Have you ever wondered about the origin of the saying, 'No cavalry is coming'? I recently read that it originated from Western movies where a cavalry often comes to bring help in just the nick of time, because the movies had to have a good ending. Sadly, life is not like the movies. If we do not take responsibility and use our initiative to help ourselves, we might be waiting forever for that cavalry. We encourage people to help each other, but there is only so much help others can give you when they have their own problems. Even the National Health Service is struggling to help everyone. I am sharing this to signpost you and your loved ones to mental health self-help resources, and invite you to my book signing on Saturday, December 6. It will be great if you can make it - Afiniki.co.uk

At a recent family reunion, I reflected on how much my mindset has changed since childhood. We can all keep improving ourselves, especially after we recognise unhelpful ways of thinking, or valid responses to previous trauma. I share here about my voluntary work through the educational charity, Forte charity for Inspiration, and my recent trip to Ghana. Feel free to email me your thoughts and feedback at Afiniki.co.uk and see photos on the charity's Facebook page. 

I am sharing this one again to remind us to pace ourselves and focus our energy where it is most useful. When life gets overwhelming, it is worth pausing to think about whether we are wasting energy on pointless ventures and relationships. There will be times when running and juggling is needed, but there will also be times when you just need to intentionally drop some balls and walk well with others. Have a great week! Afiniki.co.uk

This is the very first podcast I recorded when I started podcasting 3 years ago. I can't believe how fast the time has flown! A lot has happened, and I am always reflecting and restructuring my lifestyle to fit my vision and goals. Remembering our 'why' can help us to decide if anything is worth continuing. Even though I have a less busy GP/doctor role now, I have decided to keep podcasting because of the encouraging feedback from you all! Thank you so much for listening and supporting. Please check out the Happiness Over Stress items and resources on Afiniki.co.uk. 

What were your childhood dreams? Are you one of the lucky people who is currently living their dream, or have you changed to smaller 'more realistic' goals, like most of us? There is nothing wrong with reassessing and changing plans, but we should not settle for mediocrity in the name of realism. Success takes time and work, but nothing is impossible for those who believe. What dreams do you need to revisit, or do you need to dream bigger dreams because the ones you had were not big enough? Listen and share your thoughts please at Afiniki.co.uk

Where does the time go?! We are already in the final quarter of 2025, but it feels like yesterday when we said 'Happy new year!'. We often say that there seems to be not enough hours in the day for all we need to do, but we all have 24 hours. Why is it that some people seem to do much more with theirs than others? Even if we sleep for eight hours and work for eight hours everyday, we should have enough time to do things we want to do. Listen to find out how you can choose happiness over stress in this area. - Afiniki.co.uk

Some of you many have noticed the new motivational self-help resources on Afiniki.co.uk. I am so grateful to those who have already used them and sent feedback. Life is a journey of continuous learning for those who will do well. The mental health resources I have produced are there to support you through change and difficult times, because we all face them. Thank you so much for listening and sharing these Happiness Over Stress podcasts too. Let's be the change we want to see. Have a good week!

I wanted to share this one again for anyone who needs some motivation to finish something well. We often have excitement and motivation for the start of a new school term, new job, new project etc, but it can be difficult to maintain a good attitude towards the end, especially if we are moving on to something better. Remember that consistency is more important than intensity. Keep choosing happiness over stress, and have a good weekend! Afiniki.co.uk

This week we will be talking about an interesting word, which some have grown to love or hate. Resilience is defined as "the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness". What does this mean for us in everyday life? How can we choose happiness over stress in this area? Please feel free to share your thoughts via Afiniki.co.uk. Have a great weekend. 

I am sharing this one again to remind us that great things start small. I was recently reminded about this when making my application for Section 12 approval as a GP with a special interest in mental health, and realised that my years of doing the small extra jobs to build my experience in mental health have led up to me being successful with this application based on experience and extra training, which I was not too proud to go for. I am hoping that today's podcast motivates us all to start taking the small steps needed to achieve our big dreams. Have a great weekend!