Category: Out of the Jar Project

I like to think I hold myself to account. That I’m a responsible person. That I do what I say I’m going to do.

And when it comes to my clients, delivering on promises to friends and family, I’m pretty damn reliable.

When it comes to my own desires, goals and ambitions, I’m terrible at being accountable to myself.

I am going to finish that book, this year….next year….no the year after.

I’m going to eat healthier.

I’m going to look after myself.

I have great intentions and well laid out plans with big actions broken down into smaller ‘achievable’ tasks, but when it comes to the crunch I’m full of excuses for why I didn’t deliver on them.

I was busy with work, my family, I don’t have enough time or money, what if I fail…I should be doing [insert any task that’s for someone other than me] instead.

It’s time to hold myself to account. Continue reading “Are You the Person Holding Yourself Back? It’s Time to Hold Yourself to Account” →

We all have those days, weeks or years even.

You’re stuck in a rut, or a funk that you just can’t escape from.

Maybe you feel like you have no energy, or so overwhelmed by the tasks ahead that you do nothing instead.

Or maybe you feel like you have lost your mojo.

I for one, have just come off an incredibly busy few months of refining my online marketing course and my small business resource site, where I set myself some very ambitious targets.

The great news is that I completed all the tasks I needed to do, but now I have fallen flat.

I know there is a bunch of things I should be doing now, but I feel a little deflated and the fuel tank is empty.

It’s time to reboot.

Continue reading “Stuck in a Rut or a Funk? It’s Time to Reboot” →

We all know that emotional response when something just doesn’t feel right…or in some cases feels exactly right, but we can’t put our finger on exactly what and why.

Call it intuition. Call it trusting your gut. Call it a hunch. Call it whatever you like, it’s a real thing.

And from what I understand there are plenty of sound reasons to be aware of it and listen to it Maybe not as a the ultimate decision making guide, but to be listened to and considered in your decisions.

Personally I’ve always struggled with making decisions.

I never know whether to use focused logical thinking, follow what’s in my heart or listen to my gut—all of which may be suggesting contradictory actions.

For example, my logical brain has been telling me for years to get a sensible and secure job.  My heart tells me to focus on writing fiction.

I’m not so sure what my gut is saying, other than a sick feeling when I’m doing something that doesn’t feel quite right. It’s probably why I decided not to decide between a job and writing, and split my attention between running a business and writing books at the same time.

So while my intuition does kick in, I’ve never been completely comfortable listening to it…but maybe I should. Continue reading “Intuition or Not. Why I Want to Trust My Gut” →

Trust is the cornerstone of all relationships.

It’s the secret to personal connections, as well as business success.

Every day we make multiple decisions, sometimes in an instant, about whether to trust others.

We measure our hopes and aspirations against our worries and fears to determine whether someone is worthy of trust.

So how do we know whether someone is friend or foe? How do we earn other’s trust? And how do we trust ourselves?

Continue reading “Friend or Foe: Giving and Inspiring Trust” →

I don’t think I’ve ever had a significant issue with drive.

Driving as in motor vehicles in my younger days perhaps—for the record I’m an ‘Excellent Driver’ now—but never motivation.

Drive: a determined urge to attain a goal or satisfy a need….an ambition to achieve something.

Sure I occasionally have my bad days when I’m less motivated than others, but on the most part I’m fortunate enough to have drive.

I am curious though. What exactly gives me the drive—especially on a Monday morning, under the weather from a sinus infection and a long list of tasks for the day—to just get on with it. Continue reading “Getting My Drive On For the Week” →

Someone told me once, ‘you don’t wear your heart on your sleeve, you wear it all over you’.

I wasn’t sure if it was a compliment.

I asked myself, should I be less passionate? Would I better off having a poker face?

The answer is yes sometimes I would, because it would make me less vulnerable or less polarising in some situations. It would enable me to navigate workplace politics better.

So it would be easier in some ways, but it wouldn’t be authentic…it wouldn’t be me.

Continue reading “Being Vulnerable Can Be Your Biggest Strength” →

Grace. The word or name conjures up wonderful feelings of spirituality, humility and beauty.

It also reminds me of the importance of having grace under pressure.

In my professional and personal life I have endured many high stress situations and events.

Working in crisis communication for example meant always expecting the unexpected, and sometimes horrible things happened and you had to be one to keep your cool and put appropriate words to it.

I’ve always been great at handling the BIG STUFF pressure and handling it with aplomb.

However it’s everyday pressure I’m not great with.

Continue reading “Goodness grace-ness me – handling it with aplomb” →