BUCKET LIST

 I was asked recently, what was my bucket list, and it took me back a step, because it’s not something that I’ve thought about for a long time. A lot of people have bucket lists, which is, you know, all the things you want to do before you die. And it involves a lot of […]

Being visible

Hi, it’s Dr. Denise Taylor, and today I want to talk about being visible. There’s a lot written about people of around my age, mid- fifties upwards and about how we feel invisible, how we’re not seen, and we fade into the background. I don’t think I fade into the background, and I don’t think […]

The Valuable Time of Maturity

With age, comes, for me, a greater interest in and appreciation of poetry. I hope you enjoy reflecting on this by Mario de Andrade I counted my years and realized that I have less time to live by, than I have lived so far. I have more past than future. I feel like that boy […]

Have you thought about a sabbatical?

A time out to step off your busy life, contemplate a question, or consider your future. Some academics get a chance to do this every 7 years. This often takes them outside their lecturing and other work with students, it is often still work, but different, where they work on academic research and publishing. I […]

Having Fun

There is fun, and then there is Type 2 Fun. These are the activities we only recognize as fun afterwards. They can be physically challenging such as mountain climbing or where there is a fear, perhaps of being laughed at. I do comedy improv classes and hadn’t realized this was Type 2 fun. I still […]

Do you journal?

I do this in depth at different times of my life. I kept a detailed journal whilst preparing for, whilst on my vision quest and for the month afterwards. I’ve also done it as I started new relationships as it helped deal with the feelings of insecurity that ran through my head. Interestingly when I […]

Reflecting on transitions

I created this a couple of days after my graduation ceremony. Life is full of transitions – from the young graduates starting out in life, to major transitions along the way, including on retirement. We can all wonder – where are we going with the rest of our life? Image by Bessi from Pixabay

Time to think

When I need some time out to think things through, I escape to the wood. The peace and calming nature of trees help me to feel chilled and gives my head some space. I like being away from my usual environment, it gives me time to think and reflect and allows my time to clarify […]

Stop being so busy

Busy! I used to work double shifts – there was always so much to do, and I prioritised my work. This past year I’ve spent less time working, I have been more focused, but I have a busy social life. I love new experiences so why stay in when there is a band to watch. I […]

The Benefits of Being Grounded

You can literally be grounded, by walking on earth/grass/sand. And I love to do this as much as I can. When on my Vision Quest, without food, if I felt spacey, I was told to lie tummy down on the floor, to get back in touch with me. Being grounded means being present and at […]