*This article was first published in 2010 when my eldest child was a baby. Re-published now on request. ‘The first six weeks are hell; don’t feel bad if you hate it, it does get better.’ Of all the advice I received in the lead up to first-time motherhood (and believe me, there was plenty), this was […]

What do you value? In life; a partner; a job? If I asked you this question, could you answer me? Not with some vague explanation of what you think your values should be, or what you want them to be; but with a clear description of the things that are most important to you and […]

Today I was rejected. I’d applied for an emerging writers mentorship for my novel and this afternoon I received an email saying my application was unsuccessful. Bugger.

We all have that little voice. For some, it’s not so little. Maybe yours is a loud shouty voice: That voice inside your head that fills you with self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy, and manifests in the dreaded imposter syndrome. It’s the voice that says, I’m not good enough. I’m not ready. It’s not the right […]

The problem with perfection is simple: it doesn’t exist. No matter how good you are – as an employee, business person, parent, partner, friend, child, sibling, athlete, runner, volunteer, healthy eater, whatever – you can always improve and do better. And therein lies the problem. If you strive for perfection, you set yourself up for failure.

There’s a reason you’re instructed to put your own oxygen mask on first in case of an emergency on an aeroplane: You can’t help other people unless you first help yourself. The same goes for life in general. When you’re busy with work, kids, commitments, and who knows what else, it’s easy to fall into […]

Tall poppy syndrome is alive and well in Australia and it’s not just celebrities and sports stars in people’s sights. Whenever someone achieves success, tries something new, or seeks to better themselves – whether in business, their career, or personal life – there will always be detractors and people who try to knock them down; […]

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when dealing with conflict, or to become emotional when having difficult conversations; but while this is perfectly normal, it can impact your ability to effectively communicate your point of view.

You do not know it all. No matter how skilled or experienced you are, there will always be something more you can learn. Even if you’re considered an ‘expert’ in your field, there will always be some way you can improve or develop.

The impact offensive social media comments can have on your real life was highlighted by two Australian cases yesterday. First, racist posts from a WA Liberal candidate from EIGHT YEARS AGO when he was aged 25 surfaced and prompted calls for him to be sacked.