I love Marvel films. I just love that they always include a really healthy message. Stories have done this for years in different ways. Hansel and Gretel was to prevent kids from going into the woods, Red Riding Hood the same thing. We naturally use stories to learn. It surprises me the sudden interest in brand storytelling and personal brand stories as really, businesses have always used this to make us loyal and to buy their products. Apple doesn’t sell you a phone, it sells you a lifestyle and an identity. 

There comes a time when most clients I work with worry that they are becoming arrogant. Whenever this comes up, it always makes me smile because by purely asking that question of themselves, of me, they answer the question.

Have you ever been talking to someone and they have a very clear recollection of something that you know did not happen? This is one of the many causes of conflict in both work and personal relationships.

‘…but you said you’d be in charge of that project…’

‘no I didn’t, you said you would be…’

How does this happen?

If, like me, you loved Toy Story, you’ll know the quote, ‘That wasn’t flying. That was falling, with style.’

So many of us don’t reach out for the things we want because we are afraid to fail, both in business and at home. I know if you are in leadership, you probably think that you aren’t susceptible to this; you built a company, blah blah blah, but honestly, we all are. We are all fallible human beings who worry about failing.

Discussing loneliness despite constant companionship and how this parallels this with leadership, where isolation is common due to the inability to confide in others.

Leaders need to proactively seek connections with friends, peers, therapists, or advisors. Building a diverse support network is essential for personal and professional well-being.

Why are you so busy?

Do you find yourself tuning out when you really need to be present?

Do you ever organise some alone time only to find that your mind drifts off to solve or worry about that work issue in the middle of what you're doing?

Recent research says that all professionals have another 40 hours of work to do at the end of each week if they aim for a clean desk. That’s realistically a double week. Every week. For eternity.

I’m going to share my Mari’s Overwhelm Obliterator! It’s not actually a thing but it is what I do when I’m feeling overwhelmed.

It's my 51st birthday and I’ve been reflecting on my journey so far. Whether you're a client or a dedicated reader of my blog, I want to express my gratitude for sharing your time and your personal stories with me. In return, I thought I'd share a lighthearted tale from my past. 🌟

You make around 36,000 decisions every day… but mostly without realising it.

If you think that any of those decisions could change the whole course of your life… it could become quite terrifying. Deciding to go to that seminar might inspire you to start your own business; deciding to have a hot chocolate again (again…) could lead to you having a heart attack in 50 years’ time; deciding to pop to the shop whilst you’re passing could lead to you meeting the love of your life. Who knows where deciding to read this article might eventually lead you?

Did you know that research shows that people would rather have the certainty of knowing they were going to get an electric shock than worry about whether they might.

Our lives are full of uncertainty, and for leaders, this is an extra challenge. Will those VCs invest? Will that big client come on? Will that big project pay off? Will your new hire do the job you so desperately need them to do?

Have you ever found yourself behaving in a way that doesn’t feel like you?

I used to have areas that flipped me into a different version of myself. My anger was one of them. I hated it! Luckily, I was self-aware enough that I recognise this and continuously strived to clear that behaviour.

In our relentless pursuit of success, we often overlook the pace at which we navigate our lives.

I encounter numerous leaders whose existence is characterized by a rapid tempo - an attribute commonly observed among those at the helm. This zest for a fast-paced life is not inherently problematic for them; they adeptly hop from one idea to the next.

…and how this blog can help you if you are being pushed into it)

It’s been quite a couple of years for leaders.

Not only have they had to get to grips with remote leading, working from home, and the impact of Covid-19 on their careers, businesses, and personal lives, but they are also expected to have absorbed several new skills from the ether…

Feeling tired, stressed, or just happy but busy? How can you recoup your energy so you can stay on top of your life? Energy points, that’s how…

I'm going to give you this analogy.

Imagine that every day you wake up you have a set amount of energy points. Let's say 100 points.

Everything takes points. So...

…It occurred to me that walking on frost is a bit like business and life - stay with me here! When you set up your own business or get that job you want, it feels great, you have seen the sparkle, and unlike the hot pant scenario you have ‘bought’ the product. However, frost is not just sparkly, it’s also slippery and can be dangerous.

Losing is hard, you never heard Hannibal from ‘The A-Team’ say, ‘I love it when a plan doesn’t come together.’ Leaders should be innovating, they should let go of fear of failure or Imposter Syndrome, but what happens when they don’t…. tempers may flare.

There’s a joke in my family that when my kids were little, I could tell a board game was over when I heard the swish of the board flying through the air and the multiple little thuds as the pieces hit the floor. My son, ended almost every board game, like this….

My Mother died just before New Year. As humans we avoid talking about death. We say someone has, ‘passed away’, ‘gone to the other side’ or, if we want to laugh it off, ‘they’ve croaked’.

The problem with this is that we set ourselves up for a lifetime of repressed grief and stress. This in turn causes so many other health issues, both mental and physical. Think of the energy of trying to hold a gate shut against an angry bull. That’s what we do when we refuse to face our feelings.

I remember playing Pandemic the board game a long time ago with some friends. I found the game fast paced, confusing and overwhelming and pretty much sat in silence whilst being told what to do by my team mates! This real life situation feels a bit the same! However, this time I'm NOT sitting back waiting to be told what to do in all respects. Understanding what my brain is doing when it sees empty pasta shelves is a good place to start!

Have you ever felt stuck? As you can see from the photo, I definitely have! To be honest, my father pushed me in that bucket to take the photo, maybe you have someone in your life who pushes you, so you feel stuck as well?!

My clients are often feeling stuck when they arrive. Feeling stuck is just a way of the mind expressing that it isn’t happy. Stuck is just the feeling that is presented, so what can we do about it?

This is a story which is somewhat humiliating and yet also the opposite because I’m so damn proud of myself!

I was on holiday in Norway with old friends who live there. Every few years we get together and do activities. Norway, with its beautiful mountains and outdoor attitude, entices these things unlike my Cambridge home which is flat, landlocked doesn’t do a lot of outdoor enticing. I am not outdoorsy, but currently unfit, chubby, and pasty pale. I’m not just pale, I’m that blue colour that slightly hypothermic people go.

I hesitated to write this because on the surface it’s hilarious and humiliating, but if by being vulnerable I can help you have a giggle and learn something, it’s a fair swap. On one level this is very funny, it’s just that at 3.45am when you are tired… it’s not.

A bit of background. I don’t like horror films, or in fact any film where anything scary happens, I think my fear reflex is probably around a PG, pushing to a 12A and a 15 is a challenge!