Success only comes to those who are prepared to put in the hard work, time, and persistence. Here are five key actions you can take to make sure you have a year of success.

No matter how driven, motivated and proactive you are, there will come times when your inspiration needs a boost. When I get like that, one of the things I find really helpful is reading and sharing words of wisdom from people who are smarter than me. Here are...

Life is not always easy. There are times when it can seem as though it’s trying to bury you. Here’s an old story that I find useful whenever life behaves like this.

The other day I saw a story on the internet and it made me think about Christmas. The story is one about a gardener who was getting frustrated with garden weeds. It goes like this: A man who took great pride in his lawn found himself with a large crop of dandelions....

The other day I lost £10 at the races. I was convinced that despite the odds I was going to pick the winner. How wrong I was. Wouldn't it be great to predict the future? Imagine all the success at the races. Never again would you lose money. You could go to Las Vegas...

If you've ever battled with the two inner voices, then this Cherokee fable will resonate with you. Cherokee Fable One evening, a grandfather was teaching his young grandson about the internal battle that each person faces. "There are two wolves struggling inside each...

If you want to really help people then the best piece of advice I can give you is don't give advice. We all love to offer solutions when we're confided in. However, what we don't realise is that people don't want solutions to their problems. Why don't they want...

My nephew is just a baby and recently my sister, mum and I decided to do something for him for the future. We decided to write him a letter that he might be intrigued with when he's a bit older. Rather than a traditional letter I thought it might be interesting to...

If you want to do something really inspirational this year, then read this story

How busy are you? It was a question I asked a group of business women this week. They sighed wearily and nodded that they were very busy indeed. Being busy is one of the hazards of running your own business: I've yet to come across a coaching client who isn't very...

We've just got a labradoodle puppy called Buzz. He epitomises cuteness and charm and everyone who meets him dissolves into coo's of delight. However, although this puppy can be at times a pure joy; at others he is a real terror. Buzz has only been in our lives for 2...

What could you do if you didn't care what people thought? What could you do if you didn't have that negative nagging voice inside your head? What could you do if you truly followed your heart? The other day whilst sitting in Winchester Cathedral I was struck by these...

Have you ever wondered why the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is painted orangey-red? Why not silver like the neighbouring Bay Bridge? Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, someone on our tour bus asked this question. It was only then that it struck that I'd never...

What is happiness? It's a question I've been asking myself extensively over the past few days after a trip abroad to Bangladesh. Bangladesh is such a mad, chaotic and vibrant country. It's untouched by tourism and is heaving with noise, colour, dust and heat. What is...

Imagine this. It's midnight, it's freezing cold outside and you've just snuggled down under your warm duvet for a welcome sleep. Just as you're about to fall into a deep slumber your partner walks into the bedroom, leans over the bed and whispers, "It's a fabulous...

If you've ever lost your keys then you'll know how helpless you feel when it happens. That's exactly what I did last month in Totnes. It was so frustrating; it meant I couldn't get into my car, my house or my garage. Isn't it amazing how important those small bits of...

There is a German proverb that says, "Fear makes the wolf bigger than it is." I was reminded of this the other day as we were discussing the dangers of being hit by lightning. My mother began to lecture my brother, whose is a keen golfer, on the dangers of playing...

I turned 40 the other day. I suppose there are two ways to look at it. I'm either an 18 year old with 22 years worth of experience, or I've moved onto the escalator of middle age. My initial reaction to turning 40 was to sit down and write a list of all the places I...

The other day I stayed in a grotty hotel. It was tired and grubby and all night the plumbing gurgled and rattled. The next morning the shower water wouldn't drain away and the toilet wouldn't flush. It was such a huge relief when daylight arrived - I couldn't get out...

The other day a friend of my mum's grabbed my hand and put it on the back of her jeans and asked me to feel a bulge. "What's that?" I asked feeling something lumpy beneath the denim. "It's my pants, they keep falling down." "How irritating" I sympathised. "I bet you...

There are two questions I want you to ask yourself. What's the most important thing in your life right now and What's missing from your life? Before you continue reading come up with some answers. These answers will be unique to you and once you know what they are,...

Work life balance means different things to different people, there isn't a 'one size fits all'. For example, one of my clients is a lady who is a PA to the regional manager of a well known national organisation. Let's call her Jill. When I first met Jill she was...

Have you ever woken up with a hangover and thought 'I'll never drink again'. Then that evening when your headache has passed you crack open a bottle of wine. I always think of January as a bit of a 'hangover' month. After the rush of parties, presents and food,...

Don't beat yourself up this Christmas. It's something that was brought home to me by my piano teacher the other day. He taught me a great lesson. It wasn't a lesson in music; it was a lesson in life. Feeling Frustrated Arriving at the music lesson I felt despondent....

Have you ever left the house, driven down the road and wondered something along the lines of, 'Did I switch the iron off?' or 'Is the grill still on?' Then on returning to the house you realise your concern was completely unfounded? Did I Leave the Door Unlocked? The...

The other night my watch was stolen from my wrist. I couldn't believe it. I was out with some friends for an evening and it was taken from right under my nose. My husband had given it to me as a present, so I was particularly attached to it. I'm still at a loss as to...

"At every party there are two kinds of people - those who want to go home and those who don't. The trouble is they are usually married to each other." These words, written some time ago by an Agony Aunt still ring true today. Couples can seem so unsuitable for each...