Integro

The Man in the Arena

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt

Recipe for personal success

Half a cup of healthy ego
1 cup robust self-belief
2 cups optimistic outlook
2.5 cups enthusiasm
5 tablespoons resilience
3 cups perseverance
A dash of delusional positivity

Have I left anything out?

Drumroll please! The first Think Well Corner workshop kicked off last Saturday at Wellington Central Library.

We had a full house for the first session which was all about "The Story You Tell Yourself." We explored the underlying narratives that influence how we think and feel, but more importantly what we believe we are capable of.

A big grateful shoutout to the awesome inaugural group who showed up and shared their stories so openly. You guys rock!

Think Well Corner is absolutely free and open to everyone who is curious about how to enhance their lives through better thinking. It's on every Saturday - small groups and big ideas.

One of the attendees had this to say:

"Janine I enjoyed your session. I felt it was a good balance of storytelling and neuroscience. Nicely facilitated and I loved the exercise. Look forward to attending another session. Like the venue too - it was my first time back in the library."

This week’s session Saturday 18 July - same time and place - builds on our first session but also stands alone as its own topic: "Can You Believe Everything You Think?" Learning to question the stories your brain creates.

If you're interested in attending a workshop, please do get in touch with me: [email protected] or 021 256 3658.

What would you try if failure wasn't embarrassing?

Confidence is rarely found at the start of the journey. It is usually discovered somewhere along the way.

Who is in your circle of influence? How do they relate to you and you to them? Do they lift you up, support you, and vice versa? Questions worth reflecting on from time to time.

What life taught me at eight

At eight years old, I learned that life can change in a moment. My dad, who I adored, became seriously mentally unwell. One day he was simply Dad; the next, our family was navigating a reality none of us expected.

Looking back, that experience planted a question in my mind that I've spent a lot of time exploring: How do we respond when life doesn't go according to plan?

Because sooner or later, life throws curveballs at all of us. We experience loss, disappointment, change, and challenges we never saw coming.

One of the most important things I've learned is this: We can't always control what happens to us, but we can choose how we respond.

That idea sits at the heart of my work, and it is one of the reasons I'm launching Think Well Corner.

It's a space for honest conversations about life, resilience, mindset, self-awareness, and becoming the best version of ourselves, especially when life gets messy.

If you have ever wondered how to navigate life's challenges with a little more wisdom, courage, and hope, I would love you to join us.

Think Well Corner launches on 11 July. Come and explore ideas that might just change the way you think about your life.

P.S. Shout-out to Gemini AI for sharpening this old photo of my dad. It actually looks like him! He loved Elvis and fancied himself a bit of a strummer. RIP June 2013

Go where you're loved

One of the saddest things to observe is people trying to get love from those who are incapable of giving it. I call it "going to a dry well". Returning again and again to a place where there's no "water". It's cruel to yourself, so walk away... and go where you're loved.💙

I will go to my grave trying - never giving up, never stepping back, always moving forward.