Silver lining – personal development, growth

In the Silver Lining category, you can find all blog posts related to personal development, growth, and life skills that will inspire and motivate you.

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Thriving in the New Year: Essential Mental Health Tips for Lasting Change

As the new year begins, it offers a fresh opportunity for growth, transformation, and self-care. While many focus on setting resolutions centred around external achievements, to truly thrive in the year ahead, it’s essential we prioritise our general well-being. To take a holistic approach that nurtures our mind, body, emotions, and spirit. After all, mental, …

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Inspired by Flowers: Blossoms of Being

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to participate in the Flower Power event. This enjoyable family event took place at the Weald and Downland Living Museum in West Sussex (UK). They invited the literacy community Words Out Loud, which are based near the museum, and who invited submissions for the event. For this …

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How to Change Your Negative Core Beliefs to Unlock Your Potential

In my previous posts, you will have learnt about core beliefs and automatic thoughts, the difference between them and the importance of identifying our negative beliefs. Today, I will show you how to change our negative core beliefs to modify our behaviour and thoughts.  After sharing my story from the Pilates session with my psychologist …

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Identify and Understand Your Core Beliefs: The Downward Arrow Technique

Today, I will share my experience about how I uncovered my core belief during my therapy whilst utilising the Downward Arrow technique with my EMDR psychotherapist. This is a great technique that can help you identify your negative core beliefs regardless of whether you are actually undergoing therapy or not. It can be a great …

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A woman holding the sign Joy in her hands on the Journeyofsmiley blog

Four Tips to Find Joy in the Journey: Dealing With Struggle – Salt + Sparrow Guest Post

The past few months have been incredibly hard for us again. At the start of the summer, we found out that my mother-in-law, Mum as I used to call her, had cancer. We didn’t, however, expect that we would lose her just three months later. This was heartbreaking. ‘Why, why again?’ I started to question. …

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Wind is blowing away a dandelion that a person is holding in their hand and around the dandelion are in circle words, vulnerability, courage, strength on Journeyofsmiley blog

Could Vulnerability Actually Be Our Strength? – Examine This Moment Guest Blog Post

It has been a year since I started going back to the gym. Although recently, my visits have been very infrequent due to ongoing pain and illness, I was back today. I remember a year ago when I went back to the gym for the first time since my accident. It ended with tears, and …

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A woman walking with a veil behind her and title Finding purpose through acceptance on Journeyofsmiley blog

Acceptance and Finding Purpose After a Traumatic Accident – Crash Support Network Guest Post

It is exactly two years since my accident. If you have been following me for a while then you will know that it was that accident which changed my life in a split second. My journey since hasn’t been easy and finding acceptance has been one of the hardest challenges I have had to go through in …

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Finding Gratitude After a Serious Injury and Healing PTSD Through Writing – MatChat Wellbeing Podcast

I was recently invited to make a guest appearance on a podcast. The host of the MatChat Wellbeing Podcast, Mina Blair, is an author, podcaster and yoga teacher. Every week she offers words of encouragement and empowerment to her listeners. She discusses relevant topics with her guests. Mina is a wellbeing advocate, just like myself. …

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What Is a Better Alternative to a New Year’s Resolution?

As we turn the first page on a new calendar, many of us set New Year’s resolutions. I was curious about how many people actually make New Year’s resolutions, and if they manage to stick to them, so I asked this on several forums. It was interesting to read the answers. I coupled them with …

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