It's been a few months since the last newsletter, but I've been emailing other information to you and didn't want to send too many things. There's been a lot of fruitful activity this year.

I'm very pleased to hold my first multi-city workshops for psychotherapists. Tiltled after my book - How the 'real world' Is Driving Us Crazy! - this workshop will expand on the presentations made to the Milton Erickson Foundation Conference held in San Diego last December and the Mental Health Super Summit held online in February. If you're interested to know more please go to www.richardhill.com.au/therapyworkshop.htm

For my business friends, I have become involved in a very satisfying and exciting project. Networking 4 Charities is a group of business people who are seeking to do more with the rising practice of networking to help the community. We will be holding networking events AND raising money for local charities. This month we are fundraising for The St John of God Hospital Mother and Baby Unit. This is the only unit that helps Mums with post natal depression. It's a great cause. It's only in Sydney at this point and the inaugural event is at The Stamford Hotel, Ryde, 5.30pm-8pm Wednesday May 13th. Check it out and make a booking at www.networkingforcharities.com.au

If you want to know any more then send me an email. I'd love to hear from you. email now

Mind: What is happening in your extremeties? Can you feel your feet and toes? Try to sense the feel of your shoe or sandal or sock or the air if you're bare-footed. How about your fingers? What about your back and hey, can you feel your butt! This exercise keeps the connections between your outer nerves and your brain functional. It's called nociception.

Soul: What about the connection between your body and your feelings for life. If you have a love partner, try playing footsies and/or gently rub each others hands. You might like to be very generous and give your partner a back massage. Let the feelings of care and trust rise. Just be nice!

Writing Emails

I very often send an email to people who have written interesting articles. Quite often I get nothing in return (which I understand), sometimes I get a simple 'thanks' which is pleasant, but the other day I received a 'thanks and I looked up your website. You seem like an intersting guy. Best wishes...' That reply really made me feel like we'd had a short, but meaningful connection.

I do appreciate that people are busy and there isn't time to make niceities, but it sure is nice when you do. The problem is more that people have not only forgotten to be nice, it is no longer considered necessary. I remember when a friend used to visit from Europe and she said that it was not necessary in families to say please and thank you all the time - it could just be assumed. I understand that. The sense of please and thank you can be included in the tone of voice. Trouble is that my friend would bark out orders like a prison warder and expected me to assume that there was some appreciation in there somewhere.

In a somewhat annoying fashion, I wouldn't respond unless there was a please or a gentle tone of voice. It would take about a week, but the tone of voice would change and the real magic was that there would be a brighter, smilier face and a warmer more connected mood overall. The thing is that when we do things in a disconnected way, the brain starts to turn on all kinds of other disconnected behaviours. It's almost ineveitable. That is what my book is all about and the winner/loser mindset.

Equally, a fake pleasantry is almost as bad. 'Have a fantastic day' can make you feel just horrible when you know it is just a meaningless tag. I also understand that it may take a little more time to write something personal that rings true at the time you are writing. The best way to get into it is to begin, practice a little. You might need to erase some of your first efforts, but I bet you that it will start to become easier and more natural. That is what the creative world mindset is all about. Once you start connecting then all kinds of connecting behaviours come into being - come online, so to speak.

So, try saying something that shows you realise that at the other end of your internet transmission is a person who feels, cares, wants, wishes and needs. Maybe that person has pushed all those good feelings deep down or left them in the office hallway to be picked up later. Maybe they've just turned themsleves off, just like you and maybe a short 'Im know you're a person out there' sentence or two can start turning a few good things back on.

A fascinating TED talk on wrting letters by Lakshmi Pratury - only 4 minutes

The Rise and Rise of Depression in a Winner/Loser World from Richard Hill on Vimeo.

Share your thoughts and suggestions? richhill@iinet.net.au

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Looking forward to sharing more thoughts, suggestions, news and making a very Healthy Wednesday connection with you!

Take Care, Richard, Susie and The Healthy Wednesday Team