Imposter syndrome wields enormous power when you aren't clear on your successes or proven abilities. It presents you with flawed evidence when taken at face value. Left unchecked, it can leave you paralysed, unable to progress and depriving the world of all you have to give. No more. It's time

I suffered terribly from phone anxiety when I was younger. * my dad had to phone pretending to be me to arrange an interview for my Saturday job * I wrote convoluted "what-if?" scripts before making a call, feeling that I needed to be prepared for every eventuality * I would repeatedly dial

My inner critic had created a suffocatingly negative view of the world for me. My world became smaller. Every question was an attempt to find me out as a fraud. I would be filled with self-doubt and avoid new opportunities. Three things helped me break free and start to discover

I've always found it difficult to accept compliments or gratitude from people. I would often reject, deflect or downplay it as I would feel uncomfortable with the attention or praise. My typical responses would look like this: * Nice meal: "Oh, it wasn't quite how I wanted it to turn out"

Sharing a mental health story can be powerful, but it's important to consider the reasons behind it first.

I have fears of negative judgement when writing online. When this happens, I have one phrase I use that gives me confidence to publish.

People look to leaders and are quick to see what is expected through the actions around them. What influence are you exerting without realising?

Journalling using morning pages can help you to expose and manage your negative thoughts

Perfectionism can hold us back. It's not about quality but about fear.

In June 2019, I broke down in tears in the middle of a management team meeting during a peer feedback discussion. I struggled for years with depression and anxiety, without knowing or having a diagnosis. Despite being successful, I had a deeply negative self-image and viewed my world through that

As we approach the end of 2021, these are the most read articles on this blog and my thinking behind them.

In these challenging times, it's important to talk about how we are feeling. How do we do this, especially when we may be working remotely?

My dad was a remarkable man and, in this article, I reflect on three of the lessons he left me with while I was growing up.

I've not been writing for almost a month. I've noticed the re-emergence of a word that is not helping me at all when it comes to writing or life more generally. That word is "should".

Mental health isn't a desination in itself. It's part of a winding road through life. There will be highs and lows, struggles and triumphs. Talking about mental health helps to equip us for this journey and to thrive.

Taking a break is important. But email out-of-office messages often invite contact even when we are away.

The 1999 film, The Matrix reminds me that our reality is shaped by our beliefs about ourselves. We have a choice, but we may need help to uncover this. The Matrix and making a choice > This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the

In this post I share a poem I wrote about some of my experience with depression and dreams of escaping to a new life.

With the world opening up, I've felt uncertain about returning to "normal" life. I recently participated in an in-person webinar which caused me to re-think.

My phone is a constant distraction and here are 5 steps I've taken to help me reduce my use and tame my phone.

While on holiday in North Devon I re-connected with the outdoors and was reminded about how great exercise is for my well-being.

My coronavirus lockdown version of Lou Read's Perfect Day.

My inner critic and a feeling of imposter syndrome has dominated so many aspects of my life for many years. This started to change once I sought help for my struggles with depression and anxiety. For example, my inner critic has: * regularly woken me at night in a panic with