Blog | CognitvExplorer

The Long Haul: setting long term goals, and just getting on with it

Much motivational talk is around finding hacks and shortcuts to a happier place and success. But the reality is that success and progress...

Dave Gallagher

Jan 7, 20245 min read

Leap of Faith: DE-stressing a DIS-stressed brain

The brain in distress mode is not a pretty sight. Yet armed with some psychological and physiological principles we can de-stress it,...

Dave Gallagher

Nov 29, 20234 min read

Adventure Deficit Disorder: scratch the itch, restore attention

Adventure Deficit Disorder is a lesser known condition that afflicts more of us than we might realise. It can disrupt satisfaction and...

Dave Gallagher

Aug 11, 20235 min read

Psychological First Aid - Part Two: Staying switched on in a crisis

When the plan turns sour there's no point crying over spilt milk. Or frantically rushing in and doing yourself a mischief. A measured...

Dave Gallagher

Aug 10, 20239 min read

Psychological First Aid - Part One: Keeping your cool

It's all too easy to get complacent in familiar terrain. But when things go wrong it can be hard to switch out of the default setting and...

Dave Gallagher

Aug 8, 20236 min read

Flipping the switch - taking back executive control to thrive under pressure

All too often we give over control to that default setting - the voice of self-doubt holds sway. We are in a reactive mode, stressed...

Dave Gallagher

Aug 4, 20235 min read

Behind the curtain – unpackaging the magic of perceptual design

We don't realise the degree to which our behaviour is conditioned by the environment we inhabit. Some, like magicians and marketeers, do....

Dave Gallagher

Jun 27, 20235 min read

Unlimited possibilities - extending your reach

When we feel anxious, our worldview shrinks to a small bubble surrounding us. Narrowed attention prevents us seeing opportunities and...

Dave Gallagher

Jun 27, 20237 min read

Sink or swim? Finding comfort in challenge!

Much is talked about "getting outside the comfort zone", yet what about focusing on using the comfort zone to make the most of downtime,...

Dave Gallagher

Jun 13, 20236 min read

Pace yourself - when the going gets tough, give your brain a hand

Getting through the tough stretches in life might seem like an endless marathon. Trying to dissociate from the discomfort may not be the...

Dave Gallagher

Apr 28, 20237 min read

Here be dragons: sink, swim, or just wait till it all blows over?

How you react in the face of peril can boil down to three choices. Instinctively panic and run about like a headless chicken. Hunker...

Dave Gallagher

Apr 18, 20236 min read

Becoming self-proficient: mapping new territory

Irrespective of age, or where you are in life, there's room to explore new terrain. Self-limiting beliefs keep us rooted to the spot,...

Dave Gallagher

Jan 20, 20235 min read

The Final Frontier - Equalising Pressure

It is imperative to have a plan. For this is what you will likely need to abandon when the sh@t hit's the fan. Pushing the limits,...

Dave Gallagher

Dec 15, 20227 min read

Feeling the pressure - pausing for thought

When it all gets too much it’s easy to fold under the pressure. But taking a moment in-between the breaths can halt the downward spiral...

Dave Gallagher

Dec 9, 20227 min read

Short circuiting stress with Adventure Challenge

I recently attended the Adventure Mind 2022 conference and hosted some Adventure Challenge Mindset workshops. Adventure is a valuable...

Dave Gallagher

Nov 10, 20225 min read

Becoming LIMITLESS - small actions clear space for bigger goals

Be warned, no dangerous sports were practiced in the course of writing this blog. It's largely about tidying up...! The danger in tidying...

Dave Gallagher

Oct 26, 20226 min read

Channelling FLOW - effortless inspiration

When stuck in a rut, we need to look outside of ourselves to a grander source of inspiration. The inner voice, the self, the ego, these...

Dave Gallagher

Oct 2, 20227 min read

Celebrating those we have known - the ballad of big Jon

When the unexpected occurs and we struggle to make sense of loss, it's a time to truly celebrate a life lived to the full. Whilst the...

Dave Gallagher

Sep 9, 20228 min read

On holiday by mistake. The travails of travels, profiting from failure

The most memorable occasions are often the ones that go wrong. Yet in retrospect these can be an endless source of amusement, despite...

Dave Gallagher

Sep 3, 20226 min read

BASE jumping psychologist! Practicing what I preach.

When you set an intention and act on it, a rollercoaster of events and opportunities can present themselves. I decided to go airborne in...

Dave Gallagher

Aug 18, 20226 min read

Blogs focus on ways to develop Mental Fitness by building an Adventure Mindset. Using examples from wild adventures experienced and practises from Adventure Psychology to stimulate thinking, and entertain!