fear of not getting it right. That held me back for a long time. But I now want to know, what is the right thing? Does anyone know?  All these right things that I was taught as a child, suddenly don’t seem relevant anymore because I am willing to do the work, the work on myself I mean. Fear is a necessary evil, it keeps us safe, it drives us nuts, it holds us back, and it stops us from walking out onto the busy road. Looking at one fear acronym, False Evidence Appearing Real, what's false, what's true. That's the work, finding out the truth about the situation. A great way to deal with this is to use Neuro Linguistic Programming and Quantum release. They work so well together. Once we identify the issue then all we have to do is release the emotion. How easy is that? With the right practitioner, I can say from experience, it is very easy. So, the work goes on, holding back because of what exactly someone, or something? Courage is required to move out of holding-back mode and into stepping out. I have been so fortunate to have met amazing teachers along the way on my journey who encouraged me with love, support, and challenge for that I am so grateful, to step out of my own way and be seen. What’s holding you back?

The first time I read this phrase, ‘Don’t shudd on yourself’ I just thought it was so funny. Probably because I could relate to it so well! I spent years of my life giving out to myself for what I should have and would have and could have done, if this that, and the other had happened differently! What a complete waste of precious time and energy! Well, you cannot do better until you know better! I could have a ‘Masters qualification’ in berating myself for what I ‘shudda’ done if there were such a thing! A very bad habit indeed. Habit, did I say? Well if it is a habit it is a behaviour and behaviour can be changed! That's the good news! During lockdown, everything seemed to go ‘online’ and I found the whole thing overwhelming and very frustrating. I had told myself I couldn't learn, so I was right I couldn't! I didn't come from that era of person who needed to know computer stuff so that was the best excuse I had to opt out, in my mind anyway! So I began to do some work on why I had this idea in my head about myself and why I ‘shudda, wudda, cudda, not learn IT. I decided to check myself every time I called myself a name or said something nasty to myself and change it to something positive. Guess what? It felt so good. Well, I thought if someone else was speaking to me in the way I was speaking to myself, would I tolerate it? I certainly would not, so why was I expecting others to be respectful of me, if I wasn't being respectful of myself? That was the starting point. Praising myself for what was going right, took some time to master. It felt awkward and uncomfortable, as I was not accustomed to appreciating myself. Again a behaviour that needed to be reprogrammed and relearned! Now I seek out the positive things in what I am attempting to do. Especially if it is something new that I haven't tackled before! The subconscious mind is very good at giving us evidence that we are correct when we think we cannot do it. Then it keeps giving us more of the same as long as we keep the old-style thinking going, just to prove to us that we are right. The next thing that happened was, that I began to take on board what I was learning in class about Zoom lessons, creating exam questions, and lots of other things besides. As soon as the pressure of putting myself down stopped, the avenue opened up for new information that was much more useful. The default program now switches to positive instead of negative, but it took a while to change it. Well if you have a lifetime of putting yourself down, then it will take a little work, to build yourself up! If you are a shudda wudda cudda person, now is a good time for change. Stop criticising yourself, praise your achievements no matter how small. Consider this, if you were working with your child would you criticise or praise? So in reprogramming the subconscious to respond positively to new situations, really we are working with our inner child, and then we get evidence that the new thoughts are correct. That is how it works. Maybe it is time to start appreciating yourself if you are falling down the hole of berating yourself, time to take action and change those thoughts to positive ones, the benefits are many. Leave the shudda on the shelf the wudda in the wardrobe, and the cudda in the cupboard and live the life you were meant to, happy and relaxed!

There are so many people these days, struggling with weight loss, fatigue, and mood swings. We can put that under lots of different headings and make excuses for it, but there is a huge connection between the type of food we eat and managing our stress levels. Before you disagree with that, I would like to add that so many people are also very stressed, anxious, and not coping with life very well. When I am working with clients who come for information on how to manage stress, we always talk about diet and nutrition. It is so important. “Let medicine be your food and food be your medicine”! That statement was made many thousands of years ago and how relevant it still is today! Hippocrates the father of modern medicine was very holistic in his approach to wellness. First, do not harm, and then his physicians were all trained in the art of rubbing, the medicinal value of the food we consume, the air that we breathe, and the importance of the environment we all live in. It is not well known, that food directly affects our stress levels—in particular, refined and processed food and indeed those with the dreaded E numbers. In other words, we like to snack on all the lovely stuff when we are tired, feeling low, or worrying about something. That type of food tastes delicious because they are overloaded with calories in the form of sugar and fat to create the most desired outcome, deliciousness! But are you even aware of that, or aware of the effect eating has on your stress levels? Food can be a medicine as well as a fuel. Low mood or tiredness, can lead us to make a coffee and have an accompanying chocolate bar. They both give us an adrenaline shot, causing all our systems to go on 'high' alert, except our digestive system, which shuts down. This gives us a chemical ‘high’. Twenty minutes later the high plummets back to a low and we make another coffee and have another chocolate bar! Does this sound familiar? Well if it does you are not the only person that repeats this habit. I did plenty of that myself before I realised the effect it had on me, my stress levels, and most definitely my mood. When I was training I documented what I was eating, and noticed the change in mood when I went over to cleaner eating habits. It is often thought, if we eat, it will give us more energy, but not so. The opposite is the truth, exercise is much more beneficial when we have low energy believe it or not, rather than overloading the digestive system, which has shut down anyway if we are in stress mode. Hormonal activity operates on a feedback system, so if an adrenaline rush gives us a high, then the body will look for more of that. The relationship between stress levels and diet and nutrition is very underrated. A healthy ‘high’ can be achieved from a brisk walk, a run, a swim, dancing, or any activity that we enjoy. We all produce adrenaline, for a purpose, but adrenaline left circulating in the body undischarged causes a myriad of illnesses. Cardiovascular disease and diabetes are probably the most common. As we are looking towards summer with brighter days and more available home-grown food, now is the time to change those habits. Raw food where possible builds up the immune system. Sure don’t we all eat salads during summer and lovely berries and fresh fruit? Food grown on the top of the soil, soak in the sun's chlorophyll, then when we eat it, we take in that energy too. All those foods have amazing value in terms of antioxidants, which help to reduce the damage done by free radicals and oxidation, and of course, minerals which build health, and vitamins which maintain it,  and taste delicious too. Do you think that you could have a look at food being your medicine and medicine being your food, the next time you have a low mood and look for an adrenaline hit? It is a very simple concept when we get to understand the effect that behaviour has on our health. The fast food industry has had a field day in recent times. Producing food using trans fats, and not-so-good quality ingredients. When my son with Down syndrome, comes home with a note to say they are having an outing, and the ‘usual suspect’ fast food chain is listed as a lunch venue, I get very cross. A little imagination would go a long way, for a decent lunch with good food value. But I do get it, the smell and the advertisements that go along with it, have everyone thinking this is the best thing for you. So there you are a lot to ‘digest’ pardon the pun! A little planning, to reduce your stress levels, build up your immune system, and offer your body wholefood medicine, for the best possible result. Wouldn’t you like to be less stressed?

There are so many people these days, struggling with weight loss, fatigue, and mood swings. We can put that under lots of different headings and make excuses for it, but there is a huge connection between the type of food we eat and managing our stress levels. Before you disagree with that, I would like to add that so many people are also very stressed, anxious, and not coping with life very well. When I am working with clients who come for information on how to manage stress, we always talk about diet and nutrition. It is so important. “Let medicine be your food and food be your medicine”! That statement was made many thousands of years ago and how relevant it still is today! Hippocrates the father of modern medicine was very holistic in his approach to wellness. First, do not harm, and then his physicians were all trained in the art of rubbing, the medicinal value of the food we consume, the air that we breathe, and the importance of the environment we all live in. It is not well known, that food directly affects our stress levels—in particular, refined and processed food and indeed those with the dreaded E numbers. In other words, we like to snack on all the lovely stuff when we are tired, feeling low, or worrying about something. That type of food tastes delicious because they are overloaded with calories in the form of sugar and fat to create the most desired outcome, deliciousness! But are you even aware of that, or aware of the effect eating has on your stress levels? Food can be a medicine as well as a fuel. Low mood or tiredness, can lead us to make a coffee and have an accompanying chocolate bar. They both give us an adrenaline shot, causing all our systems to go on 'high' alert, except our digestive system, which shuts down. This gives us a chemical ‘high’. Twenty minutes later the high plummets back to a low and we make another coffee and have another chocolate bar! Does this sound familiar? Well if it does you are not the only person that repeats this habit. I did plenty of that myself before I realised the effect it had on me, my stress levels, and most definitely my mood. When I was training I documented what I was eating, and noticed the change in mood when I went over to cleaner eating habits. It is often thought, if we eat, it will give us more energy, but not so. The opposite is the truth, exercise is much more beneficial when we have low energy believe it or not, rather than overloading the digestive system, which has shut down anyway if we are in stress mode. Hormonal activity operates on a feedback system, so if an adrenaline rush gives us a high, then the body will look for more of that. The relationship between stress levels and diet and nutrition is very underrated. A healthy ‘high’ can be achieved from a brisk walk, a run, a swim, dancing, or any activity that we enjoy. We all produce adrenaline, for a purpose, but adrenaline left circulating in the body undischarged causes a myriad of illnesses. Cardiovascular disease and diabetes are probably the most common. As we are looking towards summer with brighter days and more available home-grown food, now is the time to change those habits. Raw food where possible builds up the immune system. Sure don’t we all eat salads during summer and lovely berries and fresh fruit? Food grown on the top of the soil, soak in the sun's chlorophyll, then when we eat it, we take in that energy too. All those foods have amazing value in terms of antioxidants, which help to reduce the damage done by free radicals and oxidation, and of course, minerals which build health, and vitamins which maintain it,  and taste delicious too. Do you think that you could have a look at food being your medicine and medicine being your food, the next time you have a low mood and look for an adrenaline hit? It is a very simple concept when we get to understand the effect that behaviour has on our health. The fast food industry has had a field day in recent times. Producing food using trans fats, and not-so-good quality ingredients. When my son with Down syndrome, comes home with a note to say they are having an outing, and the ‘usual suspect’ fast food chain is listed as a lunch venue, I get very cross. A little imagination would go a long way, for a decent lunch with good food value. But I do get it, the smell and the advertisements that go along with it, have everyone thinking this is the best thing for you. So there you are a lot to ‘digest’ pardon the pun! A little planning, to reduce your stress levels, build up your immune system, and offer your body wholefood medicine, for the best possible result. Wouldn’t you like to be less stressed?

The scent overwhelmed me as I stood with my back to the wooden door for support. The heavy fragrance of lilies, roses, and rhododendrons filled the air and my nostrils! Sounds like I am in a foreign country, doesn't it? I am in the centre of Dublin city in the Botanic Gardens! Fragrance, scents and aromas have always been of interest to me as long as I know myself! The colours, beauty, and perfume all collectively transport me to a happy time and a place in my mind's eye where I regularly meditate. It is a great stress buster for me, the scent, the sense of peace, just wonderful. The Botanic Gardens is a favourite place of mine to visit,  to admire the plants and shrubs, experience the different scents, and remember when my grandfather Roche, my Dad's father, took me to in summertime.  The glasshouses were just incredible, the temperature and the variety of tropical plants growing in there always intrigued me. Each time we saw a new plant or shrub he would tell me the name in English, the botanical name, what plant family it came from and then, of course, the name ‘as Gaeilge!’ When I got the opportunity to study aromatherapy, I was very comfortable with the botanical names of the plants the oils were extracted from, as my childhood was full of those references, thanks to my Grandad! I am very particular about the perfumes that I wear. Many times I bought some to discover when I applied it, it wasn't what it smelled like in the bottle.  Well, everyone's chemical makeup is very different. The result we get when we apply perfume or a fragrant body creme depends on the chemical interaction between the perfume molecules and each person's chemical constitution as we are all unique and individual. The pH balance in the skin plays a role too. How acidic the skin is will play a part in determining the outcome of the scent. Myself I like to stay with essential oil perfume. I know a lot about essential oils as I am a trained Aromatherapist. I know the purpose of each and what blends well together. Scents go a lot further than just a fragrance, they have the power to transport us back in time, to childhood, to a special event, or just a happy time. They also help us to relax and rejuvenate. The limbic system is stimulated by the activity brought about by our five senses. The memory of an event is then connected and associated with the fragrance and stored in the memory bank. I loved visiting my grandparents' back garden, it was a haven of safety and contentment. They lived two houses away so I could go there every day if I wanted to. The key was left in the hall door and we could let ourselves in. My Nana was a sweet soul, I always wanted to be like her when I became a Nana. She loved us visiting and was a big fan of nature, sunshine seaside and playing outdoors. My Grandad was a super gardener and grew lots of beautiful flowers, vegetables, and berries in the garden. Entering the garden the fragrance would just waft over me. I remember it every time I think of that garden, and every time I smell a lily or a rose or a rhododendron. An archway of pink wild roses brought you in and the plants of every variety were there right in front of you, the aroma and all the colours. Just heavenly. The raspberries were picked of course every time I went in, when they were in season, the fragrance of them, and the taste, were just delicious.  The vegetables were way up the top of the garden, cabbage, onions and of course, peas, which we shelled when they were ripe to pick. The little stone seat was made from a slate of rock mounted on two large stones. It was a magical seat. I played there with tea sets, dolls prams and my best friend and siblings. Nana would give us milk and bread with blackcurrant jam and sometimes allowed us to wear her high heels, which were not really high but very suitable for playing grownups. So look already just talking about scents has stimulated my sense of smell activated my limbic system and brought me back some six decades to being a small child with no responsibilities other than how comfy my doll was in her pram. So do your scents make sense, are you as connected to them as I am?

I experienced my first Reflexology treatment thirty-five years ago,  while I was on a search for something, anything, that would help bring down my stress levels,  I came across this wonderful therapy. Reflexology is one of the ancient arts thought to date back 5000 years.  It is believed to have originated in China, India, and parts of the Orient.  When the tomb of Ankhmahor was discovered – who was a famous Egyptian physician, pictorial evidence of foot treatments and other complementary treatments are depicted on the walls of the tomb, confirming for us how ancient our treatments are. Reflexology is a foot treatment whereby points on the feet that relate to organs or systems in the body when contacted with alternate pressure, encourage those organs or systems to operate more efficiently.  The most important benefit is probably that it reduces stress, which in today’s busy world with 85% of all illnesses having their origin in stress, is a real deal breaker.  It encourages restful sleep, improves circulation which in turn improves elimination, excellent during pregnancy and labour too.  It allows the body to return to internal homeostasis – releasing it to do its all-important work of healing itself. Following the receipt of several successful treatments, I decided to study Reflexology and became a practitioner and later a tutor, with a history of lots of very successful clients treated and students trained to the highest standard.  Thirty years later I am currently working from Tallaght, in South Dublin – busy practice and still teaching therapists and community ways of improving health and well-being, using Reflexology and other complementary therapy modalities. I remember one of the first clients I treated.  She was in her mid-thirties and in college herself studying for a diploma in retail management and working full time as well.  When she came to me she was suffering very badly from sinus infections and recurring colds, coughs, and chest infections.  She appeared pale-faced with dark circles under her eyes and a much-stooped posture, exhausted and low-spirited.  When we first met, she agreed to commit to six treatments, which is advisable when one has not had treatment before to allow the body to re-balance and heal itself.  I treated her weekly and during our treatments, she talked quite a lot about her life. She received traditional Reflexology treatments; was quite stressed and found it difficult to ‘switch off’.  As the weeks went by, she reported to me that the pain she was experiencing between her eyes which had been debilitating at times was beginning to subside, leaving her with renewed energy to enjoy her life rather than use it up coping with pain.  By the end of the course of treatments, she was pain-free, sleeping better, and feeling a lot more contented with her life. All these years later, she continues to still have a monthly treatment for health maintenance.  The interesting thing about this treatment though, not only did it treat the sinus problem that she came with, but also settled a digestive issue that she had as well as a recurring shoulder pain.  So she got great value for money!!  Probably most importantly she began to change her thinking about her health and changed a lot of her habits that led to the poor condition that she presented with.  This is a very important aspect of healing, and the therapist would encourage the client to take responsibility for their health improvements. Reflexology is indeed a magical treatment I cannot recommend it highly enough.

When I trained many years ago as a young holistic therapist, the concept of starting a business stepping out on my own, and treating people was very daunting indeed. At that time which I can now nearly describe as the ‘olden days ’ or maybe the ‘golden days’ we didn't have any internet or online presence. Or mobile phones either! The only way to advertise was leaflets, brochures, an advertisement in the local paper, and of course word of mouth. Word of mouth was the one all therapists used, making sure our clients were happy with the treatment so that they would pass on the good news. Training then comprised of literally the course syllabus and very little else. No support afterward so working with the public, and dealing with all sorts of conditions presenting, was a huge learning experience for anyone in the holistic world. Of course, we were regarded as nutters, witches, weirdos, hippies, new agers, you name it, but because we understood that there was a different way to live life, there had to be something wrong with us! It has taken a pandemic to show that complementary therapy is just that, it complements what we already acknowledge as conventional medicine. When used in combination, becomes a mighty force to be reckoned with. All through my life I have always been an advocate of empowering women. But as I have gotten further into my career as a Holistic Trainer/Life Coach, I see a huge need to support those women who are feeling just like I did as a beginner, really scared, experiencing imposter syndrome, and having no confidence. As I began to teach diploma courses, there was always a student with extra training I didn't have.  I always made it a point to allow them to contribute and enhance our class with their knowledge. Some made natural skincare products that could be used as a medium, so I bought them and used them in class, employed that therapist to teach workshops as additional information to the classes, and did anything else I could do to promote and support each one of them. Once you have participated in my classes I will be your support person infinitum! I see the potential of these women very clearly, and sometimes all we need is a little break and support from someone who has been there a while, knows the pitfalls, and most importantly, acknowledges that there is room for everyone. We all bring our unique agenda to our work as therapists, so I have no fear that there are too many of us, or that anyone will steal my notes or copy anything. If my notes are stolen and used you are welcome to use them, then you have the correct information well-researched and I am delighted! Just recently I was introduced to a beautiful lady from India.  She is so knowledgeable and so shy. I asked her to speak at a workshop about her culture and the oils that are used in India, and she blew me away.  Not only was her knowledge superb, but she brought our attention to the fact that we all performed Ayurvedic practices anyway with the little things we did, such as using certain oils as a hair tonic. She told me after the workshop that she was humbled to be asked to do that. I nearly cried! What a therapist she will be. These are true therapists/healers and the ones we need so badly, especially today. I am so fortunate to have met and taught these therapists and have been part of their journey, as they have enhanced mine. Change happens by example and encouragement never by force. Encouraging women to step up and be counted is very close to my heart, as I am still working on it myself, with a wonderful mentor who sees my true worth. The platform is there and so is the power, let's use it for the good of mankind.

I am a reflexologist with almost thirty years experience, and a teacher of reflexology for twenty-five. Down through the years working with clients and observing them come into my treatment room worried, poorly, not seeing a way out, and leaving it following a course of treatments, happy, relaxed, more hopeful, and living their best life. Of course, every diploma course has its syllabus that needs to be delivered for examination purposes, and that is perfectly fine. But the reality is, that lots of what we are taught on the diploma course is only basic information. I know you are shocked! That is where I come in! I know this because I was once that newly qualified practitioner, nervous, scared, hoping I would do the right thing, (whatever that is) or more to the point, that I would not do the wrong thing, all of that, and more just like everyone else. Being the eternal lifelong student, I attended many workshops, courses, and networks, that taught me many different ways of working and helped me feel confident and more competent. As a result of this, I created the Hands-on Masters Series of postgraduate workshops. These workshops are usually one-day trainings and N.R.R.I. have awarded them 100 CPD points. So you have half the required points for your membership renewal in just one workshop! The first workshop I created is Advanced Reflexology Techniques, where we look at little tips not covered in the original diploma and short sequences to help you get better results. The second one is Bereavement & Loss, completely given over to the effect of grief on the body and how we recognise it on the feet and techniques to work with. Let’s Open the Practitioners Casebook part 1 and 2 where I share my case studies with the workshop participants. There are four conditions in each workshop from Long Covid, Anxiety to IBS, and many more. Lots of little ways of working, to help you get the best results with your clients. All these workshops came about as a result of circulating an evaluation form, which I give out after each workshop. That's how you make a good workshop great. Listen to what the graduate wants and give it to her/him that's what I say. I enjoy working with graduates, teaching new ways to work and see things, and most importantly, being in a fun relaxed environment where everyone feels comfortable asking questions and sharing knowledge. Simple and easy are my work tools and empowerment is my mission. Have a look at the website www.reginacurleylifecoaching.ie where all the upcoming workshops are advertised. Maybe I will see you soon!

The winter sun always intrigued me with the way it can look so beautiful but yet be so cold! However, the health benefits from exposure to the sunlight are still the same even if it's not summer. This photo was taken in Killarney National Park on the last day of November 2023. It was such a surprise that the weather was so good so I thought why not take advantage and get some winter photos? The river Laune runs through the park and beautifully meanders through the most incredible scenery, ferns, waterfalls, rocks, moss, everything you could imagine! It drains from the MacGillicuddy Reeks mountains and if there was ever a little piece of heaven this is it. I can still hear the sound of it flowing as I look at this photo, the colours, and the way it rippled in some places and rushed in others. With the effort to flow around the rocks and moss, I could sit here all day and just look at the view. Most of all I noticed how I felt while I sat there. So calm, so peaceful and so detached from all that was going on in the world. The gift of noticing is such a powerful one. Here I could self-care to the highest order. The sun which was quite warm, even though the air temperature was chilly, just brought beauty to the day that wasn't expected. Nature in its glory, knows best, doesn't need to be prompted, blooms on time, and gives us such wonders to help us calm soothe, and heal. A memory when you observe a photo, what you were thinking, the sound, the heat the beautiful scenery, we are so fortunate in Ireland to have such beauty.

I’m sure you have heard the term ‘lightworker’ lots of times, I certainly have, long before I ever understood what it was about. Candles have always been an interest of mine, along with lots of other practices and rituals. I love the ambiance that's created in the room when I light a candle in the dusky evening; the glow just brings a beautiful, calm, and relaxed sensation. Long before I trained as a holistic practitioner and got into the understanding of candles and how they can be used appropriately, I was burning them regularly. I burn them in my treatment of clients all of the time. They are often under the well in the burner allowing the beautiful aroma of essential oils to waft through the treatment room while the client is receiving Reflexology, Reiki, or coaching. The scent is both healing and soothing. Since lockdown  I have found that quite a large number of clients booking appointments are experiencing anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. There is a candle burning on my coffee table in the living room all of the time.  The special intentions of clients and family members underneath it are handed over to the light of healing for the best possible result. I kid you not it is a very powerful ritual indeed. The handing over, I think is the key to it all. I meditate twice a day and always with a lighted candle. The new introduction of battery LED candles is a great idea. They are safe and light up a space beautifully. I use those too, but I still light the candle as well. I often wondered what it was like before electricity, and candles were used all the time for light. I am sure that the ambiance was not the most noticeable effect, but the need for light while reading and working was the greatest. We are so lucky now that we can choose to light a candle just for its beautiful relaxing effect rather than for light. In healing practices, light is a word that we hear a lot of. All of us who treat clients, channel energy or information, or indeed do a kind deed for another are all lightworkers. When I work with a very distressed client, who does not understand what has happened in his/her life, and why they feel so overwhelmed, the awareness of that new information, to me is like flicking a switch and putting on a light. The light of knowledge and empowerment is in itself a healer and it is expressed all over the face of the client. So I ask you, can you be the light so others can shine? Maybe you are already a lightworker too?

Have you noticed since you became a grown-up that you don’t laugh as much as you did when you were a child? Sometimes life gets serious and the fun and the laughter go out the window. Well, I decided on two words this year and one of them is fun. So if I am having fun I expect a lot of laughter to follow as well. Laughter brings on a rush of neurochemicals, our ‘feel gooders’ serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins and dopamine. All those chemicals have knock-on effects. They help us strengthen our immune system and keep our mental health in good shape. The world we are experiencing now is a world full of anxious people, stressed-out parents, and very angry children, I dare say very few people find it easy to cope. It is so fast-paced and demanding that is my experience anyway. So I am deliberately on the lookout for some laughter and some fun for 2024. It is an eight-year, which is all about creativity and connection to our spirituality. Creating fun is not as much of a challenge as you may think it is. The company you keep plays a huge role in fun, laughter, and happiness. Choosing wisely is a real skill. I love conversations with people who are on my wavelength, with a good sense of humour, and enjoy some fun. I want to strengthen my immune system, boost my mood, diminish pain, and reduce stress. Humour is one of my best attributes it helped me to get through lots of difficulties. Most importantly it inspires hope, lightens the load, allows your mind to take a well-earned break, and keeps you grounded and connected to those who care for you even if it is just for a short time. Have a go and see what you can do with humour, to help you brighten your dark days, it really is the best medicine.

Ask yourself this question. Are you someone who follows the crowd and always does what other people do, or do you think outside the box? It's a deep question, isn't it? Not a judgmental or critical one just a deep one! Of course, we all like to think that we are following the fashion, and are ‘on trend’ with what our friends are doing, but myself I like to think that I am not a ‘boxed-in’ thinker. While of course, it is important to be ‘in the fashion’ and ‘up to date’ I like to have something different, rather than exactly the same as everyone else. My mother encouraged us to develop our ‘creativity’. Because she was a dressmaker, she had the world at her fingertips. She made our clothes when we were children and we never had the same as anyone else. Later on, when her sight failed, and she could no longer dressmake, she would buy her clothes from the usual department stores, then come home take the buttons off, and put on a different set just so the garment was different from everyone else's! I always enjoyed seeing what she came up with she was super stylish and very creative. Has that given you some food for thought? Are you anxious about being exactly the same as everyone else? Does the thought of having to think for yourself cause you serious stress? If the answer is yes, maybe it is time to discover who you really are participate in some life coaching sessions, and be the thinker you want to be. Thoughts are very powerful, they create our reality. Change your thoughts and you can change your life, Regina x Click to find out more