Recently I asked my youngest daughter if she was excited about starting back to school. Like most little children, she lives completely in the present and it took her a moment or two to even consider what it might be like following the routine of a school day again. Eventually she said “it’ll be nice to see my friends again.”

Following on from another great Hearts+Minds overnight getaway, with a theme of ‘Mistakes: the portal for discovery,' we discussed so much - from creativity to adventure, to friendship and marriage, to acceptance and imperfection.

Emotional intimacy isn’t something that happens overnight; we could spend our whole married lives working towards it. Here are six things we can do in our marriages to cultivate stronger emotional intimacy:

What does Easter mean for you? Is it just another of those feasts that turn up on the calendar charting the arrival of spring? Bringing in its wake hosts of golden daffodils fluttering and dancing in the breeze, as the famous poem says? Or does Easter have another deeper meaning in your life’s trajectory?

Here we are in Holy Week, on the cusp of Easter. In a sense, this final week of Lent is like that last final stretch of a marathon; we are nearly there and the end is in sight. Yet this is also the time when we might feel most tempted to give up on those resolutions we’ve set ourselves because…well it’s almost Easter.

We are fortunate to live in a time when many of us are told we can achieve our dreams and  shoot for the stars. Women succeeding on the world stage has been a news staple in the media this past summer; from ‘Swiftie fever’ taking the world by storm, to Simone Biles setting thrilling new world records at this year's Olympics - making a magnificent comeback.

About 17.1 million people watched Oprah Winfrey's interview with Prince Harry and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle on CBS, making it one of the most-watched events of the TV season (but still well behind the Super Bowl). Certain things were said, much left unsaid, other things insinuated and a lot has since gone viral.

One of the great things about being the mother of a large family is that there is always someone to hand the baby to when you need a few minutes to get something done. One of my little girls is the ‘go-to’ second mum in the house and she delights in being her little brother’s first choice!

I think it’s fair to say that over time we have grown apart from nature and what we sometimes forget is, we are part of it. Nature is not a place we visit or something we look at from afar: it is home. And with Spring edging closer, now is a perfect time to think about how we can connect to nature.

Career fulfilment is when you find a career that balances your interests and your skills and combines your passions and your strengths. Having a sense of fulfilment with your career can lead to overall satisfaction and happiness with your job.

As a child, one of the first things I often heard people mention about Lent was to ask the question, “what are you giving up?” Random strangers or people who never seemed to talk about anything else to do with matters of faith, would suddenly speak about what they were ‘giving up.’ And the default was always chocolate and sweets!

At this time of year, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner we may find our thoughts are turning to things romantic! Whether or not you’re a staunch believer in the usefulness of Valentine’s in promoting love and affection, or you simply think it’s another money making racket, it’s hard to ignore the cupid’s arrows, cuddly teddies and heart shaped confectionery. All the typical Valentine’s paraphernalia!

How many times did you hear the phrase “practice makes perfect” growing up? I know I certainly did. Especially anytime I struggled with something; playing an instrument, learning spellings or algebra, speaking a new language. Something about it never sat easily with me though. What if I didn’t know the best way to practise?

As I write this blog, I am aware of the bin men on the road moving up and down and emptying the huge rubbish accumulated over Christmas. I also see the postman trudging through the snow to offload the letters and parcels for all my neighbours on the street.

But when I talk about culture here, I’m referring to the beliefs and attitudes that permeate our homes - our own unique family culture that sets us apart and binds our family together. Here are 3 ways to begin building the culture in your family.

Sometimes I ask myself the question: am I happy to live an ordinary, normal life? To be an ordinary person? Happiness, defined as “an emotional state characterised by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment and fulfilment”, is something I think we’re all after.

Ordinary shepherds who were working in the fields around Bethlehem were the first people to receive the angel’s announcement of the birth of a Messiah.

Ordinary shepherds who were working in the fields around Bethlehem were the first people to receive the angel’s announcement of the birth of a Messiah.

Hands up if you’ve started your Christmas shopping? Even if you’re the last minute type, I can almost guarantee you’ve got a list somewhere - even if it’s only in your head! You may even have managed to add a bottle of Shloer or a jar of cranberry sauce to the weekly shop.

Our next Overnight Getaway is just around the corner and preparations are underway for another fantastic weekend! The theme this month is “What am I afraid of? Strong Roots, Brave Voice: Living with Virtue in a Complicated World” and we’re thrilled to welcome Alex Loewe as one of our speakers.