Sunflower Thinking, Bournemouth (2025)

05/11/2025

It’s Wednesday Wellness Wish time!

Today I wish for nourishment 💛

What will you do to feel nourished today? Maybe prepare a home-cooked meal or drink more water, simple changes can make a big difference.

With the weather now in full autumn mode, I always feel nourished with some home-cooked soup! So I will be making sure my lunch break is calm with a nice bowl of hot soup…yum!

We’d love to hear what you will be doing to feel nourished today in the comments, too!

Until next Wednesday, take a small step for your well-being this week.

04/11/2025

🌟 The First Ever is Coming – 12th November! 🌟

A day to celebrate every person who has been courageous enough to step forward and every person compassionate enough to reach out to others. 💚

Whether you’ve listened, supported, guided or simply been there, you’ve made a difference. This day is for you.

Let’s come together to recognise the incredible impact of Mental Health First Aiders everywhere, the quiet champions who create safer, kinder spaces for us all.

👉 How will you mark the day?

Share your stories, shout out an MHFAider who’s made a difference, or take a moment to reflect on the power of support.

03/11/2025

November is an important month for men’s health and wellbeing, marked by two key awareness moments : Movember and International Men’s Day.

💈 Movember began in Australia in 2003 and has grown into a global movement where men grow moustaches to spark conversations and raise awareness around men’s health, particularly prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and su***de prevention. It’s helped raise millions worldwide to improve early detection, treatment and support.

🌍 International Men’s Day (IMD), celebrated on 19 November, expands the conversation to celebrate the positive value men bring to families, communities and society. The 2025 theme, “Celebrating Men and Boys,” focuses on wellbeing, empathy and breaking down stereotypes around masculinity.

Both Movember and International Mens Day remind us that men’s health is about more than physical fitness, it’s about talking, connecting and supporting one another.

To honour these important themes, at Sunflower Thinking this month’s Session of the Month is our Men’s Focus Session, hosted by the brilliant throughout November.
These one-hour sessions explore key themes, including:
* Mental ill health and emotional wellbeing
* Neurodivergent conditions
* Maintaining physical and mental health
With a strong focus on talking openly, building healthy coping mechanisms and finding the right support, this is a valuable space to connect, learn and reflect.

👉 It’s not too late to book your place!
 Join the conversation and be part of a supportive community - Book your group session by emailing hello@sunflowerthinking.com

31/10/2025

🌻 October Round-Up with Sunflower Thinking 🌻

As October comes to an end, I’ve been taking a moment to pause and reflect on what has been another full and inspiring month here at Sunflower Thinking. It’s been a month of connection, awareness and meaningful action in the world of mental health and wellbeing.

Highlights from October
* Delivered over 20 training sessions and to over 400 individuals across a wide range of sectors, continuing to empower individuals and teams to support positive mental health in their workplaces and communities.
* Celebrated key awareness events including World Mental Health Day, OCD Awareness Week and World Menopause Day, both fantastic opportunities to open up conversations and challenge stigma.
* Launched new social media initiatives to share more practical tips, wellbeing reflections and applaud brilliant people doing brilliant things within the mental health space.

💬 Reflection
A standout theme for me this month has been progress - not just in the big, visible achievements, but in the small, everyday actions that build momentum over time. It’s been a good reminder to pause and appreciate both.

📅 Looking Ahead to November
I’m looking forward to:
* Delivering more tailored wellbeing sessions for teams preparing for the end-of-year rush. Two specific projects that I am putting finishing touches to this week.
* Continuing to grow our community of learners and advocates for mental health.
* And socially I have lots of plans with brilliant friends - lots to look forward to that brings true balance to my world. Oh and another 10k run challenge 💛

🙏 A huge thank you to everyone who has been part of October’s journey. Every workshop, conversation and shared story continues to reinforce why this work matters so deeply.

Here’s to carrying the warmth and connection of October into November 💛

Let’s normalise the mental health conversation together, get in touch - I hope to work with you soon.

Creating hope through safe and positive training.

29/10/2025

It’s Wednesday Wellness Wish time!

Today, I wish to connect with someone I care about. And by chance I got to connect with my amazing hairdresser , my official hair whisperer!

Why not make that call you have been putting off or share gratitude with a friend?

Reaching out can boost their day, and taking that step will definitely brighten yours too!

We’d love to hear how you will be connecting today in the comments 🌻

Until next Wednesday, take a small step for your well-being this week.

28/10/2025

🌻 Sunflower Thinking & Comparison Culture 🌻

Have you ever noticed how sunflowers behave? They don’t spend their time looking at the flowers around them, comparing who is taller, brighter or more noticed. Instead, they turn toward the sun, taking in what they need to grow in their own time and way.

Social media can make us forget this. The endless scroll often leaves us comparing our “behind the scenes” with everyone else’s “highlight reel.” Suddenly, someone else’s achievement, holiday or success story feels like a reflection of our own shortcomings.

But growth doesn’t happen in comparison - it happens in alignment. Just like a sunflower, we thrive when we focus on the light available to us: our values, our daily habits, the people who matter most.

✨ Notice when comparison sneaks in. Pause and ask: “Is this inspiring me or draining me?”
✨ Turn toward your own sun. What brings you energy, hope, and purpose today?
✨ Celebrate unique growth. No two sunflowers bloom at exactly the same pace — and neither do we.

The next time scrolling makes you feel “behind,” remember: you’re not in a race. You’re simply turning, slowly and surely, toward your own source of light. So if you find yourself comparing yourself to others, notice it, pause it and think what would sunflowers do?

Creating hope through safe and positive training.

27/10/2025

Every month, we’ll be celebrating someone who is determined to move the narrative on mental health forward. These are the people making a difference, sparking conversations and inspiring change.

🌟 This Month We Applaud: Hansa Raja 🌟

Championing Support for Parents & Carers in the Workplace

I love celebrating people who are doing incredible work and this month, I’m thrilled to highlight Hansa Raja of Hansa Raja Consultancy.

As someone deeply committed to workplace well-being, I’m inspired by Hansa’s focused approach to supporting parents and carers, a group that often faces immense pressure balancing professional and personal responsibilities.

Through insightful workshops and tailored consultancy, Hansa Raja Consultancy helps organisations understand the unique challenges these employees face and provides practical, actionable strategies to better support them.

By addressing these challenges, companies can:
✅ Enhance employee retention
✅ Boost productivity
✅ Reduce absenteeism
✅ Foster a more inclusive and supportive work culture

If you or your organisation are looking to make a meaningful impact in this space, I encourage you to explore the fantastic work being done at Hansa Raja Consultancy.

👏 Let’s celebrate Hansa for helping make workplaces more compassionate, inclusive, and human.

24/10/2025

The clocks go back this weekend… and so can we.

As the days grow shorter and darker, it’s easy to feel our energy dip too.

This weekend, when the clocks go back, try to give yourself permission to slow down as well.

Use the extra hour to rest, reflect or do something that nourishes your wellbeing. 💛

Remember - you don’t have to be constantly “on.” Your mind, like the seasons, needs moments to recharge.

How will you use that extra hour?

24/10/2025

Happy Friday!

I’ve just spent two incredible days delivering (MHFA) training with the wonderful staff at 🎉

What a privilege to witness the conversations, compassion and courage that unfolded in the room. Every session reminded me why this work matters, people supporting people, with empathy at the heart of it all.

Congratulations to everyone who completed the training! I loved from what I will always know as the most incredibly beautiful workplace 💛
 Your openness, reflection, and commitment to wellbeing will ripple across your community in ways you may never even see.

Here’s to more spaces filled with kindness, connection and courage 💛

22/10/2025

It’s Wednesday Wellness Wish time!

Today I wish for a spark of joy.

What does your joy look like? Listening to a favourite song, watching something funny, or doing one playful thing?

Today, I will be listening to music on my travels, it can be great to motivate you, calm you or simply make you smile! I like to use my music and commute to reflect and decompress.

We’d love to hear your sparks of joy in the comments, too!

Until next Wednesday, take a small step for your well-being this week.

17/10/2025

Ahead of tomorrow’s World Menopause Day, I felt truly honoured to be invited back to to deliver our Menopause & Mental Health: Breaking the Silence session.

It was a privilege not just to present, but to bring to life this year’s theme of Lifestyle Medicine, talking about how choices around nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management and self-care can play a powerful role in managing menopause.

We talked through:

The stigma that still surrounds menopause

The many symptoms (physical, emotional, cognitive) that people may experience

The often under-recognised link between menopause and mental health

Practical ways lifestyle approaches can support resilience and wellbeing

Shared stories and open discussion to reduce shame and build connection

Quote from the day - ‘grateful to be experiencing the menopause in a time where it’s spoken about more!’ We have come a long way but there is still work to do!

Whether you’re going through menopause yourself, supporting someone who is or just curious, let’s continue the conversation. At Sunflower Thinking we aim to break the silence and reshape the narrative around this natural phase of life 🌿

17/10/2025

OCD is not an adjective

OCD Awareness Week 2025 - 12th to 18th October

We’ve all heard it before - “I’m so OCD about cleaning” or “That’s my OCD kicking in.” But here’s the truth: OCD is not an adjective.

OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) is a serious mental health condition that involves intrusive, distressing thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) aimed at easing anxiety.

It’s not about perfectionism or liking things neat, it’s about feeling trapped in a cycle of fear and relief that can take over daily life.

This OCD Awareness Week, let’s choose understanding over stereotypes.
 Words matter and so does awareness.

Together, we can help shift the conversation from casual misuse to compassionate education.

Sunflower Thinking

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