Great networking last night at Business Junction's (BJ) Business Directory Launch.

The venue was stunning - Christ Church in Spitalfields which is a Hawksmore Church and is now often used as a venue for an array of different events. It was an evening 'do' which I prefer and it was so nice to meet up with some 'old' faces and then meet some new ones too.

Having experienced both lunchtime and evening networking under the BJ umbrella, I do find the latter much more relaxing and less frenetic. At lunch time more people seem intent on rushing around trying to get round as many people as possible and collect as many cards as they can. In the evening, it's more relaxed. I suppose people are in 'wind down' mode, they enjoy a glass of wine or two and the emphasis seems to be more conducive to building relationships.

I came away from last night with some really good contacts which I feel could lead to some great business and perhaps that is why I have been in such a positive and reved up frame of mind today.

I decided it was time to 'go for it' and see what I could organise so I have been following up business leads, making contact with possible partners and just exploring ideas. It's been great and of course has a motivating effect. If you don't ask, you don't get and the worst that can happen is that people say 'no'. What have you really got to lose?

That little patch of heaven.

There is a little patch of disused land between houses not far from me and I often pass it on my walking routes. Sometimes it looks pretty desolate, sometimes a bit of a dumping ground but in April it is a haven of blue when the bluebells come out.

The scent is very strong and for me evocative taking me back to my childhood where spring and summer were spent in the woods behind our home.

Today I noticed that the land has been cleared to make way for yet more houses. Benefits for some but it just seems as if no plot of land can be free from development now and I for one felt great sadness because this year there will be no bluebells to brighten up my day.

Keep going, it will all pan out in time.

Out walking with one of my clients this a.m. I was asking if she had seen any changes since we had started working together - this was her fourth session. Her response was yes, and then she paused. I must admit that I was wondering what was coming next!!

She added that she was both energised and tired but on further analysis it became clearer. She was mentally energised as a result but physically more tired. Phew, this is something I would expect.

Walking is as important for our mental health as our physical health and mental energy is a great benefit - it's an addition, partly due to clearing the head and also due to the endorphins. As in my clients case, it came fairly quickly, often it is immediate but in the case of our physical health we have got to expend the energy first. We need to use those muscles that perhaps have not been used as much and we also push them at a harder pace.

Initially that is going to tire those muscles, hence the tired feeling. However, keeping at it, the muscles will soon be able to cope and will adjust to this new level. Of course then we'll work them harder still so there will always be short periods of that tired feeling. All perfectly normal though and the result is a situation like training my team for the Breakthrough Walk last year when we started off with one hour walks and graduated to being able to walk for two days covering 22 miles on one and 16 on the second.

What action!!

Further to yesterday's post, I have been singing Sarah's praises. I feel so much lighter and really empowered as a result of our wardrobe session.

I continued sorting through things yesterday evening and discovered a number of pieces of clothing that my new slimline figure could get into - what joy. So now the liberated space in my physical wardrobe has been refilled but that's OK.

I also made a list of all the things I had to do regarding my clothes - alterations, big and small. New things to buy etc and sent off a list of 12 to Sarah today. I have now completed 6 and am I pleased with myself? You bet I am.

I think this is my new approach.

Wardrobe makeover

It's been rather an exciting start to the week as this morning I had a wardrobe makeover. This is something I have been interested in doing for a long time and through a contact it all came together.

I wasn't sure what to expect but I wasn't disappointed. Sarah takes a very holistic approach which fits nicely with my take on things and we started by having a long chat so she could get to know me. It all makes sense really as how can you advise if you do not know people's lifestyle, likes and dislikes.

From there it was upstairs to have a good look at my clothes. Many she approved of - always good, others we clearly had joint views of 'well that's OK' and there were a couple of things she just refused to talk about. By this time, I had got a feel for her too, so cast those things aside straight away.

It was all very liberating and as with all decluttering I can feel the mental space that has resulted. There is also physical space in the wardrobe and I have made a decision that something being 'OK' is no longer good enough so I had added considerably to the 'cast out' pile. The charity shop will love me as I pitch up with loads of bags and there are a couple of things that have never been worn at all which hopefully will make someone's day.

The message that came out loud and clear for me was the need to buy some new shoes and boots with killer heels and to invest in a new bag or two - Bicester village is definitely going to get a visit from me. I also need to make a visit to the seemstress near the station to get some skirts and jackets altered and to John Lewis to buy some new buttons and update a couple of jackets.

I'm looking forward to it and would urge some of you out there to have a session too. You can contact Sarah through her website http://www.sarah-jean.com/ where you can see the packages she offers.

Rest and relaxation

What a lovely weekend.

My dear friend Janet was in London for the weekend and what a chilled and relaxed time we had.

On Janet's agenda were some long and leisurely breakfasts. Breakfast just happens to be my favourite meal, especially at weekends so that wasn't hard to provide. In fact I spent a fair amount of Friday making sure that I had all the ingredients for a fairly healthy, yet tasty feast. As we sipped our coffee we planned the day which included walking - surprise, surprise peppered with coffee stops.

As those of you who read my newsletter may know, there are plans to demolish Borough Market, the wonderful food market on the South side of the Thames, so we headed down there and had a great couple of hours sampling cheeses, picking mushrooms, queuing for hot spiced cider and just taking in all the sights, sounds and aromas. Our evening meal consisted of home made carrot and corriander soup, mushroom risotto with a green salad, a trio of amazing cheeses and a desert of slivers of three different tartes all washed down with red wine. Most of the ingredients were care of Borough Market - This place must stay!!

Today after yet another a fantastic, long breakfast we headed off to the Barbican to see 'the Curve' - check it out. Then wandered down to Smithfield for a very late lunch in Smiths and from there we walked to St.Paul's and across the 'wobbly bridge' to the Tate Modern and the slides. Ellie and Alan had been down one a month or so ago and today Ellie had a go on one of the smaller ones. This would be a great place to meet up with some of her friends over Easter. Then I can have a go too.

From there it was back home and an evening of all those things you need to do on a Sunday evening to get ready for the week ahead. It also meant a trip to Stanstead to get Janet on her Glasgow flight. It will be June before we get together again and by that time I shall have walked the Inca Trail and as a family, we will have done some more of Pointless Odyssey. Alan will have been to Dubai and who knows what Janet will have been up to.

There will clearly be the need for another weekend of rest and relaxation and some more catching up.

The evolutionary process

My wonderful VA, Susan, came to see me today. I am still bringing her up to speed on Walkers' Coach and the different areas we want to work in. I had the mindmap out and was aware that even as I talked through the plans and hopes we had, that other areas were raising their heads and even more opportunities were available.

One of the things I love in having Susan on board is her enthusiasm for the initiative too and therefore she is forever making suggestions and bringing me information. Her ideas are inspiring and I know she is going to be a great person to bounce ideas off too.

In our planning today we were looking at the possibility of Walkers' Coach developing its own basic walking standard which can become a national tool. I did talk to some people at the Outdoor Show about the existence of something like this but I am not sure it exists. If anyone reading this knows otherwise, please let me know.

I am also aware that there are other things I need to put in place before this grows much bigger and the need too to start planning for 2008 and get dateson the planner for our PR and Roadshow.

Well, it will keep us all out of mischief for a while longer....

The power of clearing out.

In the office this afternoon, I found myself with a little free time on my hands and nothing specific that I needed to do. Joy of joys, it was a bit like being let loose in a sweet shop.

I finally could spend some time going through old computer filesand the delete button was in continuous action. Why oh why had I kept half that stuff? When was I ever going to need it?

In fact much of what I had filed is well out of date due to my career change. It felt great seeing the files shrink and the deleted file expand. As before , not only space in the files but in my head as well and I am feeling so energetic.

That may also be due to the start to the day when I was scraping ice of the car at 7.00a.m. in temperatures of minus one. Energising? Well knowing that I was going walking was, as was the brisk tramp round Clissold Park in the sunshine and an elevated temperature of 1 degree. Oh, I so love my life.

Juggling

I seem to be doing much more of this than usual and I am getting pretty good at it but I would like to ease the burden a little.

It's all the result of a new regieme and my priority has got to be a new time management strategy. Networking has increased as Walkers' Coach is making its presence felt more and that means lots of new contacts to keep in touch with and explore possible partnerships with.

Visiting shows like the Outdoors Show again brings lots of new contacts and more to write about and include and as we are still growing the evolutionary process takes another step forwards.

I am loving the excitement and openings all this provides, in fact I seem to be in permanent buzz phase. It does however bring paralysis sometimes as you try to work out what to do next. I am getting clarity but Susan, my wonderful VA is also visiting on Thursday and she will help knock me into shape no doubt at all. I can sense a blissful Friday.

That six o'clock alarm....

Well it was 6.30 actually but the Monkeys sang about the 6.00 o'clock one and I am at the age to remember that. Confused? Don't worry it's not really that important.

However, I was up at 6.15 a.m. as I was off walking with a client first thing. So easy to get up when you are going to do something you love and I love my walking. All this client walking is great for getting to know other areas of the city too and it's such a energising way to start the day. When I left my second client, her Monday, which had started off badly when she couldn't find the car keys was looking much like a different day and it was only 10.10.

A packed day or two.

The last few days have been so action packed that there has literally been no time for blogging.

On Thursday I felt like a weather lady as I went out and then back to the office for 30 minutes or so, out again and back in etc. etc. Finally I arrived home at 6.45 p.m. in time to grab some food and my daughter and head off to her 'Mother and Daughter Pamper Evening' at school. It was a really good event nice and I had the most wonderful reflexology session. Meanwhile Ellie had reflexology too, her nails done, hair spectacularly designed and then a mini cover girl make over - not bad eh but somehow we got a bit of an uneven deal!!!

Friday saw me off to Birmingham to the 'Outdoors Show' and an airing for our 'Walkers Coach' branded fleeces. It was a great day but wow, so much to see. I was very pleased that I was not into water sports - at least I was able to miss out that entire section. Gary and I both made some good contacts which I shall follow up this week and I managed to get some really great bargins in new gear for Peru and beyond.

Yesterday I was off walking my hills all be it in Buckhurst Hill and not out in the wilds. I was pretty impressed though as I did not find the continuous ups and downs particularly taxing. Yes, I know, they are not what I am going to find in Peru but I am building up to those. I shall head up a bit further in the West Country at Easter and then further afield in the next 6 weeks or so.

Finally today in the UK was Mother's Day and I hope those of you who are mums had a great day and were spoiled. I had my early morning cuppa in bed and then was given some lovely pressies - smellies and a beautiful green glass heart, I have been wearing it all day.

I was also taken out for brunch to a very trendy new restaurant. I have to admit that I thought Alan had lost it as we were in a rather run down area and he had to keep stopping and turning round as the street we were looking for was so small. Finally we found it and as we drove down I could see nothing that resembled a restaurant at all. Standing in the biting wind waiting for Ellie to get out of the car, I found myself wondering just where we wre going to but true to his word we found our destination off a small courtyard, then through a grey door and up some concrete stairs.

I shall be back. It was fabulous - the food, the service and the setting which used to be an old garment factory. Very cool and trendy and so out of the way you gotta know it is there. I think I will only share this with very good friends.

Energy, bring it on for all of us.

This week has been such a fantastic one on all fronts. There has been so much energy and interestingly a number of people have commented on how energetic I am. Gary my business partner said 'You have great energy and I feel a real buzz every time we exchange news, ideas, etc.' How great is that? Even if I had not been feeling as I had, this would have pepped me up.

Someone else commented on the fact that 'he knew I was smiling when I answered the phone ' and that he 'loved the energy I brought to our relationship'.

I have so much energy because I love what I was doing and again this week someone told me that they knew that 'I was doing the work I was born to do'. I knew that too but how lovely to get the confirmation.

As Annie Meacham would say - ' I am vibrating at a very high level' and that just attracts more.

Even the weather is in alignment, happy yellow daffodils, aromatic pink and blue hyacinths and sunshine in a blue sky. Spring has come and I hope that wherever you are in the world you have got what I have. If not, how can I help you get it for yourself? Walking might just be the key so email me and let's see how I can help - heather@walkerscoach.com

Energy and passion

I have just spent a wonderful afternoon with four other fantastic women. What energy and dynamics!

For all of us there is so much going on, on all levels and at times it was as if we were fighting to get a word in edgeways. There was so much we all had to say, wanted to ask, desired to suggest.

The other wonderful thing is the totally safe environment and great support. We all want each other to succeed and we can put all sorts of ideas and thoughts on the table knowing they will be respected and given space.

This is how I love to do business.

Have a great weekend.

Live in the moment

For five minutes today, I just stopped, sat on the bench in my garden and drank in the warmth from the sun. It was blissful, it was energising and it felt so good to just take that time.

Tomorrow the sun may not appear, I'm glad I enjoyed it today.

Body over mind!

Really enjoyed my walking this morning. I have been finding it a bit of a struggle this week and I know that I have been walking more slowly. PMT? Tiredness? A mixture of both? Not sure.

I have had some late nights and on those occasions I have been eating late and no doubt consuming more than usual so that's definitely a contributing factor. What has also been interesting though has been my mindset as I have climbed into bed. I have been telling myself that if I am 'zonked' when the alarm goes off it is OK to stay in bed and walk later. - I do know myself well though and walking later on a work day never works as well for me.

Anyhow on all occasions this week, I have been awake before the alarm and no matter how much I try to allow myself to drift back to sleep, I can't. Clearly this body of mine has other ideas and knows that I need the walk.

Of course I always return happier, more 'settled' and feel virtuous. This morning though, the buzz was there again and I sped off. As I walked I was milling over the conversation I had had with Diana yesterday and planning her walking programme options. It's that new challenge and I love it.

Meeting preparation

Do you look forward to meetings or dread them? Do you think about the outcome you want in advance? What preparation do you do?

Generally I look forward to meetings, and have tried to prepare in terms of the outcome I want. It keeps me focused on why the meeting is happening and how it benefits me. Since working on the whole issue of 'attraction' this preparation is even more important to me and it is amazing how often I get exactly what I want.

Today I had two very major meetings, one was face to face and delivered just what I wanted and it was a very pleasant experience too. The second meeting was on the phone and although I had prepared, I was still not sure how it would all come together. I thought about my outcome which was that we would get a plan in place easily and lo and behold everything just flowed.

So two great meetings, two great outcomes and I have caught up on my email and my blog and can soon do the reading I want and bring the working day to a smooth end.

If you don't get the outcomes you want, try out this process, believe that it can happen and then go for it. Don't give up if it does not happen at first, be determined and try again, you will get there.

Wind down now.

I am really going to enjoy today because this weekend this is the only real break I have.

Last week I was snowed under due to all the new networking I was doing and also because I was in 'single mum' mode. I know that there are lots of woemn who bring up two or more children on their own but when you are used to having someone to share the load, having to do it all yourself means a rethink of your day or in this case, week.

As a result I made the decision to work yesterday, get rid of the backlog and therefore ease my peace of mind. It worked although I spent more hours than I would have liked away from my family.

Thank goodness I visited Emily, who is a real ministering angel ,at the end of the day on Friday. One of Emily's facials relaxes me totally and sets me up for the week ahead and I don't even think she realises how wonderful she is.

Sunny Daffodils

What a wonderful start to March.

When I woke this morning it felt as if it was quite cold outside my warm and cosy bed and that was not helped by a text from my husband in Dubai telling me that it was a sticky 26 degrees and that was in the morning. I like the heat and at this time of the year crave some of that warmth.

However, when I pulled back the curtains the heat didn't matter so much. A cloudless blue sky and sunshine, what a joy. A real ‘glad to be alive’ day and I challenge anyone not to be in a good mood when it looks like that.

The miniature daffodils in my window boxes seem full of happiness as they bend their heads in the breeze and for the first time this year the daffodils in the border that I can see from my office window are also out and on my desk the budded ‘daffys’ that I placed in my blue, yellow and white jug are starting to unfurl. Isn't nature wonderful and doesn't it give you a lift and hope too for the future.