It was a privilege to welcome Hon Bill Shorten Minister NDIS and Government Services to Townsville. The Minister came to Townsville to talk with NDIS providers in the Townsville community about the Federal Labor Government's plans to reboot the NDIS under his leadership.  
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Whilst it may be difficult to define wellbeing, as we each have a differing view of what wellbeing means, Dr. William Glasser and the World Health Organisation (WHO) both agree that “a state of wellbeing is one where you are realizing your potential, you can cope with the normal stresses of life, you can work productively and fruitfully, and you are making a contribution to your community”

Why is it that many of us can have the same experience yet take away very different information, opinions, points of view or understanding? In other words, our perception of the experience is not necessarily consistent with that of others.  This is very evident when you listen to someone telling their story of the same experience and you find the explanation to be inconsistent with your version, which is where arguments often begin.  Our view of the real-world experience is based on our perception of that experience. This point of view is evident in families, workplaces, communities and especially in the current political space.

​Building your resilience in a post Covid world will provide many ongoing challenges and opportunities. Living and working within a positive psychology framework that is utilised around the globe will help you to transform your relationships with family, friends, work colleagues and members of your community.  Key to building resilience is understanding the Five Basic Human Needs; this will help you to appreciate how meeting your needs motivates your Behaviour, which focuses on how and why you make need satisfying choices.  

A question often asked is, “What constitutes an inspiring leader”?  Inspiring leaders use the language of “We” not “I”.  They display humility and have a genuine interest in developing the capacity of others, they respect and seek feedback.  Research has identified the quality of humility as a strong predicter for effective leadership.  Humility is about having the ability to minimize status or position differences, genuinely putting the needs of others first.  Inspiring leaders have the ability to turn the big ideas into executable plans, whilst keeping others enthusiastically engaged. ​

The Poem below clearly demonstrates why a peer workforce is essential, living with mental ill health must not define a person or his/her ability or capacity to live a life of purpose, meaning, choice and citizenship.

Want to set yourself free of old habits?
​Covid 19 has offered us a chance to not only clean our cupboards but to also assess our old habits and clean out those that are no longer useful to us.  Understanding behaviour is necessary in order to make change.  The old saying “out with the old and in with the new” is much easier said than done.  Before we can make changes to the behaviours that do not serve us well, it’s helpful to understand that there are other ways of perceiving the world and how it operates.  Dr. William Glasser has provided us with a new psychology - a new way of perceiving the world that frees us from our old habits.

​As the weeks pass in these days of uncertainty and social distancing, I have taken the opportunity to reflect upon the things that matter to me and the things that I think are important for a progressive inclusive society.  There will always be vulnerable people in our midst, but the question for us to respond to is “what effort do we make to create an inclusive society”?  The poem that I have included in this blog does not require and commentary.  But I urge you to take the time to contemplate the challenging message!  We all have the right to want something purposeful and meaningful to do, to love and be loved and to have hope for our future!