*THE EDGE* (Trigger warning)

Written by psychotherapist Joanna Williams 

Ever write a post and think maybe it's a bit heavy? If it helps just one person. It's worth it!

Here goes..

Have you ever found yourself drawn to the edge.

A strange mix of "If I.. could I.. will I"

That obscure feeling of appeal and allure that can start to feel inviting..

No, I don't mean with harness and rope or rigged to a wing.. I mean standing there. Facing your own mortal mind that wants you to step off...

If you haven't I hope you don't!

And if you have?

I want you to know that it's not as uncommon or strange as it might seem. You haven't gone crazy or mad! Life can feel exhausting. The battles we fight in our mind can feel Intoxicating; overwhelming, convincing...

Suicidal thoughts are common.

But there is an alternative exit strategy..

One which I hope helps just one person to get back on the path to life!

Those feelings and urges, as convincing as they might be, are transient, changeable and...

Are you worried about your kids?

Join the club.
Grab some paper and a pen and jot down 3 vertical columns.

Column one

Write down what's worrying you.
Specifics please, no waffle…

Column two

For now leave blank.

Column three

Write down what it is you want to be better.

So, what does it look like when it’s fixed? Or, if you achieved everything in this column as you’ve written it, would you be calm and happy again? 

Done?

Go back to your 2nd column.

This is your to do list.

What is in your control to do something about it to solve it?

What can you do today, now, that gets you there?

Written by our great friend and business mentor and mum of three teenagers, Amanda Morgan Thomas. Amanda offers coaching and consultancy to individuals and businesses and is a breath of fresh air. Thank you Amanda. Click here for full details

The HOW People
www.thehowpeople.com

The HOW People inspire the next generation of awesome humans in a digital world. Workshops, courses,...

One

• Generally, I’ve found that if us parents are over-involved, we provide fewer opportunities for our kids to self-reflect. We must allow our kids to feel and to be curious about how those feelings affect our behaviours. Every time they experience something new, they are adding to their self-confidence balance sheets

Two 

• Be prepared to share your fails with them and show them how you got back up. It may be messy, but if you can bounce then they can too. It’s not the falling that we learn from it’s how we style it out.

Three

• Let them figure out problems and concerns by themselves...and then celebrate with them.

Four

• If you are anxious, your kids will feel it. Tell them. Share your emotions with them and also explain what you’re doing about it. This will create a two-way exchange that will serve you well through the teenage years. Trust.

Amanda Morgan Thomas is mum of three teens, business mentor, coach and advisor to...

What is the difference between self confidence and confidence?

There are lots of answers to this but we like this one.

Self-confidence is being secure in yourself and your abilities. 

Confidence draws on evidence of things you've been able to do or achieve in the past.

If we just rely on confidence, what do we do if we don’t have the evidence or haven’t done something before?

Ah, yes.. we have to rely on having SELF confidence.

We have to GROW it.

Being able to trust yourself and back yourself. To be able to believe in yourself that you can go out there and do what you say you are going to do.

This needs work. No one is born with this certainty and courage in their convictions. It takes hard work and personal growth. Working on and building our self confidence is about showing up despite being nervous. Doing things even though we might not want to. This gives us the experience which will then not only help our self confidence but give us the evidence we need for our...

You asked, we listened. 

Listening is a skill.

You asked us two questions.

1. Why our ‘Moving on up’ course is only for girls?
2. I can’t make the live sessions. Will they be recorded?

Answer 1: We were wrong. And here’s why.

‘HOW Inspire’ is our signature digital membership for teen girls only. We hold a safe space for young women to come and be themselves at an age when everything is changing. They can talk openly about their changing bodies, hormones, friendship, anxieties, navigating social media and relationships whilst meeting amazing role models and forming an awesome community along the way. Sometimes, this is best done with just us girls to discuss. It’s a weekly call with videos on: an open community of awesome teens. Inspiring, exciting, safe.

‘Moving on up’ is NEW!

Maybe we got a bit stuck in our ways.
Maybe a bit stuck in our comfort zone.

‘Moving on up’ is recorded and with no cameras on for attendees...

This is a bit of a personal one.

Those of you who know us as a family will already be aware of this but, for those that don’t, I thought that maybe sharing my feelings can help others with theirs.

This is for any children, teens, young adults, older adults who have lost a pet.

I have never had a dog before.

When I was growing up over time we had a guinea pig, a couple of rabbits, a hamster and later on a cat.

But, never a dog.

My husband wanted two. Mulder and Scully #TheXFiles

So, after we had Polly who is now 14, Scully was the next to enter the family and last week we said a very sad goodbye.

Scully was a bit of an extraordinary dog. Everyone who met him loved him.

You’d be looking around wondering where he was on the beach and calling his name to always find him by your feet.

He never went far.

You’d leave food on the side or wander around a market full of delicious smells and he’d have a sniff and walk on by.

He’d take himself off into the woods to...

WE LOVE THE SEA!
Swimming in it, exploring it and, most of all, protecting it.
So, with National Marine Week at the beginning of August and so many of you hopefully enjoying everything the coast has to offer this summer, our WFRDB this month celebrates one of the most important elements on our planet. 

WATCH

There is something incredibly healing about spending time in the sea and Jamaican surfer Imani Wilmot uses surfing as a way to transform the tough lives of the women around her by helping them to avoid a life of violence and crime. Surf Girl Jamaica highlights her aim to develop self-motivation, a sense of community and respect for the environment whilst also inspiring girls of colour from all over the world to see that they have a place in the surf industry. This film (directed by the brilliant Joya and Lucy from The Right to Roam centres on the first all-female surfing competition in Jamaica. 

FOLLOW 

@mcs_uk

Keep up to date on everything that the...

What’s the link between snorkelling, an online course and starting secondary school?

Doing something that scares you!

Yes, snorkelling used to scare me.

Doing something different is scary.

Signing up for an online course can feel scary.

Going up to senior school is also a bit scary even for parents!

Some kids are naturally super excited, others daunted and nervous.

It is a big change.

A change that we can help navigate.

Do you want to help your daughter flourish and thrive whilst navigating the big jump from Year 6 to Year 7.

 Does it keep you up at night thinking of all the pitfalls she may encounter along the way?

 Do you want to give you both the best possible start to Year 7 with information and support from several experts including a GP, a psychotherapist, teen mentors and an experienced Year 7 tutor?

 We have something that will really help.

‘Moving on up’ is a NEW online course designed especially for girls going into senior school…...

WATCH

Davina McCall: Sex, Myths & the Menopause  (available on 4OD)

We find it frustrating that women don’t feel that they can talk about the menopause and apparently so does Davina! You will have seen over the last 12 months that we’ve run a number of talks with VHK Education Dr Heidi Kerr and Dr Victoria Hobbs who offer appointments via Health and Her platform. We’ve discussed this taboo subject and all the battles that come along with it. So we love that this is now getting some air time on our TV screens and raising awareness of what the menopause is really about. Davina talks to many women from different backgrounds with a range of different experiences who are all brave enough to share their story and help you to realise that you are not alone. 

FOLLOW 

@drchatterjee

For any BBC Radio 2 listeners, this name may already be familiar to you as he hosts a show on a Sunday night at 10pm all about mental health and wellbeing. On his...