Take Ten - Self-Compassion

View video:

Take Ten - Self-Compassion

How well we know and treat ourselves is central to our well-being. Author, Brene Brown says, “Loving ourselves through the process of owning our own story is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.”

TABLEtalk - Creating your own Coat of Arms

A slightly belated post entry about our TABLEtalk evening last week.  In recognition of St George's Day we talked about heraldry and some of the significance and meaning behind symbols used on shields and coats of arms. As part of our evening together we created our own coat of arms. Once again some deep thought and wonderful creativity from our students and helpers ...

Pauline's shield featured elements of faith, family and the dog is representative of loyalty and faithfulness (as someone who has known Pauline for over 30 years I can testify to her loyalty as a friend).

Ugochi's shield contained the image of a shield and an arrow, denoting a desire for excellence and perfection; along with an eagle signifying perseverance and a rising above challenges. The cross and her motto translates as 'In God I Trust' shows the importance of her faith.

Nefeli's shield was simple and uncluttered but, as always, profound. The two hearts forming a kind of infiniti symbol reveal sympathy and a desire to connect deeply with people. The light bulb above the box depicts creativity and a willingness to approach issues in unique ways. The happy mask shows a desire to laugh and enjoy life.

The five images on Dominika's shield speak of (from top left) kindness, family, knowledge, nature and mindfulness; along with the lovely motto 'Be happy in the moment'.

Joy's three symbols depict (1) a bird denoting freedom, (2) a rabbit meaning boundless energy and (3) a ship showing strength to plough through difficult seas.

Kirsten's shield is made up of an anchor, candle, fish and heart, all indicative of her Christian faith and trust in God. The mountain is symbolic of her Welsh roots and denote dependability. The bee shows hard-work and diligence. Then finally the forget-me-not flowers stand for faithfulness in relationships. (Thanks Kirsten for your faithfulness as a friend).

Aiste and Basel have done this exercise before, but this is the first time since their marriage, so it was lovely to see a newly created coat of arms 💖 The olives represent Basel's homeland of Jordan and the oak branch Aiste's home, Lithuania. The hands holding the world are about travel. The Arabic writing says alhamdulillah - Praise God or Thank God.

Thought for the week ...

Take Ten - Creativity & Innovation

View video:

Take Ten - Creativity & Innovation

Today we blend two strands: (1) April is Stress Awareness Month and (2) April 21st is the UN World Day of Creativity & Innovation. I wonder what you think it means to be creative? I wonder if the words, "I'm really not creative" have ever escaped your lips?

Thought for the week ...

Take Ten - Five Ways to Well-Being

View Video:

Take Ten - Five Ways to Well-Being

In recognition of April as Stress Awareness Month I want to talk about the Five Ways to Well-Being, which were originally researched and developed by the New Economics Foundation in 2008, but have since been adopted by numerous mental health charities and foundations around the globe.

The Five Ways to Well-Being are:

Connect, Keep Learning, Be Active,

Give and Take Notice

Thought for the week ...