It has been almost six months since I was interviewed for this article. It is interesting to reflect on how much of this I am currently putting into practice!
A great opportunity to take a moment to review and reset!
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Spring clean your life!
Monday, April 7, 2014
What we do matters!
Last week a few of
us at my company watched the Girl Rising movie about 7 girls around the world struggling to
get an education, and it touched me deeply. Today I leave the company I have worked with for almost four years and it got me thinking about the work that we do here.
What we do each day matters
Although most of the participants who come to our training workshops have been lucky enough to have had a good education, the skills and knowledge we share each day still changes their lives in simple yet powerful ways.
A brave journey
Over the years, I have seen the fear and stress in the eyes of many participants as they come out of the lifts on our office floor. It can be very uncomfortable to embark on a journey of learning as it exposes gaps and questions deeply held beliefs. But the bravery, courage and honesty that people bring into the training room is inspirational. It can create real change. What we do matters.
A sense of confidence
It often surprises me that basic ideas like how to prioritise work or how to run a meeting are new to many people. But armed with this knowledge people have a renewed sense of confidence and self-esteem. The energy at the end of the day is a result of them finding their strengths and believing in their ability. They return to work with a strong desire to try out new ideas and improve their performance. What we do matters.
A safe space
We empower people. Whether it is learning how to use powerpoint, word or excel, we provide a safe space for individuals to learn something new and to make mistakes. Ultimately with the tools we share, we help people to live happier and less stressful lives. What we do matters.
A bright future
Many of our learners are getting access to their first qualification ever. Some people we have been working with over the past year know their jobs will be gone in a few months. They are being given the opportunity to get a formal certificate in an attempt to provide them with a future of employment. The gentleness and support that our trainers provide gives these people hope for their future. What we do matters.
So as I leave my existing company through an open door to what I hope will be a bright and exciting future, I look back with incredible gratitude.
Overall, I am grateful for the opportunity to have been part of such a great team and to have learnt from each and every one of my colleagues.
It has not all been perfect; I have had some pretty tough ‘prisoners’ in the training room and I had to deal with some pretty ‘colourful’ people outside the classroom but overall it helps me to remember that what we do matters! Learning changes lives!
My wish is that you feel that what you do matters!
With love and light
Jxxx
What we do each day matters
Although most of the participants who come to our training workshops have been lucky enough to have had a good education, the skills and knowledge we share each day still changes their lives in simple yet powerful ways.
A brave journey
Over the years, I have seen the fear and stress in the eyes of many participants as they come out of the lifts on our office floor. It can be very uncomfortable to embark on a journey of learning as it exposes gaps and questions deeply held beliefs. But the bravery, courage and honesty that people bring into the training room is inspirational. It can create real change. What we do matters.
A sense of confidence
It often surprises me that basic ideas like how to prioritise work or how to run a meeting are new to many people. But armed with this knowledge people have a renewed sense of confidence and self-esteem. The energy at the end of the day is a result of them finding their strengths and believing in their ability. They return to work with a strong desire to try out new ideas and improve their performance. What we do matters.
A safe space
We empower people. Whether it is learning how to use powerpoint, word or excel, we provide a safe space for individuals to learn something new and to make mistakes. Ultimately with the tools we share, we help people to live happier and less stressful lives. What we do matters.
A bright future
Many of our learners are getting access to their first qualification ever. Some people we have been working with over the past year know their jobs will be gone in a few months. They are being given the opportunity to get a formal certificate in an attempt to provide them with a future of employment. The gentleness and support that our trainers provide gives these people hope for their future. What we do matters.
A blessing
Education is a
blessing. I am personally so incredibly grateful to have had such a good
education. Overall I am grateful to my family for providing me with a belief
that education matters and that it opens the door to a bright and exciting
future.So as I leave my existing company through an open door to what I hope will be a bright and exciting future, I look back with incredible gratitude.
Overall, I am grateful for the opportunity to have been part of such a great team and to have learnt from each and every one of my colleagues.
It has not all been perfect; I have had some pretty tough ‘prisoners’ in the training room and I had to deal with some pretty ‘colourful’ people outside the classroom but overall it helps me to remember that what we do matters! Learning changes lives!
My wish is that you feel that what you do matters!
With love and light
Jxxx
Monday, March 3, 2014
Are you an infomaniac?
As a result of experiencing a great deal of uncertainty in my life right now, I have embarked on a process to learn everything I can about how to deal with, manage and embrace uncertainty. I thought I would share my personal insights in the hope that it is helpful to someone else.
Before I start I have to make a confession. I am an Infomaniac!
An infomaniac is a person who has a crazy thirst for knowledge, data and information. And I admit it, I am a big one.
Infomania
I hunt and gather information constantly. I stalk it and strip it down searching hungrily for a juicy bite. I often hunt at night, but not in a pack, I am a lone ranger. I secretly sneak to my laptop or my bookcase in the middle of the night and scavenge for a quote, a piece of research or an article that provides me just the wisdom I need or think I need!. I source information greedily. And I regularly spent time analysing and questioning the information I collect.
An inner analyst
In fact if I am honest, it was only late last year that I came face to face with my inner analyst. Apparently many people in my life saw her as clear as day, But for me, well, she lived in my shadow. Not that I was embarrassed about her, I just did not realise she was there. As with most things on our journey of self discovery, just when we think we know ourselves, something interesting happens and we discover another facet of our fascinating character.
A coping mechanism?
I have realised now that my infomania is my coping mechanisms for anxiety. In fact it is my favourite coping mechanism for anxiety. It is not as harmful or as shameful as my other coping mechanisms for anxiety - smoking, drinking red wine or eating an entire packet of tim tams in the middle of the night.
My infomanic keeps me safe or at least it tricks me into thinking it does. It survives on "If I know everything there is to know about something then I am safe". "If I am knowledgeable then I can feel like the expert, then I feel confident and then I will be safe". This big revelation came recently at a weekend course I am doing as well as from reading 'The Happiness Trap' again (Russ Harris). It has caused me to face the fact that perhaps my thirst for knowledge, my love of learning and my intense curiosity might all just be coping strategies to keep me from feeling anxious. I wonder?
A control strategy?
Interestingly my coping strategies are also control strategies. Because sourcing information is something I can control and I do it well. I have control over buying that book, downloading that article or reading that research paper.
I have discovered that I research hard to find a strategy with the intention of increasing my ability to control the outcome. Wouldn't that be nice, I think. Conceptually I know better, but that does not always translate into productive behaviours! My infomania makes me feel like I am doing something proactive. And in some ways it is useful. It's certainly not dangerous but it could be holding me back from embracing uncertainty.
I have discovered that I research hard to find a strategy with the intention of increasing my ability to control the outcome. Wouldn't that be nice, I think. Conceptually I know better, but that does not always translate into productive behaviours! My infomania makes me feel like I am doing something proactive. And in some ways it is useful. It's certainly not dangerous but it could be holding me back from embracing uncertainty.
A distraction?
What I am also proposing is we cannot learn to deal with the anxiety of uncertainty by drowning ourselves in information. In fact this is just a distraction. A distraction from feeling the feeling of anxiety. A distraction from the danger hidden in the unknown. A distraction from feeling that hot and shaky way I feel when I feel anxious. It is not a pleasant feeling and I do not want to sit with it, thanks very much! But like any fear, once we face it, it loses it's power.
A laying down of arms
Unfortunately I am discovering my knowledge will not save me from my fears. Sometimes we have to face them and face them alone. Sometimes we have to rely on our inner wisdom. The idea of this makes me feel naked and scared. The idea of not having external knowledge or not being fully informed is nerve-wracking. The idea that I have to lay down my shield of books. The idea that I have to disarm and hand in my stockpile of artillery in the form of information.That idea is in itself an experience of uncertainty. But it is one that I am prepared to experiment with. Slowly at first, as my letting go of the safe hand of knowledge will be a gentle one.
The size of my library
But overall what I am realising it that the size of my library does not determine my self-worth, my value and my ability to contribute to society in a meaningful way!
So who am I then?
Redefining our sense of self can sometimes require us to face uncertainty in and of itself!
Because who am I if I am not the intellectual? If I am not the researcher? If I am not the bookworm? The expert? Te restless learner? The infomaniac? If knowledge is power and I let my obsession with knowledge go, will I be powerless?
Redefining our sense of self can sometimes require us to face uncertainty in and of itself!
Because who am I if I am not the intellectual? If I am not the researcher? If I am not the bookworm? The expert? Te restless learner? The infomaniac? If knowledge is power and I let my obsession with knowledge go, will I be powerless?
Right now, I choose to believe that life brings us just what we need, at the time we need it, to learn the lessons that we most need to grow and expand! So bring it on, I choose to be grateful for this experience with uncertainty...the journey of self discovery is always an adventure!
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Befriending uncertainty
I am deep into my exploration with 'uncertainty'. I am writing a blog post about it...in the meantime, here is my favourite quote at the moment.
"Embrace relational uncertainty. It's called romance. Embrace spiritual uncertainty. It's called mystery. Embrace occupational uncertainty. It's called destiny. Embrace emotional uncertainty. It's called joy. Embrace intellectual uncertainty. It's called revelation."
Mark Batterson
Mark Batterson
Monday, February 10, 2014
Coaching for the corporate womans mind!
About 10 years ago, I had an interesting experience and one that set my life in a direction, I never thought was possible! And so follows a story that only a few close friends know.
At the time I was working in a large international financial institution, in a senior role in Marketing, Brand & Communications. I was very stressed and struggling daily to cope with the pressures of my corporate existence. My daily habit at the time involved getting up at 5am to go the beach with my personal trainer, then working for eleven hours straight, usually I was in meetings for around 8 hours a day, swigging soy mochas, and rushing outside to smoke a cigarette. I would then stumble out of work, get a taxi home in the dark and drink too much wine on my balcony until late into the night! I knew that my lifestyle was unsustainable, I was dissatisfied, disconnected and looking back, a little despondent!
Then I met a fascinating woman and her name was Claire. She was a psychic, a healer and a highly inspirational soul. During the reading, she and I talked about my challenges and my lack of peace of mind. She asked me if I felt that the experiences I was having could teach me anything of value. What could I learn from my situation? How could I use the opportunity to develop skills to manage my life in a more effective way? How could I take this and use it in my life? (Interesting, I now see that she helped me discover the power of a good question!)
Until that point I had never had any coaching nor did I really know what it was. I had just started studying a hypnotherapy diploma and was beginning to learn some tools to manage my mind and take control of my negative thoughts. This conversation with Claire begun to open up my mind to a whole new range of possibilities.
Unfortunately she told me it was not time for me to leave the corporate world, despite my unhappiness. She shared that she perceived that my journey required this learning, that the beauty I could bring to the world was only possible if I could stay where I was and learn to manage the situation. She also told me that one day, some time in the future, I would be equipped with the skills to help others and I would set up a business, travel the world speaking at conferences, facilitate workshops, coach women and write books, and the name of it all would be 'Eternal Sunshine for the Corporate Women's Mind'.
And so here I am, I set up Eternal Sunshine Solutions around 4 years ago, after spending another 5 years in senior corporate roles, and changing career to work in the learning and development industry. It feels like time for me to step up, to do what I can to create and hold the space for corporate women to work with their growing edges, to transform, to discover, to create and to shine their light.
It might sound crazy to set up a business based on a conversation with an unknown woman in a small hippy shop off Crown Street, but it just felt intuitively right. That one conversation was like the lightening bolt that lit up my soul and it sent me in a direction that empowered me to take control of my mind and my life.
I went on to finish my Hypnotherapy Diploma, get my NLP certification, complete my Training qualification, study a Masters in Organisational Coaching with the University of Sydney and complete an in-depth program of self-development with a spiritual school. The journey of learning never ends and can be intense. But after 18 months of rest, recovery and recuperation, when I was lucky enough to meet and marry my beautiful husband, it now feels like time. The time is right to bring 'Eternal Sunshine for the Corporate Women's Mind' to life. It has been bubbling away, developing it's essence for a while and finally it feels ready to take out the oven.
So thank you Claire, you taught me the power of a simple conversation and how it can change someone's life. Thank you Claire for opening my heart, my mind and my spirit to the possibility of hope at a time of darkness. Thank you for helping me to bring this vision to life. I have no idea where Claire is, I have tried looking for her, but the shop closed and I never managed to track her down. But I hope that where ever she is, she is truly blessed. She is only one of many inspirational women I have been lucky enough to have in my life and still find myself surrounded by. So to all the wonderful women in my life, thank you for all the joy you bring.
I am eternally grateful for all the experiences I have had (and presently have) that teach me the importance of patience, persistence, and perspective. It is only a result of being pushed out of our comfort zone that we find our power, we discover our passion and we transform ourselves and our lives into peace!
I hope you have been lucky enough to meet your 'Claire'...maybe she will be the next person you talk to!
Express your inner radiance!
Jacky
At the time I was working in a large international financial institution, in a senior role in Marketing, Brand & Communications. I was very stressed and struggling daily to cope with the pressures of my corporate existence. My daily habit at the time involved getting up at 5am to go the beach with my personal trainer, then working for eleven hours straight, usually I was in meetings for around 8 hours a day, swigging soy mochas, and rushing outside to smoke a cigarette. I would then stumble out of work, get a taxi home in the dark and drink too much wine on my balcony until late into the night! I knew that my lifestyle was unsustainable, I was dissatisfied, disconnected and looking back, a little despondent!
Then I met a fascinating woman and her name was Claire. She was a psychic, a healer and a highly inspirational soul. During the reading, she and I talked about my challenges and my lack of peace of mind. She asked me if I felt that the experiences I was having could teach me anything of value. What could I learn from my situation? How could I use the opportunity to develop skills to manage my life in a more effective way? How could I take this and use it in my life? (Interesting, I now see that she helped me discover the power of a good question!)
Until that point I had never had any coaching nor did I really know what it was. I had just started studying a hypnotherapy diploma and was beginning to learn some tools to manage my mind and take control of my negative thoughts. This conversation with Claire begun to open up my mind to a whole new range of possibilities.
Unfortunately she told me it was not time for me to leave the corporate world, despite my unhappiness. She shared that she perceived that my journey required this learning, that the beauty I could bring to the world was only possible if I could stay where I was and learn to manage the situation. She also told me that one day, some time in the future, I would be equipped with the skills to help others and I would set up a business, travel the world speaking at conferences, facilitate workshops, coach women and write books, and the name of it all would be 'Eternal Sunshine for the Corporate Women's Mind'.
And so here I am, I set up Eternal Sunshine Solutions around 4 years ago, after spending another 5 years in senior corporate roles, and changing career to work in the learning and development industry. It feels like time for me to step up, to do what I can to create and hold the space for corporate women to work with their growing edges, to transform, to discover, to create and to shine their light.
It might sound crazy to set up a business based on a conversation with an unknown woman in a small hippy shop off Crown Street, but it just felt intuitively right. That one conversation was like the lightening bolt that lit up my soul and it sent me in a direction that empowered me to take control of my mind and my life.
I went on to finish my Hypnotherapy Diploma, get my NLP certification, complete my Training qualification, study a Masters in Organisational Coaching with the University of Sydney and complete an in-depth program of self-development with a spiritual school. The journey of learning never ends and can be intense. But after 18 months of rest, recovery and recuperation, when I was lucky enough to meet and marry my beautiful husband, it now feels like time. The time is right to bring 'Eternal Sunshine for the Corporate Women's Mind' to life. It has been bubbling away, developing it's essence for a while and finally it feels ready to take out the oven.
So thank you Claire, you taught me the power of a simple conversation and how it can change someone's life. Thank you Claire for opening my heart, my mind and my spirit to the possibility of hope at a time of darkness. Thank you for helping me to bring this vision to life. I have no idea where Claire is, I have tried looking for her, but the shop closed and I never managed to track her down. But I hope that where ever she is, she is truly blessed. She is only one of many inspirational women I have been lucky enough to have in my life and still find myself surrounded by. So to all the wonderful women in my life, thank you for all the joy you bring.
I am eternally grateful for all the experiences I have had (and presently have) that teach me the importance of patience, persistence, and perspective. It is only a result of being pushed out of our comfort zone that we find our power, we discover our passion and we transform ourselves and our lives into peace!
I hope you have been lucky enough to meet your 'Claire'...maybe she will be the next person you talk to!
Express your inner radiance!
Jacky
Monday, November 18, 2013
A cosy hibernation comes to an end..
After almost 3 years of being in hibernation, Eternal Sunshine Solutions is coming back out to play!
Watch this space, as I will begin blogging and running my coaching business again! It's time :)
Watch this space, as I will begin blogging and running my coaching business again! It's time :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)