Positive thinking for confident outcomes

Last night I attended a workshop by speaker and presenter Kate Atkin. It was held in the Borders Bookshop in Cambridge and the only cost was a donation to the local charity, the Papworth Trust.

Kate presented a workshop on Precision Thinking for Confident Outcomes. She got the group to relax very quickly and took us through some very simple and easy to assimilate tips. I won't go into great detail (that's Kate's job), but I can share with you the main outline.

Firstly, and this is not at all unlike the comment I had from a trainer friend who said 'stop playing the failure film', she said we have to control what we think and run 'positive programmes'. Cut out negative messages and thoughts.

Secondly she talked about the language used. We looked at language and split an example into three categories, negative, neutral and positive. Instead of cutting out the negatives, she said cut out the neutrals. Be honest, if you are in a negative, don't mask it with neutrality, but do aspire to convert it to the positive. Using positive language as well as positive programmes will help boost your inner confidence.

Strangely enough I called a friend in the US immediately after the seminar. How are you? I asked. 'OK' she said. Netural answer! The truth was she wasn't feeling well.

Thirdly and very importantly, Kate said we must stay focused. It's too easy to revert to negative thinking and messages so keep that focus.

The next exercise/tip was about posture. She got us all to stand up and think of something good, then something bad (and the posture change was evident). She then asked us to maintain a positive posture and smile broadly whilst thinking of the bad thing. It made it a lot harder to think negatively, so posture (and a smile) do help affect not just how you appear to others, but your own mental processing.

Lastly we discussed breathing, and this I am very familiar with. In fact, I believe it's something we all do! Seriously, breathing deeply and regularly can help calm and relax you - important elements in feeling confident - and provide oxygen to the brain. It's hard to think without enough oxygen.

One very simple tool that Kate gave us was the Confidence Wall. I'll ask her if I can share it with you.

It was a very positive session, and Kate only briefly mentioned her book The Confident Manager and the evening ended with the group chatting and swapping business cards and engaging Kate in further discussion until the shop closed.

Further reading: how to be more confident by Tim Brownson and there are some self confidence tips on this site too.

Still not smoking!

My pal in Ireland hasn't smoked since 20th February! She's done it (so far so good shall we say). I'm really pleased I bought her that help programme, she's too far away for me to offer any direct support (other than our endless emails and IM-ing of course!), so it was something I was glad I could do for her.

And what a result! I really hope she stays off the ciggies, and if she is tempted, that she goes back to the programme to help keep her on track. I bought her the 'quit smoking in 28 days or less' software, and she has been using it I am delighted to say.

Networking

Last December I went to a women's networking Christmas event. It was well organised, well attended, good ideas and fun - and I felt like a fish out of water! Why? Good question - and one that I have not been able to answer.

This week I girded my loins and went to another networking event, at Stansted. This time I found it much easier (although it was a women's event again, it was a lot less 'girlie' which I think I prefer). And I can't tell you why!

Confidence? Yes, confidence has a lot to do with it. But also the people I talked to, I had something in common with. One was a customer of mine! Wow, you don't often meet your customers when you work on an internet business so that was a real treat.

I need to be a networker to make my business work, so I'm glad I went and I'm even more glad I managed to interact and get benefit from the session. The subject matter was something I understand (branding) and the kind of people there were business-minded, so perhaps the whole focus of the event was more conducive to me being 'successful'.

What I can say is that a little confidence goes a long way. I came back from the meeting feeling I had achieved something, not just in business terms, but most importantly in self-development terms. I CAN do this, I can make this work and I am going to.

I've been given a kick up the...

Well, not literally, but in a conversation with a contact on Ecademy, he said this to me (over an issue I have self-doubt over):

"The sub conscious believes what ever you tell it, regardless whether it's true or false. (Henry Ford said "whether you think you can or can not, you are right). YOU feed this in to your mind and then make yourself right by believing it and believing it's because of reasons out of your control. All that's happening is that for you to be right, you are living by the command you told yourself, so a self-fulfilling prophecy. You've already got the failure film in the projector so that's whats showing up on the screen!"

Wow. He's absolutely right. So, I've tackled the issue head on, and I'm going to DO it, and I've taken out the failure film and I'm ready to roll - lights, camera... action!

Oh, and I launched healthy chocolate on the CT site too!

Ghosts!

Do you like ghosts stories? I was reading some myths and ghost stories from Ireland over the weekend, about the Hag of Beula, and the Beasts of Ossary - poor old priest eaten up by a couple of werewolves... but entertaining stuff and some interesting mythological history in there too.

Lots of ghost stories on TV are very 'nasty', but in my experience ghosts aren't that bad. Ask anyone you know who says they have had an 'encounter' with something ghostly that they can't explain, and I would be very surprised if you hear of any malevolence or real trouble. Oh sure, an 'uneasy' feeling perhaps, but I've yet to meet anyone who has real horror stories to tell about 'genuine' ghosts. Yeah yeah, I know, you can't say that you can have 'genuine' ghosts when no one can prove they exist (but let's face it, none of the world religions can prove their God(s) either so does proof matter? no - belief is what matters).

But as well as reading ghost stories, I also write them. So this is an UNASHAMED PLUG for my own audio book of nice ghost stories (not to say they aren't spooky, but no one is dismembered by the spirit of a long-dead slighted lover etc etc).

www.completetrainer.co.uk/Audiobooks/Ghost_Sniffer

Have a lovely day, wherever you are.

A walk in springtime

At long last spring is here! With the cold memories of the winter seeping away like the last of the frost evaporating in the morning, the sunshine is bringing out smiles everywhere you look.

Yesterday my husband and I went for a walk in the village of Ashwell, Hertfordshire. We started off at the Spring, the source of the Cam, and then walked round the village, down country roads, admiring wonderful old buildings, enjoying the sight of sticky buds on young trees and three crows having an amazing game of chase round the church tower.

Spring does have a mental effect on us all, I am sure. The longer days, more sunshine, all adding positive karma to our poor winter-huddled souls. I look out of my office window now and I see the ancient clay tiled roof of the old Inn opposite, and behind it - the white blossoms of a tree shining against a pale blue sky.

I'm going to make this a year where I let the spring time develop in me as well - use my own initiative to improve life and build the business, help the family and find more self-fulfilment in what I do.

I hope that spring, after a terrible economic winter too, can bring some positive benefits for the world in a much broader sense. A little optimism can go a long way.

Life makeover?

Oh wow, I think I should try this - my life is so confusing! (Boy if I began to tell you, you'd say that wouldn't even happen in the movies...)

These folks offer a 'risk free life makeover'. Hmm! Are there areas of your life that you're dying to change but you just don't know where to begin? There are for me..

Are you afraid of trying to change aspects of your life because you just MIGHT make things worse... Or you're worried about what friends or family will THINK?

You know the things I'm talking about...

Your relationships
Your career
Your diet
Your finances
Your fitness...
Your FEAR OF CHANGE, or your lack of knowledge about how to change, is holding you back from the life you could be living right now.

And every day you continue just accepting your lot and doing NOTHING to change the areas of your life that need improving --- is a day WASTED.

So you owe it to yourself to take charge of your life... overcome your fear of change... improve your self-image and self-esteem... and tap into your talents and potential.

The Good News is You Can EASILY
Take Control of Your Life -- And Improve It!

That's what they claim. OK, when I get paid at the end of the month I'm going to give it a go! Join me?

Here it is: Life Makeover.

Oh, and to return to the subject of my friend in Ireland who gave up smoking with the programme I bought her, she's still smoke free! Saysshe finds the programme really helpful for keeping her on track. Go girl!

Kairology

Kairos - a 'crucial moment' in your life. Kairology, the 'doorway to many points', is a great name for a book about self-development. I am reading Ian Williams' Kairology book and it's colourful, easy to read and has some very simple concepts. I only looked at it yesterday for the first time, but already I want to buy it for some friends, as well as read it cover to cover for myself.

Heading for London, for a meeting with a high flyer (so I asked my very clever boss to come too), I couldn't take work on the train, but I did take this neat little book. There's a bit at the front which doesn't sit with my philosophy in life, but that doesn't matter, the principles are applicable whatever you feel/believe.

Arranged in four 'suits' - the book takes you through Hearts - passion, Clubs - values expression, Spades - values action, Diamonds - values results. OK, that doesn't really explain it very well, but I can't reproduce chunks of the book here, that would be against copyright.

But what I can say is that the way it addresses the issues that face us all is really accessible - something you can actually 'do', not just read and think 'ah yes, but in MY case....'

It was good to read the book, especially before that meeting. It helped me think a little about me, what I need and want and can offer. That last one I forget all too often.

http://www.completetrainer.co.uk/Self_Development/Kairology_Hardback

It's on the main site, and you can buy it as an ebook too.

http://www.completetrainer.co.uk/Self_Development/Kairology_ebook

I do actually check the stuff on my site, and I use it! OK, I don't train, but I really am looking at trying out the self development stuff, because then I will succeed, my business will succeed - and the aim of my business is to help others to succeed. It's a good business to be in.