One more belief knocked on the head

At Life Clubs this week we talked about all those annoying voices in our heads that tell us we're no good at things - or even no good at anything.

Or, as one of my clubbers called them, mind viruses.

One of my perennial mind viruses is that I'm no good at working with corporates. It pops up every time I'm about to meet a new corporate. I've written books all my life, so (go the viruses) what good am I going to be at helping them with their leadership and engagement issues?

Having been through the virus takes control (I'm no good at working with corporates) loop in my head over and over again, this week I went through the 'I can do anything - I'm great at working with corporates' loop and saw that one of the 'to dos' I'd set myself was to talk to someone who does know about corporates and leadership.

This morning I had my first tutorial. It was brilliant. I now know everything about the issues facing the leaders of today, where they've come from historically and how Life Clubs is the ideal tool to help staff become engaged and anyone to become the leader he or she wants to be.

My mind virus has just been erased.

Where's the next company?

See you at Life Clubs
Hope you have a great weekend,
All best,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs and author of The Big Book of Me
PS If you haven't seen our new website, click on the tabs above. Check out 'wow' for all our new offers

Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

Focus first, then aim

Someone at my Life Club this week said her goal was to have 'a more enjoyable life'. Now, which of us can honestly hold up our hand and say we haven't felt the same thing at one time or another? I can't.

I knew exactly what she meant - and it's a great goal to have - but it's just too big. What is enjoyable? And, come to that, what will an enjoyable life be like? There are so many variations. By the end of the club she'd decided to focus on one element of her life first and improve that and (I'm prepared to bet on it) the rest will follow on.

I know a lot about goals and focusing in theory, but can find the practice of them difficult. I can visualise the 'enjoyable life' and I can break things down into tiny, achievable parts, like 'phone a friend tonight' but it's that middle bit that always seems so daunting. I mean, how can I move home and get a new job and find a new group of friends (or whatever will make my life more enjoyable)???

This week I'm going to practice what I preach. I'm going to focus first on what I really want, then break it down into achievable steps and then I'm going to aim.

Just watch out. Enjoyable life... here we come.

See you next week,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs, author of The Life Book

Do check out our new website - click on labels above to get you in to it. One goal down... several more to go.

Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

It's my party!!!

Oh gosh... I love my birthday.

Tomorrow I'm going to be some enormous age and because I love my birthday so much I got married on my birthday, which means it's also our wedding anniversary and yes, why not throw in a book launch too. So it's a party to celebrate three lovely things and...

What does that mean in terms of the rest of my life?

Yes, you guessed. I'm tired, a little stressed that everything will be 'right' on the day and totally focused on my party rather than on anything else.

It means that I've stopped planning for anything except tomorrow. We have no food in our house that isn't for the party - nothing to eat for tonight or Sunday. We have no furniture in our house either as that's all been taken away so we can dance. And I have four unhappy children and a disgruntled husband.

Our club this week was on planning ahead. It's a great workshop and something I'm usually very good at, but right now...

As I write I'm trying to imagine Monday. On Monday I'll have no 'birthday party' goal any more. We've just launched our new website, all our materials have been rebranded - as you'll see when you come to a club (and look gorgeous) and everything has been thrown out or tidied away (for the party).

How is Monday going to work?

I suppose one thing is clear. I can only go forwards.
That must be what birthdays are all about.

I hope you enjoy yours too,
All best,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs, author The Life Book

Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

Gosh, time flies when you're having fun...

I'm not sure my husband and I are as old or as beautiful as the couple in this picture I've chosen. What we do have in common is that we're still happy together.

Where I'm going with this is that this week we've been together for exactly half my life. I find this totally extraordinary. To me, when I look back, the time I was on my own seems to be in vivid technicolour. So much happened, so many countries, people, romances. It seems a long period of time.

In contrast, the time I've spent with him, has mellowed into a pastel-coloured blur of warmth and contentedness. It seems but a short moment since the first time we met and no memories are as vivid as those of me on my own.

So, why am I mentioning this?

This week's Life Clubs workshop was about doing what you want - call it being selfish if you like, although I would personally call it essential. I'm possibly one of the most selfish people I know - I have it down to a fine art. I know what I love and I build it into my life without fail.

Where this is going is how could anyone have put up with me for so long or how could I have stuck with the same person for so long? I think the answer is independence. He allows me to be selfish and at the same time does what he wants to do. We've co-existed so happily because we allow each other to be ourselves.

So, think about what you want to do and just go for it. That way you too will be as soppy as the couple in the picture.

See you this week,
Nina
Author of The Life Book, founder of Life Clubs
Read this lovely post about my new book.

Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |