Without music

Where the hell would we be without music?
I was so happy when I got my car a few years ago and it had a working radio- this is a first as my previous cars didn't. I think this is one of the (many) reasons why I adore my car Harold!
As I drive along and a song comes onto the radio that I like that is me set up for the day! Of course it is less good if I have a passenger in the car as I simply have to sing along which may not be a particularly pleasant experience for any passengers but hey it makes me happy!
This is one of the songs I heard recently on the radio...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQKjI6395iU

heaven!

My Gran

I have been thinking about how wonderful my Gran is. She is in her 90's and all her life nothing pleases her more than to hear from family and friends,sharing in their news. Every time I have needed Gran she has been there for me. She has this way of making people feel special. She is so proud of anything you do well and when something good happens in your life she is the first to praise you and to celebrate your good news. Gran hasn't had the easiest life at times. She lost her daughter when she was aged only 36 and this was a terrible blow to her but somehow she managed to be strong and stepped in to fill the gap left by Mum. She is a wonderful Great-Gran to my children and now she is living in America with my Aunt and is able to watch her other Great-Grandchildren grow up. We all admire and love this wonderful person and feel privileged to have her in our lives.

Me, Gran and Aunty Rosey!

Forgiveness.

Someone was talking about forgiveness on a DVD today. It got me thinking. When you look back on life some people pop into your head and you can still feel a certain amount of resentment about their approach/what they did/said that made you feel bad however many years ago.
Given time you don't focus so much on these upsets but I have realised that unless you actively forgive the person for the hurt/upset caused the feelings get buried but never really go away.
I have realised this recently. If you think back to a time when you felt unfairly treated or hurt by someone the memories kick-start feelings of upset that bring you right back to the time in question unless you learn to forgive, forget and let go.
I know this is easier said than done but I feel that it works. I think that you forgive for yourself as much as for them. Forgiveness is a cleansing process that allows you to move forward in a carefree way.

near miss

Today a post office van cut into my lane causing me to swerve into the verge. He then cut in front of me and drove into a gated property. I decided to go and talk to him because if you have an accident I believe you each have a responsibility to ensure that the other person is OK. As it turned out it as no harm done to either vehicle so I got back into my car and drove home.
Things like this make me realise anything can happen any time and the best thing to do is live your life to the full each and every day with no regrets!

Missing the Christmas cake...

I know it is ridiculous but this happens every year. I ate the last slice of Christmas cake a couple of days ago and once I have eaten the last slice I have to acknowledge that Christmas really is well and truly over.
I love Christmas cake- everything about it. I make one every year and can't wait until it is time to eat it. I also love Christmas pudding. The other thing I have a hard time giving up is the fairy lights. I still have some up in my bedroom twinkling away in the evening to brighten up the wintry evenings.

weathering the storm!

Today it is windy and rainy but calm in comparison to last night. last night there was a very loud and dramatic storm which had my dog cowering in my bedroom. It made me think of this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ9oHLqO0Vc

more light

There is definitely more daylight now. it can be hard to spot because of all the cloud cover but the days are definitely getting lighter and the nights shorter. We have definitely turned a corner and I am very happy about that!

wonderful weekend

As soon as I got back from work, walking Ollie and supermarket shopping this evening I ate dinner, got into my Pyjamas and am all cosy with the dog next to me thinking about the weekend. I am really looking forward to turning the alarm clock off tomorrow morning and getting lots of home tasks done as well as working on my businesses when I do eventually get up! On Sunday I am at a boot-fair where I will promote my businesses and then on the way home I will drop by and see my lovely caravan!

This photo has nothing much to do with this blog entry but I could't resist!

pay it forward

My friend Cheryl has put up a post which has offered the first 5 people to post back saying 'I'm in' the promise that at some point this calendar they will receive a surprise from her. It will come as a surprise only when she finds something suitable that she feels the people will really like. The deal is those 5 people post the same offer on their wall and give a surprise to each of the first five people to respond to them. What a lovely idea and if people go for this idea imagine how much joy will be spread around.

clarity

After spending some time over Christmas pondering next steps for my businesses and teaching career I am delighted to say the way ahead now becomes clearer. I feel excited and positive about recent developments. I thoroughly recommend trying something new and different if you feel your life is feeling a little limited or stagnant.-If you try a new challenge- it chucks you in the deep end to see if you sink or swim and then you bob up to the surface and start cautiously paddling. I am finding the things I learn in one area of my life positively impact in other areas.
By the way do you believe in Synchronicity? I am starting to notice it happening every day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMBufJmTTSA

networking

Today I went to my first business networking event. It was very interesting, the people were friendly and relaxed and the speaker was very engaging. I couldn't imagine in advance what such an event would be like but now I have been I can definitely recommend it as a useful way of getting to know people and raising the profile of your business. I will definitely go again!

No we didn't all turn up in costumes like this I have just got into the habit of finding some of my photo's and adding them onto my blog....why? because I can!!! :)

looking forward to the spring

I can see that despite the recent cold snap we are turning a corner the nights are getting shorter and I am able to see daylight before going into work!
To me seeing the days getting longer fills me with excitement. I can't wait to get out and about marketing my businesses at local shows and events.  It is good fun getting to talk to new people and I have a lot of time for fellow stall holders and business owners who are marketing their products and services alongside me.

an exciting weekend

I am looking forward to going to see Graham with Ollie later today. We are off to meet Bert the dog and if they get on Bert may be coming home to live with Graham.
I am also of

f to a big convention with other Utility Warehouse Distributors. It will be wonderful to spend time with so may inspiring people!

The Shift

I have just watched the film The Shift- Dr. Wayne Dyer.
It is well shot with a powerful message. The part that struck me the most was the request:
"Don't die with your music still inside you."
What a lovely way to put it. We all have something unique and special to offer the World and when we live an honest, authentic life we are playing our own particular tune.

so many inspirational writers

I find it so heartening getting home from work and picking up my Kindle to read my next book. In the world of Personal Development one of the things I love is that the authors recommend each other and encourage their readers to read books that inspired them too.
Years ago I instinctively believed in 'the power of positive thinking' even before I had read anything on the subject but all those years ago people I knew weren't really talking about it and it was something I didn't really discuss with people but these days I am happy to say more and more people are talking openly about it and writing about it and many of these people are very successful in whatever they decide to do. If you consider that thoughts are things and if you can imagine something then you are able to create it then life's possibilities are endless!

Laughter

I had a good day today. After school some of us went to the hall and did 40 minutes yoga. This was a very relaxing end to the day. As I drove home on Radio One they had a Laughter Guru who taught everyone to laugh their way through the vowels. It was hilarious. I am glad Radio One is featuring Happiness Week. People are acknowledging that post Christmas can be rather dark and depressing and it is heartening that people are trying hard to brighten the days for one another!

hilarious posts

Where do they come from? Every so often I see a post on Facebook that I find absolutely hilarious! They can start off by making me smile and then I work up to a chuckle but every now and then a post makes me literally laugh out loud.  Thanks to the people who originally create these posts you really do make the World a better, brighter shinier place!

Birthdays

It is my friend Jenni's birthday tomorrow and my friend Debbie's son Jacob's birthday today. I am not very good at remembering birthdays and this year I am trying hard to remember whose birthday is on which day.
I don't really know why I am so hopeless at remembering birthdays. Maybe it is because I am not too worried if people forget mine but I am aware that for many being remembered on their birthday is a real pleasure.
The thing I find most important is contact with people. It doesn't have to be on my birthday but I truly value time spent with my loved ones. This is better than any gift I could be given.
That said I was very touched on my last birthday as Clarrie my lovely daughter took me out for a meal to celebrate my birthday. Her boyfriend Ben and my son Jack were invited too. It was a delicious meal and we had a great time and I really do appreciate what she did for me.
This year as birthdays occur I am writing them in my diary and hopefully I will get better at remembering!

Inspired by what I hear.

Today I have had a lovely day. I started off reading another chapter from Tony Robbins 'Awaken The Giant Within' and then it was time to listen in to a very uplifting film featuring Louise Hay and still later a Webinar by Eric Worre. I even had time to listen in to part of The Slight Edge -an insightful audio-book by Jeff Olsen. Each of these people are able to explain very important concepts in a way that resonates with me and makes real sense. They do not all say the same thing in the same way and in some areas they advise different approaches but one of the wonderful things about personal development is that each person who has taken the time and trouble to share their wisdom will speak to different people in different ways. We can all learn from what we hear no matter how far we are on along the path.
Reading and listening to the uplifting words from these people has made me realise that one goal I have is to be like them. To be able to help people to improve their lives through personal development.

Another enjoyable experience I had today was watching and listening to 'The Voice.' Now I am sure the programme has its critics but I find it uplifting. It is lovely to watch people following their dreams and watching how they can touch the hearts of both audience and judge. It is also beautiful to see the strong bonds they have with their friends and families who come to support them whatever the outcome.
It has been a good day with a lot of food for thought. It will take me time to digest what I have learnt today in order to adopt strategies that work for me but every moment of today has been valuable ( apart from finding Ollie with his great snout in my handbag shredding whatever he could get hold of before I caught him! I do feel fortunate that he elected to leave the £20 I had in my bag in tact though as he has been known to shred money too!)
Yes all in all it has been a very good day.

Crazy animals!!

George the Cat is addicted to Whiskers cat milk, I have to be very strict with him and only let him have a little a day. I love how determined George is and how well he knows me. he knows exactly how and when to meow and when to purr to get what he wants from me.

Ollie the Wally is 'a bounder!' I got up early and took him out into the fields this morning. Before we even got there he suddenly sat down and backed out of his harness. He is a funny shape- slim with a barrel chest so you can do up his harness tightly and then when the mood suits him he can stretch and morph into a pipe cleaner or a snake and slither out of the harness so he is free. This is what he chose to do today!

When this happens I can do one of two things- start calling him to come back or act like I haven't noticed. When I start calling it seems that I have entered into a game- a game of hide and seek. This is a game I can never win as Ollie can run like the wind!

No the choice I must take is to carry on walking, act like nothing is wrong and go into the field as normal with Ollie running beside me. If I do this Ollie will come bounding up to me jumping up and trying to lick my face more than willing to have his lead put back on and return home when the time is right!

a little sunshine

It was beautiful for a while today. there was blue sky and the sun was peeking out from behind all those clouds we have been having lately. The sun was even quite warm for January and it was WONDERFUL!

Teamwork

I have been listening to a CD by Jim Rohn. He says 'Don't ask what can people do for me, ask what can I do for them?'
I think that these are wise words indeed. As he points out if we help others get what they want in life we are richly rewarded in so many ways.
He talks of the wonders of getting people together to work on common goals.
Of course it is not easy working together but Jim says that 'everything magic is challenging.'
I believe that this is absolutely right.
I am thinking now of all the incredible things, the magical things that happen in my life. The most magical of all have often being the most challenging for me to work on.
If people are agreed on a common purpose, almost nothing is impossible.
This is a very exciting thought!

Welcome home ritual!

Ollie is bonkers!
I get home and he runs over the me enthusiastically wagging his tail. He then turns in three circles as I reach for his lead and just as I am about to put his harness on he races up and down the stairs at least twice, locates his bone and runs up to me with it in his mouth like an enormous cigar. There is no way I can get his harness on as he continues spinning, wagging and jumping about.
Eventually I grab his collar, wrestle the bone out of his mouth and slip the harness on and then its Walkies!

Who wouldn't smile at a greeting like that?

Weather

The weather is fairly dramatic at the moment. In the USA many are being advised not to go out. In UK we are being battered with wind, storms and floods.
This means that many people are lying awake at night listening to the wind and hoping their fences and roof will be in tact in the morning.
My thoughts go out to anyone who is suffering because of weather damage but overall I must say that
I like living in UK and enjoying the extremes of weather. I like that that discussing the weather is a national pastime and I love the fact that we are a tiny island surrounded by a wild, unpredictable sea.
When the rain eases and the sun comes out and we often see a rainbow!

First day back!

For many today is the first day back of the new term at school. There are a lot of teacher training days today though so for many children this is the last day of the holiday. It is usually difficult to find school uniform and all the other bits and bobs and get the lunch-boxes or dinner money together in the morning rush!
I was a full time teacher until recently. These days I teach on a supply basis which suits me as I develop my businesses.
Teaching is a very absorbing job. I have taught children of all ages from nursery to KS5 and have worked in quite a few different schools now.
What was your experience of school as a child and if you have children how are they finding their school experience? Some children love school, some hate it and some don't go to school either because they have been excluded or withdrawn. Many children have tutors and are home educated.
Just about everyone has an opinion on education. I have set up a website for people to exchange views and ideas. It would be great if you could visit it and contribute your ideas and suggestions.
This is the web address.
Thanks for taking the time to visit it is appreciated: http://www.helpteach.co.uk

new website!

I'm very excited to be able to launch my new website! Please visit at :
http://www.cathywillsandbillslady.co.uk/
and let me know what you think!

One book leads me to another book

I have been very heartened by the people who have responded so positively to a recent dilemma I have been experiencing.
I have come to realise that when I gave up full time teaching so I could build my businesses I found myself with more time free to spend with friends, family and loved ones. You would think that would make me happy but weirdly it did not. I started to feel a certain amount of guilt as I have come to realise that deep down in my core I had the belief that my role was to spend all my time working with vulnerable children, that was my identity, that was how I saw myself and I also felt that was how I gained approval from others.
By moving away from all those endless hours planning etc I felt guilty with all the time I now had as I was not used to it.
When I read Wes Linden's network marketing book which has a lot of very useful tips some of the things he said triggered off the realisation in me that in some ways I was holding back from doing what I want to do out of my feelings of guilt.
A good friend Gail suggested I read Tony Robbins's book Awaken the Giant Within.
So now my journey has taken me from reading one book straight to reading  another. I was able to start reading it last night and have come to realise that my internal system of making decisions ( which comprises of my relationship between 5 main elements: core beliefs, unconscious rules, life values,habitual questions and emotional states) was making me hesitate. By changing one of these elements so that my internal system works harmoniously I am able to produce powerful change.
Books are inspiring as the words written can resonate with us and cause us to reassess how we approach things on our journey through life.
I am thankful for all the  people past and present who try so hard to guide others by sharing their own experiences in books.

Inspired by a book!

Sources of inspiration seem to surround me at the moment! I think this is because I have entered a learning phase in my life. As a teacher I should always be receptive to learning but sometimes it is incredibly difficult to open yourself to new possibilities. After a while many of us think we have pretty much learnt what we need to do and have absorbed the essentials and don't bother taking much more in.
I realise this is a rather limiting attitude to have and I am trying my best to be more open and receptive to helpful ideas and new perspectives.
I have just finished reading Wes Linden's 79 Network Marketing Tips and have found it incredibly helpful in helping me to identify some deeply held beliefs that seem to get in the way of me making progress in many areas of my life.
Once I am able to identify negative thoughts I am able to take steps to eradicate them. As I experience even a slight shift I find I have more room in my mind and in my life to let in new positive influences.
Life really is a journey and making changes can be scary but I am starting to realise there are plenty of people who are making journeys of their own and they are more than happy to share their wisdom and support with me along the way.

Inspired by a pigeon!

Today I have been totally charmed by a little bit of TV I just watched. It was about people in London and their interaction with all the wildlife there. Workers have developed bonds with seals that swim in the Thames. There are grass snakes, slow worms, you name it. The place is teeming with wildlife if you know where to look and keep your eyes open.
Pigeons are easy to spot but too many of us are aware of them yet don't really observe them.

http://pigeonblog.wordpress.com/

I thoroughly recommend you visit this link to find an exception to this rule!
Brian Pigeon and his friends are fascinating and entertaining and yet again we can learn a lot about life and ourselves by watching animals! ( well birds to be precise!)

Sharing my post with Ollie!

It came to me in a flash today that Ollie is so much wiser than me as he lives in the present and takes each and every moment as it comes!
Today he wanted to let me know he was in a good mood. He did not need words to communicate this to me he simply ran up to me wagging his tail then threw himself onto my bedroom rug and started rolling about joyfully!
This put such a smile on my face.
We went outside and the sun was shining after a whole night of rain. We waded into the field me in my wellies cautiously climbing the slope to avoid sliding while Ollie bounced, splashed and ran about.
Ollie maybe I shouldn't have christened you 'The Wally' as I have so much to learn from you!
I have decided to dedicate some slots to thoughts inspired by Ollie so watch this space.
I would be very interested to hear what you have learnt from watching animals ( pets or otherwise) as they have so much to teach people who are willing to learn!

On the subject of learning I want to revive my efforts in launching my little website: helpteach.co.uk
I set it up as an experiment as I have been learning about creating websites and thought it would be fun to create one that might be useful or interesting to other people. As I am a teacher and interested in learning I thought this would be a good subject starting point. If you get the chance to visit it and comment it would be much appreciated. It will only work if other people are interested and contribute their ideas and thoughts.

Snowball effect

I have noticed a lot of people are really making a shift and focussing on being positive. I am seeing evidence of this everywhere!
I have decided to conduct an experiment in 2014. Every time I see someone being positive I am going to respond positively and appreciatively to them. I am going to try myself to focus on the positive and aim not to dwell on negativity each and every day.
I truly believe we tend to reap what we sow in life and the more we surround ourselves with positive people and aim to be positive ourselves the happier and more fulfilled we feel.
I feel happier each day as I focus on happy thoughts.
It is truly incredible.
What starts as a tiny glimmer of hope starts to increase in size and brilliance until I am filled with happiness and hope.
A lot of people recently have spoken about this which I find remarkable as when I was feeling less positive I didn't notice anyone talking in this way... and it is my hope that as we focus on positivity each and every day what begins like a tiny snowball formed in a hand. The snowball is rolling gently along the field gets as it gets larger it feels heavier and heavier. It gets larger and larger as it is pushed up what can sometimes be a very steep hill but we keep on pushing knowing that at the top of the hill the snowball will roll down the hill gathering speed and momentum getting larger and larger, faster and faster, larger and larger until it is truly unstoppable!

Whatever your positive dreams and goals are in 2014 I hope you are able to make them come true x