What to do? Laugh or cry?

Or maybe both...

Today was a bit of a bluesy day. Our workshop this week was all about confidence and I, for some reason, decided to feel under-confident. Sadly I didn't have a Life Clubs Host with me to ask me what the advantages were to feeling so under-confident, so I just decided to have a bit of a wallow.

I don't really like wallowing for long and the one thing that I know will cheer me up is a visit to the Tate Gallery, so I asked my eldest daughter if she would come with me.

As you can see, we had fun. This picture just cried out for some interaction. We started by screaming as in 'You make me... scream', went onto crying 'You make me...cry' and then decided to laugh 'You make me... laugh'. Results here.

What do I recommend for anyone feeling under-confident (apart from a trip to Life Clubs)?
seeing art
making art
laughing
being with a friend
...not necessarily in that order.

I'm now on a roll. Hope you are too.

Have a lovely weekend. We're going to do some more making art. What will you do?

Nina
PS A Daily Express journalist came to our day workshop last Saturday and loved it. Read her description in The Express on Monday.

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How do you solve a problem like..?

Last week we were problem solving at Life Clubs. We use a wonderful 'mnemonic' called (needless to say) LIFE and, when you've worked through it you've solved your problem.

Possibly the most powerful question to ask is 'When did I succeed in solving this sort of problem before?' because it comes up with all sorts of positive answers and can make you realise that maybe you're trying to solve a problem that isn't the one you really want to solve.

One of my clubbers wanted to be able to meet someone - if you like - be ready for a relationship. And, as she came to that question she had her Lightbulb Moment that really she wasn't ready for anyone, because the previous times she'd met new people and started a relationship, she'd been feeling really good about herself and deeply creative and happy - and she wasn't now.

What a great new problem to solve... how to get creative. This week she's signing up for all sorts of creative courses and I can't see how anyone she meets could fail to fall in love with her.

My problem is often thinking about what to write. I love writing once I settle down to it, but what to say..? When I asked myself that powerful question I realised that ideas always came to me when I relaxed. So... check me out on the sofa in my pyjamas!

Let me know what problem you've got to solve and if that question helps.

Happy Easter to everyone. Next problem... where will the Easter bunny hide his eggs if it's raining?

What a lovely problem to have.

All best wishes,
Nina
If you'd like to know more about problem solving - or anything else that goes on at Life Clubs, do sign up for our bulletin.

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Never put off...

I sometimes can't believe how boring I am.

As this week's workshop was called Streamlining, and was about being efficient and doing everything you want to do plus some, I started thinking about how I streamline and realised that there's a very simple motto that governs my life and almost everything I do and (in case you hadn't guessed from the even more boring image) it's 'never put off 'til tomorrow what you can do today'.

I have no idea what started off the use of this motto, all I know is that I live in complete contrast to the rest of my family who do everything at the last possible moment.

I, on the other hand, drag them out to change a tyre in the middle of the night - just in case it rains the next day, write all my articles the moment I'm given them - just in case anything else comes up and make sure I know how to get hold of everyone I meet - just in case I don't naturally meet them again.

My kind of streamlining may not suit you. It leads to late nights and somewhat obsessive behaviour, but it works for me.

What do you do to make sure everything gets done and you have time to play?

Let me know.

See you at next week's Life Club - who wouldn't want a clearer way of thinking?
Hope you have a great weekend,
Nina
Author of The Big Book of Me and The Big Book of Us and the soon to be published, The Life Book (already being stocked by Waterstones and WH Smith - they're doing it today as well, just in case it's sold out tomorrow!)
Founder of Life Clubs

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