I can't believe it's actually been over a year and a half since I started using LiveJournal. To think I only started writing to save my sanity, many thanks to almosthonest, I'm amazed at how much I've actually written (must have needed a lot of saving!), especially when it came to manually importing everything across to its new home...

Anyway, long story short, my new blog is linked to my new website - www.grace-marshall.com. I may well continue to use LJ for more personal stuff, who knows. But in the meantime, please do check out my new site and let me know what you think.

Anybody know how to import LJ posts to Typepad?

Flowers, chocolates, cards, cooking dinner… whatever we choose to give our mothers today it’s the thought behind it that counts. Mums do and look after so much, yes we do deserve to be treated. But I know what makes me happier than any treat in itself, is the appreciation and recognition behind the gift…

After a gentle start to January, I’ve hit the road with renewed force, throwing myself into a whole new world – early morning meetings with complete strangers, distributing and displaying my telephone number in prominent public places, soliciting meetings with prospective punters, looking at different avenues of exposure…

Otherwise known as networking, breakfast meetings, advertising, introductory consultations and well, the dreaded ‘M’ word - Marketing.

You see, despite (or perhaps because of) my background in marketing, the thought of marketing my own business or myself, gives me a sinking feeling in my stomach. The idea of having to be clever with ‘hooking in’ people’s attentions, herding them down a funnel, getting your foot in the door, countering their objections and luring them to buy – let’s face it, just doesn’t paint a nice picture.

Especially in a profession like coaching where values of honesty and helping people to make their own choices are pretty fundamental.

Recently however, as I’ve been trying to reframe it in my mind as Client Attraction rather than Marketing, I have come across a few terms like Marketing Intimacy and Romancing the Customer, which got me thinking. If I was on the dating scene, I certainly wouldn’t be door-knocking, or throwing myself at every man I meet! And while some girls are incredibly upfront, or work the speed dating circuits really well, that’s just not me. I came to realise, I have to find what works for me, and play to my own strengths and confidence.

So with that in mind, how to attract the perfect man client:

Have you ever tried to focus on something that’s too close, and the harder you stare the more out of focus it becomes?

Over the past few weeks I have been making tremendous progress in learning and experimenting with various aspects of planting and growing my own business. I’ve broken through several comfort zones, tried new things, gained confidence and clarity about who I am and what I have to offer, and even found myself inspired with the bare bones of a programme which might well turn out to be something of a niche.

So, armed with this inspiration, the support and encouragement of a fantastic group of abundant coaches, and a boost of momentum and confidence from what I’ve already achieved, I went steaming ahead… and hit a wall.

I never really understood the phrase ‘burning the candle at both ends’. I get that this would obviously burn it out quicker, but a candle is a finite source of energy. It doesn’t get topped up or renewed. However slowly or quickly you burn it, it will eventually burn out.

People are not candles. The ones that shine the brightest don’t always fade the quickest, and if I find myself feeling like I hardly shine at all, I’m not conserving energy – I’ve run out.

The good news is that our energy is renewable. We can recover from stress, recharge our energy, renew our passion. The trick is knowing when and how.

And it’s the ‘when’ that I’ve been pondering today, so I’ll leave the ‘how’s for another day.


 

Traditionally the time for new beginnings, resolutions and changes, you would have thought this would be the perfect time to launch a new coaching business, to join the barrage of ‘New Year, New You’ messages being banded around from gyms, diet clubs, Boots and the world of personal development alike.

Alas, with the time, resources and other commitments I had already waded into, it was not to be. But I’m not going to beat myself up about it.

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The week between Christmas and New Year always seems to be a traditional time of reflection for me. Looking back, I made some pretty life-changing decisions in 2004, which led to some chaotic consequences in 2005, as if I’d tried to pull a hand brake turn on a freight train. And if 2006 was the year of figuring out what happened, picking up the pieces, and charting a new destination, 2007 was all about getting the engine going again and making headway along a new journey.

It is true what they say, about how quickly a year passes, but when I stop and think about everything that’s happened, it strikes me as pretty amazing how much I’ve managed to fit in this year:

• Developing from a just-started trainee to a practising, almost-newly-qualified coach
• Learning a new skill in Indian head massage
• Taking three holidays (a drastic improvement on none in 2006)
• Having more fun – taking the time to read, see friends, go out with hubby, pick up cycling and badminton again, and I even managed to go clubbing for the first time in about seven years!
• Visiting old friends, making new ones and keeping existing friendships alive
• Having my parents two hours’ drive away rather than thirteen hours by plane
• Reintroducing colour and youth into my wardrobe!
• Pretty much renovating and redecorating an entire four bedroom house, including a new kitchen and bathroom, enough plaster, dust and paint to last several lifetimes, and twelve new pieces of furniture, most of which was assembled two weeks before Christmas!
• Riding through some major rollercoaster rides with family circumstances, so much so that we decided to move again, only then to discover some very unexpected news from my sister in law that made our minds up to stay put here and set down roots.
• Reviving my faith and experiencing God as a very real part of my life again
• Becoming much more confident in myself, as me and as a mother

2008 is looking to be a very exciting year. I’m on the verge of launching my coaching business, looking forward to new additions to our extended family, as well as the usual new year’s resolutions of getting fitter, healthier and more sleep!

You know that if your first day back from holiday involves energy, enthusiasm and exercise the chances are you’ve either had an amazingly bad holiday or an amazingly good one.

Ours was the latter :)

All the usual ingredients were present – sun, sea, sand, good food, friendly people, relaxation and the absence of chores – but the biggest thing has to do with my state of mind. Letting go of plans and expectations and just being, living in the moment and soaking in the experience.


And I feel so recharged that breathing in the cold, damp distinctively British air after we landed was actually invigorating and has me raring to go.

Is anyone out there feeling creative or inspired?

I'm trying to brainstorm ideas for a name for my life coaching business.

Ideally it would be something that is simple, memorable, not too cheesy, works as a website name, and conveys a sense of what I do. The words I've been toying with include: inspiration, passion, insight, possibilities, individuality (as in everybody is unique and individual in what they want and what things mean to them), and the idea of having someone who is in your corner, totally dedicated and focused on you.

If you could spare a teeny bit of space in your creative brain and let me know anything that comes up, I will happily send a bottle of champagne (or name your favourite drink or food) to whoever comes up with the best suggestion!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Grace
xx