Having the courage to retire early

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Having the courage to retire early

I had a plan for my coaching session with Ian. I’d prepared. Ian brought something different. Ian bravely and purposefully brought his discomfort and struggle. 

He knows this is a space where it can be brought into the open, explored, examined. 

I have created a safe space. 

Ian is a courageous man. A purposeful man. An engineer. Here’s a problem. How are we going to solve it? 

Ian is in transition. After four and a half decades of work, three of those building and running his successful engineering business, it’s time for a new chapter. 

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Not your average clients

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Not your average clients

Characteristics common to most clients I work with are; passionate, hardworking, ambitious, caring, accomplished, expert, experienced, successful. What’s also true often is because they’re always striving for better for the business, organisations, and people they lead, they don’t spend much time acknowledging their achievements or considering their own personal desires, requirements, and wellbeing. 

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The bells and whistles

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The bells and whistles

My business owning, family man, coaching client is undeniably successful by current measures. Yesterday, he told me how his friendship is back on track and he is meeting up with his mate for a private appointment at a place in Beverley Hills where they sell Rolex. My client and his friend are both collectors. That’s how he rolls. And he told me with some glee, through more related to his navigating the repaired friendship than to watches. 

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Paradigm shift

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Paradigm shift

“OLD WAY – do the stuff to get the thing that promises happiness.
NEW WAY – do the stuff that brings happiness”

My newly completed raised beds, now filled with 10-year rotted manure soil, are thrilling me. Walking barefoot around them over grass muddy from recent construction and wet from a night of heavy rain, I am taking them in and what they mean. What they represent. 

They are sort of an exclamation mark, an underlining. Another piece of tangible irrefutable evidence that the journey to peace, joy, and satisfaction is internal first. 

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Wow, what a woman!

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Wow, what a woman!

Mainly I avoid news and politics to protect the time, energy and spirit that enables me to contribute and enjoy life in the way I choose to. Important current affairs find their way to me of course.  

Today, inspired by a moment of delicious perfection and deep meaning in my life, I sat down to write. Since I started putting self-care at the top of my to-do list 10 years ago, such moments happen with increasing intensity and frequency. At these times writing helps me revel in it and maintain it.  

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"I'm not doing enough"

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"I'm not doing enough"

This simple phrase at once cunning and compelling is a perversion of our ancient lizard brains’ risk management system.

Is it familiar to you? Or any of its variations?

“Must learn more, try harder, be quicker, smarter, better, more on the case”

It seems so plausible, so true, especially when we have practised it for decades. It goes unnoticed.

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It really is life or death

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It really is life or death

During the 15 years when I ran my first business – Juicy Glass Ltd – I also spent many happy weekends hill walking and talking with a friend who was a GP.

Climbing mountains we chewed the fat about life, work, relationships, and parenting. The whole juicy shebang.

When things were stressful in my architectural glass business, I found perspective talking to her, and coined the phrase “It’s only glass” as shorthand for, unlike her work, it isn’t life or death.

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Your dream may be more possible than you think

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Your dream may be more possible than you think

When I began my online Transformational Coaching business in 2017, I didn’t know if my vision was possible, but I was excited to find out.

I began as Stephen Covey said, “with the end in mind”. My challenge - to create a profitable (in my terms which includes Social Return on Investment) coaching business AND enjoy every day AND do it in a sustainable way.

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Behind the scenes of success...

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Behind the scenes of success...

I feel sick with fear, literally. I have a heavy weight in the pit of my stomach. When I listen the voice in my head says “this must be good, you’ve got to get it right, you’ve got to say everything, you’ve got to be clear and eloquent, on point, it’s got to be a successful piece of writing or else…(when I really listen) you’ll be annihilated.”

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Create a better life now - 7 simple steps for tide-turners

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Create a better life now - 7 simple steps for tide-turners

For the last decade working as an executive coach and business mentor across many sectors I’ve seen more and more amazing women and men struggling to keep up with demands of life and work. Now the tide is turning. Amazing women and men like you and me are saying “No. No more, not now, not any longer. I require a different experience. Life is too precious to squander by bending myself out of shape keeping up with inhuman demands and delivering empty results. I refuse to keep denying my own experience”

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How to thrive in uncertain times...

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How to thrive in uncertain times...

We live in a fast paced and complex world with much uncertainty. Technology, politics, environmental and social issues provide a backdrop to daily life that can feel extremely stressful. How can you look after yourself in a way that enables you to enjoy your life and feel able to make a positive contribution to the future prospects of your family, neighbourhood, country, and beyond?

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Moving on from corporate life - Maria's story

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Moving on from corporate life - Maria's story

We have different seasons in life – what was best at one time can’t remain the same always. If you’re aware that you can’t or don’t want to do what you’ve been doing for another 10 – 20 years, this story of transitioning from corporate life to a path of purpose and passion is an inspiring and interesting read.

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Simple steps towards your new chapter...

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Simple steps towards your new chapter...

So, you’re feeling frustrated with where you’re at or ambitious for new / different / better. You know life and work can be more satisfying and you have more potential than you’re using. You may be conscious of years passing and it’s dawning on you that “someday” is in danger of passing you by. It’s time for a new chapter.

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The 2 ingredients you need to cook up your juicy new chapter

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The 2 ingredients you need to cook up your juicy new chapter

I have recently been in a period of major transition, moving to a new house and location. This new chapter was prompted as they sometimes are, by an unwelcome life event, the unexpected end of my relationship. Although that happened 18 months ago, it took me a year to be ready to start visioning a different future and start creating my new chapter. My confidence had been knocked, and for a good while I didn’t know what I wanted.

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Exploring your options...

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Exploring your options...

Often, you reach a point in your career where you begin to feel confused or stuck. You know that you want to make changes but it’s difficult seeing the way ahead. Sometimes, the difficulty is not seeing any other options or possibilities. Sometimes the difficulty is seeing too many, so many that you don’t know which way to turn.

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Help, I feel stuck...

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Help, I feel stuck...

In my time coaching professionals, I’ve identified several factors that commonly keep people stuck in work roles, and even careers, that no longer suit them. Although for the individual this trap feels real and limiting, there are always options, but it can be difficult for them to see the possibilities themselves.  

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Are you questioning the status quo?

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Are you questioning the status quo?

For many hard-working, caring professionals, mid-life (40’s – 50’s) is a common time for questioning the status quo. Energy levels change and domestic, and work situations do too.

The prospect of one or two decades more in the same work environment or having the same day-to-day experience, may not seem desirable or even practical.

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