Emotional resilience is not a trait you're born with; it's a skill that can be developed and strengthened over time. By practising self-awareness, positive thinking, problem-solving, and seeking support when needed, you can build emotional resilience that will serve you well in all aspects of life.

It's not easy to break the people-pleasing habit, especially if it's something you've been conditioned to do since childhood. People probably know you as the person to ask for help as they know you'll always say yes. So, what can you do to gently start backing away and making more time for yourself? In this blog, I list my five top tips for overcoming the people-pleasing habit.

You listen to yourself all day long. Imagine that you are constantly hypnotising yourself because that's what's happening. You can either encourage yourself and build yourself up or you can knock yourself down and eventually fail, just because you have convinced yourself that it's a fact. Is it time to start making some changes and turn that inner critic into a cheerleader?

During times of stress (such as a global pandemic and social isolation for example 😉) we often find it much harder to put in the time and effort really needed to truly look after ourselves and our mental health. Your usual routine may have gone to pot and you may be feeling less than happy right now.

Practising gratitude really works for me when I am feeling a bit fed up and focusing on all the negative things and I know it works for my clients, too. It is easy to get into that downward spiral when things aren’t going to plan or you’re feeling a bit low. However, focusing on your problems really doesn’t help. Instead, you need to turn those thoughts to all the many positive aspects of your life. Simply focusing on the positives breaks that pattern.

Make a list of all that negative clutter. What is worrying you? What is making you anxious? Split that list into two; things you can change and things you can't. If you have no control over it, there is no point in worrying. Read more about clearing your mind of worries in this blog post.

This is a short relaxation exercise that will take just a few minutes of your time. Remember while you do this that it is perfectly natural for your thoughts to wander. The important thing is not to get frustrated or angry at yourself or your thoughts. Just accept that your mind is doing its job, congratulate yourself for noticing and then bring your focus back to your body.

There is an ancient Chinese parable about an old man who knew he would die soon. He wanted to know what heaven and hell were like. He visited a wise man in his village.