New Year New You New Start – Goal Setting

New Year New You New Start – Goal Setting

quotes-Les-Brown-goalsQuestion I am going to start off with on our 3rd blog session in January 2014 – Do you set goals ?  Do you write them down ?  Today you are – WHY? because people who write down their goals are more likely to actually ACHIEVE their goals, targets, dreams, ambitions, desires – what ever you want to call them – writing them down is the starting point.

 

Over the last few blogs I focused on YOU – getting you ready and in the right frame of mind to – CHANGE  – to make CHANGES – and be READY TO CHANGE.

Now we are focusing on GOAL SETTING – New Year, New You, New Start – is about making daily changes, putting in place good positive habits and SETTING GOALS.

Coaching or Mentoring for me is about this picture – I am your guide, your map reader to assist you in reading the road map that you need to set out,  to guide you and show you what is possible for you – in your personal life, career, employability, weight, personal development and of course your business.

Motivational-quotes dtermine goal

I will work with you to assist YOU to Determine WHAT you want and WHY you want it. I assist you to understand what is important, and what you need to do to achieve YOUR GOALS  by GOAL SETTING.

 

BUT

this is where it gets exciting, interesting and challenging at times as well.

 

 

 

dream goals plans

Now we begin to break down your Goals into steps, we design a plan , a plan of action and that is what I work with you on – this is where as your coach and mentor I do my job – working with you on transforming and making the transitions from having a dream into a reality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the value of goal setting – making them Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable, Relevant & Realistic but most important of all as well Time Bound.

smart-web-goals

This is now were YOU start to become SMART – and start taking the path or road map to achieving all your dreams and ambitions – in any or all avenues of your life.

 

Working with people – not clients or customers – but people – this is the most exciting part of my work – being with you and watching and working with you on your transformation and transition into achieving your goals.

 

Taking steps to make your goals happen is invaluable.

 

Make it happen today – take a pen or pencil, paper and start writing down what goals you want  or what you want in your life, personal or business – why do you want them.  What difference will it make to your life having them – write that down  also,   then write down  what difference to you or your life is there in not having them – once you start thinking in this way you start to see changes – New Year New You New Start.

 

Now you need to start looking at it from this point of view and telling yourself  – “I am going to achieve my goals, dreams and ambitions” and start with imagining or thinking that you have them already – what do you see, hear, feel – what does it look like for you – personal or business – if you had those goals already achieved, what difference would it make to your life.

Hold on to that image, hold onto those thoughts and now write down what you need to do to break the goal down further into steps – what steps do you need to take to get to that goal.

What blocks or barriers are there as obstacles that might stop you getting there – and then how are you going to over come them – what are you going to put in place to remove those blocks, barriers or obstacles.

See what you are doing!  – slowly but surely you are setting out your ACTION PLAN in how to achieve your goals.

Most importantly of all – put dates to those actions, when are you going to start it and when are you going to do it – and of course when you need it finished or completed by – setting dates and even times to it – make it real – make them SMART.

Don`t use ambiguous words – give it all full details – the more details the better – an example = I want to lose weight – by end of year, well losing a kilo is still losing weight but you want to lost 10 kilos – so define it.  I want to lose 10 kilos in weight and I want to lose 2 kilos each month, 1/2 kilo each week for the next 5 months or 20 weeks.

Another example: I want to  make money – ok so you make £10 this week or this month – you still made money – or you can give it details :-

I want to change from having a 4 figure or 5 figure yearly salary  and want to have a 6 figure yearly salary – ok so how you going to do that? My question would be next – what do you need to change or do to make that happen – do you need to learn new skills, better use of your money, your time, do you need to change jobs, do another job –  what additional knowlege, skills, and abilities do you need to acquire to achieve your goal and how will you acquire them.

See whats happening here ! You are defining and refining your action plan – being specific – follow this and you will soon find that goals you have had become achievable.

Thats the coaching / mentor role to work with you on Goal Setting – Making an Action Plan to achieving those Goals – getting you to keep to the action points and ultimately working with you to get to where you want to go and achieving your goals.

smart-goals

 

So start now – get Goal Setting and enjoy your New Year, New You and New Start to 2014.  Make it count.

 

 

 

So you want to create a successful Business?

How to create a successful Business?

successful business - bigger than excusesSo you want to create a successful Business?

If only the answer was so simple and straight forward.  I have found this the most difficult and thought provoking aspect to the whole process of setting up my own business and running it.

The early days of any business is difficult but crucial:

  • business plans,
  • funding,
  • insurance,
  • tax,
  • registration as self employed or setting up as Ltd company, CIC or Ltd by Guarantee

Its a nightmare, scary, necessary and there are so many out there offering `free` advice and guidance, courses and set up support.  It all becomes a whirl wind and a bit mind blowing!

But the first year passes in a haze – to network or not to network that is the question – what to read first, sign up for this course, sign up for that help and support, call myself small business, entrepreneur or director.  The list goes on – and time flys by.

But still the question I will ask is this:

Have you really created a successful business?

  • Is it working for you?
  • Are you happy about the direction you are going?
  • Are you ready for that success?
  • Does it look anything like what you thought it would be like?
  • What next?

Creating a successful business – what next?`

See now comes more and more questions – but not necessarily the answers to go along side those questions.  This is now the phase of no return.  Set up and operating is all well and good – but what happens next?

I see all these networking events, business advisors and organisations – let us help you in your set up and get you going…

But 12 months down the line, 18 months later – what happens next?

Have you created a successful business?

Is it earning you a living?

What is success even?

Big questions and not necessarily lots of answers.

SO… my next step is now to work on this with you for the next 12 – 18 months, filling in the gap of where others are not.  Using my coaching skills and expertise, knowledge of running my previous work and projects successfully from a business style approach and running my own companies successfully as they are today.

Taking the next step

create a successful business - the door is opening

Open the door to a successful business! Coaching will help you succeed

Taking a small start up business to the next step – a potential growth and growing business – to the size and scale you want it to be.

If you are happy to be a small very localised but profitable business in your local community then that is not an issue or a problem.

But if you have designs and desires to grow regionally, nationally or even internationally, that is where the taking your dreams to a new level comes in.

This for me is the next step for my business www.sljassociates.co.uk

The SLJ Facebook page now comes into its own.  Over the coming weeks and months I will be working on bringing online and offline courses, seminars and workshops to assist people to do just that – take the next step to a successful business.

Why not come and join me and find out how you can reach for the stars and fulfil your dream in creating your business into the success you dreamt it to be!

Are you ready to change challenge? Day 4

1186139_10151627081873460_1746621977_nAre you ready to change challenge? Day 4

Over previous few days been asking you to really look hard at yourself and WHY you do and WHY you think as you do – previous self limiting beliefs and conditioning from your past is so too often the reason why people are not successful or happy with what or how they do things.

Are you ready to change challenge? Day 4 – is all about putting that all behind you – I know as said in previously blogs this is only a small part a small fraction of the work that I do with you in a coaching session and set up but it gives you the flavours of what you can do – either through looking at your own journey to change or your own journey of change – reading booking of Life Coaching or other self made people – people of success and finding out what they did – especially if they have originally come from similar backgrounds to yourself.  Often the biggest obstacle to success, happiness and your future is YOU – no one else just You – resolve the issues of the past, let them go, move on and rewrite what it is you really want – who you really want to be, set your goals and go for it.  I have already pointed you in the direction of an Author who I have read and loved her approach, work and ethos.

Are you ready to change challenge? Day 4 is about embedding good habits into your daily routine and day – do you know about Affirmations – mediation time – well every morning and every night I want you to start doing some Affirmations – you can do them to a mirror, when in bed, before go to bed or get up in the morning, out loud or silently to yourself.  BUT do them!

ready to change - positive thoughts

Just one positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.

Here are some affirmations you can use, or make up your own – but use only positive words and language! After all, you have been using negative affirmations for years – you need to practice now the positive ones to affirm the new you, new image and new start.

Write them in your journal or print them out and pin them where you can see them every day.

*  I like myself

*  I now take responsibility for making my life work

*  My future is full of interesting surprises and wonderful opportunities

*  I am good enough

*  I now know I deserve to have more fun, laughter, money and success

*  I approve of myself completely, including in the presence of others

*  I now choose to like and trust myself and to treat myself with the utmost respect

Repeat them daily – change your self talk to yourself – respect yourself in this new you, new image and new start to care about you and that means to respect yourself – and believe in yourself 100% that you will be and can be successful – remember I asked you for 4 things and self belief and self discipline were 2 of them – this is were the self discipline comes in big time – repeat daily and especially over 30 + days and journal the difference it can make over the coming month or 2 – seriously you will be surprised by the simple but big difference it can make.

Are you ready to change challenge? Day 4 is about “for me” – you showing yourself the respect you need to begin your transformation – metaphorically of course, but hey I am not stopping anyone from making other changes in themselves if that is what you want to do – go for it – I believe in you and trust you 100% to know what your changes need to be and how much you want them.

On my journey I have been making big huge changes – physically, emotionally and psychologically – all have contributed to massive changes happening then all around me within my personal life, family life and business life – I am not perfect nor ever would claim to be – but you know what I have stopped punishing myself, putting myself down (still have to remind that inner voice to stop being critical but getting there) and believing in myself that I have the self discipline and self reliance and resources to be successful in everything that I do – as I do and I can.

So

Are you ready to change challenge? Day 4 –  Well are you?  Are you really ready to change?

are you ready to change?I trust that you are and motivated to really get stuck in – keep your journal, contact me for 1:1 sessions or email/phone coaching details also.

Taking these 7 steps – 1 each day is the start – start to change and enjoy the transformation and enjoy becoming the successful, happy and motivated person that you want to be and can be – respect yourself to be able to do it.

 

 

Are you ready to change challenge – day 3

Are you ready to change challenge – day 3

Well yesterday was a tough day as I asked you to challenge yourself and ask yourself some tough questions –  asking questions about our limiting beliefs is about getting to the root cause of why sometimes we are stopped in our tracks in achieving all that we want – we sabotage ourselves and enforce our negative inner voice/ self talk and therefore feel we fail or do not succeed because we ultimately have been conditioned to from our past.

So

  Are you ready to change – the challenge for day 3 – New you new image new start

You now have some insights on how you operate as a person – you have written out and recognised those beliefs that you have about yourself and those that have been told to you repeatedly over the past years from childhood or even later in adulthood.  But why are you allowing these damaging and controlling beliefs to influence you – now we need to get you working on a new you – not a total change (no personality transplants or anything like that – keeping all the good and lovely things that are you and contribute to you being a unique and individual person) but getting rid of the bad belief systems that you have been conditioned to hearing and believing about yourself for years.

Are you ready to change challenge – day 3 – new you new image new start

This is only a short and brief view into the world of coaching and the coaching process – this is what it is all about – it can be fast, challenging and demanding – I demand a lot from my clients afterall thats what it is all about – making positive and progressive changes – challenging the old ways of doing things and looking for the new ways and solutions to resolving problems – I believe in you that you can do it, make the changes and grow as a person to becoming a more fulfilled, happier, peaceful and resourceful person.  You are your own key to success – dig deep folks and believe me you have it all there – we just need to get the tweaking and tuning right and then off you go and begin to really live the life you truly want to live – both personally and in business – thats the power of coaching.

So Are you ready to change challenge – day 3  is now to work on you – the new you the new image and new start – and we have not even begun to look at the future processes of goal setting or goals for your future or anything – working on you is the start of the journey and what an exciting journey it is going to be and is already.

Are you ready to change challenge – day 3 – Yes I hear you shout – well ok shout it louder and lets begin.

Day 3 – Journal exercise; Complete the following statements………..

a.  The person I am choosing to be from this day on is someone who is ………..

b.  The qualities I most want to emphasise and enjoy in myself are………..

When finished Write this out somewhere – either in the journal or on a separate piece of paper sign and date it – even start a mood board – cork board and cut out inspirational sayings, things you want to work for, photos of self of weight and image you want to achieve (be real as well do not set yourself up to fail).  I have one in my study for each of my businesses and personal one – I have photos of types of villa want to buy when retire – goal and target, what I want for next car, I have printed out date and weight I want to be by christmas and then next year etc ) helps in visualising what I would like both in material terms and also saying that inspire me and things I want to aspire to re short, medium and long term goals in my life and businesses.

Statement:

“I am now ready to give life to this new image of myself, from this day forth.  I commit to reinforcing these qualities until they are a deeply ingrained part of who I am and who I am seen to be.”

Print this out and put it in a prominent position for you to read and see often. Now from today onwards your behaviour, choices and decisions you want to make sure they fit this description of you.  When you are faced with a choice or a decision ask yourself – What is the answer, given the person I am now? I will also recommend a book to read now also – as I have found of all the books I have read recently has really resonated a lot with me personally.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Own-Life-Coach-ebook/dp/B0043VD6BC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376748247&sr=8-1&keywords=fiona+harrold

Read Fiona Harrolds books and check out for yourself how powerful a world coaching can be both for yourself and your business – her books are excellent to read and easy starting points for your journey into becoming a new you and having a new start.

 

Enjoy and have fun – remember this is the start of an exciting journey of self discovery into the new you that you want to be – this new you and new start will be being as unique as you were before but becoming more successful and achieving more of the life that you want to have rather than been told you should have – work on you as starting point and everything will eventually fall into place.

Good luck and lets look forward to Day 4 of the challenge.

 

Are you ready to change challenge – Day 2

Are you ready to change challenge – Day 2

Yesterday I asked you to answer 2 questions;

Who do you think you are? and Who do you need to think you are to have the life you want?

Why did I ask these 2 questions?  Because we need to start with understanding of ourselves and how we see ourselves and especially how you see yourself.

Are you ready to change challenge today is about our own Self belief in ourselves, challenging the self limiting beliefs that we have of ourself, our abilities, talents, business ability and right to be successful or even happy with our life, our selves and what we do or who we are.

Self belief - it starts hereWe need to believe in ourselves (in yourself) 100%, when you view yourself as being worthy of everything good that you can do or create for yourself and regard yourself as worthy of only the best – then you begin to create a world around you that is positive,successful and happy because basically anything becomes possible.  I am not talking about money or finances here – I am talking about living a life that you deserve – happiness, peaceful, financial freedom (it will come if you focus on working on it positively and productively), successful and worthy of deserving all these things.  We need to focus on our good qualities and our strengths but all too often we find ourselves being negative, focusing on our bad qualities, using negative self talk, focusing on our weaknesses and surrounding ourselves with those people who just back all of that up – after all its easier to do that – and many of our own self limiting beliefs from our childhood and past also back that up too – I am not worthy, I do not deserve being happy, successful, financial freedom, its too hard to work that hard, its too much for me, I can not lose this weight, I am not that smart – oh its always me – poor me poor me poor me blah blah blah blah – we allow our inner self talk and our past dictate who we are and what we are doing now, and what we want to do in the future.  Hence we form the `bad` habits of not believing in ourselves and now working on ourselves and making ourselves personally or in business successful – first small defeat or failure – give up and tick the box of more evidence of why we are not worthy of success or happiness.

STOP IT NOW – are you ready for the change challenge?

You said you were ready to commit – you said you are ready for the change challenge – you agreed to the 4 things I asked of you.

Motivation, Self Belief, Self Discipline and Willingness to Challenge yourself.

So do it now – from yesterdays questions put your past behind and focus only on the future – we have been working on being positive, using positive language, being around positive people living positive no matter where.  I know its not easy but start forming the good habits for yourself now for your future – small steps become huge steps and great movements forward – and are the format for making long term habits for successful lives and successful living.

Are you ready to change? – challenge then your self limiting beliefs, let go of the past that is holding you back, silence your negative self talk/ inner voice –  Believe in you 100% 

success starts with self beliefAre you ready to change challenge – start today Believe in yourself – believe you are worthy, deserving and that you can and will be successful and that you will achieve that person you need to be to have the life you want.  Otherwise you will continue to stay in exactly the same place you are now and have exactly the  same results you have now – you are reading this blog and following this challenge for a reason – go on you have nothing to lose and all to gain.

Are you ready to change challenge – You have the motivation now as committed to change – you are now starting that journey of self belief and believing in yourself 100% that you can do it. Now have the discipline to keep on that track over these last 5 days and have the willingness to challenge yourself – start making the changes towards having the life that you want – personal or business.

 Day 2 – Journal – write in this your responses to these statements;

The limiting beliefs I hold about myself are……………………….

The 3 limiting beliefs that hold me back most of all are……………………

From these responses to these statements you now have all the information you need about the most damaging and restrictive ways in which you see yourself. These last 3 main ones show you how powerful their influences have over your life – lets look at changing those beliefs and no longer let your past conditioning influence your life any longer.

1 more for today please if that is ok – I ask you 1 more exercise to do – then tomorrow we are going to move onwards – to leaving them behind and moving on to the new you and leaving them all behind in the past.

Write down in your journal

The cost to me, in my life, of my limiting beliefs is……. (write down 5, no more than 10)

This can be difficult and upsetting – but do not dwell on this long – write them down recognise them for what they are but dwell no longer than necessary acknowledge them and then let go of them.

Are you ready to change challenge – it is now time to let go of the past and begin building your future – tomorrow onwards.

Good luck, have fun with this and enjoy.

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Day 1 – Are you ready to change Challenge?

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Day 1 – Are you ready to change Challenge?

Day 1 of the challenge is to find out if you are ready to commit to the challenge of change.  Are you ready to have a week of challenges to give you a little insight in to coaching and also about how to go about moving towards the life you really want.

Coaching moves people forward, fast and easily – so lets start on the journey of change and of you reaching your full and true potential.

Ok – becoming ready for change is about committing to the process of looking at where you are now and what or where you want to be in the future.  This is only a short 7 day challenge but together during this change challenge  we will look at your life together and I will ask you to be tough on yourself as I want you to commit to action, not talk or excuses but action – become a can do approach rather than `I can`t do that , or I am not able to do that, not yet, not now, maybe later.` Not good enough – if you follow this (its only 7 days and I am asking a small committment here really in the scheme of life of things) make it work for you – what have you got to lose?

Are you ready to change challenge 

1.  Looking at focusing on the here, now and the future – making small steps making small changes – progression forward – always forward

2.  Looking at whats working and what is not and being honest in this with your self.

If its yes to all above.

Then lets make a contract to work with one another for 1 wekk – 7days – let commit to being ready or becoming ready to change.

My committment to you

I will commit to working with you – asking questions and giving direction and challenge.  That I believe in your full potential to do all you can and I believe in you 100% with no judgements and I will bring 100% of myself to you in this 7 day journey.

Your committment to – being ready to change challenge

What I need from you are 4 things;

*Motivation:  vital – you have to want change, you have to be prepared to work at change – if you are willing to do something then your motivation should be high and you are ready to do what changes are needed.

*Self – Belief:  Here is how you believe in yourself deep inside – are you worthy or deserving of good things ie what good things your changes bring to you you accept and enjoy them. Otherwise you will sabotage yourself and your work to keep you from changing and back in your old ways of thinking and believing in yourself – do not under estimate the power of your inner voice for good and not so good in our lives.  Your self-belief might not be brilliant at the moment but we will work on that.

*Self-discipline:    vital – because when the going gets tough it is your self discipline that keeps you moving forward.  Change brings sometimes discomfort and it is on those days when tired, feeling low or feeling not progressing or disillusioned that you need this to kick in to keep you going – this your friend indeed and one many need to keep working on.

and finally

*Willingness to challenge:  being ready to challenge yourself, all you know about yourself and the world you have known around you all your life. To create new ways of thinking and being and open yourself to new possibilities for yourself, both in your personal and business life.

 

So – are you ready for  change challenge

This is only 7 days but you will be surprised how far you can travel in 7 days – start laying your foundation stones or blocks for changing to your ideal life or ideal business life – are you ready to take up the challenge!

Begin a Journal with

Day 1 – Ready to change Challenge – and begin by looking at these few questions. Write your answers in your journal – do it intuitively ie do not think about it too long – just write them and do not be afraid of what you write to either of the questions – trust yourself – never be afraid to have dreams or aspirations – but be honest with yourself – only you will see.

Who do you think you are?

Who do you NEED to think you are to have the life you want?

To start we need to know where we are and then to also know where we are wanting to go – and its the same with ourselves.

Good luck and have fun with this all over the next 7 days – thank you for taking part and I look forward hearing back from you on how your challenge is going.

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The Power of Believing in Yourself is Key to Success

Read More >

Getting Started in the World of Coaching

Well, after today and being referenced in a colleagues blog, I felt I needed to get back to this blog thing that I have had set up on my website here at www.sljassociates.co.uk.

Confirmation That Coaching Is For Me

Today has made me realise that I might actually be working in the right direction for my skills,  knowledge and experience – not that I actually doubted that to be fair internally – i.e. the left side of me screaming at me regularly, “Yes, Yes, Yes! – coaching is for you. Not counselling, advice and guidance. Not all that other stuff – but coaching (bring in those other skills you have) but its coaching for you lady.”

But I also have a right side of me going… “Mmmmm, are you sure now?” (Can you even hear the slower voice and pondering, thumb and fore finger rubbing chin and asking with nodding head – are you sure this is for you – are you sure anyone would want YOU to coach them?)

And sometimes, this little act of internal discussion can stop any of us from proceeding down the road of what we would truly like to do – and although mine has not stopped me – this internal dialogue has certainly slowed me down in taking part in the big `putting myself out there scenario`s and debates.

I am not even going to begin in this blog to look at what my own lifescripts were or where my self limiting beliefs came from, or any of that – thats another discussion and a blog discussing how they can prevent and block so many of us for reaching our true or possible potentials. So, it’s not for today.

My Coaching Journey

Today for me is about why or how or what brought me into this area of work and into the direction of Coaching.  Prior to 18 months ago or even 12 months ago – say anything to me about `coaching` and I might have sort of flickered in my head sports coaching, management coaching.  Maybe I thought a little about it being mentoring and the like.  But business coaching, performance coaching, personal development and life coaching or any of the areas in this world and I might have asked, “Mmmmm, not sure explain that to me a bit more.”

Yet, little had I realised I have been operating in this arena for over a decade and did not even realise it.

My journey… I could pretend started back when working in the Corporate World or in the Public Sector that have been enslaved to for 20+ years.  I played about on the fringes of it all – got qualified in all sorts of areas and used those skills to broaden my experiences and widen my understanding of working with people – as it’s that journey that has been the greatest one.  It does not matter what company, what business, what part of the world, what part of the country, or what community – it is all about working with people – and that I have done all my life and always been sort of ok at…

That’s not to say I have everyone liking or loving me, but 99.9% I believe could work with me.  So that was what my life work and journey has been so far – people – I am in the business of people and people are my business.  Sounds simple. I know, I thought so too…

“So, is that it?” I hear you ask – no it’s the “so what?” question.  So what you work with people? And…

Well the AND was around 12 months ago.  Starting to believe again in myself, in my skills, in my potential to be successful, to be positive in mind, body and spirit, in letting go of past, in being an instrument for myself to be successful – to be able to do anything I want, to be the person I have always wanted (and knew) I could be.  That journey began by reading a book that I have read before, talked about with friends and colleagues I’ve worked with for many years (as I said before, I  walked on the edges of this path for so long)

The book that got me thinking

The book that started my coaching journey

Rhonda Byrne The Secret

Now I know many of you will go, “And..? It’s been around for a while now and its been talked about and raved about and yeah, yeah, yeah so what?”

Well let me just say – this was no ephiphany moment – no loud choirs singing and rumbles of thunder and a new awakening.  This was a gentle meander into literally just opening my eyes to really start to `see` and `hear` the world around me. REALLY SEE IT AND REALLY HEAR IT.

For once I was looking at a future where I could see my own business growing, see myself growing and doing things that I wanted to do in a job and a destiny I wanted to create and develop.

How did this come about?

I created it.

After having a heart attack at 44 years of age – seeing my kids and husband panic stricken and scared as it came straight out of the blue, no warning, no indication anything wrong – nothing.   I decided to attempt to stop and evaluate what was going on.

I failed at that miserably believe me – but I decided to take voluntary redundancy from a corporate public sector job been doing for 20 years in the March as I was having my heart operation in the April 2011.  Not that I gave my husband much of a choice – I was undefeatable, I was in charge.  Of course he would agree it was the best thing to do.

I had the operation and did not look for work until the September as it gave me summer off with kids so all was good… Well, not really as nothing had changed – other than I was just not working.

So September came and I began process of looking for work and came into contact with Job Seekers Plus and the fabulous world of signing on.  Apparently I was entitled to 6 months – what a nightmare.

I walked into the lions den and got eaten alive…

Not because I was naive or anything but because I had become so removed I did not think anyone would not, or could not see why they would not want to employ me.   I had a CV full of qualifications and experience and skills – and remember would pay me the sort of money I’d previously been on.

Quickly I realised this might not be the best path – maybe I might want to look at my own world of business and running a company for myself – I dallied off this path a little and got a total kicking. Metaphorically speaking of course.

So, by March 2012 my self confidence and self esteem was at an all time low and an all time zero existence.  My marriage was suffering, my health again was suffering due to being so `angry` all the time and unhappy – just full stop unhappy.

Then came me walking out of a `job` after less than 24 hours.  I’d never done anything like it – EVER.  That night, the relief was tangible but it started me thinking – why, what, how, where, when – and I sat in my sun lounge and picked up a book had been lying there for a while (see playing on the edge) and began reading this little funny little book called The Secret – and I could not put it down.

I was intrigued – I even went out and bought myself The Secret Daily Teachings. maybe this would help.  After all, positivity, positive affirmations and attitude are a method of working.  I’d being doing for years with young people and communities I’ve been working with for 20 years – so of course, it would be useful on me.

I then read more, researched more – Tony Robbins, Bev James… I went on a few coaching seminars, free weekends and workshops.

Now in the mean time, I had set up an internet online business in the crafting community – my own little business on Facebook and this was going really well – so knew I could do it.  I took those skills (not like I did not have any!) and used them to set up SLJ Training.

But something was just not quite right.

Then I went to the right seminar and came into contact with Helen Reuben from Purple Tree in Birkenhead and began my journey to become a qualified performance coach…

…and that was and is how I got started in the world of coaching.

Not by accident, but by finally beginning to listen to what, and who around me were saying and have been saying for a bit!  I still go back to that first little funny book and have read the rest The Power and The Magic – but I still believe that often it is the humble beginnings that are important.  This made me really start to look at who I could be, why I wanted it and always had wanted it.  But now I could use the right tools to go about getting it.

And that’s what I wanted to do in my business – I am my own instrument in unlocking my own potential in my own success – and my work in coaching is about working with people.  For them to be their own keys or key in unlocking their potential in their own success – no matter what that is.

That’s my business – I just had not been able to really see or hear that over the past few years – so now finally seeing and listening.

I finally got to realise that this is my goal and dream.  I love working with people, I love to see people transform – getting it, realising that they are able to `do it for themselves`, being resilient, not having to rely on others, solving it for themselves…

See? People are my business.

So thats my starting point.  Not the previous 20+ years.  It has just lead me up to gathering all the tools, resources and understanding of myself that I need to be able to get on and make me and my business successful and all that I am involved in successful.  I have 2 fabulous kids that I want to be able to go on in life and do and be the best that they can be – and see me as their role model for that.

I have goals for my business, in its development and where ultimately I would like to see it and me in the near and distant future.  But it’s started and progressing – and that is all that is important.  The rest is all just history.