Counselling Changes Lives is a trading name of UK 8020 CIC  UK 8020 CIC - A Social Enterprise registered at Companies House as a Not for Profit Community Interest Company

I   was   pleasantly   surprised   to   hear   the   news   that West   Sussex   in   England   is   the   top   county   when   it comes    to    quality    of    life    in    retirement.    This    is according   to   a   new   analysis   by   The   Prudential*. However   I   could   not   help   thinking   there   must   be an    underlying    reason    for    anyone    wanting    to make such a life changing move. It   is   not   often   we   beat   our   neighbouring   county East   Sussex   with   its   famous   diverse   population in   Brighton.   I   think   West   Sussex   is   a   fabulous place    to    live    especially    Chichester.    Now    you might   think   I   am   being   a   bit   bias   as   a   resident   in the      Chichester   area.   I   must   admit,   several   years ago,    I    did    not    choose    to    live    in    Chichester because   of   the   retirement   benefits   highlighted in    the    analysis.    I    came    here    because    of    work which   required   a   move   but   I   must   add   I   have never   had   any   regrets   moving.   I   believe   as   the report    says    it    is    a    happy    and    comfortable environment.   So   what   does   this   analysis   really reveal? First    a    little    on    the    report.    It    is    based    on    8 indicators   such   as   disability-free   life   expectancy, crime     levels,     access     to     healthcare,     pension income,   healthy   lifestyle,   pensioners   moving   to the   county,   percentage   of   pensioners   in   the   area and   weather.   However   I   cannot   help   wondering as   a   counsellor   based   in   the   Chichester   area,   is there    something    else    which    the    report    has overlooked even ignored. Weather   which   is   one   of   the   report’s   indicators seems   to   be   an   important   factor   to   our   welling- being.   I   think   most   of   us   realise   that   weather   is the    most    talked    about    subject    in    our    country and     I’m     sure     you     agree     weather     is     quite subjective   as   not   everyone   feels   the   same.   Good weather   for   most   it   seems   is   usually   based   on when   the   sun   comes   out.   Ironically,   and   weather being    subjective,    we    often    start    to    moan    and groan   when   the   it   gets   too   hot   or   the   sun   makes an   appearance   for   too   long.   “We   really   could   do with   some   rain   for   the   garden”.   “It’s   so   hot   I   can’t sleep at night”. Familiar stuff, eh? I    once    met    a    young    lady    who    loved    the    rain. When   it   rained   she   walked   literally   for   ages.   It became   apparent,   this   gave   her   a   true   feeling   of well-being.   I   am   sure   for   her   the   rain   was   her sunshine     which     links     very     nicely     into     my counselling    philosophy,    “I    am    the    sunshine    of my   life   and   having   you   in   it   makes   it   brighter”.   I believe   as   in   the   lyrics   of   the   famous   song   “you are   the   sunshine   of   my   life”   it   should   not   be   this way   around.   In   other   words,   we   need   to   love ourselves   first   not   place   the   emphasis   solely   on loving   others   so   they   might   love   us   back.   They cannot   and   must   not   replace   that   all   important sunshine.     To     love     ourselves     and     be     that sunshine   means   to   look   after   our   own   needs. We must take good care of ourselves first. The   young   lady   who   chose   to   love   the   rain   has chosen   to   look   after   her   own   needs.   She   does not   have   to   follow   the   vast   majority   of   people who   usually   love   the   sunshine.   She   loves   herself enough   to   look   after   her   own   well-being.   The people   who   love   the   hustle   and   bustle   of   city   life are   looking   after   their   own   needs   too.   They   do not    want    the    quiet    peaceful    surroundings    of rural   life.   The   pensioners   who   moved   to   West Sussex    love    themselves    enough    to    look    after their    own    needs    even    though    it    might    mean moving   away   from   family   and   friends.   They   love themselves    enough    to    look    after    their    mental health   and   well-being   and   start   up   new   activities such   as   walking   along   the   Downs,   visiting   the wealth   of   historic   buildings   or   to   take   up   some more    unusual    keep-fit    activities    such    as    Belly Dancing  or Gyrokinesis ®. I    believe    the    real    underlying    message    in    the Prudential    Report    is    the    importance    of    loving ourselves   which   leads   to   looking   after   our   own needs.   The   need   for   good   physical   and   mental health    help    us    truly    shine    and    reach    our    full potential. So,    if    we    love    ourselves    does    it    really    matter which county we live in? “Robert Lee is a counsellor based in Chichester, counselling clients in the Chichester area including Birdham, The Witterings, East and West Wittering and Bracklesham Bay. He also provides telephone counselling on a nationwide basis. Counselling Changes Lives - Chichester, West Sussex” *Prudential Analysis Report: click here

Counselling Changes Lives is a trading name of UK 8020 CIC  UK 8020 CIC - A Social Enterprise registered at Companies House as a Not for Profit Community Interest Company

I   was   pleasantly   surprised   to   hear   the   news   that   West   Sussex   in   England is   the   top   county   when   it   comes   to   quality   of   life   in   retirement.   This   is according   to   a   new   analysis   by   The   Prudential*.   However   I   could   not   help thinking    there    must    be    an    underlying    reason    for    anyone    wanting    to make such a life changing move. It   is   not   often   we   beat   our neighbouring      county      East Sussex      with      its      famous diverse          population          in Brighton.   I   think   West   Sussex is    a    fabulous    place    to    live especially     Chichester.     Now you   might   think   I   am   being   a bit   bias   as   a   resident   in   the     Chichester      area.      I      must admit,    several    years    ago,    I did    not    choose    to    live    in Chichester     because     of     the     retirement     benefits     highlighted     in     the analysis.   I   came   here   because   of   work   which   required   a   move   but   I   must add   I   have   never   had   any   regrets   moving.   I   believe   as   the   report   says   it   is a   happy   and   comfortable   environment.   So   what   does   this   analysis   really reveal? First   a   little   on   the   report.   It   is   based   on   8   indicators   such   as   disability- free   life   expectancy,   crime   levels,   access   to   healthcare,   pension   income, healthy    lifestyle,    pensioners    moving    to    the    county,    percentage    of pensioners   in   the   area   and   weather.   However   I   cannot   help   wondering as   a   counsellor   based   in   the   Chichester   area,   is   there   something   else which the report has overlooked even ignored. Weather    which    is    one    of    the    report’s    indicators    seems    to    be    an important   factor   to   our   welling-being.   I   think   most   of   us   realise   that weather   is   the   most   talked   about   subject   in   our   country   and   I’m   sure   you agree   weather   is   quite   subjective   as   not   everyone   feels   the   same.   Good weather   for   most   it   seems   is   usually   based   on   when   the   sun   comes   out. Ironically,   and   weather   being   subjective,   we   often   start   to   moan   and groan   when   the   it   gets   too   hot   or   the   sun   makes   an   appearance   for   too long.   “We   really   could   do   with   some   rain   for   the   garden”.   “It’s   so   hot   I can’t sleep at night”. Familiar stuff, eh? I   once   met   a   young   lady   who loved     the     rain.     When     it rained    she    walked    literally for        ages.        It        became apparent,    this    gave    her    a true    feeling    of    well-being.    I am   sure   for   her   the   rain   was her     sunshine     which     links very         nicely         into         my counselling      philosophy,      “I am   the   sunshine   of   my   life and   having   you   in   it   makes   it brighter”.    I    believe    as    in    the    lyrics    of    the    famous    song    “you    are    the sunshine   of   my   life”   it   should   not   be   this   way   around.   In   other   words,   we need    to    love    ourselves    first    not    place    the    emphasis    solely    on    loving others   so   they   might   love   us   back.   They   cannot   and   must   not   replace that    all    important    sunshine.    To    love    ourselves    and    be    that    sunshine means    to    look    after    our    own    needs.    We    must    take    good    care    of ourselves first. The   young   lady   who   chose   to   love   the   rain   has   chosen   to   look   after   her own   needs.   She   does   not   have   to   follow   the   vast   majority   of   people   who usually   love   the   sunshine.   She   loves   herself   enough   to   look   after   her   own well-being.   The   people   who   love   the   hustle   and   bustle   of   city   life   are looking   after   their   own   needs   too.   They   do   not   want   the   quiet   peaceful surroundings   of   rural   life.   The   pensioners   who   moved   to   West   Sussex love   themselves   enough   to   look   after   their   own   needs   even   though   it might   mean   moving   away   from   family   and   friends.   They   love   themselves enough   to   look   after   their   mental   health   and   well-being   and   start   up   new activities   such   as   walking   along   the   Downs,   visiting   the   wealth   of   historic buildings   or   to   take   up   some   more   unusual   keep-fit   activities   such   as Belly Dancing  or Gyrokinesis ®. I   believe   the   real   underlying   message   in   the   Prudential   Report   is   the importance   of   loving   ourselves   which   leads   to   looking   after   our   own needs.   The   need   for   good   physical   and   mental   health   help   us   truly   shine and reach our full potential. So, if we love ourselves does it really matter which county we live in? “Robert Lee is a counsellor based in Chichester, counselling clients in the Chichester area including Birdham, The Witterings, East and West Wittering and Bracklesham Bay. He also provides telephone counselling on a nationwide basis. Counselling Changes Lives - Chichester, West Sussex” *Prudential Analysis Report: click here