Turning fright to delight

This picture reminds me of my father. At his funeral someone made a speech about him saying that he was neither famous nor powerful nor rich, but that his life was like a stone thrown into water, he created an impact on the first circle around him which in turn created a larger impact and so on. My father was the first splash and the way he touched everyone he met was passed on and on and on.

I've always liked that idea - that the thoughts and actions of one person spread outwards to influence many and I think it has other uses. This week's workshop is about fear and to my mind, a great way to overcome fear is to see moving forward like a stone being thrown into water.

Let's say I'm frightened of public speaking. I feel the best thing is to throw myself (not necessarily literally - though it may feel like that) into the water. Once I've done that and made my first speech, my courage will grow, like the ripples grow, until I can make more and more and more speeches.

If there's anything you feel frightened of, come and work with us this week on turning your fright into delight. Enjoy being that stone - and those ripples.

Looking forward,
Nina

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This week's workshop had us deciding on our priorities and focusing. It worked wonders for me and many of my clubbers as we organised our lives choosing just three things (think of them as stones) we wanted to do each day of the following week.

So, for example, yesterday I went supermarket shopping (one of the things I really dislike doing) and that was one stone, I ran my club (another stone) and I went to a meeting (a third stone). Needless to say everything else fitted in really nicely around those three focus points.

My day felt balanced and I knew I'd accomplished what I wanted to do.

My stones for tomorrow are to go for a swim, re-sort my internet filing cabinet and go out for dinner - what kind of a delightful day is that?

Hope you all have a suitably wonderful weekend too juggling your stones,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

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One Life Survey

We braved One Life and loved it. Our stickers were, once again the talk of the show. We had four this time :

Laugh More
Love More
Play More
Earn More

Guess which ones went quickest? (answers below)

There are photos here of our stand, of Martin (runs our Great Missenden club) wanting to play more, Brigitte (about to start our Hammersmith club) wanting to love more, my son, Thomas, wanting to earn more, Genevieve (my right-hand woman) wanting to laugh more, a few friends we met along the way and Paddington Bear wanting to love more.

It seemed that whatever sticker people wore set their mood for the day. Great fun and a wonderful general way of living your life - deciding what you want and going for it.

(Answers: Laugh More was the most popular, then Play More, Love More and Earn More).

See you at Life Clubs.
Nina

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From now on...

I'm not the kind of person who puts pictures of herself in a swimsuit on her blog, but this was exciting... Near Toronto, minus 5 degrees, 6.00pm at night (so, getting dark), pink champagne and the hottest of hot tubs with Pat who'd just bought a two-year licence to run Life Clubs in Shalom Village, her care home, and the wonderful Carol (who runs Glasgow Life Club) keeping me company. Just to let you know how cold it was outside, Carol had to go indoors after the photo. Oh the magic of hot tubs and how wonderful the Canadians are - working hard and playing hard. And, for those of you who, like me, had never had wine in a hot tub before, let me tell you - it goes straight to your head.

When I work out my other photos I'll show you who else I was working with, but until then, enjoy the delights of Canadian hospitality from afar.

From now on I'd like to live like that.
All best,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

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Who am I now?

You know how you can force a flower to open up more quickly by placing it in a hot environment? Well, this week's workshop is a little like that. I'm not suggesting we should all go somewhere hot or stick ourselves in a sauna, but just that we too can force the change in ourselves if we want to.

This week I forced the change in myself. I went from being Nina, creator of Life Clubs, to Nina, creator of Life Clubs Global as Carol (my Glasgow Host) and I took Life Clubs to Canada. It was truly exciting, scary but wonderful to step out of my comfort zone and into a new one.

To me this flower signifies the beauty and potential in all of us. It's fragile, but strong, ready to delight - and that's how I felt this week.

See you at this week's Life Club - ready to grow,
Nina

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A fresh perspective

This week Anna has arrived at our headquarters. We've already got quite a team, but Anna is here as Head of Sales and Marketing.

As she sat analysing our way of working and coming up with strategies to streamline us I felt almost jealous. I wished I could arrive at Life Clubs with the hat of a stranger on and move it on to the next level. As it is I feel so steeped in the product, I can't see anything objectively. I'd like a little more of her perspective and less of my feelings of maternal pride.

I can't wait until Anna starts really moving things along. She's promised that when she does I can sit and be creative 24 hours a day. I've even been promised my own zone - well away from all the craziness that's in the main room.

I think I've inherited a love of delegating from my father who practically invented multi-tasking. He used to enjoy sleeping best on planes because he said he was then doing two things at the same time - getting some rest and going somewhere. I love having a team because I'm then doing lots of things at the same time - and being allowed to do what I like best - be creative.

More about next week's club in a few days.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

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What's in your box of gifts?

I love this picture of a box. It reminds me of Pandora's box and how, once opened, you can never go back to how you were before.

That's what this week's workshop is about - finding the talents you have buried deep in a box. So many of us were told at a young age that we just weren't creative and it's haunted us for the rest of our life. It's liberating feeling that you're creative and we all are. Imagine how you would decorate that box if it was yours - or would you leave it grungy and mysterious - a nod to previous owners and what they may have kept in it.

Notice what's in your box this week. When can you be like Pandora and open it?

See you this week to discover your talents,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

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