THE BLOG
This is where we get up close and personal with the topics you've asked for. Take some time to read through the categories and choose the best fit for you and your business.
We don't play small in this arena. It’s time to work.
The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. I feel sure that we are all an advocate of these efforts and...
By Hayley McDonnell.
May is the month when cultural diversity is acknowledged on a global scale (21st May is World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development). Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural Development have diversity at its core, and with a worldwide element recognised,...
By Hayley McDonnell
It's the month of Easter, and Spring is really getting going. Lighter nights have arrived – it is one of my favourite months! So let's dive into all things April!
April hosts; International Day for Monuments and Sites, better known as World Heritage Day, which promotes...
By Hayley McDonnell.
Purpose and accountability are essential for us all. They provide motivation and recognition of work achieved, which is true in both professional and personal aspects of life. The months of the year pass us by and often with only a cursory glance, if at all, to the actual...
By Hayley McDonnell.
February is known for many things; it could be the shortest month of the year, the coldest month of the year, or the month of love. You probably know that the original Roman calendar enjoyed by Western culture today only had ten months. At one stage, the Romans didn’t...
By Hayley McDonnell.
January is seen by many as the most challenging month.
Is January as hard as we think? In Western culture, we are coming down from an almost month of fun and festivities, but alongside that, January brings us an expectation that there is a full year ahead to plan and enjoy....
By Hayley McDonnell.
In the Western hemisphere, a sparkling interlude in the dark, cold month of December is St. Lucia's Day.
St. Lucia's Day is acknowledged by an abundance of festivity and lights and celebrated in Sweden, Norway, and the Swedish-speaking areas of Finland on December...
By Hayley McDonnell.
World Kindness Day is celebrated annually on 13th November. On this day, all those involved strive to make the world a better place by promoting good deeds, celebrating positivity and pledging acts of kindness, either as individuals or as organisations.
Kindness is entirely...
By Hayley McDonnell.
If you have been sitting near water in the summer months, you have more in common with this Buddhist festival than you may have realised. Perhaps you've sat under a pagoda for shade and admired its aesthetic contribution to the outside space? This Eastern cultural event is...
By Hayley McDonnell.
I’ve always tried to believe that when exchanging gifts that ‘the pleasure was in the giving and not the receiving’. Of course, this works best, if at all, with tangible gifts though I throw in a caveat here as the intended reaction is of gratitude and not...
By Hayley McDonnell.
In Christian/Western culture, Jesus teaches believers to pray that God would provide daily bread (Matthew 6:11). Obviously, Jesus was not telling His disciples to pray only for bread even though bread was a staple in the diet of the Jews and had been so for many years....
By Hayley McDonnell
The summer months are full of fun, sunshine, ice cream, beaches, family gatherings and outdoor picnics to name a few. They are a respite from daily work, a chance to enjoy sunnier weather (we hope) and to enjoy ourselves. It gives us a chance to momentarily forget our worries...
By Hayley McDonnell
In the midst of summer, we are more likely to be immersed in the moment, the here and now, and if there is the possibility then we will be enjoying the great outdoors more than ever before. The prospect of a midsummer may greet us with a surprise, and this year for the...
By Hayley McDonnell
Never has freedom, or a lack of it, been felt so keenly by us all as it does today. The idea of imposed isolation, restriction of movement, essential journeys only, job losses, education disrupted beyond recognition, separation from loved ones, the mental health and well-being...
By Hayley McDonnell
The words ‘frugal’ and ‘frugality’ certainly stir up negative connotations and can be understood as the opposite of abundance though both have their place in modern lifestyles. So, it makes sense to consider the word ‘lagom’.
When I first...
By Hayley McDonnell
The older I get the more I look back over my life and find earlier points of reference. This layering of experience and information adds more depth and understanding to both where I am now and where I was. The reference this time I am referring to is the religion or way...
