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Barry Winbolt

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Creative Status: Live Your REAL LifeCreative Status: Live Your REAL Life#80: Barry Winbolt: Navigating the Ocean of SelfCreative Status is a podcast about using creativity as a vehicle for improving your life by deconstructing ego, integrating the shadow self, and designing and manifesting a real life. Every episode explores how the creative process can help you GROW REAL by moving towards wholeness in yourself by making the unconscious conscious. In this compelling episode of Creative Status, we plunge into the depths of mental health and the power of self-awareness with the insightful Barry Winbolt, a seasoned therapist and writer. As we navigate the turbulent waters of life, Barry shares his...2024-04-2246 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeDon’t You Just Hate Feedback? A Conversation with Rick GoughLove it or hate it, feedback is never really popular. Most of us don't like giving feedback, and when it comes to receiving it, feedback is even less popular. Many people openly mistrust it! Feedback is intended to help us be better at what we do, so where do these negative feelings come from? I'm in conversation with wise-manager and regular guest, Rick Gough. He shares his insights from his 28 years as a manager in a large multinational. We come up with some guidelines for giving AND receiving feedback, and in the process we...2023-07-0739 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeCan You Trust Conventional Wisdom? The Clue is in ’Conventional’Conventional wisdom is generally accepted, but it may or may not be the best advice to follow if you want to lead a fulfilling and unconventional life.  Because conventional wisdom usually goes unquestioned, it can create problems when incorrect ideas gain wide acceptance. This can make exploring new ideas much more difficult. In cases such as this, incorrect conventional wisdom can interfere with a person's health and the type of medical care they receive. In this episode, I offer some powerful alternatives for opening up possibilities and stimulating creativity. #getabetterhandleonlife #conventionalwisdom #creativethinking ...2023-03-2118 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeUnlocking Potential – Counselling and the Creative Journey, with Eric MarshallEric was drawn into counselling after a slow process of realisation that, unless he did, he would lose someone who was extremely precious to him. When we mentioned accountancy in this enlightening discussion, it was to draw parallels between learning, self-discovery, ambition, and success. What we discovered though, is the remarkable power of conversation to go where it needs to so that we can discover more about ourselves. Creativity is only part of it, this is a testimony to how being brave enough to face who we really are can lead us to being unexpectedly...2023-03-1653 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeFollow the Dream – The Power of Owning Your Values, with Mohammed Kasujee.Leaving a a well paid job to follow your dream is always a risk, but that's what Mohammed Kasujee did. He shares his inspiring story and offers guidance to others who may be holding themselves back. Do you feel that life has more to offer you than your current situation allows? Or, maybe you are almost ready to take a leap of faith and do your own thing? What about friends and family, would they encourage you to break out and start an entirely new career?   Mohammed Kasujee faced all these questions. He discusses his i...2023-01-3034 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifePersonal Development and your Vision of Career Success – with Adele LeahSurveys continue to show that employers are looking for qualities in their employees that will add value to the organisation.  Interviews are rarely pitched to draw out technical skills or knowledge, which are taken as read and supported by experience and qualifications.  Sure, they want proof that your skills are up to date, but, many questions are aimed at establishing more abstract and hard-to-prove qualities like motivation, creativity, communication skills, and attitudes towards working with colleagues.  Adele Leah calls these 'human skills' and explains why you should focus on the one piece of the...2022-11-2133 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeSleep – The Solution is in Your Hands; Follow These Three StepsThe World Health Organisation says that there is an 'epidemic of Sleeplessness', but this is unhelpful, says Dr Neil Stanley. In our conversations this straight talking expert points out the if you are someone whose sleep could be improved, then "the solution is in your hands". In his refreshingly direct style, Dr Stanley demystifies sleeplessness and talks about the contributing factors that tend to raise our anxiety levels when we find we can't sleep. Though the statistics on insomnia make alarming reading, the good news is that he defines the three essentials for good sleep...2022-11-0851 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeDo You Want to Find Your Purpose? Here are Two Key Questions.I regularly get questions like "How do I find my purpose?". I'm basing this episode on some of the replies I've sent out.  Finding your purpose means discerning a point at which your strengths, talents, interests (or beliefs) come together, to indicate a direction and/or course of action in your life. And that just the start. Personally, I'm not sure that it's a good use of one's time to be asking such a question. After all, philosophers and others have been asking this question for millennia. Maybe its one of those questions where the v...2022-10-2919 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeI Just Can’t Deal with Being Relentlessly Upbeat – Creating My Online PersonaFor years I struggled to create my online persona. Influenced by what I was seeing and hearing online – there are many slick, smiley, positive and upbeat presenters out there – I struggled to make the transition from live presenting to a live audience, to presenting myself in the virtual world. I thought I'd have to be like the great presenters I was seeing, but it doesn't come naturally to me to be so upbeat.  I can't be something I am not, and as I discovered while recording this episode, it's about being authentic. I needed to find my natur...2022-10-2819 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeThe Seven Components of Mental WellbeingMental wellbeing doesn't come about by accident, and the world we have created can easily threaten the balance we rely on to stay mentally resilient and healthy.  What we think of as mental wellbeing is different for each of us. But people with positive mental health generally do a number of things that give them a sense of wellbeing and protect their psychological and emotional health. If you seriously want to protect your mental health, the first positive step is to move it up your agenda. In this episode, I talk about seven factors that c...2022-10-1520 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#10 Working from home and being a parent with Robbin McManneRobbin McManne is a Parenting Expert, founder for Parenting for Connections and author. In this podcast, Robbin gives tips to help working parents. Listen to it to find out more. This podcast is hosted by Barry Winbolt, a psychologist based in the UK and a LiveMore expert. Here's a link to the LiveMore app for you to download, where you'll find more tips from Robbin about parenting tips, and the ever growing range of contributions from the other LiveMore experts. Download the App for more Personal Development tips.2022-10-0929 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeSaying ”No” at Work – A conversation with Rick GoughAs today's guest, Rick Gough, says, at work it's great to be able to say "Yes". You'll be seen in a positive light for your willingness and 'can-do attitude, and possibly even improve your career prospects. And it's nice to please others. But, as Rick says, it comes at a cost.  There's a time to say "No"; it can be empowering, and "good for everybody". In this episode we discuss the whys and wherefores of politely refusing rather than just agreeing. It's not that simple, of course, and it can be quite challenging. Depending on who's a...2022-09-1230 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#9 The "New Normal" after the Covid-19 pandemic with Karen KwongKareng Kwong is a C-Suite Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant. In this podcast, Karen explains why it's OK not to be OK after the Covid Pandemic we recently faced and that is going back to the "New Normal". Listen to it to find out more. This podcast is hosted by Barry Winbolt, a psychologist based in the UK and a LiveMore expert. Here's a link to the LiveMore app for you to download, where you'll find more tips from Karen, and the ever growing range of contributions from the other LiveMore experts. Download th...2022-09-1127 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeHave you ever said “They are not listening”? Stop blaming and change your message.Have you ever blames a communication breakdown with the explanation the someone "wasn't listening"? Most of us have, at some time.  Like it or not, at work and elsewhere you'll be judged on your communicaton skills. Thery influence not only how others perceive you, but also how much they like, respect, and trust you. In order to communicate effectively you have to 'own' your message, and if that's so, the hard truth is that we can't blame the other person when we fail to get through to them! If you want more from m...2022-08-2916 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#8 Strengthening the Mind with Mindfulness with Kathirasan KKathirasan K is a certified Mindfulness Teacher & the founder of the Centre of Mindfulness in Singapore. In this podcast, Kathirasan explains how you can strength your mind with Mindfulness. Listen to it to find out more. This podcast is hosted by Barry Winbolt, a psychologist based in the UK and a LiveMore expert. Here's a link to the LiveMore app for you to download, where you'll find more tips from Kathirasan about Mindfulness, and the ever growing range of contributions from the other LiveMore experts. Download the App for more Personal Development tips.2022-08-2625 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeHow to Avoid Burnout – and what to do if you can‘tWe are all used to the idea of stress; it is now a recognised fact of life in many jobs. But burnout is different, and more serious. Burnout is a reaction to prolonged and unremitting stress. It results in physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. Typically, this is accompanied by feelings of cynicism, a loss of interest in the job, self-doubt and doubts about the value of your work, loss of confidence, and feelings of overwhelm and helplessness. If you see the signs in yourself then it's time to take urgent action. If you don't, the...2022-08-1625 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeAn Alternative Approach for Dealing with StressWe live in a wealthy technological age where we have all we need at our disposal. One of the costs of this is a steadily rising tide of demands and pressures which produce stress in us. There’s a lot to do and have, and it’s tempting to try and have it all! For many people, this means that they are so busy so much of the time that they no longer have the space, nor the ability to focus on managing the stress that goes with their lifestyle. And, if you want to follow the well...2022-08-0825 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeARISE – Start Your Day with this Daily Mindfulness PracticeARISE – Start your day on a positive note then supercharge your day with this soothing, guided mindfulness exercise.  Over the years, I have built up a sizeable archive of resources. These are exercises, video and audio tracks that I've produced for a specific purpose, then filed and forgotten about. This ARISE track is one of these. I produced it (I think) for my online course on Mindfulness, now I'm sharing it with you. #morningmeditation #visualisation #relaxation #mindfulness #morningroutine #startyourday 2022-08-0206 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#7 Learn how to sleep better with Neil StanleyNeil Stanley is an independent sleep expert and has been involved in sleep research for 40 years. In this podcast, Neil is sharing with us the 3 main things we need for a good night sleep.  This podcast is hosted by Barry Winbolt, a psychologist based in the UK and a LiveMore expert. Here's a link to the LiveMore app for you to download, where you'll find more tips from Neil about sleep, and the ever growing range of contributions from the other LiveMore experts. Download the App for more Personal Development tips.2022-05-0222 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeWorking from Home – a Conversation with Rick GoughWhat are the pros and cons of working from home? As we have moved on from the enforced home working due to the Pandemic, more of us now have the freedom to choose to work in or away from the office.  In the old days many organisations resisted the idea of home working. That obstacle has now largely disappeared, and so has (mostly) the stigma that if you worked from home you were not quite as serious about your job as your office-based peers. Rick has now chosen to be entirely home-based. He is a r...2022-02-2631 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeHow to Become Self-EmployedFreelancer, solopreneur, or simply working from home? Working for yourself is great if you are cut out for it, and even if you're not you can still make a go of it if your start with your eyes open and the right mindset. Be ready for the hurdles and give yourself the advantage.  Starting a business can bring unexpected emotional stresses, but the pitfalls can be handled if you are ready for them. The personal challenges are something you can plan for, if you know what they are likely to be. And while there's no d...2022-02-0713 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#6 Caring for your Immune System with Daisy WhitbreadDaisy Whitbread is a Nutritionist, she specialises in supporting the immune system, improving energy levels, weight management, skin health & healthy ageing. She believes that “We’re responsible for our own health & prevention is better than cure”. Learn more about how to support your immune system better by listening to this podcast. This podcast is hosted by Barry Winbolt, a psychologist based in the UK and a LiveMore expert. Here's a link to the LiveMore app for you to download, where you'll find more tips from Daisy, and the ever growing range of contributions from the...2022-02-0427 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#5 The Real Meaning of Yoga by Deepak PandeyDeepak Pandey, a Yoga Guru is explaining us the real meaning of Yoga. Deepak has been practicing yoga since he was 20 years old and has teaching since 2007. He teaches yoga, meditation and yogic philosophy. Yoga is a discipline which begin at the Physical level, then on the mind level and then on the spiritual level. Learn more about Yoga by listening to this podcast. This podcast is hosted by Barry Winbolt, a psychologist based in the UK and a LiveMore expert. Here's a link to the LiveMore app for you to download, where yo...2022-01-1419 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeThe Career Guidance Nobody Gave YouIn this episode, I'm sharing some ideas on what can loosely be called, Alternative Career Guidance. There's plenty of conventional career advice out there, most of it sensible and sound, but it all points one way.  Pretty well every week I get questions relating to choosing the 'right' path to a career, or tension about how to prepare. Underlying many of these questions is uncertainty and even pressure and stress. If this is you, then maybe some alternative viewpoints can help give you pause for thought. Subscribe to my Newsletter Follow me: You'll a...2022-01-0817 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On Life3 Ways to Stop an Argument, Because Nobody WinsAnyone can argue. There's no talent in fighting and there's no glory in 'winning' an argument, though you wouldn't know it from the evidence we see around us. Given that arguments cause so much strife in relationships, if we could find a way of reducing them by even a small percentage, the savings to our societies would be unimaginable. But that's just a dream. On the surface, it might seem that arguments are the biggest cause of relationship breakdown.  They certainly contribute, but they are generally a harmful symptom, rather than the cause of breakdowns.2022-01-0128 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeHow to Heal a Broken HeartLosing someone or something you love is one of the defining human experiences. Loss is universal and inevitable; we’ll all experience it in some way at some time. That doesn’t help much if you are grieving, but it does mean that we understand what helps. Though you may not agree right now, especially if your heart is still aching, it is also a growth experience; we come out the other end stronger and a little wiser. If you are suffering in that way this episode will guide you through some useful and practical ideas to help...2021-12-1926 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#4 Top Tips on Personal Presentation with Bri Williams - Part 2The way you communicate and present yourself is important in life. Bri Williams is giving advice to improve communicating to others and gain confidence when presenting yourself and giving public speech. This podcast is hosted by Barry Winbolt, a psychologist based in the UK and a LiveMore expert. Here's a link to the LiveMore app for you to download, where you'll find more tips from Bri, and the ever growing range of contributions from the other LiveMore experts. Download the App for more Personal Development tips.2021-11-2516 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#3 Top Tips on Personal Presentation with Bri Williams - Part 1The way you communicate and present yourself is important in life. Bri Williams is giving advice to improve communicating to others and gain confidence when presenting yourself and giving public speech. This podcast is hosted by Barry Winbolt, a psychologist based in the UK and a LiveMore expert. Here's a link to the LiveMore app for you to download, where you'll find more tips from Bri, and the ever growing range of contributions from the other LiveMore experts. Download the App for more Personal Development tips.2021-11-2524 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeDuncan Raban – A Day With Lionel RitchieI met a man recently who I'd been dying to talk to for quite a long time. I've been following his Just Say Hello project on Facebook, and I've had this idea floating around in my head for months. It's called, Ordinary People Who Do Extraordinary Things, and I thought this chap, Duncan, is definitely in that category.  Now that I've spoken to him, I realise I was wrong. This is no ordinary person, in fact, anything but.  This was a spontaneous recording made on his iPhone as we spoke. Listen now to how a form...2021-11-1715 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#2 Developing your Emotional Intelligence with Patricia ThompsonEmotional Intelligence is the ability to understand yourself, being self-aware, monitoring your emotions, but also being able to understand people around us and how to relate to them. A high Emotional Intelligence is a powerful tool to develop great relationships, create a positive environment, but also to succeed in both your personal and professional life. If you want to understand how to develop your Emotional Intelligence, this episode is a great starting point. This podcast is hosted by Barry Winbolt, a psychologist based in the UK and a LiveMore expert. Here's a link...2021-08-2335 minThe LiveMore PodcastThe LiveMore Podcast#1 Finding Career Happiness with Adele LeahMost of us spend a lot of time working, and studies show that most of us don't enjoy it as much as we could. Have you ever really taken the time to stop and think about getting a job you really enjoy? It's not just about money, organisational culture, sense of fulfilment, and even feeling valued all contribute to how happy you are at work. If you do your job, pay the bills, and enjoy the evenings and weekends but deep down find yourself wanting more from your work, is that enough? Maybe you're ready f...2021-07-0936 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeFinding Career Happiness – A Conversation with Adele LeahMost of us spend a lot of time working, and studies show that most of us don't enjoy it as much as we could. Have you ever really taken the time to stop and think about getting a job you really enjoy? It's not just about money, organisational culture, sense of fulfilment, and even feeling valued all contribute to how happy you are at work. If you do your job, pay the bills, and enjoy the evenings and weekends but deep down find yourself wanting more from your work, is that enough? Maybe you're ready f...2021-07-0736 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeA Conversation with Rick Gough – Declutter Your Work (and Life?)I'm in conversation with Rick Gough. Rick came up with the brilliant idea he calls 'Declutter Your Work'. Not only is it a great idea, it is also timely as many of us will we hope soon be returning to some sort of work normality. You may be familiar with Marie Kondo's decluttering method for the home. Rick Gough has taken her six principles and applied them to how he works. As you'll hear, it has benefits that can go far beyond the work space – it reaches into our inner spaces and provides a metaphor fo...2021-04-2635 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeWhy Asking ”Why?” Can Get You Into Trouble"Why?" is one of those questions. It has its place, to be sure, but most of us, most of the time, use it indiscriminately. Asking why something happened, or why someone did this or that, for example, might be a fun way to pass the time of day, but answers to questions like these can be hard to find. Even then, they may not help in a practical way. Asking what needs to happen, how to respond, or who can help fix something might be more sensible; answers will provide direction and momentum and can...2021-04-0929 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeA Conversation with... Philip Carr-GommI'm in conversation with Philip Carr-Gomm, author of around 20 books, and a psychologist and a druid.  We mainly discuss tips for aspiring writers. Philip has some insightful and practical tips, plus I throw in a few of my own.  Then there's his recent and first novel, The Prophecies, a story of love, obsession, and betrayal. The nice thing about a good conversation is that you'll never know where it can take you! As promised, here's the link to Steven Pressfield's practical guide to creativity, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your In...2020-09-2252 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeQuestions can be Powerful so Use Them WiselyWe use questions constantly, in our conversations with others and our conversations with ourselves. But we rarely think about how we structure them and, mostly, they go unnoticed. They are such a central part of how we think, act, and communicate that it would be hard to imagine how we could manage without questions.  Questions are powerful, to be sure, and in all sorts of ways, some unexpected. You might think of them as a grammatical construct designed to elicit information, but not all questions produce equal results. Some can even tie us up in knots, so t...2020-08-2031 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeThe Power of an Apology – When and How to Say SorryHave you ever wanted to say sorry, but you've held back? Maybe you thought that the other person should say it first, that apologising would make you appear weak, or that the problem was in the past and now it's too late to say sorry? The power of apology is often under-estimated. It's essential to resolve a conflict or ask forgiveness, yet apologising is often discouraged and in some cases even prohibited!  When you appreciate just how important apologising is and to want to do something about it, this can be a steep learning curve, b...2020-08-1418 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeConfidence, Becoming a Presenter and the Distraction of Self-EsteemMost people, at some time, have felt unsure about themselves or doubted their abilities. Often this takes the form of 'lacking confidence' or being 'under-confident'. In some people, this can become a mantra which holds them back from realising their potential. At an even more basic level, feeling under-confident can mean weaker social ties and poorer prospects in relationships, career, even in Life itself. We've been fed the idea that good self-esteem breeds confidence, but there's a fine line between belief in oneself and narcissism. How do you stay on the right side of that line? 2020-07-1629 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifePodcast Trailer – Get a Better Handle on LifeI'm a psychologist, therapist and writer. I've built my career around helping people sort out the things that trouble them. Anything, from relationship problems, personal change, mental health issues, work-related problems... you name it. You can find out more about the topics I cover on my blog at www.barrywinbolt.com.    © Backing Track: Adventure, Chad Crouch, www.soundofpicture.com, licence CC BY-NC 4.0 2020-05-1901 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeResilience – What It Is, Why You Need It, and How to Get It.Resilience refers to a person's ability to function well in the face of high demand, unwanted change, challenge, or adversity. It is built of a set of characteristics that most people possess to some degree. We are naturally stronger in some of these traits than in others. This means that we can play to our strengths, and recognise and develop the characteristics which are under-developed or lacking. This is the process of developing personal resilience. And you can learn how to do that. When you understand what these characteristics are, you can begin to foster...2020-05-1741 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeWhy I Won’t be Knitting During LockdownThere's a strong case for doing things with your hands. This may be on our minds more than usual at a time when many of us are finding we have so much time to fill. I explain why practical hobbies and pastimes are good for you, and why knitting is only one of many things I won't be doing during Lockdown, however long it lasts.   © Backing Track: Adventure, Chad Crouch, www.soundofpicture.com, licence CC BY-NC 4.0       2020-04-2220 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeWorking From Home – A Transiition Not Everyone Can HandleWorking from home is a boon for many people. Hopefully, for those it suits, maybe their way of working can change forever. But you have to approach it like a grown-up.  Once the novelty has worn off, when, eventually, you are the only one left at home, what then? I love working from home, always have done, but over the years I've found some people really struggle with it. So what about you? Are you loving it, hating it, or still adjusting. This episode has some tips to make the transition easier, and some advice a...2020-04-1118 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeSolitude – When You Choose to be AloneBeing alone doesn't mean being lonely, they are two different things. Just as we need social contact, we also require moments of peace and quiet. There is a powerful drive in the human mind to withdraw, reflect, and recharge our energies. One way to think about this is that time to reflect and do nothing allows our inner self to do the housework, to tidy up loose ends and come to terms with things. This is essential for physical health and mental wellbeing. This episode explains how to transform loneliness into time well spent which...2020-04-0616 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeThe Myth of Communication BreakdownYou’ve heard the expression, you may even have used it. ‘Communication breakdown’ is a handy metaphor, but a metaphor is symbolic, which means it shouldn’t be taken literally.   Communication breakdown is a handy concept, but it can also be a cop-out. It’s a useful term in that it suggests an impasse, but if you take it literally it becomes an excuse to stop trying. What 'communication breakdown' really means is missed opportunity to help a damaged relationship.  Whether you are directly involved in a dispute, or you are a professional conflict res...2020-04-0216 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeLiving with Lockdown – How to Stay Sane in a World Gone MadDepending on where you live in the World you are either under lockdown, or it is imminent in your area. This measure has been inflicted on us to help protect our physical health and that of the community. But it might seem that our mental health and wellbeing could now be put at risk by forced confinement. But it doesn't have to be. There are several steps you can take to keep yourself occupied, emotionally stable, and even on a positive track so that you flourish despite your curtailed freedom of movement. We still have...2020-03-3014 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeWhy Fear of Therapy Stops People from Getting the Help They NeedFear of therapy is a very real phenomenon. It’s ironic that while it is seen as irresponsible not to seek help with a physical illness, there is a taboo against wanting to fix an ailment of the spirit (if ‘spirit’ turns you off, try ‘psyche’). In a world so preoccupied with happiness, success, wellbeing and fulfilment, there is an equal and opposite tension the deflects people from the things that can help a person achieve them. 2020-03-2910 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeHow to Stop an ArgumentIs it worth seven minutes of your time to learn how to stop an argument? Like most people, I learned the hard way how NOT to do it. But then, 25 years as a professional conflict resolver has taught me a thing or two about how to stop an argument, now I'm sharing it with you. 2020-03-2907 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeHow to Think Like an OptimistWe hear a lot of talk about optimism and it is often promoted as a sort of cure for personal and social ills. Despite the banter between optimists and pessimists, there are compelling reasons to consider optimism as a key factor in wellbeing. These go far beyond the usual, glib ‘glass half full’ ideas or the entreaties of the positive thinking movement. There are now thousands of studies that attest to the value of optimism at all stages of our lives. From childhood to old age an optimistic outlook confers all sorts of advantages. Even if y...2020-03-2819 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeExplaining About Me, My Podcast, and Why?This episode introduces your author, explains what drives the podcast, and outlines some of the topics covered. Topics in the 2020 episodes include surviving lockdown, why we need solitude, resilience, handling difficult behaviour, the benefits of knitting and other pastimes, anxiety, conflict... more to be announced soon. 2020-03-2611 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeDifficult People – How to Handle Difficult Behaviour part 2Other people’s difficult behaviour can affect us in all sorts of ways. If we are fortunate, it will simply irritate us, but when it is extreme it can cause more serious problems. This is the second and final part of the concise audio-version of my book of the same name. Using studio role-plays it shows you how to achieve more productive outcomes in a whole range of relationships. It will help you successfully settle those difficult interactions – at work or at home – that just won’t resolve themselves. You'll also be given the opportunity to under...2020-03-2527 minGet a Better Handle On LifeGet a Better Handle On LifeDifficult People – How to Handle Difficult Behaviour Part 1We all come across them. People who either won't or can't change the ways they behave towards us. It might be outright hostility and boorishness, across the spectrum to those who appear to agree with us, only to go off and do their own thing. Confronting them doesn't work (as if you dared), and ignoring their behaviour only serves to reinforce it. This episode will give you plenty of ideas on how to respond so that difficult behaviour no longer obstructs or troubles you.  Using studio actors to demonstrate failed 'how-not-to' tactics followed by the s...2020-03-2230 min