Feeling sad when everyone else is happy?

Sadness often goes hand-in-hand with loneliness. You can feel lonely in an unhappy relationship, family or city. Humans are tribal by nature so loneliness is the hardest of conditions. I experienced loneliness as a widow in my 40s. With two children life was very busy but inside I had an aching loneliness. I count my blessings that I fell in love again and my husband came with a large, boisterous and loving family.

Over Christmas and the New Year festivities many of us have enjoyed time with friends and family – even if there were some irritations along the way. Sadly many have spent this time alone. Or a person who normally lives alone, who has spent time with people, is now faced with going home to a lonely life. How daunting is that? read more

Smile at the world

My mum always used to say to me;

“Smile at the world and it will smile back at you.”

It was a good thought to send me to school with and one I particularly remember today. When you are open and feel happy, you radiate such a lovely positive energy people will respond to you without even thinking.

Don’t believe me?

Give my suggestion a try. Spend today smiling at people – walking down the street, in the queue at the supermarket, in the park, at the office. Wherever you come across a stranger, smile at them. Make it a lovely big smile rather than a shy grimace. read more

Families who eat together stay together

Its is Spring Bank Holiday in the UK so it seemed right to talk about families and how we can improve the time we spend together. My observation is there are many benefits from families who eat together.

In our busy 21st century lives, there is a trend towards families eating their meals from trays watching TV rather than sitting to a table and facing each other.  Likewise teenagers, if allowed, will take their food and eat in their bedrooms.

Eating a meal at a table together as a family strengthens the family bond.  Over the meal conversation will flow backwards and forwards between parents, between parents and children.  By sharing their day’s news, family members are more involved with each others lives.  This gives opportunities to support one another and for parents to guide a child. read more

Woman to Woman

I received the following from Menaca Joji, a friend and colleague who has written guest articles for Your Soul Family’s Life and Living blog. She received it from her Mum who lives in Sri Lanka. We both loved it. We do not know who wrote it so I am afraid I am unable to credit them. However we have followed their request to share it. We are very grateful for being reminded of all that is good in our lives.

Someone will always be prettier.

Someone will always be smarter.

Someone’s house will be bigger. read more