Dare to Soar Insights and Resources

Have you ever experienced the visceral sting of rejection? Rejection can be experienced on a continuum from mild irritation to gut-wrenchingly painful: 'For many of us, a late response to a text, a teasing joke, or a change in someone’s tone might feel mildly stressful or upsetting. But for some people with rejection sensitivity, those brief moments can feel deeply personal and painful' (Bugos, 2026) Imagine these scenarios: A close friend of yours floats the idea of going aw

Have you ever experienced frustration, annoyance or disappointment (or even distress) after confiding in a trusted person? Maybe you felt completely misunderstood. Somehow they just didn’t understand what you needed. Perhaps you felt like a problem to be fixed. It seems the old adage ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ isn’t always the case. So let me ask you a question: Do you always know what you are looking for when you confide in someone? Charles Duhigg* suggests

One stitch at a time... I am in the early stages of crocheting a blanket. Depending on how focused I am, it can take me up to an hour, just to complete one row. Sometimes I feel reluctant to pick it up, realising just how long it will take me to complete the project. Even though generally, I find the hobby very satisfying and relaxing, sometimes I just feel the end goal is too far off, too overwhelming... Motivation drains away as it trickles through my fingers like water. Th

Toxic Empathy Empathy is often described as a person’s ability to ‘ step into another person's shoes ’ or enter another person's world in order to view life through their eyes . It fuels connection and safety in relationship. What then, is toxic empathy? ‘ Toxic empathy is not only sharing someone else’s feelings but also affirming their choices and feelings as justified, valid and good .’ (Stuckey, 2025) And this is where it can get complicated; people who are suffering do

I wonder how clear this picture appears to you? A bit blurry, out of focus and perhaps it is not immediately obvious what you are looking at? If we take a step back, it seems a little different and maybe makes a little more sense? A close up of a slipper limpet. Still a bit unfocused though. If you look carefully at the images below, you will observe the same shell in each photograph. However, when the angle of the photograph is changed, things can appear remarkably different

What-if-itis If you are anything like me, that what-if narrative can kick in before I have even got out of bed in the morning, undermining my intentions for the day. Rarely, if ever, are what-ifs used in a positive way. For example, yesterday I had planned to go swimming but was feeling very tired and just the tiniest bit under the weather. What if I am developing flu? What if going swimming makes me feel even more tired today? What if the pool is really cold? What if I i

My grandma was a sentimental collector of things that were precious to her. She lived in a ramshackle and very cozy cottage, but tidy it...

“I feel like any minute they will find me out… I'm a fraud…I shouldn't be doing this job...” Imposter Syndrome Fred’s story: He was a...

Stephen Karpman’s Drama Triangle (The Drama triangle (daretosoartransformationalcoaching.co.uk) helps us to recognize and understand what...