Be Amazing – New Zealand premier site for health, wellbeing and development

In recent research conducted by Leadership Management Australasia, nearly 4000 respondents in Australia and New Zealand were asked how they felt about their jobs. The survey revealed more than 60% of the workforce either hated their jobs or didn’t care about their work, as long as they got paid. It showed nearly half were considering looking for a new job while 62% either hated or were ambivalent about their work. (Source: APN).

The CV, (curriculum vitae), or resume, is not only a very important document to open the door for an interview but it is also a powerful Self-reflective tool. In connecting with others, words are only 7 per cent maximum of that connection, or communication (Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, UCLA). So we have to be clear on the format and use of words in putting together the CV.

HOW TO TAKE THOSE FIRST DIFFICULT STEPS… Are you one of the many people who have set a personal/business/work goal or a resolution, or said you’ll do something – even something small, but never actually achieved it – or even got started on it?

Receiving the news that your baby will not be born alive is one of the most devastating news parents can receive. Understanding how you can get through that grief, hearing how others have coped and what helped them, can be helpful in the healing journey. Understanding that your reactions to grief are 'normal' and 'just fine' helps to accept the grieving process, embracing it, allowing healing to begin.

When my friend Sara came back from living in Australia for a year, she was over the moon with the great times she had accumulated there. She had done so many new things and many great friends travelling around. But there was one thing which she wished she could feel differently about: her crippling fear of spiders which she had for quite some years and which was disabilitating.

Generally, until we learn better, we identify ourselves with our mind. We think our thoughts are simply “me thinking” and our feelings are “me feeling”.

Sebastian should be reading quarter of an hour a day said his teacher across the desk at his school interview...

January is nearly over – does it still feel like a ‘new year’ to you or has it already become just ‘more of the same’? We tend to start out with a burst of enthusiasm - ‘this is the year I’ll…’ - and then all too often we find ourselves bogged down, not really getting anywhere with making the changes we dreamed about. Here are some ideas to keep you moving towards your goal; one effective step at a time.

I have two key strategies for this.

"Key traits written all over PM's speech notes" - Dominon Post 21 May 2011. The photo of John Key in the Dom Post speaking at the announcement of the 2011 Budget is a great example of how our every move can be caught on camera and that even our own scrawled comments or speech notes can become the centre of publicity. As a seasoned Toastmaster I was contacted by Kiren Chug of the Dominion Post and asked to comment on Prime Minister John Key's use of notes when speaking. Read the article...

Unless you can predict the future, a skill I personally haven’t mastered yet but maybe you have, we don’t know what life will throw at us. Whether good or bad, challenging or easy, horrible or beautiful, we are all going to face situations hard to deal with at some point. When this happens, we have two options.

What do Paul Henry, David Garrett, Tony Veitch, and ex New York Governor Eliot Spitzer have in common?

Anxiety and panic disorders are quite debilitating and when taken to extremes may prevent you from going out, or doing things you want to do. Even simple, enjoyable pleasures such as shopping, or catching up with friends for a coffee may become too hard to even contemplate.

What is a TRIGGER? A TRIGGER is some kind of cue that ‘TRIGGERS’ a certain thought – it’s essentially building an association between an object and a specific thought or feeling – In setting up a TRIGGER, YOU CHOOSE the thought or feeling to be associated with it.

While we don’t always have control over the circumstances of our lives, we do have control over how we react to them. Our beliefs shape our thoughts and our thoughts motivate our actions. Building a robust belief in ourselves, in our strengths, and in our ability to take appropriate and effective action will help us weather the storms of life, recover from adversity, and strengthen our ability adapt to change

Imagine how your life would change if you were self assured, confident and at ease in all situations, however challenging! Being confident and outgoing is a skill you can learn, and there is no better time than now to get started!

If you'd like some proven techniques for increasing your personal effectiveness, read on...

One of three major presures on a human being - along side ambiguity and over-busyness - is being-seen; those times when everyone is focused on you and assessing every word you say and move you make.

Coaching is not just an investment of time and energy, it costs money too! So what's the real value of coaching? How can you measure the return on your investment? A fair question deserves a fair answer!

In this article, we turn our focus to the subject of de-energisers, which represent a great opportunity to free yourself of mental clutter and improve your energy and motivation levels.

The first step to getting what you want out of your life is to create the space for it! Here are a few tips to help you do just that by slaying the energy drainers in your life once and for all!

We all tell ourselves stories about who we are and who we think we could be. Are your stories helping or hindering you to live your best life? Are they making you feel strong and capable or weak and unable to act?

The career aptitude test (also termed ‘career-building assessment’) is a good tool for you to take advantage of when you are trying to figure out which direction you want your life to go in . Trying to decide what career you want for yourself can be a very daunting task. With so many possible roads to go down, how do you find your path in life? Taking one of these assessments is a good starting point to find what what type of occupation would be good for your personality type.

When you think of getting through to Customer Services, what comes to mind, a 'brick wall'? Yeah, I had those conversations too, but hey, I've have the other kind also - the ones where the right voice on the other end of the line transmits the right piece of knowledge and a solution then falls into the place; the world becomes a vastly better place, sun breaks through storm clouds and angels sing so on and so forth etc. etc.

Have you ever thought about becoming a professional Coach? Do you like to support people through challenge and to achieve goals? Do you get a buzz from knowing you've been there for someone? Is it important for you to know that you're adding your value to the world? If so, coaching could be for you!

What a lemon has to say about what’s listening to the thoughts in your head, why it matters and how you can best make use of them.

By examining your beliefs about certain aspects of your life you can expose ones which hold you back and stop you from pushing yourself ahead and reaching your goals and aspirations.

With the end of the year coming up extraordinarily fast, I am reminded again of the huge stress that this time of the year often brings to families who live day to day with a child or young adult with autism. Instead of a relaxing refreshing holiday, families are often faced with increased anxiety,tantrums, tears, and incredible amount of stress as they try to navigate the long holiday season. I wanted to share a few tips I have learnt as the parent of a young adult daughter with autism.

This year I am approaching the holidays a little differently. Well for me it is different, for most of you this may be a normal way to view the Christmas holiday period.

Who are your hero's in life? Are they real people or characters from a comic book or film? Are they world famous, or are they unknown? What traits do you recognise in the people who inspire you to achieve more? We were posed the questions this month - who are our heros, who would we like to spend a day with and what would we like to learn from them?

So what is the miracle mindset all about anyway?

Let me share with you a 3-step formula I’ve been using for many years. It’s a formula I have also seen other people use in order to achieve the goals they want, anything from a simple goal, through to a major life achievement. It has helped me, for example, choose the right A level subjects, emigrate twice, become a national champion speaker, and win an international writing award.

An important component of goal setting is who we are BEING, not just what we are DOING. Taking action is vital in order to bring about changes but unless those actions are rooted in our vision of or future; lined up with our values; and use our own particular strengths, then they are just a bunch of activities and may not be effective. I have made many attempts to clear up my cluttered study. This is one place my usually well-organised approach to running my home falls to pieces!

Do you wonder why, just when things seem to be going so well between you and your partner, things can suddenly go so wrong?

In my previous article I described the challenge that faced me during my coaching training with Debbie Ford once I came to the realisation that no one was coming to my rescue and that if I wanted to live the life of my dreams, I must take full responsibility for all aspects of my life and for making that dream become a reality.

I learnt another valuable lesson this week and would like to share.

Sometimes it can be hard to maintain your enthusiasm and keep your eye on the goal, here are some great tips to give you instant motivation so you will be highly energised and more focused on your way to achieving your goal.

A separation is always painful for all involved. How can you get over someone and get on with life? Peter gives a few tips.

Setting and getting goals is exciting, inspiring and challenging - well at least I hope they are for you. And the 'journey to the goals' so often is such a rich experience on it's own. That is great - but what about when you finally achieve that big big goal? You're on a real high, buzzing for maybe a few days, maybe weeks.....and then, you get that sinking feeling, that little voice in your head ( or is it your heart?) says 'So what!?"

We're passionate about supporting you to Stay Amazing through the loss of a job. We've not only been there ourselves, but we've helped hundreds of people like you to survive, and in 2009 we published a book about how we, and others around the world have survived. Here are our top 10 Tips;

I’ve heard many of my coaching clients tell me how they work well under pressure or how they’re good in a crisis, and they are. But it’s not just them, you can scale-up this adaptability and see how ‘stepping-up’ in a crisis is a very human trait. As the Christchurch earthquake hit and then unfolded on our TV screens, in pictures and footage you see everywhere people stepping up, not just managing the crisis, but leading through it.

What Book has made the most powerful difference in my life? I was struggling with understanding the concept of me being the creator of my reality; that I create my own happiness, my own health, my luck, and my misery. This was a totally new idea and didn't sit well with me. Until then I had thought that life was about being lucky, was "in the stars", DNA or 'fate'. Life was what happened to me and I had no hand in it. Then someone suggested I read "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise L. Hay.

What is the beach ball aspect? When we encounter various aspects of life, it’s often akin to looking at a beach ball. People look at the same thing, yet see something different because they view it from a different angle. When a person looks at a beach ball they may see a red, yellow and blue stripe. Another person may look at it and see a green, orange and white stripe. Neither is ‘wrong’ they are just seeing it from their own perspective.

One of the most important things we need to do when setting goals, making decisions, or taking actions is to get a clear picture of what we actually want to achieve – to clarify our purpose, the desired outcome and the benefits of those goals, decision or actions. To get a clearer image of what we really want it can be helpful to focus on both the big picture and also the details that make up that bigger picture. This was brought home to me in quite a simple but effective way a few days ago.

This is tribute to the strength and courage of our friend Greer who passed away on the 7th of February 2010 from Cancer.

What a week it has been in the history of aviation! A volcano erupting in Iceland has caused so much disruption leaving people stuck in different countries all over the world. I was in the Philippines at the time, and was not much disturbed by it coming back to New Zealand, but relatives and many others did find themselves stranded for days. While some people were happy about a few more days aboard, covered by insurance, others wanted to be home and wished they had not gone away.

Our actions are based on our words; our words are based on our thoughts; and our thoughts are based on our beliefs – beliefs about the world and our place in it. Words are powerful – they can build us up or tear us down; they can inspire us or make us so afraid of failing that we fail to act at all.

Doing is believing when it comes to recovering from traumatic experiences.

Why some goals never become reality and how to make sure they do! We use goals as a way stating our intention for the future and (by achieving them) shaping it. BUT goals gather dust too and many go no further than being just a good idea

The holiday period for most of us is a time of relaxation and an opportunity for finding another perspective on what balance means. This perspective often causes people to question why they do the work they do and often creates some dread about going back to work.

Once you've set your goals, it's really important to break them down into a manageable action plan to avoid procrastination or overwhelm.

Parenting could be the most important job title you will ever have and the appraisal method is the most illuminating! What do you want to remember about how you ‘parented.’ Will your memories of parenting your children be overwhelmingly positive? What kind of people do you want your children to become? This article is a beginners guide to identifying and prioritising the key areas of your life, and adding focus and a spark to each. The results could begin a life-changing path!

There are many great coaches for you to choose from, and they're featured in this amazing website so that you can find out more about their work, and what they have achieved. To help you decide who is the right person to work with you, try checking out our tips for idendifying a coach to help you be even more amazing.

Living passionately is about having a swing in your step, feeling great with high levels of energy, motivation and inspiration.

It’s year end – a time to traditionally take stock of the last twelve months and look forward to consider our hopes and dreams, and our wishes for the year ahead.

What does success mean to you? Is it being the best at what you do in your career, in your life? Maybe it is having a fabulous house or that amazing car? Being wealthy or maybe being happy?

This is about my journey of preparation on my way to meeting my husband.

This article is about the quest for slow. It’s borne out of my own desire to stop, slow down a bit, and get off the treadmill of being continually busy. I hope that my discoveries also benefit you, and together we can learn to give up the habit of being constantly busy, slow down a little, and smell the roses.

A recent study found that over the course of their life about 40 per cent of people experience large changes in their levels of happiness. I am sure this is no surprise to you as we all have days that just don't go the way we planned or have levels of sadness, disappointment, resentment and frustration. Are you feeling content with your life right now? Not how you feel your partners life is or a work colleagues but your own. When was the last time you asked yourself "am I happy?".

When we look back at situations which we perceived as having "happened to us", it is difficult to entertain the idea that we had a choice. We've all heard the exclamation, "I just had no choice....". What is usually hidden in those words is, "well actually, if I had chosen to do this/or that, then an unwanted or worse outcome would have resulted, and so it was the only option with the least negative consequences to take, all-be-it a 'choice', highlighting 'choice/action' and 'consequences'.

Waiting for the train I notice two still-smoking cigarette butts on the grass bank, the previous mid-fourties owners nearby chatting away. I found myself with an internal disconnect - how hard is it to join the dots between personal actions and the bigger picture.

What can you do when a debilitating sickness is holding you back from what you want in life? Peter Campbell relates one approach he used on a client whose potential was being limited.

These 10 simple tips will help you to feel more energised, happy and productive as you flow through your day.

How close are you to your money? Do you know where it goes? Do you know when it’s coming back? So many of us happily spend away without keeping control of the dollars and cents, which means, we can easily fall into the debt trap which then creates stress and possible conflict.

When you take on a Coach there are a few essential ingredients you need in place to make the most of it ... Yep, the right goals for a start and a solid game plan. But also, it's how you engage with the coaching and the little things you can do to maintain the focus you need to nail your goals!

By understanding our values, we can experience greater levels of satisfaction and also simplify our decision making.

Amidst the tragedy of the recent earthquake in Christchurch, stories of a myriad of unselfish acts of kindness have shone like a beacon of hope amidst the darkness. This has prompted me to share my own story of how my life was once touched by an unexpected kindness from strangers.

Have you noticed that when you go away, you take yourself with you? There's an emotional side to absolutely everything we do. A huge part of the reason that we do this, is that our behaviour is a vehicle to meet our needs. Our behaviour naturally attempts to find happiness and fulfillment, and is driven by 6 core needs.

As a Life Management coach and therapist, meditation is always something that I recommend to my client’s as it is a wonderful way to unwind from a busy day, recharge in the middle of the day or set yourself up for the busy day ahead. If you are battling low self esteem or you lack the confidence to go after your dreams then this practice will help to give you clarity and direction.

A few weeks ago I went to the hairdresser.I was pretty unsure of what I wanted, (not such a good thing when you are in someone else’s hands!) After a bit of a chat, my hairdresser suggested a different style, I readily agreed, after all, I’m ok with change… or so I thought!

Dr. Joseph Mercola's in The London Times March 14, 2008 comments: “Before you brush off meditation as something only for Buddhist monks or hippies, it would serve you well to find out what you may be missing. Meditation is the equivalent of giving your mind an escape valve to blow off steam”.

Living your life around your highest values can allow you to be fulfilled and focused, giving you the tools to choose easily what is important to you, based on those guiding values.

One of the biggest questions which comes out of the NLP models is “What do you want?” If you come to see me for any anything, then that will be the first question I ask you. It is something you could begin asking yourself more often. What do I want? Often this is interpreted as “what don’t I want” and can be distracting and a wee bit limiting, but getting clear on what you actually want is a valuable place to begin.

Over the past few years I have become more and more fascinated with the power of the human mind and what can be achieved by unlocking the door to our sub conscious. This has lead me to Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), life coaching, healing with crystals, various forms of meditation and lately hypnosis.

If you don't know what you're aiming for, you're sure as heck not going to hit it!

Having had the privilege of working with many thousands of individuals over the last 20+ years one of the things that keep arising is how most people are like square pegs in a round hole in their job. Most people find themselves doing what they do to keep food on the table for a number of reasons: following parental suggestions; it was the only job going; a friend got me the position; it seemed to relate to my years of study; or I saw it advertised…

Until 2 years ago my biggest adventure had always been the travelling we (my hubby and I) had done on our big OE 27 years ago. I’m sure you know how it is; you finish your training, or study, save like crazy and sell everything off and away you go. Off to see the world. Generations of kiwis have done it, and plenty more will continue to do so, almost as a rite of passage.

What's so good about developing an attitude of gratitude? Check out the bottom of this article for the answer.....

Our desire for change can start as a nagging feeling that life could be better than it is, or it could stem from a deep dissatisfaction with some particular aspect of our day-by-day existence. As well as opening up possibilities for personal growth and positive transformation, change can bring up all sorts of fears and conflicting feelings. Your approach to change will determine the outcome.

Role models enter our lives for a purpose, to help us grow and develop to be all we are capable of being. From the distance of time we can acknowledge significance of the impact of their example and influence upon our lives. . .

How can clinical problems such as depression be overcome without resorting to drugs. Peter explores the problem from an NLP perspective.

First of all, ‘Congratulations’ to you and your partner! What an exciting time for you, as your baby grows and you prepare for the arrival of a brand new person into your life.

There’s no denying, winter is here and, with the cold and often wet weather, it is easy to lose motivation for exercise and healthy eating in favour of sitting in the warm and eating those wonderful winter foods.

Last night I sat with my 16 year old daughter and watched Jamie Oliver battling to get permission to teach nutrition and cook healthy meals for a school in the US. Time and again he got thwarted and the school principal had to go and dig for some loophole that would get him back into the school again. I got quite emotional when he interviewed some of the children as they lived in fear of losing their parents and loved ones early, not to mention the toll an unhealthy diet was having on

I love personal development books, you could say I have 'wee' bit of an obsession with them - judging by my bulging bookshelf! Some of the criteria I use choosing these books are, they must be practical, easily implemented and have plenty of good examples to illustrate the concepts.

Pick up any book on personal growth, self improvement or successful thinking and you will find one of the first concepts is usually to ask clearly for what you want. That is assuming you know what you want in the first place!

LIFE COACHING is like your GPS FOR LIFE.. You punch in your destination and away we GO.

Change your thoughts, change your life.

Every now and then it is helpful to go back to basics.It is so easy to get caught up in the cycle of rush rush rush with no time for yourself, no time to plan, no time to relax, no time for anything except the hurly burly rush that is life in our busy world. Meeting everyone else's needs at the expense of your own, is often part of the psyche for women in our society.

It seems like every day there are more articles and books being written about positive thinking. Some support the benefits of positive thinking and others warn against its pitfalls. I wonder, is either approach right, or is there another way that will support us in leading a happy and fulfilled life?

what do you do to celebrate the great events or achievements that come into you life?  

Who recalls stomping their feet and yelling this statement at their parents as a teenager? Well Jon Bon Jovi sang “it’s my life, it’s now or never”. Are you singing at the top of your voice and tapping your feet yet?! He went on to sing “I ain't gonna live forever. I just want to live while I'm alive,it’s my life!”

You know what it's like when you meet someone who you 'click' with? You feel at ease, relaxed and almost immediately you relate to them? You understand 'where they are coming from', and you are 'on the same page'. Sometimes this feeling is spontaneous,it seems to just happen.I bet you also can think of times when you have had the opposite feeling? There may be people in your life that you really cannot seem to relate to in any way, shape or form. This feeling or lack of it,is called rapport.

When I went blind, I discovered I had a story to tell. At first I thought I was boring everyone to death but I soon gained confidence as people started to give me positive feedback. Telling my story involved not speaking from notes but speaking from the heart, as my notes I could no longer access, but my heart I could. The more I interacted with my audience and my heart the better my story became! There is a story in all of us - what is yours?

It can be challenging at this time of year to find a way of enjoying the holiday season in a way that is meaningful to you personally. There may be pressures to spend too much, eat too much and do too much and not a great deal of time, energy or money left over for what really matters to you. I would encourage you to take a few moments to consider how to get the most out of the holiday season and make this time of year more meaningful.

So how can your attitude shift the relationship between two people? I was reading a newsletter by Mark Peysha, the CEO of Robbins-Madanes Training and he was reflecting on Dr Martin Luther King. His thoughts really resonated with me as I had been having a discussion this week on this topic but couldn't articulate what I was trying to say. Quoting Mark: You and I are equal. You and I are different. You and I are the same. Read on to understand what Mark means by this paradox....

Getting your career back on track after having a baby can be very exciting...but also surprisingly difficult for a variety of reasons. To help you out, we explore some of those reasons in this factsheet, and highlight some hints and tips to overcome them!

What's the best book you've ever read? Hmmm .... ask me an easy one why don't you! That's up there with 'what's the meaning of life'. There are so many to choose from .... Barefoot Doctor's Urban Warrior .... Quiet Leadership by David Rock .... Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching ... Mind Power by John Kehoe ...

Want to know how you can maximise every opportunity in your current role and get yourself out of a rut? To follow are 3 tips to help you feel energised and actually want to go to work in the morning.

Ever felt that something that you’ve experienced or that was done to you is holding you back? Forgiveness is giving up a grievance, which you are entitled to. It doesn’t mean forgetting or reconciliation; it doesn’t mean condoning, it’s not about justice and doesn’t make what happened ok.

Most of us have goals, and by and large, we are probably pretty good at achieving most of them. Most of us have dreams, and by and large we only dream about them. Only a few turn their dreams into reality. Simple as it may seem the techniques which you use probably automatically and subconsciously for achieving the small things are the key behind getting those dreams.

We all tell ourselves stories to keep ourselves 'safe, often however, the stories keep us in the same place, when we could be moving ahead.

Grief is something that we all have to live with at some time in our life. It is never easy particularly at holiday and anniversary times. But really we have no option but to move on. We learn to live with the grief.

The emotional waking up process for me was very slow, hindered by the fact that I believed that I was already awake. I could see that others had a way to go, but me? No way! I was one of the lucky people who just managed to have it all together; but I was very excited about the idea of working, in some capacity, with those who didn't, to try and bring them to my advanced state! Oh, how the arrogant fall and oh, how very hard.

Has the love or romance waned in your relationship? Are you feeling a bit bored or in a rut? Can you remember when the person you chose to share the rest of your life with was the most important person in your life? Well take stock and take action as it’s highly likely you want to create a legacy of a united and loving family.

How can you tell if clutter has become a problem? Use this checklist to help you evaluate your own clutter situation. If you answer yes to any of these questions it may be time to stop and take stock of your surroundings and make a plan to clear the decks so you can enjoy what you own rather than feeling owned by your belongings. Be kind to yourself while doing this - most of us could benefit from making a bit more space in our lives.

Even when you are not job seeking it is important to have an up-to-date CV that accurately reflects your skills and experience. Your CV should always be at the ready. You never know when an opportunity may present itself to you. So how do you create a great CV?

It is a brand new year, and traditionally this is a fabulous time to create some inspiring goals! You feel inspired and motivated and then, something happens and after a few short weeks you let it all go. You just can't seem to maintain the momentum! It is very common. How do you keep inspired and motivated? It is very easy if you follow some simple rules. You need to create 'Stickability' to your goals so you will be more likely to achieve them.

I drove around the inlet today. The road is winding and narrow and it’s often hard to see what is coming in the other direction, so I’m always on the alert. Even so, I was quite surprised to be confronted by a pilot vehicle coming rapidly towards me carrying a sign announcing there was a WIDE LOAD FOLLOWING.

Can a Book Change Your Life – Only If You Let It! A review of Stephen MR Covey’s “The Speed of Trust”.

Your life is in your hands and hypnosis is a safe and natural method for creating change in your life.

As the words themselves indicate, Self Care is the Care of Oneself. . When we give priority to self care, then balance and harmony are allowed as a greater possibility in all other aspects of our lives. Things are changing all the time, though many of those changes, which are 'transitions', create additional stress in themselves, which is why it is important to be prepared when transition is on the horizon. Transitions such as, Menopause, Divorce, Death of Spouse are some to explore.

There is a reason why we are here living in the world and it’s our responsibility that we tap into our inner core and be all that we are made to be. I remember striving hard in my career for financial gain to build that wonderful future I had been told about but it left my soul void of life, leaving me to ask questions like ‘What am I here for?’ and ‘What’s my purpose?’.

It is a common mistake among couples that they only go to a relationship coach or counselor when things get bad. This is like suggesting that the All Blacks shouldn’t have a coach unless they start losing games. The time when you should ask for advice about your relationship is before you have started it.

Have you recently attended an interview for a role you really wanted and come away thinking - "that went reasonably well". Then receive in your inbox the next day a "dear john" email.

In my work as a coach, often with leaders in corporations or private companies, I see in my clients eyes a look of panic - of being trapped - of waiting for the rescue vehicle to arrive and 'fix' their lives.....to get them out of their extremley busy, and highly successful lives and career. Why is this?

How we loose touch with each other in the ‘busyness’ of life! In my practice I see couple after couple who got so busy with everyday life; the demands of kids, work, house etc that they have lost touch with themselves, each other and the relationship. This often happens without anyone realising and leads to him or her simply one day discovering a lack of connection with his or her partner, and often a notion that the relationship ‘is over’ takes shape.

David Savage talks to interviews Christchurch Career Coach and Author Kathryn Jackson about her new book: How To Keep Your Cool If You Lose Your Job

Some people have a great ability to keep the head under pressure in front of others. They steer their focus away from a feeling of risk and doom, to one of being in the moment - performing in the same way as they had mentally rehearsed their performance. And of course, with more experience, the easier it is to (in the words of Adam Ant) stand and deliver!

"Start where you stand and make the road by walking." Antonia Machado

Books have been my friends since I was a small girl. I really can’t choose a favourite as many have had such a positive influence on my life. I will, however, share one that really made an impact on me.

What are the gifts that matter the most to you? Which memories bring the greatest pleasure when you look back over past Christmases? How much does it really have to cost? Where will your focus be during this year’s celebrations? Who will you share your precious time and attention with?

It's just been a week now since devastation hit the beautiful city of Christchurch and turned the lives of many into states of panic, sadness, confusion, sense of loss, anxiety and fear, to name a few dominant emotions. But what has been, and is so very apparent, is the mix of compassion, resourcefulness, kindness, selflessness, and resilience which has been displayed by those who are in the immediate region and those in the rest of the country who are taking action to help make a difference.

We all face challenges in our lives which, when we look back, we realise with the benefit of hindsight, that they were defining moments. Moments which shape us into who we become, and where we learn important lessons about ourselves and how we respond to circumstances.

It’s ‘that’ time of year again when we dig out our ‘to do’ list for the last twelve months, enjoy a smug 5 seconds of celebrating what we accomplished and then feel guilty at the remaining actions that we never even got close to achieving. I’m completely guilty of ‘over promising and under delivering’ when it comes to my own New Year goal setting so this year I’m going to do things differently – everything is going to be about my career.

When we speak of wealth most of us think of money and lots of it. Some of us dream of being rich one day and that’s where it ends, some of us strive hard to get the financial status we desire and some of us are already earning what we want plus more. So what sets the dreamers and the strivers apart from the ones who are earning more than they ever expected. I believe there are three key aspects to being in the financial position that you desire and they are;

Our thoughts decide our destiny. What we think day to day will determine how we live our lives. We can choose thoughts that keep us stuck such as ‘I am not good enough’ or ‘I can’t do that’ or we can choose thoughts that will empower us and allow us to get the most out of life such as ‘I love a challenge’ or ‘I am successful.’

Our thoughts decide our destiny. What we think day to day will determine how we live our lives. We can choose thoughts that keep us stuck such as ‘I am not good enough’ or ‘I can’t do that’ or we can choose thoughts that will empower us and allow us to get the most out of life such as ‘I love a challenge’ or ‘I am successful.’

Is fear sapping your energy and holding you back from achieving all you want to in life? A simple change in focus can help to free you from debilitating fear and propel you into enhanced self-belief and bring about successful results in your life. Learn how to use the power of your mind to unlock the motivation and determination required to bring about your success. Put your renewed energy into taking positive action that will help you achieve your dreams.

Read all about my strategies for taking a rest over the upcoming christmas break. These include looking back at the year you've had, considering the benefits of an "at-home" holiday and taking the time to connect with yourself. Start 2011 with renewed optimism by creating a context for the upcoming year!

I’m a big believer of setting intentions. Intentions help us to clarify exactly what we want out of our experiences. I have intentions as a parent, intentions for my kids, intensions for my marriage, and intentions for my business – all of which I intend to share with you over time! But first you will want to know my intentions for my regular newsletter, “High Performance Tips”. See below for what to expect from my articles...

I have learned that some things just can’t be resolved. True resolution of anything is very hard to accomplish, in fact full resolution only happens in about 5% of situations. You may think things are resolved, but there may be undercurrents, and unexpressed resentments which will not go away. Have you noticed how we work so hard to resolve problems issues and hassles in our lives, especially around relationships? What were you taught as a child, which compels you to try to make up?

Do you know how many times you or your family have had successes over 2011? Have you been involved as a parent, class trips, sports, conversation time? have you been interactive with your partner? Outings, time,gifts or acts of love. did you win a competition? did you get a new career? or do well in the one you have? did you qualify in something? have you been what you consider to be a good person, and citizen?

Increasingly I find that people I work with are extremely capable, work hard, deliver results, however they put their work demands ahead of their own (including career planning). Does this sounds like you?

The program has been running with great results now. much to the relief of students and parents. STUDENT COMMENT: i gained so much more interest in succeeding well in my goals, learning about my abilities and career choices and knowing how to love myself which gives me a lot of confidence for my future. i also learnt how to control anxiety in stressful times like my exam times. Katie.

A few years ago I went through a period of rapid growth which stemmed from my intention to be true to myself and follow my heart. Up until then I had resisted because I wasn’t ready to spread my wings and fly out of my comfort zone and, I had all kinds of excuses for staying where I was.

Are happy being who you are? Or instead, are you trying to be the person you think others want you to be? Are you constantly holding back, afraid that other people won’t like or accept you if they get to know you and find out what you are ‘really’ like? Well the news is all good. You were put on this earth to be the person you truly are. You CAN learn to accept and love yourself just as you are. Follow the seven tips below and learn to love yourself.

Grief is a natural process that allows us to accept the unacceptable over time. It allows the hurt to diminish and become manageable and through grief we come to terms with what has happened.

A relationship is something to take care with, protect and nurture. Whether you have been together 5 months or 50 years care should still be taken. Indeed, the longer one has been in the relationship the more complacent one might become and hence nearly imperceptibly drift apart.

Looking for work can be a difficult experience and sometimes recruitment consultancy staff are not as helpful as you might have expected. Something to keep in mind is that you are using their service for free. They are paid by the employer and will put more effort into communicating with them than you. However, all is not lost. You can find a new job with the help of a recruitment consultant.

Most of us go through a time of adjustment when looking for a new job, and many experience anxiety and uncertainty during the process. Recognising that these feelings are normal helps you remain positive. Building some structure into your day helps to maintain motivation and balance during your job search.

Planning another pregnancy after losing a baby can be a very difficult time.... Giving myself permission to have 'fun' again helped enormously with my healing process.

When speaking with your coach or on attending a seminar, keep these mind-sets in mind. The following are examples of which mind-sets produce no-results and which mind-sets produce breakthroughs and insights for yourself.

When we find things in our lives that we are not satisfied with, we often dwell on them, talk about them and generally try to figure out 'why me?".

Redundancy and the impact it has. Have you been hit by the big R? Have you, or someone you know, been made redundant due to the 'current economic climate'. You may have arrived at work one day to discover that you no longer have a place of work to go to.