Sue Blake Media - News and Views from Personal Publicist and Communications Expert, Sue Blake

The Drink Less Mind 21 Day Programme, new from Georgia Foster

NEWS RELEASE

Expert available for interviews

CHANGE YOUR THINKING TO CHANGE YOUR DRINKING!

WITH GEORGIA FOSTER’s NEW THE DRINK LESS MIND 21 DAY PROGRAMME

~ Get your life back under control by training your mind to drink less alcohol ~ see results in as little as seven days

December 2011 – At this time of year, many people are left feeling that they’ve yet again overdone the boozing. Yet what if we could effortlessly train our minds to drink less alcohol, and quickly and easily regain control of how much and how often we drink so that we are always in control of our habits?

All this is possible and more with Georgia Foster’s The Drink Less Mind 21 Day e-learning Programme ~ the most confidential and discreet way to change your thinking to change your drinking.

Introductory price just £129 (offer runs until 31st January 2012, normal price will be £189).

A renowned leader in alcohol control, Georgia has spent years refining and developing her programme for maximum results. Her new e-learning hypnosis programme not only makes her course more affordable and accessible, but also more flexible, so it can be done at any time that suits and in the privacy of your inbox. Over a consistent 21 day period, you will learn why you overdrink, your drinking personality type and how to re-train your mind to learn new strategies to drink less as well as understanding your unique emotional triggers.

Georgia’s unique and acclaimed approach deals with the real reasons why people drink too much alcohol.

“I believe alcohol is simply the symptom, not the cause of heavy drinking and it is your thinking not the drinking that drives the problem. Since creating The Drink Less Mind concept six years ago, I have worked with scientists and experts from all over the world to help people understand why they drink the way they do and how to drink less and still enjoy alcohol,” says Georgia.

Using accepted knowledge from the scientific world that it takes 21 days to create a new habit, her new self-help online course is designed to support this theory. Over a consistent period of 21 days, you will receive via email, proven learning tools and all the advice and knowledge needed to make the change.

How soon can you expect to see results? Participants should begin to see a difference in their attitude to alcohol in as little as seven days, with the aim of reducing alcohol consumption to half their current consumption over three weeks having used the programme daily.

21 daily emails cover:

• Defining what type of drinker you are and how this can help you understand why you drink more than you want to (knowledge is power)

• Daily hypnosis and subliminal recordings (5 brand new hypnosis recordings which are not available anywhere else)

• Introducing alcohol free days (AFDS)

• Learning the ‘Inner Dialogue’ and ‘Drains & Radiators’ theories which threaten to sabotage your good intentions

• Setting realistic goals for your life

• Building your confidence in the new you with your renewed self esteem & personal commitment

• Myth debunking of unit measurements

• Unleashing the ‘little white lies’ toolkit and all the tools and techniques you need to stay in control of your drinking to enjoy life on your terms

Says Georgia: “Some people realise that alcohol is becoming an issue in their lives yet enjoy the taste, social aspect and the idea. There is nothing wrong with enjoying some alcohol, and by the end of the course you will be enjoying alcohol yet most importantly you will know when you need to STOP, and what you have to do to make that happen. You always have a choice.”

Georgia Foster’s The Drink Less Mind 21 Day Programme is now available for a special introductory price of just £129 until 31st January 2012. (normal RRP £189), and you can even try the first day for free and with no obligation.

Visit www.GeorgiaFoster.com for further information and to sign up.

-ENDS-

Georgia is available for interviews on all aspects of overdrinking. Images, press sampling and case studies are also available on request.

All publicity enquiries including requests for interviews and images to Sue Blake Media on 0208 979 5220, 07966 538108, sue@sueblakemedia.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Georgia Foster is an international author and leading clinical hypnotherapist. Her London practice and virtual programmes support a wide range of issues including overdrinking, overeating, smoking, self-esteem issues, sex confidence/anxiety and stress. She is author of The Drink Less Mind, The Weight Less Mind, The 4 Secrets of Amazing Sex, The Stress Less Mind, Releasing the Writers’ Block and The Fertile Mind. Her expertise has been featured in a wide range of media over the years including ITV, Sky, Sunday Times Style, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Psychologies, Zest, Woman & Home and ELLE.

Official Website: http://www.GeorgiaFoster.com

The Drink Less Mind 21 Day Programme Website: http://www.DrinkLessMind.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Georgia_Foster

Follow  the Twitter Hashtag to follow The Drink Less Mind 21 Day Programme: #drinklessmind

Anything is Possible by Jen Hannah

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

By Jen Hannah

 

What’s your dream
that sometimes seems impossible?
Let the voices fade 
that tell you it’s improbable
Hold on to what you love
Hold on to what you Dream of
and you will be unstoppable!

Anything is possible - when you believe
Anything is possible - do you believe?
Anything is possible - believe!

What’s your dream
that sometimes seems illogical?
When you try and fall
your Dream can feel intangible
Chin up, try again!
Stand up and carry on!
and your Dream will become visible!

Anything is possible (when you believe)
Anything is possible (do you believe?)
Anything is possible (believe!)

Hey, hey, I believe!
Hey, hey, I believe!
Hey, hey, I believe
that I am unstoppable, because… 

 

Anything is possible - when you believe
Anything is possible - do you believe?
Anything is possible - believe!

 

Anything is possible - when you believe
Anything is possible - do you believe?
Anything is possible - believe, believe, believe

www.jenhannahsings.com

Prep up for those new year interviews, John Lees’ style

PRESS RELEASE

~ THE INTERVIEW EXPERT ~ 
How to get the job you want

The definitive guide to everything you need to know about interviews from the UK’s leading career transition expert, John Lees

December 2011 - Want to know how to differentiate yourself in a tough jobs market, how to shorten your odds and give yourself the interview edge without months of one-to-one coaching and practice? In The Interview Expert – how to get the job you want by John Lees (Pearson, December 2011, £9.99), the UK’s most well-respected careers expert provides a complete guide to interviews by covering everything you need to know about the whole interview process in one easy-to-read handbook.

John Lees has been at the forefront of careers advice for over 25 years and trained recruiters, interviewers, HR professionals and interviewees. He knows exactly what makes a great interview and gives his vast insider knowledge on how to prepare, plan, perform and impress, what not to say and how to make an even better impression at your second interview using innovative techniques, strategies and tips.

Lees says to get the job you want you need to understand the basics of good interview techniques and put them into practice. Despite an abundance of information available in various books, articles and websites, candidates keep making the same mistakes, either not preparing at all, or doing the wrong kind of preparation and the wrong kind of thinking. In his latest careers title he offers a critical analysis of the world of work and how it operates and provides guidance on how to cover those tricky personal, oddball and probing questions, how to find the right words under pressure and when making presentations.

The Interview Expert looks at the reasons you haven’t put advice into practice before, accepting the fact that you are not going to become the perfect interviewee overnight, yet in the short time it takes to read the book, you can make a big difference to the way you see yourself in the interview process, and the positive results you achieve. It takes routine interview advice and myths apart by giving you an insider perspective on what interviewers really want and challenges you to look at the small but significant changes you need to make to improve your impact at interview, and how to look behind the advert, job description and company information to understand what the organisation is really looking for.

To get the job you want you also need to be prepared for every type of question so that you can give answers that are intelligent, relevant and authentic to you – you don’t need to be the one candidate in a million and you don’t need to fake it. You just need to gain an edge and be considered a front runner for the post from the moment you walk into the interview room. You need to put storytelling techniques to work so that your key messages are instantly more memorable than the more mundane responses offered by most candidates.

By combining all these techniques, you will not only be top of the pile when the interview is over, but leave behind the impression of someone who is not only perfect for the job, but also bright, well-informed and able to offer something different from the standard interviewee.

Chapters in The Interview Expert include; What makes a great interview performance?; Why do interviews go wrong?; How do I handle interviews with recruitment consultants?; Handling interview nerves; Getting into the right frame of mind; How much preparation is enough?; How do I prepare myself?; Pitching your message; It’s not a standard interview how do I play it?; I get interviews, but no job offers...I am confused by interview feedback and My interview is tomorrow!

The wise and realistic advice in The Interview Expert ensures you have all the tools you need. Unlike other career information widely available it will take the reader through a process rather than just offering information to create deeper self-awareness, new ways of thinking, and a touch of inspiration. Armed with the insights in this book you can walk into your next interview confident that you are the obvious choice for the job.

Stockists Info: The Interview Expert – how to get the job you want, by John Lees, Pearson, December 2011, £9.99, ISBN 978-0-273-76255-3 - paperback

-ENDS- 

All publicity enquiries including requests for interviews and images to Sue Blake Media on 0208 979 5220, 07966 538108, sue@sueblakemedia.co.uk 

Notes to Editors

About the author: John Lees is the bestselling author of How to Get a Job You’ll Love and one of the UK’s best known career strategists who is regularly featured in the national media including a recent slot on ITV’s Tonight programme on How to Get a Job.

Formerly Chief Executive of the Institute of Employment Consultants and a regular keynote speaker on careers issues in the UK and also internationally. His expertise as a careers specialist has been sought by a wide range of organisations including Marks and Spencer, Orange, Reuters and HSBC.

Website: http://www.JohnLeesCareers.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JohnLeesCareers

How to find ‘everyday enlightenment’

PRESS RELEASE

ONLINE AND PRINT EMBARGO UNTIL 19TH JANUARY 2012

REFLECT AND REVALUATE - WITH EVERYDAY ENLIGHTENMENT

His Holiness The Gyalwang Drukpa, one of the most influential Buddhist leaders in the world shows how to walk the path to greater happiness & spiritual fulfilment in Everyday Enlightenment

December 2011 - With the celebrations of New Year well and truly over, January is often a time for reflection and revaluation, but how can we really achieve greater happiness and lasting fulfilment? In Everyday Enlightenment – Walking the Path to Happiness in the Modern World (9th February 2012, Penguin, £12.99), His Holiness The Gyalwang Drukpa, the head of the Drukpa Lineage, who has millions of students worldwide, shares his innovative and contemporary approach to spiritual fulfilment in a practical, yet inspirational way.

Ideal for anyone suffering from the January blues and looking for ‘new year, new you’ inspiration, Everyday Enlightenment guides you along the path to a greater understanding of yourself, to achieve a greater inner freedom, clarity and happiness. As the modern leader of one of the largest Buddhist sects in the world, His Holiness is also an impressive user of social media, and regularly uses Facebook, Twitter, his blog and his website to communicate with his students.

Packed with practical exercises and meditations as well as warm personal anecdotes, Everyday Enlightenment shows how to turn anger into compassion, how to transform fear into fearlessness and how to expand your spiritual horizon. His Holiness gives methods to connect with yourself – your true self, not your ego. Unlike many spiritual leaders, His Holiness is refreshingly forward-thinking and his teachings reference and relate to contemporary living while providing insight into how to deal with the demands and challenges of daily life.

“In modern living it is easy to fall into looking outside of ourselves for everything; from material possessions to acknowledgement of our achievements and successes. We even begin to define our identities through the eyes of others; we take on roles and play our parts. We allow our moods to be influenced by others; we search for happiness in all the wrong places. But now you will get to be yourself. ...” - His Holiness The Gyalwang Drukpa

Divided into three main sections, the book explores how we are all connected, how everything both negative and positive is within us, and how only once we have learned to love ourself, can we love others and live a harmonious, happy life.

Tips from His Holiness include:

1. Accept the ups and downs, don’t put pressure on yourself to be positive all the time. If today was good, that’s great, if not, that’s okay.

2. Every day we make choices and decisions. If you are ever at a crossroads, ask yourself ‘what will bring me happiness, more than pleasure?’

3. Don’t cling on to your mistakes or criticism. Have the courage to accept them, learn and pick yourself up.

4. Fear is a natural companion to heavy expectations. Think more about what you are going to do today and you will begin to worry less about what may or may not happen tomorrow.

5. Be less formal, more spontaneous. Give things a go.

Everyday Enlightenment – Walking the Path to Happiness in the Modern World (19th January 2012, Penguin, paperback, £12.99), Stockists Info ISBN: 978-0-241-96008-0

-ENDS-

All publicity enquiries including requests for interviews and images to Sue Blake Media on 0208 979 5220, 07966 538108, sue@sueblakemedia.co.uk

Notes to Editors

About the Author:

His Holiness the present Gyalwang Drukpa (www.drukpa.org) is the head of the Drukpa lineage of Buddhism, one of the main spiritual traditions of the Himalayas. Also known as the Dragon Order, the Drukpa Lineage originated a thousand years ago in India and spread throughout the vast Himalayan regions. Drukpa retreat centres can now be found throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Teaching worldwide for over thirty years, His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa has numerous charitable projects that exemplify the core Drukpa message of service. His Holiness founded the international humanitarian organization, Live to Love (www.live2love.org), to promote five efforts for modern compassion: environmental protection, relief aid, education, medical services, and heritage preservation. With active projects in each category, His Holiness was honoured with the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Award in New York (September 2010), and the Green Hero Award, presented by the President of India Smt Pratibha Patil in New Delhi, India (December 2011).

One of His Holiness' flagship projects is Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, India. The school has received numerous accolades for sustainable design, including three World Architecture Awards (2002), and the Inspiring Design Award from the British Council for School Environments (2009). An advocate for women's equality, His Holiness also established the Druk Gawa Khilwa Abbey outside of Kathmandu, Nepal and in Shey, Ladakh, where nuns receive spiritual training and teachings historically reserved for monks. Known for their daily kung fu regiment, the nuns have been featured in an hour-length BBC documentary for exhibiting a new approach to female empowerment. The Drukpa lineage has the longest waiting list for nuns in the region.

Known for the annual Drukpa "Pad Yatra" (Sanskrit: "spiritual foot journey"), His Holiness leads hundreds of people on "eco-journeys" each year. These treks last 1-3 months and cover hundreds of miles, where participants pick up plastic litter along the way to promote the message of environmental preservation. In 2010, inspired Drukpa participants organized a mass tree planting in the Himalayas that broke the Guinness World Record, successfully planting 50,033 trees within 33 minutes.

Website: http://www.drukpa.org

Twitter: @Drukpa 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Gyalwang.Drukpa

How not to wear black by Jules Standish The Colour Counsellor

At the end of last year, the very lovely and effervescent Jules Standish The Colour Counsellor contacted me about her forthcoming book which had just been signed by O Books. We had such a high-energy telecon and I was thrilled to review the manuscript and immediately said we would love to promote it.

We have a mutual acquaintance: Claire Richmond, founder of www.findatvexpert.com and Jules is one of the experts featured on this website.

Jules’ book – How NOT to wear black – is now released and what a gem it is too. Everyone should know what their genetic colouring actually is, and the colours that they should be wearing, especially those close to the face. I now know that I shouldn’t be wearing black close to my face as it isn’t part of my Spring Colouring. This makes such sense as does the system that Jules uses for determining innate genetic colouring couple with a personality questionnaire. We had a very funny experience at the 5th View café in Waterstones, Piccaddily, when we met for the first time didn’t we Jules!

I’ve always believed in the healing benefits of colour, and now I see colour, and the choices of, in a whole new light. Thank you for choosing Sue Blake Media to promote your book Jules. I think you’re fab!

How NOT to wear black is the first self help book for women of its kind: a book that looks at the psychology behind why women wear black. Women usually think it’s a "slimming" colour and believe it to be smart, chic and easy to coordinate. The truth is, if black isn’t in your colour palette it’s likely to show every line or wrinkle and not suit us. Agh! Knowledge is king then!

Now, do all rush to order this book through amazon. Discover your true colours, change your wardrobe AND change your life.

Visit the Colour Consultancy website

Follow Jules Standish on Twitter 

How can you determine if you should Do It! or Ditch It?

Many months ago Bev James and I had a conversation about the book she wanted to write. Bev had been a client for a while at that point and it was always one of Bev’s goals to have a bestselling book and here we were planning the baby steps for it.

Today this book is released – Do it! or Ditch it – 8 steps from the millionaires’ mentor, Bev James – turn ideas into action and make decisions that count, published by Virgin Books with the Foreword by James Caan. (Bev and James are founders of www.the-eba.com). When Bev told me she has secured a deal with Virgin, I whooped for joy – I mean, how cool!

I’ve made some ‘iffy’ business decisions in my time and if I had applied Do it! or Ditch it to my decision-making, I would have made different decisions and saved myself some ‘grief’. The truth is, when we have a great idea for a new business etc we get very very excited, don’t we! This can cloud the way we should validate the idea. I am sure many people will resonate with this.

Bev advises: At the heart of any Do it! or Ditch it decision, there are three core elements:

1. A strong belief in your vision - that will keep you focused on your path
2. Personal resilience to see you through the tough times
3. Commitment to transparent profitability. Staying realistically focused on the profitability of your business before you launch will help prevent your idea from becoming another failure statistic

Sound advice then. We’re not a charity unless we are a charity and even then we need to have a sound business model – cash is king after all.

I am very very proud of Bev’s book. She’s an outstanding business coach and her warm, reassuring, pragmatic coaching style comes through this book. You feel you are in a safe pair of hands as you go through the 8 steps.

Do it! or Ditch it thinking is a positive mindset for clear business decision-making. I know you can use the 8 steps for non-business decisions too. I’ll try that as I have a couple of things I need to make a decision on.

“Decisions lead to action, action propels us forward and brings about change and delivers results. Success in the long term depends on the impact of the decisions we make every day.” Bev James

Congratulations Bev on the birthing of your first book!

Do it! or Ditch it – 8 steps for business success from the millionaires’ mentor, Bev James – turn ideas into action and make decisions that count, Virgin Books

www.BevJames.com

I’ve signed up for the Daily Do Its – have you?

"Adopt an attitude of gratitude" says Deborah Hollamby, and I agree

I wake earlier these days than ever before in my life and often find myself listening to bird song and sometimes rain and bird song, with a fresh pot of Earl Grey tea. It’s such a perfect way to start my day, with a meditation afterwards.

On Sunday 8th May I woke to find a message from a client of mine, www.DeborahHollamby.com to confirm the time she would be broadcasting for Radio 4. I know Debo is a morning person too and we often exchange texts at dawn, direct message each other or return each others tweets before the world awakes.

In Debo’s broadcast for Radio 4, and the show was about the Hospice Movement in the UK, she talked about her diagnosis with Cancer last August, how important her Catholic faith is to her and how it is her Attitude of Gratitude that brought her peace through her treatment.

I saw Debo recently and we caught up and it was my pleasure to take us to lunch at One Aldwych in The Strand. We hadn’t seen each other for several months. We had a wonderful time didn’t we Debo and a fab catch up too. You’re wonderful.

Debo – you inspire me as I am sure you do many others. I know several people who listened to this broadcast, many moved to tears, as I was.

You’re such an elegant, heartfelt and gorgeous woman.

You have the gift of being a charismatic and authentic communicator.

How wonderful that your life since leaving Italy and your life as a Nun has brought you to the world of broadcasting and writing.

You are clearly meant to do ‘this work’ Debo.

You are a joy.

It is a privilege to work with you and count you as my friend.

http://twitter.com/DeborahHollamby

xSue

We get in life what we expect in life - here's to "TPR Day" then!

Specialist in FOCUS on PURPOSE, Phil Olley, has created ‘TPR Day’ – Take Personal Responsibility Day, which falls on the first Friday 13th of the year, and this year it falls in 10 days time!

This really interests me as I think it’s healthy for us to take personal responsibility because actually, why on earth would we not want to? The thing is, we often get so caught up in our daily stuff that we forget what matters to us.

I know I feel much better about life when I take action and am not just a reaction person. Working with Phil has been an eye-opener. He sure has a way with words and his FOCUS techniques and insights are awesome and seriously helpful.

My office is Phil Olley’s Press Office and it’s my pleasure to share our press release announcing TPR Day with you today. Please do forward this blog link and tweet it lots so that we can cause a super high speed ripple effect with it via social media and help each other to TPR on PURPOSE.

Do add your comments about this initiative against my blog and check Phil’s Daily Dynamite Blog.

The next TPR Day will fall on Friday 13th January – you’ve been warned! 

PRESS RELEASE

Expert available for live and recorded media interviews from today and including on Friday 13th May

HERE’S AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO VIEW FRIDAY 13TH MAY 2011 ~ IT’S TPR DAY – TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY DAY! ~  

According to Phil Olley – specialist in FOCUS on PURPOSE and advocate for a life well lived

3rd May 2011 – In just 10 days time the first Friday 13th of 2011 will arrive which can typically be a ‘BSE Day’ – when we ‘Blame Someone Else’ and superstition when things go wrong, but according to Phil Olley, a leading specialist in peak personal and professional FOCUS, it’s time to stop seeking to blame and complain, and make it a Take Personal Responsibility Day instead!

Phil says that we get in life what we expect in life. So, if we expect bad luck, and we consciously court it, we get it. Imagine then if we start Friday 13th May with a different mindset and claim “I’m taking personal responsibility to have a brilliant day” we will get that. Watch out for the positive ripple-effect from your actions whichever mindset you choose.

Our blaming and complaining culture is not only becoming a pandemic but is damaging us, our friendships, our relationships, careers and even businesses and according to Phil, all really successful people begin by taking one fundamental step: – to realise and believe they are responsible for their own success – whether that’s business, showbiz, sporting, or personal success. The top 3% percent of successful people know that in the end it’s down to them, “if it’s to be, it’s up to me!”

So this year, instead of being a bad luck harbinger and heading for a duvet day and ducking the world, on Friday 13th, Phil suggests we proactively plan to have an awesome day of taking responsibility, embracing accountability and making our own luck...good luck. So if we shift the mental FOCUS to the good things, that’s what you will create more of, because what you expect, happens!

Here are Phil Olley’s 13 Top Tips for how to make Friday 13th a spectacular TPR Day

(and you can use these tips any day of any month of any year)

1. Choose your attitude:

· No more blaming and complaining. Don’t blame the traffic, government, weather, anyone or any external factor for the way you feel. Always remember you are free to choose your attitude.

· Be happy & get lucky. Phil calls this the ‘Napoleon Factor’ as Napoleon when choosing his senior Generals always asked “Is he lucky?” – the French being “Est-ilhereux?” literally, ‘Is he happy?!’ Great attitudes create luck!

· The power of a pause. Cut up in traffic? Pause before you react. Overlooked at the checkout? Pause before you react. Turn knee-jerk reaCtion into Creation of response (“response-ability”), simply by the way you C it.

2. Know your purpose: Have goals, and if you haven’t already, write them today. If you have them already, read them, refresh them in your mind. Live on PURPOSE today.

3. Your foreground is more important than your background: Let go of the past, in order to move forward into a bright future. Stop looking back, and face the fullness of life ahead of you. The past is simply a set of lessons for you to equip you to embrace now and the future. Let go of any grudges that you are still holding onto, big or small.

4. Make your changes – taking action when you can, and know when you can’t: If something is bugging you, work out what you can take action on, and do that. Forget the stuff you can’t influence. ‘Mirror Signal Manoeuvre.’ Look in the mirror, what do you see? What does that signal? What Manoeuvre are you going to make? If you are unhappy about something in your life, make a change. Don’t bleat about it. Talk to the right person about it. Do it. Make a change today.

5. Be enthusiastic and energetic:

· Act it: Even if you don’t feel enthusiastic or excited about your day ahead, act as if you are! Pump up your energy levels and you might just become it. Instead of “must lose weight” replace with “I am gaining more energy!”

· Say it: Change your greeting: when asked “how are you?” most people say “fine”, “alright” or “not bad” which is a bit limp. Change to “Great, thanks; and you?” and mean it… and watch the difference.

· Be it: SMILE. Go on.

6. Create a clutter-free environment: Have a clear out to clear your mind, and your FOCUS. In order to attract your new life, clear out your past… and literally clear out the clutter.

7. Take control: Create an Action Plan today. Not a “to do list”, but an action plan based on your priorities and goals. Focus on achieving 3 action goals today and everyday.

8. Use visualisACTION: Create mental images of positive outcomes for every situation. Imagine the positive meeting, in advance, and you’ll have a positive meeting. Imagine hitting a deadline way before the deadline, and you will. Imagine the perfect parking space and you’ll increase the chances of getting it. Learn to have faith in yourself, and in your luck.

9. Write a personal Thank You letter today: Write this to someone who deserves your thanks. And write out 7 reasons for you to be thankful today… yes, you. Thankful.

10. Recognise opportunities and take them: There are no coincidences in life – look for the signposts that present themselves to you. They are opportunities…and you need to be ready for them. Learn to trust your intuition … when you have clear goals, your gut-feeling can signal ways forward that you would otherwise miss. Have courage to take these opportunities.

11. Do something good today, just for fun: · For you. Or share with a good friend. Self-care and efficacy can brighten up any day! Everyone deserves to feel special. · For someone else. However great or small, do something kind for someone else, and tell no one of it. Don’t seek praise or recognition. Just do it, and enjoy being kind.

12. Write a journal: YOU are responsible for your life story. Write down at least one “highlight” at the end of each day… start TODAY.

13. Be a good luck seeker: Decide that on this Friday 13th May 2011, YOU are going to have an amazing day of good luck, love, fortune and connections! If you adopt this mindset you can be sure there will be a superb opportunity presented for you to take. Make a long stop diary date to adopt the same on Friday 13th January 2012.

-ends-

Phil Olley is a specialist in FOCUS on PURPOSE and works individuals and teams around world. He is a broadcaster and founder of The FOCUS Gym.

Listen to Phil talking about his Phil-osophy http://www.philolley.com

Check out The FOCUS Gym here http://www.philolley.com/focus-gym.html

Connect with Phil in social media via http://twitter.com/Phil_Olley

#FOCUSonPURPOSE #FOCUS #TheFOCUSGym

www.PhilOlley.com

-ends-

About Phil Olley

Following an exciting military career, Phil Olley entered business life in 1990 and is a leading specialist, keynote speaker and author on personal and professional development enabling people to FOCUS on PURPOSE. He is founder and broadcaster of The FOCUS Gym and author of Counting Chickens – The ‘Nexus’ Principles for Personal and Professional Development published by Management Books.

He established Phil Olley Consulting in 1999 following a life-threatening (and life changing) near death experience and quickly became a sought-after inspirator, speaker and coach.

Phil regularly features on BBC radio and contributes to national press articles and prime-time TV programmes. He appeared on ‘Richard & Judy’ several times. He has written articles for business press and has been featured in national press.

As well as working with many commercial organisations, Phil’s performance coaching methods and processes have been adopted in programmes by UNICEF and The World Food Programme.

In addition to speaking at conferences and business events, he runs masterclasses and seminars and works with select individual clients on a 1:1 basis in the UK, across Europe, USA and the Far East.

He is founder and broadcaster of The FOCUS Gym, the truly unique virtual programme available worldwide as a daily 7 minute conference call service helping individuals from all professions, from all walks of life, to achieve outstanding personal results.

Why I "FOCUS on PURPOSE" and would like to encourage you to, too

I’m always very happy to share my Guru’s and today I am introducing you to Phil Olley who is a specialist in personal and professional FOCUS. In fact, Phil has a special mission to share with all of us and it’s called ‘FOCUS on PURPOSE.’

Since Phil became a client earlier this year, introduced to me by our mutual friend, Christine Fieldhouse http:twitter.com/c_fieldhouse, I’ve become a member of The FOCUS Gym, the daily 7 minute broadcast which takes place at 0745am each week day. Going to TFG has become part of my morning ritual, amongst other things like early emails, meditation, walking Meg etc. Mornings are busy in my life and I’m still typically in the office by 9am! (Could this be because I focus on the things that are important to me?).

Phil describes The FOCUS Gym as “switching on your neck top” and that it’s important we exercise our mindset muscle and create a daily action plan that is consistent with our goals, everyday. Having been familiar with other ‘boot camps’ and their methodologies over many years – THIS boot camp for the mind is awesome, doable, no-excuses why you cannot and should not and frankly, everyone can benefit from this and now through my work, representing Phil, it’s become an intrinsic and natural part of my Vision & Mission to enable as many people as possible to FOCUS on Purpose.

Take a moment to reflect on the following:

Imagine what it would be like EVERY DAY to be focused on the key result areas you want to achieve.

Imagine beginning EVERY DAY with absolute clarity and feeling in control.

Imagine EVERY DAY having a sense of excitement and zest to it.

Imagine EVERY DAY being the best you could make it.

Imagine the impact on your WEEK if you felt like this/achieved like this.

Imagine the next MONTH being this focused and on purpose.

Ok, now imagine you project forward to the end of this YEAR and can look back at all you have achieved – not achieved by default and 18 hours days, BUT through your deliberate focused skills and techniques, through your personal daily commitment to be the best, AND because you decided that how you live your life, into which work plays a major part, IS that important to you.

The FOCUS Gym has not only raised my game, efficiency, productivity, it has given me more free time because I’m honing my time management skills and working on the right stuff and key result areas all the time. I’m not perfect. My working life usually has a curveball of two and a stonking high-speed deadline thrown into a typical day but I roll with the punches and because I know how to focus on the strategic goal and actions, I’m not fazed. I’m in control of my life and I love it.

Phil suggests most busy people don’t want to work harder (he’s right!) and that we want, and should aspire to becoming RESULT-AHOLICS. Yes please – more of that people? Let’s all go MAD and make a difference to the quality of our own lives and enable the positive ripple effect to permeate to all those in our lives, our friends, colleagues, family etc and let’s be change seekers for FOCUS on Purpose.

If I sound a little promotional (well, I am a publicist), and if I sound a little evangelical (well, I am only human wanting to be the best version of myself), if you knew what I know now in terms of focus skills and techniques in just 8 weeks, frankly if you don’t want to find out, you must either be super-focused anyway (what's your secret!), scared of how successful you could become or plain not bothered.

I can cross my heart and say I have participated in The FOCUS Gym every day for almost 2 months now and what’s happened because of it?

Well, being a focused kind of gal anyway, I was intrigued to see how it would raise my game AND increase my focused action behaviours and goal setting skills. What could it teach me? Where were my focus gaps? I’ve learnt so much in a practical sense AND honed my time management to within an inch of its life AND have achieved three major goals already, in just under 8 weeks. Personal goals. I wasn’t always so good at making time for my personal or business goal-getting. Mmm. That’s not right people.

Now, I do come from the school of ‘what we think about expands and careful what we wish for as we might just get it.’ This is a little airy fairy really. When we pack a punch of deliberate focus on the right goals and create the right daily action plan .. well .. we exponentially increase all opportunities for the right reasons.

Warning: coming to The FOCUS Gym might change your life.

Are you bothered to try?

What are you NOT achieving enough of in your life?

Have you had enough living in life treacle and going around in circles?

If you could live like your life depended upon it .. would you?

http://www.PhilOlley.com/- - check out the Phil-osophy movie

http://www.PhilOlley.com/focus-gym.html - watch The FOCUS Gym movie

Connect to Phil via http://twitter.com/Phil_Olley

See you in The FOCUS Gym and you’ll find out what the top 3% of successful people actually DO.

xSue

It's all about having a niche

It is essential to know your market and position yourself as an expert within it.   Of course, you need to really BE an expert within it!  Nailing your niche will differentiate you from your competition and give you a promotional edge.

Find out what your market wants, and needs, and project the features and benefits of your expertise and business in a consistent way through all forms of comunication and visibility.  Our personal brands are always entwined with our professional brands.

Aim to raise the bar on your brand and business in the new year and don't leave your reputation to chance.  If you have a goal to use the media to become more well known as an expert, to build your business, then nailing your niche is essential before you embark on a promotional campaign and talking to the press.  The efficacy of your promotional and visibility plans will require much more than a 'pr hook'.  Your credibility and authenticity are important, as is your back story and current and past reputation.

Here are some useful tips:

- keep ahead on industry news in your sector by subscribing to your specialist press, favouriting specialist websites, subcribing to newsletters and RSS feeds and follow industry thought leaders and key press via Twitter.

-  connect, engage, contribute and share your views.. BE SEEN and HEARD (appropriately).

- attend relevant events and shows - look for opportunities for visibility within them and pitch yourself to the organisers for the next event.

- ensure your brand oozes the expert factor from every facet.  Decide what could do with 'perfecting and polishing' and fnd the right experts to help you.

- run a google search on your name from time to time to find out what others' say about you.  The first page of search results against your name can be more important than your actual wesbite.

- make sure your online brand is current, relevant, consistent and appropriate and commensurate with the professional expert positioning you strive for.

- work on USING your social media networks, not just expanding them.  Really be IN your network and support others.  It isn't just be a numbers game.

- add your personal hallmark and individuality to everything you do and be consistent and considerate.

- when your niche is well defined, clearly communicated and consistently executed, it's much easier for other people to recommend you and work with you.

- ensure your online bios and profile pages are always accurate and up to date.

- be clear on what you stand for. Know your values, drivers and motivation as well as your strengths and limitations.

 

Author, Cat Bennett shares her views about social media for book reviews

I've worked with Cat Bennett for all of 2010.  She is a Findhorn Press author and is an artist/illustrator based in Boston, USA.  Cat is author of The Confident Creative - drawing to free the hand and mind. I've waxed lyrical about Cat's book many times this year and have experienced the methodology first hand. I really rate Cat as an author, artist and teacher and commend her for the ways she has embraced social media and profile raising this year.

I was pleased to receive this endorsement for my social media book club today from Cat:

When Sue announced her social media book club late Spring, I was excited to dive in, explore the books and meet some of the authors. The books focus on positive ways to explore and enhance our lives so it became a real pleasure to explore. And it gave me, as a new author, a chance to hear what my peers think of my own offering then look at theirs and join that conversation too.

It makes me think about the way our brave new internet age is changing our lives in radical ways. The blogosphere, having given everyone a public voice, is a fantastic tool to create interest in our work and even build community.

In the past, we relied on mainstream media and a small number of book reviewers to spread the word about our books. Reviewers, being human, have biases and were often judgmental, even harsh. A writer’s work could be curtailed by a negative review and too often was

Internet reviewers sometimes have negative opinions too but there are multiple voices chiming in to make clear what a book is offering. It’s this multiplicity of voices that is so heartening and helpful as it opens up dialogue and gives real perspective. And, of course, it hands the power back to the people, all of us, where it ought to reside. The old hierarchical paradigm is collapsing and, in its wake, a new kind of world democracy is taking hold with thoughtful discussion from people with all sorts of perspectives. It feels so healthy and part of a new vision for our world.

Sue's social media book club offers us the gift of meeting each other, chatting about our work and making connections that may, indeed, bring the work to a wider audience and even further the ideas we’re exploring. Not all of the books will be of interest to each of us. I don’t have time to read everything, alas, but when something truly intrigues me or is in an area in which I have some knowledge I know I’ll jump right in. I hope others will do the same. It’s wonderful forum in which to build community and share our work. Thanks to Sue for hosting it!

The Sue Blake Media Online Book Club is within www.linkedin.com.  You will need to have at least a basic FREE profile on the site to join the book club. Search on the tool bar in Groups Directories for 'book club' and you will find it.

All the books in the book club have been selected.  My company is or has promoted these titles and really rate them.  There are some books in the list that we haven't promoted yet really rate too and in all cases we have access to the authors.