by editor | Apr 17, 2012 | Lead Story
Seven Time Gold Medal Winning Paralympian
Sarah Storey Attributes Her Success To Her Circle of 5
Despite 37% of all UK adults thinking that their success is down to their own merits, over a third (38%) think it is mostly down to the core people in their life.
Sarah Storey, Paralympic cyclist and Links of London ambassador, believes that there are five core people in her life which have impacted and been invaluable to her progress in becoming a leading gold medal athlete. Sarah is supporting Links of London’s ‘Circle of 5’ campaign, which suggests we rely on a core group of 5 people to be successful.
Sarah Storey, seven times gold medal winner at the Paralympic games and twice British national track champion, commented: “Every successful person needs people behind them to drive them – I don’t know where I’d be without my friends, husband, trainers and parents. They push me to go that little bit further, inspire me and help me escape from it all when I need to. Without them I definitely wouldn’t have won my medals or be competing again this year.”
Dr Rob Yeung is a psychologist and researcher on success. Dr Yeung believes that the role each of the 5 people plays, falls into particular categories: Someone who inspires you, supports you, mentors you, someone you can escape with or confide in.
Dr Yeung said: “Many of us like to think that our own success is based on how we perform, but without valuable people in our lives – core people around us who support us – we may not achieve as much as we aspire to.”
Adding to this, the research commissioned by Links of London shows that 91% of all UK adults also look to family and friends, rather than famous people when finding role models.
Links of London are inviting the nation to recognise their own ‘circles of 5’ and to celebrate and reward these 5 important people with a talisman of unity and celebration. They have designed the Team GB band as part of their Official Jewellery Collection of London 2012 and Team GB. The Links of London ‘Circle of 5’ campaign encourages us to give the core 5 people in our lives a Team GB band as a thank you for aiding our successes. A red and blue woven band with a silver plaque engraved with Team GB, this band is a great way for you and your own ‘circle of 5’ to get behind the nation ahead of the Games and circulate a feeling of support and success.
by editor | Apr 17, 2012 | Lifestyle
Great ideas for summer events
The annual sales conference or team building away days are always great fun for everyone who takes part. It’s a chance for employees to let their hair down, break free from the office routine, yet it still allows for cooperation and working together in a different and interesting setting. People come back from these kinds of events renewed and refreshed, inspired and ready for new challenges at work.
There are, of course, numerous venues for hire for this kind of event. But, if you want to do something really different, it’s probably best to leave the details of the events to the experts – ie. get a professional company to organise your day for you. Of course, you’ll have input into what kind of theme you want the day based around, but why take on the headaches when it’s not your specialism?
Just to give you a few ideas of what’s out there, here are some of the more interesting themes we’ve come across.
Leaving the stuffiness of traditional conference venues behind you, why not make the company away day an ‘It’s a Knockout’ team builder. Remember the old TV show that even the Royal Family took part in, where people got to dress up in outrageous costumes, carry out a series of silly obstacle courses, and have a heap of fun at the same time? Companies can now do this kind of thing as a team building activity, and it’s proving really popular.
Another trip down memory lane is the School Sports Day team builder. You go back to the old favourites like the relay race, the egg and spoon, the high jump. Departments are mixed up and new teams are formed for the day’s activities. Oranges at half time!
And if you’ve got a boss who seems to hark back to his army days all the time, why not pick a Boot camp theme for the company team away day? Ex-soldiers are cashing in on their army experience and knowledge to design fun but exhausting team builder days for companies. You even get the camouflage and fatigues to wear for the day…
Of course, all these team builder events are outside – and therefore better planned for the summer – but if you have to have your away days in the winter, there are lots of indoor options on offer too.
by editor | Apr 15, 2012 | Lifestyle
ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I CAN DO WITH MY LIPS
I am told that the muscles of the face are capable of over 250,000
different combinations of expressions. And one of the most useful is
a smile. And though I’m a fan of kissing, I appreciate that smiling
is still one of the best things I can do with my lips.
Sometimes I hear or read something that is so true, I know I will
never forget it. One of those gems is an observation from Fulton J.
Sheen, who said, “A smile across the aisle of a bus in the morning
could save a suicide later in the day.” Over the years, I’ve come to
realize the magnitude and truth in that statement. People NEED the
healing medicine of the heart that just a smile, even from
strangers, provides. In fact, we all need it. And for some folks,
that medicine can save a life.
One psychiatrist puts it like this. Dr. Thomas Malone, of Atlanta,
Georgia, says, “In my practice at the Atlanta Psychiatric Clinic,
people sometimes ask me what psychiatry is all about. To me, the
answer is increasingly clear. Almost every emotional problem can be
summed up in one particular bit of behavior — it’s a person walking
around screaming, ‘For God’s sake, love me!’ Love me, that’s all. He
goes through a million different manipulations to get somebody to
love him.” (Thanks to Dr. James Moore for the quote.)
I think he says something I need to hear. He is saying that at the
core of our being is a need for someone to care. And if that itch is
not scratched, we go to great lengths to satisfy it.
But I’ve noticed something else, too. It appears to me that some of
the healthiest people around seem to spend less time trying to
scratch an itch to be loved, and more time looking for people to
reach out to. These are the ones who are most likely to smile across
the aisle of a bus. They understand that everyone is fighting some
kind of battle, even if they hide it well. And if they were to
express their personal life mission, it might include something
like, “I try to always love the people I encounter along life’s
path.”
They never say they can’t make a difference. They never say they
have nothing to contribute. They always know that, even if they have
nothing else, they can always give a smile, spontaneously and
sincerely. A smile may not seem like much, but it can be a warm
blanket on a cold night. And for a while, anyway, if can soothe the
itch to be loved.
My smile may not save a life, but it might save a day. And if not,
it’s still one of the best things I can do with my lips.
__________
Find Steve Goodier here: http://stevegoodier.blogspot.com/.
Newsletter: http://LifeSupportSystem.com
by editor | Apr 14, 2012 | Lifestyle
Renting out a furnished flat
If you were one of the many thousands of people who did a buy to let in the early 2000s and now have a flat sitting idle as there are just too many rental properties out there, the best thing you can do is get it let as quickly as possible.
If your flat has been vacant for a while, when others in the same area seem to get new tenants, there must be a reason. When did you last go round there and look at it with a stranger’s eyes? You may have decorated it really nicely a decade ago, but does it still look good, or is it tired and in need of a little TLC?
Potential tenants have so many places to choose from that they would be foolish not to choose the best decorated and cleanest flat that they see. And if they’re looking for a furnished flat, they won’t want to make do with somebody else’s cast off furniture.
Cast a critical eye over what you’ve got in your rental property, and if you find it hard to objective, ask someone who you trust to be candid. Anything that needs replacing should be binned rather than repaired. There is plenty of cheap furniture available today – there is a lot of competition amongst retailers and there’s always a sale on somewhere. Cheap furniture can still be reasonable quality. The important thing to remember when picking furniture for a rental flat is to choose robust items that will take a bit of wear and tear. Tenants can’t be guaranteed to treat the landlord’s furniture with kid gloves.
A leather sofa can be a good choice for a rental flat. They’re pretty hardwearing and retain their shape well. Any spills can be wiped up with a cloth and, unlike fabric sofas, they are less likely to get stained.
Once you’ve kitted out your flat with some new furniture, given it a spring clean and repainted it, you should find that a new tenant will snap the property up, meaning you can start to earn money from the place again.
by editor | Apr 14, 2012 | Lifestyle
Cinderella-budget beauty tips
Are you splashing out too much on serums? Or are you shocked at the price of your shampoo? Don’t worry; an effective daily beauty regime can be yours for very little cost. Check out DIY alternatives to expensive creams, serums and treatments, or find a supplier online who offers real value. Try not to be tempted by the beautiful packaging, celebrity endorsement and swanky ads that big brands use to lure you!
If you have a favourite brand and are a devotee of their products, the first money-saving step is to see if you can get them for less. When you see BOGOF offers, buy in bulk. Or make the most of your internet connection and head to Ebay, buy online using price comparison websites, looking out for voucher codes, and checking the company’s website. Brands like oil of olay, for example, usually have a club which is free to join; members often get samples sent through the post and are informed about special offers, as well as news about product releases.
For a viable alternative to shop-bought beauty aids, head no further than your kitchen. Use inexpensive store-cupboard ingredients and create homemade beauty preparations. These will save you buying expensive branded products and you will not be forking out extra for the fact that they are natural, contain no harmful additives and smell good enough to eat (this isn’t recommended, however!). Many tips can be found online at websites like supersavvyme.co.uk.
You may also find that you can make your beauty products go a little further by watering them down. If your shampoo bottle is half-full, try adding some water and shaking the bottle to mix it together; you’ll get a product that lasts longer but gives virtually the same results. This can be applied to liquid soap, and shower gel, too. Lastly, if you get given a beauty product as a gift or freebie and it’s something you won’t use, sell it on Ebay and use the money for a more useful product; don’t clutter up your dressing table with products that do nothing but gather dust!
