Create the life you choose

What are your biggest passions?

I have been totally inspired by my husband. He decided a few weeks back to leave his current job role, step out into the unknown and find something he feels really motivated by. A very brave thing to do and also very exciting at the same time.

During his first few days, he started writing a blog connected with his other great passions - football (www.colsfootballthoughts.com). The blog was created to give an alternative view of football, challenging views that have been written in the common media.

In a short time it has proved to be a winner with some days up to 400 hits alone. He is receiving lots of great feedback and the word is spreading very quickly. Writing has become part of his daily ritual and he's loving it. Who knows where it will lead!

He also started up a photography website, photography being another of his passions. After mentioning the website to a friend, he was then asked to take photos of the band she plays in. Totally unexpected but an offer he couldn't refuse.

His other work opportunities are also looking very promising, he now has a clear idea of what he really wants and he is starting to attract the right jobs his way.

I can't keep up with him. Every day after work I can't wait to get home and hear what exciting developments have taken place. All of this he has created for himself.

So what are your big passions? Are you spending your days doing what you really enjoy? If so, well done you. Would love to hear more. If not, what could you do to change things? Why not create a life you feel really good about and one that gives you energy.

Life is too short and the world is your oyster!

Make life simple

How can you simplify your life?

Over the past couple of months I have been doing a bit of spring cleaning. It's been a busy old time with getting married and starting a new job so with lots of change I felt like clearing out a bit of the clutter. That's not including the new husband luckily! It's been a very theraputic experience and leaves time for more relaxation.

Our home is now tidy and clutter free which feels great, we can now find what we need when we need it (saving loads of time especially in the mornings!). I know what my priorities are at work so know where to focus my energy, also by brushing up on my time management skills my days are much more effective and focussed.

My mind feels less chaotic and my to do lists have been simplified plus I am keeping time in the week for myself to just chill out. All this is making a huge difference to the stress levels. Even managing to fit in another yoga session a week which always makes me feel wonderful again.

So how much is going on in your life at the moment? Are you in need of de-cluttering? What would help make it feel calmer? It's important that we spend at least some of our week doing the stuff we love and feel passionate about. So by freeing up your time, you get to spend it on what you really want to.

Remember you don't have to say yes to everything. Just pick and choose what is manageable. Enjoy what you do and how you spend your time, you deserve that much at least.

Make yourself a priority in all of this even if an hour a day, you will feel better as a result. Enjoy the simple life!

A well deserved break

The blog is back! Life has been crazy busy the past couple of months. What with organising a wedding, the actual wedding wedding itself, having an identity crisis (what name do I use!) and starting an exciting new work contract. Dare I say it, putting myself first as been low on the list so now making up for lost time. Even the blog feels slightly neglected!

Just come back from Turkey, a 'minimoon' with my gorgeous new husband. A chance to relax, reflect and explore a fascinating new country. I was in my element!

Beautiful walks along the harbour, lots of glorious sunshine, swimming in the clear blue sea and spending quality time eating together. Long relaxed breakfasts by the pool was one of my favourite moments, must remember to bring this into every day life. What a great start to the day that would be.

Above all, a holiday or break away helps you to put things back into perspective, re-assess your priorities and spend time focussing on yourself. How come when we are busy we tend to neglect our own needs? Important to keep that battery recharged come what may.

So, how is life treating you at the moment? Are you needing to de-stress or change perspective on anything? Are you in need of a holiday? It doesn't have to be expensive or far away. Even a day trip in the beautiful countryside or by the sea can make you feel great and bring some balance back into your life.

Remember to bottle that feeling, write down all the things that you promised yourself whilst away and remind yourself what your priorities are.

Go on treat yourself to a well deserved break. You are worth it!

My recommended holiday gems are....

Turkey - http://www.pudingsuite.com/
UK - http://www.self-catering-cornwall.org.uk/

Keeping the passion alive

Keeping the passion alive

How much time do you spend doing the things you enjoy?

I was invited to see a friend’s play last week at a local theatre. It was the first time I had seen him on stage and was delighted at the result. It was great to see someone in their element and to be doing something they feel passionate about. I felt inspired by the whole experience.

The very next day I had lots to do, I was however slightly lacking motivation. I thought back to the previous evening. Wouldn’t it be great to spend a day doing all the things I love doing. So I changed my plans and did just that. I started to look at the day in a different way as a result, I felt more energised and excited by the day ahead of me.

I started with an early morning run by the river followed by an invigorating swim. I enjoyed observing the cherry blossom that seems to be everywhere at the moment. The colours were uplifting and reminded me of my stay in Japan.

My day continued with a lunchtime yoga session, then early evening I made my way to a new meditation class I had wanted to try out for a while. It was a fantastic experience and met some interesting people as a result.

In actual fact I probably spent just 2-3 hours on all these activities leaving me some quality time for other things I needed to do. It didn’t feel like I had to push myself either, each of these activities brought me so much enjoyment in their own way.

So, what hobbies or activities do you feel passionate about? How much time in a day/week do you spend doing them? If passion feels like too strong a word for you, perhaps think about things you do where you could lose complete track of time. It could be anything from reading, gardening, writing, the list is endless.

Perhaps you are still discovering what you enjoy doing. I never realised I enjoyed writing so much until I started living abroad three years ago. Now it’s become an important part of my week and a great way of expressing myself.

So once in a while stop and reflect on how you are spending your time. You deserve to be spending time doing what you enjoy and feel passionate about, it might mean making some changes to your week or scheduling them in so that they happen. The effort will be worth it.

So keep your passion alive and give yourself a treat, you deserve it after all.

Looking to make positive changes in your life, working with a Life Coach is a great way to achieve goals beyond your expectations. Contact Rebecca@l1febalance.com or visit my website at www.l1febalance.com for more details.

Go for it......you can do it

What are you stopping yourself from achieving?

Last weekend I took part in a 10k run, it was a gorgeous sunny day although extremely cold with temperatures of -1.

I woke up at 6am and was at the venue by 7.30am, a slight shock to the system but it was worth it. I couldn’t wait to get started, the adrenalin kicked in from the moment I arrived. It was mixed together with nerves, anticipation and excitement.

I felt elated once I crossed the finish line. I had done it in 59 minutes, a personal best. I was proud of what I had achieved, even on the cold winter mornings when I could have stayed in bed, I got up determined to push myself. The sacrifice of leaving my cosy bed had paid off.

That same day, it got me thinking about my school days. I never perceived myself good at any type of sport, especially running. I would always put myself at the back of the cross country runs, never pushing myself to do well. So of course I didn’t. I always felt it was the teacher’s fault for not encouraging me but really I had already decided in my mind that this wasn't going to be something I was good at. So I concentrated on other subjects.

Twenty years later, it's a different story. Running has become one of my great passions. I get such a buzz from it. I feel clear headed afterwards, my creativity starts to flow and I feel on top of the world. And most importantly of all, it doesn’t cost a thing.

The difference between then and now is the belief I have changed about myself. Once I saw it as a natural ability of mine, I have never looked back and keep exceeding my own expectations.

So, what beliefs do you have about yourself? Where did they come from? Perhaps from your childhood or school days. What are you stopping yourself from achieving?

Here’s an exercise for you, observe your language over the coming days. Catch yourself saying ‘I am no good at..... I can’t do....I am rubbish at’. Explore where this belief has come from and change it immediately into a positive one.

Once you have a new positive belief about yourself, truly believe it. Think of lots of examples to back up that belief. Don't let the old thought patterns come creeping back.

And who knows... you might even exceed your own expectations!

Community spirit

How connected do you feel?

Last weekend my adventures took me to a lovely little village just outside Cardiff.

During the weekend I met a wonderful group of people, all there to experience one of my ‘Pampering events’. It was a great success. Above all, it was heart warming to see family and friends gathered together, laughing, relaxing, sharing their news and supporting each other.

It got me thinking about how often we get these moments in our busy lives and feel part of the local community.

When Col and I lived in Paris, I felt a real sense of community spirit. We knew our neighbours, spoke regularly to local shop owners, had good friends living around the corner and bumped into familiar faces when out and about. When we moved back to London, it was important for us to create something similar again.

So, how connected do you feel? Do you know your neighbours and local businesses? What support networks do you have around you? What events are going on in your local area? When was the last time you caught up with a good friend?

If you are finding it’s all work and no play. Perhaps think about joining a local group or evening class, combine a hobby or passion with meeting local people. Ask your neighbour around for coffee, get to know them. Find out what events are going on in your town, how could you get involved.

Alternatively why not meet up with a good friend for a glass of wine or coffee. Something so simple can help us to remember what's important in life and feel connected again.

If you fancy gathering a group of friends or family together, why not be pampered at the same time. Have a look at my website for details of my pampering events www.l1febalance.com or contact Rebecca@l1febalance.com for more details.

A little inspiration is all we need

What inspires you?

This week has been full of rich learnings. Just a few days ago my battery was running a bit on empty, it was in need of recharging.

I decided to just stop, get off the treadmill and have some ‘me time'. The first port of call, I headed to my favourite lunchtime yoga class. I could feel the tingling sensation throughout my body as I walked through the door. I knew how great I would feel afterwards and I was right, it did the trick.

I was then after some other inspiration. I had found an event that would be perfect and fulfil the need. There were a number of entrepreneurs sharing their experiences of running a business, the ups and downs plus their learnings along the way. I felt intrigued so went along.

It was early morning as I walked over Westminster bridge, admiring Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament along the way. It was an amazing walk. I was starting to feel energised again.

During the event I listened to different speakers, all with a story to tell. One entrepreneur had almost lost her vision in her twenties and had to leave her job in fashion. She completely turned her life around regardless of her disability. She went on to build up a successful business with just her determination and passion.

On one occasion she met Gordon Brown and when asked by him ‘What made you start up your own business?’ her immediate response ‘Because no B****** would give me a job’. Good for her!

All the speakers were inspirational, I came away feeling excited and inspired. It turned out to be one of my most productive weeks yet, even though I had taken time out.

So how full is your battery at the moment? Are you running on empty? What do you need to do to recharge it? Taking care of yourself is the starting point, so find out what you need right now.

Get off that treadmill if you are on one and start feeling energised again. The more you give yourself now, the more you will get back in return.

The best things in life are free

What do you notice around you?

I went for a lovely run along the river, one morning this week. After so much cold weather it was wonderful to finally see the sun and blue skies.

I couldn’t help observe how beautiful everything looked around me. The river glistened, the swans glided along peacefully, the trees swayed gently and the rowers moved effortlessly through the water. It was a picture postcard.

It made me wonder how often we really take time to observe what’s around us. Sometimes when out and about we let the mind drift onto what we need to do in the future or even reflect on what happened in the past. By doing so, we can potentially miss so much of the present moment.

On another occasion, I decided to take a five minute break at my favourite coffee bar. Whilst drinking and pondering, a retired gentleman smiled and started up a conversation. I learnt quickly that he had just recovered from a prostate operation and was lucky to be alive. I remarked how good he looked for 68 and he said that ‘I had made his day’. We spoke for only a few minutes but he left shortly afterwards looking quite happy with himself. The moment was priceless, it made my day too!

So why not take ten minutes out of your day today. Let your thoughts and concerns go for a moment and just enjoy what’s around you. Smile at a stranger or even strike up a conversation if you feel comfortable to do so. Take a walk in a local park or somewhere different from your usual surroundings. Pay attention to the smallest detail whether it’s nature or architecture, what do you appreciate most about it, how does it make you feel.

Feel like you are living in the moment, it won’t cost you a single penny and you never know it might bring a whole new perspective to your day.

To plan or not to plan..... that is the question!

What will your life look like in 5 years time?

I went to a fascinating talk the other week given by a fellow life coach.

During the evening, the group was asked to think back to how our lives were 5 years ago. We had to visualise ourselves at that specific time, what we were doing, where we were living, how we were spending our time, who we were with. Once we had a clear picture we were asked to go even further back to 10 years ago. It took a while but suddenly all the memories came flooding back.

It was fascinating to see how much life had changed over a 10 year period. All those lovely memories and great learnings along the way.

The very next day, I started feeling thoughtful and excited about the future. If life had turned out this good without any master plan what could happen if a plan and some long term goals were put in place.

So imagine what life could be like in 5 years time. Where would you be living? What would you be doing? Who would you be spending your time with? What would you be hearing around you? What experiences would you be having? And so on. Think big, dream as much as you like.

Keeping the picture in mind, decide today what one thing you can do in the coming months that will help you get to where you would like to be.

Anything is possible.

Need some guidance with goal setting, why not give Life Coaching a try. Visit my website www.l1febalance.com for more details!