Do You Know What Determination Looks Like?

Last week I watched a program about 4 injured soldiers who walked to the North Pole. One had a broken back, one an amputated leg, one an amputated arm, and the last had a paralysed arm and half the muscle on his leg missing. At the end of the program, one of the lads said “I was told to my face I would never do this, but I never had any doubt I would”. The guy with the broken back was told he would never walk again. They made it to the North Pole. To see more about this incredible, inspirational journey, click here.

As I was watching the program about these stunningly determined men, I thought about some challenges I am facing now in my own life, and they shrink to nothing in comparison. If a man with a broken back can walk to the North Pole, I can do anything that is put in my path. Easily! Their journey showed that you can get knocked down and get up again, and again, and again. And that you can do what you put your mind to. Even when most people will think you cannot possibly do it, you can do it if you are sufficiently determined and persistent and you just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

If you have access to the BBC iplayer, you can still see the documentary (Harry’s Arctic Heroes) until Sunday, and I highly recommend it. If not, there are some videos on YouTube. If you are ever feeling worn down, like you are trudging uphill through treacle with steel boots on, remember this story. Remember these men who were told they couldn’t do it…and did. Remember that we humans can triumph over adversity with sufficient determination and persistence. Remember that you CAN do it. It’s got to be easier than walking to the North Pole with a broken back, hasn’t it?!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Love

Donna.x

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How Do You Waste Hours Of Your Life?

Last week I did the ‘reading deprivation’ exercise from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. The idea is that the time you spend reading can be filled with creative pursuits…or just give you the space to hear your inner voice over and above the chatter we put into our lives. Because I am a bit of a book worm, I had put this exercise off for about 2 months, then last week I decided to go for it. I had a busy week planned and thought I maybe wouldn’t miss having my nose stuck in a book as much.

WRONG! I have missed it very much. The exercise actually showed me how much I love to read, and how relaxing I find it. Instead of reading, I have found the time to clear some clutter, pick up a project I’d forgotten about from months ago, give myself a pedicure, watch a couple of movies and some crap late night tv, spent more time piddling about on the internet (NOT the purpose of the exercise), clear out the clutter in my inbox, re-arrange my office and spend more time with friends.

So from that perspective, the exercise has been good… But. The time I have missed reading the most is at night before I go to sleep. This is not (for me) a massively creative time that I could fill with fun, creative projects…it’s just ‘wind-down’ time. I tried writing, meditating, watching tv and messing about on the computer…but none of these are conducive to a good night’s kip. Writing wakes my brain up instead of relaxing it down for sleep, tv (assuming you can find a thing you want to watch) does the same, meditating…well, I do fall asleep – but I’d rather meditate earlier and stay awake for it, and as for messing about on the computer…

Well, that does waste hours of your life. But I don’t find it even slightly relaxing. Instead, I find there’s a kind of manic, obsessive quality to spending hours on the computer messing about. You go from one social media platform to the next, one video to the next, one site to the next, one game to the next. Before you know it, several hours have disappeared from your life and you are exhausted, your eyes dry and grainy, your brain overloaded with information and (in my case) you now really want to read for a bit just to calm the mind down so you can get a good night’s sleep.

So although I can’t say I have enjoyed the reading deprivation, it has been an interesting and useful exercise – for example, I now notice even more than before the time-stealing qualities of tv and internet…and I also realised even more strongly that these activities are NOT good for me. Instead of freeing up time for creative pursuits and hearing my inner voice, I have had less of both than I normally do because I’ve been watching the lobotomy box (TV) and wasting time on the internet more than I usually do.

Interesting huh? How about for you? What activities do you find you lose hours doing…and not in a good ‘oh that was fun’ way, but in a ‘what the hell was I doing for 9 hours’ way? Where does your time get spent? How much of it is spent on a virtual farm instead of outside in nature? How much vicariously in the lives of others and not in your own life? In an average week, how many hours are wasted by activities that don’t enhance your life?

If you spent those hours on something you loved doing, how much would that enhance your life? If you spent those hours having fun, how much more fun would you have in your life? If you spent those hours working on improving your life, moving into a life of purpose, passion and joy, how much progress could you make between now and Christmas?

And if you want some help, support and coaching to help you move into that life of purpose, passion and joy, don’t forget the September special offer – 20% off multiple coaching sessions booked in September. For more details, click here.

Love

Donna.x

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September Practice: Feeling Good!

I heard from a friend this weekend who said she was feeling great…because she had spent 2 weeks making ‘feeling good’ her main priority. She made a real effort to make sure she was in a ‘giggly happy’ mood as much as she possibly could. I immediately decided that this was a brilliant idea and adopted it as my daily practice for September – FEELING GOOD! Do you fancy joining me?

What to do: commit to yourself that you will make it a priority to ‘feel good’ this month. For example, every day you can ask yourself: What would make this day/task more fun? What would I love to do today? What would make me feel good/better right now? Look around for something that will make you feel great. Do things you enjoy doing. Laugh a lot. Have some fun…just for one month (less than that as it’s already the 5th) make feeling good your main priority! Join me for a daily check in on facebook.

Here’s the theme tune for this month’s practice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmwRQqJsegw

Love

Donna.x

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September Special – 20% off Multiple Coaching Sessions

Back to school time, it’s a fresh academic year and there’s a sense of something new stirring in the air. Is a new life stirring for you? Is it time to step up your life to live with more purpose, more passion and most importantly, more joy? Have you been considering trying coaching to help you improve your life, follow your dreams, create a life that you love? Then this month’s special offer is for YOU!

20% off multiple coaching sessions

2 sessions £96 instead of £120, saving £24

3 sessions £144 instead of £180, saving £36

4 sessions £192 instead of £240, saving £48

6 sessions £264 instead of £330, saving £66

12 sessions £480 instead of £600, saving £120

Spaces are limited, so book now to reserve your place

Please e-mail donna <@> donnaonthebeach co uk to book or with any questions you have. (sorry I have to do the e-mail address so weirdly, it’s to stop me getting spammed!)

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