Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who lived far far away. Something terrible happened. The handsome prince came to her rescue. They fell in love and got married. They lived happily ever after. The end. Throw in a beautiful princess, some evil people and a handsome prince and voila, you have the plot for an award winning fairytale. Does the princess have to be portrayed as a helpless damsel in...

Our brains make connectionss and links associated to labels and brands. People are no exception (think Jamie Oliver and Julio Iglesias!). We are all judged based on impressions, whether purely on appearance, a conversation or simply what you do for a living. Virtually every little action contributes to your personal brand. From how you dress, to what you eat, how you talk, etc. Personal branding is unavoidable....

To write or not to write, that is the question. How many of you keep a diary or journal? A few years ago I came across a couple of old diaries which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. My only disappointment was the lack of consistent entries, I wanted more! That prompted me to start writing again in the hope I will be able to have the same enjoyment in years to come. Curious about how others felt about writing a...

Have you just come back from a holiday? Are you suffering from post holiday blues? They say all good things come to an end and never has this been truer than in the case of holidays. However long you take off it never quite feels like enough. One day you are relaxing on the beach feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin and enjoying swimming in the sea. You have no care in the world other than what cocktail...

I came across the Top 10 Most Ridiculous Laws from Around the World and it got me thinking about rules in general. Are rules devised to control the behaviour of each individual? What are the incentives to comply with the rules? There are legal rules that we have to follow otherwise we are breaking the law and there are concrete consequences for that. Then there are general societal laws that are far more subjective...

The beginning of a new year is filled with hope and expectations of what is yet to come. Whether you are firm believer that a new year is a new beginning or simply another page on the calendar, chances are you will be reassessing the past and planning for the future. I am a huge fan of lists and love reading things like “100 Places to Go Before you Die”. Having read many of these lists I have learnt...

As another year comes to an end, most of us will feel rather nostalgic about the past as well as excited about what the future has in store for us. Rather than trying to depart with my own words of wisdom, I have chosen one of my favourite lyrics to speak on my behalf. It is simple, inspirational and wise. Enjoy! Everybody Is Free To Wear Sunscreen – Baz Luhrmann Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97,...

How many times have you uttered the words “My new year’s resolution is…”? The end of the calendar year is still very much seen as out with the old and in with the new. New Year’s resolutions are well intended so gym memberships increase as do detox products. Personally, I am not a huge fan of resolutions. I do however, believe that goals are crucial. So what is the difference between...

Did you know that mosquitoes are attracted to people who just ate bananas? Apparently this is because it is high in potassium and mosquitoes like it. So what attracts us to one person and not another? Surely it can’t be because of their bananas! Most people realise and recognise the symptoms when there is an initial attraction. Some call it chemistry and say it can manifest itself in many different ways; sweaty...

When was the last time someone did something that made you happy? I ask, because a simple way to be happy is to make someone else happy. With our busy lifestyles it is easy to forget to be kind and generous to others. Some time ago, I was having lunch with a dear friend and my lovely godson, when a complete stranger came over to compliment the child and wish us all the best and then left. When we asked for the...