Today's memory comes from just one of the times in my life when I didn't know what to do, I felt stuck in a place where I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career and my first boyfriend had ended our relationship, I was just heartbroken. There I was at 17 years of age in turmoil, I was half way through a hairdressing course and trust me really not enjoying it and to me all alone in this mad crazy world, or so it felt back then.
It is quite bizarre how when we are in the middle of a situation there appears to be no way out, no light at the end of the tunnel. I have many times over the years since then felt the same way, but you know I have come to realize that the toughest time is when you are in the middle of it, once you have sat, stopped and listened to your heart then your instincts and intuition tell you your next move. I wish at the age of 17 somebody had told me this, it all seemed so useless back then, I was persuaded to carry on with the hairdressing course but I knew way down deep in my heart I could never make it work as a career. I qualified and left the college heavy hearted, worked for a hairdressers for three weeks and then resigned, I left their employment with a spring in my step! That was the first major breakthrough in following my intuition, the weekend I left that job I was offered my first management job at a local newsagents and that was the start of my 30 year management career.
Today as I coach others I ask them, 'What is in your heart? What is your intuition telling you? Its amazing how eyes light up as soon as the heart is allowed to talk. It is so important when the going gets tough to take time out, get off that treadmill, stop running to nowhere. I have evidence in my life that listening to what others believe you should do leads to turmoil in one's life, In saying that there are times when I should of allowed other peoples voices to 'awaken' what my heart was trying to say and got out of situations before I got in too deep, but in all those cases I now know that the truth of what I should of done lay within me.
Over time I will share other stories about my life where, if I had just stopped and listened I would of had an easier time, thankfully from my experiences has come the lesson. Just let go, let it be, stop and then listen to your heart, it is at this time that the message in the form of the answers come along, usually when you least expect them and sometimes in the most unlikely way.
This memory of my 17 old self leads me to share how it relates to my life today. If you have read previous blogs you will have noted how I have recently written a book 'Made it Thru the Rain', I completed the writing of this manuscript in October 2011 and spent Nov/Dec getting it ready for self-publication. I was convinced it was the only way to go except that my intuition kept saying, 'No, this is the wrong route, you will find a publisher', I struggled with what needed to be done, I contemplated the hit on my finances to get it to publication and felt I was up against a brick wall.
Over the Christmas period forced out of action by a bad back I had to stop all the worrying as my health took priority. It was during this time that I remembered a conversation with a friend who had suggested the name and website of her publisher, so I logged on and followed their instructions towards the first stage of working with them as my publisher. Was I surprised when within the 48 hour lead time they came back and moved me to stage 2 of their process? No I wasn't nor was I surprised when I got the offer contract through this week for them to publish my book. I was in awe, I was a little shocked but deep down in my heart a little voice was saying 'I told you so!'
So during January as we head into the New Year and throughout 2012, I would suggest to you that at times it is important to just take some time out to stop, look and listen to your heart... all you need to do is then act on it! I understand this is sometimes scary but remember as I read once, 'when fear knocked on the door, faith answered' - be prepared for the answer and go with it.
Have a great start to the year and join me for my next blog when I will again share with you another memory which again will lead me to share with you the part it has played on my journey to the positive life I live today.
Showing posts with label Memories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memories. Show all posts
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Saturday, 26 November 2011
The Big City of London...
Today's memory is bought to you from 1986! It's strange that although time passes memories can manage to transport you back to a place in time as if you were still there. In 1986 I moved from my quiet village life to the big city of London. I remember my sister saying to me, 'If you are going to move out of home and away why don't you go somewhere closer, Cardiff maybe?' Well never one to do things by half I didn't listen and took myself off to live in London.
I remember visiting London in 1981 and as I sat in Trafalgar Square I thought, I would love to live here and one day I will!
I don't think looking back there were many in my close circle who understood why I would take myself off to London with no knowledge of living outside a small village, having no friends to go to nor in fact anywhere to live, but I did have a job so surely it would be OK, this was my logic.
As I arrived in London and to my new job I was excited along with thrilled to have the opportunity to live out one of my dreams, or visions as I know them to be today. I was extremely lucky to of secured a job in the photographic industry working as a manager in a 1 hour photo outlet in Piccadilly Circus, right in the center of this amazing city. I had a team of staff and worked alongside two other managers, it truly was a magical time.
I did find a place to live however it was small dingy bedsit outside of London in Stretham, not ideal but it was home for three months until I moved to North London and shared a flat with my now dear friend Lori. We had crazy fun times filled with laughter through which many friendships were built and many parties held.
Living in North London meant an Underground journey in and out of the city to work and it is this memory that I recalled a few weeks ago when I returned to London to attend a conference.
I have now ironically returned to my home village and its quiet life but in October as I traveled across the city to Kensington I recalled the many journeys I had made all those years ago. As a young manager I had no idea that in the future I would own my business through which I would then be attending the 'Millionaires Bootcamp for Women' conference. The journey seemed surreal and it struck me that although the years have passed and my life situation has changed many times some things just seemed to stand still.
Travelling on the Underground the trains were at times still crowded, the queues for the lifts at the station were still the same, party goers from the night before still traveled home the next day in their fancy dress outfits. The city streets of London were still crowded, maybe more so today but somehow they seemed just as crowded way back then too. The florist and the newspaper stands are still outside the station doors and the air is still filled with the fumes of the traffic.
Today I coach others on change and how it is possible to live the life you desire. Looking back whilst on my journey through the streets of London I realized that I may of traveled the streets of time but inside the young girl who took off and left village life is still as excited about new adventures as she was back then.
At this time look around you, what has changed about you and what has remained the same? We are all capable of changing what we don't like it just takes confidence and self belief. Look back at where you have traveled and recapture that something that caused a stir inside, feel that excitement.
If it is possible revisit one of your old haunts and relive a few old memories, they will make you smile and I believe transport you back to a time when you believed anything was possible. Stand tall and stride forth with purpose towards your future. While you are there dream up some new adventures and go for them - I believe it will still be as exhilarating now as it was when you first visited, let your old memories stir up your future plans.
Have a great week ahead and join me again for another memory which again will lead me to share with you the part it has played on my journey to the positive life I live today.
Awaken - 'Lighting your journey ahead'
I remember visiting London in 1981 and as I sat in Trafalgar Square I thought, I would love to live here and one day I will!
I don't think looking back there were many in my close circle who understood why I would take myself off to London with no knowledge of living outside a small village, having no friends to go to nor in fact anywhere to live, but I did have a job so surely it would be OK, this was my logic.
As I arrived in London and to my new job I was excited along with thrilled to have the opportunity to live out one of my dreams, or visions as I know them to be today. I was extremely lucky to of secured a job in the photographic industry working as a manager in a 1 hour photo outlet in Piccadilly Circus, right in the center of this amazing city. I had a team of staff and worked alongside two other managers, it truly was a magical time.
I did find a place to live however it was small dingy bedsit outside of London in Stretham, not ideal but it was home for three months until I moved to North London and shared a flat with my now dear friend Lori. We had crazy fun times filled with laughter through which many friendships were built and many parties held.
Living in North London meant an Underground journey in and out of the city to work and it is this memory that I recalled a few weeks ago when I returned to London to attend a conference.
I have now ironically returned to my home village and its quiet life but in October as I traveled across the city to Kensington I recalled the many journeys I had made all those years ago. As a young manager I had no idea that in the future I would own my business through which I would then be attending the 'Millionaires Bootcamp for Women' conference. The journey seemed surreal and it struck me that although the years have passed and my life situation has changed many times some things just seemed to stand still.
Travelling on the Underground the trains were at times still crowded, the queues for the lifts at the station were still the same, party goers from the night before still traveled home the next day in their fancy dress outfits. The city streets of London were still crowded, maybe more so today but somehow they seemed just as crowded way back then too. The florist and the newspaper stands are still outside the station doors and the air is still filled with the fumes of the traffic.
Today I coach others on change and how it is possible to live the life you desire. Looking back whilst on my journey through the streets of London I realized that I may of traveled the streets of time but inside the young girl who took off and left village life is still as excited about new adventures as she was back then.
At this time look around you, what has changed about you and what has remained the same? We are all capable of changing what we don't like it just takes confidence and self belief. Look back at where you have traveled and recapture that something that caused a stir inside, feel that excitement.
If it is possible revisit one of your old haunts and relive a few old memories, they will make you smile and I believe transport you back to a time when you believed anything was possible. Stand tall and stride forth with purpose towards your future. While you are there dream up some new adventures and go for them - I believe it will still be as exhilarating now as it was when you first visited, let your old memories stir up your future plans.
Have a great week ahead and join me again for another memory which again will lead me to share with you the part it has played on my journey to the positive life I live today.
Awaken - 'Lighting your journey ahead'
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