Tag: indecision

GCSE Stress – Tips for Exam Success

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Every couple of weeks I go to a local school and talk to the students about what I do.  They get to ask me questions about my role as a coach and find out about the profession.  I love it. It is a real highlight for me.

I love finding out about how kids think, what their priorities are and what they worry about.  So far this year, I have only met year 11 students (15/16 year olds) and their biggest focus is their GCSE exams and how to prepare for them.

I tell each group that I meet the same exact thing, and it occurred to me that maybe a blog post about it might help others too.

The advice I give is pretty simple – there is no science behind it.  But sometimes, the most important messages are the simplest ones.

So here it is – my guide to managing stress as you work towards your GCSE’s. Continue reading “GCSE Stress – Tips for Exam Success” →

20 Seconds of Insane Courage

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20 Seconds of Insane Courage

In 2011 a film was released called “We Bought a Zoo”.  It was a lovely film but not one that stands out in the memory against some of the bigger blockbusters that followed it.

What does stand out though is a single line of dialogue.  A line that has become famous in its own right.

“You know, sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. Just literally 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”

20 seconds of insane courage.  It doesn’t sound like much does it?  And when you think about it, how much more courage do we honestly need when it comes to the big stuff? Continue reading “20 Seconds of Insane Courage” →

Self Employment – Living the Dream or a Total Nightmare?

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Self employment dream or nightmare

Having been away for a few days, I think it is fair to say that I am struggling to catch up with things at work. Self employment is by no means a fairytale of time freedom and a carefree existence. There is so much that you need to think about and it extends far beyond the things that might feel obvious for a coach to worry about.  

For example, to run a business these days, you need to have a strong social media presence. That means you have to have a strategy…yep….an actual strategy about what to post and when!

You need to keep on top of what you are spending, who you are talking to, building your network, developing your products. And for me, this is all on top of talking to clients and planning sessions!

Being your own boss is as exhausting as it is exhilarating. And if I am being honest, sometimes it is just plain exhausting! Continue reading “Self Employment – Living the Dream or a Total Nightmare?” →

Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone

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Living in your comfort zone

Imagine spending thousands of pounds to build a beautiful home, that is everything your dreamed it could be….and then not living in it.  Crazy right? Now imagine the investment of time, effort and achievement that has gone into making you the person that you are today.  Are you maximising that?  Are you relaxing in your dream home?  Or are you dwelling in the safety of your comfort zone?

It’s an interesting question, and somewhat ironically, it’s one which I was required to pose to myself, when writing this (and every) article.  Writing is not my trade.  It is not something that I would list as one of my key strengths.  Putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) always feels like a pretty big risk.  Would I be good enough, could I write something worth reading?

The Comfort Zone is defined as a behavioural space where your activities and behaviours minimise stress and risk.  This is something that we should all recognise as being pertinent to at least one area of our life.  And this is because the creation of a comfort zone is a necessary choice for much of our daily lives.

But is it healthy in all aspects of life?   Continue reading “Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone” →

Goals – Seize the Moment! Stop Thinking about it! Do Something Today!

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Stop Chasing your goals - Catch them!

Are you ready to seize the moment and make progress towards your goals?

Every spring I feel a sense of renewal – an overwhelming desire to refresh everything in my life.  The birds seems noisier, the plants are all waking up and the days seem brighter.  But Spring only happens once a year.  So how do we keep that sense of determination going all through the year?

And what if you have a thing that you have always wanted but just never got around to it?  Something that you can’t shake off.  A goal or dream that just won’t go away or a nagging question that you need to have the answer to?

Lets spend a few moments tackling the need to seize the moment. Continue reading “Goals – Seize the Moment! Stop Thinking about it! Do Something Today!” →

Frozen in Time – The Problem with Indecision

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indecision - frozen in timeMany of my clients suffer with indecision.  Often it has taken them months to decide that seeking the help of a coach is the right thing to do.  That’s before they settle on choosing to work with me and not one of the many others they have found.

Being unable to make a decision can literally bring a persons life to a standstill.

I am sure many of us can recall a time when we have struggled to make a decision, especially around the bigger aspects of life.  But imagine if you were unable to make even the smallest decision without being overrun with doubt and anxiety.  What would your life look like then? Continue reading “Frozen in Time – The Problem with Indecision” →

Why Worry? Understand what you can change and shake it off

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stop worrying - shake it offI have a favourite phrase that I like to use when I am speaking to someone who is experiencing worry.  Being dragged down by something that they just can’t do anything about.  I borrowed it from the song of the same name by the lovely Taylor Swift.  Shake it off.

Now before I go on, please understand that I would NEVER tell a client to “shake it off”! If someone has come to me in search of my professional support, they will get a far more robust approach than being told to shake it off I promise you.  But if I see a friend lost in worry about something and it feels right to say it, I’m saying it!

This isn’t a phrase that you should use if there is any way to materially improve a situation that you are worried about.  It doesn’t work with things like a row with your partner, a leaking tap, a car that has failed its MOT etc.  You can do something about those things.

But it works if you are worried about the political situation in your country to the point where you are losing sleep.  Or you are concerned that the hurricane that is bearing down on your next holiday destination might damage your hotel.  In both of these cases,  I’m going to tell you to shake it off.

And here’s why.   Continue reading “Why Worry? Understand what you can change and shake it off” →

Life Coaching – Lifting the lid on one of the UK’s fastest growing industries

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Life Coaching - Lifting the lid on one of the UK's fastest growing industriesLife Coaching is becoming more and more popular all over the world.  As a result, there is now a huge number of coaches out there to choose from.

But why do people work with a life coach?  What is the benefit?

Well, in a world where there is infinite distraction, extremely high expectations and a constant drive for speed and efficiency, it can sometimes be hard to keep up.  A lot of the time, people look for a coach simply to help them to sort out their priorities.

Being asked to help someone work out their direction in life is one of the most common enquiries I receive.  And often it is only because there are so many conflicting priorities and options available to them.  They don’t know which way to turn. Continue reading “Life Coaching – Lifting the lid on one of the UK’s fastest growing industries” →