intuition versus instinct

There’s a particular kind of tiredness that can arrive in the middle of winter. It’s not always dramatic. Sometimes it’s just a quiet feeling of being flat, depleted and a little over everything. The days are colder, the light disappears earlier and somehow even the simplest things can feel like they take more effort. And when you’re feeling like this, there can be a strange pressure to somehow pull yourself out of it. To be positive. To be productive. To exercise more, eat better, get organised, get motivated and generally become the person you think you should be. But sometimes you’re just tired. Maybe shining like the sun doesn’t mean being bright and energetic all the time. Maybe it means finding small ways to bring a little warmth back into your day. Open the curtains and let whatever sunlight there is into the room. Get outside for a walk, even if it’s only for ten minutes. Put the kettle on. Make something nourishing. Put music on while you potter around the house. Ring someone ...

One of the greatest lessons life continues to teach me is that not everything is meant to unfold according to my plan. For so long, I believed that if I worked hard enough, wanted something deeply enough, or stayed focused on a particular outcome, I could make it happen. While determination certainly has its place, I've come to realise that there is a fine line between taking inspired action and trying to control life. The more I have experienced, the more I have seen that some of the things I fought the hardest for were never actually meant for me, and some of the greatest gifts I've received came through doors I never would have chosen to walk through myself. It's easy to become attached to a vision of how we think our lives should look. We create timelines, set expectations, and convince ourselves that happiness exists on the other side of a particular relationship, career, opportunity, or achievement. When those things don't happen, or when they suddenly fall apart,...