Today I’m sharing ten simple ways to be happier and more confident at work. If you listened to the first podcast episode of 2023 these will sound familiar but this will be a good reminder! As always, feel free to pick and choose the tips that suit you best.

Last month I devoted episode 53 of Unlock Your Confidence with Clare Walsh to self-worth. As I know that not everyone listens to the podcast I thought it about time we covered the topic here too. Read on to find out how we should measure our self-worth and easy ways we can give it a boost!

Twelve months ago, almost to the day, my blog post was called “A joyful spring”. I was still a month away from the end of radiotherapy and had no idea how much more exhausted I was going to get and yet there was so much hope and joy in my heart as the days were getting longer, the spring bulbs were bursting with colour and it was just a week until the clocks would spring forward to British Summer Time.

Spring is my favourite time of year and I have to say that even when things are difficult, whether that be a worldwide pandemic, cancer treatment or even family bereavement, spring is capable of stirring hope in my heart. Not just hope but real belief that things can and will get better. I know that getting outside and breathing in the fresh air, moving my body, listening to the birdsong and taking the time to notice the new life springing up everywhere will ground me and make me feel better.

It’s International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8th March and this year we’re being encouraged to embrace equity and “imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality.”

We’re halfway through February already. I say, already, but I know I’m not alone in feeling like January lasted three and a half months! Anyway, as I said, half way through February. Did you choose an intention for the year or set New Year resolutions? How’s it going?

I chose fun as my intention/word for the year and I have to admit that January was more trying than fun but I did my best to make sure I made some time for the experiences, people and things that I find fun. If like me you feel you could do with a bit of a reset and refocus on your intention or goals for this year here are a few pointers to get you moving forward.

Let’s face it we all have bad days. Sometimes for no apparent reason, we feel like we’ve got out of the wrong side of bed and can’t put our finger on why it feels like the world is out to get us. My brother-in-law has a word for it – being on a stressipice – the precipice of all out stress. Whatever form your bad day takes there are things we can do about it so today I’m sharing my ten ways you can fix a bad day and improve your mood!

As always it’s a pick and mix – try my suggestions and see what works best for you.

Decades ago a travel company came up with the gimmick of calling the third Monday in January blue Monday – supposedly the most miserable Monday of the year. Gimmick or not I know a lot of us feel a little blue on January Mondays heading into the new working week. I have to confess that there have been January Mondays when, despite being in a job I loved, I started the day with a little cry at home! With this is mind I decided that this would be a great week for us to focus on upping the self-care and really nurturing ourselves.

The week is finally upon us! Another year is almost over and we gather to celebrate, to feast as generations before us have gathered. Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Winter Solstice or just surviving another year I wish you every joy and happiness.

Despite this being one of the darkest months of the year I do love the build up to Christmas. Rather than bemoaning the fact it’s dark and cold I choose to embrace the warmth of Christmas excitement, fairy lights, candles, rehearsals for carol services. In fact I’m singing in a carol service this weekend.

“Like most men I am amazingly good at forgiving myself.” John Simpson.

In May I devoted a podcast episode to the importance of forgiving yourself triggered by the above Guardian headline. It really got me thinking about myself and the women in my life. Are we amazingly good at forgiving ourselves? Are you?

I’m aware that not everyone who reads the blog listens to the podcast and as it’s such an important topic I wanted to share it here too.

I think the level of national mourning with huge queues to walk past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II showed that honouring and remembering the dead is not confined to any nationality, religion or creed. It’s a human instinct to remember. We have evolved as humans telling stories to help us remember our past and our ancestors.

This time last year I was in my first month of chemotherapy and feeling overwhelmed. Trying to engage with Breast Cancer Awareness month was pretty much beyond me. I was too busy living it. This year I want to make sure that I’m using the platform I have to raise some all important awareness by sharing the lessons I have learnt, useful resources and giving you the confidence to check yourself and get your loved ones to do the same and to seek help should you need it.

In my blog at the beginning of the month I wrote about how September is a chance for a fresh new start and took you through ways to identify what you want to achieve and how to start taking the steps to get yourself there.

One of the things I talked about in that blog was ways of keeping yourself accountable. How are you getting on? We’re half way through October – are you taking the action you promised yourself you would?

If not, fear not! I’ve got you!

Before beginning to write this blog I looked back over my autumn posts for the last few years and realised that it was this time last year that I finally told you about my cancer diagnosis. Despite the fact I was about to head into the unknown I still chose to ask myself what would bring me joy during autumn.

Looking back, though I thought my curated list of small pleasures would be quite easy to fulfil even during chemo I was wrong. There were things that were way beyond my energy levels – the spring bulbs never got ordered, never mind planted. Things that I would usually enjoy – like a glass of red wine or lovely scented candles – that my sense of smell and taste said a resounding no to. But all that said, I got to the end of the year and chose joy as my word for 2022. Even though I knew the chemo wasn’t over and the radiotherapy was yet to come I had not given up on joy. On finding the awe and wonder in the everyday.

In the days since the death of Queen Elizabeth the theme that has come up again and again on the television, in the news and social media posts is that of service. The Queen saw herself as the servant Queen, servant to God and her people often signing off messages with “Your servant, Elizabeth R.”

This is a woman who was naturally shy and reticent and yet touched the lives of so many through her words and actions. She served her people right up until the day she died, continuing to meet government ministers, attend Privy Council meetings and dealing with those endless red boxes of government papers. I just can’t imagine continuing to work in any capacity in my 90s, never mind to that level.

For many people September is the other New Year. In the northern hemisphere the new school year begins and it feels like a fresh new start as life begins again after the lazier days of summer. I encouraged you all, both through my podcast and blog to slow down over the summer. To make the most of the opportunity to take life at your own pace and on your terms and I practiced what I preached choosing to take the summer off from both the blog and podcast.

For many of us when we slow down and take a break from our usual routines we find ourselves considering our lives. In the past I've referred to this as sun lounger ponderings although given the fact that the British summer can be far from sunny at times they don’t always take place on a sun lounger!

Last September I shared some concrete ways you can use this time to reflect on what you want and move yourself forward with your goals and I thought it would be worth revisiting these.

So, if having had a break from your normal routine you have reflected on the changes you’d like to make in the coming year here are my tips to get yourself started.

In last week’s podcast – episode 42 – I was talking about the many benefits of slowing down. It’s summer here in the UK, schools are about to break up for the long holiday, offices get quieter as people take their summer holidays and the long light evenings encourage us to spend more time socialising and making the most of what good weather we get.

We can choose to slow down at any time of year but as I’ve already said, the things that can be done at any time can end up being done at no time. In other words they just don’t happen. And so I encourage you to take time to consciously slow down this summer. To give yourself the space to be in the moment and savour all that the season has to offer.

This week I'm sharing five books for when life is tough because let’s face it life is really tough sometimes. These books have all helped me in some way over the last two years. Sometimes to better understand what others are going through so I can support them, but most of the time to help me get through what has been a tricky couple of years to put it mildly. Some of these books I have mentioned before but I thought bringing them together would be really helpful.

I love a list. To-do lists, packing lists, shopping lists, reading lists, lists of the things I want to experience and enjoy each season... the list of lists goes on! But, like everyone else, I have to admit that there are sometimes things on those lists that have been there for weeks, sometimes months and occasionally years. And, those things, even if they were put there with the best of intentions sap my energy, make me feel guilty and even like a failure. They are no good at all for my confidence levels.

The first weekend in June, here in Britain, we have a four day weekend to allow us to celebrate, if we wish, 70 years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

Whatever your thoughts on whether we should have a monarchy or not there is no doubt that 70 years of service is remarkable. I accept that the Queen has had a hugely privileged life with access to wealth beyond the wildest dreams of many of us but she has also lived her life in the public eye constantly aware of her duty.

Service is a wonderful thing and it’s quite right that we celebrate it whether with jubilees, retirement celebrations, anniversary parties or medals and awards. But there are also lots of acts of service that go unnoticed and unthought about every day and it’s important that we recognise those, especially when we’re the one who is undertaking that act of service. It’s far too easy to just say, “Oh anyone would do the same.” or, “It’s just what’s expected.” But that doesn’t make it any easier. That doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a great big pat on the back.