Colouring within the lines

As a kid, I loved to colour. Art was my game, and colouring was my name. I still remember my big cousin teaching me how to colour within the lines, and that was a real gulp shock horror moment, for me. ‘You want me to stay within the lines?’ How boring!

In retrospect, I guess it paid off a few years later when I was one of the few who scraped through Advanced Higher Art back in 2002 – much to EVERYONE’s surprise (including my own). There were some real talented artists in the room too. As it turns out that that was the first year of our new curriculum, and we later discovered that every teacher in the area had misinterpreted the course wrong! If the teacher doesn’t understand it, how on earth will the student? Okay I digress. The point that I am trying to make is that sometimes it’s good to experiment outside the ridged lines of other people’s perceptions and ideas, and express ourselves by painting something new. Something original.

What if the idea you have works? What if moving location turns out to be the best move for you and the company you go on to work for? Can you imagine being Walt Disney and told that you were a rubbish illustrator, and then years later laughed out of the bank for his proposal to build Disney World.

I have never been much of a colour within the lines kind of gal, creatively speaking of course, and to be truthful, I’m glad. Going against the grain is never easy, when you are a creative in an industrial society. However, as Henry Ford one said, ‘if you always do, what you’ve always done, you’ll always get, what you’ve always got.’

Someone, somewhere has to be willing to step out and take a calculated risk.

I have always felt that more companies should appreciate, and treasure the entrepreneurial spirit within their team, rather than squash it. Thankfully this is beginning to change. I believe that instead of being threatened by people who are better than we are in a particular area, we must learn to collaborate and make way so that collectively we can achieve success. However, if you find yourself torn between the voices that tell us to stay sit down, stay in line, then I challenge you to be true to your art and have ago.

Happy bank holiday weekend folks! Thank you to all who subscribe to this blog. I consider it an honour.

This was my final piece for advanced higher art. I’ve framed this and placed it on my desk to remind myself that sometimes we just have to take a risk, and paint.

The oyster and the pearl

I stumbled across a website called How Stuff Works, which explains how pearls are formed in the Oyster to produce the beautiful pearl that is etched onto our chains, earrings and bracelets. I have mentioned the story before, in brief, but being the curious kitten that I am I have delved a little deeper in my research, whilst going through some changes and circumstances in life. First, let me paint the background picture to this post.

“The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle and the shell, which irritates the mantle. It’s kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster’s natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The mantle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl. So a pearl is a foreign substance covered with layers of nacre. Most pearls that we see in jewelry stores are nicely rounded objects, which are the most valuable ones. Not all pearls turn out so well. Some pearls form in an uneven shape — these are called baroque pearls. Pearls, as you’ve probably noticed, come in a variety of various colors, including white, black, gray, red, blue and green. Most pearls can be found all over the world, but black pearls are indigenous to the South Pacific.”

Whilst growth takes place within, notice that it requires an external substance to influence and irritate the organ that produces change. 1. Growth is dependent on our environment 2. Growth is never comfortable Being the reflective soul that I am, and in the process of packing for London, I would like to share a few thoughts today about pearls, growth and change. It’s a bit of a deep topic today, but if you are growing a team, a business, or your own life, then hopefully you will find this useful. If not, come back again soon and I’ll muster you up something a little less meaty.

My good friend pointed out in a conversation that we  are a generation that when something doesn’t work, we throw it out, or trade it in and buy new. Where as the previous generation, baby boomers and above, grew up in a culture that when things didn’t work, they fixed them; she got me thinking…It’s easy to dismiss situations in life when things don’t go our way, or it turns out to look different from our preconceived idea. For example, a business venture that didn’t work, or a relationship that required work, or project that turned out different than what you anticipated.

It’s inevitable that in life we will experience change, and lots of it. When I think back to what it was like growing up through childhood in a rush to experience adulthood, celebrating every inch of growth with a competition between friends. The irony is that when we finally reach adulthood we often find that we don’t like the responsibilities that come with it. If we don’t allow our businesses, or our teams to adapt to the change in the market, or make room for our digital and tech savvy culture, then we limit our effect as a business.  If we wrap ourselves up in cotton wool, and never take a chance in life after listening the bad news reports all day, filling us with fear, then we would miss out on the beauty that life has to offer. Change is readily avoided and resisted by many human beings, and as a result they become stagnant and malnourished, when in fact change is an opportunity for growth.  

Don’t manage, lead.

Some recent events sparked the following thought, which led to the tonight’s blog. If you like the thought, or have something to add, leave a comment below and let’s get social. Don’t be a passive consumer! Let’s take the reins and lead together, or not. 

Why try to manage life, when you can lead. I’ve noticed there is often an emphasis on management in any of the companies I’ve worked for, (and I’ve worked for a few). In my opinion, to manage is to strive, or to push up a hill a weight that is often too big for anyone to carry. Life is more enjoyable, and accessible when we understand the value in the team around us, and in the opportunities we have at hand.

When we approach life from a leadership point of view, we will see the following:

1. Achieve greater results

2. Inspire others to follow

Just another random thought… I know it’s been a while since my last post. I’m editing my first fiction novel, at the moment, and taking my own advice (and the advice of Kid President) in Being A Light; and pursuing my dream with dedication, hard work and a lot of faith. Wish me luck!

 

Being a light

Being a light to the world requires action, requires energy, requires substance.

I could go on, and probably will in posts to come; however, today I thought I’d like this cool little fella share a word that if you press play will surely speak to you. Now it’s great to be inspired and encouraged, but go do something with it.

‘Create something that will make the world awesome!’ Are you doing so already? Well what can you change, what can you do to make your team, company, life, relationship better? Remember what is great today, will be good tomorrow if you let things go and don’t continue to invest in staying fresh.

#kidpresident

What does your environment say about you?

Today’s observation is again extracted from a personal experience. Two words:

Language

and

Environment

It astounds me how quickly we absorb the culture around us. Culture in our work place, in our peer group. We become who we are around.

Now this is not a newsflash to me, but knowing and understanding something are two very different things. To be honest, we need both to be successful.

Have you listened to those around you? There are certain buzz words that your peer group use that if someone, or a few from that group say them long enough, they become ingrained through-out that particular circle.

So if you want to know where your heading today in life. Stop and listen to the words, phrases and actions of your friends, colleagues and teammates.

Like what you hear? Don’t like what you hear? Do something to change it today. It’s not personal if you discover you need to make some changes to your environment. If you want to be an eagle, you can’t hang around with the chickens. If you want to speak French, you don’t go to Germany.

There is no shame in either, it’s simply a matter of choice to be who you are created to be.

To coin the phrase of a good friend; if we want to think outside of the box, we must first know where the box is.

Know who you are, be very careful what you listen to and what you say, and keep believing. A simple, but effective recipe.

Happy Burns Night to all my fellow Scots. 

Have a great weekend folks!

 

What does your walk say about you?

Inspired on way to work this morning, I saw a guy with a black jacket and swagger like he was fresh out the hood that just happened to catch my attention. And that got me thinking…

What does our walk say about us? Not just your psychical walk, although that does share something about where you’ve been.

In psychology they say body language is 80% non verbal.

So what about your life, your business, your relationship?

How do these areas affect your walk in life? And how do you choose to walk?

Do you walk with confidence? Do you walk in faith believing that the best is yet to come and you have the power to change whatever needs changing, or the power to be thankful for what you’ve got on the way to where you’re going?

Not everything in life needs changed btw – which is Scottish for by the way.

Maybe you should stay and work at that marriage instead of chucking it in the bin at the first sign of work. It doesn’t have to be marriage either, it could be any relationship or business. Yet, for some chucking it may be the key adverb. Life is not a dress rehearsal. As Michael Jackson would have said; THIS IS IT.

The truth is, and this is a true reflection on my belief, and my thoughts today that in order to be who you want to be, you have to become who you want to be, before you see it.

So if you’re not quite there yet, then learn to walk the talk.

Don’t just talk the walk.

As they say, ‘action speaks louder than words.’

How is your walk today?

Have you had your health check?

Well, we are almost at the end of the first month of 2013. I just want to ask you today to take a quick stop, look around, and take stock of where you are in the area of concern for you.

Have you made it off the start pad? Have you stopped eating those doughnuts? Have you got yourself together and made some steps towards starting your own business? Have you taken the reigns of your team and decided to do something different this year to produce the results that you have been trying to achieve.

Some of you may think why would I want to take stock when we’re only half way through January?

Well, the truth is we have already lived 528 hours of 2013 so far, and currently have 8,232 hours left…

1. So what are you spending your time on?

2. Are you sticking to the steps you set yourself, to achieve your goals?

3. When do you expect to get there? Realistic and time bound goals are imperative to have, if you don’t know when you’ll get there, chances are you never will.

Sound like I’m being repetitive? I’m simply re-enforcing what I know to be true for myself. ‘We all need regular check up’s from the neck up,’ as my pastor often says.

Being the customers choice

If you want to be the company your consumer chooses, then be the company they’re looking for first.

You attract what you personify in the same way our bodies project a certain message by our unspoken actions, (otherwise known as body language) in which case we push away customers when we fail to give them a smile, or be in the slightest willing to go the extra mile and check the stock room for whatever they may require – especially when we know it’s in stock.

The stock room doesn’t mean this post only relates to those in retail, or warehousing now – the stock room can be the treasure chest of please, thank you and how are you today? Don’t ever underestimate the power of an honest kind word.

The biggest changes are born out of the smallest number of steps; so take a step in the right direction today and choose to be the company you would want to shop in. Leave making a fast buck aside because when it’s all said and done money that comes fast, leaves fast.

The possibility of the impossible, being made possible…

We all have a purpose. We all have a set of gifts unique to us, with desires, beliefs and values that are meant to work together and lead us in the direction of our destiny. Unfortunately, due to fear, uncertainty and what appears to be unquestionable risk has meant that many do not venture out to life the full and abundant life they were meant for.

If you do anything today. If you have ever been told that your dream was a fad, unattainable, or impossible, then I urge you to listen to this clip and consider that if you are hungry enough to achieve that dream, to live with a purpose that extends beyond our own lives and leaves a mark – that’s what they call legacy – then let this woman be an inspiration and an encouragement to you that it IS possible to go against the grain and the labels society tends to put on us, and see our dreams become a reality.

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” (Thanks to a good friend who posted this on his Facebook Post) Don’t let the circumstances of life push you around, decide that irrespective of your past or current situation that you can and you will do whatever it takes to fulfil what is on your life.

The world may tell you it’s impossible, but I would urge you to listen to the clip below and be as tenacious as Helen.

It’s not all about the goal…

Making your goal is just as important as scoring the goal.

Most of the time, it will take a village to achieve your dream – depends on how big the dream is of course.

 

Keep dreaming big, then put some action on it.