Going down to the crossroads

So often our life feels like this... which way do we go? It doesn't even have to be a big decision, it can be quite a small one.

Being stuck at a crossroads can be a daily occurrence.

Often I just sit down and think about what the answer could be, but this week is metaphor week at Life Clubs and sometimes using an image really helps.

I'm having a bit of a crossroads moment right now thinking about what's important for me to be saying at a talk I'm giving to Sheffield Technology Park - do I go this way or the other? Which is going to be most relevant for my audience of entrepreneurs - this 'lightbulb moment' or another?

If I think about it in metaphor terms, it suddenly becomes clearer. I'd like my talk to look like a spiral. I'd like it to flow gracefully and lead them through to their own conclusion.

Thinking like that, I can probably put all my 'lightbulb moments' in and have them run from one seamlessly to the next. And, just as the crop circle, I can start small, use a large arc and end in a bit of a crescendo.

Why use words when a picture will do?

See you soon,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

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Far from the madding crowd

Far from the madding crowd I can do what I like and in Dorset, with my daughter about to study this Hardy novel, I decided to go for my first Hardy.

I've always thought I'd hate Hardy. I've tried several times to get into one or other of his novels and have given up - his poetic style of writing frustrating me. But this time, with the thought of GCSEs hovering in the background I persisted and was it ever worthwhile? It was brilliant. A Greek tragedy in a Dorset village.

A few days of being totally immersed, with hazy memories of a very sexy Terence Stamp and Julie Christie in my mind, I realise again how my ideal life would allow me to read novel after novel.

In London I have time for three or four pages (maximum) a night before I drop off to sleep exhausted. I usually have a few personal improvement books I'm in the middle of, simply because a novel would have me too gripped to either go to sleep or function properly the next day.

But here, in Dorset, lying on the beach or in bed or on the sofa far from the madding crowd I am happy and living in the present. What's more, there's a whole host of other Hardy novels to explore so I can see hours of bliss stretching ahead of me.

Bring on the next Hardy!

See you at Life Clubs next week,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

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It's never too late

Thankfully I grew up in a late starter family.

I was god knows how old when I learnt how to walk, called 'immature' at school until I left and had my last child at the age of 44. To make matters 'worse' I had just turned 50 when I had my 'lightbulb moment' about how I could bring together all the things that I enjoy doing and turn them into a business.

Luckily our family role model was Grandma Moses.

Grandma Moses was born in 1860 in New York and started painting her primitive art pictures when she was in her mid-seventies. She had her first art show in New York when she was 79 and at the age of 95 was seen regularly on TV painting the view from her house. She died age 101 having completed 25 paintings that year.

Now do you see why I'm not worried that it took me so long to discover my life's purpose. In Grandma Moses terms, I'm a baby.

This week discover your life's purpose at Life Clubs.

Nina
Founder

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Is Homer the key?

So many people tell me they can’t relax. That they spend nights (and days) worrying about anything and everything – and I know that feeling too.

I sometimes wonder if we should all have Homer Simpson as our role model. Would life be blissful if we could be as much like Homer as possible, happy slobbing out, watching TV, eating and drinking our lives away?

And yet if we take each of Homer’s habits individually they certainly won’t bring us either relaxation or happiness. Slobbing out and watching TV has us berating ourselves for procrastinating and not getting on with our lives and feeling grumpy and unfulfilled.

Eating too much makes us hate ourselves too. The weight piles on and we slip into a habit of self-loathing and eating our sorrows away with yet more food. And then drink. I spoke to someone the other day who had spent hundreds of pounds on alcohol the other weekend and he didn’t feel good about himself either. What kind of relaxing is that when you have to become oblivious in order to feel alive?

Pure relaxing is when you don’t need to spend money or feel guilty. When you can unwind and de-stress doing things for pleasure that make you feel good afterwards and for a long time afterwards, rather than guilty and depressed.
I’ve spent a wonderfully relaxed weekend, swimming in the sea and reading art books. Both got me totally into the present and no longer worrying about past or future.

So, move over Homer, I want the sofa so I can lie down and read my book.

See you soon,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

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