As 2009 comes to a close I wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on life and what I have learned, as it is awfully easy to just keep going without taking stock. Every time I sat down to write, the only thing that kept coming into my mind was one of my all time favourite poems. It encapsulates so much of what I wanted to say that I thought I should use it rather than try to reinvent the wheel. All I would...

Yes, it’s that time of year again and I find myself thinking about the real meaning of Christmas. Is it all about the decorations, the parties, the gifts, the cards, mulled wine, Santa, baby Jesus, turkey, mince pies, carols, family and friends? Christmas has many meanings for people. It can be a nostalgic time when people think about loved ones who are not present. Others rejoice in the opportunity to...

Following on from my previous blog on How to Talk to Anyone and Start a Conversation, I thought it would be relevant to discuss the Power of Silence. Silence is very much like the ugly sister in the house of communication, misunderstood and underrated. Many people are uncomfortable with silence and view it as hostile and unpleasant. In the words of Charles de Gaulle “silence is the ultimate weapon of power”...