February 17th, 2010
My six year old daughter and I enjoyed some chill out time on Sunday afternoon, watching the Winter Olympics on TV. She asked me why I had tears in my eyes. It was simply because I find it so special and awe-inspiring to share in the experience of such dedicated athletes living their dream. The focus, the determination, the sheer hard work that goes into preparing for such an event is so intense, that the energy coming out of the television screen is almost palpable. And then it all comes down to one race.
Read More
February 11th, 2010
Lynette “Polly” McFadden – Harcourts Real Estate
Lynette, known as Polly to her friends, is a vibrant Maori woman successfully operating several Harcourts real estate offices in the Christchurch area. A working class background hasn’t stopped her from becoming one of Christchurch’s hottest businesswomen. Not content with her own success, she shares her positive energy with all around her, inspiring others to succeed and grow into whatever they wish to become.
Read More
February 8th, 2010
Often the most important decisions we make in our lives can be the toughest to make. There is no end of outside influence that can affect our decisions: friends, family, colleagues, professional experts, the media, the Internet… and the list goes on. A good decision though, is the one that is right for us, personally. To help us make our own right decisions, we each have three different internal decision making tools we can consult: our head, our heart, and our gut. The best decisions are made when all three are in line, wanting the same thing.
Read More
February 8th, 2010
Every single thing that we do is driven psychologically by a basic desire to either gain pleasure, or avoid pain. This is very useful to know if you’re trying to change aspects of your life, because if you can change your thinking, then your doing will naturally change as well.
Read More
February 8th, 2010
Most people have heard the saying:
“The past is history, the future is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it’s called the present.”
However, how many of us spend a large proportion of our time either dwelling on issues of the past or striving to create a fantastic future? We are missing the here and now. While it’s worthwhile to reflect on the past, and to visualise the future, most of us would benefit from focusing more attention on the present.
Read More
February 3rd, 2010
Louise Rutten -Inkspot Digital Ltd
Louise is the driving force behind Inkspot Digital Ltd – an Auckland based IT / Animation / Entertainment company leading the world in computer animation. This small youthful company works alongside big players such as Microsoft and shows the world what a couple of Kiwi’s can achieve when the put their minds to it. For Louise, the secrets to success don’t lie behind a university degree or loads of investment capital – success comes from lots of hard work, personality, and undying belief in your idea.
Read More
February 1st, 2010
How often do you say “yes” when you really mean “no”? Do you run yourself ragged trying to get things done that you agreed to but didn’t want to do in the first place? Do you wonder why you have no time and energy left for the things that are important to you? Do you worry about letting other people down? Do you wonder why on earth you said “yes” in the first place?
Read More
January 20th, 2010
Jane Lucas – BJ’s Health & Fitness Centres Ltd
Jane started her career as a farmer’s wife teaching a few local ladies aerobics in the country. Thirteen years later she’s recognised as a successful businesswoman, owning and operating three health & fitness centres in the Nelson / Marlborough region.
Read More
January 20th, 2010
There is actually a big difference between having a great lifestyle and a great life – but the two can easily become confused.
“Lifestyle” refers to things we buy to decorate our lives. Through our lifestyle choices we can buy an identity through brands. We can define how other people perceive us, so it can be a way of gaining acceptance and approval from them. A common term for this is “keeping up with the Joneses”. We want to control what people think of us and it can be tempting to do this through making sure we have the right “things” in order to be regarded in a certain way.
Your “life” on the other hand, is what you lead when you know what is important to you and you let that control your behaviour. Your life is made up of your choices and actions. Through our “life” we can create our own self esteem and pride through being true to our selves.
Read More
January 15th, 2010
Have you set yourself some really big goals this year? Something you really want to achieve, but have no idea how yet? Is there a danger it might end up going in the “too-hard” basket and ending up back on the New Year’s resolution list again next year?
Read More
