Can you be an Optimist if you are a Worrier?

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Are you the proverbial optimist or pessimist? Are you the glass half empty or the glass half-full? Do you constantly worry about what might happen? Do you find it hard to stop worrying about things that may never happen? If any of the above apply, then read on! If they don’t read on anyway as your opinion is valued. I was thinking the other day about the fact that if you are an optimist then theoretically you shouldn’t be a worrier! This is an oxymoron isn’t it? (An oxymoron being “a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction”). Like some of you, I am sure you are an optimist, always focusing on the positive and putting out constant positive messages to attract positive things to us – the Law of Attraction. But, also like some of you, we can’t stop the old ‘worry warts’ bothering us

Anchored to the Wharf? Consider a DPS!

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Do you know what an anchor’s for? Do you have an anchor? How do you know if you have the right anchor? What is an anchor? “An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current”. How might we anchor ourselves down, staying in our comfort zone, reluctant to move into unknown waters for fear of being swept away! Nowadays, instead of anchors, vessels use ‘Dynamic Positioning Systems’. These are operated by twin GPS satellite and operated via twin propellers below the boat which work constantly, helping you hold your position, positioning you accurately without damaging the boat, relieving stress and increasing safety. Perhaps we could change our thinking, particularly if we feel we’ve anchored ourselves to the wharf, never venturing out to sea for fear of

Do you give a FIG?

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I’m sure you’ve heard of this slang expression which means “To be concerned about someone or something. Typically used in the negative to convey the opposite. I don't give a fig about making money, I just want to do something with my life that makes life better for others”. However, perhaps there is another meaning to FIG as an acronym! Feeling – Instinct – Gut Feeling – More often than not we have a ‘feeling’ which we can’t explain and sometimes we ignore this for various reasons, and then after the ‘event’ we realise that’s what the feeling was. We could deliberate for ages into the whys and wherefores of why we don’t listen to our feelings anymore, but instead we could take time out to get to know ourselves better. What is it that makes us tick, when do we have these feelings, what do they mean to us

Planning is a like a Jigsaw!

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Are you a big picture thinker or a details person? Are you too close to the picture to be able to see it clearly? ‘Big picture thinking’ is a person who looks at problems and opportunities. A creative person, an idea generator who brainstorms as many ideas as possible. ‘A details person’ is someone who considers all the parts, seeing all aspects, able to see the detail from all angles. This person is someone who sees the finer points considering these carefully. Whether we’re a big picture thinker or a detailed person, often what we see is like a jigsaw, a jumble of pieces with the picture facedown. Seeing all these pieces can feel overwhelming, too hard to even contemplate trying to piece them all together. Plans and planning is like a jigsaw isn’t it? Here are 6 steps for you to follow: Gather all the pieces together, turn them

Are you a Yes or No Person?

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Are you a yes person reluctant to say no and then feeling overwhelmed with work you can’t handle? Are you a no person who feels bad about letting someone down trying to justify you have done it for the right reasons? Perhaps you are a yes person who feels empowered about saying yes to new challenges knowing this will help you grow! Or perhaps you are a no person fearful of stepping outside your comfort zone in the fear of failing or not achieving or letting someone or yourself down! Whichever of the above you are, perhaps you can consider the following steps in determining what type of person you want to be and why. Do you want to be a yes person and feel empowered but not overwhelmed? This would be the ideal wouldn’t it? OR Do you want to be a no person focusing instead on yourself, so

The Secret of the Spoken Word!

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There are so many ways nowadays to communicate with others. The old-fashioned way, face-to-face or telephone, video conference, either audio or visual, and of course in writing, whether pen to paper, email, text, message etc. The list is endless. We often default to what is easier, or quicker for us, when in actual fact, it’s not always the best means of communication is it? Surely there is nothing better than the spoken word! Whether this be a conversation, a presentation or as a facilitator. When we are feeling down – this is probably one of the best ways to counteract how we’re feeling. Talking to someone, getting things ‘off our chest’, sharing a problem or an issue. What is it they say? ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’. Talking the talk but not walking the walk – we do need to be mindful of continually talking about things, whether

One Person’s Challenge is Another Person’s Fear!

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We are all different, aren’t we? We all have our own fears which we avoid like the plague! But we don’t have the same fears do we? Our fear is often another person’s challenge. What inspired me to write this week’s blog was exactly this topic. I provide speech coaching and know this is a fear that a great deal of people have, it being the 2nd highest fear internationally! Recently a client, who is a very fit athlete and who recently ran an ultra-challenge which was nearly 60 kms and uphill, told me she would rather do that than speak in front of a group of people! Last weekend, I ran my first Fun Run Event, the Hellers Pegasus Fun Run 11kms. The only thing I’d done before has been the 5kms park runs. I was feeling apprehensive and nervous, and to be honest, wasn’t sure why! As I

Do you have a worry buster?

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Are you focused on your problems rather than getting problems solved? Are you focused on poor performance rather than improving performance? Are you focused on unachievable goals rather than achieving these more easily? Are you focused on getting results or improving your results naturally? The reality is that we can’t see the bigger picture. We are too close, can’t see the wood for the trees, perhaps too emotionally involved, in danger of not making good management or strategic decisions. Often what stops us solving problems, performing well, achieving goals and getting great results is the need in us to be perfect, wanting everything to be ‘just right’ and never getting things done. We can’t progress if we always want perfection. As Winston Churchill said “Perfection is the enemy of progress” We are human and not perfect, as much as we’d like to think so. So why don’t we get over

Ponder this why don’t you!

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You will have heard of the insanity definition “doing the same thing expecting the same results”? But what causes us to get stuck in that rut, repeating things we know we shouldn’t be repeating? We know we should try something different, but we feel we don’t have the time! Ring any bells? We may have even got to the stage of having fizzled out and bombed, but we must press our ‘pause’ button and take stock of where we’re at and where we want to go! If we want to work our plan, we need to plan our work don’t we? We need to be productive during each of our working days. We really ought to reflect daily, if not at least weekly, just to see how productive we have been. In other words, how much of what we did earned us money, generated revenue, increased our client base?! Every

Being Inspired!

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Values: We need to know what our values are, what they mean to us; this way we can always come back to them. Our personal values are for us and core values for our business. They become our foundation, helping us decide whose company we choose to be in, which customer or client we decide to take on; we need to be true to ourselves. Organised: If we lived in a perfect world we would have no distractions, no clutter and no problems, but we don’t; we need instead to ensure we have a clear desk, clear mind, and try and work methodically.  Consider making a list, setting goals, and don’t forget to tick them off as you go! Fear: We all have fears, and a fear of failure is probably one of the biggest challenges we face. It stops us trying new things, breaking new ground. We spend most