As I’ve soaked in the spendor of Colorado's Rocky Mountains over the last week, many times I’ve thought back to this time last year when my future was mired with uncertainty. On more than one occasion I've felt like pinching myself. Not just because of the majestic...
"In an ideal world we’d all be back in the office in September," a client said to me last week, bemoaning the disruption the Delta variant has created for ‘back to office’ plans. Of course in ‘an ideal world', we’d not have had this pandemic to begin with.In an ideal...
You’re such an idiot. Seriously, when will you ever figure this out. You're just not (good-smart-together-accomplished-successful-Fill-in-the-blank) enough. You’re a lousy presenter/parent/partner/person/(fill in the blank) How often have you heard a little voice...
Growing up in the Aussie bush, my dad often teased me about being a 'bumble-foot.’ My dad is a beautiful man, but I took his words on as Gospel truth, creating a story that I was a bonafide 'non-athlete; that my legs just weren't made for running. And sure...
Last week was an exciting week in our family. My oldest son Lachlan graduated university and my youngest son Matthew graduated high school. Matt’s graduation was all the more special given that of the four graduations in our family over the last 12 months (including...
My daughter Maddy rang me last night while I was at dinner. “I’ve missed out on another summer internship,” she said, her voice flat with disappointment. This was not her first “We regret to inform you” letterand chances are, it won’t be her last. Tens of...
Today is the last Friday, of the last week of the month. I appreciate this is not particularly significant. However maybe you’ve had a bad day, or week, or month… or the entire last 12 months could be described as your ‘annus horriblis.’ Maybe you’re feeling really...
Growing up on a small farm in rural Australia, my dad – who left school at 16 and milked dairy cows for 50 years – would tell me that he saw great things for me… like one day becoming a nun (Sister Margaret Mary) in charge of a convent. By the time I was in my teens,...
The old adage that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger is a nice sentiment. Yet it's been often proven false. Some people don't rise stronger from adversity. Many are left stuck in blame or self-pity, unable to move on they live under a cloud of fear, hurt,...
“Life doesn’t happen to you, it happens for you.” This was a chapter title in my book Brave. It’s also a maxim I’ve had to remind myself of many times in recent years as my well laid plans have derailed and I’ve found myself in circumstances that were a far cry from...
For eight years Bronnie Ware worked as a palliative nurse, taking care of people in the final days of their lives. She had so many profoundly illuminating experiences that she decided to write an article that went on to become a book. The Top Five Regrets of The Dying...
“Don’t worry. Be happy.” It’s a catchy tune but it can be lousy advice. In the midst of a tough time, being told to ‘focus on the bright side’ can just make you feel worse. Sometimes life is difficult. Disappointing. Hard. Frightening....
Grit. The dictionary provides two definitions: Small loose particles of stone or sand.Courage and resolve, strength of character. Given how much our ‘courage and resolve’ is being tested right now, it’s fair to ask how we can cultivate more grit when every day feels...
There’s nothing like a global pandemic to make one step back and rethink life. So while this crisis has tilted our world on its axis, leaving many feeling ungrounded and off-kilter, it’s not all bad. A lot bad, yes. But not all. My own recent experience is a case in...
Last Friday my husband went to the doctor. He had a mild fever and occasional cough. In ordinary times, he would have just pushed through. But these are no ordinary times. He had flown into Singapore two days earlier from the United States where three of our four...
Let’s face it, sometimes life can throw us curve balls. Big ones. The devastating fires that continue to burn across large swathes of Australia are a case in point. For me, and for so many others. Two weeks ago, while visiting my parents in East Gippsland, Victoria, I...
Growing up on my parents' small dairy farm, the vision I had for my life extended little further than the back paddock. I knew there was a lot of world out there but it was just impossible to imagine all the possibilities it held. Since leaving home at 18 I’ve...
When I was in my twenties, I left what could have been a promising job (and career path) largely because I was too afraid to confront an issue that was weighing me down. It was all just too hard, too scary, too awkward. So I opted to resign instead. On my final...
It’s often said that no parent should have to bury their child; it defies the natural order of life. Yet, to bury your own child after they have been brutally murdered by their own father inflicts a primal wound on the heart beyond what most can imagine. This is the...
Growing up on a small dairy farm, one of seven kids, money was often scarce. I used to envy the city kids who’d visit our area each summer. If only my parents were rich like theirs’. If only I could have designer jeans. If only we could have a car with air-con. If...
