The Hummingbirds’ Kit, cover of the booklet of 35 practical guides

Discover the Hummingbirds’ Kit: 35 practical guides

Answers to your existential questions, on days when there’s a storm in your skull. Yes, there are days like that, when you’d love a few tricks to let the storm pass. A little kit for saying no, to keep handy for the day someone pushes a bit too hard.

One guide per question, straight out of a chapter of the novel (not a manual), in the order Snow White learned them. Take it for what it’s worth, it’s not written in the runes…

On one page: the key, what’s going on behind it, your move in 3 steps, your safety rail. Use them when you need them, leave the rest…

← DiscoverAnother bonus › The kit as a booklet, paper or digital

Swipe, click and choose your guide

Practical guide: Say no without negotiating Say no, and hold firm Say no without negotiating ch. 28 Practical guide: The ‘no’ stage Say no, and hold firm The ‘no’ stage Practical guide: The third time, stop answering Say no, and hold firm The third time, stop answering ch. 16 Practical guide: Take back your space and your time Say no, and hold firm Take back your space and your time ch. 16 Practical guide: I don’t decide under threat Say no, and hold firm I don’t decide under threat ch. 13 Practical guide: Leave the room Say no, and hold firm Leave the room ch. 25 Practical guide: Write down the proof See clearly Write down the proof ch. 25 Practical guide: Stop adapting See clearly Stop adapting ch. 28 Practical guide: Married to beer See clearly Married to beer ch. 22 Practical guide: He projects, I feel See clearly He projects, I feel ch. 40 Practical guide: And in practice? See clearly And in practice? ch. 28 Practical guide: His “we” doesn’t exist See clearly His “we” doesn’t exist ch. 16 Practical guide: Come here… but not too close See clearly Come here… but not too close ch. 19 Practical guide: I respect your wounds. I protect myself. Don’t carry what isn’t mine I respect your wounds. I protect myself. ch. 13 Practical guide: I won’t pay other people’s debts Don’t carry what isn’t mine I won’t pay other people’s debts ch. 38 Practical guide: There’s no trial to win Don’t carry what isn’t mine There’s no trial to win ch. 34 Practical guide: The invisible axe Don’t carry what isn’t mine The invisible axe ch. 23 Practical guide: You can say anything, just not for nothing Don’t carry what isn’t mine You can say anything, just not for nothing ch. 22 Practical guide: Your version belongs to you Don’t carry what isn’t mine Your version belongs to you ch. 45 Practical guide: 100% pass rate Hold on for the long haul 100% pass rate ch. 37 Practical guide: The peace bunker Hold on for the long haul The peace bunker ch. 23 Practical guide: You thought you had a personality. You’ve got a list. Hold on for the long haul You thought you had a personality. You’ve got a list. ch. 23 Practical guide: Ghost captain, can we talk? Hold on for the long haul Ghost captain, can we talk? ch. 23 Practical guide: A warrior who lives Hold on for the long haul A warrior who lives ch. 23 Practical guide: The deckchair and the sunglasses Hold on for the long haul The deckchair and the sunglasses ch. 40 Practical guide: Take back your place as an adult Family Take back your place as an adult ch. 7 Practical guide: The phone is not a fire alarm Family The phone is not a fire alarm ch. 7 Practical guide: Write the worst possible version Create, and give yourself permission Write the worst possible version ch. 46 Practical guide: Imitating isn’t cheating Create, and give yourself permission Imitating isn’t cheating ch. 46 Practical guide: You don’t argue with the sky Create, and give yourself permission You don’t argue with the sky ch. 46 Practical guide: If you can’t see clearly, write Create, and give yourself permission If you can’t see clearly, write Practical guide: The funny diary Create, and give yourself permission The funny diary ch. 22 Practical guide: Writing a chapter in 4 steps Create, and give yourself permission Writing a chapter in 4 steps Practical guide: The dragon, the cave, the treasure Create, and give yourself permission The dragon, the cave, the treasure Practical guide: The Universe isn’t Amazon Create, and give yourself permission The Universe isn’t Amazon ch. 35

Quick-fire comebacks

Click the line to discover more

And you, what would you answer? Always with humour!
Does one of them inspire you? Create! your text, drawing, song,
and share them in the Gallery of Imperfect Gems…

And if the subject is heavier

Some things can’t be sorted with a 3-step move. For those, there’s a separate page: the great stages of grief — what you go through when someone has gone, and how to support someone without putting your foot in it.

And one rule that applies to all the guides: these are pointers written by someone who has been through it, not by a health professional. If something is too much for you, go and see someone whose job it is.

Read it all? Keep it.

Download the Hummingbirds’ KIT