Hello!

...and Welcome to this issue of Time to Think - the bi-monthly e-zine for professional women - dedicated to helping you thrive.

And it's September again already! This week I've been planting spring bulbs. They look pretty unpromising right now - but I just know they're going to look great next spring.

Spring may seem like a long way off, but it's the spade work you do now, in the garden, and in your life, that will create the results you get later.

Make it easier to get the results you want. Follow my 7-stage process and dramatically increase your chances of success.

September's also time for taking stock. And for starting courses, or new projects. Get off to a great start by taking advantage of special Autumn offers on Results Booster programmes.

And remember, you've only a couple of weeks left to be in with a chance to win a Well-being Makeover.

I like Autumn. I like it that you can almost smell the seasons turning. Go on - sniff the air outside tomorrow morning, and you might just smell it too!

Enjoy!

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Get Results

Want the inside track on how to create the results you want? Here is a 7-stage plan that will power you to success. Make sure you apply all the stages. Each one is required.

Stage 1: RESOLUTION. First things first. Whatever your goal, you need resolution to achieve it. For these reasons:

• First - because literally, you want to “re-solve” your situation. To apply new thinking, and ideas. To come up with a solution that really works for you. Remember, the solution isn’t how you’re going to do it; it’s the end result, or the outcome you actually want. Consult your head, your heart and your gut. Take your time over it. Be specific and don’t be afraid to think big.
• Second - the depth of your resolve is a good indicator of your eventual success. After all – if you’re half-hearted about something, how likely are you to make a success of it? To deepen your resolve, think about: What difference will it make? How much happier/fulfilled/richer/relaxed/ peaceful/joyful will you be? And why.

For more help with the resolution stage, check out the Motivation Matrix in your “Get Results” workbook. (If you’re reading this because someone forwarded it to you, you can get your free copy of the “Get Results” workbook by subscribing to “Time to Think”.)

Stage 2: EDUCATION. Don’t go off half-cocked. Find out as much as you can about your proposed solution. Do your market research. Make sure you explore the reality of it and not just get stuck on your hope/idea of what it might be like.

Talk to people who already live the life, or have achieved what you’re aiming to achieve. And find out what might be involved in getting there – and what resources are available to you (e.g. courses, grants, self-help groups etc).

In practice Stages 1 & 2 will probably form a little feedback loop that you’ll go around several times while refining your goal to one that really works for you.

Stage 3: STRATEGY. OK – now we get to what you’re actually going to do, and how you’re going to do it. Planning is vital – it really does save time later and often, money too. Include sufficient detail – dates, dependencies, timescales etc.

Bear in mind that a plan is just that – a plan. You may need to adjust it later, so make it firm, but don’t get so attached to it that sticking to the plan becomes more important than getting the job done.

BEWARE: Some folk really enjoy planning – that’s great - but be careful that you don’t get stuck in endless planning and never actually do anything!!

Stage 4: UNDERTAKING. Time for action! Follow your plan and start making progress towards your goals. Make sure you celebrate your successes. Give yourself rewards when you reach a target or a milestone. And find ways to enjoy the process.

Don’t worry if sometimes things don’t go according to plan – that’s where stage 5 comes in…

Stage 5: LEARNING. Every time you do something, or do nothing, there are consequences. Some things work, and some don’t. Whatever happens you can learn from it and that learning feeds back into the Strategy and Undertaking stages. Which brings us to…

Stage 6: TENACITY. When we think of successful people we tend to focus on the success – we don’t see the umpteen failures that led to that success.

“You may have a fresh start any time you choose. For this thing that we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down.”*

Tenacity is the ability to keep getting up and trying again. Tenacity is also the determination to keep going. Unless you are very, very lucky, you won’t be successful without it.

So keep making the small steps and you'll soon have made a huge leap!

Stage 7: SUCCESS!! And probably SATISFACTION too!!

* Meister Eckhart

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Relax and Revive

Need to chill out, unwind or re-energise? You've come to the right place...

Here's a simple exercise to relieve stress and comfort tired eyes (remove glasses first):

NB It is important to maintain good posture and keep your head upright during this exercise. Alternatively you can lean back in your chair with your head supported from behind, or lie down.

Rub your hands together, focusing your attention on the centres of your palms. When your palms are warm and tingling, cup them over your eyes. Shut out as much light as possible. (You can keep your eyes open or shut them.)

Rest like this for a few minutes, breathing into your abdomen.

When you're ready to stop, open your fingers gradually, allowing light to filter through. Allow your eyes to become accustomed to the light, before removing your hands altogether.

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Turning the Wheel

Along with all this practicality and planning and making things happen, there is also inner work to be done in Autumn.

This inner work can take many forms, but attends to the key rhythms of this magical season. From harvest time to Halloween, there is an ritual flow of gathering in and letting go.

Gathering In

Traditionally, it's a time to give thanks for nature's abundance. It is also time to give thanks for the abundance in your life. You might include:

• the people who bring light and positive energy into your life
• the people who challenge you by being different, or "difficult", or more honest than you might wish them to be
• those you love and those who love you (even if they're no longer with you in body)
• your ability to provide for yourself and your family
• any good luck you've had
• ...??

I'm sure that once you get started you'll be able to think of lots of things to be thankful for. This is otherwise known as counting your blessings! And it's a great habit to get into.

Letting Go

As you head towards Halloween, pay attention to the things you may need to let go of. This might include limiting beliefs, unhelpful behaviours, disempowering relationships, PESTs, etc.

It might be as simple as filling a charity shop bag with stuff you no longer use. It might be as deep as letting go of pain, anger or resentment from the past. You will know.

Here is a little ritual to help you let go:

Gather a selection of small, natural objects: small twigs, leaves, seeds, etc. (NB Do not take from living plants, choose fallen, or blown down, items.)

Taking all sensible precautions, light a small fire in a safe place - for example you could use a barbecue. One at a time, pick one of your objects, name it with the name of the thing you wish to release and throw it on to the fire. You could also do this ritual on bonfire night.

As an alternative, you can drop the objects into a fast flowing stream or river. Or, you could give them to the wind on a blustery day.

You can, of course, let autumn rhythms flow over you. Or, you can work with them, to deepen your self-awareness and your sense of connectedness. In doing so, you take an active part in turning the wheel of your life.

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