Making us think

We received an energy-saving monitor recently. It's a fabulous little gadget. Plug it in and connect it with your electricity meter and it tells you exactly how much electricity you're using at any one time, along with how much that's costing you. Switch on or off an electrical device like a light or the computer and you can immediately see the impact. Scary stuff!

It's certainly made us think more about how we use things round the house. It's so easy to leave a computer whirring away whilst going to collect the kids, or keep the television on standby instead of switching it off completely.

Of course, it's not just the impact on our own finances - though that's scary enough. Being lazy with our electricity usage means a larger carbon footprint and less resources to share with our world's poorer nations.

It's interesting how sometimes things happen to make us sit up and think. Maybe the comment of a friend, an item in a newspaper, a fascinating book, film or programme. And suddenly we can find we do things just slightly differently.

How fabulous that we have numerous opportunities in our lives to just do things a little differently or better.

I wonder what's made you think this week?

New-found self-confidence

It's always fabulous to hear of the achievements clients of mine make.

I had a chat with an ex-client a couple of days ago. She came to me originally fearing taking steps forward with her life partly because of her own self-doubt and lack of confidence in herself. Yet she's now making brave decisions such as learning to swim after a life-time of fearing the water, and throwing a party she's been promising herself for months if not years that she hasn't previously had the courage or energy to organise. And she's even started a new relationship - you can see the resulting twinkle in her eyes for the first time in ages.

Many people I work with struggle with self-confidence and self-esteem either in a work or home setting or both. Their lack of confidence stops them from achieving many of the things they'd like to in life. Their own fears and self-doubt hold them back and prevent them from living life in all its fullness.

Yet when they begin to see the greatness within themselves, the choices that they have and learn the courage and motivation needed to take positive steps forward, their world begins to really open up.

How fantastic is that? To be able to do all the things we want to in life!

You know, there's an old saying that goes "It's not the things you do that you regret, but the things you don't do." How true that is.

So, if lack of confidence or belief in yourself is holding you back, then how about doing something about it today to change things? Read a book such as Susan Jeffers' excellent Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway or Paul McKenna's Instant Confidence. Or sign up for my online course How to Build Supreme Self-Confidence complete with simple, practical tips, techniques and resources so you can feel confident and in control.

And then, when you're feeling more confident, you, too, can do all those things you've been waiting for!

Too tired

Whoa...... I'm a touch tired today.

Why? Well, it's been a weeny bit busy recently. My husband's been wrapping up one job and just started another - and preparing for a singing competition his choir's taking part in soon. That means much of the looking after family and home has fallen to me.

I'm not alone. Our daughter is 'on her knees' part way through a long first term at her secondary school and with the added pressure of regular homework. And a client of mine is really struggling with tiredness with three of the most stressful things happening in short succession - a new, more responsible job, a new house and a new baby.

We fill our lives (and our children's lives) with activities, commitments, responsibilities and then feel exhausted.

You know, we humans are a bit like rechargeable batteries. If we recognise we can only do so much and then we need some rest and relaxation, we do OK. If we set too high expectations for ourselves and try to cram in too much without attending to our needs for rest, we're heading for exhaustion and burn-out.

Our daughter at age 11 is back to 7pm bedtimes - OK, it's not 'cool' at that age to have such an early bedtime, but it's exactly what she needs. And I'm speaking to the school about the homework she's currently receiving in order to ease the pressure.

My client is learning to relax - a challenge for him, but with the use of my Ultimate Relaxation CD (see the Choices page of my website) to help him on his way, and the realisation that making time for R & R is not a cop-out but essential to help him cope with the rest of life, he's getting there.

And I'm off for an early night tonight and am building some 'time-out' into my week.

So, if you're feeling a little tired, get yourself some decent R & R, and start to feel better!