What you can learn from Scrooge

You are probably quite familiar with the story ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Dickens and there will be many film adaptations on over Christmas (my favourite is the black & white version with Alistair Sim!).

And you’ve all heard of Scrooge, who was mean spirited until visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future which prompted him to then change his ways.

Most people can easily pick up on the message of being kind to others and having a kindness of heart and spirit towards others (although whether most people remember this for long into the New Year may be a separate question!).

The past, the present and the future

For my mind, the most useful thing we can learn from Scrooge is the ability to take some time to review our lives and decide whether the life we are living is the one we truly want to live, especially in the future.

So here’s what I suggest:

I Am Legend – A Case of the Vampires!

I’ve just finished reading the book ‘I am legend’ by Richard Matheson (which, by the way, is 100 times better than the film!).

In the book, the central character finds himself alone in a world of vampires. The novel is all about his struggle to survive and the internal mental battles he faces. And the whole time he faces the risk of those pesky vampires getting hold of him.

Which got me thinking about something that my clients often mention to me.

Often they tell me about the people in their lives who seem to suck the very life (or at least their time) out of them.

Does this resonate with you?

Maybe it’s the people at

A Major Case of the 'Not Bad's'

Recently I was working with a client who had come to see me because he wanted to let go of his stress and anger, and start feeling happier and calmer.

As I usually do, I asked him how his day had been, how things had gone since our last session and a few other questions to learn how much better things were since the last time we chatted.

To each question his response boiled down to ‘not bad’.

How often have you asked someone how they are, how their day has been, how something went at work or even about how their holiday was – and all you get is a ‘not bad’ (or maybe a ‘not bad thanks’ if you are lucky).

And, I suppose that if you think about it

Are Panic Attacks Ruining Your Life?

Helping people successfully overcome their panic attacks is one of the most common things that people come to see me for help with.

If you suffer with panic attacks in your life right now, you may find it hard to believe that in just a few sessions the panic and anxiety could easily be a thing of the past and you could be enjoying getting on with your life feeling calmer, more in control and more confident.

Whatever the reason that led to your panic attacks starting – whether it was something specific or they seemed to come out of nowhere and you can’t understand what caused them – you can soon find that the anxiety and panic start ruling, and ruining, your life.

Stop Panic Attacks Dictating Your Life

When my clients first come to see me they talk about