AlanGurling.com

A selfie at Horsenden Hill Mental health is often discussed in terms of individual resilience. While personal coping strategies matter, my experience has shown me that the environment people work in plays an equally important role. This is very true for me and almost everyone that I've worked with that has raised this point. How work is structured, how expectations are communicated, and how people are treated day to day all have a direct impact on a person's wellbeing. Creating healthier workplaces is not about having all the answers. It starts with understanding and intention. Communication is important, but what's the point if there's no intention of understanding? Mental Health Is Not Separate From Work Workplaces do not exist in isolation from the rest of life. People bring their whole selves to work, including stress, responsibilities, and experiences that may not be visible. We are people and people are emotional creatures. We can't help but be this way. It va...

Somewhere at the grounds of The Hill Garden and Pergola at Hampstead Heath 17 November 2013 - Pentax K-5 & Tamron 10-24 UK Amateur Photographers (UKAP) is a photography community I run for people who simply enjoy taking photos. It’s aimed at photographers of all skill levels and welcomes all types of cameras, from smartphones to dedicated mirrorless and DSLR systems. The group exists to provide a supportive, inclusive space where people can share their work, learn from one another, and grow in confidence without pressure or pretence. The focus has always been on encouragement, constructive feedback, and enjoying the creative process. Over time, the community has grown into an active and engaged group of photographers from across the UK and beyond. While the number of members is encouraging, what matters most to me is the culture: respectful discussion, thoughtful critique, and a genuine interest in helping others improve. One of the core features of UK Amateur Photographers is ...

Neurodiversity is often discussed in abstract terms, but in my experience, it is best understood through people, not labels. These are my thoughts on the subject after experiencing working with a myriad of folks from all walks of neurodivergence. At its simplest, neurodiversity recognises that human brains work in different ways. It's not as simple as being aware of it, but I believe that the normal perspective should be being mindful of how different we are. These differences influence how we communicate, process information, manage energy, and experience the world. In professional environments, these differences are always present, whether they are acknowledged or not. That's key. Approaching neurodiversity with curiosity and care is not just inclusive. It leads to better understanding, stronger teams, and healthier ways of working. I've found that doing so, you're working at a positive incline, rather than moving forward, but it feels like you're pulling a weight...

When I think about leadership, I think less about titles and more about responsibility. In my experience, leadership reveals itself in the everyday moments: how decisions are made, how people are listened to, and how challenges are handled when the pressure is real. Thoughtful leadership is rarely loud. It is steady, intentional, and human. It is about creating the conditions where people can do good work, feel respected, and grow with confidence. Leadership as Responsibility I have learned that leadership works best when it is approached as responsibility rather than status. Authority may come with a role, but trust is built through behaviour, over time. Being responsible as a leader means recognising that your actions carry weight. What you prioritise, what you challenge, and what you allow to continue all shape the culture around you. People notice consistency far more than intention. For me, leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about being accountable for outc...

I started writing this about ten years ago, and it's been published twice and then unpublished. I've amended it several times through the years, and tonight, I am updating it again. Here we go. I have thoughts. Lots of thoughts. Too many thoughts, even. There are so many that the subject itself is a fascinating thing for me. I like talking to people, but not all the time. I value my space and my peace a lot. I easily go into a depressive mood if I am not able to have enough time to be alone with my thoughts. I like seeing, hearing, and listening to people. I especially love hearing them talk about their passions. Finding common ground is a feeling I will always appreciate. Communicating properly with others is important to me. I guess after all, I am a man, and man is a social creature - but I am mindful about how I communicate. I am a bit dismayed that this is not the default setting of most people. I'm writing all these things in a way to immortalise my thoughts in some ...

Metal has always been the light in the darkness for me I recently started a Spotify playlist, and I named it “This is why I listen to metal”. For the longest time, I’ve always found solace in listening to some of the loudest, complex, aggressive music, that humanity has ever produced. See, at a young age, I was exposed to a lot of people doing illegal drugs. During my pre-teen years, I discovered that I had an affinity for rock music. It wasn’t until I was in high school where I was exposed to the more harsher forms of music, under the guise of rock. The 90’s just started, grunge was all the rage, and catchy choruses was the lifeline I needed back then. I remember back then, I could not understand Slayer, nor appreciate the intensity at which they were playing. It wasn’t until a couple of decades later that I realised how chaotic my life was back then. But that’s another story for another time. I wasn’t a metalhead back then, not yet. I don’t think I ever expected to be one. The heavie...

  The Grounds at St. Paul's Cathedral This is one of my favourite stories to tell about when I was a Work Coach at the local Jobcentre here in West London. It's interesting for me in several ways, and it's significantly one of the main reasons why I believe in being kind to others can result in the most positive change you can help influence in someone's life. This happened sometime around 2011-2012, around the time that the world was starting to rebound from the recession just a few years prior. I was working in a Jobcentre as a Work Coach. A Work Coach is someone who meets the unemployed and helps them secure opportunities that will eventually help them get back to full time employment. My "cohort" at the time was focused on 18-24 year olds who were unemployed for at least 13 weeks, or 3 months. Young adults, basically. I have met many interesting personalities, and it wasn't always pleasant.  There was a young lady who was kicked out of her parent'...

Photo by  Nakita Cheung  on  Unsplash Smartphones are awesome. I was reading this article earlier on The Verge about how an iPhone has essentially replaced so many of the writer's other gadgets. I totally agree. I'd go even one further and say that my smartphone has essentially replaced my wallet. Living in London, my smartphone is my digital assistant. It's essential and central to a lot of the things that I do daily. My current phone is a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. The phone itself deserves a whole post on its own, and I'll most likely post it on my other blog . So what do I do with my smartphone? On a normal working day: Alarm - Several alarms actually. And I can customise how I "snooze" my way out of bed. Newspaper - I skim through the Breaking News just to be sure that the world didn't end while I was sleeping, or that someone discovered a cure for cancer, or we decided to stop using money and follow Star Trek's lead and focus on being...