Click on image to hear this thought provoking poem

If any of you were listening to Chris Evans’ breakfast show this morning on BBC Radio 2 and heard him talking about the poem ‘The Dash’ by Linda Evans.  It’s very thought provoking, here’s a link to a full version posted on You Tube.

http://youtu.be/zsY6UrFIsNs

I see the author Linda Ellis has a book out called ‘Live Your Dash’, may have to investigate.  When I do I’ll let you know my thoughts.

Live a happy life!

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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I know what you’re thinking ‘here we go, another one of these New Year, New You articles’.  Please stick with me here!

New Year is an inspiring time, chance to start afresh, make changes and focus on new things.  It’s a time full of hope, but how long do you let that hope last?  Think back – how long did it take you to give up on last year’s resolutions?  How long before hope dwindled, old patterns returned together with the frustration of not achieving what you want to achieve.

Why set goals?
In order for us to achieve something, however small, we need a focus.  Even if it’s to tie our shoelaces or to do up a button.  You focus on getting your shoelaces tied or your button done up and you do it.  In fact you’ve probably done it so many times it’s second nature to you.   There was a time when it wasn’t second nature and you had to consciously make an effort to do it.  The same can be said of anything you want to achieve.  You just need to get started, take small steps and soon it becomes familiar and comfortable.

What type of goal setter are you?
Do you set goals or resolutions every year and give up before January is out or sooner?  Or do you purposely not set goals because you don’t want to disappoint yourself?
Both situations result in stress, frustration no focus.  Not having a focus is giving up on what’s important to you and potentially going where others decide to take you.  Would you ever get into a taxi and say ‘Take me anywhere’?  Probably not, but by not setting goals that’s exactly what you are doing.

Some tips for making 2012 your best year yet.

1. Write down 3 areas in your life that are important to you.  This could be home, work, family, money, personal development, health and fitness.
2. Decide how you could make 2012 even better in each area.  Write down an outcome or goal for each area.
3. Now get started in each area, however small, just get going.  (Top tip – if you’re doing this before Christmas, start now!  By January you’ll be ahead of the game)
4. Do something every day towards your goals.
5. Sign up for my free newsletter, packed with tips, interviews and exercises all to help you reach your 2012 goals.

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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A badge of honour

‘Your letter is only the start of it…’, I was singing these words over and over again in my head this week.  Yes, you’ve guessed it I had the ‘Jim’ll Fix It’ theme tune stuck firmly in my head.

To begin with it made me laugh then after a while began to drive me mad.  I had watched the TV programme about Sir Jimmy Saville, who recently died, and who had hosted the legendary TV show ‘Jim’ll Fix It’.  In this British TV show, which ran from 1975 until 1994, Jimmy received letters from viewers asking for their wishes to come true and Jim to ‘fix it’ for them.  It was heart-warming Saturday night entertainment, guaranteed to bring tears of joy and hope.

Then I realised, I’ve recently written some email requests to people I don’t know asking them to help me, and guess what, some of the recipients agreed and made my wish come true.  I nearly didn’t write them as I tried to talk myself out of it.  Thoughts of ‘They don’t know me’, ‘It’s only me’, ‘They’ll say no’ ran through my head.  But I did it, I wrote to them and they said yes!  I am delighted!

Do you ever ask anyone to ‘fix it’ for you?  Or do you trudge on wishing you could ask for help or even knowing you should ask for help?  Go on, give it a try, you never know your wish may come true.

‘Your email was only the start of it……….’

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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Dr Mariette Jansen explains how meditation can help reduce stress

A couple of weeks ago I attended a meditation workshop run by stress management consultant, Dr Mariette Jansen.  It was a very profound yet practical experience where I and I experienced very deep relaxation and calmness.  Mariette runs approximately two of these excellent workshops every month.  I would urge anyone who is experiencing stress or anxiety to attend a workshop.  They are held in Weybridge, Surrey and you will find the schedule for the upcoming events here :

I have recently interviewed Mariette and in the interview she shares some tips on what is meditation and how anyone can incorporate mediation into their life.

Have a listen, I think you’ll agree that Mariette with her beautiful Dutch accent has the most relaxing voice ever.

Mariette is an active blogger writing informative articles on managing stress, have a read of her blog

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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Are those toes a bit too cosy?

At the Ladies at 11 2011 conference I suggested that everyone in the room should set a goal that ‘made their toes curl’.  Since that fabulous September day it’s been remarkable how many people have referred to that statement.  It clearly struck a chord with many.   The more I think about it I guess it’s quite visual.  Also, if you concentrate for a moment you can probably create the feeling easily.

Regardless of your favoured goal setting theory, smart goals, realistic goals, action goals. How about getting started by identifying one thing you need to do but just thinking about it makes those little digits on the ends of your feet scrunch up in fear or avoidance?

• Is it making a phone call, maybe to a potential new client or prospect?
• Is it dealing with a fear about technology?
• Is it talking to a partner about a communication issue that is bothering you?
• Is it speaking to your bank or a financial advisor about a money worry?
• Is it addressing a work issue that’s got out of hand?
• Is it facing your time management issues?

Whatever it is, give it a go, by getting started and taking action you’ll create momentum, you’ll feel better about it.  Test those toes!

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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It’s an exciting week, Friday 7th October sees the first ever Ladies at 11 Business Awards ceremony at Sandown Park and I am delighted to have been nominated for the Outstanding Contribution Award.

The awards event sponsored by Natwest range from Entreprenuer of the Year, Inspirational Woman Award, New Business Award.  You can see a full list of awards and nominees here.  I am delighted to be in the company of Camilla Campbell, Laura Hart, Lynne Hardy, Lindsey Collumbell, Zoe Brown and so many more.

Ladies at 11 is a networking company for women who are serious about growing their businesses.  It’s a networking group with a difference because it’s focused, supportive and works.  It’s a subject very close to my heart and I love what it does and what it stands for.  I am so happy just to be nominated and of course if I win it will be a terrific achievement.

We even got a mention is this week’s Surrey Advertiser:

Item from Surrey Advertiser 30 Sep 2011

So it’s fingers crossed, I may even write a brief acceptance speech…..just in case.  Wish good luck to everyone else who is nominated.  And let the party begin…..

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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Find a way to live your life stress-free. Photo courtesy of tvftdo.com

It makes shocking reading but the report by Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) featured in many of the nationals today says exactly that.  Stress is so common-place it’s the top cause of workplace sickness and it’s so widespread it’s been called the Black Death of the 21st century.

Stress has overtaken stroke, heart attack, cancer and back problems as the commonest cause of absence from work.

Common causes of stress are an excessive workload, the boss’ management style, problems at home, anxiety regarding restructuring in the workplace.

What is stress?
Symptoms of stress are lack of focus, losing your temper more quickly than normal, losing your sense of humour.  Left untreated these can lead to more serious illnesses such as heart disease, stomach and bowel conditions and depression.

I believe that by living in a fast-paced world of fast answers, instant access, iPhones, Blackberrys and social media, whilst they all offer benefits to our lives, they can if misused by detrimental to our health.

My top tips for de-stressing:

1.  Give yourself time everyday.  Find some time even if it’s just 5 minutes where you can just be alone with your thoughts.  We all need thinking time

2.  Focus on your breathing, inhale fully, and exhale fully, using every part of your lungs.

3. Turn off social media, give yourself a break.

4. Take up meditation or yoga.  Both of these are so very beneficial to health and wellbeing.

5. Be your own best friend.  Think about some advice you’d give to a friend in the same situation and take that advice yourself.  You’ll be surprised what you know.

6. Sign up for my free email coaching programme, top left of this page.

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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Charles Dickens 1812 – 1870

If Charles Dickens wanted to come and speak at your Book Club would you say ‘No thanks, you’re too old?   Would Emmeline Pankhurst or Adam Smith get the same reaction at your networking group?   Or, how about if Sir Winston Churchill wanted to speak at your Speakers Club would you say ‘Sorry pal you’re just a bit over the hill and we’d rather hear from someone younger’?  Of course you wouldn’t!  So why do you tell yourself ‘I can’t do that because I am too old to?’

This is a common theme I hear, people limiting themselves because of their thoughts.  They won’t start their own business, they won’t apply for a new job, they won’t look for a new relationship, they won’t learn something new.  All this because they believe that they are too old, too young, too tall, too short, too fair, too dark, too anything-they-want-to-focus-on!

What other people think of you is their opinion and to be quite frank about it, it’s none of your business!  It’s a waste of your energy even trying to think about what they think because I guarantee you’ll be wrong!

If there’s something you want to do – then do it!

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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LK Bennett website

I am loving LK Bennett’s latest advertising campaign with it’s clever strapline ‘Life is the occasion’.  How often do you keep your best clothes, best attitude, or dare I say, best behaviour for special occasions only? 

Life IS the occasion.

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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Computer generated images of what lottery winners look like.

In my last blog I asked for suggestions of subjects to blog about and how I could help.  One of my cheeky friends on Facebook replied that it would be good if I could tell him the winning numbers for the EuroMillions.  His question made me smile, but it made me think too.

I took a look online and even found an old article in the Daily Mail online which showed computer generated images of what typical EuroMillions winners would look like.  Such is our obsession with wishing for that win.

How do you win the lottery?  What are you are wishing for?  My best suggestion is, I think it’s possible to win your own lottery by just stopping and noticing all of the good things in your life.  Take time to reflect on everything you have that you are grateful for.  Too many of us spend too much time wishing and not enough time noticing and appreciating.

So have a look at your life, note all the good stuff and enjoy every moment.

To repeat a well-worn but effective quote by John Lennon ‘Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans’.

Sue Bown

Works with businesses and individuals to get better results, more efficiency, less stress AND more success. I play golf too, especially in the sun!

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