Category: Online Courses

Posted by Christine Pope on in exercise, Gratitude, Health Care, Meal Plans and Recipes, Online Courses

Why 2026 Is the Year of Fun Goals (Not Boring Resolutions)
Three women standing on stage holding a large cheque for $30,000, awarded for the 2023 Kickstarter Challenge, with a backdrop displaying event branding.

Before we rush headlong into setting goals for 2026, I think it’s worth pressing pause and acknowledging what worked in 2025. Reflecting on what worked well lets you start from a positive position acknowledging what you have already achieved – and it’s a far better foundation for meaningful change than guilt, pressure or unrealistic expectations.

A Few Things I’m Grateful for From 2025

As I reflect on the past year, a few highlights stand out:

  • Having the time and space to focus on my directorship with COSBOA, and to support important initiatives such as Future Female Entrepreneurs and Cyber Wardens – programs that genuinely make a difference for small business owners. Plus this year I actually handed the cheque to the winner for the program at the final and could see the benefits for the five finalists.
  • A truly lovely family holiday on Lord Howe Island – slowing down, reconnecting, and being reminded how relaxing it is to simply focus on being in nature, better still its an amazing spot.
  • Taking up ballroom dancing again, and not just dabbling – actually relearning key dances and rediscovering how joyful (and humbling!) it is to be a beginner again.
  • Upskilling with training through Fitgenes and Microba. Evidence based testing solutions for my clients that will help direct treatment. Personally the information from the Fitgenes testing has already helped me personally with good data on what will support me in terms of supplements and exercise.

These moments weren’t about ticking boxes. They were about connection, contribution, learning and enjoyment – and that’s exactly why they matter.

The Problem With Generic Goals

Every January we’re told to set goals like:

  • “Lose weight”
  • “Get fitter”
  • “Work less”
  • “Be healthier”

They sound sensible, but they’re also vague, joyless and often rooted in the idea that something about us needs fixing.

Generic goals tend to fail because:

  • They don’t inspire emotion
  • They feel like more work!
  • They focus on outcomes, not experiences

And when life inevitably gets busy, they’re the first thing to be dropped.

What If We Focused on Fun Resolutions Instead?

Fun goals don’t mean frivolous or unimportant. They mean goals that:

  • Spark curiosity
  • Feel aligned with who you are now
  • Add energy rather than drain it

Fun goals are often process-based rather than outcome-based. They pull you forward instead of pushing you from behind.

For example:

Two individuals snorkeling in clear blue water with a rocky coastline in the background.
  • Instead of “exercise more” → Find an activity you genuinely enjoy
  • Instead of “eat better” → Learn to cook three new Mediterranean-style meals you love
  • Instead of “stress less” → Create a weekly ritual that helps you unwind or ditch activities that don’t serve you anymore.

When something feels enjoyable, consistency becomes natural. Check out my Better Brain Health recipes free download for some inspiration for recipes that are quick and easy and you will love preparing and eating.

Why This Matters for Healthy Ageing

As we get older, sustainable health isn’t built on extremes – it’s built on habits we’re happy to keep.

Fun, meaningful goals:

  • Support long-term motivation
  • Reduce stress and all-or-nothing thinking
  • Encourage learning, social connection and joy (all key longevity factors)

Ballroom dancing is a perfect example. It supports balance, coordination, brain health, cardiovascular fitness and social connection – but it feels like fun, not exercise. Well most days its fun sometimes when you get stuck and can’t seem to remember what you learned the previous week its a little frustrating.

If you’re not sure where to start, try this:

Ask yourself:

  1. What gave me energy in 2025?
  2. What did I wish I had more time for?
  3. What would make me laugh if I did it regularly?

Keep them light. Keep them flexible. And most importantly, keep them yours.

Let 2026 Feel Good

You don’t need a complete reinvention this year. You don’t need to hustle harder or aim for perfection.

What if 2026 was about:

  • Feeling better, not doing more
  • Choosing enjoyment over obligation
  • Building habits that support a long, vibrant, outrageously good life

That sounds like a resolution worth keeping.

If 2026 is the year you want to really change your health then please see if my Ageing Outrageously program is right fit for you.

Posted by Christine Pope on in Innovation, Online Courses

What useful information can a non-techie pick up from a Cyber Summit ?
AFR Cyber Summit

A Cyber Summit wasn’t on the top of my list for continuing education this year but its surprising what you can learn from expanding your horizons.

First up if you find the subject of cyber security or AI stressful perhaps have a look at my other blogs instead. Just take away this one useful nugget – 90% of problems can be prevented by ensuring you keep your software updated, use multi factor authentication and start using pass phrases for passwords, ideally with at least four random words.

With the evolving awareness of AI risks it may also be worthwhile adding another layer of security. Stop and Check! What does this mean? Basically if you are contacted by someone offering helpful information (unexpectedly because lets be honest how many times does your bank or social media company pick up a phone) then hang up and ring back on the number listed on the website. Often these calls are designed to get you to read out a code from your supplier to enable them to take over your account.

One of the key risks for businesses is having data hacked and being ransomed. Fortunately Australia didn’t go down the path of banning ransom payments from a legislative perspective and has adopted a more collaborative approach, where you can report what happened and get assistance. This information is not passed on to other agencies and is provided by Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) through the Cyber Security hotline, which has a reporting service with 24/7 access.

A few of the panellists who shared advice about dealing with these types of attacks highlighted common themes. A big element of risk is the human element – one transport business had its system attacked as an engineer’s login credentials were released on the dark web. The business saw 50-100 servers being activated out of hours and realised that there was an attack in progress and made the decision to shut the system and its operations down for a few days.

Staff can be an effective human shield for a business and its critical that they understand the risks involved and how to mitigate them effectively. For small businesses ideally get all your staff to complete the Cyber Warden training available which has three short modules to upskill your staff. These modules cover cybersecurity, safe use of AI and supply chain risks.

The other critical component of reporting is the communication with your clients and key stakeholders. Ensuring that they received timely advice can make the difference for them of being exposed themselves and incurring significant financial damage.

The ASD also shared these thoughts on the four areas of risk that Boards need to be considering, which I found useful as both a small business owner and as a Director of COSBOA.

  1. Legacy Systems and Segregation- ensure that the legacy systems don’t create weak spots for access and that when you upgrade these systems are decommissioned.
  2. Logins – monitor for access at odd times or where the activity levels are unusual.
  3. Quantum – get ready for the post quantum security challenges as this level of encryption will be broken in the new few years. To sound knowledgeable on this point simply refer to it as “Q Day”.
  4. Supply Chain – make sure you don’t create any weaknesses that a bad actor can use and also that there is compulsory reporting of incidents.

No review of a Cyber Summit would be complete anymore without a discussion about AI ! This was certainly a fascinating panel as Fortesuce shared that they are working on 30 different projects incroporating AI into the business to drive operating efficiencies. Major banks like Commonwelath Bank are investing heavily in AI to improve their own security and to assist with scam detection. These include a project where they have created an AI bot which chats to scammers and is attempting to disrupt their model and make the activity unprofitable. Apparently they had the bot “talking” to one scammer for 48 minutes. Whatever your views are it is clear that businesses that don’t start looking at what tools can be integrated risk being left behind particularly when it comes to improving productivity.

A couple of areas were flagged as being of concern with the rollout of AI, including the ability to perpetrate even better scams, particularly with romance scams now creating effective videos as well. Other concerns noted were the vast amounts of energy required to fuel these searches and the potential to introduce vulnerability into your other systems.

So do I feel more knowledgeable about cyber post this event ? It certainly made me realise how many systems I use everyday in my own business and determined to be more diligent on my security (in fact just ran all my updates on my phone and Mac this morning). I have also taken away a great report from the Organising Sponsor, Cyber CX with curly questions to ask at my next Board meeting and a determination to ensure that as many small businesses as possible utilise the free Cyber Wardens training to upskill on security, AI and supply chains. Have I convinced you?

Posted by Christine Pope on in Detoxification, Herbs, Homeopathy, Minerals, Online Courses

What are the healthy options available in the Black Friday sales ?

Black Friday refers to the Friday following Thanksgiving in the United States, marking the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. The event is infamous for retailers offering substantial discounts, often at deeply reduced prices.This year I started looking for bargains on healthy options to see what was available and would help me save money on things I would usually buy.

First up one of my favourite protein powders nuut emailed offering a 25% discount across the product range of their keto, paleo and daily balance with the code bff25. My usual recommendation is to try the taster bundle so you can check out different flavours. The protein powder is a blend of protein powder, cacao, supergreens and prebiotics and probiotics. Just click here for the nuut site.

My daughter messaged and let me know Zazen replacement water filters were on sale. Jumping on the site I couldn’t find the deal but it showed up in my email shortly afterwards. The site is giving a 35% discount on the replacement kit and 20% on the water filters themselves. The Zazen water filter is a great unit which sits on the bench and removes 99.98% of heavy metals and microplastics, reduces toxins and remineralises the water. Use the code ZAZENFAMILY at checkout.

One of my favourite flavoured salt and spice providers, Gewerzhaus , is offering a 20% discount across the site plus free shipping over $70. The spice mixes provide a wide range of flavour profiles that really enhance cooking. Better still adding herbs and spices to a meal provides a great source of plant phytochemicals as well as flavour.

The Roast Vegetable Salt is a flavourful twist on traditional salt. It’s a blend of finely ground sea salt with a variety of herbs and spices like garlic, coriander, garlic, onion, caraway, oregano, pepper, thyme, ginger, lemon myrtle, marjoram, mustard seed, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, rosemary. This seasoning adds a wonderful depth of flavor to soups, stews, roasted veggies, and even salads. It’s an all-purpose seasoning that brings out the natural sweetness in ingredients, making it a great alternative to plain salt, and it’s perfect for when you want to enhance flavors without overpowering them.

For those who love a garlicky kick in their meals, Gewürzhaus’ Garlic Spice Lover’s is a must-have. This classic seasoning combines the rich, aromatic flavor of garlic with the subtle earthiness of sea salt as well as a little parsley and onion. It’s also the quickest way to make a garlic pizza with just a little oil.

If you’re craving something with a bit of heat and smokiness, the Tex Mex Spices blend is just the ticket. It combines chili, cumin, paprika, garlic, and onion to create the perfect seasoning for tacos, burritos, fajitas, or grilled veggies. It’s the kind of seasoning that brings all the right flavors of Tex-Mex cuisine to your table, with just the right balance of spice and savory notes.

Looking for some education options? My Homeopathy 101 program is on sale at a 50% discount and with the four weeks of content gives you a great training in how to use homeopathy to treat a range of common illnesses. Plus you get to save $$$ every time you avoid having to head to the GP, unless you are fortunate enough to have one who bulk bills!

The on demand program covers all the basics for training yourself in using homeopathic medicines including dosing and selecting a useful potency. Plus it provides you with information about which conditions you can treat and when you need to seek more advice.

Another brand that I use for cleaning is Norwex and they have a lot of specials on products at this time of year. Their microfiber cloths and cleaning systems use advanced technology to trap and remove dirt, bacteria, and allergens with just water, meaning you can clean most surfaces without the need for harsh chemicals. There are also a range of useful cleaning products such as a concentrated laundry powder and enzymatically based stain removal and dishwashing products.

Benefiting from the Black Friday sales is largely a question of identifying what you need to buy and then seeing if the deals offered are worthwhile. My other tip is to make sure you do stay on newsletter databases this time of year because it often adds a little extra value! Let me know if you find any other healthy specials!

Posted by Christine Pope on in Health Care, Herbs, Homeopathy, Online Courses

Natural Medicine First Aid 2022

Did you miss my latest webinar for Natural Medicine Week ? If you want an overview of how to treat coughs, colds and stomach upsets as well as common injuries please review the powerpoint links below or click through to the youtube recording further down.

Natural Medicine First Aid 2022Download

The recordings are linked to my youtube site and can be accessed by clicking on the link below, but please feel free to subscribe to the channel for updates.

Thanks to all those who attended the workshop and please consider following my blog for future updates on all things natural medicine. If you are interested in treating common illnesses and injuries have a look at these recent blogs;

  1. Treating Colds and Flu at home
  2. Natural medicine first aid – bruises, sprains and strains
  3. Stomach Aches and Pains
  4. Post Viral Fatigue (and other symptoms)

Christine is a naturopath and nutritionist based at Elemental Health St Ives. Appointment can be made on 02 8084 0081 or online at the website.

Posted by Christine Pope on in exercise, Gratitude, Health Care, Online Courses, stress

The high points of 2021

Lately I have had a song stuck in my head, not sure what its called, but I just remember the line – I fall asleep counting my blessings. So rather than making a bunch of New Year’s resolutions this year I prefer to reflect on the positives from 2021, both personal and professional ( and there were some!!).

First up for me was my son returning from Canada where he had decided to stay after the border closures in March, 2020. The return trip was a little fraught as he had had COVID a few weeks before departure. We were a little worried about him testing positive still and being unable to fly. At the point in time many flights were cancelled and friends of his had multiple attempts at getting home. Anyway lots of worry but at the end of the day turns out a flight on JAL when the Olympics was on was a good call. It kept to schedule and he made it home. Not only that but the flights were fairly empty and there was lots of room to spread out and sleep. Two weeks of hotel quarantine after he had already done two weeks of COVID isolation was a bit much for him but many care packs were delivered to his room. His sister organised technology to entertain him and we sent in food as well as recommending deliveries from Lettuce Deliver for in room salads.

Inevitably when he got home I was on a Board call on Zoom but pre-warned I just ran to the door and hugged him for a long time (and there were a few tears as well).

The protracted lockdown starting in June, 2021 came with new restrictions regarding your LGA and distances you could travel. This actually resulted in the family focussing on finding new walks as much as possible. Two big positives were finding some lovely walks in the Lane Cove National Park to add to our rotation and meeting a friend on a regular basis to walk around the Wildflower Gardens at St Ives. The weather through this lockdown fortunately was very favourable and we did improve our fitness levels overall.

Another big decision for me at the start of lockdown was continuing to do a weekly Pilates class with Village Pilates on Zoom. Initially I wasn’t convinced but it was a great decision to try it and it really gave my week structure as well as helping to maintain the fitness and balance that classes had already developed. The other benefit was having three other people to catch up with on a weekly basis and this led me to developing my own webinar series initially “Reset in Lockdown” and then a “Spring Reset”. Each week I really looked forward to the challenge of developing content and also the great questions each group asked. (If you want to listen to some of the content click here for the Reset and Recharge in Lockdown ).

Zoom or Microsoft Teams was also instrumental in giving me access to a range of Government consultations and meetings on behalf of my two Boards, COSBOA and the Australian Traditional Medicine Society. In one week I attended consultations on re-opening in three States and our CEO did a further consultation for Tasmania, something that would not have been possible before as physically I would have been unable to attend meetings in three different States. Online access really assisted in my advocacy efforts as it enabled me to participate in a much broader range of meetings than our association budgets would have enabled. Further it helped keep me sane as I love being able to assist in solving problems and working for small business and natural medicine.

The real eye opener for me about inclusion was in part due to an event I attended in early May as part of my COSBOA role. The National Innovation Games was in Newcastle where the theme was Inclusion 365: Navigating physical and digital worlds. For many people with disabilities COVID had opened up access to a broad range of events through digital access, as well as providing better access to medical services with the broader provision of telehealth. The National Innovation Games is a design and critical thinking challenge where teams work on real world challenges for businesses. In this Games we were working with the City of Newcastle to develop concepts to support disability access. The team I was working with developed a concept for an app which would provide information on the best path for someone to travel around Newcastle, incorporating real time updates from existing sources to advise of possible obstacles. We did come in second place although another team with a similar concept came first so we will claim equal first place.

Another personal highlight for me was being told by my daughter that she had referred to being brought up by a strong kick-ass woman. So I will finish the year on that high point. Strong women, may we be them and may we raised them.

Wishing you all the best for 2022, please share your highlights from 2021 in the comments.

Posted by Christine Pope on in exercise, Health Care, Online Courses, stress, Travel

Upskilling and recharging

Spending time at home gives you the opportunity to try things that you may have been wanting to try but may never had the time.  One of my goals is to meditate daily and work my way through all the webinars I signed up for but never got the time to watch. Below are a few ideas to keep you occupied over the next few weeks whilst nurturing mind, body & spirit.

Take an Online course

There are lots of online courses available to cater for every need. TAFE NSW is currently offering 21 courses free of charge.  These range from business administration through to e marketing and are aimed at upgrading skills and giving a qualification which can be used to get back into the workplace.  Further information can be found at Tafe NSW Fee Free Courses .

Coursera offers a range of courses from business and universities, some of which are free.  These are mainly IT and technology based.

Khan academy offers short videos on a range of subjects from mathematics, science through to history.  These are informative and very easy to follow.

Udemy also offers a wide range of short courses free of charge.

Exercise

Staying physically active is important not only for cardiovascular health but also for flexibility.  If you are not used to exercise, then it is important to start with postural exercise to prevent injury.  If you use Instagram then #Move U have some good stability demonstrations.  If you are looking for classes then the Les Mills app is great for classes ranging from Bodypump through to Bodyjam which is a dance type class. F45 in Mona Vale are live streaming HITT classes but do require a membership.  Conny Pulvermacher is livestreaming Yoga classes from The Yoga Room at St Ives have a look at the timetable and see what works for you.

Get Google Arts and Culture

Google arts and Culture, allows you to take virtual tours of some of the top museums, galleries and theatres of the world.  So whether you want to visit  the Natural History museum in London or the teatro bibiena then try Arts and Culture google.

Meditate

Life at the moment can leave many of us feeling stressed, anxious and overwhelmed not knowing what the future will bring.  Meditation and mindfulness apps can help aid in relieving some of these feelings.  Puregym gives a good summary of some of the more popular mindfulness apps. My personal favourite is Gaia which offers you the option to choose the length as well so I have a favourite 12 minute meditation.

Ferment

Fermented foods are great for gut health and general wellbeing, but can be quite expensive.  They include Kombucha, Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Kefir and a whole range more.  Each different type of ferment has a different array of friendly bacteria.  Once you get the hang of them they are very simple to create and quite addictive to make.  If you would like to know more then Holly Davis has written a beautiful book called Ferment.  She also has some beautiful recipes on her website .

Learn a language

There are a number of free online language courses available so if you have ever thought you would like to expand your lingual skills try these websites.

French http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/

Spanish http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/

Italian http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/italian/

Go to the Theatre

Whilst we can’t travel overseas one advantage of the current situation is that theatres are opening up production libraries to enable us to have the experience from the comfort of home. Time Out has produced a list of productions with streaming options in New York and London and Sadler Wells dance company is offering a range of shows free online as well .

Christine Pope is a naturopath and nutritionist based at Elemental Health at St Ives. You can make appointments for an online consultation currently but she will be back in her clinic at St Ives from 1 May.