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The Enneagram Type 9 in Leadership : Leading with Harmony

Leadership is not merely about direction and decision-making; it’s deeply rooted in personal style and understanding. For those resonating with Enneagram Type 9s, known as The Peacemaker or The Mediator, you are recognised for your calm demeanour, diplomatic approach, and inclusive leadership style. But how can these serene traits shape effective and engaging leadership?

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The Enneagram Type 8 in Leadership : Leading with Strength

Leadership is not solely about taking charge; it’s about recognising and utilising your intrinsic qualities to guide and inspire. For those aligned with Enneagram Type 8s, known as The Challenger or The Protector, you are recognised for your assertiveness, confidence, and decisiveness. But how can these robust traits translate into balanced and effective leadership?

Let’s delve into the characteristics of Type 8 leaders and discover how your natural drive and protective instincts can foster a strong, fair, and motivating team environment.

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The Enneagram Type 7 in Leadership: Leading with Enthusiasm

Leadership isn’t just about directives and strategies; it’s about infusing your unique energy into your team. For those of you aligned with Enneagram Type 7s, known as The Enthusiast or The Adventurer, you are celebrated for your optimism, versatility, and spontaneity. But how can these vibrant traits translate into dynamic and effective leadership? Let’s embark on an exploration of Type 7 leaders and discover how your zest for life and breadth of ideas can foster an inspiring and innovative team environment.

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The Enneagram Type 6 in Leadership: Leading with Vigilance

Leadership is not just about guiding others; it’s about understanding and harnessing your innate qualities. For those who identify with Enneagram Type 6s, known as The Loyalist or The Skeptic, you are recognised for your reliability, strategic thinking, and commitment to security. But how do these traits serve you in a leadership context? Let’s explore the realm of Type 6 leaders and uncover how your natural caution and preparedness can lead to trustworthy and resilient leadership.

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The Enneagram Type 5 in Leadership : Leading with Insight

Leadership is more than just making decisions; it’s about leveraging your unique strengths and understanding. For those of you who resonate with Enneagram Type 5s, known as The Investigator or The Observer, you are celebrated for your analytical skills, independence, and innovative thinking. But how do these characteristics translate into effective leadership? Let’s delve into the world of Type 5 leaders and uncover how your pursuit of knowledge and understanding can result in insightful and visionary leadership.

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Enneagram Type 4 in Leadership: Leading with Depth

Leadership isn’t just about issuing orders; it’s about embracing your inner depths. For those of you who resonate with Enneagram Type 4s, known as The Individualist or The Romantic, you are recognised for your creativity, sensitivity, and distinctiveness. But how do these rich inner experiences translate into leadership? Let’s journey into the distinctive world of Type 4 leaders and explore how your deep emotional landscape can inform a compelling and authentic leadership style.

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The Enneagram Type 3 in Leadership: Leading With Drive

Being at the helm means more than just steering the ship; it’s about comprehending your own driving forces. For those of you who find yourselves as Enneagram Type 3s, known as The Achiever or The Performer, you are celebrated for your ambition, focus, and adaptability. But how do these traits unfold in the landscape of leadership? Let’s navigate the distinctive trail of Type 3 leaders and explore how your natural drive can be channeled into inspiring and effective leadership.

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Enneagram Type 2 in Leadership : Leading with Heart

Leadership isn’t just about setting directions; it’s deeply rooted in self-understanding. For those of you identified as Enneagram Type 2s, known as The Helper or The Giver, you are recognised for your empathy, your eagerness to assist, and your innate ability to connect with others. But how does this natural propensity for support and care translate into leadership? Let’s embark on a journey to understand the unique position of Type 2 leaders and discover how your intrinsic qualities can shape compassionate and effective leadership.

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The Enneagram Type 1 in Leadership: Leading with Purpose

Being a leader isn’t just about guiding a team; it’s about understanding yourself too. For those of you who are Enneagram Type 1s, you’re known as The Reformer or The Perfectionist. You’ve got a strong sense of what’s right and strive for excellence in everything you do. But how does this play out in leadership? Let’s dive into the unique world of Type 1 leaders and see how you can use your traits for effective and principled leadership.

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Leverage Your Time Management Style to be More Productive

In our fast-paced work environments, mastering time management stands as the cornerstone of productivity and fulfilment. Yet, our approaches to organising time are as diverse as our personalities, shaped by distinct motivations, preferences, and pressures.

By understanding and applying different time management styles, we can transform the way we lead, collaborate, and achieve our objectives, by harnessing the gifts of each individual, to contribute to the whole.

Want to find out your time-management style? Complete our “What makes you tick?” quiz here.

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Why Leadership Development needs a Creative Boost

Introduction: Embracing the Unknown

In our rapidly changing world, marked by technological evolution and unpredictable challenges, leadership demands agility and adaptability. Traditional models of command and control are giving way to a more dynamic approach, highlighting the significance of an experimentation mindset. This concept, vital for leadership development, is not about reckless risk-taking but about fostering a culture of innovation, learning from both successes and failures, and adapting strategies in real-time.

Embrace an experimentation mindset.

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The 9 Paths of Sustainable Leadership

In the labyrinth of leadership, the path to personal wellbeing often seems like a map written in invisible ink. Amidst the whirlwind of decision-making, innovation, and people management, the wellbeing of leaders can easily become the silent sacrifice. But what if the ancient wisdom of the Enneagram could serve as a compass to guide leaders through the maze of their inner landscape, towards a sanctuary of wellbeing?

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From Career to Retirement : How to shift gears smoothly

Entering retirement feels a lot like shifting gears. You’re moving from the fast lane of your career into a more scenic route of retirement. It’s not just about kicking back though; it’s about finding new roads to travel, ones that are fulfilling and rewarding. And, to be honest – the off-reamp to your awaited ‘golden years’ can feel surprisingly bumpy at first.

So, to help you make this transition as smooth as possible, I’ve collected these common challenges my clients face when entering their sunset years.

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Digital Detox : How the K-Safe & Opal App Rewires Your Brain

We aaaallll talk about how ‘bad’ we are with our devices. This guilty pleasure we complain about by posting incessantly about it. We talk about how we need to be more grounded, mindful, connected, back to nature, have ‘real conversations with other humans’…while we keep scrolling mindlessly.

At least, that’s what I tend to do.

I confess: a true digital detox is hard for me. It’s hard not to zone out on my devices. It’s hard not to convince myself I’m doing it for the “right reasons”, or that it’s “not that bad”, or that “it doesn’t affect me the way it does other people”.

So, last year, I decided to take a stab at more proactively detoxing myself from my phone, using two tools:

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Forget Work-Life Balance: Develop this instead

In today’s hybrid work environment, the quest for a perfect work-life balance has become more elusive than ever. It’s time to shift our focus towards cultivating adaptability and presence in our lives. This approach not only eases the stress of trying to compartmentalise our lives but also enhances our ability to navigate the complexities of modern work and life with grace and effectiveness.

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When Personal Development Becomes the Issue

I’ll start exercising tomorrow,” you tell yourself. Or, “I know meditating would help my anxiety, but I just can’t seem to make it a habit.”

Sound familiar? It’s a chorus many of us sing, a battle of intentions versus actions where our aspirations to improve often drown in a sea of procrastination and avoidance.

How about we just Stop.

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Leadership & Integrity – Personal Insights from Women in Tech

Navigating the finance sector as a woman can be akin to walking a tightrope. It’s a delicate balance between asserting your leadership and maintaining your authenticity, especially when faced with the industry’s infamous glass ceiling and the constant juggle of personal commitments. However, inspiring women like “Claire” (name and other details altered for confidentiality), one of my clients, demonstrate that it’s not only possible to succeed but to thrive by leading with integrity and leveraging unique strengths.

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From Stress to Serenity : a Healthcare Leader’s Journey

I’ve been there. In fact, when I was still practicing medicine, I thought it one of life’s greatest ironies: that the system designed to heal, can be so overwhelmed with fear, stress, and mental & physical illness.

Now that I have a bit more hindsight, I have more empathy & understanding for the context. You see, the world of healthcare, with its high stakes an  relentless pace, demands not just professional expertise. However, it also requires rigorous commitment to maintain your own personal wellbeing.

If your industry places a higher demand on you,
You need a wellbeing strategy to balance it out.

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The Myth of Time Management in Leadership

Time management is often touted as the ultimate solution to all our productivity woes. Leaders in high-stakes fields like finance and healthcare are particularly familiar with this mantra. The idea is simple: organise your tasks, stick to a schedule, and voila – productivity and success will follow. But is effective time management truly the panacea it’s made out to be? Or is it possible that this well-intentioned advice overlooks fundamental aspects of how we function as leaders and humans?
In my experience, time-management is never the real issue…

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Setting Boundaries : Leadership Skills for 2024

Modern leadership’s landscape is evolving, and with it, the line between our professional engagements and personal life is blurring like never before. As leaders and managers, you’re facing the complex challenge of setting boundaries in an age where your living room might also be your boardroom.
Let’s dive into this essential skill, validate its importance with some science, and offer you hands-on strategies for maintaining your balance and effectiveness, especially if you’re navigating the hybrid or remote working world.

 

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How to make sense of, and cope with anxiety

“I was just in a meeting, when I suddenly felt sweaty, my heart racing, and like I was going to die…I think I was having a panic attack?”
“Every time I open my emails, I just get this flood of anxiety, my head spins out and I just can’t focus on my tasks.”

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Don’t bother meditating, exercising or journaling

“I really need to start journaling but I keep putting it off.”
“I tried meditation, and it supported me in dealing with anxiety, but then the habit just slipped.”
“When I remember to __________, it really helps. I just don’t have the discipline to keep it up.”

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How to stand up to your Inner Critic

One day, sometime during your teenage or young adult life, a sinister figure snuck in through the backdoor of your mind. Maybe you remember the exact moment: that painful break-up, the loss of a job, or a failed application to Cambridge.

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Burnout : don’t let it sneak up on you

Chris (name and details altered for confidentiality) was first referred to me by concerned family members. They were worried about his mental and physical well-being, and said that he needs some coaching to create a healthy work-life balance.

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How to cultivate healthy, happy relationships

“I was in a great relationship before: my husband was loving and kind at first. But, after 4 years of marriage, he left me for another woman. I don’t blame myself for it, I am still processing my anger and sadness about it, and I can’t help but worry: How do I know that the same thing won’t happen to me again?”

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Why do a personality assessment?

Do you prefer to be centre-stage, or backstage? Do your friends call you the party animal, or the home-body? Are you a dog-person or a cat-person? Do you have more sociopathic, or more psychopathic tendencies?

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Embrace your demons

What are your positive traits? Maybe you’re artistic, conscientious, precise or pragmatic; empathic, goal-driven, enthusiastic or independent. Now think about how these very traits have caused you trouble in the past.

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What do you do with the elephant in the room?

Before you read this article, a disclaimer: This subject may stir up some upsetting emotions. Most of us would rather put it off until we have no choice in the matter. But I’d like to pose a challenge: if you allow yourself to experience a little discomfort now, you can save yourself – and your loved ones – massive costs in the future.

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Your work is good enough. You are good enough

Personal growth is held in a delicate balance between ”the good enough” and “the best”. Your capacity to hold this balance can mean the difference between being a dad or being a present dad; dominating others or inspiring others; building an empire or transforming a nation.

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The best way to quit your job (without burning any bridges)

So you’ve decided to quit your job, and you’re feeling anxious. This is expected. Maybe this was your first job – straight out of varsity. Maybe you just got a raise and a promotion for being such a stellar employee. On the other hand, you might be leaving because you have a horrible boss, and you don’t know if you can handle his reaction when you say “Ciao!”.

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How to face your fears in the creative industry

You’ve been staring at the screen for the entire day. But you’re not working, no: you have fallen into the Youtube spiral of distraction and despondency hours ago. It all started so well: you blocked out time in your calendar to get inspiration for the next project. You had a plan.

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How to grow in confidence

You can sense it when they walk into a room. The open posture, their expansive energy and the way they carry themselves so effortlessly in their own skin. They do their work with skill, resolution and purpose, without even breaking a sweat. With some, confidence can also be loud: speaking with charisma, clarity and infectious energy. They inspire us and compel us to follow. They are leaders. They are experts. They are gods.

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Have a holiday that meets your needs

What constitutes the “perfect getaway”? This time of year, the promise of a dream holiday is plastered across cheap brochures like flies on a beached whale. All-inclusive packages are punted with every essential ingredient – tropical weather, rolling beaches and long island on-tap. And yet, we often return from these retreats more depleted (and broke) than how we had left. Even if you manage a semblance of rest, daily life has a way of hum-drumming the sunlight right out of your stride.

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How to train anger into a power for good

Anger is not your enemy. In fact, it may be your best ally. Meet Brutus. Brutus is a watchdog. The Smiths had bought him when he was just a pup, and sent him off to dog-school to train in the art of biting, growling and everything watchdog. His main purpose was to protect the Smiths and their home from intruders.

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Journal yourself into a better life

Stop waffling, and start self-authoring. The pen is mightier than the sword. But it’s also weaker than a jelly-baby. In fact, even if I don’t know how to wield a sword, you could still lose an eye. But if I don”t know how to wield a pen, you’ll only lose interest.

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How to avoid getting psychosomatic illness

In the late 1930s, the word ‘psychosomatic’ was added to the medical dictionary. It’s purpose was to explain illnesses in the body with psychological causes. It was useful back then, but it’s an abstraction – an ‘idea’. It’s not a concrete fact.

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How NOT to exercise

It doesn’t matter what exercise you do – whether it’s CrossFit, yoga, Pilates, Zumba, aerobics or gymnastic training: all of them can damage your body – badly! On top of that – if you’re in a class of 20 people, the trainer can not possibly be mindful of your unique form. So you need to know your body pretty well to avoid injuries. And, since sitting is the new smoking, even your couch isn’t safe anymore. So, how do you push yourself into your edges, without falling over the edge?

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Can you smell the monkey on your back?

Disclaimer: This post contains some hard truths. It is less inspiring and comforting than our usual style, but it packs a power-punch of sobriety. So, I invite you to brace yourself, read it all the way to the end, and ask some hard questions.

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Skinny-dip with a buddy, and breathe

The Ama (海女, or ”˜woman of the sea”) have mastered the art of breathing. Since 700 A.D, these women have been free diving for pearls on the shores of Japan. Often needing to go as deep as 20 meters, for a minute or two at a time before surfacing to breathe, they fill their baskets with jewels from the sea.

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Take the first step

Change is scary. Whether you”re moving to a new city, different job or in a new relationship, it takes a lot to make a shift. Even when the new city is safer, and the next job pays better – there are still some emotional and mental challenges to face.

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Become a pro-athlete with your feelings

The idea of ”Emotional intelligence” and ”Emotional resilience” have been hot topics lately. Studies show that those who are emotionally ”smart”, are headhunted for jobs, great in relationships and more apt at handling life’s curve-balls. So, what exactly does it mean?

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“You act just like your mom!”

This one-liner has featured in many a household. Sadly, as an accusation. I am yet to hear a husband use it to compliment his wife. On that note: how do you feel about your parents? Pay attention, though – the question is not: “What do you think about your parents”, but which emotions do you feel when you think about them?

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What kind of parent are you?

Love them or hate them, you’re bound to resemble your parents, one way or another. If they were loud, chances are that ”inside voice” is not your default-setting. If they were moaners, you may struggle to notice the silver linings in the storms. And that”s okay – we don”t need to resist the way our parents influenced us – whether it was through their discipline, or genes. It’s better to learn from these traits, and harness them.

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Are you breathing well enough?

You are one incredible creature. The discoveries we’ve made in the last couple of decades about how humans work are mind-blowing! For a moment, though, I’d like you to forget what you know about your body: all the illustrations and diagrams on where your lungs are, how your mind looks and what your blood-cells do.

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The cure for more than 90% of back-aches

You have a physio on speed-dial, and pain-killers in your back pocket. You”ve been to an acupuncturist, a chiro, a reflexologist, an energy-healer, and – to your shame – even tried that horse-cream your grandmother swears by. You follow the latest blogs on ‘living healthy’, swallow a handful of ”natural” supplements with your morning-coffee and spent half of your income on memory-pillows, mattresses and peculiar-looking self-massage tools.

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Gluten: fad, fiction or fact?

We just love running after extremes, don’t we? Something is either the absolute worst, or heaven on earth. Don’t say it is ”good in these ways” and ”bad in those ways”: it’s too complex, and our eyes glaze over.

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The most important dietary advice you’ll ever get

The Fads are Confusing! It’s virtually impossible to stay on top of all the latest fads in nutrition. In the last 60 years, we’ve already gone full-circle; from whole-fat, to low-fat & and back to “butter is best”. So, what is the truth? Why do the “expert” opinions play merry-go-round? (And, what’s up with the latest coconut-water craze!?)

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How to get your message across

If you grew up in the West, and you often read blogs and Google “how to” strategies, you probably don’t need new information. You actually need some advice to apply what you already know. We can Google anything; but turning that information into actions, is a different ball-game.

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3 tricks to keep your brain young and fresh

Your brain is the most powerful computer on the planet. It’s also squirrel somewhat distractable. For instance, it only takes squirrel you a moment to recognize the word that does not belong. However, you still squirrel cannot stop yourself from:

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There’s an app for that?

Comms R Changing. A friend of mine – teacher – mentioned how one of her students wrote an English essay in SMS-language. To the student, it’s just “language” – it’s how he communicates every day. Apparently he cldnt evn recognize th differenc btwn what he wrote&th basic grammar & rules we were held2, just a few yrs ago.

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Forever young

Peter Pan has become somewhat of a mascot for the 21st century. We’ve turned into a society obsessed with our youthfulness, and ‘grossed out by old people’. Healthcare companies, marketing-ploys, pharmaceutical giants and researchers spend billions of dollars annually to discover, create, or at least simulate the ‘elixir of youth’.

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Short-cuts make for long delays

During a lunch-date, my friend once mentioned how she tries to raise her 6-year old son to be ‘human’ before he goes out into the world. She said that she doesn’t guard him from external influences, but attempts to raise him in this world, dealing with the ups and downs of human interaction, before the digitised virtual reality sucks him in.

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You can multitask. Sometimes.

Apparently we cannot multitask. Some research has shown that our minds are designed to focus on one thing, and one thing only. This is not entirely true – so we’d like to qualify this statement. You can multitask, sometimes, but first, we need to explain how your brain works:

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Trade-in your fears for adventure

“I used to travel all across the US, to find the latest rides” I looooved the adrenaline-rush!! But, since my kids were born, something changed… I became more fearful of those kinds of activities” in fact, it”s so bad now, that I’m actually petrified of heights! I never used to be this way…”

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How not to work yourself to death part 1

You hit the alarm, get up, and get going, They say “I can’t do it”, you say “I’ve already done it”. They say “I’m not sure it will work”, you say “I fixed it.” They say “I need a break”, you say “I’ll sleep when I”m dead.” If this sounds like you, and you don’t want to risk your health & life, then you may need to take 5 minutes just to read this blog.

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How not to work yourself to death part 3

When was the last time you went to a dance-class? The way the baseline surges through your body, and vibrates through your chest. The way the sound of those velvety strings wrap themselves around your arms, pulsates through your muscles and electrifies your legs to swing in broad circles across the smooth ballroom floor.

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Make the best choices today

It’s 1pm. I’m standing at the Woolies (grocery store) across the road. My mind is stuck in neutral: “Do I take the Chicken pesto, or thai chicken curry? Oh, there”s a low-cal Beef Stroganoff option, but the cellophane on that packet looks cancerous” or should I just have a fruit-salad? But fruit have sugars, which will spike my insulin”, a full minute later, I walk out with the same meal I had yesterday. It’s just easier.

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Are you in denial?

Grab your notebook and a writing-tool. If you don’t own any, do yourself a favour and buy a moleskin and a pen that glides smoothly across the pages, then return and continue reading.

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Soul Selfies

I don’t have a bathroom mirror or any mirror, for that matter. When I wake up, I grab my electric shaver and mow the lower half of my face, until it “feels smooth enough”. My hair, on the other hand, has a personality of its own. I call the sheepish shrub above my forehead “Dennis” (although he likes to be referred to as “The Master”.)

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