12 June 2013

ROCKING HORSE OR RACEHORSE?


 

 
Recently published by Graham Speechley, Business Leaders Group........
 
"Don't confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but doesn't make any progress"
- Alfred Montapert
They are all acting like that rocking horse! They keep doing the same thing over and over again moving like fury and yet they stay in the same place. But they look busy and anybody catching a glimpse of them in their daily work would think they are really on task. At the end of the day they're tired. They get up the next day and they busy themselves, repeating the same things they did yesterday.
Who am I talking about? The thousands of people I've seen in offices, factories, shops, some are working for themselves as well. Most of those people are rocking horses not racehorses.
 
How can you become a thoroughbred racehorse?
The first thing is to decide on your values. Find what is the most important thing in your life. What do you value the most? That's easy. It's what you mostly do. If you say your family is the most valuable thing to you and yet you spend most of the time at your desk or in a bar then you value your desk or the bar more than you value family. If there is a mismatch between what you say and what you do, it's what you do that gives you the answer. If you say you want to be the best business leader in the world but you watch four hours of TV every evening, I can tell you now that you want to watch TV, not to be the best business leader in the world.
Be honest with yourself when you are looking at your values. Don't just set dreams. Dreams are fine but you need to know what really drives you from inside. Don't forget to include your insecurities. Many people include such things as integrity in their values. Is integrity also an insecurity for you? Deciding on your values is the most important thing you can do in life. Unless you know your values, you are destined to be a rocking horse. Well worth some deep thought.
Spend some time thinking about your values. Only when you know them can you possibly set goals for your life and work out the difference for you between motion and progress.
From your values, then you can determine your goals. Your goals must match your values and support them. The SMART goals process which is commonly quoted is fine in some specific circumstances when deciding on small incremental steps toward your main goal but SMART is not enough. Your life goals must be huge, not realistic in the normal sense of the word. If they are realistic, you are setting yourself up for mediocrity. You are setting yourself up for motion rather than progress.
When you have set your goals, you can start to work out where you should be spending your time. You spend your time on things which move you towards your goals which are in line with your values. Analyse where you are spending your time. There are simple tools to help you do this, mainly involving a sheet of paper and a pen. Keep a detailed time log for a week. By detailed I mean accounts each minute of each day. You don't need to go into huge amounts of detail for each activity. Just analyse it simply by looking at each thing you've done and asking "Did this move me towards my goal?" Was in motion or progress?
By using this simple question "Was it motion or progress?", you can decide on every activity. You will need to be systematic in managing yourself. The simple fact is that if you ask yourself this question at each moment when you start or find yourself undertaking an activity, you will be able to decide whether you are a rocking horse or a thoroughbred racehorse.
 
Be inspired today!
 
Graham Speechley
Graham Speechley

Business Leaders Group
Oakley House
3 Saxon Way West
Headway Business Park
Corby
Northants NN18 9EZ
United Kingdom

© Copyright 2012
Business Leaders Group
- All Rights Reserved.


 
    

 

 

6 March 2013

WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT?



 
One day a little boy walked up to his Dad....
 
SON: "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
DAD: "Yeah sure, what is it?"
SON: "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?"
SON: "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "Well if you must know, I make £100 an hour."
SON: "Oh!"
 
The little boy's head dropped in dismay then suddenly he asked....

SON: "Daddy, may I please borrow £50?"

The father was furious....

DAD: "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard everyday and have got no time for such childish behaviour."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even angrier as he reflected on the little boy's questions.
How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think - maybe there was something his son really needed to buy with that £50 and was afraid to ask. His son really didn't ask for money very often so he went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door....

DAD: "Are you asleep son?" 
SON: "No daddy, I'm awake."
DAD: "I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier. It's been a long day and I took it out  on you. Here's the £50 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, smiling....

 SON: "Oh, thank you daddy!"

Then reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up notes. When the man saw that the boy already had money, he started to get angry again.

 DAD: "Why do you want more money if you already have some?"
SON: "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do."
 
The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father....

SON: "Daddy, I have £100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son and immediately begged for his forgiveness.
 
This is just a short reminder to all of us working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent quality time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that £100 worth of your time with someone you love. If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days but the family and friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. 

 So remember what is MOST important.....

5 March 2013

SNOWDONIA MOUNTAIN RESCUE (GLYDERAU)


SNOWDONIA MOUNTAIN RESCUE (GLYDERAU)
A TRIBUTE TO OVMRO, SARDA AND THE RAF



On 25th February 2013
two hikers set off enthusiastically in bright sunshine from the car park at the western end of Llyn Ogwen, energised by the prospect of another day bagging some familiar peaks in Snowdonia. 
 
The previous day had been spent on an arduous ascent and descent of Cadair Idris and Mynedd Moel with patches of ice and snow impeding some of the route but providing perfect preparation for the even more challenging terrain of the Glyderau.  Weather reports were encouraging with no snow or precipitation forecast, minimal wind effects and the prospects of cloud free summits ranking at an encouraging 60-80%.  Based on the previous day’s outing, specific localised mountain weather reports and with no risk of avalanche or significant ice hazards en route, it was intended to ascend Y Garn via the north-east ridge, initially passing the shores of the picturesque Llyn Idwal and then following the very steep ridge round the hanging Cwm Clyd.  After summiting Y Garn, the proposed route descends gently towards the top of the infamous Devil’s Kitchen and precipitous Idwal Slabs, to pass Llyn y Cwm before embarking on the challenging scree slopes on the ascent to Glyder Fawr.  Navigating the summit ridge eastwards to Glyder Fach, the route passes the Castell y Gwynt rock formation and the Cantilever Stone to begin a north-west descent to Llyn Bochlwyd and finally rejoins the path entering the beautiful Cwm Idwal nature reserve, the first official nature reserve in Wales and rightfully deserving of its SSSI status with its geological and botanical features attracting many enquiring minds and intrepid explorers including Charles Darwin.   A wonderful skyline traverse, this route negotiates truly mountainous territory and the forces of nature should never be underestimated. Whilst such a route should never be diminished to anything less than challenging, a day of stunning mountain views, razor sharp edges and gnarly ridges, lonely mountain lakes, exhilarating climbs and energetic legwork was eagerly awaited…..

In extra warm winter attire and with rucksacks carefully packed with plenty of food and drink, extra clothing, winter survival kit, route maps and navigation aids and an array of mobiles on several different networks, an initial pause was made to send the usual text message to a friend to advise departure time, brief details of intended route and estimated time of return back to the car.  As mobile signal was poor, commencement was only initiated once the message had been confirmed as received.
 
Cwm Idwal beckoned, the partially frozen depths of the Llyn with its imposing backdrop always a photographic delight and further heightened by the sweeping panoramic vistas of the Ogwen Valley, the Ogwen Arêtes and the opposing Carnedd ranges.  It was hard to resist the urge to constantly stop and take photographs of the views, magnificent ice features surrounding the frozen cwms and mountain streams and even the occasional low flying RAF jet on a training exercise.  

Progress was slow up the majestic north-east ridge of Y-Garn with the very steep path obscured in places by ice and fresh snow.  The cloud base was variable but generally a light wind was sweeping the valleys so visibility was predominantly good with only occasional times when the route or peaks were obscured during the first summit approach.  Leaving the modest cairn on the summit after a celebratory snack, the easier terrain around the top of the crags ringing Cwm Clyd shrouded in fresh snow afforded some respite for the legs and a magnificent view of a very frozen Llyn y Cwm.  This area is usually very soft and wet underfoot so the crisp tundra-like conditions made the going easier.

 
The tough ascent from Llyn y Cwn posed the first real challenge of the day.  Always tough to negotiate at any time of the year, the slope of frozen scree on the steep ascent towards Glyder Fawr provided some good scrambling but valuable time was being eroded from the buffer – the route planned should have taken approximately 4 hours in good weather conditions so an additional 2 hours had been allowed on account of the wintry conditions.  However, crossing a large area of ice on the southerly slopes above the scree and then being slowed by deep snow through the moonscape terrain of the Glyder ridge further hampered progress.  En route to the third summit of the day, Glyder Fach, the cloud base dropped significantly and soon after light snow fall was replaced by blizzardous ice pellets, swirling winds and white-out conditions.  Navigation was difficult and, mindful that disorientation in such conditions is common, the importance of constant route checking against maps and planned headings, GPS waypoints, spot heights and cairns etc. was essential.  Progress became painfully slow and eventually, due to an increasing awareness that daylight hours were being severely eroded, a decision was made to turn around and retrace steps back to familiar territory and descend via the Devils Kitchen.  Unfortunately, in the short time since leaving the slopes of Glyder Fawr, further snow fall had made the conditions underfoot treacherous and virtually impassable – this was now terrain which should only have been safely tackled with crampons.  An ice axe to dig out holds and arrest falls would also have been an invaluable asset.  However, to remain on the Glyder slopes in increasingly perilous conditions would have been foolhardy so it was important to attempt to descend as far as possible taking as much care as possible.  A beautiful pink moon glowed over Llanberis as dusk began to fall on returning to the base of the scree at Llyn y Cwn and spirits lifted as the top of Devils Kitchen yawned into view.

Elation was short lived as a series of emotions followed – relief on returning to the familiar col of Devils Kitchen was rapidly replaced by frustration at trying to distinguish the one safe route down as opposed to the vertical drops down the Idwal slabs and the realisation that this descent was blocked by an ice flow of treacherous proportions in failing light.  Despair loomed – years of mountain climbing had instilled the belief that you should be clear of a mountain at least an hour before dusk and to spend a night in such exposed conditions would be suicidal.  However, given the prevailing conditions and with no mobile phone signal to summon advice or assistance, the only safe option now was to hunker down for the night, wait it out until dawn then continue with an descent at first light.
For years you carry a multitude of survival kit, always hoping and believing you will never need to use anything more than a Compeed and even at times being tempted to leave something back at base to reduce pack weight. Never compromise on safety – even a survival bag costing less than £5, albeit somewhat cumbersome, can save your life! Indeed, once the realisation had set in that it would be necessary to implement an emergency contingency plan, a decision was made to overnight in a 2-man Bothy. 
It had now gone 7pm and finding a suitable site was difficult due to the enveloping darkness, icy rocks, uneven snow-covered ground and swirling winds from all directions, but eventually a small lee by some rocks was selected albeit on sloping ground.  Space was tight with only just enough room for two persons in the bothy so essential supplies (food, drinks, thermos, lights, flashing red beacon, mobile phones etc.) were decanted from the rucksacks which were then deployed as windbreaks outside the bothy.  A survival bag was also unpacked and used as an additional defence against the cold and snow.  Then began the long wait…..

Isolation and exposure in sub-zero temperatures sparked concerns for survival.  Staying warm and dry and maintaining energy levels became the focus to stave off any risks of hypothermia – hot coffee was rationed at 2-hour intervals, high energy snacks shared, alarms set to prevent drifting off into deep sleeps and spirits lifted by telling stories and trying to keep a positive outlook overnight.  It was now down to God to provide a miracle – would the friend acting as an emergency contact alert Mountain Rescue, would the weather revert to forecast and not worsen, could a helicopter land nearby if the clouds cleared and the prevailing winds allowed…..
Sounds of a helicopter’s blades were heard down the valley around midnight but did not get close enough to spark any real aspiration of rescue.  As they faded away into the distance so too did the hope that the ordeal would be curtailed before dawn – it looked like being a long freezing night which would be a true test of endurance and resourcefulness followed by a tiring descent with cold muscle fatigue.
Then, sometime between 1am and 2am, an unfamiliar but welcome sound rendered its way up the valley – on hearing the muffled sounds of a claxon-like horn, a quick response was made vocally and with mountain whistles.  More assertive helicopter sounds could also be heard once again circumnavigating the Glyder range, overflying the rocky crags with its lights occasionally coming into view through the small clear panel which served as a window in the bothy.  The red flashing light outside the bothy was still working and in addition distress signals were also being relayed using white torch lights and mobile phone backlights in different directions.  Adrenaline surged as fresh hope forged its way into the conscious mind.
The “worried friend” who acted as the emergency contact had fulfilled her role brilliantly – not having received news of a safe return from the day’s hike but not wanting to alert Emergency Services unnecessarily she had cautiously waited until 8pm before making the call.  Calmly she had relayed details of the route, timings, assessment of kit carried and general skills, location of the car park and other vital information which enabled the mountain rescue teams to assess the situation and place teams on standby.
 
At approximately midnight, Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue (OVMRO) had deployed 4 teams on foot on varying approaches to the Glyder summit ridge – via Cwm Tryfan, Cwm Bochlwyd and Cwm Idwal as well as up the Miners Path from Pen y Gwryd Hotel. Sally and Anne together with Spin, a member of the Search And Rescue Dog Association (SARDA), were first to arrive on scene (about 1.30am) and calmly and efficiently began to co-ordinate communications between the other teams and the circling 22 Squadron Sea King helicopter which had been deployed out of RAF Valley to assist. Never before has the sound of other human voices felt so welcoming and comforting or the prospect of warming up a rescue dog in a cramped mountain bothy so endearing!

Time then seemed to speed up as news was received that the Sea King was going to attempt an approach despite the banks of low cloud and windy conditions with the intention of providing an air lift to safety.   Cloud continued to scupper first attempts at an approach but eventually the skilled crew brought the helicopter to a steady hover just west of Llyn y Cwn (appropriately named Lake of the Dog) and just metres away from the temporary bivouac site.  After being quickly winched aboard, strapped in and shrouded in foil blankets, the helicopter banked away to make a sortie to Oggie Base, the home of OVMRO at Bryn Poeth in Capel Curig, where a warm welcome and debrief was provided by other members of the team.  A cauldron of hot soup, a stack of toast and large cups of coffee provided much appreciated warmth and sustenance as the mountain rescue teams returned off the mountains to rendezvous back at base.
 
As you have probably now guessed, it was me who was one of the mountain hikers on that fateful day accompanied by Graham Palmer, my intrepid friend who deserves the highest praise for his patience when I slowed down and lost valuable time, his continual encouragement when the going got tough, his sacrificial love and care in an extreme mountain environment, his ability to dispel fears that we might not survive the night and his assertive decision-making and leadership at the point when it became inevitable that we were going to have to hunker down in such adverse conditions.

I hope that by telling our story, we can share some of the things we learned along the way and in so doing enhance the enjoyment and safety of other hill walkers whilst also giving recognition to the important emergency rescue teams whose passion for the mountains is evidenced by their professionalism and commitment to the service they provide for those of us unfortunate enough to find ourselves in need – to you we will always be indebted.

Our most grateful thanks go to everyone involved in our safe return down the mountain and we sincerely apologise if our actions inadvertently put anyone at risk that night.  There were many people involved and everyone played an invaluable part in safeguarding our health and well-being and allowing us an opportunity to tell our tale.  We wish we could thank you all by name but sadly we were not able to catch them all during the course of events!

Special thanks go to the following:                                
OVMRO – Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation



 SARDA – Search And Rescue Dogs Association

22 SQUADRON, RAF VALLEY, ANGLESEY – Flight Lt Wales (HRH Prince William), co-pilot Kate, Chaz and a 4th crew member (apologies for not catching your name)


NORTH WALES POLICE


Sally, Anne and Spin (OVMRO / SARDA) - for finding us and co-ordinating our safe exit

The other SAR teams deployed on the Glyderau

Pauline (OVMRO) - for supporting us back at Oggie Base and liaising with the police, mountain rescue teams and our emergency contact

Bob (OVMRO) – for providing a warm welcome at Oggie Base and giving us a lift back to our car after our eventful night

And finally…….

Our “worried friend” who prefers to remain nameless but deserves an accolade for raising the alarm – thank you again from the bottom of our hearts


LESSONS LEARNED:

EMERGENCY CONTACT
What we did – appraised an emergency contact of a departure time, location, brief details of route and expected time of return
What we could have done better – provided a more detailed itinerary/schedule and clear instructions as to what to do in an emergency together with details of clothing worn and kit carried (helpful for mountain rescue teams to assess survivability, skill levels and aid identification etc.)

WINTER KIT
What we did – sufficient clothing and footwear worn and additional clothing carried to survive the climate (including waterproofs, spare gloves and hats); carried an emergency bothy and survival bags, emergency lights, full first aid kit and all other relevant equipment for general mountain walking and surviving an emergency night out in the hills; a full change of clothing and footwear was also left in our car to be used as necessary on our return
What we could have done better – crampons and ice axes would have significantly reduced the delays in negotiating the icy slopes, provided much safer and securer footholds and minimised the risk of potentially serious falls; the ensuing weather conditions were not forecast and the extent of snow and ice on the summit ridge had not shown on mountain reports but full winter equipment would have been advisable at this time of year “just in case”

OVERNIGHTING
What we did – after finding the best sheltered site we immediately deployed the bothy and one of us used a survival bag; due to lack of space in the 2-man bothy the rucksacks were then positioned strategically outside to act as support and windbreaks after selecting necessary food, drinks and equipment to sustain us through the night
What we could have done better – a larger bothy would have allowed us to keep the rucksacks inside the shelter allowing us access to kit at all times and providing a slightly less cramped space; the use of 2 survival bags (i.e. one each) at the outset would have provided further insulation from the cold and protection from the damp created by the condensation inside the bothy

NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION AIDS
What we did – carried an Expedition compass, Garmin GPS and 5 mobile phones on 3 networks, a laminated route map with additional laminated OS extracts, spare maps, hand held torches, a distress light and mountain whistles; continually reviewed our route and plan as the day/night progressed always ensuring we still had a contingency plan
What we could have done better – may consider investing in a satellite mobile phone or a PLB (Personal Locating Beacon), an emergency transmitting device which uses a frequency monitored for distress signals and enables a location to be precisely pinpointed in areas of poor/no mobile signal; full OS mapping on the Garmin GPS would have been extremely advantageous for increased reassurance and accuracy in route finding across the Glyder ridge in the atrocious weather conditions; we will also carry additional laminated map sections in a map case with copies in each rucksack in case of maps being lost, damaged or blown away in high winds; an earlier start time would have afforded additional daylight hours and directional LED head torches would have been preferable as the light started to fail towards the end of the day to illuminate the route

FOOD & DRINKS
What we did – carried a variety of isotonic drinks and high carb meals and snacks including a flask of hot coffee, jelly babies, Mars bars and chocolate raisins (excellent for rationing purposes), ensuring some were easily accessible on the outside of our packs; additional food and hot/cold drinks were also left in the car for our return (NB – we did not use camelbaks or similar as these would have been susceptible to freezing, thus rendering the contents undrinkable)
What we could have done better – an additional flask would have enabled more generous rationing of hot liquids overnight  

Mountain environments are unpredictable so careful planning and preparation is essential – it is impossible to be overprepared!

“It’s always further than it looks.
It’s always taller than it looks.
And it’s always harder than it looks.”

The 3 rules of mountaineering
“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”
Edmund Hillary
“Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.”
Ed Viesturs (No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks)
“Take only pictures; leave only footprints.”
Anonymous
Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion...I go to them as humans go to worship. From their lofty summits I view my past, dream of the future and, with an unusual acuity, am allowed to experience the present moment...my vision cleared, my strength renewed. In the mountains I celebrate creation.
On each journey I am reborn.”
Anatoli Boukreev

 

 

6 February 2013

KING SOLOMON.......

King Solomon was King of Israel three thousand years ago.  He was famed for his wealth of his cities, the magnificence of his temples and, most of all, for the wisdom of his rule.  Finding it was lonely ruling a vast kingdom, Solomon wanted some way to change his mood whenever he chose.  He called to his court the finest craftsmen and wisest counsellors in the land.

Make me a ring and on it engrave an inscription.  Put on it words that can change my mood, whatever it is - from sorrow to joy, or from joy to sorrow.

The counsellors wrestled with the task for many months and sought the wisest sages throughout the world, until finally they had the answer.  They went to the craftsman who had struck the finest ring ever made and instructed him what to engrave.  At last, they presented the ring to Solomon.

On the ring was engraved:

This too shall pass

What Solomon's advisors knew was this: whatever you are going through now, this too will pass......

גם זה יעבור
 
"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow you gotta put up with the rain"
Dolly Parton

"Learn from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow.  The important thing is not to stop questioning"
Albert Einstein

"At the end of the day, we must go forward with hope and not backward by fear and division"
Jesse Jackson

Isaiah 40:31
Isaiah 41: 9-10

23 January 2013

100 WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS!


We all suffer from stress at some point in our lives which can leave us feeling out of control. 

What simple things can you do today to help reduce that stress and channel it in a positive way? 

Below are some suggestions - which ones might help you and can you add any more to the list?

And always remember, a simple prayer will be heard at any time of the day of the night......
  1. Tell yourself you are doing well
  2. Exercise regularly
  3. Make time to relax
  4. Run a hot bath
  5. Have a hot shower
  6. Reduce your caffeine
  7. Eat well
  8. Meditation
  9. Sleep
  10. Set goals
  11. Celebrate each little success
  12. Be optimistic about the future
  13. Better time management
  14. Do the things you must do
  15. Abandon the things you should do
  16. Do more of the things you want to do
  17. Play with your children
  18. Play with your friends
  19. Play with yourself
  20. Treat yourself to something nice
  21. Simplify your life
  22. Tidy your desk
  23. Clear out clutter
  24. Go to a comedy show
  25. Watch your favourite movie
  26. Count your blessings (literally)
  27. Forgive someone
  28. Breathe deeply
  29. Drink more water
  30. Stop beating yourself up
  31. Pamper yourself
  32. Make love with your partner
  33. Buy yourself a present
  34. Volunteer to help others with more serious problems
  35. Say thank you when you go shopping
  36. Say thank you to machines
  37. Say hello to your colleagues
  38. Listen to music
  39. Smile
  40. Get a pet
  41. Eat some chocolate
  42. Get a massage
  43. Go for a walk
  44. Take the phone off the hook
  45. Leave work early one day
  46. Say 'no' and feel good about it
  47. Go swimming
  48. Set up a squash, tennis or darts match with a friend
  49. Walk to the pub and chat with the people there
  50. Dig the garden and plant some seeds
  51. Arrange a weekend away
  52. Go to a cafe, order a drink and watch the world go by
  53. Call a friend and have a chat
  54. Take a walk and pay attention to the coloursm the plants and any birds and animals you see, hear or smell
  55. Prepare for tomorrow
  56. Transfer items from your "To Do" list to your "To Don't" list
  57. Turn down the lighting
  58. Have an early night
  59. Make a nice healthy meal
  60. Take a day off from stimulants like caffeine, alcohol and television
  61. Curl up with a good book
  62. Go out to lunch with one or two good friends
  63. Control your urge to be strong and independent, and ask for help
  64. Make time to laugh during the day - chat at the coffee machine
  65. Read a funny novel or buy a copy of Dilbert, Far Sidei or Calvin and Hobbs
  66. Let go of any grudges or resentments towards any colleagues
  67. Replace chocolate snacks with fruit or even vegetables like carrots and celery
  68. When you eat, pay close attention to the smell, taste and texture of your food
  69. "I should have" is a major cause of stress - if it's important do it, if it's not then let it go!
  70. Try out a new non-sporting form of exercise - yoga, tai chi, Pilates, Chi Kung, Aikido, Alexander, Shiatsu.....
  71. Join a dance class or club
  72. Turn on some music at home and just dance like no one is watching (it's best to make sure no-one is watching!)
  73. Get a manicure, pedicure or facial
  74. Get some toys and play with them
  75. Plan a great holiday
  76. Create and use a positive, de-stressing, self-affirming mantra
  77. Learn advanced techniques for managing your mental state such as CBT or NLP
  78. Turn off your email
  79. Turn off your computer
  80. Have a lie-in in the morning
  81. Take a break from the news - avoid papers, television or radio news and Internet news services
  82. Ask yourself: "How important will this seem, this time next year?"
  83. Pay compliments to the people you meet
  84. Eat more fruit
  85. Have a good stretch
  86. Take a nap
  87. Set aside time for silence - sit quietly and close your eyes
  88. Eat more nuts and seeds
  89. Have a good breakfast
  90. Savour the moment and focus on experiencing what you are seeing, feeling, smelling and tasting now
  91. Satrt to value your time as your most precious commodity
  92. Confide in a friend and share your stresses and strains with them
  93. Take a break - in fact, schedule regular five-minute breaks into your work pattern
  94. Make sure you have half an hour of time to yourself each day
  95. Plan what you will do on your weekends so you will use them well
  96. Go out to a concert or play
  97. Take yourself to somewhere beautiful and spend time admiring the view - especially at that golden hour around dawn or dusk
  98. Take a day or even a week off and go away somewhere spontaneously
  99. Have a nice cup of tea and a biscuit
  100. RELAX!

4 January 2013

A GREAT QUOTE.....

A great quote from a great man, which is equally relevant now
(especially as we start a new year) as it was then....

 
So, as we start 2013.....