Life Clubs - a clearer way of thinking

Butterflies in my stomach… high in the Redwood trees

2011-03-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

I could feel it coming on again. I was about to speak over 200 people about living their Best Life Ever and my heart was racing and I had butterflies in my stomach. I was well prepared and I love the materials. So why I am having this visceral reaction? Why am I feeling under-confident?

My Lightbulb moment happened when I realized that the confident skills I have used in creating the materials and in other parts of my life can be used in delivering the fabulous materials. Let me explain…

I am a visual person – just as I visualized how the speech would be designed, I also visualized presenting the materials and creating positive energy in the crowd – from stepping onto the stage right through to the thank you.

Also, I shifted my perspective to one of ‘Cease the moment!’ I used this positive affirmation to keep me focused on this excellent opportunity to fulfill my life purpose - to inspire and guide others to live their best life ever.

Then I really listened to my body and realized that what I was experiencing was in fact an adrenaline rush. I used that fabulous energy to deliver my positive message!

Not long ago I stood 40 feet high in a California Redwood tree with the same butterflies in my stomach and I chose to leap into a world of greater possibilities and challenges. Here was my chance to use that confidence in my day to day life - so I went for it!

Having said that, I would love for you to say 'Yes' to enriching your life too!

All the best,
Eva-Marie

P.S. Check out our new Offering – The Best Life Ever Workshop Series!

I Dare You!

2011-02-20T08:47:00.000-08:00

What are you really good at? What are you really bad at?

Chances are the answers to those questions will vary depending on whether I ask you or if I ask someone who knows you well. The old adage that we are all our own worst critic is true, though we seldom analyze the criticism that stops us dead in our tracks. Last Life Club we learned about the key steps to decision making and problem solving. Now we’re ready to develop the confidence required to make our desired changes.

Whether the skill you’re working on is learning to eat with chopsticks, cooking a six-course meal, or you’re a parent trying to be the best parent that you can be, you have to invest time and energy to be successful. Confidence is often overlooked as belonging to a skill set, which keeps a lot of us in the dark.

You are invited to join Life Clubs Canada this week as we explore confidence not as a quality you were either born with or without, but as a learnable skill, and as we dare each other to step out of the safety of being under-confident. It’s time to focus all those negative appraisals into a positive outcome, translating self-perceived weaknesses into lightbulb moments. To start your own personal revolution, click here. We’ve got some dares in store for you.

For a terrific confidence boost to your parenting, join us Tuesdays for our Positive Parent-Teen Relationships workshops - details at www.gemlifecoaching.com. This offering is perfect for parents of pre-teens and teens who want to create a language and a solid foundation for parenting your children through this time of big changes and often challenges. I am offering a way to become pro-active in these years instead of re-active. The camaraderie and support within the group is a wonderful bonus. We start this week - Feb 22, 2011 at 7 pm.

Have a wonderful Family Day Weekend!

Eva-Marie

Giant Chocolate Chip Heart Shaped Cookies…

2011-02-14T06:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to Everyone!

Love is all around us today and every day. The gift is in taking the time to notice love and to bask its warmth and energy.

Love comes in so many forms and variations. I love when people speak of loving 'us' - the relationship they have created. I love when I can witness the utter joy when someone realizes that they genuinely love themselves.

My family, gathered around the dinner table, were sharing what we love and who we love. Given that there are 9 of us Moffats, the range of 'loves' was vast and incredibly interesting. Our newlyweds inspired Gord and I to reflect on how loving our 29 year life journey together has been. Our first Valentine's Day was spent at Queen's University at the annual Sleigh Ride to Wolfe Island.

One Valentine's tradition that has lasted from that day is the 'giant chocolate chip heart shaped cookie' that I made for Gord. It is still a favourite annual tradition - although there are 8 to make now!

So once again, in the wee hours of the night, 'Cupid' busily baked for each of her family members a 'giant chocolate chip heart shaped cookie'.

It is the simple pleasures that often most effectively express our love for one another.

What are the loves of your life?

Eva-Marie

www.lifeclubs.ca

It's great to have options!

2011-02-09T06:49:00.001-08:00

Wow! What a week it has been.

I have been wrestling with a problem that has been lingering just a bit too long. It started as a 'crack' in my roadway and now it was becoming a wide crevice.

I needed to take a new approach to solving it.

I put down my usual tools and used the LIFE Model from Life Clubs. Before I knew it ...I had moved from the habitual jumping into 'solutions' mode ... to the energizing zone of brainstorming options. The ideas just kept flooding in. It was great to get the creative juices flowing!

What was once seems like a monkey on my back is now a source of energy and excitement.

Come along to Life Clubs and you too can learn the Key Steps to Problem solving!

Eva-Marie

Creating Space

2010-06-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

How many times have you gone against your intuition, only to end up being right? What's getting in the way of your instincts? Why do we keep clutter?

Many of us hold on to people, objects and thoughts that work against our goals. What is it about the past, or the need to make decisions, that holds us hostage?

Sometimes the clutter we keep stops us from moving forward with an important decision or lifestyle change. The simple act of accounting for the excess matter can make us all a little more self-aware, and that awareness will help us move on with our lives. There is something incredibly liberating about letting things go, no matter the size or its history in our lives.

This week at Life Clubs instead of exploring the nooks and crannies of our minds, we will examine the big piles of clutter occupying the centre of our thoughts, with an end goal of creating space in our lives.

To learn to rely on your gut instinct, click here. You're just one purge away from clearer thinking.

Making Relationships Work

2010-06-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

What is the recipe for a good relationship?

Whether we are talking about lovers, friends, family or work relationships, there are certain elements that are necessary to keep things pleasant.

1 spoonful of understanding
1 spoonful of commitment
1 spoonful of love
1 spoonful of friendship
1 spoonful of boundaries

Decorate with compassion and an airy sense of humour.

Would you make any additions, substitutions or changes to this recipe?

You are invited to join Life Clubs Canada this week as we explore the personal and social aspects of being in a variety of relationships. It's time to examine our emotional environments, and to figure out why we sometimes treat strangers with greater courtesy than our loved ones.

To find energy in your relationships, click here.

I Dare You…

2010-06-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

What are you really good at? What are you really bad at?

Chances are the answers to those questions will vary depending on whether I ask you or if I ask someone who knows you well. The old adage that we are all our own worst critic is true, though we seldom analyze the criticism that stops us dead in our tracks. Last week we learned about friendships. Now we’re ready to develop the confidence required to make desired changes.

Whether the skill you’re working on is tying a shoelace, cooking a six-course meal, or you’re a professional athlete crusading for a World Cup title, you have to invest time and energy to be successful. Confidence is often overlooked as belonging to a skill set, which keeps a lot of us in the dark.

To start your own personal revolution, click here. We’ve got some dares in store for you.

Do you know what your values are?

2010-05-28T00:42:00.000-07:00

I don't very often get my own Lightbulb Moments when I'm hosting a club, but I did on Wednesday (which was very exciting!)

We were taking it in turns to read through a list of values to see which ones could be ours. I know cleanliness is one of mine... and honesty... and courage... but when we got to the word 'responsibility', that's when the penny dropped.

My home is very messy. I am messy, my husband is messy and all four of my children are phenomenally messy. A typical morning goes like this ... 'Where's my homework diary?'... 'Where's my bus pass?'... 'Where are my trainers?' and on and on and because I'm messy I don't know either.

So I started to think about that word 'responsibility' and what it means.

I know I am absolutely trustworthy. I am one hundred per cent dependable. I am really reliable, but I'm not good at duty or taking on 'roles', such as that of 'tidy mother'.

What's happened, I suddenly realised, is that because I'm not responsible, I haven't passed on 'responsibility' to my children and this is the outcome... chaos.

Gosh, values are helpful. As my diary for Wednesday said 'You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself'. Maybe I've finally grown up. Let's see how responsible I now become.

What do your values tell you?

All my best wishes for a lovely long weekend (if you're in the UK),
Nina
PS You've been wonderful about voting for us in the Barclays competition - do carry on... click here.
PPS Come along to our final day workshop - in Central London on 12th June. It's a Life Clubs Intensive in aid of Marie Curie charity and it's all about you and your wellbeing. The other two were brilliant, I'm sure this one will be too. See you there.

You don't have to get drunk in order to succeed... or do you?

2010-05-21T01:49:00.000-07:00

This week's Life Clubs workshop was all about success. I haven't chosen this picture because of David Cameron's success, or even Nick Clegg's for that matter, but keep reading and you'll find out why.

Success is one of those bizarre words (or maybe all words are like this... green, happy, tyre?) that means different things to different people. But one thing most of us seem quite clear about is that you don't really understand success until you've experienced failure.

What's wonderful is that they're often linked.

I remember I used to get really despondent when I failed at something. I felt depressed, beat myself up and generally got into a funk. It took a friend of mine to turn it all around and ask me what I was learning from each failure to get me to see things differently.

Now I relish failure because I can see it as such a helpful learning for what not to do next time. We had a party on Wednesday for members of the HR community and I was running up and down the stairs for more coffee - learning: get a thermos - and on and on it goes.

So, back to the picture. It's all about my son who, in his teens, went out drinking one night and dropped off to sleep on the last bus home. It was a long walk back contemplating his failure, but as he got to Lambeth Bridge and looked at the sun rise over the river (we live near the Houses of Parliament), he thought how beautiful London was and how lucky he was to live here. He found the success in the failure.

Enjoy finding your success. And, I hope you enjoy this Monet. Oh the success to be able to paint like that.

All best,
Nina
PS Our relationships workshop was a wow!!! If you'd like to come to the last workshop in this series - in aid of Marie Curie charity - do let us know now. It's all about YOU and fast booking up.

Screw your way to happiness

2010-05-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

I didn't mean to be so provocative, but I was having a great conversation today about happiness (our workshop of the week) and the title just popped into my head.

In our conversation we were talking about how it was little things that make you happy and I was remembering how my 11-year old had just bought the Dr Who Sonic Screwdriver he'd been saving up for.

Of course, he brought it home for someone to help him put the batteries in. They were, needless to say, in the most awkward of positions and we managed to break the battery holder whilst doing it. But the problem was finding the right size screwdriver to undo the screws.

We searched the house high and low and then, there, in (of course) the tool chest, was the tiniest little screwdriver - just the one we wanted.

Happiness was finding that screwdriver.

The person I was telling my story to, replied wisely and said 'Isn't solving a problem what makes you happy?'

So, I'm going to leave you with that thought. What would you say made you happy?

Maybe it's that provocative screw we mentioned before.

All best wishes for a lovely weekend. I'm running a workshop on relationships on Sunday and meeting prospective Hosts on Saturday. What could be better?

If you want to come to the workshop, get in touch (nina@lifeclubs.co.uk).
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Election Fever making an Ass (of) u (and) me

2010-05-07T01:44:00.000-07:00

This week's workshop was all about assumptions and, yes, I assumed the British electorate would vote differently from how they did. I'm now assuming that it was a knee-jerk 'Let's get Labour out' that caused the swing to Tory, rather than to Nick Clegg, who somewhat stole my heart.

Of course I also stayed up too late when I really could have gone to bed because nothing happened last night except a few (rightly) disgruntled wannabe voters were having problems voting. I assumed by 1.00 I'd really have a good idea what was going on, but when I went to bed the assumptions were that it was going to be an overwhelming majority for the Tories, whereas instead... how the potential mighty fell in a few hours.

Politics is all about assumptions, but so are our lives. We assume so much about who we are and what we can and can't do and how our lives will pan out. I assume I'm not going to understand what exactly a hung parliament is going to mean for us. I assume I'm bad at understanding what the different political issues of the election really are. I assume I don't know what the effects of a double-dip recession will be for us. And all those assumptions stop me even trying to understand. I leave it to 'others'.

Thinking positively, I'm going to assume you'd like to know about our workshop on relationships. It's on Sunday 16th May in Westminster, Central London. It costs £75 (almost all money to Marie Curie as Lynne and I are giving our time for free) and is for anyone who wants to either get on better with their partner or find a loving relationship. Do come along - it'll be great.

And now, let's assume that we'll all have a wonderful day and that David Cameron will stand up, dust himself off and get it together.

See you soon,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs and author The Big Book of Me and The Life Book
PS Photos taken this morning!

What's your drawing say about you?

2010-04-30T00:44:00.000-07:00

This week I've been feeling like a little mole under a huge pile of leaves.

Totally overwhelmed with 'stuff' and no time to sort it out.

My wonderful five extra days of holiday in Madrid have taken five days out of my day-to-day life and I just haven't had time to catch up with those missed days. It's a peculiar and slightly bewildering feeling. Maybe the little mole wants to hide away.

If I think about what I'd like to feel like, it's more like these beautiful, calm leaves. I don't have to be handmade or embroidered, but I'd like all my leaves flat and pressed and in nice labelled piles so I'd know what they all are: invoices, ideas, articles etc etc.

This week's workshop was all about how metaphors make it so easy to solve your problems.

Now all I have to think... how am I going to get from that pile to those nice, flat leaves in the quickest amount of time?

I know. I'm going to ask for help!

What do your pictures look like?
Hope you have a lovely long weekend,
Nina
PS Our Workshop on Work was FAB. Look at the pictures and join us for our next Workshop on Relationships. Anyone can come - in a couple, single, problems with colleagues, children etc etc. It's on Sunday 16th May in Westminster, Central London.

Getting it together...

2010-04-22T03:08:00.000-07:00

Whenever I see people poring over their time management matrixes I either panic and instantly feel disorganised or I get overwhelming feelings of jealousy and wish I was as organised as them (or, more likely, I get both feelings simultaneously).

I'd love to be organised and, up to a point, am, but something always lets me down at the last minute. I can tidy up the bathroom cupboard and make wonderful shoe boxes entitled 'tummy', 'colds', 'skin' - you get the idea - but somehow I always end up with three things that just haven't got a home. There's definitely something about finishing a task that I don't like - there's always that bit of spillage afterwards.

So this week at Life Clubs we worked on organisation and how to have three goals a day you're going to do. It's a simple technique and enormously useful and all it takes it you knowing what your day is going to consist of (or what you want it to consist of) and making those three things your goals - let's face it... you'll always find time to check your emails.

Yesterday, my three goals were to get home from Spain intact, to run my club and to spend a bit of quality time with each member of my family as I hadn't seem them for 10 days. I think I more or less got there.

Today my three goals are to move my team at Basecamp forward (haven't seem them for 3 weeks!), to let you all know about my wonderful workshop on Saturday (all about 'Work' and all profits from the workshop go to Marie Curie charity) and to have a nice lunch with a mum I used to know who has just started working round the corner at Burberry.

What kind of a lovely day is that?

What are your three goals of the day?

See you soon,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Following can be good

2010-04-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

This week's workshop was about body language and, as I was talking to one of my heroes, my 11-year old son, I asked him what he thought would be a good illustration.

Now Tommy has a few crazes at the moment. Those of you who have been following my blog, already know about Dr Who (though who in the UK at the moment isn't an addict?) and Bionicles (those weird Lego robots), but the one you may not yet have heard about is Men In Black. Yesterday he watched Men In Black 2 and so he filled me in on the latest:

'Mum, in Men In Black, they meet these aliens and in order to befriend them, they start dancing the way the aliens dance.'

How good is that for an example?

I had a similar experience when I was in Tobago on holiday many, many years ago. It is a stunning country, but walking the streets and smiling at people, saying 'Hello', I felt a bit of hostility. No-one smiled back.

After a while, I decided to do what anyone else would have done and stop smiling and start observing. It was then I noticed that when one Tobagonian met another, they didn't smile, but instead lifted their hand up slightly from their thigh to say 'Hello'.

Like Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, I decided to copy the body language of the people I wanted to be friendly with. Each time I met someone, I casually raised my hand a little from where it was hanging relaxed.

Oh Yes! Suddenly I belonged.

All I can say is... it was a great workshop and I had a great holiday.

What experiences do you have of using your body language to fit in? Just let us know.

I hope you have a great week.
See you at Life Clubs,
Nina
PS Our Work workshop is filling up with lovely people. It's in Westminster on Saturday 24th April and Lynne (my fabulous HR) and I are giving of our time to raise money for Marie Curie. It's £75 and it's for anyone who is working too hard or not working hard enough or not enjoying their job or not sure what they want from a career. It's going to be fab. Five Life Club workshops in one day ... intense! Book now.

Blow your own trumpet

2010-04-09T01:05:00.000-07:00

My mother always used to say that those who show-off get more out of life. I'm not sure that that's a general rule, but it pretty much is.

Yes, I know we're all brought up to be modest and self-effacing, but where does it get us?

My fear has been around setting up my own website. 'I don't need a website' I've been saying to myself. 'It's not about me, it's about Life Clubs'. But, the other day, Genevieve, my wonderful right-hand, googled me and told me straight that the link between Nina Grunfeld and Life Clubs is tenuous and I have to have my own website in order that anyone who reads about Nina Grunfeld in the papers can be directed to Life Clubs.

In my mind there was my mum and there was Genevieve, but in my heart I felt fearful. What was I going to put about myself? How was I going to show off about myself? Do I say that I'm the best or do I make a bit of an apology about having a website?

This week's workshop was about fear (and very appropriately timed it was too). Before I started writing my website I imagined myself to be that show-off and feeling both delighted and successful. And then I wrote.

The wonderful result has just gone to my great designer (David Eldridge, who created the Life Clubs website and all my books to date) and will from there go to my lovely web man who will make it all real.

So, watch this space.

And, whenever you're feeling fearful, just imagine how delighted you'll feel having done it what you're dreading doing, and do it. Or, think of my mum and go for it.

Besides... what's the worst thing that can happen?

All best wishes,
Nina
PS Do come to my day workshop on Work. It's for anyone who wants more from their work. It's on Saturday 24th April, from 10-5, in Westminster, Central London, costs £75 and is in aid of Marie Curie. Both Lynne and I who are running it are giving our time for free.

How do you solve a problem like..?

2010-04-02T04:31:00.000-07:00

Last week we were problem solving at Life Clubs. We use a wonderful 'mnemonic' called (needless to say) LIFE and, when you've worked through it you've solved your problem.

Possibly the most powerful question to ask is 'When did I succeed in solving this sort of problem before?' because it comes up with all sorts of positive answers and can make you realise that maybe you're trying to solve a problem that isn't the one you really want to solve.

One of my clubbers wanted to be able to meet someone - if you like - be ready for a relationship. And, as she came to that question she had her Lightbulb Moment that really she wasn't ready for anyone, because the previous times she'd met new people and started a relationship, she'd been feeling really good about herself and deeply creative and happy - and she wasn't now.

What a great new problem to solve... how to get creative. This week she's signing up for all sorts of creative courses and I can't see how anyone she meets could fail to fall in love with her.

My problem is often thinking about what to write. I love writing once I settle down to it, but what to say..? When I asked myself that powerful question I realised that ideas always came to me when I relaxed. So... check me out on the sofa in my pyjamas!

Let me know what problem you've got to solve and if that question helps.

Happy Easter to everyone. Next problem... where will the Easter bunny hide his eggs if it's raining?

What a lovely problem to have.

All best wishes,
Nina
If you'd like to know more about problem solving - or anything else that goes on at Life Clubs, do sign up for our bulletin.

What's Your Best Life Ever?

2010-03-26T02:06:00.000-07:00

So often we moan about our life - and why not? Of course, things can be happier, or more fulfilling, or calmer or more rewarding or even more three-dimensional.

But isn't the best time just lying down under a beautiful sky, listening to the birds, feeling the sun on your body and smelling the grass or the sea. When you're in the moment?

I started writing this week's Best Life Ever workshop when I sadly wasn't lying down under the blue sky, but sitting at my desk and confronted with a jar of broken biros. Each pen I pulled out to write something with was broken and had to be thrown away. Grrr I thought. In my best life I'd have a jar full of pens that worked.

That thought surprised me. What a simple request. How easy to fix is that?

Keep aware of your life. Notice when little things annoy you and sort them. I'm not suggesting that the underlying sadnesses most of us have - such as abandonment, betrayal, jealousy, lack of confidence etc etc - are that easy to fix, but if the lid is on the toothpaste and there's a clean cup in the cupboard for our tea and there's a pen that works, we're pretty darn close to having an ideal life.

Now I'm grateful for every pen that works. And, this weekend, I'm going to find some sun to lie in.

If you're lying down and looking at blue skies, do you want to moan?

Hope you have a wonderful weekend,
Nina
If you'd like to get know more about your best life, sign up for our bulletin

Sleepy

2010-03-19T01:58:00.000-07:00

Oh, I both wish I could look like her and I wish I could be doing what she's doing.

This week we used stories at Life Clubs to move ourselves forward. I've had a very busy week - both during the day and at night (exciting). I love going out and ... although I was shattered ... my daughter and I danced the night away last night, so today I'm truly exhausted.

I know, it's Friday and I've got the weekend ahead of me, only I haven't. A lovely friend of mine (who looks more like the pre-Raphaelite lady in the picture than I do) has booked us both in for a course this weekend. I'm sure I shall really enjoy it because I love courses, but it's an 8.15-6.00 course on both Saturday and Sunday and right now I feel all I want to do is spend the weekend in bed.

As a story, that might be a little bit like the red shoes ballet. I feel I'm wearing these red shoes that won't let me stop... not even for a moment.

As a story, how could that end?
...I could cut the shoes off - or maybe even my feet (if I had to)
...I could tie myself down so I couldn't move
...I could blindfold myself so I didn't feel so dizzy
...I could wake up as if I was in a bad dream

Any other ideas... please let me know.

How can that translate into reality?
...Cutting my shoes off could mean that I felt so ill this weekend I couldn't go anyway
...Tying myself down could be going to bed today as soon as my last meeting is over
...Blindfolding myself could mean wearing dark glasses today to protect my tired eyes
...Waking up might mean saying 'No' to the weekend

I think I'll go with tying myself down!!!

Stories are great to help you detach from the problem you have. They give you another perspective on your life.

Have a go and let me know.

Hope you all have a great weekend - are you on a course too?
All best,
Nina
PS Book in to Life Clubs weekend courses - they'll be fab.

Why sports?

2010-03-12T00:54:00.000-08:00

This week's Life Clubs was all about writing headlines in which you star. I scoured the newspapers from top to toe to find examples of the kind of headlines I hoped clubbers would write, but there was nothing there. Doom and gloom was all I could find.

I decided to look in the sports pages - not my natural habitat - and there, thankfully, I found just what I wanted.

Henman the man as LTA sifts the rubble of Vilnius
Nasri spectacular and Bendtner hat-trick sweep poor Porto aside

Gosh. How would that make you feel to have those headlines?

(Put your name here) the man/woman...
(Put your name here) spectacular...
(Put your name here) hat-trick...

Excited...? Successful...? A star...?

But why wait til you play professional football? You can do it now.

Create the headline you want.

As one of my clubbers wrote. (Put your name here) writes her way into a new career...

Just go for it. Let me know the headline you came up with.
See you this week,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs, author of The Big Book of Me and The Life Book

Lucky is saying 'Yes'

2010-03-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

I was so lucky. At my Life Club this week was one of my favourite mentors, Jane, who just turned 80 this year.

The workshop was about saying 'No'. How could we create the balance we wanted in our lives by saying 'No' to things we didn't want to do and therefore have time to do the things we wanted to do.

Jane has now got to the stage that she felt she didn't want to think about saying 'No', she wanted to discover how to say 'Yes' to the things she hasn't yet got round (or dare I say 'dared') to doing.

But saying 'Yes' sometimes just means having worked out what to say 'No' to. For example, saying 'Yes' to having a great year this year, means saying 'No' to doubt, fear, procrastination and anything else that's stopping you having that 'Yes' year.

I'm going to say 'Yes' to continuing to think I'm lucky. And I'm going to say 'No' to worrying that things may go 'wrong'. After all, what is 'wrong' but a time to take stock of what's just happened and learn from it?

I'm lucky that you're ready this and, if you're not, then what can I learn from that?

Please let me know.

Hope you have a great weekend.
I'm at The Grove Hotel... do come and join me there another weekend.
Nina
Best-selling author (I've just been told by my publisher) of The Life Book

Not waving but drowning

2010-02-26T04:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we feel as if we're drowning. We may have too much work to do or we may feel overwhelmed in other ways - somehow there are too many decisions to make and too many options. We can feel unfocused macro and unfocused micro.

Micro unfocused: Too many files open on our computer or too many e-mails to reply to, each one demanding our attention.
Macro unfocused: too many interconnected decisions going on in our lives and no idea what to do.

Even looking at two life belts is confusing. Which one do you choose?

The truth is that it usually doesn't matter which life belt you hang onto or which e-mail you answer first. What's important is that you don't get paralysed into not doing anything. That you just grab one of the life belts and focus on pulling yourself to safety.

What life belt are you going to choose today?

Let me know what works for you.

I'm focusing on getting my bulletin written.
See you next week,
Hope you have a great weekend.
Check me out on the HSBC blog.
Nina
With homage to Stevie Smith.

These boots are made for swaggering...

2010-02-19T03:18:00.000-08:00

When I lived in Los Angeles in my early twenties one of the first things I bought myself was a pair of stunning cowboy boots. Actually, they were more like cowgirl boots. They were wonderfully loud – bright red and white and I wore them with pride. They’re now lying scuffed in a cupboard somewhere – too small for me to fit into and occasionally used by the children for dressing up. A shadow of their former selves.

I’m in Dorset this week for half-term and took myself to the Bournemouth Life Club as a treat. We spent the evening working on perspectives. Most peculiar things kept popping into my head. When asked to think of an animal, I thought of a tadpole (!?) and when asked to think of a character from a film I thought of John Wayne.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a fan of cowboy films (apart from Butch Cassidy – and I’m not sure you’d count that) and I certainly have never been a fan of John Wayne, but there he was, larger than life in my mind.

So, what did my life look like from John Wayne’s perspective? It looked simple. Suddenly I had the power and the arrogance to make decisions, to be confident, to be ruthless, to determine my future.

I left the Life Club not walking, but swaggering. I’m going to buy myself another pair of cowboy boots – maybe black this time.

What item of clothing makes you feel confident? Or even swagger?

See you at Life Clubs.
All best wishes,
Nina
PS We’re looking for Hosts to run clubs in the UK and Canada right now. Check out our website for more.

Why wait?

2010-02-12T04:46:00.000-08:00

This week's workshop was about procrastination.

I procrastinate on everything (well, almost everything) from sorting out the damp in our basement to putting meditation into my daily schedule).

We had a couple of new clubbers this week and they, of course, had procrastinated about coming to Life Clubs and, of course, once they got there, were amazed at what a great time they had and how many interesting people they met.

One of the things my modesty keeps me procrastinating on is talking too much about Life Clubs. But I feel I have to take note, as one of my clubbers has written to me about how I could sell Life Clubs a little better. He suggested that I show you the Puzzle of Life, which I now have done, and talk you through it.

I feel as if I have been pushed into action. This is what he suggested I say...

Each week we build upon a core component of the Life Clubs Puzzle. This week's procrastination workshop fitted into the Organisation piece of the Puzzle. Next week we'll focus on a Creativity topic. You get the most from Life Clubs when you can follow trends of yourself, seeing how you evolve and change over time.

Each week you track your development as you move round the circle - the boxes around the edge standing for the 50 workshops in Life Clubs - and each week you get a clearer way of thinking.

I feel so much better now. I got through that one and it was painless. What's next on the list?

Exercising... oh oh.

Happy Valentine's Day to you all,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
Author of The Life Book

I'm definitely not deep enough

2010-02-04T14:21:00.000-08:00

This week's Life Club was all about the kind of questions we ask. I wish I could say that we debated whether god exists and the meaning of religion in 21st century society, but we didn't.

Instead we thought about the difference between open and closed questions.

The first questions we came up with were those 'How are you?' and 'What's up?' questions that we ask all the time without often meaning anything and usually expecting a grunt for an answer. Then a clubber came up with the question: 'What could you do to get better?'.

Now, 'What could you do to get better?' is a pretty good example of an open question. It immediately has me thinking of wonderfully self-improving things, like 'I could go to sleep earlier'... 'I could floss more often'... 'I could go for an hour walk every morning...' and on and on. It feels forward moving and exciting and challenging.

But, as another clubber pointed out, it feels negative. It implies criticism. It implies that you need to get better.

Isn't it interesting how we all look at questions differently?

So, after all that, let's get a bit more intellectual with our questions.

Does god exist? And, if he does, as my son once asked me, why did he create stinging nettles?

Keep me posted with your thoughts.
See you next week at Life Clubs.
All best wishes,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs and author The Life Book (Prentice Hall Life)

One more belief knocked on the head

2010-01-29T06:02:00.000-08:00

At Life Clubs this week we talked about all those annoying voices in our heads that tell us we're no good at things - or even no good at anything.

Or, as one of my clubbers called them, mind viruses.

One of my perennial mind viruses is that I'm no good at working with corporates. It pops up every time I'm about to meet a new corporate. I've written books all my life, so (go the viruses) what good am I going to be at helping them with their leadership and engagement issues?

Having been through the virus takes control (I'm no good at working with corporates) loop in my head over and over again, this week I went through the 'I can do anything - I'm great at working with corporates' loop and saw that one of the 'to dos' I'd set myself was to talk to someone who does know about corporates and leadership.

This morning I had my first tutorial. It was brilliant. I now know everything about the issues facing the leaders of today, where they've come from historically and how Life Clubs is the ideal tool to help staff become engaged and anyone to become the leader he or she wants to be.

My mind virus has just been erased.

Where's the next company?

See you at Life Clubs
Hope you have a great weekend,
All best,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs and author of The Big Book of Me
PS If you haven't seen our new website, click on the tabs above. Check out 'wow' for all our new offers

Focus first, then aim

2010-01-22T13:50:00.000-08:00

Someone at my Life Club this week said her goal was to have 'a more enjoyable life'. Now, which of us can honestly hold up our hand and say we haven't felt the same thing at one time or another? I can't.

I knew exactly what she meant - and it's a great goal to have - but it's just too big. What is enjoyable? And, come to that, what will an enjoyable life be like? There are so many variations. By the end of the club she'd decided to focus on one element of her life first and improve that and (I'm prepared to bet on it) the rest will follow on.

I know a lot about goals and focusing in theory, but can find the practice of them difficult. I can visualise the 'enjoyable life' and I can break things down into tiny, achievable parts, like 'phone a friend tonight' but it's that middle bit that always seems so daunting. I mean, how can I move home and get a new job and find a new group of friends (or whatever will make my life more enjoyable)???

This week I'm going to practice what I preach. I'm going to focus first on what I really want, then break it down into achievable steps and then I'm going to aim.

Just watch out. Enjoyable life... here we come.

See you next week,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs, author of The Life Book

Do check out our new website - click on labels above to get you in to it. One goal down... several more to go.

It's my party!!!

2010-01-15T05:47:00.000-08:00

Oh gosh... I love my birthday.

Tomorrow I'm going to be some enormous age and because I love my birthday so much I got married on my birthday, which means it's also our wedding anniversary and yes, why not throw in a book launch too. So it's a party to celebrate three lovely things and...

What does that mean in terms of the rest of my life?

Yes, you guessed. I'm tired, a little stressed that everything will be 'right' on the day and totally focused on my party rather than on anything else.

It means that I've stopped planning for anything except tomorrow. We have no food in our house that isn't for the party - nothing to eat for tonight or Sunday. We have no furniture in our house either as that's all been taken away so we can dance. And I have four unhappy children and a disgruntled husband.

Our club this week was on planning ahead. It's a great workshop and something I'm usually very good at, but right now...

As I write I'm trying to imagine Monday. On Monday I'll have no 'birthday party' goal any more. We've just launched our new website, all our materials have been rebranded - as you'll see when you come to a club (and look gorgeous) and everything has been thrown out or tidied away (for the party).

How is Monday going to work?

I suppose one thing is clear. I can only go forwards.
That must be what birthdays are all about.

I hope you enjoy yours too,
All best,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs, author The Life Book

Gosh, time flies when you're having fun...

2010-01-08T03:12:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure my husband and I are as old or as beautiful as the couple in this picture I've chosen. What we do have in common is that we're still happy together.

Where I'm going with this is that this week we've been together for exactly half my life. I find this totally extraordinary. To me, when I look back, the time I was on my own seems to be in vivid technicolour. So much happened, so many countries, people, romances. It seems a long period of time.

In contrast, the time I've spent with him, has mellowed into a pastel-coloured blur of warmth and contentedness. It seems but a short moment since the first time we met and no memories are as vivid as those of me on my own.

So, why am I mentioning this?

This week's Life Clubs workshop was about doing what you want - call it being selfish if you like, although I would personally call it essential. I'm possibly one of the most selfish people I know - I have it down to a fine art. I know what I love and I build it into my life without fail.

Where this is going is how could anyone have put up with me for so long or how could I have stuck with the same person for so long? I think the answer is independence. He allows me to be selfish and at the same time does what he wants to do. We've co-existed so happily because we allow each other to be ourselves.

So, think about what you want to do and just go for it. That way you too will be as soppy as the couple in the picture.

See you this week,
Nina
Author of The Life Book, founder of Life Clubs
Read this lovely post about my new book.

Happy New Year

2009-12-30T22:33:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I hate New Year's Eve.

It's one of those times when you're meant to be happy and I don't do compulsory happiness. I like spending New Year's Eve as a time of reflection, thinking back over everything I've done in the last year (or even things I haven't done) and working out what I'd like the next year to be like. Then I like going to bed early so I can wake up feeling fully refreshed for the New Year.

I'm in for a treat this year. I'm in Sri Lanka and due to the full moon it's a Buddhist ceremony and no alcohol is allowed to be served on the island. Of course, everyone has found a way around this, but I like the idea of a full moon starting the New Year and I like the idea of not getting drunk but taking time for reflection.

I spent 2009 writing two books and I've just been sent these photos of one of them (The Life Book) in Waterstone's Piccadilly sitting side by side some of my favourite books, so I'm feeling that maybe some of my year has been worthwhile. My reflections have started.

Do let me know what your 2010 holds in store.

This year I'm going to focus more on Life Clubs and less on writing. I can't wait.

Happy New Year to you all.
Nina,
Author of The Life Book (just released and ready for consumption)! Allow it to help you with 2010.

Mary Portas at my club...

2009-12-18T02:43:00.000-08:00

Well... not quite, but almost. That was wishful thinking. I think Mary Portas is great.

We had a creativity workshop last week and, at the end of it, one of my clubbers sat there grinning from ear to ear. She's having a two month sabbatical in South Africa (her hometown) and wants to earn some money at the same time. Her lightbulb moment (and it was a big one) was that she could buy clothes in the UK and sell them in South Africa for a profit. Her goal for this week is to ask her daughters if they want to get involved.

Creativity is amazing and yet sometimes, without help, we don't feel creative. If we don't feel creative then we don't allow ourselves to get all silly and laugh and have creative thoughts and then we feel we're not creative and so don't even try to be creative and on and on the cycle goes.

At Life Clubs we brainstormed and got silly and, hey, businesses were conceived.

See you in the New Year.
I wish you all the very best for 2010.
Thanks for all your support.
Nina
If you're interested on coming on a weekend with me, check this out.
If you'd like to buy my new book, click here

Way to go!

2009-12-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

Change was last week's Life Clubs topic and it's a huge one. We change every second of every day - whether we want to or not - and we can make changes too.

An obvious change is when you travel. These photos are of the first lovely Canadian Life Clubs Hosts in Toronto. You can see them all working hard learning what it takes to run a club. In a way being around that table in Toronto could have been being around my table in London and yet I'd changed time zone, changed temperature, changed language (up to a point) and changed families (swapping mine for Eva Marie's for the week).

At Life Clubs this week, we were talking about what can help one with change. One of my clubbers had as her Lightbulb Moment that her reaction to change was what was key. How right she was.

We can take change very badly and we can enjoy it. Often all it depends on is the frame of mind we're in when the change happens. If we're feeling good about ourselves and our lives, it can help us react positively. Conversely if everything is going wrong around us and we're feeling overwhelmed we can react negatively to yet another change. The question is how to keep your frame of mind positive so you can be open to change.

In order to enjoy Canada I spent some time on my own, showered twice a day and kept in touch with home. I also determined to stay open to my new experiences and the people I met.

What can I tell you - I loved every minute of it.

Eva-Marie, Monica, Sue, Debbie and Sonia... all I can say is 'Way to go!'

See you all for my last week of Life Clubs in 2009.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
PS If you feel you'd like hints around change (or any of our other 50 topics), sign up to my bulletin via our website www.lifeclubs.com.

'til death us do part

2009-12-04T01:30:00.000-08:00

I've had a bit of a values week. This week's Life Club was all about values and I was interviewed by a wedding planner about values in a relationship and ended up (as usual) talking about my relationships.

I don't have much 'in common' with my husband in the 'hobbies' sense of the word. He loves boats and I get sea-sick really easily (even on a river). He loves history and I (as you know) live in the future. He loves 'being a tourist' and I am very lowbrow on holiday and want to lie low with a book. And on and on it goes. And yet we're happy together and that's because our values are so similar.

We both rate independence which means we can do our own thing if we want to. We both value security, which means we feel secure together and trust each other. And honesty comes at the top of our values which means we'll be open and honest with each other.

I won't say there aren't times when our honesty causes us to be cross with each other, but that's OK too because the security means we're able to do that.

So, 'til death us do part seems appropriate.

Look for the values. Are you living yours?

See you next week,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

How do you work things out?

2009-11-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I spend a lot of my time living in the future. I enjoy the present (and would suggest living there), but to me it hasn't got the excitement of the future.

Of course, the present has loads to recommend it - one can feel connected in the present... absorbed in the present... still in the present and much, much more. But the future - that's my spiritual home.

Living in the future makes it easy to visualise. This week's workshop was about Holding Your Dreams and I can dream far into the future. In my mind leaping forwards 20 years feels like nothing and, doing so, helps me work backwards and work out the minute detail of how I'm going to get there.

I'm in Canada right now and dreaming of Life Clubs all over Canada. We're starting small, training 4 new Hosts this week to run clubs in and around Toronto, but the fantasies are starting. I'm imagining clubs in every available venue, retreats in the woods and by the lakes. In my mind I can see Life Clubs posters on the backs of the local trams and Life Clubs pencils in everyone's pockets. I'm imagining smiling faces and happy people.

Allow me my dreams... they're what keep me going.

What do you dream about?

Hope you have a great weekend and that next week I'll see you at Life Clubs
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Could I get to sleep...?

2009-11-20T03:09:00.000-08:00

Normally I'm like this sleeping baby. I can drop off to sleep anywhere and at any time.

My children are used to finding me on the floor asleep, on sofas asleep and, of course, in my bed asleep.

This week has been different. On Wednesday our Life Club was on stress and the two people I was working with were both insomniacs. They either couldn't get to sleep in the first place or they woke in the early morning and couldn't drop off again. Of course, with all this talk of insomnia it's been on my mind and I've had two of the worst nights I've had for a long time... wild and crazy dreams, waking up every two hours, restless at light-turning-out time.

Of course, you get what you focus on. Silly me.

So, I've gone back to that workshop and have taken my learning from it. This is a temporary worry and won't last, so I can cross it off my 'things that are causing me stress' list. I've done just that.

Let's hope tonight I sleep again as soundly as that baby.

Sweet dreams.
What do you do when you can't get to sleep? Do let me know.

All best,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

We're excited...

2009-11-17T02:50:00.000-08:00

Our lovely pencils just arrived and we can't wait to give them to you...

See you at Life Clubs,
Nina

Oh gosh... travel

2009-11-14T04:41:00.000-08:00

Last week at Life Clubs we took one of the thoughts that stops us in our lives and shook it on its head.

My current limiting belief (because I'm going to Canada on Sunday) is that I'm hopeless at travel. I'm dreading the journey, the jet lag, the disruption to my life... everything.

Now, I know I'm actually a total traveller at heart. I travelled like mad all my life, especially in my twenties and am still desperate to visit Easter Island which, my husband keeps reminding me, is as far away as it gets.

Nonetheless I panic. But, remembering the lesson learnt at the Life Club, I decided to kick through my fear, teach my limiting belief a lesson, and go to Exeter to see the play a very good friend had directed. I thought it would be a good thing to do - to have a three hour travel before my big travel on Sunday.

Believe it or not, I was petrified about Exeter too. Just being out of my own home. I called my friend numerous times to ask him if I'd be cold in the bedroom at night, if I needed to bring a towel, would we eat after the play or should I bring sandwiches... and on and on.

Everything went wrong that could go wrong. I booked the train tickets to leave from the wrong station, then I left them at home. I asked for seats going forwards and was given ones going backwards and, worst of all, I was in a silent carriage on the way back when I'd specifically asked for a noisy one.

But... I managed. I'm back home (good to be back home) and I travelled. And I loved my travel. So, yes, Life Clubs was good. Just do something you're worried about and you'll be OK.

As my friend, Lowri says, 'Jump and the net will appear'. Is that what you do too?

See you next week,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Never put off...

2009-11-06T02:04:00.000-08:00

I sometimes can't believe how boring I am.

As this week's workshop was called Streamlining, and was about being efficient and doing everything you want to do plus some, I started thinking about how I streamline and realised that there's a very simple motto that governs my life and almost everything I do and (in case you hadn't guessed from the even more boring image) it's 'never put off 'til tomorrow what you can do today'.

I have no idea what started off the use of this motto, all I know is that I live in complete contrast to the rest of my family who do everything at the last possible moment.

I, on the other hand, drag them out to change a tyre in the middle of the night - just in case it rains the next day, write all my articles the moment I'm given them - just in case anything else comes up and make sure I know how to get hold of everyone I meet - just in case I don't naturally meet them again.

My kind of streamlining may not suit you. It leads to late nights and somewhat obsessive behaviour, but it works for me.

What do you do to make sure everything gets done and you have time to play?

Let me know.

See you at next week's Life Club - who wouldn't want a clearer way of thinking?
Hope you have a great weekend,
Nina
Author of The Big Book of Me and The Big Book of Us and the soon to be published, The Life Book (already being stocked by Waterstones and WH Smith - they're doing it today as well, just in case it's sold out tomorrow!)
Founder of Life Clubs

Pass the dynamite...

2009-10-31T04:24:00.000-07:00

Dynamite would come in handy when you feel like you're talking to a brick wall. You just want to blow that wall up and say 'listen to me... I'm saying something that's important to me.'

This week's workshop was great fun. Listening is the key to life... the key to relationships... and we don't do it often enough. Really stopping everything and listening to someone makes you feel as special and privileged as it does them. And the person who is talking can work through their issue just by being listened to.

Someone came to the club saying he never felt listened to. By the end of the workshop he'd worked out that maybe the people who never listened to him were people who never listened to anyone... unless there was some dynamite right next to them.

Enjoy listening this week... or do I need to get out my dynamite?

Nina
Founder Life Clubs, starting in Canada this week!!!

Knots...

2009-10-23T01:42:00.000-07:00

This week's workshop was about problem solving, which is a bit like undoing knots - easy once you have worked out how. I don't sail, though I have been known to go rowing, but my main undoing of knots has been on necklaces and I find messing about with flimsy chains not my thing at all.

I have a knot at the moment though, which is how to excite you all about my favourite thing in the world, The Enneagram, a personality typing system plus. I've written about The Enneagram in all my books, my family all talk in Enneagram-speak ("Mum, my '8' (The Boss) boyfriend is in hiding - he must be totally stressed, wonder how I can help"), and I'm hosting an Enneagram workshop for my mentor, Gordon Melvin, next weekend and want you not to miss this opportunity of starting on (or continuing) your Enneagram travels.

I first came across the Enneagram about six years ago and, because of my desire to be free and not put in a box, it took me a long time to find out which of the 9 'types' I was. I am, for those of you who might have guessed, an Epicure/Adventurer (Type 7). The Enneagram has helped me understand myself, my husband and our relationship (22 years married so not doing badly) and it helped me understand why I was sabotaging my endless careers. It's helped me work with people and understand the differences between us. It's made me whole(r) and continually helps me to grow and change.

There are lots of places you can find out about the Enneagram, but, because the system is so complex, I think it's essential to start with a course rather than a book or an online quiz.

So, that's my knot and my solution was to simply tell you how I feel about it in the hope that you become inspired too.

You can now unravel your knot - how can I make time to come along next Saturday?

Gordon's Enneagram workshop is taking place in Westminster, Central London. It's £75 (£60 concessions) from 10-5.00 on Saturday October 31st. Contact genevieve@lifeclubs.co.uk for your ticket.

See you there,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs and author of the soon-to-be-published The Life Book (how exciting is that?! - especially for an Epicure!)

Planning Ahead... men in suits

2009-10-16T01:32:00.000-07:00

First a huge thank you for all the lovely e-mails (and comments) about my mum. They were really appreciated.

This week's workshop was about planning your life by just drawing circles. My mum went to hospital this week having fallen over - she's home now and better, thank you, but it showed me, yet again, how plans have to be big enough and flexible enough to encompass all eventualities. It's also made me totally rethink last week's decision - and that's how it goes.

Life Circles is, however, a fantastic workshop (you can read more about it in The Big Book of Us, see website or amazon), because it allows you to tap into what's really important for you in your life - whether it's friends, family, work, romance, health, fitness, pets, spirituality, creativity etc and see how you'd really like them all to appear in your life. It also tells you a lot about how you conduct your life - what you place as important, how close you allow things to come to you as well as what you want for your life. And all through just drawing circles.

It helps choosing different perspectives. If you look back on what was working for you a few years ago you can see how to bring that into the present and future. It may be that you had more work or less work or were living somewhere else. You'll find all that out.

What I love about it is the pictures people draw. Their random circles turn into flowers or Stonehenge or other kaleidoscope like patterns. It's the calm we all seek and to see it expressed visually is great.

This week I spoke at Scanners. Apparently there were more men in suits there than normal. I'm going to put them all in my circle for the future - come to Life Clubs now...!

See you there,
Nina
Founder of Life Clubs
Author of The Big Book of Me, The Big Book of Us and... soon to be published, The Life Book

PS Can't tell you how brilliant Gordon Melvin's workshop An Introduction to the Enneagram is going to be. I use the Enneagram all the time to help me, my family and friends and to inform my work with others. It's in Westminster, Central London on 31st October, Saturday from 10.00-5.00. £75 or £60 for anyone who has anything to do with Life Clubs. Write to genevieve@lifeclubs.co.uk for tickets.

Kids - who'd have 'em

2009-10-09T03:48:00.000-07:00

I'm actually thinking about myself as the 'kid' this time as my main preoccupation at the moment is whether or not to put my mother in an old people's home.

I know my mother didn't have me because she wanted me to nurse her in her old age, but the decision of going to a home seems to go against so many of my values and ones I'm assuming would have been hers.

I'm trashing my 'respect' value. I respect her and want her to keep her dignity in her own home. I'm undermining my 'kindness' value, because shouldn't I stop working and be kind to her instead. My 'freedom' value is coming in for a bit of a knock too, because there's nothing free about being in a home. And on and on it goes.

In this week's workshop we were thinking about what we can learn from our family. None of my family have ever been in a home before - they've all died too young. And yet I was thinking about my mother's childhood. She was home-schooled and longing to go to a school of any kind to be with others.

Maybe that's what I've got to hang onto. Her love of others, her interest in others, her enjoyment of conversation, her need for stimulation...

Gosh, it's a difficult decision... and I'm both the kid and the adult in this one.

Let me know what you've done.

See you next week,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
Creator of the almost-put-to-bed Life Book

Money - all it's cracked up to be?

2009-10-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

I remember being at a wedding in Mexico many years ago. Everyone pinned money to the bride's dress in a very natural way. In London, where I'm based, almost no-one talks about money. Yes, we talk about the economy and the recession, but we don't have those open, honest chats about how we feel about money, how difficult we find it to save, what we want it for and what having money really means to us.

So, that's where Life Clubs comes in. Last week no-one was held at ransom or blackmailed into talking about their finances, but there were lots of lightbulb moments about what the point was of wanting always to earn more and more money. One of our clubbers - a shining example to us all - had everything financially worked out for her future and was pleased to discover that there really wasn't any need for her to strive harder and harder for a promotion - she could live the balanced life she wanted.

If you'd like to have some money hints - or hints about anything else, sign up to our bulletin. Or come along to Life Clubs - we're always pleased to see you - even if you're not wearing one of these money-laundered shirts.

Any money questions? We'll answer them here.

Best wishes,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs and author Big Book of Me and Big Book of Us

Live A More Creative Life

2009-09-28T05:25:00.000-07:00

That was me, yesterday, with a lovely crowd from Alternatives talking about living a more creative life. They (as do most of us) wanted freedom, confidence, joy and more of life and I hope they felt they got it. Certainly everyone left having set a goal (some for the first time) and having realised that they want to bring back more of what they loved as children.

It was a great way for me to spend a day - meeting lots of nice people and having quite a few lightbulb moments myself.

In one of the photos everyone is helping Steve brainstorm how to get more people interested in his product. When we first brainstormed no-one thought of anything Steve hadn't considered before. But when we got 'silly' and started brainstorming using a shoe and a candle everyone thought of wonderful slogans and fun things for him to do - from marking footprints from one place to another to 'Let us light up your life'. A creative tool if ever there was one.

Our next workshop is run by Gordon Melvin and is all about the Enneagram. Find out what type you are, how it holds you back and how to release your true self. The workshop is on 31st October in Westminster, Central London from 10.00-5.30. £75, £60 concessions. If you'd like to come along, contact genevieve@lifeclubs.co.uk.

What would make your life even more creative?

See you soon - amongst the shoes and candles,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
PS My new book (The Life Book) is already on Amazon!!!

Total chaos...

2009-09-25T02:22:00.000-07:00

I am messy. There's no other word for it. From the mess in my car - uneaten sandwiches, half-empty plastic bottles of water and plastic bags littering the floor - to the books, papers and lego lying all over my home, my life is full of clutter.

Monday's Me Day was wonderful. A very organised friend of mine was staying and I asked him to help me tidy up our two office rooms (not my car - I couldn't ask anyone to do that). Of course, it didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. A man who likes a paper-free environment, he was a bit upset by my insistence that I needed to keep certain sheets, but we compromised and filed them all away beautifully - rather than shoving them in my usual cardboard box, and put a new shelf in the bookshelves to store materials in. My rooms look wonderful and it was a treat to do them in the Life Clubs decluttering week.

There's something slightly uncanny about being too tidy. If I'm honest, I've felt a little unsettled ever since my rooms looked so organised. I'm left with a 'What next?' feeling. There's no longer a 'I must declutter' at the top of my 'To Do' list. There's now a 'Phone clients', 'Plan new website', 'Write proposal for next book' ...etc and none of those tasks are quite as easy or satisfying as tidying up my room. There's almost a fear of getting too decluttered as I'll have to take serious action when it's done.

That was my Me Day and his Me Day was helping me. The tidying up and chucking out certainly was happy. Sadly I've got a whole year to wait 'til the next Me Day when I can start tackling my car - or is that just an excuse?

See you this week,
Looking forward,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

This is your last chance to come to my workshop this Sunday, Live A More Creative Life, in Central London. It's going to be great. Book now or just turn up.

To read tips garnered from Life Clubs workshops, sign up to our bulletin.

Selling yourself

2009-09-18T02:09:00.000-07:00

This week's workshop was all about discovering the skills you have and how they can be used in many ways. It's got me thinking.

Genevieve, my 'muse... person without whom I am lost' is going away today for three weeks and I'm wonderng about how I am going to fit into her space and do all the things she does. If you like, can I fit into her outfit?

If I was looking for a replacement I'd want someone organised, good at accounts, good at spreadsheets, can remember everything, good at negotiating, computer literate, patient, creative, fun... and that, for three weeks, has to be me.

Remembering the workshop I can think about my skills and whether I'm up to the job:
I'm organised when I pack my suitcase
I used to be good at accounts when I did them 15 years ago
Gosh, I've never done spreadsheets, but can have a go for these three weeks
I can't remember everything but know where to look things up
I'm good at negotiating for others so will remember Life Clubs is an 'other' and be good
I'm computer literate
Not at all patient, but can be when I remember to breathe,
Tick the creative and fun boxes

I'm now feeling confident that I'll be OK for three weeks... or maybe even four.

We often dismiss skills that we had years ago without realising they're still valid. I can do what Genevieve does, although the thought of it at first filled me with fear.

Do you fill your job description?

Have a good weekend.
Don't forget to come along to my Happy Me Day workshop on Monday 21st September, 34 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU from 6.15-9.00pm. £15 (all profits to charity).
See you next week for more...
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
Author The Big Book of Me and The Big Book of Us

Media darlings...

2009-09-11T05:59:00.000-07:00

Oh the glamour of it all!

This week I was invited to talk to some Zest Magazine readers AND the winner of the Psychologies Magazine competition phoned up as she’d won a Life Club with friends in her home as a prize. I can’t tell you how media I feel (a far cry from my holiday in the country!)

At Zest Magazine I was talking to a group of women who wanted to lose weight. They all looked gorgeous, but I suppose that’s not how they feel. They’d already had a nutritionist and a fitness trainer talk to them, so I thought helping them stick to their diet would be the best way to approach things.

When thinking about what had kept them motivated all their lives to do the things they do (whether it was brushing their teeth, eating, staying friends or working), they came up with love, fear, fun, discipline, and routine.

For most of them, fun and love were two of the main motivators, so we brainstormed around how they could make weight loss fun and bring love into it. They left with a smile, a determined look and an ‘I look great’ Life Clubs sticker.

Talking of media, I’d love it if any of you who read and liked either The Big Book of Me and/or The Big Book of Us could go into amazon and write something nice about them. I’d be so grateful.

Bottom line: come and join me in the world of glamour.

Nina
Founder Life Clubs and the soon-to-be author of The Life Book and How To Be What You Want To Be
PS On Monday 21st September, from 6.30-8.30pm, Life Clubs is celebrating Me Day and Nina will be running a special workshop plus tea party, profits to charity, in The Abbey Community Association, 34 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU. Hope you can come (£15 only). Let genevieve@lifeclubs.co.uk know so we can put you on the guest list.

You choose...

2009-09-04T01:33:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from the most perfect 'holiday'. I had a month in the country, finishing my two books that are going to be published next year. I did a few hours work, answered some e-mails, made some phone calls and then relaxed for the rest of the day. How much more blissful could that be?

But it may not suit you. I have friends who don't want to work at all on their holiday. They just want to sunbathe or swim or sightsee or read. For them a month of working - a change, rather than a rest, just wouldn't work.

This picture showing all these stunning colours makes me think of the choices we each of us have when we want to balance our lives.

For you, is the green a walk in the woods or earning money? Is the yellow a sunny day or going to pray? Is the red going out dancing or visiting your mum? You can pick and choose and balance the colours to suit you.

Every day we have to make choices about what we want to do - how we want to live our lives. In order to know the life balance you want, you have to know what you want.

This week's (7th-11th September) Life Club will show you how to create the rainbow that works for you.

See you there - it's definitely a stripey week.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs and the soon-to-be author of The Life Book and How To Be What You Want To Be
PS On Monday 21st September, from 6.30-8.30pm, Life Clubs is celebrating Me Day and Nina will be running a special workshop plus tea party, profits to charity, in The Abbey Community Association, 34 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU. Hope you can come (£15 only).

Choosing Your Perspective

2009-08-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

We went to the fairground twice this holiday. I love the fairground. When I was a child it was a real treat to go. I'm basically a coward and don't like feeling sick, so this particular fairground isn't for me. The two adult rides are much too scary and the dodgems did my knee in last time. My current perspective on the fairground is an 'adult' one of indulging the children and taking photos. It's a 'low-key' perspective. Just right for how I feel right now.

The first time we went the fairground was empty, so we chatted to Dave, the fairground owner (seen in his cabin in the middle of the Waltzer) about his life. He is selling one of the rides for smaller children (the kind I would like to go on if I was small enough). Dave's perspective is that it's not much of a life for fairs right now because entertainment is the first thing on the shopping list to go. Judging by that night, he may well be right, but it felt like a 'no matter what I do it won't work' perspective.

The second night was busier and the children's perspective was the 'I'm going to try everything' perspective. They thought that the whole experience was enormous fun and were grateful that their heads didn't fly off as they were spinning round the Waltzer. Maybe it's a 'we've all got taller' perspective.

The week of Tuesday 1st September (we're not open on Bank Holidays) is our Choosing Your Perspective workshop. It's incredibly good fun and I frequently run it in corporates when pitching for business. You'll love it - or at least that's my perspective.

See you there,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs and author 'The Big Book of Me' and 'The Big Book of Us'
PS Do book now for my Alternatives workshop 'Live A More Creative Life' on 27th September.

body lessons

2009-08-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

Next week's workshop is all about re-connecting to the primal source of you - the place you live. Your body.

Speaking as a 8 month- pregnant person, I have had a bit of a journey with my relationship with my body on this ride.

from having the 1000% cliché thought that all expectant parents have that they have created MIRACLE. (you and everyone else who was ever, um, born)
to the exhaustion and weirdly flu-like,-trippy 1st trimester,
to the blooming, strong hair and nails I Feel GREAT 2nd trimester,
to the Wow, I Am Really Growing A Person and my belly is HUGE 3rd trimester
to the final frontier of OMG, How Am I Going to Get Him Out???

Lessons galore. And I know many many more to come.

Here are a few I've been given. Trust. Rest. Balance. Slow. Extreme Care. Kindness. Belly love.

In fact we should all probably treat our body as if we are all pregnant. Eat when you are hungry. Eat frequently and really well. Sleep as much as you need. Rest. Relax. Move in ways that make you feel good. Take vitamins. Love what is happening in your body.

Brilliant for all humans!

Mostly I have discovered lot of trust in my body in a way that I never have before. IT knows what to do, even if I haven't a scoobie. For once, my clever and prone to control brain can't *do* this. It is kind of a relief.

I have a new found respect for what my wise body can do. And what a relief to finally get licence to really listen to what it needs.

And a perfect spring board for me ... I'll be going on my maternity leave after this workshop -- hopefully even more connected to the resilient place where both me and my unborn boy are living.

Won't you come and connect to your home? Find out what your body has to say. I bet it misses you.

Be well everyone!

Your Blooming Glasgow Host
Carol

Energise your body

2009-08-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

It's summer and my daughter and I have decided to get fit.

She's exercising a little more regularly than I am, as you can see. Even at the end of the day, her and her boyfriend are bicycling on the bed. If I manage a swim in the sea and a game of tennis I'm thrilled - and so is my body. I couldn't face a late night cycle.

So often we ignore our bodies and just huddle up on the sofa or squashed in a chair and write or sit on our computers (as I've been doing for the last six months). It feels great to pull them out and use them.

I've also been learning to think into my body. I mentioned the Enneagram a few weeks ago. I'm what is called a 'head' type. I live in my head. I go on walks thinking 'A loose stone... I might slip' or 'A muddy puddle... I might get stuck.' It means I don't ever trust my body and what it's doing. Since writing my book and that workshop, I've been trying to put my mind on hold and walk along, really feeling the ground under my feet. I know that sounds totally weird and as if it ought to be natural, but it's not.

I now go on walks noticing textures underfoot and just trusting that I'm not going to slip or slide or get stuck and it makes going for walks an adventure. I can skip and jump and not feel nervous.

This week's workshop is all about energising your body.

You can jog to your nearest workshop...

How do you energise your body?
All best,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs and author of The Big Book of Me

Best Life Ever

2009-08-13T14:55:00.000-07:00

This week's workshop (week of 17th August) is all about discovering your ideal life.

One of the ways to do it is to start off by thinking what a perfect day for you would be. It's a boggling exercise the first few times you do it, but I'm getting better and better at it - though of course then I change my mind and everything has to be reassessed.

Just start by noticing what you're enjoying doing and what you aren't.

For example, does the time your alarm goes off feel like a good time for you to wake up or not? What's your stomach saying it would like for breakfast? A smoothie or fry-up? Muesli and yoghurt or toast and marmalade? And would you eat it in bed or not?

And so it goes on, until you become aware of what you want from your day and what you don't. And, once you become aware, you can build some of those things in to your life so you can feel happier and happier. And then, when you've done them, it's easier to compromise and do what you know you have to do.

Two things to inspire you:
The first is my little film on creating your ideal life. You can watch the whole performance too if it fits in with your ideal day.
The second is these photos of my son feeding the mullet at our local aquarium. Such squeals of delight and happiness came from him that I knew he'd definitely want to feed those fish again.

Come and squeal with delight this week at Life Clubs and let me know your ideal day,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
Author The Big Book of Me and, shortly to be published, The Life Book

Finding your talents

2009-08-08T00:45:00.000-07:00

These exquisite colours are a display of frilly knickers in a shop in Florida. They were laid on a table in the middle of the shop, just put there for us to buy them in a pick 'n mix type of way and I stood there for ages enjoying the colours and the way they were put together. I didn't want to own just one pair, I wanted to own them all and exactly in that combination. In the end I just took a photo and marvelled at the talent of it all. The talents of the designers who chose that colour palette, the talents of the store designers who decided they'd be arranged in that order and the talents of the shop assistants who kept them looking so neat.

This week's (week of 10th August) workshop, Finding Your Box of Gifts, is what I did before I started Life Clubs. I helped others discover their talents - what made them unique - so they could use those talents in the world. This workshop is the very first step to doing just that. You'll leave either knowing something new about yourself, having found one or more new talents, or being amazingly reassured that you're already on the right path.

And maybe I could revisit photography as being one of my talents and clean my camera lens.
See you this week,
Nina
Founder of Life Clubs, author of The Big Book of Me and (just handed into editor) The Life Book

Where does your energy come from?

2009-08-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows how crazy I am about a system of viewing the world called The Enneagram and next week's (3rd August) Life Clubs workshop is just a brief introduction to it. It'll get you thinking about whether you're a body, a mind or a heart person and, once you've discovered that, help you find out how to relax.

I remember the first time I was introduced to this part of The Enneagram, my friend, the wonderful Gordon Melvin, had us all walking round discovering where our attention was. Was it in our feet - noticing how our feet were solid on the ground (Body type) or was it in noticing what we were feeling and how connected we are to others (Heart Type) or were we just thinking all the time about what was going on around us and if there was any point in doing this whatsoever or not (Mind type).

Without a shadow of a doubt, I'm a skeptical mind type who likes relaxing and does it by occupying my mind. Last year it was a succession of Thomas Hardy novels, this year I'm going to wait to see what my daughter has to read for school and go for that. I like reading in company.

This week, come along and find out what relaxes you - and, if you'd like to know more about The Enneagram, on Saturday October 31st, in Central London, Gordon is going to be doing an all-day workshop on The Enneagram arranged by us. Discover what your personality type is and how it affects not only you but all the people you know and love. Contact nina@lifeclubs.co.uk to find out more.

See you now and then,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
Author of The Big Book of Me and, in three days when it will be totally finished, The Life Book

I assume you will want to read this

2009-07-24T03:23:00.000-07:00

Don't Make Assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

Next week's Life Club is all about expanding your mind and getting clear on what assumptions you hold.

Last year I was on an 11-month Leadership course in California and one of the books we read as part of the course was The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz. It is 1% Out There, about using Toltec Wisdom. When I started reading it, I assumed it was a little bit Airy Fairy. Boy, was I wrong. It was truly eye opening.

It is a bitty little book -- easy reading, and in it has 4 principles to live by -- and the third is Don't Make Assumptions. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

Here's what I learned.

We humans are excellent at making assumptions. Especially about other people. We assume that we know how someone is going to react to us, what they are thinking, what their motives are, what kind of person they are based on a number of random factors. How do we really know? Well, we don't.

And we are great at assuming about ourselves. We assume that we are destined to fail, or succeed, or be liked, or not. It short-circuits lots of things we could do.

The issue with this assumption business is that our tendency is that we truly believe our assumption. We turn them into hard-core judgements and then make our life decisions about people, about ourselves, based upon them. Not only do we believe our assumptions about what other people are thinking, but then we end up taking those assumptions personally and even end up resenting the person. All of this over an assumption - a guess we MAKE UP.

That is a lot of work ... based upon things we are, um, guessing at!

Making assumptions isn’t just about interpreting other people, either. We often assume that they know what we’re thinking, as well.

This is classically seen in any romantic relationship.

"He hasn't called, so he doesn't like me"
"This birthday gift is so generic, she has no idea who I am"
"If he really loved me, he would know not to do that!"

One of the biggest assumptions we make is that everyone else sees the world the same way we do, and that creates a lot of un-necessary drama and chaos.

The best way to go about not making untrue assumptions is also really obvious: Ask. Once you have an answer to your question, it’s a good idea to go ahead and ask again to make sure that you really understand what has been said to you.

No one is saying this is easy stuff. Frankly, not making assumptions is just plain hard. The author points out that just learning about our tendency to make assumptions is a great first step in putting an end to it. Of course, it is only a first step.

Here's a test: What are you assuming about me since I wrote this? What are you assuming about yourself?

Am I right to assume you are now all chomping at the bit to get to next week's Life Club?

:-)

Assumptively yours-
Carol
Your American Glasgow Host

Expand Your Mind

2009-07-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

I love the way this forest reminds me of Sleeping Beauty, somehow you have to battle through the closed-offness to find the beauty within.

That's the way our minds work. We're closed off like a giant forest. We make assumptions about ourselves, our life, life, other people... and it's only when we get out our swords and chop through the forest that's imprisoning our mind that we find the beauty within - and without.

This week's workshop (week of 27th July) is all about assumptions and I'm waxing lyrical because I've almost finished the main part of my book (The Life Book) and the joy is sublime. I do hope you'll read it when it comes out. That would make it all worthwhile.

See you this week,
Love Nina
Founder Life Clubs
Author of The Big Book of Me

favourites

2009-07-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

My clubbers like to tease me when I am announcing the next week's topic that I (apparently) always say "Oh this one is my FAVOURITE!" ("They are all your favourites, Carol!")

But this time I mean it. I love the Mirror, Mirror workshop. I remember doing it for the first time and feeling really connected and started to look at myself from a new place.

You get to recognise all the cool parts of yourself that are already there, and maybe just not so crystal clear to you. And turn it around to how you see other people and recognise yourself.

It is like adding a new dimension to your regular mirror that you see your same face in every day, and discovering a secret door with all sorts of goodies in it.

What you see in other people you have in yourself. It is the "You spot it/you got it" theory. There's a lotta lightbulb moments on this topic!

I remember owning up for the fist time to being brave, to being smart and to being a hard worker -- all things I didn't know I was! And I also learned how to channel the people who had the qualities I wanted!

Learning something cool that helps me be a better me is ALWAYS one of my favourite things!
Come find out yours!

Your Glasgow Host and Development Junkie
Carol

Why do mirrors annoy?

2009-07-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

Apart from the fact that it can be almost impossible to look in a mirror when you're (or should I say I'm) having one of those bad hair days, this mirroring workshop (week of 20th July) is about other people and the way they mirror you or you mirror them.

It's a majorly complex subject, always does my head in just thinking about it, but I was talking to one of my mentors, a wonderful about to be 80-year old lady called Jane Whistler, and she gave me a interesting thought about mirroring which I wanted to pass on to you.

Imagine someone is driving you crazy because they're always late. You look at them and you don't see a mirror there because you're never late. How can they possibly remind you of you - you have nothing in common.

But what the mirror is showing you is how horrible a person you're becoming by being so intolerant about their lateness. By looking at them critically, reflecting back at you is what a sour, petty person you're becoming.

So, having now understood that, I am never ever going to have a nasty thought about anyone ever again - because it will just reflect badly on me.

You are all wonderful as you are.
See you at Life Clubs admiring my reflection,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
Author Big Book of Me and Big Book of Us and two/thirds through writing The Life Book.

saying yes

2009-07-10T04:26:00.000-07:00

I'm the host of our Glasgow Life Clubs and am thrilled to be adding my 2 cents to our blog.

I have been thinking a lot about what I am saying to no ... I am just over 6 months pregnant with my first baby!

It seems there are a lot of things I have had to say no to ...

all my favourite runny and unpasteurised cheeses (Oh goat and Blue, how I miss you!)
my many cuppa comforts every morning
wearing my wedding ring (too tight!)
a slim summer
my margaritas and glasses of wine
staying out past 10! (I go mute and fall into a drooling slumber!)

And while this felt a little like a hardship the first few months, I am slowly realising that all those "nos" are adding up to LOTS of "yes-es".

I am saying yes to:

growing a healthy baby and really taking care of myself (which feels lovely!)
really surrendering to my expanding belly
napping at whim
excitement of becoming a momma
something bigger *and more important* than just me!

And I know this is just the beginning. I am CERTAIN that once baby boy comes, I'll also be saying no to sleep, normalcy, freedom, control and spontaneity!

And in return I'll be saying yes to embracing chaos, going with the flow and sweet, simple time with my new family.

It is so easy to get caught up in what we are not getting/doing/being. Flipping the switch to the yes is such an excellent way to turn it all on its head. After all, it is our choice.

Can't wait for next week's workshop when you will all get the chance to say no to things you really really don't want and find your magic Yeses.

It is a giant relief.

Oh yeah ...

Carol
Your American Glasgow Life Clubs Host

Yes or No?

2009-07-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Although this stop sign represents our saying 'No' workshop (running week of 13th July) and I'd love to tell you how brilliant our workshop is so you all come, actually I said 'Yes' this week.

I said 'Yes' to going on a two-day course when I am meant to be writing my new book (The Life Book) and should not have left my sofa. So, I feel bad about that and, if truth be told, slightly oppressed and heavy in my head about not having got on with my book for two days.

But, I have come back feeling happy and refreshed from a course all about change and inspiration and clarity. The course was arranged by Talent Innovations and was very good, but what was especially good was meeting fellow participants who were all open and friendly and learning. I feel I've returned with renewed energy and a bulging address book.

So I said 'No' to my publisher and all those thoughts that went 'You won't finish the book if you take two days off' and enjoyed myself. Who or what do you have to say 'No' to to come to Life Clubs?

Let me know (pardon the pun).

See you soon,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Telling it like it is

2009-07-03T00:49:00.000-07:00

Now this may just look like a blank piece of paper, but on it is anything and everything you want to say to anyone - you choose and imagine.

Is it for that person who was so kind to you who you'd like to say 'thank you' to? Or that person who almost ran you over the other day who you'd want to say 'please pay more attention to zebra crossings' to? Or to your mum who you'd like to say 'I'm sorry' to? And on and on.

We so rarely say what we want to say to other people because we're afraid to. We might get over-emotional and start crying. We might get angry or we might get embarrassed. For whatever reason, we hide away from saying lovely things to people and we hide away from giving constructive feedback.

Last time we ran this club, the following week everyone returned with a smile on their face. During the week they'd opened up and actually said some really nice things they'd been wanting to say for ages. A few had had some difficult situations resolved too.

Go on, say it... I know you want to... You LOVE Life Clubs!
I love you too.
See you next week and thanks for reading this,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

A little help from my friends

2009-06-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

I love taking pictures of feet. I'm not sure if it's the shoes - though I did used to be obsessed with shoes - I think it's the gorgeous bits of green or brown or grey that they're standing on.

This week’s workshop is about friends (hence the multiple feet) and what you appreciate about them. I’ve not been able to spend very much time with my friends recently because of the two books I'm writing. But my friends have still been supportive and egging me on wonderfully when I'm not sure if I can create what I want to and I'm not sure if I've got the energy to do it.

What it makes me wonder - and that's one of the things the workshop is about - is what kind of friend I am to them. If I had a friend who was like me - working too hard, obsessed with talking about work, unable to think about plays or films or books or anything else of interest, would I want to be friends with them? I don't think so.

I'd probably find a bit of grass to stand on on my own.
See you at Life Clubs next week - in order to celebrate thinking about friends, you can bring a friend who hasn't been to Life Clubs before for free.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Happy Second Birthday to Watford Life Club

2009-06-19T02:29:00.000-07:00

Watford Life Clubs second birthday celebration was great fun. Juliette cut the stunning cake my daughter had made and we all ate, drank and were merry.
Hope you can make the next party. Cake's all gone, but maybe I can persuade her to make another.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Is It What You Really Want???

2009-06-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

There's a delightful series of children's books about a raccoon called Frances. In one of the books, Bread and Jam for Frances, Frances and her friend are at school eating their packed lunches.

Now, these lunches are not like the kind of lunches you and I might have. They are truly elaborate, fantasy meals with loads of different foods - all mouth-watering. Frances's friend is obsessed with trying to see how many different combinations of flavours working together in his mouth he can experience. But his main goal is to finish all the different tastes at the same time, so they 'come out even'.

I know just what he means. My favourite food is a picnic on a table, where you can dip in and out of various tastes, cooking on your plate and, of course, making sure that it all 'comes out even'.

You've probably had the same experience eating a delicious Indian meal, dipping and diving into all the different flavours and wanting to end up with the 'right' taste in your mouth.

But is it really what you want?

The other day I decided to regularly ask my stomach during the meal if it was full and, if the answer was 'Yes' to stop eating. Did I stop? Of course I didn't. I wasn't hungry any more, but I so desperately wanted it to 'come out even'.

The 'Is It Really What You Want?' workshop (22-27th June) we're running at Life Clubs is about stopping. About discipline. About will-power.

I'm inspired. Next time I'm going to stop the moment my stomach says so. Any hints???

See you at Life Clubs,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
Author Big Book of Me and Big Book of Us

Remember Me?

2009-06-10T03:45:00.000-07:00

It's impossible to remember ourselves like this, but we are still that same person as we were when we were a baby. Yet do we look after ourselves as well as that gorgeous baby deserves to be looked after?

You may want to use the memory of that baby inside you to help you look after your adult self. I'll explain how that works, by quoting from a letter one of our clubbers sent to me. It'll help you see how he uses his 'inner child' to make sure he treats himself well:

"Throughout my life I haven’t made time for myself and I’ve consistently shelved my own needs for the needs of work, friends, family, lovers and even strangers. This regular routine has eclipsed my own basic needs for so long that I became depressed, deficient, and emotionally underfed.

To address this, I think of myself as a vulnerable separate entity (i.e. inner child) who has basic needs that I (as the adult and solitary care-taker) am required to fill (i.e Jake needs to go to swim practice, Jake needs to go to the gym, Jake needs his lunches made for the week.) In a way I’ve become a soccer mom for myself. Over time I have been able to integrate these facets more and am now able to see myself as a thing of value that needs to be cared for and schedule life around my needs schedule. I’ve learned to say no to others and yes to me and am coming to enjoy the benefits of reciprocity. And it’s made life *so* much easier. I still love to give to others, but it isn’t an obligation anymore and I feel much more ownership of my time."

Come along to our Remember Me workshop and find out what your 'soccer mum' would say to you.

My soccer mum is saying 'Eat less', 'Get some sleep' and 'chill'!!!!

See you there (week of 15th June).
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Not sure about licking your nose...

2009-06-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

I feel I've gone slightly animal on you all, but next week's workshop is about body language and this photo I took of a cow in Dorset seemed to me to be just the kind of body language that might put you off wanting to get to know someone.

Even when we don't think about it, there are so many things we know not to do. From licking your nose on, we're already pretty aware of what works and what doesn't. And yet there are so many more things to think about that we do unconsciously.

Do you know what impression you give someone when you first meet? Do you know your body strengths and how you could play on them?

Most of what we communicate we do through our body and facial expressions, so it's good to know as much as possible about how you come across and what you could do to enhance that first impression.

Come along to Life Clubs next week and discover your body - you can tell that cow hasn't yet been.
See you there,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Never again....

2009-05-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

I want to make it clear right away that this week's Never Again workshop is not about being eaten by bears - though it could be. It's about all the things you never want to do again. It's deciding what you want backwards.

This is a scenario that quite often happens to me...

It's late at night and I'm driving along the motorway feeling peckish. So I stop at a motorway service station to buy something and I don't really know what it is I want. I look along the crisps, then the chocolates and then the nuts and slowly eliminate what it is I don't want. That leaves fewer and fewer things to decide between until I've worked out just what it is that I want.

Of course, sometimes I walk in, head straight for the Cadbury's flake and just know... but more often than not, I don't.

That happens in life too. I don't really know what I want to do this weekend, but by eliminating some of the possibles (a long walk, a trip to the beach, hanging out with friends), I'm left with what I really fancy - a lazy sun bath in the garden and time alone to write.

Never Again is a great way of backwards thinking. Come along next week and find out more.

Have you ever been approached by a bear??? I hope not. We're a lot friendlier at Life Clubs.

Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Keep The Faith

2009-05-20T03:15:00.000-07:00

Last week was LAW (Learning At Work) week and Life Clubs went out to hundreds of people and had an incredibly successful time. We visited British Airways and Tate & Lyle and this is some of my group at The Big Lottery Fund. They were learning how to make every minute count and about 80% of those who attended wanted Life Clubs to be brought into their organisation and 100% (give or take a few) wanted more.

So, why am I writing about that wonderful news with a heading of 'Keep The Faith'?

Because of a lack of confidence that I can do what I want to do and succeed at it. Next week's workshop is on confidence and it's something that we could all do with more of. I certainly feel nervous when I go into one organisation after another. I feel nervous when I wonder if I can pull off what I want to pull off. I feel nervous when I read the papers and see how negative the news is.

When I got an e-mail from a lovely young friend on Monday saying 'Keep The Faith, you're doing a great job', my confidence leapt. Yes, deep down I know I can do it, but sometimes we waver and that's what next week's workshop is all about - keeping the faith.

See you at Life Clubs - I know I'll be there,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

I'm still procrastinating

2009-05-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Yet again I was about to start writing my chapter when I found this photo in my in-box.

It's of me talking at the National Mentoring Consortium Awards Ceremony on May 1st. I spoke a little about mentoring and then I handed out an award. It was very exciting and a definite first for me, going to an awards ceremony - even though I think I was the only person there who didn't actually get an award.

Joking aside, it was totally inspirational being there. I wish I'd had a mentor when I was younger - actually I'd like one now. The university graduates who were there - most of them having only arrived in the UK a few years ago, spoke eloquently and warmly of their mentors. They acknowledged that they'd achieved so much more with the help of their mentors than they could have done without. It was a great event and wonderful of those people who give of their services to mentor.

My mentors have always come in all shapes and sizes, from my 10 year old son to my 93 year old mother and a whole load of people I've met on the way. But I like the idea of someone being there for you and holding your hand through thick and thin. Maybe we could just start an informal mentoring system. How's about asking someone you really respect if they'll mentor you - or maybe offering your services to another.

Or shall we just meet at Life Clubs, the random (because you never know who your mentor will be) peer-mentoring system.
See you there... when I've finished my chapter,
Nina

What stops me....?

2009-05-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

It's funny how, even though there's a green light beckoning me forward, I don't always do the things I want to.

I'm in the middle of writing a book - and enjoying it so much - and yet I'm writing a chapter right now that I keep on procrastinating on. What's annoying is that every time I leave it for a couple of days, it becomes so much harder to get on with because I can't remember what I've written and I'm not in the flow and I can't remember what I wanted to say. By the time I've remembered and adjusted my chair to the correct level and checked my e-mails for the nth time and gone and made yet another peppermint tea, I've forgotten again.

We all procrastinate, but there are very simple ways to get round it - I do usually practise them... promise.

What do you do when you notice yourself procrastinating?

Our secrets to getting round procrastination will be revealed next week. I hope you can come along.
To stop all procrastination on coming, we're offering free membership (worth £10) to all newcomers. £15 (or £10 concessions) still payable - works out at just over £2 a day.
See you at Life Clubs,
Nina

Making Relationships Work

2009-05-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

I've been reading all about how to make blogging relationships work and I've been told it's all about asking questions. A good blog doesn't just rant on about relationships (next week's topic) and I don't tell you how bad I am at listening (I do it all day so why at night?) or trusting (been let down too many times) or relaxing (working is so much more fun).

Instead I get to ask you lots of questions and you get to answer. So, here goes:

What secrets have you got as to how to make relationships work?
What would you like to have known at 16 about relationships?
What would you like to know now about relationships?

Please tell me as then we can start our relationship.

I can't wait...
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Pictures speak louder than words

2009-04-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

I took this photo on the beach outside a row of beach huts. I suppose children might have been painting the stones that day - anyway, I thought they looked fun and they reminded me of this week's workshop which is all about using images to solve problems.

I was inspired to write the workshop by a friend of mine. I was extremely gloomy one day and she asked me what the landscape I was mentally in looked like. I described to her that it seemed as if I was in a wide, wide river and unable to swim to the other side. When she asked what would help me I said 'A branch - I could hold onto that branch and not feel as if I was about to drown'. The moment she said 'Who is that branch?' I instantly knew who I had to ask to help me and I hadn't even thought about that person before.

The moment you think visually you free your mind up to the most exciting lightbulbs. Or maybe even to painting a few stones on the beach.

See you next week at Life Clubs with paintbrush.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

The Rules of Happiness

2009-04-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

It's a wonderful idea that happiness can be created by rules. That if you just follow a few simple steps, something so seemingly elusive can be yours.

If I was writing those rules, certainly a swimming pool would tick my first rule box. Swimming frees me from my body, it makes me feel playful, it focuses me on being in the present, it stretches me, I feel alive.

I've loved quite a few pools in my time. Kidney-shaped ones in Los Angeles, one filling-up an entire suburban garden in West London and one on top of a roof in New York. But many, many years ago I went to Mexico with Annie Lionnet (who hosts the Bath Life Club) and I think we stumbled there upon one of the happiest-making pools ever. It was large and very clear and blue, overlooking a stunning bright green sea and, right in the middle, was a cocktail bar with a parasol on the top. Pure decadence.

Come along to Life Clubs this week and discover those rules of happiness.
See you there - swimming costumes only allowed.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Being You

2009-04-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

I love Russian dolls at the best of times, but this week's workshop is all about values and to me that little Russian doll says so much about values. She seems to be peeping out of her many-layered protection going 'My values are what keep me safe'. And yet her values on each level may be contradictory and each doll may represent a different collection of values.

We are multi-dimensional, thank goodness, just like this doll and studying our values is one of the most fascinating and fun and basic introductions to self-development.

I strongly urge you all to have a go.

See you at this week's Life Club,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs who values... integrity, freedom, happiness, running along the beach (not doing enough of that these days!) to name but a few.

Get to the point

2009-04-09T04:45:00.000-07:00

Next week's workshop isn't about ransom notes, it's about creating an arresting headline for your future. What it does, as well as bringing out creative qualities you never knew you had, is really sharpen your mind as to what it is you want and why.

I decided I wanted to write a headline about losing weight. I imagined it as a 'Stunning-looking Nina turns heads' type of headline, but as I started going down the headline route, I realised that the reason I really wanted to lose weight was because my assumption is that successful businesses are run by thin women. This massive 'lightbulb moment' brought about a 'Streamlined Nina steers Life Clubs to success'.

Now, that's more like it.
See you at Life Clubs with all your headlines,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

I can breathe again

2009-04-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

I promised you ages ago that I'd show you a photo of the lovely Canadians (Pat - holding Life Clubs sign, then clockwise, Eva-Marie, Jeannette, Michelle, Colleen and Greg) that Carol (Glasgow Host) and I trained in March and the photo has been sitting on my screen for about a month waiting for me to do just that.

This week at Life Clubs we're decluttering - and that's clearing everything from our minds to our stomachs and our computers and I thought I'd start with my computer and put everything where I want it to go.

There's something so satisfying about putting things in the places you want them. It's almost like playing with those posting boxes we had as children. You put the triangle in the triangle hole, the circle in the circle hole and the square in the square hole and they fit and they're gone and nicely tucked away and you can breathe again. It's so nice and calm.

If only real life was that easy. I've put this one photo here and have 'only' another 21 items left to sort. But at least I've got started... hooray.

See you this week,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Turning fright to delight

2009-03-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

This picture reminds me of my father. At his funeral someone made a speech about him saying that he was neither famous nor powerful nor rich, but that his life was like a stone thrown into water, he created an impact on the first circle around him which in turn created a larger impact and so on. My father was the first splash and the way he touched everyone he met was passed on and on and on.

I've always liked that idea - that the thoughts and actions of one person spread outwards to influence many and I think it has other uses. This week's workshop is about fear and to my mind, a great way to overcome fear is to see moving forward like a stone being thrown into water.

Let's say I'm frightened of public speaking. I feel the best thing is to throw myself (not necessarily literally - though it may feel like that) into the water. Once I've done that and made my first speech, my courage will grow, like the ripples grow, until I can make more and more and more speeches.

If there's anything you feel frightened of, come and work with us this week on turning your fright into delight. Enjoy being that stone - and those ripples.

Looking forward,
Nina

2009-03-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

This week's workshop had us deciding on our priorities and focusing. It worked wonders for me and many of my clubbers as we organised our lives choosing just three things (think of them as stones) we wanted to do each day of the following week.

So, for example, yesterday I went supermarket shopping (one of the things I really dislike doing) and that was one stone, I ran my club (another stone) and I went to a meeting (a third stone). Needless to say everything else fitted in really nicely around those three focus points.

My day felt balanced and I knew I'd accomplished what I wanted to do.

My stones for tomorrow are to go for a swim, re-sort my internet filing cabinet and go out for dinner - what kind of a delightful day is that?

Hope you all have a suitably wonderful weekend too juggling your stones,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

One Life Survey

2009-03-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

We braved One Life and loved it. Our stickers were, once again the talk of the show. We had four this time :

Laugh More
Love More
Play More
Earn More

Guess which ones went quickest? (answers below)

There are photos here of our stand, of Martin (runs our Great Missenden club) wanting to play more, Brigitte (about to start our Hammersmith club) wanting to love more, my son, Thomas, wanting to earn more, Genevieve (my right-hand woman) wanting to laugh more, a few friends we met along the way and Paddington Bear wanting to love more.

It seemed that whatever sticker people wore set their mood for the day. Great fun and a wonderful general way of living your life - deciding what you want and going for it.

(Answers: Laugh More was the most popular, then Play More, Love More and Earn More).

See you at Life Clubs.
Nina

From now on...

2009-03-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

I'm not the kind of person who puts pictures of herself in a swimsuit on her blog, but this was exciting... Near Toronto, minus 5 degrees, 6.00pm at night (so, getting dark), pink champagne and the hottest of hot tubs with Pat who'd just bought a two-year licence to run Life Clubs in Shalom Village, her care home, and the wonderful Carol (who runs Glasgow Life Club) keeping me company. Just to let you know how cold it was outside, Carol had to go indoors after the photo. Oh the magic of hot tubs and how wonderful the Canadians are - working hard and playing hard. And, for those of you who, like me, had never had wine in a hot tub before, let me tell you - it goes straight to your head.

When I work out my other photos I'll show you who else I was working with, but until then, enjoy the delights of Canadian hospitality from afar.

From now on I'd like to live like that.
All best,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Who am I now?

2009-03-09T05:34:00.000-07:00

You know how you can force a flower to open up more quickly by placing it in a hot environment? Well, this week's workshop is a little like that. I'm not suggesting we should all go somewhere hot or stick ourselves in a sauna, but just that we too can force the change in ourselves if we want to.

This week I forced the change in myself. I went from being Nina, creator of Life Clubs, to Nina, creator of Life Clubs Global as Carol (my Glasgow Host) and I took Life Clubs to Canada. It was truly exciting, scary but wonderful to step out of my comfort zone and into a new one.

To me this flower signifies the beauty and potential in all of us. It's fragile, but strong, ready to delight - and that's how I felt this week.

See you at this week's Life Club - ready to grow,
Nina

A fresh perspective

2009-02-27T16:09:00.000-08:00

This week Anna has arrived at our headquarters. We've already got quite a team, but Anna is here as Head of Sales and Marketing.

As she sat analysing our way of working and coming up with strategies to streamline us I felt almost jealous. I wished I could arrive at Life Clubs with the hat of a stranger on and move it on to the next level. As it is I feel so steeped in the product, I can't see anything objectively. I'd like a little more of her perspective and less of my feelings of maternal pride.

I can't wait until Anna starts really moving things along. She's promised that when she does I can sit and be creative 24 hours a day. I've even been promised my own zone - well away from all the craziness that's in the main room.

I think I've inherited a love of delegating from my father who practically invented multi-tasking. He used to enjoy sleeping best on planes because he said he was then doing two things at the same time - getting some rest and going somewhere. I love having a team because I'm then doing lots of things at the same time - and being allowed to do what I like best - be creative.

More about next week's club in a few days.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

What's in your box of gifts?

2009-02-23T02:30:00.000-08:00

I love this picture of a box. It reminds me of Pandora's box and how, once opened, you can never go back to how you were before.

That's what this week's workshop is about - finding the talents you have buried deep in a box. So many of us were told at a young age that we just weren't creative and it's haunted us for the rest of our life. It's liberating feeling that you're creative and we all are. Imagine how you would decorate that box if it was yours - or would you leave it grungy and mysterious - a nod to previous owners and what they may have kept in it.

Notice what's in your box this week. When can you be like Pandora and open it?

See you this week to discover your talents,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Just how successful are you?

2009-02-15T04:27:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to go into space. I can't imagine anything that would make me feel as successful - as if I'd achieved everything I wanted to. I'd float out there, staring at the world and feel so free and, literally, 'spaced out'. And yet, how silly is that, because it's probably the one thing I'll never do and so I'm setting myself up endlessly for feeling a failure. And that doesn't feel good. I'd like to feel a success.

Once you know how, it's quite easy to feel successful. All you have to do is to finish things - to achieve them. The reason you can feel a failure about your e-mails or writing your blog or being a good mum is because it never ends. You will always have e-mails in your inbox, you will always have more posts you want to write and you will always have children to be there for. How can you possibly have any sense of success in those areas?

Rather than thinking about what you can't do, as we so often do, today let's start thinking about what you are successful in.

I was totally successful at tidying away breakfast today. I've been really successful at being lovely to my children this morning and I'm going to be successful at posting today's blog.

Gosh, I feel good now.

Tomorrow I'm going to buy a map of the moon and start planning my journey. I can feel pretty successful at that as well.

See you in space.
Bon voyage,
Nina

What's Important?

2009-02-08T09:39:00.000-08:00

'Choices. I don't like choices' said my 10-year old. When I asked him how he made his decisions, he replied 'Do what you don't want to do first then you can really enjoy what you do want to do instead of having to worry about things that you don't want to do while you're doing your exciting thing.'

What brilliant advice and if only he practised what he preached, we wouldn't have hours of nagging mum saying 'When are you going to do your homework' as he played endlessly with his Bionicles.

This week the wonderful foot of snow kept me away from my TV slot in Ireland (the airport was closed) and gave me a day in which to catch up on what was important (and that included spending time with Tommy). Tommy and I built a snowman, went for a stunning white walk and I took some photos of snowmen - and Tommy. There's such a great stillness and quiet in the air when it snows. It's totally magic.

But I wish I was straight as that arrow and as focused at all times. That list of 'to do's' is crying out to be prioritised at this week's Life Club.

So, bring all your choices along and let's see what's really important.

See you at Life Clubs,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Mirror, Mirror on the wall....

2009-02-01T03:21:00.000-08:00

One day the Fairy Queen was looking at her subjects.

"They are kind and wise" she thought.

As she thought this, she gave the Fairy King her last pomegranate.

"Maybe I am kind too" she mused.

As that thought crossed her mind, she understood that the way she saw others was a mirror of herself.

"I think I'm wise too" she acknowledged.

****************************************

At Life Clubs this week, we're holding up mirrors and seeing how we can use our findings.

Meet the Fairy Queen and me,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Get Going

2009-01-25T13:36:00.000-08:00

What gets you on to that first step or moves you along to the final one? How do you motivate yourself?

Instead of mentally beating yourself up for not having done what you wanted to, it's a great idea to talk to yourself the way you would a friend who can't get going.

Let's imagine your friend just can't think of anything to say on their blog and phones you up for a little motivation.

Would you be sympathetic: "I know just how you feel. I sometimes can't think of anything to say either, and then I have a shower and relax and a thought pops into my head. I know you can do it, you always write such great posts."

Or would you be all questiony: "What helps you get creative? What usually inspires you?"

Or would you just be brutal: "Oh, get on with it, you're always moaning."

Think about it, because however you talk to a friend is the way that would most inspire you.

And then, when you've written your post, let me have the link - I'd love to read it.

See you at Life Clubs this week where we're getting motivated,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Why?

2009-01-18T11:13:00.000-08:00

Dear All,

It was my birthday weekend and I just wanted to let you know how truly wonderful it was to have a weekend in which I indulged myself and others indulged me. We went for a stunning walk, I had a swim, a facial and manicure, I enjoyed tea in London with some of my children and then supper in Leeds with my husband and son and Alice, my son’s girlfriend. We ate in a tiny bistro that squeezed us in at the last minute and gave me an impromptu pudding with sparklers. The whole restaurant sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and it was great.

All I could think all day was ‘Aren’t I lucky?’

I know that’s not a real question, but it brings me nicely to our topic this week, which is questions. It’s the New Year, what could make you feel as lucky as me? Come to Life Clubs this week and find out.

See you there,
Nina

Isn't it the time to set goals?

2009-01-10T13:42:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I love this photo. The designer chose it for The Big Book of Me and it appealed. Probably because it's so much the opposite of me. I don't like boxing, I don't like violence of any kind - staged or not - and I'm not really someone who punches (and wish I could). My punches, if there were any, would go round a circumference instead of a straight diameter.

Business friends are often saying to me 'You know all about goal-setting, you show people how to do it in Life Clubs, well, just apply it to your business'. And, yes, I can see the logic of that, but the wonder of Life Clubs (to me) is that we set ourselves a challenge every week - a little goal - and that's what we aim for. Once a year (and that's this week), we think about the best way to set a big, life goal, but most of the time there's that wonderful feeling of satisfaction as we aim for something achievable - but just slightly more than we'd usually do - and can do it.

Today however I thought I'd practise what I'm preaching this week and set a larger goal. I didn't do anything for the business - I'll leave that 'til next week (sound familiar?), but I set myself the goal of losing weight. I did exactly what we're going to be doing this Life Club and it worked. The end result was that just a few hours later I was already achieving one of the parts of this goal and going for my first swim. Hooray!

So, let's put on our wonderful red, shiny boxing gloves this week and punch. Punch our goals and punch the air for success.

And, before I forget, have a look at this wonderful piece written about us in today's Times newspaper. I was punching the air I can tell you.

See you at Life Clubs,
Nina

Happy New Year : Best Life Ever

2009-01-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

Dear All,

I started the New Year with no internet connection. Let's hope it's not a foretaste of the year ahead.

The connection is thankfully back, but what its absence did was left me free to visit Tate Modern and what a brilliant way to start the New Year. I'd never heard of Brazilian artist, Cildo Meireles, but I'm now one of his biggest fans. I hate to be an art bore, but there were three installations there that really affected me and I'd like to share them with you.

All three of them seemed relevant to my New Year mood and New Year thoughts.

The first installation was simply a tiny 9mm cube of wood in the corner of a totally empty room. There was just a spotlight on the cube of wood. Meireles is very political, but I'm not even going to attempt to express the thoughts behind his actions. To me, this was a wonderful perspective for the year ahead. I felt that I am that totally tiny little cube in the middle of all that space, and how wonderfully insignificant I and all my problems are. So, my first 'lightbulb moment' of the year was that I am going to keep remembering that space and me as that tiny little cube of wood and keep all my worries in proportion.

The second was a red room. These photos sadly do not do it justice. Yes, I know the walls were white and the ceiling was white too with a diffuse light coming through it, but everything (yes, everything) else in the room was bright red, or as near to bright red as you can get. I have never craved for the colour blue as much. That room was so incredibly suffocating, so intense, so dead it was uncanny. I would never have believed it. It felt surreal starting a New Year like that. In a red prison, longing for colour.

The third was the final installation - again, forgive the picture, the best the Tate provides. Two rooms, ankle deep in talcum powder which felt damp underfoot. One room totally dark, the other long with a burning candle at one end. A magical, 'in the bleak mid-winter' scene of fog, mystery, poetry and hope. I loved it.

Go if you can - don't wait for your internet connection to fail.

Happy New Year,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
PS This week at Life Clubs we're going to be thinking about our Best Life Ever. More trips to the Tate feature high on mine. What makes you happy?

Getting Out Of The Box

2008-12-14T01:56:00.000-08:00

I came across this tiny mosaic whilst walking through London the other day. It was in Mayfair, the dark blue on the Monopoly board, a totally exclusive area, and there were no signs around as to who had made it or why. It wasn't connected to a groovy sci-fi shop or record store. It was just there.

There are signs of creativity everywhere, but we don't always see, feel, taste or hear them - we're sometimes so in our own world of insecurities and worries that we don't notice the things around us. And when we're in that cut-off zone, the last thing we feel is creative.

I have two remedies for those sorts of moods. One is to physically force myself to take in other people's creativity. To put on some wonderful music or to look at some art. I feel very quickly that there is beauty out there and it changes my mood. The other is to take my little phone camera out and just take photos. It doesn't matter if they're good or 'rubbish'. If I take enough, sooner or later there will be a 'good' one, or, at least, one that I'll keep and treasure.

We are all deeply creative, although sometimes we just don't realise it. But we definitely feel so much better when we do.

Here's to a wonderfully creative week.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

The Cycle of Life

2008-12-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

I know, it's not quite Elton John, but this week's Life Clubs workshop is all about change. Not just change in the jungle, but also change in the city.

In both, there is the expected and controlled change 'I'm going to the waterhole, rather than hanging out here' or 'I'm giving up smoking', and also the unexpected change 'I'm being chased by a wild buffalo' or 'I just lost my job'.

Change affects us. Like the bicycle wheel we keep going, but it's only if we're 'centered' enough to be in the middle of that wheel that the impact is minimalised.

This week at Life Clubs we're going to be thinking about how many different parts of our life are changing (either in our control or out of it) right now and how we could get to that centred place in order to be least affected.

See you there,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs
www.lifeclubs.co.uk

Inside it all

2008-11-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

Somehow the image of the Russian doll to me really seems to sum up what values are. On the outside we can sometimes feel we're anyone - maybe we even change depending on who we're talking to or what we're talking about - but strip those layers and underneath we're us with all the values we have around ourselves and our life.

One of my main values is freedom. I'd hate being that trapped doll in the middle of all the others - I'd like to be the one on the top, able to leave at any moment and run.

This value has made me fun, independent and outspoken. You know where you are with me. It's also got me into all sorts of problems. I'm hopeless at the thought of commitment - I was extremely nervous about getting married (and yet we've been happily married now for over 20 years), I've never been able to work for anyone else (imagine not being able to do what you wanted to when you wanted to) and I'm often far too outspoken (and that can ruffle others' values).

And yet when I do commit I'd say I'm more satisfied and fulfilled than when I'm free. Such is the paradox of values - you can be opposites at the same time.

This week, let's discover all your values - contradictory and harmonious. Why not start by working out which layer of doll you'd like to be.

See you at Life Clubs this week for our Being You workshop.
All best,
Nina

Using your imagination

2008-11-23T02:56:00.000-08:00

Although it's grey outside and pouring with rain, just looking at the photo of the dandelion takes me back to sunny meadows, puffing and puffing at a dandelion to see what time it is. There's something magical about the dandelion seeds floating away. I like imagining where they're going, where they'll be seeding themselves.

Do you ever feel like that about your life - wondering where you're going, where you'll be seeding yourself?

This week's workshop is all about using your imagination to clarify your thinking about your future.

How do you imagine? What sorts of things do you like imagining?

Come along and visualise your future with us. We know you'll feel more focused afterwards.

And maybe next time you blow those seeds away you'll think about yourself rather than the time.
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Throwing all your worries away

2008-11-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just drop our problems in the bin?

Well we can. Not all of them, but most probably quite a few of them.

The problem I just dropped in the bin was worrying about the birthday party coming up for my son. I decided that I'd just think about it the day before and stop it worrying me all the time. In the end he was sick so it had to be cancelled anyway, but it was wonderful to put a deadline on my worrying and only allow it to start 24 hours before the actual event. The worry of it had been hanging over me for weeks and I didn't want it to.

I know, that was a frivolous example of worrying, when all around me people are losing jobs and money. But worrying is one of those activities that just makes you unfocused and panicked. It'll probably cause you to procrastinate and not do anything which might make the worrying - and the problem - even worse.

At Life Clubs we're going to see which of your worries can be held onto and solved and which dropped in the bin. And then we're going to see how to solve those we're still hanging onto. We're going to give you a clearer way of thinking.

See you there,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Keep moving

2008-11-10T05:21:00.000-08:00

When you see a picture like this, don't you just want to get out there and explore - expand your horizons? This week's workshop is all about expanding your horizons, removing anything that's keeping you small and stuck and in your comfort zone.

Looking at that I want to get out there and explore what's holding me back and my next step is to get rid of my beliefs that I'll never enjoy getting fit. I want to be able to run, skip, roll and fly down that road. I want to feel my body supporting me, not holding me back.

This week's workshop made me feel so fluid that the feeling spread into all areas of my life. After doing it, I felt invincible.

Come along and feel like that too.
See you there,
Nina

Streamlining

2008-11-03T02:13:00.000-08:00

Streamline is not just a 1960's kitchen, it's a bird flying, it's a champion swimmer, it's a paper dart, it's a sleek car, it's a glider, it's you when you're firing on all cylinders feeling in control and capable.

I streamlined my mind last weekend. I had a belief that I was never going to be able to tell as good stories as my mother and that made my mind feel awkward and clumsy and, of course, inadequate. I decided that story-telling would be something I'd love to be able to do and that a workshop would help me out.

All I can say is that I surprised myself. We were loosened up with some simple brain-storming and then plunged in to telling our own problems and solutions as stories. I amazed myself with the beauty of my imagery and the tenderness of my stories. Plus, by seeing my problems as beautiful stories, they faded into fairy tales and their solution was manageable.

My mind feels smooth and elegant now. It feels streamlined. A limiting belief has gone and been replaced by a flowing stream.

Come along this week and find out how to streamline your life.
See you,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Are you up against a brick wall?

2008-10-27T02:34:00.000-07:00

As I was taking this photograph I started looking carefully at all the different types of brick wall that I could see.

The old brick walls, stuck in their groove and not wanting to listen to anything new, the new brick walls, arms crossed, determined to get on with their own thing and not be disturbed and the brick walls with their interesting patterns knowing how good they were and that nothing I ever said would be as fascinating as anything they had to say.

I sometimes feel I'm surrounded by brick walls and that I'm one too. It's wonderful when you have a relationship where you really care enough about each other to listen and not get distracted by the thoughts that are in your head - and it's so rare.

This week at Life Clubs we'll be listening out for what stops us listening and learning how to listen too.

Come along and find out how to dismantle that brick wall.
See you there,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

It's such fun drawing

2008-10-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Don't ask me why I forget how much I like drawing, but I do.

I found myself today in the Mall Galleries thinking I was going to look at a drawing exhibition, but instead having some pastels thrust into my hand and being told to draw a local view.

You know the feeling, I hadn't much time - was meant to be on a mission, sort of wanted to say 'No', but instead, out of my mouth came 'Yes. Why not, it's a Saturday.' and, instead of rushing off, I sat down with my pastels.

Within seconds I was transported into another zone. I was totally focused on the present moment and what I was creating. I was just a part of my picture and it was great.

In this week's Life Club you too are going to be drawing - and it's also going to be a picture of a view, but this time you'll be drawing with circles only and the view will be your future. Each circle represents an aspect of your life and you jiggle them around depending on what you want.

It's a wonderful workshop and totally appropriate for this very unsettling time. Or is that just one perspective? Maybe they're exciting times in which to shake up our lives and see what it is we really can create for ourselves.

So, come along and draw a few circles. You'll lose yourself in the act of drawing and find your future in the circles. And, if you happen not to like drawing, you can always find your future using stones - as they've done in the picture.

See you there,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Photography in the family

2008-10-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

What do you love doing that a member of your family loves/loved doing and who is influenced by you? My mother was a photographer and taking photos (like these) is one of the things I love doing best -
This week's Life Club, Family Stories is all about family influences. I hope you're enjoying yours.
See you there,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs

Happy Me Day at Base Camp

2008-09-26T01:10:00.000-07:00

Hope you all enjoyed Me Day as much as we did. We ate delicious fairy cakes that Gen created and Smarties and Love Hearts. We also laughed doing the workshop and filling in the quiz. A good time was had by all - including two of my children who joined us. And the effects of the workshop made us all feel good.

Do let us know what you did to celebrate.

See you at Life Clubs this week. We're talking about money - very appropriate at this time of year.
All best,
Nina
Founder Life Clubs