Love Life!

'I Love Life' ...This is one of my friends favourite sayings and a good one it is too. Whenever we are out having fun together she will never fail to say this, in fact after a few drinks she may even shout it!

What makes me 'love life' is being with my family and friends doing the things we enjoy together. You can't beat having having people around you who will support you, care for you and make you smile.

To me interacting with people is one of the most important things in life if not the most important thing. Whether its a planned meeting or a chance meeting, your contact with each person shapes a small part of your life. People can bring out many different emotions within you such as anger, frustration or happiness, people help you to live and love life to the full.

When we are walking around we often ignore the people around us because we are in too much of a hurry. Next time you are out why not take the time to look at the other people around you and maybe smile at a stranger or chat to someone in the queue with you. This small gesture will mean something to that person and make an impression on their life, you never know they may even become a new friend.

Over the next few weeks I also urge you to think about the friends you already have and perhaps haven't been in contact with for a while maybe because they have moved to another country or because you have simply been to busy to contact them. Call these people up and have a chat with them or even arrange to meet them, I can guarantee that this contact with an old friend will make you smile and remind you that life is for loving.

Sophie Whittall

Marketing and Admin Co-ordinator

www.London.dalecarnegie.com

My 31 Day Challenge......

Art and photography are real passions of mine and I have lots of fun being creative away from my day to day job.

During the last couple of years art has taken preference and the photographs have been more as a point of reference to the pictures painted. However, my father was a keen photographer, and since his passing a few months ago, I have inherited all his camera equipment, some of which I know how to use, others I simply haven't a clue.

So now that my house is being filled up with all this wonderous equipment, I thought it's a shame not to use it. But then various thoughts crossed my mind.....such as how? When? I'm too rusty? Will I remember the settings I need etc etc.

So I decided to set myself a little challenge..........the challenge being, 31 days, 31 pictures! And what fun I am having! I decided to take a picture a day......which sounds so simple?!!? However, the first challenge I've faced is that I have an apalling memory....so on Day 1 I forgot!!!! Hmnnn......however, facing challenges can mean changing our behaviour....so now every day, I carry my little point and shoot to make sure I don't forget and at the weekends I take out my digital SLR with me. That way I always have a camera at hand.

I am having fun looking at every day objects as a photo opportunity. The idea being the picture I choose to take reflects something that has happened in my day. And at the start of the day I have no idea what that could be - and that in itself is exciting. And when it's gets late and I haven't taken a photo I realise that by using my imagination, I can find a photo opportunity. But quite often, now my shift in thinking has changed, I have taken a picture by lunchtime!

I think it's fun setting ourselves challenges. They stretch us, they can take us out of our comfort zone and more importantly, what we learn from them can be invaluable. I have already decided that next month I will do a sketch-a-day........but in the meantime, I will continue to snap away, take some interesting pictures and just have some fun. And to me, that is what life is all about...!

Helen Mills

Financial Controller

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com

Eye Contact - Especially When Under Pressure

What goes through the mind of a prospective Open Golf Champion playing the final 36 holes - and in the lead? To know exactly would require sixth sense but there are some things that can give it away.

Last Saturday found me standing at the 13th tee at Turnberry, this years venue for the Open Golf Championship. Having been there for a while it was easy to become connected with the different moods, pressures and energies of the different golfers as they shot their drives anything up to and in excess of 300 yards and then passed on.

All without fail acknowledged the support of the crowd, doffing their sun visors, tugging a forelock, or simply raising a hand. There was one exception. Maybe it was the years of treading the fairways, maybe it was the memories of being in the lead and what awaited, perhaps it was acknowledging that the first prize of £750,000 was only possible with the support of the crowds present and watching television.

The one real exception was Tom Watson, five time open champion and now at 59 about to stand on the cusp of a second immortality. Tom did one thing that no one else did on that day on the 13th tee. For every voice he heard he returned a look right in the eye of the owning source of the whoop, shout or cry of 'Come on, Tom'. AND along with the look came the words - thank you.

For the remainder of that day and throughout the next no matter what the pressure I saw Tom Watson make a true connection with the whole crowd and where possible one person at a time.

Can we do simple things to build lasting impressions with people we may never see again/ Leadership is made up of simple things. Tom was leading the way and teaching others a lot about leadership. Well done Tom you will remain in my heart for ever.

David Pickering
Consultant

www.London.dalecarnegie.com