Life Coach

Making Christmas about more than socks

Think beyond socks this Christmas and make a list of all the things that you’re grateful for in...

Making Christmas about more than socks

Let’s use the end of 2020 to hit the reset button and have a think about what’s really important to our whanau and friends, our communities, our country and our planet, writes Jan Aitken.

Return of the wow factor

Maintaining the capacity for wonder and the desire to seek it out can become an uphill battle, writes Jan Aitken.

Trying a little kindness

If you’re on the receiving end of an act of kindness it’s not hard to understand why you feel good, writes life coach Jan Aitken.

Time in the trees good for the soul

Forest bathing allows you to soak in the experience of being in nature. PHOTO: TNS

Time in the trees good for the soul

There’s a Zen saying: "You should sit in nature for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re busy - then you should sit for an hour," writes life coach Jan Aitken.

Investing in you

I have a question for you: do you consider yourself to be your most important asset? asks life coach Jan Aitken.

Slowing the pace of life

A comment I hear a lot, and one I find myself making, is that life seems so fast paced now, writes life coach Jan Aitken.

Filling in the gaps

Jan Aitken has the feeling that if this year were a menu, it would read something like the following: Entree: cold, lumpy, day old porridge. Main: tripe and onions. Dessert: liver mousse.

Treat your energy level like battery

To ‘‘recharge your batteries’’, you must first figure out what activities nourish or deplete you...

Treat your energy level like battery

I was looking at my phone battery depleting and thought how useful it is that we can plug a phone in and recharge the battery whenever we need to. I also thought how easy it would be if we could do the same, writes Jan Aitken.

New priorities for a world in flux

What leaves you thinking ‘‘I wish I had’’ at the end of a day? PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

New priorities for a world in flux

If ever a year has had me question who I am, where I’m headed and what I’m doing then 2020 is it, writes life coach Jan Aitken.

Winter a great time to chill out

Winter a great time to chill out

It’s that time of year when I want to indulge in a mix of eating half my bodyweight in comfort food every day and sleeping for at least 18 out of every 24 hours, writes life coach Jan Aitken.

A life good enough

Life is often messy and busy and seldom perfect. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

A life good enough

Ever said "I’m trying to get my work-life balance sorted"?

Restoring our energy

We’ll need to carefully manage our energy levels as we move back into our new normal, writes life coach Jan Aitken.

Quieter time chance to reappraise success

While the definition of success may not have changed, how we measure it might have.PHOTOS: GETTY...

Quieter time chance to reappraise success

The idea of success and being successful can come with a lot of pressure.

Remarkable times bring opportunity

Many have rediscovered gardening of late. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Remarkable times bring opportunity

How was the April challenge to build mental strength and resilience, asks life coach Jan Aitken.

Embrace your natural curiosities

Make like a cat, or Einstein, and show some curiosity. It's likely to be good for you. Photo:...

Embrace your natural curiosities

It’s said that "curiosity killed the cat”. My cat’s curiosity is principally applied to the inside of its own eyelids, and so far that hasn’t done it any harm, writes life coach Jan Aitken.

Make mindfulness part of your life

Something as simple as lying on the grass and looking up at the stars has a positive effect our...

Make mindfulness part of your life

A lot has happened since I set the last challenge to improve our sleep routine with the aim of helping us get a better quality sleep, writes life coach Jan Aitken.