As I write, it’s day fifty-one of not seeing any other humans. And, just in case you’re reading from the future, I should stress that that’s not purely by choice. We’re in lockdown to avoid spreading a deadly disease. During lockdown, I’ve experienced many feelings. I’ve been through the ups and downs, the spurts of […]
Category: Brains
What Your Low Mood May Be Telling You
[this article was originally written for Puttylike] Have you ever entered the doldrums? Not the literal doldrums—the tedious places at sea where winds are few and sailors struggled to escape. I mean those times in life when nothing at all feels interesting. During these times, I listlessly ignore that stack of books waiting to be […]
Making Good Choices
[this article was originally written for Puttylike] Making good choices is hard. In fact, there’s only one thing I hate more than not having any choice, and that’s having to make one at all. I feel trapped when I have too few options, and overwhelmed when I have too many. Why are choices so difficult?
How to Tolerate Uncertainty When Waiting
[this article was originally written for Puttylike] Ding. You’ve Got Mail. Later, you will think, “I really ought to turn off that notification. It’s not 1997.” But right now, other things are on your mind. Your throat is tight, your heart is thumping, and you’re nervously staring at that bold subject line which has appeared […]
A Simple Trick to Sidestep Self-Criticism
[this article was originally written for Puttylike] Sometimes I’m ashamed to share my work. You might think that’s understandable (particularly if you’ve been exposed to many of my posts before!) but this isn’t just a healthy sense of shame at my evident limitations. Often, it’s fear of my own unoriginality. That inner voice of shame […]
Self-Esteem, Self-Confidence and Anxiety
Just something I’ve been thinking about…
How to Change Your Life with One Small Move
[This post was originally written for puttylike.com] Recently, the principles of Feng Shui—an ancient Chinese art which advocates a system of placement within a space to harmonise various energies—became incredibly important to me. (By sheer coincidence, there was an unpleasant job I didn’t want to do, and spending the afternoon rearranging my office seemed preferable.) After some […]
A Simple Idea to Help With Repetitive Anxiety
[content: a quick tip for repetitive anxiety] In the past, I’d regularly get trapped in the exact same worry over and over. Often, it would be health anxiety. For example, I’d experience a symptom of some kind. And I’d immediately imagine that this symptom was coming from the worst possible cause. Perhaps a pain would […]
How to Recover After a Setback
[This post was originally written for puttylike.com] This year I’ve experienced a constant stream of setbacks, of varying degrees of seriousness: minor administrative life hassle, major family tragedy, missed career opportunities, painful emotional entanglements, idiotic breakages, unexpected financial demands. At times, it’s felt as if the universe was sending me regular doses of deliberate punishment. […]
You Probably Need to Do This One Thing More Often
[This post was originally written for puttylike.com] Do your attempts to be kind to yourself ever backfire? I’ve noticed lately that my moments of self-generosity are occasionally actively unhelpful to me: “Fine, I’ll watch another episode.” “I’ve worked hard, I don’t need to exercise today.” “If I eat a second dessert… then I can free […]