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Of all the websites, on all the internet, in all the world, you clicked onto mine. So welcome! Emily McGrorey – it's me, hi! – is a freelance writer and author. She lives in Newcastle, NSW with her husband and three kids. 

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Body+Soul •

What are relationship ‘bids’ and why should you pay attention to them?

Ah relationships, they’re not always easy, are they? Between work, kids, and the daily grind even the best of them hit the occasional bump in the road. But what if we told you there was a statistically proven way to ensure the success of your relationship?

Well, according to John Gottman, renowned relationship expert, psychologist, and founder of The Gottman Institute, that’s exactly what understanding your partner’s ‘bids’ can do.
ABC Everyday •

Making this small change dramatically improved my life and it was all about the dos and don'ts of everyday life

The idea was raised in a recent session with my psychologist.

I was expressing my belief that if I could just get up a bit earlier each day to meditate, my overall wellbeing would improve.

I expected my psychologist to agree and gently encourage me to find ways to prioritise it. Instead, she suggested I might be better off finding ways to do less, instead of adding more to my already jam-packed schedule.

It caught me by surprise. Like a lot of people, I've been conditioned to believe that doi
Mamamia •

'I was forced to completely rethink how I exercise in my 40s. I wish I'd done it sooner.'

I firmly believed I had to end up red-faced and dripping in sweat every time I exercised or it didn’t count. This new program has turned all that on its head. I don’t feel like I’m going to my edge every time I train, but I’m getting great results and I’m missing fewer sessions because the recovery time is a lot lower. This feels revolutionary to me and it seems I’m not the only one.

In a recent interview with ELLE magazine, Jennifer Aniston shared that she’s recently come to a similar conclusi
Mamamia •

Move over love languages, what you really need to understand is relationship 'fight styles'.

When you think of healthy relationships, chances are the first thing that comes to mind isn’t conflict. However, according to podcaster, author, life coach and former monk, Jay Shetty, being aware of how you and your partner ‘fight’ is a key component to any successful partnership.

Shetty believes that just as we have love languages, we have fight languages or styles as well, and the more we can understand one another’s ‘fight style’, the better our intimate relationships will be.

Okay, but ho
Mamamia •

'I just got rid of the last of our baby gear and it made me ridiculously happy. Here’s why.'

It’s been one of those jobs I’ve been avoiding for months, unable to cross it off my to-do list no matter how many weeks in a row it appeared.

In hindsight, I guess I’d been avoiding it because a) it’s time-consuming and b) it requires a reasonable amount of energy. Two areas of life where there’s not a lot of surplus right now.

It was only when my husband ordered a skip bin and told me he was cleaning out the garage that I knew it was now and never. You must know that my husband is an anti-ho
Mamamia •

Millennials are hitting middle age. Here's what they want Gen Z to know.

In a society that lauds youth and beauty above much else, especially where women are concerned, ageing is something that makes many of us uncomfortable. We’re told the pretty are privileged and women of a certain age become invisible. So, understandably, we worry. About our place in this culture when the attributes deemed most desirable start to diminish, about our value thereafter. Some of us hold on to our youth for dear life, conditioned to believe we will age at our own peril, convincing our
ABC Everyday •

'The opposite of triggers': How 'glimmers' help my mental health

It's a deceptively cold winter's day. The sun is shining, the water is glistening, but the wind hurtling around me has an icy bite. After getting my ocean fix, I head back to the car.

Getting inside feels like entering a giant bubble of warmth. My shoulders, which have been up around my ears, relax down. I bask in the sensation of defrosting in the sun-drenched car for a moment before heading off.

On the surface, there's nothing very remarkable about any of this. However, according to Deb Dana
Mamamia •

'I tried the "Let Them Theory" on my kids... Here's what happened.'

So, what did I let them do?

With my curiosity piqued, I decided to try the ‘Let Them Theory’ on my kids for a week. Keeping in mind that my kids are nine, seven and four, it wasn’t as if I was about to let them do every little thing that came to mind, because a) I didn’t want to end up in jail, b) boundaries, and c) that’s not what this is about.

Where I let them go further than usual was in their decision-making, risky play and personal accountability – areas I usually find myself intervening
Mamamia •

'Say goodbye to your Saturday mornings!' 7 parents and an expert on kids' extracurriculars.

Pull out your puffer vests and say goodbye to your Saturday mornings, because it’s term two and weekend sport is back. We have three kids aged nine, seven and four, so we said goodbye to our Saturday mornings quite some time ago. In all seriousness, with two of our three now at school, the extracurricular activities are really ramping up and I’m feeling conflicted. We have a weekly schedule that involves multiple dance classes (acro/jazz/hip hop) on different days, at various times and locations
Mamamia •

'I'm a primary ethics teacher. Here are the 5 biggest things it teaches kids.'

When our eldest child started kindergarten at the local public school, we were given the option of her attending weekly lessons in religion, ethics, or neither.

Not being religious, my husband and I liked the idea of her attending ethics classes, which are described on the NSW Department of Education’s website as: "A program in ethical decision making, action and reflection within a secular framework." So, we ticked that box and didn’t think much of it until later in the term when our daughter
Mamamia •

'I've started wearing shorts for the first time in more than 15 years. Here's why.'

Me and my legs. It’s complicated.

Like a lot of women, I have been waging a rather futile war against a body part of mine for decades now. Ever since I was in my teens, I’ve been self-conscious about my legs. They’re short, thick and being that I have very fair skin, that is jokingly referred to by friends, family and even medical professionals as being see-through, they’re splattered with visible spider/varicose veins in fairly prominent places.

All this has meant that I’ve gone to great leng
Mamamia •

Why do you get sick when you stop? Two experts explain.

When we’re really busy and stressed, like a lot of us are these days, it’s pretty common to delay R&R until you can take some proper time off, such as when you go on a holiday. The trouble is, if you head into a break completely exhausted, your immune system isn’t going to be working at its best to begin with.

"When you are stressed, your body’s immune system is stimulated to help heal wounds or injuries. During longer period of stress, your immune system may become fatigued, making you more vu
Mamamia •

'You're not lazy. You just don't know your energy type.'


• Role: Hybrid of Manifestors and Generators – they are the multi-passionate, multi-taskers.
• Percentage of the population: 33 per cent.
• How they use energy: They have consistent energy, but can have inconsistent motivation, depending on how satisfying they find their work.
• Strategy: Respond to what is presented to them, inform others, then take action.

"The big thing about Manifesting Generators is that most of them feel like they don't fit in. Manifesting Generators are here to break th
Mamamia •

6 ways to maintain your sex life after kids, according to the experts.

Listen to Sealed Section. On this episode, Chantelle delves into the complicated but incredibly important topic of postpartum sex, and answers questions from listeners who are trying to reconnect with their partner, and themselves, after having a baby. Story continues below.

Often when it comes to advice around sex after kids, couples are told to 'schedule sex weekly' or something quite regimented like that. Anya says this is an outdated concept, while Jacqueline says that couples don’t necessa
Mamamia •

"Rest and laziness are two different things." 5 things that took me 40 years to learn.

It’s taken me a really long time to learn that I’m absolutely no use to anyone when I’m tired. Taking care of yourself and prioritising rest does not mean that you’re lazy. (Say it again with me, millennials.) Rest is an essential and necessary part of life, not just something you prioritise once a year on your annual holiday.

As parents, my husband and I are trying to model this to our kids. On the weekends, we try to carve out a few hours dedicated to just 'doing nothing'. We nap or we read o
Mamamia •

"Create a to-don't list." 5 practical ways to feel better about doing less.

There was once a time in my life when I felt like I had more control over my days. When I could determine what time I went to bed and what time I woke up. I could come up with a zealous to-do list and have a good chance at getting through a decent portion of it so long as the motivation came along for the ride. Though back then, I had the same 24 hours in a day that I do now, time didn’t feel as scarce. Since becoming a parent, time has turned into one of the greatest riddles of my adult life. M
Mamamia •

"It takes more than just the two of you." 10 things I've learnt from 10 years of marriage.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not down on weddings, I'm just suggesting that perhaps there's a better investment to be made in making sure you're clear on each other's values and that your values and expectations of married life are aligned, and mostly you want the same things out of life. From my experience, these are the things you return to time and time again throughout your marriage – not the wedding stationery or bonbonniere or which particular shade of dusty pink the bridesmaids wore. 2. Changi
Mamamia •

"Socialise as a couple." The 7 things all healthy relationships have, according to the experts.

Whilst romantic relationships and weekly schedules might not seem like the most likely of pairings, regular meetings ensure you’re making good on one fundamental of all healthy relationships: communication.

Psychotherapist and clinical social worker Marcia Naomi Berger suggests couples hold weekly 'marriage meetings' and talk through a set agenda that covers:
• None Expressing appreciation – notice the small (and big) things your partner does and actively show your gratitude for them.
• None Co
Mamamia •

'I just learned about "action faking" and turns out you're probably guilty.'

Okay, so how do we overcome action faking tendencies?

1. Own up to it.

According to Tamara, the first step in overcoming 'action faking' is to acknowledge you're doing it and acknowledge that what you're doing is unhelpful to the goal. (Alright okay, you got me, software course).

Next, Tamara says, we should break things down into tiny manageable steps that will make us more accountable. Think SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant/Realistic, and Time-Bound – goals.

"If you're av
Mamamia •

"They monopolise your time." The 7 signs of love bombing you shouldn't ignore.

Of course, The Tinder Swindler is an extreme example of love bombing, but it doesn’t make the behaviours any less concerning. As Mamamia's Adrienne Tam recently wrote, many people are quick to blame the victims and say they could never be conned by someone like Leviev, and honestly here’s hoping you never are. But just to be on the safe side, we spoke to three experts to find out everything you need to know about love bombing and why it’s so dangerous. "Love bombing is when at the beginning of a
Mamamia •

"You have repetitive thoughts with no resolution." The 6 signs you're an overthinker.

Tamara Cavenett, President of the Australian Psychological Society and a practising clinical psychologist, says, "People who tend to be a little bit more introverted, a little bit more anxious, quite thoughtful and considered in what they do are often overthinkers, and it's not necessarily a bad characteristic. They're often kinder to other people, more considerate, and more thoughtful, because they do take that additional time to think things through."

The six signs you're an overthinker.

Whi
Mamamia •

There's a scientific reason why everyone is falling in love with Pete Davidson right now.

"So I think if someone's dating someone that’s previously been seen as acceptable, it does give you that social influence that can encourage whom you date, or at least whom you see as acceptable to date. And I think you can see that with famous people. You can imagine if this person has dated them, and they're acceptable to them, then they're worthy."

Tamara goes on to elaborate further, "We certainly do see people who choose to date someone because of social influences. So who they’ve been see
Mamamia •

The key to feeling good about turning 40, or any age, according to a psychologist.

I recently turned 40 and though this probably means I’m officially too old to be using such terms, it’s had me feeling all the feels.

From gratitude for making it this far, to excitement about what the next decade will bring, to total and utter confusion about what the hell just happened to the past 20 years of my adulthood.

But there’s something else about turning 40 that can stir up some unexpected emotions.

It might be realising, perhaps for the first time, that all going well you’re now a

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