Kintsugi Life

Many of us feel frustrated that the world and life aren't exactly as we would like them to be. It's tempting to wish for the circumstances to change to favour our skills and preferences rather than us being forced to adapt to get what we want out of life. This episode shares my thoughts on this subject, describing how to think of the need for change and how we can best adapt to the necessity to be the ones who are responsible for getting what we want from life.  You can also read an article I wrote on the same subject at http://bit.ly/360syzi If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

As I examine my life, I become more convinced of the power of minor changes to my mindset and my actions in improving my life as a whole. Living more gratefully has been a game changer. I'm now focused on also living with more empathy such that by being more considerate of and caring towards others, my own life will be enriched as part of the overall collective experience of life. This episode shares my thoughts on empathy, how it can improve our lives and how I am trying to employ it more in my interactions with others.  You can also read an article I wrote on the same subject at http://bit.ly/2MPEfSL If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

Many of us have mixed feelings when it comes to the end of one year and the start of the next. It can be inspiring, triggering feelings of optimism and of a fresh-start. For others, it can be a daunting and overwhelming time. In this episode I explore the reasons behind my own mixed emotions regarding the new year in an effort to identify how things can hopefully be brought into perspective. You can also read an article I wrote on the same subject at http://bit.ly/2sF4swy If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

On Christmas Eve, I wanted to share a short reading from a piece by Charles Dickens, called 'Christmas Festivities'.  It's one of my favourite festive readings, and whether you are celebrating Christmas or not, I think there are a few messages of hope and positivity for all, in this text. If you're celebrating Christmas, I wish you well and hope you have a relaxing and peaceful break. I'll be back in 2020! Merry Christmas! If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

One of the biggest challenges I face in life is in parenting my teenage daughters. I can sometimes struggle to guide them on the right path and a lot of the tension comes from trying to help them to see my perspective. In this episode I use some examples of the ways in which my guidance to them can sometimes be lost, and how I'm trying to help them to understand what I'm doing and why. It's a similar process as I believe we'd all do well to adopt in dealing with others who struggle to understand our motives.  You can also read an article I wrote on the same subject at http://bit.ly/2suJuQE If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

At the end of the year, we often feel obliged to review progress made over the last 12 months, whether that's in measuring our growth or trying to see if life is a little better than it was 12 months ago. In me, this tends to invoke a sense of panic that time is ebbing away or regret for time I've wasted. In this episode, I share a few ideas on how we can lose time if we're not careful to govern how we are using our time mindfully and purposefully. You can also read an article I wrote on the same subject at http://bit.ly/2LUj3uv If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

The 50th episode of Kintsugi Life... A reminder that we should try and worry less and prioritise being happy a bit more! I share a few of the mind-hacks that I try and use to remind myself how little worrying helps. You can also read an article I wrote on the same subject at http://bit.ly/34K8nWP If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

In this episode, I share how a particularly painful experience in a relationship taught me that we can't solve someone else's problems for them, through changing our actions. The experiences came from managing the insecurities and irrational jealousy that she brought to the relationship, by changing my own behaviour. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/2PcoV2U If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

Routines and habits can be comforting and helpful in working through times of adversity or for maximising what we achieve in daily life. They can also at times become constraining and limiting if we become set in our ways or find ourselves merely going through the motions of things. In this episode I discuss ways to shake things up to ensure you're getting value out of your routines and habits. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/2rOrG2r If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

When we're blessed with a good day, when things seem to have gone our way, there are often still ways in which we could have made things even better. In this episode I'll share some ways in which I've learned to be able to recognise with gratitude the good  days, and then undertaken to build upon these by identifying the ways in which I could have done things even better. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/2DIbulY If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

There is great power in adopting an attitude of gratitude in life, to be able to look for the things and events in our life for which we can feel grateful rather than those that merely bring us down. There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for, if only that we are still breathing! In this episode, I share how we can choose how we look at the events of a day through two separate lenses to see them as either positives for which we can be grateful, or as negatives that are conspiring against us.. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/2qHevAl If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

When we set goals, or aspire to get through a time of adversity, there's a tendency to focus upon the perceived gaps in our lives or the ways in which our life doesn't measure up. An alternative perspective is to consider how much of what we want is already within our grasp if we can just make a few tweaks to our life. In this episode, I share how this has evidenced in my life, and how I've been able to recognise the ways I have things I aspire to, already. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/2D5pGFj If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

At times we all get carried away looking too far into the future. It's like the way kids look forward to Christmas or their birthday. We fixate on what's coming, ignoring the present moment and all it has to offer. In this episode, I share some observations on how this occurs and how we can train ourselves to do it less. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/3487jeW If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

Momentum is a powerful force in helping us to build positive habits and to push on with difficult actions as we take on adversity. It can be built up in a positive direction, but we can also end up with momentum reinforcing a decline if we're not careful. In this episode, I share some experiences of the ways that momentum can exhibit its effects in my life, and the way to respond when momentum in a positive direction is lost. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/2Q6zF53 If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

We are each a composite of the bad and the good experiences we've been through in life. In this way, we should be proud of who we are as each experience makes us the person we are. In this episode, I share why I occasionally suffer doubt as I consider sharing my own experiences in the hope that it may help others. I share how I overcome this and what my rationale is for doing so. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/2O11nNV If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

Divorce is one of the greatest adversities that many face in their  life. This episode is about me sharing my own experiences of divorce and in the years that followed as I built my life, did the work to overcome the pain and to become a better person, and in remarrying. It's not easy for anyone, but divorce doesn't have to become something that labels you or defines you forever. I share how I've approached life since divorcing. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/2KaeYl8 If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

Self-belief, self-sufficiency and self-reliance are all traits that are based upon being comfortable in ourselves. When we are okay with the silence, and self-sufficient then we are more healthily able to enter into relationships as we see fit. In this episode, I share why I believe that being comfortable in myself and when alone, has helped me in each of the main roles that I fill in life.. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/2JPaZdj If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

It's easy to convince ourselves that the big actions are all we need to worry about whether we're trying to complete a project or work through a challenge or towards a goal.  In this episode, I share why I believe we need to give equal focus, energy and attention to the small steps too; the little actions that each contribute to the accomplishment of the major endeavours. You can read an article I wrote on this topic at  http://bit.ly/2NCWz1c If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com

There are many powerful attributes that we can employ in our lives to improve our situation: gratitude, empathy and patience are just a few examples. Forgiveness is another, that has immense power for changing how we view the past and releasing the hold it has over us. In this episode, I share why I think forgiveness is so important and how its effects can benefit you.. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/340fBVz If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com Sponsorships: on for this episode

When we aim for massive goals or 10x improvements, it can be counter-productive in that we become daunted by the goal or overwhelmed by the things we need to do to get there. The same goes for trying to work our way out of a negative situation in life.  In this episode, I share how I try and adopt an approach of making incremental steps and progress towards bigger goals as a means of staying committed to the cause.. You can also read an article I wrote on this topic at http://bit.ly/33ZI7Xr If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@tobyhazlewood.com Sponsorships: on for this episode