2020, a year that will never be forgotten due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, has been a challenging year for everyone. It was certainly not the year that any of us expected and it is for this very reason – that it was so unexpected - that many of us have struggled.

When there are discrepancies between our expectations and reality, all sorts of distress signals go off in our brains. It doesn’t matter if it’s an annual holiday ritual or a more mundane daily habit like how you clean your teeth; if you can’t do it the way you normally do it, you’re biologically engineered to get upset. We really are creatures of habit.

"Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.
Some things are up to us and some things are not up to us.
Our opinions are up to us, and our impulses, desires, aversions—in short, whatever is our own doing. Our bodies are not up to us, nor are our possessions, our reputations, or our public offices, or, that is, whatever is not our own doing.”
~ Epictetus ~
(Greek Stoic philosopher - 55 – 135 AD)

Article as it appeared in Weigh-Less magazine. By Natasha Liviero

Be more beautiful by being mindful of your body image.

Article as it appeared in Wellness magazine. By Natasha Liviero

Managing moderate amounts of stress is a normal part of daily life. It’s when stress becomes relentless that dangers creep in. 

There are probably as many misconceptions, myths and stereotypes about mental disorders as there are mental disorders. Popular fiction and film often perpetuate these misconceptions, reinforcing the belief that those suffering from a mental disorder are 'crazy' and should be institutionalised.  Gaining a deeper understanding of mental disorders and their causes can help us deal more effectively with affected loved ones or colleagues.

We can always rely on change – good and bad - to happen to us throughout our lives. And while we cannot always control the changes in our lives, we can decide how we are going to react to those changes. But, what skills can we learn to help us embrace change, so that we emerge as victors and not victims?

The adage, “You’ll worry yourself sick,” is not just an old wives’ tale. Prolonged stress can have an impact on our health. But it’s not only negative pressures that cause stress. Change – even positive change – can affect our wellbeing. How can we identify which events in our lives have the biggest impact, and how at risk are we of falling ill because of them? 

Research shows we perform more productively at optimal levels of stress. Unfortunately, these days many of us of see this as permission to take on too much and work too hard. This can push our stress levels too high and damage our health. But, how much stress is too much? And what can you do to manage your stress effectively?

In the 21st century, being stressed is regarded as a status symbol - if we are not stressed then something is wrong!

We seem to have lost the plot - it's not OK to be stressed! Excess stress is detrimental to our well-being and causes decreased productivity. Both individuals and organisations suffer.

It is normal to feel anxious in certain situations. It keeps us on our toes and stops us from ignoring danger. Abnormal anxiety causes much greater disturbance, and professional help is usually needed in order to cope. But how can we recognise whether our anxiousness is just a normal response to a situation, or the beginnings of a serious disorder?