Champion Health

Head of Mindfulness

Mindfulness Skills4Life

- Preparation of a dynamic and insightful 8 week, experiential learning course structured around the principles of MBCT and MBSR.

 - Confident and considered delivery of mindfulness training courses to client groups

 - Development of 6 week intimate and nourishing compassion and kindness course (and delivery to client groups)

 - Preparation and assessment of course feedback questionnaires 

 - Delivery of bespoke 1:1 client coaching sessions.

 - Teaching paws b and .b curriculum (developed by the Mindfulness in Schools Program, MiSP).

---------------------
Origins:

I created this image by accident, however reflectively, I seem to write and use language in daily life around growing, nurturing, cultivating, a sense of really being with and understanding myself. I also  love being in my garden, hands in soil, feeling connected to the earth. So, this 'logo and strapline' grew from those feelings and what mindfulness has offered me. It's in or hands to be our very best,  underpinned and supported by training mindful awareness and compassion for self and others.

Mindfulness Consultant, Scientist and Coach

University of Lincoln

Visiting Research Fellow & PhD Supervisor

Mindfulness Association

Mindfulness Tutor

Mindfulness in Schools Project

- Trained to teach the lively and engaging paws b (7-11 year olds) and .b (11-18 year olds) curriculum.

 - Developed by highly acclaimed MiSP team and  well established and skilled research staff at Bangor University.

 - Offering young people skills and techniques to notice undercurrents of difficulty within their lives and to respond more skilfully.

 - As the MiSP headline states ' for the flourishing of young minds': highly relevant in todays society.

Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) accredited teacher

Live Mindfully Ltd

- Delivery of MBCT / MBSR-based mindfulness training

 - Facilitation of inquiry with client group

 - Assisting personnal development and positive change management

Mindfulness Teacher (group work)

The University of Edinburgh

Research Leader

The Institute for Animal Health and The Roslin Institute

Senior Post-Doctoral Research Scientist

World Health Organization

"The WHO Guidelines of 2003 encouraged authorities to consider introducing precautionary measures to minimize the then-theoretical risk of transmitting vCJD by blood and blood
products while not compromising an adequate supply. While acknowledging that transfusion-transmitted vCJD is no longer just a theoretical possibility, experts in the 2005 WHO Consultation again advised authorities to assess the vCJD risk in the context of their own national situations,
weighing the potential benefits of adopting precautionary policies to reduce that risk against the
impact that those policies might have on the supply of blood"

Expert Consultant in Prion diseases, World Health Organisation 2005

Sandra has been practising secular (non-religious based) mindfulness since 2011 and teaching mindfulness and mindful self-compassion since 2015.

Prior to teaching mindfulness, Sandra developed a successful career in scientific research on diseases that affect the brain (The Roslin Institute and University of Edinburgh) publishing and reviewing numerous scientific papers and speaking at many at international congresses. Her curiosity and interest in brain function has naturally extended, therefore, to the field of mindfulness. Sandra has both a first-hand account and professional understanding of the interconnection between the activities of the mind, body and one’s emotions and how mindfulness can help restore balance when that inner environment feels difficult.  

Sandra gave up her scientific career in 2014 to commit herself to training further in mindfulness and compassion. She has subsequently completed (with distinction) the first year of a 3-year, MSc in Studies in Mindfulness (Aberdeen University). She regularly attends personal development retreats at Kagyu Samye Ling Tibetan Centre, follow-up courses and workshops and follows closely the principles of the UK Good Practice Guidelines (GPG) for teaching mindfulness-based courses. Sandra is also trained to teach paws b and .b courses to school children under the frame work of the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP). Sandra is currently developing a mindful-parenting course, based on her own experience of parenting before and after training in mindfulness.

Sandra is based in Lincolnshire. She spends most of her ‘free time’ playing with her two young children, reading, gardening, cycling or resting with a quiet cuppa in the sunshine. 

My kinda conversations Productivity Hubs CIC Xmas networking bash..

I've had a few really joyful, special conversations today with you Deborah Bircham Lorraine Bellis Emily Potts Lesley Burton Burton and @Katie Goodier...

Emily gave an amazing talk, on her journey from being a successful founder, flourishing in her business before selling up. She's an executive coach, specialising in exit coaching for those selling their business...

The second speaker was Jacqui Adams, MBA ✅, from Tock HR - sharing her business journey from the very beginning to now. It was insightful, warm and so interesting to hear other people human experiences in business <3

It was wonderful to see you Rachel Haith   Lucy Pitfield Nicky Dewhirst-Vickers (Nicky DV) ✨Best-Self-Success✨ Andrew Harris and meet you lovely @Lianne Taylor. 

And of course enjoy a hug with my business bestie Emma Bunn.

Can't wait for cuppas and proper catch ups in 2026....

Dr. Sands 
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

Dr. Sandra McCutcheon

Productivity Hubs CIC

Mindfulness Teacher and Trauma-Informed Health Coach. I support people to Live Well with Chronic Illness. Talks about #Mindfulness #Wellness #ChronicIllness #Health #DietandLifestyle

Someone who talks about herbs as part of your healthy diet and why herbs need to be in our everyday diet. 🌱🍃🍄

Exited Founder turned Exit Coach | Helping SME Founders Exit with Clarity, Confidence & Purpose | Prepare • Transition • Evolve

Guiding You to Unlock Your Soul’s Purpose ✨ | Dragon Journeys 🐉 | Akashic Records Guidance🌟

HR support and advice | Employment contracts | Employee handbooks | HR Consultancy ✅ SMEs

Empower YOURself - build confidence to choose YOUR path | Coach | Speaker | Wellbeing Workshops | Podcaster (The Renny Show) | Charity Ambassador for Care for Veterans | Ally 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ | Live life by YOUR design

Helping you and your business to reach your highest potential through great training, business coaching and HR services.

✨The Executive and Leadership Coach✨ Surfacing your Best Thinking✨ Loving what I do✨ ✨ ILM 7 Executive and Leadership Coach.✨ ✨NLP Coach✨

Business Development and Relationship Builder with strengths in sales, marketing and growing membership

Elevate your business with the power of visual storytelling and professional photography and videography. Creative, bespoke, on-brand, authentic visuals to empower you to confidently market your brand with ease.

Mindfulness Consultant | Scientist | Speaker. I help individuals & teams boost wellbeing, happiness, performance using neuroscience, mindfulness, creativity & nature. Awesome retreats, 1-2-1 work & corporate workshops.

What’s the real magic behind long-lasting business success?

For me, it’s not strategy or visibility.
It’s authentic connection  -  the kind that supports you professionally and lifts you personally.

Because when relationships are built on trust, humour and genuine care… everything feels lighter and more collaborative.

That’s why I LOVE Shooting Star - PR, Marketing, Digital Star: Jez Ashberry Kate Strawson Maz Davis and @Molly Emma van Nieuwenhuijzen

Every year they host their famous Chippy Quiz, raising funds for a local charity and bringing brilliant local businesses together to give back and have a proper belly laugh.

This year, me and my mama-business besties joined up again Emma Bunn Laura Capindale and Jen Heppell

I laughed my socks off, seeing the rainbow of mismatched colours we were sporting - which accidentally matched Shooting Star’s branding perfectly.

And somehow… we came 3rd! 🎉WHOOP WHHOP ladies.

Of course, the real win wasn’t the scoreboard.
 It was the reminder that authentic connection isn’t a “nice-to-have.”
 It’s the foundation of trust, support, creativity and momentum.
 It’s where friendships form and community thrives.

✨ A question to leave you with:
 Who in your business world do you trust, laugh with and grow alongside?
Celebrate them - tell them what they mean to you
Those relationships are worth more than any strategy...

Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

Shooting Star - PR, Marketing, Digital

Director at Shooting Star: PR | Marketing | Digital

Owner, Shooting Star

Account Director at Shooting Star - PR, Marketing, Digital

Founder & Director at Elemental Marketing | Strategic Marketing Consultant

🎯People are my thing, positive change is my mission. HR Strategist & Performance Coach | I help Professionals & Leaders Get Clarity, Take Action & Thrive

Backend Efficiency Expert | Simplifying Tech for Coaches and Course Creators

WORDS FROM THE WHITE BOARD

This week we are delighted to welcome two marvellous humans to their bespoke, mindfulness based growth journeys.

This is always a privilege, and a great joy.

I often use this quote to illustrate how mindfulness based stress reduction, wellbeing and resilience come about.

The most effective form of any growth is through experiential training and practice.

INVOLVING our clients

LEARNING & TRANSFORMATION coming through their direct experience.

Session 1 for both clients has been illuminating...I will share a little on that later.

And I'm just a teeny bit chuffed too.

I love creating hands on, get yourself in there sessions for my clients, giving quiet space too for processing and reflection.


It is energising, engaging and empowering.

And, I love, love, love what I do.

Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

AS WE GET TO CLOSING TIME AFTER A GLORIOUS WEEK , I ask a question:

What if the mind and body were never meant to be trained separately?

(And what would change in our parenting and professional lives if we stopped treating them as two different things?)

Here's a neuroscience fact:
Your brain and body form one continuous feedback loop — when you regulate one, you regulate the other.

And in a mindfulness fact:
Your attention is trainable. When we practise noticing and settling the mind, the nervous system follows... and we are less stressed, more regulated and feel better! We work more efficiently

This week, as is my always,  I made some very intentional choices:
to prioritise my mind and body in equal measure.

Not perfect. Not polished. Just real human practice:

🏃‍♀️ Exercise to move energy and clear the fog.
🧘‍♀️ Meditation to steady my inner world.
👭 Time with great friends to co-regulate and refill joy.
😌 Rest to restore my system instead of pushing through.
🌿 Moments of creativity and nature to bring my brain back into balance.

And honestly?
I CAN feel the difference — in the way I parent, the way I listen, the way I show up professionally. The menopause symptoms that can be so heavy and hard at times - feel lighter...

When the mind is supported and the body is supported, we become the version of ourselves we always hope to be.

If you’re curious about building your own mind–body routine, something real, doable and grounded in science drop a message my way and let’s explore what might help you..

Happy Friday one and all,
Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk
MINDFULNESS SKILLS4LIFE

✨ A Brilliant Final FSB Women in Enterprise Event of the Year ✨

I am feeling so uplifted after todays' FSB networking event, the last one of the year, as it was truly wonderful.

It was a brilliant morning of shared experiences, learning, listening and a little bit of hands-on practice from me too. I always feel honoured to bring neuroscience-informed mindfulness into these spaces, and even more honoured when it’s received with such warmth.

Being part of such a safe, trusted, supportive community is a genuine joy. Today's guest speakers Sara Jayne Munton and Lucy Pitfield were exceptional. Their honesty, presence and generosity in sharing their experiences was humbling, moving and inspiring

I think I speak for many of us when I say how deeply we value these kinder, grounded, growth-filled spaces. A huge thank you to Sam White  and Katrina Pierce for creating them and holding them with such care. Thank you so much, ladies.

And to the wonderful women I met for the first time and 'older' friends alike, thank you for the conversations, the reflections, and for meeting my science-to-mindfulness journey with such curiosity and kindness. I really did enjoy sharing my lived experience and life lessons along the way.

✨ Keep an eye out for Sam and Katrina’s announcement of new dates for 2026 for this is a group I highly recommend.

Here’s to community, collaboration, and women lifting women. 💛
#RealLife - I need to go on the school run

Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

with you Rachel Haith @Emma Bunn Carol Hudson Kerry Stamp Rebecca Webster Annabel Ennis Johnson Sheila Stamp  LLB MCMI Erin Newberry - Dreamed by you, Planned by me 🌍 Julie Priestley Selina Hodgson @Kerry Francis Kayleigh Sreedharan.. Nicky Fish  Chang Ge Ge and other whom my brain will remember as soon as I have pressed send (I shall come back to this post and add in).

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire.

Queen of Late Payments! 👑Passionate about helping businesses get paid on time, love the challenge of collecting late payments! Founder of My Credit Controllers Ltd, Volunteer for FSB Lincolnshire

Regional Stakeholder & Business Manager (East Midlands) with focus on Greater Lincs & Notts at Federation of Small Businesses. MIED MCIPR & Accredited PR Practitioner

Emotional Freedom Practitioner @ A Touch of Tapping for when Anxieties and Behaviours get TOO BIG.

I’m Kerry, The Lincoln Celebrant and your celebrant in Lincolnshire. Contact me for; Weddings, naming ceremonies, vow renewals, end of life ceremonies and saying goodbye to a beloved pet. I will honor your stories.

Accountant & provider of great business advice!

The Property Whisperer | Qualified interior designer helping you design, stage and market your space with greater confidence and a lower carbon footprint.

Corporate & Leisure Travel agent expert in Business and Leisure travel taking away the stress of you searching flights, hotels |holidays|business travel| accessible travel| Coporate events|

🌞 Helping busy professionals make life-long memories by planning tailor-made holiday itineraries - stress-free and bespoke to you 😎

Website Design & Digital Marketing Focused on Business Growth | Get a Free Website Performance Review of Your Website Click the Link Below ⬇️

Co-Founder Old School Architects

Founder of Found Tribe | Therapeutic Support Worker

Brand & Graphic Designer 🤍 Sell More with a Stand-Out Brand 🤍 Wedding & Wellness Industry Focus 🤍 Bespoke Branding 🤍 Semi-Custom Branding 🤍 Social Media Templates

AI/Digital Education Consultant, Director, Founder, (Hon.) Senior Fellow | Innovative Education, Digital Transformation, AI Applications, and Strategic Marketing | Driving Future-Ready Solutions

Saturday Self Care Reminder

You need to recharge too..

What's some of your self care go-to's?

Walking outdoors
Yoga, sport, other exercise 
Crafting, making, baking
Reading, watching TV
Journalling, mediating, breathing
Listening to music,  or a podcast
Investing in learning
Hanging out with friends

Whatever, it is, I hope you can do more of what feels supportive and restorative. 

Go well
Dr. Sands

sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk 

image credit Self Love Rainbow

Productivity Hub Xmas Special here we come

with Emma Bunn Rebecca Webster  and Gary Mumby 

Love this group of peeps and the tribe that supports them

(and a day off the school run)

Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

Director at Productivity Hubs CIC

Being positive and proactively resting your brain, mind and body is one of the single most important things you can do for yourself.

Rest and recharging is not a luxury

It's a necessity..

Otherwise you simply be exhausted, burnout, and feel quite a bit pants..

How will you choose to recharge?

I'm choosing no emails, no work, baking and playing and being present with my kids..

We've a super exciting day tomorrow.... 

Go well, Dr. Sands 
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

Connection is powerful in ways we often underestimate. 

A tiny glimmer: 
a smile, 
a happy conversation 
a moment of kindness, 
a gentle pause in your day

Aren't they a game changer?
Where in that moment you whole mind and body feel good, lighter uplifted, calm, connected...


I want to share a glimmer  from my day today - one that even as I write about it I am literally bursting with happiness.

WATCH ON...

 It reminded me that we don’t always need to have the answers; sometimes our role is simply to connect one human to another. 

So as you watch this, take a moment to notice the glimmers in your own day… and remember that reaching out or helping someone else reach out can change everything.

thanks,
Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

(excuse printers and other ping noises...timing huh?)

✨ Excited for a Morning of Sharing, Storytelling & Women in Enterprise ✨

Today is one of those mornings where my energy feels warm and bright.
I’m getting ready to speak at the FSB Women in Enterprise event today after being invited so kindly by the lovely Sam White and Katrina Pierce.

I’m genuinely excited to share my career journey, the twists, the pivots, the lessons, and the truths I wish I’d known earlier.

From scientist…
to mindfulness practitioner…
to wellbeing & performance consultant…

My path has been anything but linear and every bend has taught me something that feels especially relevant for women founders and female leaders building ambitious, heart-led businesses:

🌿 Owning your nervous system is your strategy.
 A regulated, steady mind makes clearer decisions, holds boundaries, sees opportunities, and navigates setbacks with far more ease.

🌿 Compassion is not soft - it is strong, fierce and stabilising.
 Self-compassion improves emotional regulation, reduces cognitive overload, and keeps you from turning pressure inward.

🌿 Mindfulness is not a luxury  - it is your cognitive infrastructure.
 A calm, focused brain fuels resilience, creativity, adaptability and long-term success.

I’ll be talking about all of this today and how neuroscience-informed mindfulness has shaped my own journey,
how it supports sustainable entrepreneurship,
and how we can create success without burning ourselves out in the process.

Here’s to women lifting women.
To sharing stories honestly.
And to business strategies built not just from the head, but from a grounded, regulated, compassion-led place.

Looking forward to a beautiful morning with everyone at the event. 💛🌿
Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

Mindfulness | Neuroscience | Wellbeing & Performance

Good morning, lovely people — and happy Friday.
I’ve had a glorious week…

With clients, with my community work, and even with a couple of new little DIY projects at home.

I’ve also managed to give some gentle thought to the “C-word”… yes, Christmas.

But one thing has been particularly interesting — a tricky, sticky situation that popped up on my mind-and-body radar. I’ve been sitting with it, working with it, and I wondered whether it might be worth sharing.

I often talk about mindfulness and transformation through the lens of my clients’ experiences. But for a long time, I’ve held an intention to share more from my own perspective too.

Because — funnily enough — my life is not perfect.
 (Shock! Gasp! Horror!)

So I wrote a little article about something that unfolded this week, and I’m opening the door, gently, to the parts of my life where mindfulness, compassion, and gratitude truly show up.

Welcome to a new series:
Inside the Mind and Life of a Mindfulness Teacher — raw, real, human experiences.

I’ll share these spontaneously, as they unfold, in measured and mindful ways.

My hope is that they become little beacons of hope , not doom-and-gloom stories but honest reflections about how neuroscience and mindfulness, together with compassion, walk hand-in-hand through real life.

I hope this might prompt discussion too about what it means to be human as parents and professionals.

Not that you need to be a parent or care giver to take on these approaches - tough times are a universal part of life

with care,
Sands x

Raw & Real: A tearful start, a mindful middle, and a steadier end. Introduction: Who I Am & How I Live This Work For those who don’t know me, I’m Dr. 

Inside the Mind & Life of a Meditator: Episode 1 — The Tearful Morning

🌿 Wobbling & Steadying: A Mindfulness Theme for December
In our online mindfulness group this week, we explored a theme that feels especially relevant right now:

Wobbling… and Steadying.

December often brings a faster pace, rising work demands, trickier family dynamics, unwanted travel, and that sneaky pressure of comparison.
It’s completely normal to feel wobbly.

THE GOOD NEWS -  mindful self-compassion can genuinely help.

Last night, our gorgeous mindful tribe practised two key skills:
1️⃣ Noticing the early warning signs of a wobble
With a micro-pause and a moment of inner checking-in, we looked for early clues:
❗ tighter breath
❗ rushing & hurrying with tasks
❗tangled thoughts & busy brain
❗sharper tone
❗ feeling suddenly emotional
❗ the “right then…” fight stance
❗ the inner “FFS…” voice
❗ “Here we go again…” thinking
❗ Shoulders tight to the ears
❗ Forgetting breaks

These aren’t failures.
They’re your body saying: “Something needs attention, something need to change.”


**2️⃣ Asking: What do I need right now?
…and responding kindly**

If you don’t pause, the wobble behaves like a snowball rolling downhill, gaining speed and momentum until it becomes overwhelm and shows up in how you act, work and parent.

Mindful awareness helps us catch it early and gently change course.

🧠 Want a teensie touch of neuroscience
✅ Naming what you feel calms the amygdala and restores clarity.
✅Slower breathing activates the vagus nerve & steadies the stress response ✅Gentle movement and sensory pauses support emotional regulation.
✅ Kind inner talk reduces cortisol and activates the brain’s soothing pathways.

These small pauses have a big impact - and  anyone can develop these skills

🤍 Simple ways to steady yourself this season
✨ Micro-pauses
 ✨ Desk stretching or small mindful movements
 ✨ Two minutes of fresh air
 ✨ Slow breathing (4 in / 6 out)
 ✨ One full piece of music
 ✨ A trusted friend who listens, not fixes
 ✨ A gentler inner voice

These tiny resets keep the wobble from becoming that snowball.

✉️ If you’d like …
 I host a twice-monthly online mindfulness & self-compassion group.
 Feel free to drop me an email sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk
 for details.

You'd be a warmly welcomed guest - all wobbles included.

Dr. Sands

✨ A Happy Weekend, a Happy Monday… and a Very Happy Almost-Birthday! 🎉

It’s been one of those rare weekends that fills your whole system with joy  - the kind that still lingers on a Monday morning, as you reacall tiny moments and details.

We celebrated our son’s early 14th birthday (he’s a Christmas Day baby 🎄🎂), and the house was full of energy, laughter and that unmistakable teenage excitement. (oh yes, LOUD!)

He went karting with a few friends, baked his own cookie-dough pizza cake, and his sister decorated it beautifully.

The joy of watching these amazing young people so alive, playing games around our kitchen table, and so happily connected is one of life’s purest gifts.


And today continued that theme of connection…

I have had a full day of 1–2–1 mindfulness clients (online and in person)  each at very different stages of their personal development journey, but all doing the brave inner work.

💛 One client exploring compassion during tough times, and learning how to recognise their needs without getting swept away by them.

💛 Another getting clear on their core values, understanding what truly matters to them, and how to let those values guide behaviour, boundaries and intentions.

It’s been a day of deep presence, deep listening, and genuine human connection.

And it struck me how much all of this, both the family moments, the teaching moments, the coaching moments is tied together by the same golden  threads:
✨ Paying attention
 ✨ Celebrating what’s here
 ✨ Honouring what matters
 ✨ Meeting ourselves and one another with care

It's been a great weekend, a great Monday, and I really have a grateful heart.

Here’s to the small joys, the big milestones, and the meaningful work we get to do in between. 🌿


Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

Oh Tuesday - you are going to be a full day.

🌿 How do you stay focused, nourished and steady in a day that’s full to the brim?

Today, I am between community work, caring for a child at home, replying to messages, and preparing for a talk tomorrow, I knew I needed one thing this morning:

✨ A clear intention for calm focus.
Not a long list.
Not a productivity push.
Just a grounding intention:

Today, I will move through my work one task at a time.
I will take pauses in between, meditate and check in with my mind and body
I will enjoy movement breaks, and slowly breath to calm my stress response.

Because in days and weeks like this, when life, work, parenting and Christmas shopping all blend together multitasking and pushing through isn’t actually our friend.

🧠 Neuroscience reminder: The brain doesn’t multitask; it switches rapidly.
 That jump-jump-jump between tasks drains energy, it actually fractures your concentration and subtly stresses the nervous system.

But single-tasking?
✅ It offer a steadiness to the stress response
✅  It steadies everything.
✅ It supports clarity, creativity and emotional regulation.
✅ It helps your mind stay anchored instead of scattered.

And this will offer:
✅ More ease.
✅  More presence.
✅ Less internal rushing.

✨ A small intention can shift an entire day:
One task at a time
One breath between tasks
One moment to reset

💛 What intention would support you most right now?

Here's a gorgeous article which captures my actual daily working, mindful life <3
Dr. Sands

sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

helloplentiful.com

8 Surprising Ways Meditation Can Improve Productivity at Work

✨ Self-Compassion: The Medicine for When It All Feels a Bit Hard ✨
 (Shared with permission from a client I’ve been supporting.)

A client recently shared something I think many will recognise — especially anyone living with menopause-related insomnia or long stretches of exhaustion.

She hadn’t slept properly for years, and the night before had been especially tough. Awake every two hours… clock-watching… wondering, 
“Is this really as good as it gets?”

By morning, everything felt slow and heavy.
Trying to parent while barely able to think.
Wanting to be engaged and warm, yet feeling flat and empty — and it was only 9am.

“What do you do when you feel like that?” I asked.
Screaming was one option, she joked.

But what she actually did was turn gently toward herself.
During our sessions on compassion training, she had learned to grow an inner voice that doesn’t judge but supports. 

In that moment she heard:
“What do you need, dear heart? I can see how hard this is for you.”

And her honest answer came:

“I’m exhausted. My bucket is empty, I need to be alone and do something that's restful.”

So she told her family how she felt.
She asked for a hug.
She asked for space.
She rested. She read a book in bed. She gave herself time.
Her kids came and snuggled and told her her they loved her, one asked did she want a drink.

(see how her self-compassion plays out in the actions of her child.)

And she let herself be human — no pressure to “push through.”

This is the heart of mindful self-compassion:
💛 Noticing you are suffering.
💛 Naming your need.
💛 Meeting yourself with kindness instead of criticism.
💛 Taking action

If today feels like “one of those days,” this is your gentle reminder to pause and ask:

“What do you need, dear heart?” 💛
And then — to honour the answer. 💛


Dr. Sands
Sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk
Mindfulness Skills4Life

✨ Flexibility & Adaptability: The Quiet Superpowers of Business Owners ✨

Yesterday reminded me — quite literally — why flexibility isn’t just a “nice to have” in business… it’s a core leadership skill.

Our peaceful Sunday stroll didn’t quite go as planned, and we ended up in A&E with my tiny lady after a slip resulted in a soft tissue injury, a massively swollen ankle and suspected ligament pull.

 (Three days sofa-bound and a 2–3 week break from physical activity… not ideal for anyone, never mind a little one.)

In those moments, you don’t get to overthink.
You adapt.

One minute you’re walking in nature, the next you’re carrying an injured child to the car, grabbing a coat, and focusing only on what matters:

Get her safe. Get her supported. Be present.

And then comes the ripple effect…
Work diaries shuffled.
Client sessions rearranged.
Plans softened.
Expectations recalibrated.

Not from a place of panic, but from a place of clarity.

This is where neuroscience-informed mindfulness becomes a genuine business asset.

Why?
🧠 It helps you regulate before you react.
 The brain under stress wants to catastrophise. Mindfulness prevents that spiral.

🧠 It strengthens cognitive flexibility.
 You shift gears faster, problem-solve more cleanly, and adjust without emotional overload.

🧠 It anchors you in what matters most.
 Instead of fighting the situation, you work with it — with compassion, focus, and steadiness.

As business owners, we don’t get to control the curveballs…but we can control the skillset we bring to them.

And adaptability is a skill we can train — not a personality trait we’re born with.

If you’re a business owner who wants to operate with more calm, clarity, and emotional stability (especially on the hard days), I’d love to support you.

👉 Drop me a message or an email if you’d like to explore mindfulness coaching or resilience training for your life or business.

 It’s one of the most powerful investments you can make in your future self — and the people who rely on you.

Dr. Sands
Mindfulness Skills4Life
📧 sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

GLAD-MIN
The cognitive load of working parents / caregivers is absolutely next level.

Does this feel familiar?
Before 8.30am

📧 Sent 3 emails to one school (medicine form, trip permission, dietary info)
📧 Sent another email to the other school (classroom issue → request to speak to teacher)
💳 Paid for the school trip
⏱ Tried to book a Total Fitness slot at 8am on the dot
Made Excel file Christmas present planning and purchase
🛒 Started the online shop (who am I kidding… we still go to the shops)
Left early to get parking space for my kid, who is less mobile due to sprained ankle


🧠 Switched into “work mode”
 🔗 Created the 9:30 Zoom link for 'emergency' Xmas planning meeting with family

 🧽 Cleared my desk
 📓 Picked the one notebook that will solve all of life’s problems
 …then finally began the actual working day.

And today is supposed to be an “admin day.” 😆

DID you know...

The mental load isn’t just tasks. It’s constant cognitive switching and switching burns energy.

This is why neuroscience-informed mindfulness has become a non-negotiable in my day to day work and teaching.

It helps you:
🟡 Shift from scattered to focused
🟡 Single-task instead of juggle ten things badly
🟡Sustain concentration
🟡 Sense your mental + physical limits before you crash
🟡 Cheer yourself on with a supportive inner voice
 (Because honestly — who else is going to do that for you?)

🧠 Science note:
Regular mindfulness practice strengthens the prefrontal cortex  - the part of the brain responsible for attention, planning, decision-making, and self-regulation.

🟡That’s why it improves performance under cognitive load.

So here’s your gentle nudge for today:
💭 Do you cheer yourself on throughout the day?
 And if not — why not?

Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk
MINDFULNESS SKILL4LIFE

Today be a dayof rest, 

enjoying a cozy cuppa

a teensie bit of housework 

a soggy afternoon movie

and a biscuit and some breathwork.


And thats the deal in our famalam.

How's your Saturday unfolding?

Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk

MOONLIGHTING

I’ve been moonlighting the last few days and not with extra client work or endless admin, but with paintbrushes and home decoration 🎨

Somehow it seemed like a perfectly reasonable idea (just a few weeks before Christmas) to renovate the whole living room (and plan for my son's birthday this weekend - he wants a choc-chip pizza cake making!)

(I may question the timing of everything in days to come.)

Truth be told, it began it six months ago the moment I bought outrageously wild pink curtains with hummingbirds on them. 

Three months later I found a smashing vintage green paint.

5 days ago me and Mr-Dr Andrew Gill went for it.

Whilst Andy's been at work (at work) these last efw days, I have been at work (at home) doing this lot - and sporting my ancient Kappa hoodie to boot.

Lesson one: renovations need a lot of prep. 

Measure twice. Mask well. 

I have learned how to use a laser level to get my top line, almost deafened myself with the belt sander, and noticed perfectionist traits sneaking in.

Be brave with the first coat - do I really want my whole room this dark colour?

Then trust your gut - I sure do  - on with the second, third and taking time to layer everything slowly slowly until the finish shines.

What has this got to do with mindfulness and personal development? I think quite a lot...

Creativity asks for patience, curiosity and willingness to learn. It invites small, steady steps rather than one dramatic leap. It requires messy practice and gentle correction. And it rewards you with something that looks, feels like growth and progress

And it's been a very mindful activity - my mind only that one thing in that one moment...

Who else finds home projects secretly therapeutic? 

Tell me your funniest DIY moment. 🛠️✨
Dr. Sands

Senior Research Leader | Agritech & Biotech Innovator | Expert in Translational Science, Strategic R&D, and Cross-Sector Collaboration

✨ When Is Work… Not Really Work? ✨
Here’s a question I found myself reflecting on this Sunday afternoon:
When is “work” not work at all?

For me, it’s when it feels like this:
 💛 When you genuinely love what you do
 💛 When it sparks creativity
 💛 When it gives you joy
 💛 When it feels more like play than pressure

Today I’ve been doing a little prep for my Creative Mindfulness Community Group — nothing heavy, just gentle, curious research with a cup of tea and a quiet house.

Our next theme is the Nautilus / Ammonites 🐚 — ancient, beautiful symbols of spirals, growth, and the unfolding nature of life.

And as I explored, it reminded me of two powerful threads in mindfulness:
✨ Circularity — how we return to ourselves again and again
✨ Impermanence — how everything changes: the joyful moments and the tricky ones

The nautilus becomes a teacher in its own right.

 It reminds us to:
 🌿 Savour what is good, whole, joyful — because it will shift and change

 🌿 Take hope and courage during harder moments — because they, too, will pass

So yes, it’s “work”… but it doesn’t feel like it.
 It feels like nourishment.
 It feels like inspiration.
 It feels like the kind of Sunday that quietly fills the cup.

Curious?
Come spiral with us. ✨

There’s something beautiful waiting in this next theme - and we have a FEW SPACES LEFT

If you want to try this gentle, mindful relaxation session in Lincoln (no art, creativity, or mindfulness experience needed), drop me an email to book your place:

Dr. Sands
sandra@mindfulness-skills4life.co.uk💚

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