4 ways you can overcome feelings of Imposter Syndrome...

Have you ever felt like you're not good enough?

Have you ever felt out of your depth at work, like maybe any minute you'll be found out?  That you're not really that confident, or that together or that knowledgeable about the thing you've been employed to do! Essentially that you're going to be found out..that all along you've been a fraud!

If you can relate to any of these feelings then you maybe be experiencing Imposter Syndrome.

Though this isn't a mental health issue per se, it can and does have a significant impact on you and your daily functioning.

It can impact how we feel about ourselves and our abilities. It can hinder what we do next, and how we move forward, and in short, your feelings of being a fraud and not being good enough may mean that you miss out on opportunities that come your way.

In today's video I look at this in a bit more detail and also share 4 things that you can do to start to overcome these feelings straight away.

So without further ado, click on the video below to find out what you can do today...

What do you think?  Have you ever felt feelings of Imposter Syndrome and if you have will you be trying any of these strategies to overcome them?

If you will be trying these things, I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.  Which one has worked better for you and why?

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Until next week!

What 'should' you be doing with your life?...

What's your answer to this big question?

What is it you feel you should be doing?

Should you be running your own business?  Bringing in a particular salary?  Living in a different home?  Be married? Have travelled?  Started that diet?  Written that book?

We all do it.  We decide for ourselves what we should be doing all the time.  Measuring ourselves against an invisible (sometimes visible) list of things we need to do, or else we will live a life of....well, what?

It's great to have goals, but this way of living, this idea of what we should be doing often gets out of control and can start to permeate our daily living.  The 'should' slips into our daily internal narrative...I should get up earlier. I should spend more time with X, I should add that to my to-do list, I should, I should, I should, I should!!

There is obviously a big difference between wanting, really wanting to do something and making positive changes in your life in order to achieve this things.  No-one would argue the contrary.  But what can be true is the that as we mindlessly bombard ourselves with a negative voice and tell ourselves what we should, or indeed shouldn't be doing, and doing so without question, then this kind of self-talk can sometimes end up doing more harm than good.

In today's video I go into this in more depth looking at what this can do to you if you don't step back and take note.  We also look at the benefits of tackling this kind of internal chatter and the positive impact that can have on your feeling of wellbeing as well as helping you to really move forward.  So let's get stuck in...

So, do you notice that you do this? I'd love to hear form you if this resonates with you in any way.

I think we're all guilty of it from time to time, but with a little mindful thinking and working on our positive self talk we can really make a difference.

Before you go, if you’d like to have this delivered to your in-box every week, in which I share some behind the scenes stuff too, then do CLICK HERE to be taken to the sign up page (this is just a sign up to the weekly blog update).

Until next week!

Interview with Sarah Harrison from Hotpod yoga...

Have you ever tried yoga?

Well, the next question is have you ever tried hot yoga?

I remember trying a hot yoga class when lived out in New Zealand, which yes, I did like, but it was a very different experience to the Hotpod yoga I started doing a couple of years ago (and no this isn't an ad*).

There was something a bit magical for me about going into the womb of the pod, which was all warm and dark.  There was ambient music playing and beautiful smelling oils wafting through the air.

I think the pod itself gave some sense of safety and comfort for me, and also if truth be told, it felt less confronting to be moving my oh so un-supple body into cats and cows and camels!

In today's video, I am therefore so fortunate to be able to share an interview with Sarah Harrison from Hotpod in Nottingham.  Not only does Sarah talk about some of the general benefits of yoga for anyone curious to try it, but she generously shares her own journey into the world of yoga.  She also tells us about her business journey and how her practice has changed over the years.

So much to learn form the wonderful interview...enjoy!

So, if you haven't done hot yoga are you going to try it?

I  really can't recommended it highly enough and would love to know what you think and if you're going to give it a go?

For anyone wanting to find out more about Hotpod yoga you can visit the website by clicking on the picture below...you can also be taken through to book classes and get stuck straight into your own yoga journey!

Before you go, if you’d like to have this delivered to your in-box every week, in which I share some behind the scenes stuff too, then do CLICK HERE to be taken to the sign up page (this is just a sign up to the weekly blog update).

Until next week!

Why we should embrace our contradictory beliefs...

Can you relate to feeling ambitious, but also lazy?

Maybe sometimes you feel excited and scared at the same time or maybe you feel 'happy-sad'.  If you can relate to feeling any of these contradictory beliefs, know that you're not alone.  Not by any stretch of the imagination.

You see it's human nature to feel these seemingly opposite feelings and have them sit side by side, jostling away somewhere in the background.  What usually tends to happen is they come up in conversation or when something happens in your life that has you stop and think and notice that you're thinking or feeling or experiencing thoughts or even exhibiting behaviours that are contradictory to one-another.

Well, in this weeks video we explore this funny human 'quirkism' a little more, looking at why there is power in embracing these contradictions and also how they can sometimes hold you back from moving forward...

Do you relate to this?

Do you notice what your own contradictions are and are you happy with them or are there any you'd like to change? I'd love to hear from you below if you're brave enough to share.

Before you go, if you’d like to have this delivered to your in-box every week, in which I share some behind the scenes stuff too, then do CLICK HERE to be taken to the sign up page (this is just a sign up to the weekly blog update).

Until next week!

Is having an on-line business the only way to be successful today?

Do you ever feel like your social media news-feeds are littered with messages about living a lap-top lifestyle?

Does it feel to you like everyone is living their dream via an on-line business?  Like all roads to success seem to start with what you can do on-line to make money which will in turn free up more of your time to have beach holidays and travel the world.. allowing you to conduct your business anywhere from Bognor to Bali?

I've noticed this creeping into our psyches of late, and my clients have noticed it too, as many feel a distinct push to make everything they do accessible on-line even if it feels very much in conflict with what they feel they really want to do.

Well, first of all, this post isn't about poo-poohing the on-line world or on-line businesses by any means...in fact A.P.E is in part an on-line business!  Also, with over 3 billion people across the globe on-line, it certainly IS a great way to connect with people and to help more people with your knowledge and services.

Having an on-line business can indeed be a great way to live a life you want, and like I've said, can allow you to help far more people than you may have been able to do 20 years ago.  The problem with this however, isn't so much that this is possible, but more so the push for everyone to do it.  And if they haven't done it yet, to imply that an on-line business is the only way someone can be successful or happy.

This just isn't true.

 The fact is, is that not all jobs or careers are designed to be on-line.  What would we do without doctors and nurses caring for our sick?

What would we do without teachers in schools to teach our children?

What would we do without people to clean the streets, to work in cafes and to maintain our buildings?

Without people physically engaging in doing the work, working in real-time in all corners of our society, would it not be the case the society itself would suffer?

Though we don't look specifically at on-line businesses at APE, it inevitably crops up in discussions around change, as so many people wish to have businesses of their own.  It's also very much a part of the dialogue around finding your passion or your purpose.  Really thinking about what you're good at, and therefore how you wish to progress your ideas...in this case on-line or not?  Or maybe just how much?

Because this is a conversation that comes up again and again when looking at these things, I decided to rip the plaster off starting by what we do best here at APE, which is to have some fun with it first and foremost...and then consider the reality, ultimately addressing what it means for YOU.

So here we go...

What do you think?

It's certainly another risqué one this week, but nonetheless an important discussion to have.  I'd really love to know if this message means something to you.  Do you ever feel bombarded by this message and feel like you should be on-line.  Maybe you've already made the move, or maybe you're following a different path.  Please let us know below or do come over to the Facebook page to join in the discussion by clicking HERE.

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Before you go, if you’d like to have this delivered to your in-box every week, in which I share some behind the scenes stuff too, then do CLICK HERE to be taken to the sign up page (this is just a sign up to the weekly blog update).

Until next week!

How to instantly boost your mood...3 simple things you can do today!

Do you ever feel like even though everything seems to be ticking along fine, you just feel low in your mood?

You feel a bit down, like there's a little cloud following you around and casting a shadow over how you're feeling?

Maybe you feel like this a lot, maybe you feel like this sometimes, maybe you feel like this around 3pm every day when you get that afternoon slump and you're craving a coffee to give you the boost to get you through the rest of the day (like me!).

There are obviously lots of things that impact how we feel.  You need to feel like you're doing meaningful work, you need to feel healthy and eat the right foods, be happy in your relationships, get good sleep etc. etc...I'm sure you can think of things straight away that you know impact how you feel.  Today though is more for those of you that are doing many of these things, are generally happy, but like I described at the start of the piece, sometimes you just can't shake the down feeling.

So, today I'm sharing with you a few things that you can do that involve being in 'motion'...in other words moving your body.

There is a lot of good research and science that links movement, so exercise and other modalities that show irrefutably that exercise and moving are directly correlated with a positive mood, as well as having other associated health benefits including better functional capacity.  So I dig into this today...and I have to warn you, some silliness takes place.  But you probably guessed that!

What do you think?  Do you already do any of these things....I can't be the only one dancing around their office at 3 in the afternoon?

I'd love to hear from you if you do this as as well.  What's your favourite tune...I'll be sharing mine over on Facebook so click here to see what I boogie to!

Also, if you'd like to get delivered to your in-box every week, in which I share some behind the scenes stuff too, then do CLICK HERE to be take to the sign up page (this is just a sign up to the weekly blog update).

Until next week!