Burnout. It’s a modern concept, by all accounts, but it’s been going on since forever. We work to hard. We get too ambitious with our time. We say ‘yes’ to one too many things. We try to be there for too many people. We don’t sleep, eat, or drink consciously. We crumble. We burnout.

Most of the time, before we realise we are burning out, we have been burning out for longer than we should have been. We are running on an empty tank. I do it often. I wish I could tell you how to notice this looming personal collapse before it begins, but I don’t know how. I do, however, know how to notice it mid-burn… and one day, I will learn to act on it sooner rather than later.

So, wondering if you are in need of a rest? Here are some of the starkest of burnout signposts.

1.     The Patience of a Hungry Dog

I have kids, so I’m very familiar with this one. You snap over every little thing. Minor issues that would otherwise be almost imperceptible become huge problems. This low tolerance for any irritant is a fairly clear sign that your brain is overflowing in some way.

A short-term solve, if you have the capacity, is to stop before you react and reflect on whether the situation warrants the reaction (it rarely does). Breathwork and regular walks also help.

2.     Tired After Rest

Ever woken up after a long night’s sleep and felt just as, maybe even more tired than you did the night before? Chronic fatigue despite sleep often means emotional or mental exhaustion. Sleep is a big part of rest, of course, but this situation is a sign that your brain is craving more than sleep. It may be craving joy, or exercise, or creativity.

3.     Overwhelm

Life is always busy. But when you are burnt out, everything, big and small, feels like too much. All the little things that need addressing pile up, and it feels impossible to contemplate how all of them might be seen to. There are a number of solutions to this. In the short term, it is helpful to prioritise only what needs to be done and to put the rest on hold. Complete a small number of ‘active’ tasks before you take anything else off the ‘to-do shelf’.

4.     Disconnection

When burnt out, you tend not to find time for others, and certainly not for yourself. You become distant, not just physically, but emotionally too. The things that normally bring you comfort or laughter feel dull, and conversations begin to feel like a huge effort instead of a worthwhile connection. You start living in your head instead of in your life.

When you notice this, try returning to small things that ground you. Watering your plants, perhaps? Standing barefoot outside, making eye contact with someone you love. It doesn’t need to be big. You’re not trying to fix it, you’re just making space for presence again.

5.     You’ve Forgotten What Brings You Joy

Joy is often the first thing to go and the last thing we reach for when we’re overwhelmed. You may find yourself going through the motions, eating food you don’t taste, listening to music without hearing it, being in places you used to love but feeling nothing. The colours get muted.

Start with something tiny. Rewatch a movie you loved years ago. Pick up a pen and doodle. Hum a song while you make toast. You don’t need to “feel better” right away. You’re just reminding your nervous system what joy sounds like, smells like, feels like. You’re leaving a trail of breadcrumbs back to yourself.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post 5 Signs You’re Running on Empty (And What to Do About It) appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

My brain seems to get bored easily. I imagine many of us are like this. The way that I keep my enthusiasm, energy, and productivity alive is, fortunately for me, a byproduct of my chosen professionals. I am a freelancer. A writer, musician, actor, and general odd-job man for my wife’s business. This means that my brain is forever engaging with ‘the new’. New skills, places, people, routines, projects and challenges. That said, I still get stuck in ruts. I become frustrated and demotivated if I do not have something new to engage with. I grind to a mental halt if I am not discovering something new.

Our brains thrive on novelty. When we engage in fresh experiences, we activate curiosity, boost creativity, and ultimately improve focus. Discovery of the new may be the key to your exit from a stagnant place. It could be a new hobby. Perhaps you might want to try a class or a group (I work with an improvisation troupe, for example. They are all professionals dabbling in a courageous skill. They discover something new every single time they meet!). It might even be as simple as diving into a well-written book. Whatever form it takes, discovery is positive. These are some of the reasons why and ideas about where you might find discovery in your everyday.

1.     Novelty = Focus

As touched upon above, our brains like discovering things. They are wired to crave new experiences and lessons. When we try something unfamiliar we wake up dormant parts of the brain and produce dopamine. This response keeps your brain awake. Alive to the world. In a state of engagement and observation.

2.     Small Changes, Big Change

The discoveries need only be small for this mental alertness to awaken. A new workspace, perhaps, with a different view? An alternative commute. Maybe changing the way in which you start your day or switching up your morning routine can refresh your mind. Only little shifts, true, but the resulting engagement will keep your brain more alert and ready to create.

3.     Switching Off in Nature

Spending time outside is one of the most effective ways to stimulate fresh thinking. However, there is a caveat. Try to coincide such occasions with a switch-off from your technology. Letting the mind wander when taking in the outdoors helps to bring mental clarity. Whether walking through a town, city, field, or forest, the discovery of details in the world around you encourages your brain to access different areas and ways of thinking. My brain often solves problems I thought were complex with relative ease after a while spent in the open.

4.     Learning for Focus as Opposed to Knowledge

Of course, learning in itself is the process of obtaining knowledge. However, using learning as a focus exercise is a good way to pull the mind away from spiralling thoughts and aim it more specifically.

Try picking up a book about something outside your industry. Try going to a workshop, or attempting a creative skill like painting or learning an instrument. The brain practices adaptability, and therefore, gets better at it. It’s also great for improving attention span and information retention.

5.     A Good Habit

The key to maintaining focus through novelty is to make discovering the new a habit. Set a goal to try one new thing each week (or month, if a week seems like too much. That new thing could be a new podcast, a different coffee order, or an unfamiliar workout. By intentionally seeking out small changes, you train your brain to stay curious and engaged, ultimately leading to better focus in all areas of life. So, step outside your routine, try something new, and watch your focus flourish.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post The Power of Trying Something New: Discovering to Enhance Focus appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

I spent so many years refusing to think of New Year as a marker of any kind. Years are arbitrary. We invented them. Why should the end of one year and the beginning of another feel like the end of a chapter and the beginning of another? Why can’t we just let time be time, and keep running along the treadmill without rest?

I don’t feel like that now. Perhaps it’s because I’m so busy and often overwhelmed, that time to reflect, take stock and realign targets is so much rarer now. Before my work became busier and more stressful, and before I had kids, I was free to spend a whole weekend in my own head, thinking about what personal wellbeing projects I wanted to undertake, and what goals I wanted to hit.

The thing is, we can’t make a plan at the beginning of adulthood and run with it for countless years without checking in with ourselves. A year is a good, digestible chunk of time. Almost bitesize. It makes the ambitions of life feel a bit less daunting. Checking in at the end of the year is a perfect opportunity to look at yourself. To consider where you are going and how you are doing. New year is now a time when I can reap the benefits of having stopped for a while.

This is why I always try to have quiet days between Christmas and New Year. To ensure that I have found time to clear out my brain so that I can launch into the new year with some fresh clarity and drive.

1.     Clear Out Old Ambitions

I kind of deal with last year’s targets like I deal with old clothes in my wardrobe. I look at things I’d like to look good in, or fit into, and think, ‘No, no. I will wear that one day.’ If a year has gone by, and that jumper has still yet to be worn, I think, perhaps, it might be time to say goodbye to it.

Consider the big plans you had for the year just gone. Think about the ones you didn’t quite manage. Are they plans you still want to follow through on, or have times changed? Don’t cling on to goals for the sake of it. Consider whether you actually still want to reach for them.

2.     Find Some Brain Space

Clearing out your mental clutter requires some mental space. Some quiet, away from devices and screens. Go for a walk. Take a nap. Stare at the crackling flames in the fireplace. Let yourself sort through the debris in your brain left over from a year of doing without stopping.

3.     Address Mental Resolution Goals

Are there mental health obstacles in the way of you feeling freer, more relaxed, happier? Happier people are better placed to lead the productive lives they wish to lead. So, look inside yourself. Is there work you could be doing on your fears, habits, behaviours and tendencies in order to unlock the life that you want to lead? If there are, perhaps it’s worth making a plan for that.

4.     Don’t Make Too Many New Resolutions

Resolutions are notorious for going unresolved. Two weeks into the new year and you have already fallen off your gym schedule, had three takeaways, scrolled on your phone every night in bed, neglected to carry on getting up early enough to make a decent breakfast, etc. etc. etc.

Why? Well, one reason is because often, we promise ourselves we are going to improve in fifteen different ways. It’s too much. One does not become a different person overnight. A few resolutions are fine. Make some headway with those, and maybe you can add a few more in March.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Clear the Decks (Mentally) for 2025 appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

My brain fogs quite a lot. My job, being writing, is ‘creative-brain-heavy’. It relies on imagination, non-finite solutions, research, and clarity of communication. Therefore, unsurprisingly, my brain often turns to mush, and I struggle to advance in whatever I’m writing.

I find this very frustrating. Brain fog grinds my day to a halt and not only means that work doesn’t progress, but that feelings of stress, frustration, and anxiety become part of my day.

It is because of this that I have had to come up with various ways to de-fog my brain. I don’t doubt that I am not the only one this happens to. I also know that different things work for different people. However, if you are looking for a few new fog-clearing techniques, perhaps some of mine will be useful to you.

1.     Switch Projects

I am never without multiple projects. On top of that, each project will be in a different voice, on a different subject, or for a different purpose. If I am wiring something and come up to a block, it is only worth me trying to push through it for so long before I am simply wasting time. I may as well use that time on a project in which I can move forward more easily than frustratedly stare at a blank page waiting for a problem to solve itself. I switch projects. And most of the time, when I eventually come back to project one, what seemed elusive now, miraculously, seems easy.

2.     Eat. Drink.

So often I find my brain turning to mush, and don’t contemplate the possibility that, perhaps, I just need some more fuel. A snack. Something with protein or sugar. A drink. Perhaps with caffeine. But often hydration is just the ticket. It seems obvious, but its worth checking whether you are sufficiently sated if you are struggling to think.

3.     Entertain Yourself

It often helps me to do something that entertains me. Something that puts my mind in a happy or inspired place. Maybe, if my project is a comedy project, I’ll watch a bit of a funny movie or an episode of a sitcom. Maybe, as I am now, if I’m writing a children’s book, I will actually read a few chapters of a children’s book. Not only do I enjoy these things, but they sometimes spark some fresh ideas about what I am working on.

4.     Disengage the Foggy Portion

Writing, in my case, or whatever it is you are stuck on, uses only a particular part of the brain. Go and do something that engages a different bit of your mind. Going for a walk will do that. Doing chores will do that. Exercise will do that.

5.     Consider When Your Brain Works Best

Some people are great at working late at night. I know that my concentration is at its very best first thing in the morning. If there is a task that I’m really stuck on, I will likely leave it and come back to it first thing the next day. The same task will often take me a third of the time at 6 am than it would at 8 pm. So really try to be conscious of when your brain works at its most efficient and try to plan difficult tasks accordingly.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Best ‘Brain Fog’ Busters appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Your mood can be lifted at any time of year. If you are feeling down in winter, perhaps it cheers you to be conscious of a comforting crackling fire or a hot bowl of broth. Perhaps resilience comes to you in the Autumn by jumping into a huge pile of freshly fallen leaves. Or perhaps, in spring, it is the sound of the birds in the morning that backs up your wellbeing.

Every season has its virtues, and summer is no different. Yes, even when the sun is out, it is possible to feel dreary. If such a mood has befallen you, here are some summery things that may help you to feel as bright as the season itself.

1.     Be in Nature

Often we get down because there is too much going on in our heads. Too much to deal with, too many little things to remember, too much to be distracted by. Take yourself out into the world and away to somewhere that is not in the vicinity of your daily life nor in reach of any of your material detractions. Find a park, a wood, a green… or even the end of your own garden. Then find yourself a patch of grass to sit on, or a tree to sit under. Get comfortable, close your eyes, listen to your breath and then let your senses enjoy the nature around you… the sound of birds tweeting, of wind moving through the trees. Feel the glare of the sun on your skin and the grass between your toes.

2.     Wander and Indulge

A walk is always a good way to clear your head and mull over and untangle things getting stuck in your brain. However, what makes this even better is something that is in abundance in the Summer, ice cream. My local park has a café in it that serves wonderful Italian ice cream, and this has lifted my spirit on many a lockdown walk during the last year.

3.     Paddle

Paddling pools may be aimed at kids, but that isn’t to say that they are fantastic for adults too. Imagine, you are feeling down, you are all hot and bothered, it’s been a long day. Here’s what you do, you crack a paddling pool out in the garden and fill it up with cool clear water. Then you go and put on your shorts, grab your favourite drink, pull up a chair, and dip your feet into the wonderfully chilled water whilst you sip away and listen to the sounds of the world around you. This is sure to calm and lift your spirit.

4.     Wander… but of an Evening

Indeed, I have already mentioned the healing properties of the summertime stroll. However, to be able to have a stroll in the evening is a treat that only Summer can really provide. There is something about an evening stroll that feels decadent. Nobody else out in the park at that time is rushing to get anywhere like they are in the day, the atmosphere will likely be much more serene. It is a great way to wind down for the day and takes you away from the distraction of your devices… which don’t always help when you are stressed and your brain is full.

5.     Slumber Outdoors

Not safe or possible for everyone, I understand, and maybe a bit of a risk with our British weather. However, should you find yourself outside on a warm and clear night, maybe you might consider sleeping under the stars. The wonder and calm of staring into the night sky is a humbling way to find some quiet and serenity. Even if you don’t opt to spend a full night in the back garden, a few moments of meditation whilst taking in the stars is also a surefire way to lift the spirit.

6.     Summer Sounds

Music has a wonderful ability to stir emotion. I have soundtracks and playlists for all occasions; music for when I want to emote, music for when I want to relax, and music to lift up my heart and to make me smile. Whatever way you choose to listen to music, I can recommend taking some time to put together a ‘happy playlist’ of songs. a compilation of the songs that make you feel happiest. Once you have that playlist, I can recommend playing it while on your ice cream walk or while dipping your toes in your paddling pool!

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Mood-Lifting Moments You Only Find in Summer appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

We hear the phrase ‘digital detox’ more and more, which broadly, is a great thing. However, I’d argue that this phrase has an issue. The problem with the word ‘detox’, as we see in places like diet culture, is that it implies a temporary stop. A reset to zero. A tidying up and readying of ourselves, in order for us to be able to tolerate the effects of our bad habits when they inevitably return.

Don’t get me wrong, the ‘detox’ has its place. And it certainly has taken many of us in a good direction. I, for example, have not stopped drinking entirely, but my bi-yearly ‘one month off drinking’ is certainly an improvement on a full year of uncapped alcohol access.

This goes for my digital life as well. I hate how addictive my phone is. But it is addictive. The effects of detoxes don’t last long and inevitably, a few weeks afterwards, I will catch myself scrolling nonsense on my phone and feel compelled to chuck it across my flat. Which, sometimes, I do.

Removing digital distractions from my life cold turkey is not only hard but also impractical. Our world functions, in a big way, through digital engagement. So, I have adopted a few habits that help to curb my levels of digital distraction, as opposed to eliminating them.

1.     Night-time Charging ANYWHERE But Your Bedroom

When my wife and I go to bed at 10 pm, we know that we aren’t going to sleep until at least 11 pm. Sure, some of that has to do with the 4-month-old that sleeps next to our bed, but 90% of the reason is our phones. Scrolling and scrolling. Denying our bodies another hour of sleep we could do with, and lighting up the synapses in our brains, as opposed to dimming them in a sea of calm.

We used to excuse phones in the bedroom with the fact that we needed to charge them overnight. Turns out, there are plug sockets in every other room.

2.     Leave Without Your Phone

If I am pooping out… to the shops, on a leisurely walk, to pick my son up from pre-school… I often leave my phone at home. I’m out for half an hour. I don’t need it. And do you know what, it was hard to begin with. I’d be bored on my journey and reach for a phone that wasn’t there. I was also horrified at how often I went to do this in the space of about ten minutes. But now, I open up to the world, I let my brain take advantage of the silence… it has its own thoughts instead of hearing other people’s thoughts through a podcast or something. It’s nice. You should try it.

3.     Low Tech Mobiles

My friend recently got himself a second phone. It’s a Nokia 3310. Remember those? No internet. No apps. Just texts, calls, and Snake 2. This allows him to go out for a whole day, to be contactable, but to live without his pocket pinging for his attention ten times an hour (at least).

4.     Non-Necessary Notifications

Do you need your emails on your phone? Or can you take them off, and only answer emails from your laptop during work hours? Ask yourself which notifications you actually want to know about 24/7. Do you need to hear from those six WhatsApp groups that you never actually interact with? Archive them if you don’t.

5.     Screen Free Periods

Sometimes saying something like, ‘I’m going to watch TV less’, is useless. It’s too general. Set some proper boundaries. For example, my wife and I simply don’t watch TV in the evening between Monday and Thursday. We earmark that time for analogue activities; reading, writing, cooking… that sort of thing. We are free to binge at the weekend, but at least we do that knowing that we have engaged our energies elsewhere during the week.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Simple Ways to Cut Down On Digital Distraction appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Spring is around the corner. If, like me, you actually don’t mind the winter, this will be something of a pleasant fact. If, however, winter is something that you struggle with, spring will likely fill you with joy, positivity and the sense that life is about to begin ‘proper’ once more.

However you feel about the transitions from winter to spring, there is no denying that the season of new life is ripe for new beginnings. New ideas, new habits, new projects. A fresh look at the way you live your life, and an opportunity to make positive adjustments.

Traditionally, spring cleaning refers to flinging open the doors and windows of your home and letting all of the stagnant air and debris flee your home for another year. This, we shall be touching on for a moment or two. But one might as well also look at oneself. One’s inner debris, if you will. Personal wellbeing and practices of mindfulness also benefit from a regular springtime review.

1.     Your Cupboards

The cupboards in the kitchen and bathroom are a great place to start. Physical clutter does affect our mental wellbeing, and kitchen and bathroom cupboards can so easily get cluttered up and left for many a year. I recently found a tin of soup in the back of my cupboards from 2007. Why I kept it, I have no idea.

The food in our cupboards also reflects the season. So now is the time to pull out that languishing winter stock, use it up, and make space for the food of the season. Bring the outside in.

The bathroom cupboards quickly become a space full of half-empty multiples of various things. So, consolidate, recycle, and get decluttered. Clear spaces, clear head!

2.     Your Wardrobe

Two things to do here. The first is similar to the kitchen cupboard situation. Make your wardrobe reflect the season. Put the big coats and fluffy jumpers to the back. Now is the time for light shirts, summer dresses, jerkins, and… dare I say… shorts?

Also, is this time for a purge?  Do you spot anything in there that you haven’t worn in a year? Perhaps it’s time to fill a bin bag and get yourself down to the fabric recycling bin. Nothing feels better than parting with a bin bag full of clutter. You feel lighter… like the days themselves.

3.     Your Routine

Time to look at your routines. Are they still working for you? Have any of them become stagnant, unfit for purpose, or just… boring?

An example… I used to drop my son off at school, go to the gym, and start my workday at 10. However, my brain works best when I get straight on with things. My best work is always done before lunch. I realised that I was robbing myself of two hours of quality brain time in the morning. So, I shifted the workday two hours earlier and went to the gym in the later afternoon… after my brain had somewhat given up on creative writing for the day. I often find a routine shakeup helps my brain to reengage.

4.     Your Mind

Are you looking after your mental wellbeing? Are you giving your mind space and recovery time? I know that I get into good habits (less scrolling, regular meditation, reading before bed instead of TV) for a while, and then slip back into bad habits. Often, I need to do a conscious reset of all of these things to keep my head well.

5.     The People in Your Life

This might seem a little harsh at the outset.

In my life, as I grow older and have more children, worries and responsibilities, I am aware that people I have outgrown don’t always drift away. I am sometimes blind to people in my life who don’t have as much time for me as I do them, who are generally unpleasant to be around, or who impact me to the point that people I care about bear the negative end of my emotions. Life is short, and fitting in time with others is tough in a busy life. Don’t use up your limited social capital on people who aren’t really worth it.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post What to Spring Clean This Year… appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Worry comes to us all. Worry, perhaps, is more present in all of our minds than ever. Although we may not be able to remove the circumstances and triggers for those concerns with particular ease, we do have the power to manage those concerns in a way that allows us to still live a functional and productive day to day life.

So, when concerns begin to swarm around our heads, what can we do to abate them?

1.     What Can You Do?

The issue with sitting and becoming more anxious and less resilient as you turn concerns over in your head is that it changes nothing. These things that are bothering you, is there something that you can do to change them? Are they concerns that can be resolved?

A great way to put worry to one side is to take action. This is for two reasons. One; action, movement and productivity often lift the mood and will probably ensure that some of your concerns fade on their own. The second is that by actively dealing with a fear or anxiety you are consciously dealing with a problem. Get up, get out of your head, and get the thing solved!

2.     Rational Thinking

How much weight do your current concerns hold when put under a magnifying glass? Do they have merit? Or is the irrational part of your brain just running riot and just chipping away at your resilience? Which of these worries is genuinely worth your time? Take a good long moment to delve into the rationality of your fears about a given situation and as yourself how valid they really are.

3.     Worry Mindfully

You can worry, worry, worry until the proverbial cows come home. Yes, it’s useful to note the potential pitfalls or dangers of a situation. But to muse on them for long periods just leaves you feeling more and more down in the dumps. All you can do by dwelling is to repeat and remind yourself of all the things that could go wrong. These facts do not change as you repeat them and only serve to make you feel more anxious.

So, put a time limit on your worry. Allow yourself to layout your concerns for a limited time, after which you need to move on with your day. It may help you to write your concerns down during this period. Often, when we take thoughts out of our heads and put them on paper, they don’t look nearly as daunting or feel as overwhelming as they did when knocking around in your brain.

4.     Life is Uncertain

Uncertainty is everywhere and, most of the time, there is nothing we can do to control that. Accepting that will help you to change your whole relationship with worry. The concerns that you have the power to control and solve, are worth addressing. And the ones you can’t solve, well, there’s nothing you can do about them; are they worth the energy and time you are exhausting by dwelling on them?

5.     Get It Out There

Worry is also brilliantly calmed by sharing it with other people. Sharing your thoughts with a trusted friend, partner or relative will help you to see your concerns through somebody else’s lens. Having someone else weigh in will confirm or deny the validity of your worry, and the connection should make you feel infinitely better.

6.     The Moment

Concerns over potential happenings in the future often cripple the ‘now’. Catastrophising is a common contributor to anxiety and stress and can be avoided by just focusing on what is happening in the present. Yes, you do need to do a little damage control ahead of time on some occasions, but do what you can and then let the worry go. If there is nothing else you can do about the future, sit back, and focus on the present.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Anti Worry Tips appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

There are many ways to make your Christmas more mindful. Indeed, this won’t be the first time we have thrown out some thoughts about how to make your Christmas season a more conscious one. But once again, a year has passed, and the world feels a little different than it did this time last year. So, what are good mindful Christmas ideas in 2023?

1.     Shop Local

In a year when everyone is struggling, maybe consider spending your money at those smaller businesses. Christmas is a big change for businesses to do good, well, business. In this world where bigger companies with many resources make it super easy to shop at the click of a button, local businesses have a lot to contend with. You can help make their festive season a happy one by supporting them… by boosting their resilience in both personally and commercially.

2.     Socials Off

Give your brain a break. The world is busy, noisy, and messy right now. Maybe more so than ever. As much as it is important to engage with the needs of others, it is also important to clear your mind and to give yourself enough mental space to regain some clarity and calm. Try to pull away from your phone while with loved ones and focus on what is right in front of you. Reconnect with your immediate surroundings. Disconnect with the digital to reground yourself and stock up on resilience for the year ahead.

3.     Quiet

As an extension of the last point, make sure you find time to be silent. To be alone with yourself in a pure sense. You may even carve out some time to meditate. For me, in the new year, it always feels like my brain has had a mass sort out, and that my goals and thoughts are clearer. This is because I have found some time to let my brain process at some point over the holidays. I have allowed my brain to have a big sort out and clear out. In contrast, by this point in the year, my brain feels like it is cluttered up with the mental debris of 12 months of living… so this is needed.

4.     Don’t Pressure the Big Days

Try to remove pressure from the whole season. What helps this is to simply be present, let each moment exist without judgement, and to avoid piling expectations or comparisons to other years on the big days. Christmas does not have to be, and often will not be, perfect. This is ok. To be resilient throughout the festive season, the best policy is to move through it with kindness, flexibility, and calm.

5.     Quality Time

Try and be mindful of not just spending time with loved ones but spending QUALITY time with them. This means putting aside distractions, and consciously engaging with those you hold dear on a simple human level. Do something together that is tactile, engaging, deep. Do a puzzle. Play a game. Cook together. Curl up in front of the fire with a drink and have a proper catch-up. Make a point of it. Be together… properly. Because, as we know, once the year gets going, it will be a good while before you get such an opportunity again.

All in all, to be mindful is to be present, conscious, and connected to what is in front of you at any given moment. Enter Christmas with this in mind, and you are bound to enjoy a quality Christmas with you friends and family.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Mindful Christmas Ideas 2023 appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

If you’re feeling the call to elevate your conscious impact, let’s explore five questions that will guide your reflection and help you craft a plan.

1. How Mindfully Are You Tending to Your Body and Awareness?

This question takes precedence, as witheest becomes inconsequential without a foundation of well-being pandemic underscored the essential lesson that health is paramount. Your well-being forms the bedrock for any impact you aspire to make in the world. The extent to which you’ve cultivated mindfulness towards your body and awareness directly correlates with your ability to consciously care for others and lead effectively. Well-being is an ongoing practice, so consistently return to your body and being, embrace quietude, and contemplate your needs for today.

2. How Content Are You in Your Primary Relationships?

The energy of your growth and evolution resides within your relationships. Periods of drama and discontent in primary relationships often herald the emergence of new layers of wisdom. Reflect on your current circle of primary relationships and gauge the level of harmony present. Are there lessons you’re resisting? Opportunities to embody compassion, generosity, clarity, patience, love, leadership, and boundaries? Breathe into the reflection, feeling your way to answers within your body—sensations, images, and cognitive knowing.

3. How Aligned Are You with Your Career?

Many professionals find themselves ensnared by success, proficient in their roles but disheartened by the absence of personal fulfilment they anticipated. Success and personal/professional alignment, I’ve learned, are distinct. A personal story illustrates this difference—my journey as a successful young Barrister in London felt hollow. Despite external recognition, I sensed misalignment. Stepping away revealed the profound power of alignment, surpassing the ego-driven nature of success. While success remains egoic and insatiable, alignment brings peace, purpose, and a profound sense of being enough. Reflect on the alignment of your work, listening for the call to a higher vibration.

4. How Does Your Work/Company Impact the Wider World?

Amidst the challenges our planet faces, corporations and their unconscious behaviours contribute to the heart of the problem. Conscious Professionals must scrutinise their organisations, advocating for change to align business visions, missions, and interests with the broader concerns of our global human family and planetary home.

5. How Open Is Your Heart?

In times of crisis, optimism and action are paramount. As John Kabat-Zinn emphasises, “It’s all hands on deck on planet Earth!” Navigating these challenges requires transcending intelligence to embrace wisdom. Include heartful awareness in decision-making, cultivate a mindful presence, and champion conscious solutions. The opportunity is vast—we can emerge from the weight of unconsciousness into the light of a higher vibration. Conscious Leadership beckons us to open our hearts to a new way and remember, support is all around.

By Neil Seligman

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post 5 Inquiries For Conscious Professionals appeared first on The Conscious Professional.