December is the twelfth and final month of the year and comes from the word decem, meaning ten as it was originally the tenth month of the year in the old Roman calendar. Given that it is the last month of the year, I thought this would be a good opportunity to get you ready for next year. It’s a chance to set some goals. These can come in the form of New Year’s resolutions if you like. I hope you achieved those resolutions you set yourself for this year. …

April is the fourth month of the year and may have been named after the goddess Aphrodite. Celebrated this month are World Creativity Week, World Health Day and International Dance Day.
This month I will consider how everybody can be creative and how using your creativity skills can be a great mood booster. In recognition of World Health Day, I will provide ideas to help you look after your own mental and physical health. Related to both your creativity and your health, I will encourage you to take advantage of International …

Have you ever felt lonely? It doesn’t feel so good does it? You feel separated from others both physically and mentally. Because you do not have to be alone to feel lonely. You can be surrounded by others, yet anything they say or do does not matter. It’s like they’ve ceased to exist. If your loneliness continues for just a little while you can end up feeling helpless, isolated and despairing. It is easy to start to believe that you will always feel this way, believing you have no control …

Earlier this year, there was some research published which found a link between passive work and an inactive social life. Men who did work that involved little stress and little control were more likely to be have less active leisure activities compared to those whose work was more active.

Download my eBook 50 Ways to Increase Your Happiness.
If you want some ideas to help you live a productive, happier life, then take a look at this book. It is broken down into ten different sections and each section has tips you can apply to your life. Small changes can make a huge difference to your wellbeing.
There’s always a lot to say when it comes to happiness. However, for this eBook I have considered the following topics:
Goals
Change
Work and Leisure
Stress and Relaxation
Talents and Strengths
Generosity
Thinking
Learning
Liking Yourself
Healthy living
I hope you find something of …

If you want to make time for a particular project or activity, then you will need to make an important decision. What are you going to stop doing? Because you are always doing something (even staring at the walls is something, it’s just not that productive). So you must decide what you are going to do less of or give up altogether in order to make time for your new plans.

Do your goals tend to be around specific areas? Perhaps you focus more on career, but neglect your emotional wellbeing. Take the time to consider different areas of your life and set yourself achievable goals for each. Areas you might want to include are: career goals, financial goals, personal growth, education, leisure, family, relationship goals, health, spiritual and social.

If you have a large goal that you want to achieve, don’t keep it to yourself. Choose a select number of people and let them know your plans. Now you have said your goal out loud, so you have to do it right? Offer them regular updates on your progress and use their support for motivation.

Have you challenged yourself lately? Whether it is mentally, or physically, setting then going for a challenge can be very energising. You have something new to focus on that engages you for the duration of the challenge. Set a deadline for your challenge and make sure to schedule time for it so you don’t let it drift.

Struggling with a goal, lacking the necessary motivation to see you through to the end? Then try some imagery. Close your eyes and imagine yourself performing the task. Bring to life how good it feels to be working on your goal. Keep going until you really feel energised. Then go do it!