Since becoming a parent, and consciously noticing my triggers, I have come to realise the importance of acceptance without expectation. This is what pure unconditional love is for my children—a love that brings peace and joy, never pain or worry. It's our duty as parents to create an environment where our child can lean into their gifts and talents without concern for how it reflects on us. If they lean towards something we're also gifted in, we should let them explore it through their own genius, rather than tainting the experience with our perspective. When they trust they can explore their gifts and talents from their inner selves, they begin building the confidence needed to let go of societal expectations and overcome self-doubt.

We all have different ways to find calm and stillness. I recommend starting by asking yourself, "What do I enjoy?" Extract something healthy from that enjoyment and see how it affects your emotions, especially when feeling reactive. Some people choose to stay busy, but this doesn't necessarily help manage anxiety; it just pushes it aside. As we now know, the body keeps score. Anxiety doesn't disappear; it compounds and eventually catches up with us. It's better to find a way to manage it so that it can coexist with us as we lead as normal a life as possible.

“Neoteny,” meaning the retention of immature qualities into adulthood.

Every parent has a long to-do list. Among our adult responsibilities we also have numerous duties in relation to our children. This list can vary depending on the child's age, health, or the presence of siblings. Do most parents consider play as an important aspect to their wellbeing? I’d wager a majority would answer ‘no’. We tend to do things we need to do, like getting our children outside to play out of necessity for their health, rather than thinking, “I’m going to the park to play with them,” or maybe it’s just me?

Reflecting on my childhood, I realised I don't recall my parents engaging in 'immature' play with me. I remember fairs, parks, and horse-riding, but the participants were always other children.

…….Social media presents a deep, dark hole for many parents, encouraging dangerous comparisons that erode acceptance. From conception through childbirth, we know only love and acceptance for our children. Yet, as we and our children engage with the wider world, we start making decisions based on others. This competitive and comparison-driven norm is so ingrained that we don't realise the dangerous message it sends to our children. It shifts the focus from belonging to merely fitting in—terms that are interchangeably used yet bear such different meaning. Fitting-in; looking for approval outward. Belonging; looking for approval inward.

Who doesn’t crave a bit of certainty when it comes to careers, love, purpose, and the future? I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t appreciate even a smidge of predictability. It helps us plan our day, week, month, and year. Truly, I get it. Knowing what's coming is essential for making plans and adjusting accordingly. Having said that, the constant pressure to have everything “figured out” doesn’t exactly bring peace of mind—it breeds anxiety, self-doubt, and perfectionism.

Our brains, thanks to evolution, are designed to find patterns and predict the future. We often borrow these patterns from past experiences, which is helpful at times, but not so much when we start ruminating. This mechanism, while beneficial, can spiral out of control when hijacked by uncertainty, leading to chronic worry and distress. We tend to forget that the only truly certain time we have is the present.

Let me share my rollercoaster relationship with certainty and uncertainty. My first pregnancy was a breeze. From conc

Gratitude has become my go-to ritual at the end of the day. Whether it’s jotting down three awesome moments, celebrating how I connected with my kids, or appreciating how they got along and embraced our family values, it’s all about highlighting the little wins. It’s so easy to get sucked into what’s not working, that sight of what is going well is lost. Neurologically, we cannot be judgmental with ourselves about this — it is the evolutionary burden we all carry where our amygdala (the part involved in emotional processing), responds strongly to negative stimuli, leading to a heightened focus on negative experiences. It’s like having an internal alarm system that loves to spotlight the negative stuff. Knowing this can actually be empowering. When we mix in a bit of

Ah, the universal human experience: life's ups and downs. We toss around that phrase like confetti at a parade, offering each other a sprinkle of comfort and recognition. Yet, even when facing the same challenges, our resilience is as unique as our fingerprints, shaped by our upbringing and those rare moments when life decides to be a bit more generous.

In adulthood, perfectionism manifests in various ways. It affects how we look, speak, act and people-please, as well as our achievements, like career success, sports, material wealth, and even our health comparisons. Perfectionism is the deeply ingrained belief that if we look and act perfectly, we can avoid the pain of blame, judgment, and shame.

For example, in the workplace, creativity is stunted because people stick to certain strategies to avoid blame, even if they could improve them.

In today's world, the terms "authentic" and "authenticity" are often overused, sometimes losing their true meaning. Rarely do we pause to consider the intricacies of these words. Often, when people share rigid opinions, they are perceived as authentic. I like to ask myself: what's beneath that opinion? What's driving it? What makes it feel so unyielding and resistant to a broader perspective or exploration?

In my quest to understand authenticity, I've realised it largely depends on how much of yourself you're willing to accept. How much of

….As a parent, my greatest wish is for my children to grow into wholehearted individuals—people who feel loved and know they belong as they are, in every space and walk of life. I recognise that much of this begins with me, even before they face the world's resistance from those who might not understand or agree with my definition of love and belonging.

On my previous post, I explored love and what it means for me, particularly with the most commonly known concepts of love i.e. the languages. I have established that love is spiritual, something that can be inherently felt for another as you feel for yourself. It’s built through connection

Love. What an enigmatic noun. It might seem like a universal concept, yet it's expressed uniquely by each of us. While many might assume it has a singular meaning, the reality is that…..

……….living a wholehearted life involves acting from a place of worthiness by practicing courage, connection, and compassion. I’m totally on board with this, so much so that I can’t imagine including vulnerability in my life, especially as a parent, without the trio of courage, compassion, and connection to our shared humanity.

….Before engaging with this book, the concept of wholehearted living was foreign to me. I didn’t know what it meant to live my life from a standpoint of worthiness, where each day begins and ends with this recognition. I recall placing overwhelming pressure on myself after my first child's birth—to maintain a spotless home

………..Reflecting later that day, I was reminded of my previous post on presence. Children explore the world with fresh eyes, noticing things we adults often overlook……………….

Have you ever reacted to your child in a certain way without much thought, only to have a similar situation recur weeks or months later, but with a more subdued and understanding response? It's a scenario where your reaction surprises both your child and you. This happened to me today!

I gave Az a…..

…….. As any new parent will tell you, waking up to a to-do list a mile long is common, sometimes even before breakfast. This overwhelm can chip away at your confidence as you roll out of bed. Or, perhaps, sleep was elusive with a little one demanding feeds every 2–3 hours, just as you're dozing off. Single tasking becomes essential

....a client posed an intriguing question, prompting both introspection and consideration of their unique situation. The dialogue went as follows:

"My partner had been away for a week following an argument......

It’s been a little over a week since I shared my hot chocolate debacle. When it comes to parenting, I always remind myself of one key thing without fail: BE PRESENT.

I love being present in their moment, whether they are playing harmoniously or starring in the latest episode of "Sibling Smackdown." Listening to them allows me a sneak peek into their little worlds, helping me understand how they navigate new experiences and dev....

I have been challenged today.

Right, hot chocolate made, book picked, we’re all sitting down. We are getting ready for bed. Two of us were, one, not so much.