First aid kit for the mind

"It's like a first aid kit for your mind" said someone, who had picked up my book in the throws of panic about their forthcoming exams.

She'd bought the book because I was a client, not real expecting to read it as she's not one for reading self help nor coaching books.

As her exams loomed and panic set in her ability to cope rapidly reduced and she found herself thinking "I can't see the wood for the trees", and remembered I'd said you could dip into the book and just read the chapter whose title resonated*.

With nothing to lose, she just read the Can't see the wood for the trees chapter, and did the exercises outlined there. Within 30 minutes, and much to her surprise, she was feeling much calmer, able to see the wood for the trees, and even wrote herself a to-do list and revision timetable.

Since then she's continued to feel very calm and grounded about her revision, even as her exam loomed closer.

She also commented that with every dog walk it was if the woods she was walking in were reminding her that she could do it - ie could see the wood for the trees.

She even went on to list how many people she knew who might benefit from having this book as a reference guide for when they're stuck - most of whom would never pick up a 'self-help' book.

Like any book, of course it can be read from start to finish, it comes into its own though when we're stuck, and just like the reader above you can just go to the chapter that resonates with how you're feeling and read that chapter. As she said the book is "a first aid kit" for reference and to dip into when your mind is unable to find options and solutions to the problems you're facing.

When we're stuck it goes without saying we don't know what to do - or should I say, the logical part of your mind doesn't. What each chapter does, with a little coaching from nature, is help us tap into our inner wisdom that does know what to do. The inner wisdom that doesn't speak in words but in metaphors.

The Landscaping Your Life (LYL) process outlined in the book uses nature as our coach, and nature's landscapes as metaphors for our lives. Which means when we can't see the wood for the trees the trees will have the answer - more here on one example on how that might work.

* There's over 13 different tools shared in the book - and they can all be applied to situations where we resonate with any of the following sayings:

• Stuck in a rut
• Can't see the wood for the trees
• Up the creek without a paddle
• Like a fish out of water
• Out on a limb
• In at the deep end
• Treading water
• Going round in Circles
• Missed the tide

Whilst we don't normally self identify with the following sayings, there's also chapters on:

• Making mountains out of molehills
• Head in the sand

With the antidote to avoid going back up the creeks and into those ruts being:

• To go with the flow (proactively and not passively)

Do you need a first aid kit for your mind? If so, let nature be your coach, nature's landscapes be metaphors for your life, and pick up a copy of Can't see the wood for the trees.


Alison Smith
Landscaping Your life to get back on track 
Author of Can't see the Wood for the Trees

You'll find more about the Landscaping Your Life process on this website - there's also some video blogs over on my YouTube Channel - see the Landscaping Your Life or Can't see the wood for the trees playlists.

My favourite vlog is this one, although you will need to turn the sound down a little before playing it - it's about doing the same things and yet expecting a different result! And is a great example about how the LYL process can be applied to any situation you'd like more insight on