Emily Gillatt-Ball, Author at Emily the Dodo

Home » Posts by Emily

Posted by Emily Gillatt-Ball on Sep 19, 2015 in Dodo Diary | 2 comments

Dodo Diary August 2015: Self-improvement challenge, Month #6

Wow! I’m already halfway through my Dodo to Dynamite in a Year self-improvement challenge.

If you’re wondering why I’m dressed like Scarlett O’Hara this month, it’s because the months have Gone With the Wind and I can’t believe how quickly it all happened.

The trouble with saying, “Oh, well! Tomorrow is another day!” is that you can say the same tomorrow, and the next day, and the next…

And nothing ever gets better.

Posted by Emily Gillatt-Ball on Sep 14, 2015 in Relationships |

When a friend in need is a… pain in the butt

You’ve heard the story so many times before.

And now you’re hearing it again.

Yes, your friend is telling you their problems, and you’re listening and trying to be sympathetic.

But inside, you’re thinking:

Not this again! If you’re not happy with your life, why don’t you actually change it instead of giving me earache about it?

You’ve already given all the sympathy you can give.

You’ve talked through all their options, and they don’t want to choose any of them.

You’ve given your advice – and they’ve decided not to take it.

And you’ve reached the point where you’ve had enough.

Posted by Emily Gillatt-Ball on Aug 14, 2015 in Quotes |

Quote: It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live

If only…

We all have our dreams.

But do they have a hope of becoming reality? Or are they merely an easier alternative than facing reality and changing it to what we want?

You may remember the Mirror of Erised from the first Harry Potter book.

It shows the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. However, as Professor Dumbledore warns Harry:

‘This mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible…’

Posted by Emily Gillatt-Ball on Aug 7, 2015 in Motivation |

Looking forward to your life: 7 reasons to have faith in the future

Gloom…

When things are bad, it’s easy to think there’s no hope for a better future – but there is!

Life is full of amazing things to look forward to and reasons to be cheerful.

So if the world feels grey and you’re having trouble staying positive among the stresses of everyday life, here are some good things to remember:

Posted by Emily Gillatt-Ball on Jul 31, 2015 in Dodo Diary | 4 comments

Dodo Diary July 2015: Self-improvement challenge, Month #5

The fifth month of my Dodo to Dynamite in a Year self-improvement challenge… and I’m failing.

The last few months have been disappointing in terms of progress, and I feel as if I’m juggling too many balls at once. And I must admit, I’ve dropped quite a few!

So I’ve had a good chat with my closest family members, talked about the targets I’m trying to achieve and asked them to support me with a mixture of moral support and tough love. Talking it through has helped me come up with a few new strategies to make me stick to my plans.

And, as you’ve probably spotted, I’ve added a great motivational tool on Emily the Dodo this month – a countdown clock to show how long I’ve got left of my year.

If that doesn’t get me going again, nothing will. And it’s all too clear that time is running out. Eek! Time to redouble my efforts!

Posted by Emily Gillatt-Ball on Jul 24, 2015 in Motivation |

Jam and positive thinking: making your own luck

Something amazing happened to me today.

One minute I was driving home along the motorway… and then, suddenly, I wasn’t.

And an hour of my life disappeared with nothing to show for it except the memory of some flashing lights.

No, don’t worry: I wasn’t abducted by aliens.

I was stuck in a traffic jam while the emergency services dealt with a crash up ahead.

But, amazingly, I was delighted.

Posted by Emily Gillatt-Ball on Jul 4, 2015 in Motivation |

Goal-setting: from zombie shuffle to superhero zoom

Bother! The zombies are here already. I’m selling stuff at a boot sale, you see. And it’s only half past ten. Far too early for us to pack up and go home,...

Posted by Emily Gillatt-Ball on Jun 30, 2015 in Dodo Diary |

Dodo Diary June 2015: Self-improvement challenge, Month #4

I’m back! The fourth month of my Dodo to Dynamite in a Year self-improvement challenge has been busier than ever, but I’ve done my best. Usually, this is...