Coined by the magnificent twins, Ali & Fi (nee Brown), the very simple yet powerful concept of Pause & Appreciate was born way ‘back in the day’ to remind us that there is always something to be thankful for.

I was ‘educated’ in these insightful ways at around 11am on a weekday morning in 1990-something while lying in a hammock, between two palm trees, on a beach, on an island, (which had only recently been recognised on the map; having been, up until then, thought to be home to witches), off the coast of The Gambia which we travelled from that morning by jeep, ferry and canoe.

“Close your eyes”, said Ali. “Think about where you were at exactly this time last week [in the office facing a screen on that occasion]. Hold the image in your mind,” she continued. “Right, count to 10. Slowly. Now. Open your eyes. Good feeling, huh?!”

Tapping into the Pause & Appreciate mind-set does not generally require such feats of physical travel and the difference in location needn’t be so stark…I promise; the feeling can just as easily be achieved by taking the time to reflect on the delicate intricacies of a flower in the garden or to admire a rainbow on an otherwise soggy day.

Please join me as often as you are able…and let me know if you agree in the restorative qualities.