The huge change the world needs can seem impossible.  That doesn’t mean it is. When it isn’t happening - we may feel overwhelmed, become resigned. The effect is we: Keep our head down, tread water and play smaller than we are - or withdraw altogether. Despite our work and its valuable contributions, we may be attempting to achieve radical step change with below par leadership capacity - at all levels.

What's the difference you want to make in your work? How's that going? Are you making headway? Or facing into strong headwinds? It’s like the water from the kitchen tap is clean, clear - and tastes great. The only snag is the water's only coming out at a trickle. It takes ages to fill the basin. By the time there’s enough to wash the dishes the water’s gone cold, and you're out of time anyhow.

What we focus on grows. You know that old story, the one about the Cherokee Chief and the two wolves? One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

My antennae are up for noticing beauty in the everyday world around us. Walking a long country lane at the weekend - the first time in ages - I spy a patch of purple Irish orchids peppering the grassy verge. Tiny and perfectly formed, like Bonsai, these are beauty in miniature - completely different to the larger, taller, more elegant supermarket variety.

Caught up in the airport meltdowns of the UK half term/Jubilee break I find myself stranded in an empty Stansted airport car park after dark. I need to cross London pronto - to connect with a young nephew waiting on me in Gatwick. My 3 hours flight delay means it's 10.30pm. I’ve missed the last Gatwick Express and, for some unknown reason, the bank has declined my Uber payment – both cards!

Places that cause people to lounge and linger longer are: Safe, Beautiful and Comfortable (to sit in or lounge on). Water is THE big plus. When we create these ingredients in places, people follow.

This place is a world we created. We are creating our place, our world - constantly. How? By the choices we make. We might choose to buy it. We might choose to build it. Maybe we choose to design it. We might sell a field or two to the developer? Maybe we are the councillor or planner who gives the green light to the planning application?

The places we create help cause us to connect or disconnect from others. Take this place. Electronically gated and in the countryside means paying an impromptu visit is off-putting to all but the most determined. Add to that it is a couple of miles from the nearest shop. Noticing this is generally too far, psychologically, to want to walk for the loaf of bread or pint of milk we forgot - even hopping on a bike is a ride too far.

By day bright paint colours, lacy curtains, and colourful window boxes say ‘alive and kicking community’. By night steel mesh gutter guards glisten against street lights. What on earth? Snow guards? Couldn’t be? This is Ireland after all - not Scandinavia.