The Negativity Bias is the phenomena by which humans give more psychological weight to a bad experience than a good experience. Some researchers assert that negative emotions have an impact close to 3 times stronger than positive emotions.  Our brains are built with a greater sensitivity to unpleasant events or negative emotions. The negativity bias is completely automatic and served a strong evolutionary purpose, as being highly attuned to danger in the environment allowed humans to survive natural threats.  ​ Negative emotions & experiences are 'stickier' Basically, the n ..read more

Bringing the Attitudes of Mindfulness into our lives According to Jon Kabat Zinn, there are 9 attitudes that can be helpful to cultivate Mindfulness into our lives; Acceptance, Non-Judging, Patience, Beginners Mind, Trust, Non-Striving, Letting Be/Letting Go, Kindness & Compassion.  This is where we bring Mindfulness into our lives in a deep way beyond the ‘Meditation Mat’ so to speak as we are able to live Mindfully and embrace Mindfulness into all our lives, not just in Meditation practice.  Two of the attitudes I find are a good starting place to embed into our lives and also ..read more

​Regular Mindfulness practice improves our ability to understand and use emotions effectively.  The more we are aware of our emotional state, the more we have the choice to manage these states.  We begin over time to notice the subtleties and nuances of emotions and feeling states. The more we practice being Mindful of our inner landscape, the more we can recognise feelings as they arise.  We can then bring a healthy balance to it, not allowing the emotions to overwhelm us, dismissing it or being afraid of it.     According to Peerayuth Charoensukmongkol (2015 ..read more

There are some things within our control and some outside of our control.  Knowing what the difference is can make a big difference to managing our thoughts as well as how we manage difficulties that come our way. So, what’s in our control?  Our attitudes, desires, opinions, what information we read, how productive we are, what we eat, which friends we spend time with, handling feelings, self-talk, how we respond to stress, how we treat others and where we use our energy. What’s outside of our control?  The family and country we were born in to, the weather, natural disasters ..read more

What is the Default Mode Network?  The Default Mode Network is a large network of correlated brain regions which are activated when we are not focused on a particular task where we need focused attention.  We can also refer to this part of the mind as the ‘Monkey Mind’. It is called the ‘Default’ mode because this is what the mind defaults to when it is not engaged or focused on any specific task. This is when we are up in our heads using our imagination, recalling memories, thinking of the intention of others, and daydreaming as well as thinking about the past, the future, our wo ..read more

Mindfulness has been widely known to improve our overall wellbeing, mental health and our physical health.  The benefits of regular Mindfulness practice have been shown to help relieve stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, improve the immune system, improve sleep, improve digestive issues, lessen emotional reactivity, increase positivity, and increase relaxation. When we are Mindful, we are more likely to savour the joys in life that are often missed when we are ‘mindless’.  When we are fully engaged in activities, we switch off our mental chatter, the type of mind wanderin ..read more

It's common for children to feel anxious from time to time.  Anxiety is our mind and body's response to real or perceived threat.  It is normal for children to have worries from time to time or when they are faced with social challenges, changes and new and unfamilar events.  Below are range of strategies we can use as parents to support our children.  Reassure that feeling anxious is normal Let your child know that it is normal to have fears and worries from time to time and that you also get worried at times. Remind your child that feeling anxious is not dangerous – it ..read more

Grounding Techniques Grounding techniques are simple yet powerful ways to help us to manage strong feelings in the immediate term. Grounding techniques allow us to connect to the present moment and takes us away from the stories in our mind that often fuel anxiety.    Grounding techniques are useful for settling ourselves when we’re feeling overwhelmed or have strong emotions. When we practice grounding techniques, we can connect to the present through our body and senses, which can keep ourselves calm.  These techniques help children and teens when they are ..read more

Article in Mama Mag written by Georgina Manning As Australians experience uncertainty and lockdowns, the level of stress and anxiety affecting both parents and children is well documented. It’s never been more important to look after our wellbeing and mental health outcomes. ​ To raise awareness of this imperative issue, over the month of October, Peppa Pig and Save the Children have worked with partners including Peaceful Kids to create a month of mindfulness, relaxation, and mental health activities, helping parents and children find some calm, mindful moments every day. There is a four-we ..read more

ABC life article by Kasey Edwards, interview with Georgina Manning If your kids are enrolled in extra-curricular activities, you know what it's like to alternate between working as a ride-share driver and a drill sergeant. You're feeding them in the car as you travel between activities, or shovelling food into their mouths as they're falling asleep at the dinner table. They're exhausted, you're frazzled but there's still homework that needs to be squeezed in between the meltdowns and before they fall into bed. But then, faster than you could say coronavirus, it all stopped. Suddenly, we wer ..read more