Towards Life

22/07/2025

"Take time to drink your tea" - a calligraphy by Thich Nhat Hanh

Please enjoy this extract from his book, "Answers From the Heart":

"Happiness is possible when you are capable of doing the things and being the things that you want to do and to be. When we walk for the sake of walking, when we sit for the sake of sitting, when we drink tea for the sake of drinking tea, we don’t do it for something or someone else. These things can be very enjoyable. That is the practice of aimlessness. While you do that, you heal yourself and you help heal the world. Awakening means to see that truth—that you want to know how to enjoy, how to live deeply, in a very simple way. You don’t want to waste your time anymore. Cherish the time that you are given."

21/07/2025

The inspirational Louise Hay! How will you shape your later years to be a treasure trove?

A month before her passing in 2017, Louise L. Hay wrote something that still resonates deeply:

“I’ll be turning 90 this Saturday. My younger years were filled with fear, but now my days are filled with trust and confidence.

My life didn’t really start to make sense until my mid-40s. At 50, I began writing—on a very small scale. My first year, I earned just \$42. At 55, I ventured into the world of computers, which terrified me, but I took classes and overcame my fears. Today, I own three computers and travel everywhere with my iPad and iPhone. At 60, I planted my first garden. Around that time, I joined kids’ art classes and started painting. In my 70s and 80s, I became even more creative, and my life just kept getting richer and more fulfilling.

I still write, give talks, and teach by example. I’m always reading, learning, and growing. I run a successful publishing company and two nonprofits. I’m an avid organic gardener and grow most of my own food. I love people and parties, have many loving friends, and have traveled the world. I still paint and take classes. My life has become a treasure trove of experiences.

I want to encourage you to consciously shape your later years and realize that they can be the most rewarding chapter of your life. Your future is always bright, no matter your age. Let these years become your treasure years.”

With love,
Louise Hay

20/07/2025

The past is a place to learn from, not to live in

Image: https://www.instagram.com/robdanceofficial

07/07/2025

You are not a burden,
you are not a waste of space;
there is only one of you
and nobody can ever take your place.

05/07/2025

“After the storm, don’t rush the calm.
Let it come, slowly. Gently. With grace.”

Interesting read.

"The hardest part comes after."
— Princess Kate of Wales

In her quiet yet powerful words, Princess Kate once opened up about something many don’t talk about:
“You put on a brave face during treatment, but the real struggle begins after.”

She was speaking about her experience with chemotherapy—a journey that doesn’t end when the last session does.

Because once the treatments stop…
The world expects you to bounce back.
To smile.
To “go back to normal.”
But the truth is, that “normal” no longer exists.

What follows is a deep emotional rollercoaster:
The medical team is no longer by your side every day.
The adrenaline of survival fades.
The exhaustion lingers.
And you’re left navigating a new version of yourself—physically, emotionally, mentally.

“It’s a much harder process than I ever imagined,” she said.

This isn’t just a story of resilience.
It’s a reminder: healing takes time.
Not just the body—but the soul.
So if you—or someone you love—is in that space after the storm, don’t rush the calm.
Let it come, slowly. Gently. With grace.

And above all, don’t expect to be who you were before.
You’re becoming someone even stronger.

28/06/2025

Yes, this is what I do, and what a privilege it is to do it!

[Picture credit unknown]

13/06/2025

Who can you be that light for today?

12/06/2025

How to create positive change:

1. Take notice of the small things
2. Pause and wonder
3. Allow yourself to feel gratitude and joy
4. Do this more and more ofen, and soon you’ll find your levels of happiness are higher. 🪷

11/06/2025

📚 Door Slams, Wails and Wi-Fi: Surviving Exam Season in the Age of Anxiety 📱💥�New on the Cocoon blog – and it's one a lot of parents might feel in their bones right now.

From the wails behind closed doors to the pressure-cooker vibe across the whole house… is it just exam season, or something bigger?

👉 Head to the Cocoon blog to read the full post.�

https://cocoon.me.uk/metamorphosis/door-slams-wails-and-wi-fi-surviving-exam-season-in-the-age-of-anxiety/

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Is it different now? Are we helping – or making it worse?

11/06/2025

Words from my book The Strength That Stays 🌹

10/06/2025