John Shackleton

02/06/2020

Anyone seen this guy before? It's quite a long video but very interesting, well worth a look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc_Jq42Og7Q (and yes, I'm aware of the irony of posting it!)

Jaron Lanier, the Silicone Valley ‘computer philosopher', thinks social media is ruining your life. (Click to subscribe for more Channel 4 News videos. https...

31/05/2020

Time to stop the DIY projects, I've built as much as I can think of, weeded and planted, cycled and walked, and now it's time to get back to business! Resilience seminars for small groups or by Zoom - help your people and yourself develop coping techniques to move successfully into our new world. Message me for details :-)

29/04/2020

I hope you are staying healthy during this period, both physically and mentally. Many people are worried about finances, job security and the economy in general, and this is becoming detrimental to their mental health, increasing their stress and anxiety levels.

We can all relate to that and it's very understandable. Fear of the unknown can be overwhelming and very debilitating. If we aren't careful this fear can spiral out of control to become full blown panic and anxiety.

What would be useful for everyone is a way of quietening the mind so that it doesn't get carried away and cause this anxiety inside our head. I have found mindfulness to be extremely helpful in this regard.

With this in mind I am running a webinar on Resilience Techniques to teach you some simple methods of calming your mind so that you can increase your well-being and get through these difficult times. The webinar will take place on Thursday 30th April at 8.30am via Zoom.

The webinar is just $20 and you can book here - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resilience-techniques-for-tough-times-tickets-103750320000

Come along and build up your mental resources at this difficult time.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Resilience Techniques for Tough Times

16/10/2019

Some tickets still remaining for this event I am speaking at next Tuesday - book here http://bit.ly/wgmindful

04/09/2019

Join me for a three week course and learn how to reduce your stress. Dates are 2, 9 and 16 October from 6.30-7.30pm at the Greenhill Clinic in Pakuranga. For more information and to book go to https://www.johnshack.com/stress-less-mindfulness-workshop. Would love to see you along! Limited numbers

25/02/2019

This is so true

I recently went to a wedding at which phones were not allowed. Literally. I don’t mean a scenario in which your stubborn auntie could sneak a phone in because “she’s elder” and thus cannot be told anything but rather I legitimately mean your phone was confiscated at the door. How ever would the aunties take blurry selfies of themselves?!

Now I’m not going to lie. At first I thought “wait. what? There’s no way I can enjoy this.” Think about that. I correlated enjoying an event with being able to take pictures. And unfortunately that’s the sad reality of the world we live in. It’s not completely our fault. Gen Z is the first generation to grow up completely in the digital age and as millennial I share a lot of the same mentality. We are surrounded by so much content and have infinite ways to express ourselves. To make matters even more complicated I vlog and post on social media for a living!

However it is our job to give ourselves a reality check because no one else is going to do it for us. Let’s not be victims to our circumstances and get better at drawing the line. Every time I meet someone really exciting or attend an awesome event, my experience is greeted with “pics or it didn’t happen!” We believe that EXPERIENCING something isn’t valid without CAPTURING the experience. And honestly, that’s pretty sad. What’s even sadder is how this expectation and pressure has affected our experience.

Be honest, how many of you have been at a concert and watched the best moments of it through your phone screen because you were capturing an IG story? Or snapchat. Or instavid. Or live streaming. Or Vlogging. I know I have many times and to be honest I spent way too much money on these Beyonce tickets to be acting whack like that.

Furthermore, if you miss capturing something awesome, you almost feel like you failed. Like the experience wasn’t perfect. Like you missed an opportunity. When really you’re there LIVE and didn’t miss anything.

You want to know the truth? Capturing content is great. It’s fun. Let’s be honest, it feels good to put our best foot forward on social media and show the world how fabulous we (and our desserts) are. But can I tell you something? I had so much authentic, genuine fun at that wedding without my phone because I wasn’t capturing pictures, rather I was creating vivid memories.

Forget “pics or it didn’t happen.” Instead, memories or it didn’t happen.

Here’s to a more enjoyable human experience where the best photo album is the one in your mind and the best stories don’t disappear in 24 hours.

Sending vibes,
Lil x

13/02/2019

Come to your senses' - did you ever consider the literal meaning of this? Nor did I until now! https://www.johnshack.com/for-goodness-sake-come-to-your-senses

22/11/2018

Recently I've been doing as much coaching as speaking and it is so rewarding. I just got this from a client - 'I was a certifiable workaholic who was spiraling rapidly into depression. Everything looked great on the outside but I was drowning in anxious thoughts and struggling to maintain my happy persona with my colleagues and my family. It's day 14 of the programme and this morning I am at peace. By practicing mindfulness and taking time for my mental wellbeing each and every day, I find myself seeing the joy in everything that touches me. I'm hooked for life. Thanks for giving me this wonderful gift.' If you, or someone you know, would benefit from this coaching please let me know - message me or check out the website,

02/07/2018

Last few places remaining. If you are a teacher, have a teacher friend, or your child has a teacher who is stressed then point them to my seminar next week, Mindfulness and Resilience for Teachers so they can reboot before the new term. More details and booking info here -

09/04/2018

"Your life is a reflection of how you sleep, and how you sleep is a reflection of your life." -Dr. Rafael Pelayo. Is that true for you too? I know in my most stressful moments sleep eluded me just when I needed it most.

By John Shackleton on April 9, 2018 in Blog 0 “Your life is a reflection of how you sleep, and how you sleep is a reflection of your life.” -Dr. Rafael Pelayo Do you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night unable to get back to sleep because you’ve got a thousand things on your mind? Some...

04/03/2018

I have had resilience coaching requested over the last year and love the positive effects felt by those I've coached, and the fantastic results they've achieved so I am now formally adding it to my services - take a look here for details and feel free to call or email

03/12/2017

Christmas specials - half price books and CDs until 20th December. Coasters also available - click link for details :-)