Women Together – A Class Act
I have just finished one of my Renewyou courses at a great hotel in Bristol. I am very tired but very happy and energised at one and the same time. What a wonderful collection of women I have just had the privilege of spending a day with.
There really is something magical about a group of women all working together to support and help each other. It truly plays to our strengths; the feeling of trust, caring and respect that was engendered was almost palpable.
I wish some of those people who tell me women are ‘bitchy’ and ‘uncooperative’ together could have seen the magic that happened yesterday. Of course, everyone had a common purpose, to make a positive change in their lives, but already I’ve had enough comments from them to know that something else happened. There was a generosity of spirit that will reward both the givers and receivers. These are not women who will be pulling up the ladder behind them but reaching out to help other women.
So to all you women who were with me yesterday in Bristol, I sincerely thank you. It was a very special day for me too. I wish you success in all your endeavours. I know you will be fabulous!
“One’s prime is elusive. You little girls, when you grow up, must be on the alert to recognize your prime at whatever time of your life it may occur.” Murial Spark in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
RenewYou Women, you are most definitely in your prime now! Grab it with both hands!
Women’s friendships are important.
Photo Credit: West Suburban -Women’s friendship group
Who’s Holding You Back?
If you’ve decided the time is right to make some positive and lasting changes in your life, I salute you! It’s not easy and I hope you find some material on this site which will inspire and motivate you! That’s why I write it, after all.
Sadly, you will probably find that not everyone is supportive of your new outlook. It’s not usually because they are unkind people; in fact, it may be those closest to you who seem to be subtly undermining your efforts. And that’s because when you begin to change they can feel threatened.
Change is Good?
You are probably feeling great about having decided to make some positive life changes but for people close to us it can feel like a threat to the status quo. They may not even be aware of it on a conscious level but subconsciously they may be sabotaging your efforts, like offering the woman who wants to lose weight a cream cake!
Your decision to make changes in your life may be viewed as a criticism of what has gone before. They may feel they weren’t ‘good enough’ or that you have been unhappy and they didn’t realise.
Seek Support
You can avoid this by seeking their support early on. Ask them what they think of what you’re planning. Explain why you want to change. You can admit to feeling a bit unsure yourself and explain that their support is important to you. Involve them. Research also shows that women who tell people about their resolutions usually do better in achieving them!
Photo Credit: Pablonsky
Get Yourself Habit-Fit!
Habits can be good and habits can be bad. We need them so we can move effortlessly through life and change gear (literally and metaphorically) without too much thought.
But from time to time we all develop habits that are unhelpful to us, and some that are just pointless. Tackling these leaves more room for new and exciting things to emerge!
Review
What habits do you have that are helpful to you? For example, you might have a habit of walking to get the newspaper every day, which helps clear your head and gives you some fresh air exercise. Equally, a period of ill health may mean you had your newspaper delivered for a while and, although you are now recovered, you may not have resumed the habit of walking every day!
As you go through today try and make a mental note of the habits you have that are ‘good‘, that enrich you (or the world at large) in some way, and those that are ‘bad’, that sap your energy and that contribute nothing positive to anyone.
And tomorrow, try to replace that habit with something else! It’s been estimated that it takes about three weeks to change a habit to so you’ll need to keep at it. Start with something small and build your confidence in your ability to change.
Get yourself habit-fit for winter!
Help! I need you!
Thanks for responding! I’m not drowning, but I would very much appreciate your help with a new project I’m planning, if you’re up for it?
If you’re a regular reader of the blog or newsletter, have been coached by me, or attended any of my courses, you will know that I work with tried and tested techniques. No gimmicks and no mad acronyms. Everything I do is based on:
- years of experience of working with others to help them achieve their best,
- respected research,
- my own continuing studies and evaluations received.
Similarly, my book is full of exercises I have successfully used over the years which I know work for people.
When I launch a new course I test it out first by offering it for free to specially selected groups (i.e. not my friends!), with follow up questionnaires as to effectiveness; my coaching is based on the professional training I have received and many years of experience.
The Project
My Renewyou programme has proved itself time and time again to help people make positive CHANGE in their lives. The drawback is I can only deliver it to a limited number of people at any one time …… up until now!
In response to requests from readers unable to attend my seminars in person, I have begun work on turning it into a download/workbook with audio so anyone can do it anytime, anywhere in the world.
Now you know I only deal in what works. I know the Renewyou seminar works because of the many testimonials I have received and because of the feed back from organisations who send staff to it. But I want to know how the programme works in a different format.
User Panel
I am assembling a User Panel to try out (for free) various exercises from the programme and give me honest feed back as to how easy it was to follow, effectiveness, etc. I’m looking for a large cross selection of ages, gender, (this course has worked equally well for men too) nationalities, and backgrounds.
If you are interested in becoming part of my user panel please send me a few details about yourself – I will respond to every person who applies.
Thank you! I am really looking forward to hearing from you!
Life Changing Moments
I have a great job! I cannot adequately describe the pure pleasure it gives me to receive a card or email from someone telling me that something I have done, either on a course, when coaching, or written in the newsletter, has changed their life for the better. What a privilege to be able do that for a living!
Life Changing
Recently I had a life changing experience of my own. I’ll spare you the details but suffice it to say my doctor thought I might have a life threatening illness and sent me on a succession of emergency tests. To my relief it turns out that I do not have a life threatening illness but something manageable.
I had discussed this with a good friend who said, ‘whatever the outcome, this will change your life’. And he’s right. Facing the prospect, however slight, that your life might not be going according to your plan is a salutory experience, a life changing experience.
Life Changes Can be Fun!
But life changing experiences are not always so serious! Often it’s moments of pure joy that change our lives, like births, falling in love, or even attending a course that gives you a new insight and direction in life!
What have been your life changing moments? What events in your life have caused you to re-evaluate and make positive changes in your life? Was it a person, or an event? My Inspirational Women series has many examples of women who have made positive changes in their lives; here are two of them:
Natascha Barrymore was so touched by the devastation of the Asian Tsunami that she gave up her old life totally. Her story is here.
And Susan Denmark was inspired by illness to take herself off to the Northern lights!
Please do share your own life changing moments; I’d love to hear from you - your story will inspire others!
The Paradox of Change
The Universe is Change; our life is what our thoughts make it.
Marcus Aurelius Antonius
Change is a paradox because actually nothing ever stays the same; all is change. Our bodies today are not the same bodies we had yesterday. There have been masses of tiny changes, small but incrementally they add up to something very significant. I do not look the same person from 10 years ago, but I don’t notice a significant change in my appearance today from yesterday, yet I am different.
In nature the changes may appear slow as we go through the seasons, watching day to day changes in plants and flowers, the weather. There is a cycle of nature which we understand. And yet nature can surprise us often with volcanic dust clouds, heat-waves, floods and earthquakes. It is changing all the time.
Understanding that life is constant change is a fundamental concept to grasp if we’re to manage other changes in our lives successfully. Everything you have experienced has brought you to today, is part of you today and impacts on you and your future. You have an extraordinary and immense capacity to cope with change.
You are truly amazing!
