Dust off those dreams

Imagination is one of the joys of being human.  What a gift to be able to create images and ideas without the thing being present or real.  Combine that with the thought that energy flows where focus goes, so whatever you focus on is what you’ll think about and be more likely to act on.  So now you have two things working to make your dreams come true.  But that’s not enough to make it happen.  Let’s face it, most of us have dreams and that’s all they are, dreams, they never become our reality.  We keep those dreams tucked up safely, gathering dust, and we don’t really believe we can have them.  And let’s not even think about whether we deserve them or not. Continue reading

What does success look like to you?

Every person paints a different picture of success.  It could be homes, cars, boats, clothes, jewellery, for others it would be a high profile, high paying career or body of work.  Some people would choose experiences, holidays or adventures to make your hair stand on end.  Others would choose family, contribution to their community, making their difference to one or many, recognised by the global community.

For me success is summed up in the word freedom. Continue reading

Are you on track and still feeling stuck?

Human beings need to know where we’re going, we like a clear direction and a sense of certainty that we’re going to get somewhere – eventually.  We’re mostly content when we feel we have some control over our present and our future and are heading in the right direction – towards wherever it is we want to go, or whoever it is we want to be.

Now for quite a while I’ve had a pretty good sense of my life’s direction, and who I want to be.  My most joyful work is nurturing the spark of magnificence in people and giving them the confidence to find a dream and go after it.  I love this work and I love running my own business (OK three businesses).  Most days I’m clear, I’m on track, I’m motivated and ploughing through the work right on plan (I’m a coach and a project manager, I love a plan). Continue reading

What’s your one word?

Someone asked me the other day what my one word was.  What word was the anchor in my life?  The word that everything else is built on?

Great question.

I’d been speaking about what I do and why I do it.

I help people find their strengths and capabilities and to realise they have the potential to change their lives and the lives of others.  I do this with individuals, teams and organisations in lots of different ways; coaching, training, facilitating, being a change catalyst.  I give people the confidence to take action, to live and lead consciously. Continue reading

Our self-doubt is a traitor

My life belongs to me. What I think, feel, do and believe matters. But what happens when what you think and feel and do sends you into a nosedive rather than filling you with joy?

Most of the time I’m an optimist but I’ve been listening to Doubting Doris, Impatient Ivy and Procrastination Pattie way too often – together they’re the DIP. And when I listen to them I find myself doubting, impatient and procrastinating – a lot! Continue reading

The right words at the right time

Words have always held a special power for me.  Words are the magic of communication, sharing a message or emotion, revealing a truth or idea, offering comfort or advice, giving instructions or feedback.

The right words at the right time can change your life.  Sometimes you may have heard the words before but you weren’t really ready to listen to their message until that very moment.  Like the Buddhist proverb…

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Continue reading

How’ve you been, really?

One of my best friends made a gem of a statement the other day that started me thinking about friendship and mindfulness.  We’ve been best friends since we were kids and have stayed best friends even as careers and families kept us geographically distant the last few decades.

Although we live in separate parts of the country at the moment, whenever we catch up, often months apart, it feels like it was yesterday since we spoke.  When we fill each other in on what’s been happening, my friend described it like we both have these ’bonus bubbles of life’ between our catch ups.  As if the real world is the brief time we spend together, everything else has a sense of scripted alternate reality. Goes to show how present we are and invested in the moment when we’re together. Mmm sounds like we’re being mindful. Continue reading

Listen … did you hear that?

Being more mindful is a growing practice, in more ways than one. Taking the benefits as read, (more peace of mind and wellbeing, greater focus, creativity and better relationships) how could you start being mindful?

Now the thought of beginning a mindfulness practice, like anything new, can be a bit overwhelming (which is kind of funny when you think that mindfulness is supposed to reduce stress and increase focus). However, I have a simple way to start and you don’t need expensive equipment or fancy outfits and there’s no need to sit cross-legged on the floor (luckily for me as I tend to keel over in about 15 seconds when I do).

So here’s my tip for heading down the road to mindfulness. Continue reading

Are you a doer or a watcher?

Are you living fully, totally engaged in every moment of your life, good or bad?

Are you a doer? Do you feel the fear and do it anyway; sometimes succeeding, stumbling, soaring, falling, failing, sharing your gifts, your vulnerability and putting yourself out there?

Or are you a watcher? Do you live on the sidelines, wishing your lot was different, always observing, expert at judging and advising others, waiting until it’s perfect before you begin? Continue reading