In this episode we discuss how we are often really good at being kind to others, but don’t seem to think that we deserve to receive kindness from ourselves. However, MRI studies have shown that the areas in the brain that are activated when we are bullied also fire when we are unpleasant to ourselves. This triggers a stress response and all the consequences that brings!

It can feel like an either/or choice – either we are kind to others or to ourself. However it is possible to do both, to include ourselves in the beam of kindness we are showing to the world.

We discuss how we can be kinder to ourselves, and suggest that a way to start can be to ask ourselves, what would I say to a close friend if they felt like I do? And then try to be that friend to ourself.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we explore some of the reasons we might leave things to the last minute; procrastinating, having too many things to do, and feeling overwhelmed.

We discussed some strategies to make life more ease-full, ways in which we can take back some control and feel more in control. Counter-intuitively these do include slowing down! And also prioritising self-care; as we often say, it’s not the things, it’s the way in which we meet the things. That is where we have some control!

Adrienne and Lucy can be contacted through their websites:

www.presenceofmind.life (Lucy)

www.adriennekirk.uk (Adrienne)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we discuss what gets in the way of being motivated. Our inner critic can mean that we let our perfectionism get in the way of starting, or finishing something! We could be overwhelmed or burnt out rather than unmotivated. And sometimes the task might simply be something we don’t want to do.

We discuss strategies to deal with uncovering exactly what is getting in our way, so that we can work out how to manage the current situation with self-compassion. Both of us like to utilise the idea of what how my future-self feel – even future-me in a couple of hours’ time. She will probably be delighted that I stayed on-task!

Please find the link to Lucy's free mini course here: https://mindfulness.presenceofmind.life/pl/2148451850

Adrienne and Lucy can be contacted through their websites:

www.presenceofmind.life (Lucy)

www.adriennekirk.uk (Adrienne)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we explore why we feel we should put a time limit on feeling better, whether that’s after a bereavement, or the benefit we think we should experience from a holiday.

We discuss the impact of striving to be ‘fixed’ or ‘better’, rather than living with how things are right here, right now. We explore the idea that acceptance of how things really are can lead to us making the changes that we really need, not a knee-jerk reaction to the discomfort of the present.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss our personal experiences of rushing, how that feels in our bodies (not pleasant!) and the consequences of always being in a rush – being clumsy, dropping things, forgetting what we are doing, all that stuff!

It’s not all or nothing, sometimes ‘drive mode’ is very much where we need to be, rather than in ‘rest and digest' or 'soothing' mode. So really noticing when each system is activated, when they are helpful, and when we could mindfully and carefully do one thing at a time is really helpful.

We explore the benefits of noticing how rushing feels in our bodies, and how that can give us some control over the choices that we are making.

Adrienne and Lucy can be contacted through their websites:

www.presenceofmind.life (Lucy)

www.adriennekirk.uk (Adrienne)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we explore looking for validation on social media. Social media is not either ‘good’ or ‘bad’, – it really depends on how we use it.

It can be hard to find people who are like us in our social circle sometimes; particularly if we have a neurodivergence, or a rather niche hobby. That’s where social media can be super helpful – it’s a great way to connect with people who share similar experiences or interests. But, like anything, there are some downsides too. It's important to be mindful of how much we share about our personal lives and emotions, especially in public spaces, for our own safety and peace of mind.

If we feel isolated it is easy to reach out to an on-line community, which may well say something about our in-real-life connections. Building those deeper, in-person relationships can take a lot more time and effort, but they’re super important, too.

Adrienne and Lucy can be contacted via their websites

www.presenceofmind.life (Lucy)

www.adriennekirk.uk (Adrienne)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As humans, we’ve got this amazing ability to imagine the future and reflect on the past, but honestly, it doesn’t always work in our favour! We can easily spiral into thinking about all the worst-case scenarios, and before we know it, our bodies are reacting as if those things are actually happening right now.

A lot of the time, these "what-if" scenarios are shaped by past experiences, or even things we’ve seen in movies, read in books, or heard from other people. As usual, we share our own experiences of fearing the worst, and also times when difficult things have happened!

In this episode, we dive into some strategies to help calm our nervous system, so we can think more clearly and see things as they really are, instead of getting stuck in a worst-case scenario spiral.

Adrienne and Lucy can be contacted via their websites

www.presenceofmind.life (Lucy)

www.adriennekirk.uk (Adrienne)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we discuss why we don't like endings and yet life’s full of endings. Whether it’s moving to a new place, switching jobs, or something much heavier like the end of a relationship or losing someone close to us. And yet, it feels like we’re not always great at dealing with them. We tend to push those feelings aside or beat ourselves up for feeling upset when it seems like everyone else is handling things better.

But what if we let ourselves truly feel what we're feeling? What if we gave ourselves the time and space to accept those emotions instead of trying to push them away? Until we do that, it’s tough to process what we’re losing and figure out where we’re headed. It’s totally okay to grieve an ending, no matter how big or small the change might be.

Adrienne and Lucy can be contacted via their websites

www.presenceofmind.life (Lucy)

www.adriennekirk.uk (Adrienne)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.