We’ve all seen those inspirational memes encouraging us to step out of our comfort zone and try something new, but the reality of getting out of your routine can be daunting and hard work. The definition of comfort zone is “a situation or position in which a person feels secure, comfortable, or in control” In our comfort zone, we have a sense of security, familiarity, and certainty. When we step outside of it we’re taking a risk, we’re exposing ourselves to the possibility of stress and anxiety and we’re unsure what will happen and how we’ll react.

I always thought that grief took up a finite amount of time. I knew there were five stages of grief - denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance – but surely once you’d worked through them that would be it, you could move on with your life? In the sixteen years since my mum died I’ve learned that, of course, that isn’t the way it works.

There have been two studies mentioned in the media this week that caught my ‘Practically Positive’ eye.

Be Kind, Always.

A member of the Practically Positive team, Jess Titchener, was privileged to serve refugees with local activists on the Greek island of Samos during November 2015, after working on the island earlier in the year. Here, Jess shares a story from the front line and a Positive Psychology lesson that we can all apply.