Be First Class

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop.

Last week, I was thinking about how sad it is that the world isn’t a kinder and more harmonious place. All of us only get a short amount of time on planet earth and it’s a shame that everyone doesn’t use this time positively and is kind to their fellow citizens.

It’s sad and worrying to see so much bad feeling in the world at the present time. You don’t need to spend very much time looking at social media to find examples of people being mean, nasty and aggressive to others about their appearance or different opinions.

If you watch tv news bulletins you receive updates on various military conflicts across the world. These have brought untold misery for thousands of people. These bulletins can leave you with a feeling of dismay and a sense of helplessness at the destruction and many deaths that are reported.

Despite the above, it remains my view that kindness is a quiet, but powerful and generous act of hope in a world that is becoming increasingly divided. When we offer support to a friend, listen to someone with care and empathy and without judgement or help a stranger, we make a positive difference. Our choices and actions do matter and can bring positive and uplifting energy in our immediate environments.

Listed below are some actions and choices that will make a positive difference to the world:

• Send an uplifting and encouraging message to a loved one or friend who is low on confidence or is feeling down.
• Find a way to do a random act of kindness (pay it forward).
• Make a donation to a good cause or give away items to help those who don’t have as much as you.
• Check in with someone who is going through a tough time and may feel anxious or lonely.
• Share an encouraging or positive story to inspire and uplift others.
• Look for the good qualities in everyone you meet this week and be kind and supportive to all those you interact with.
• Thank someone that you appreciate and tell them why you are grateful to them.
• Share an article, quotation, book or details of a podcast that you found helpful with friends, colleagues and loved ones.
• Surprise someone with a thoughtful gift.
• Forgive anyone that has upset or hurt you in the past.

 
This week, why not pause for a few moments to reflect. Consider what small acts of kindness you can perform to make a positive difference to the world.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

“Resilience is all about being able to overcome the unexpected. Sustainability is about survival. The goal of resilience is to thrive.”  Jamais Cascio.

We all go through challenges and periods of uncertainty in our life. Life is not always plain sailing. All of us experience highs and lows. Experiencing, coping and emerging successfully from a challenging time can help us to be stronger and help us to develop our resilience.

The ability to adapt and bounce back is stronger in some people than others. However, with focus and attention we can develop our resilience just as we can build up muscles through regular exercise.  I believe that having great resilience and the capability to find extra reserves of energy when required are vital to help people to meet and overcome challenges. It also helps people to flourish and thrive.

Certain conditions and resources in people’s lives help them to be resilient. These include having a few people to talk to without feeling judged and also receiving regular encouragement from others.

Maintaining good health and physical condition with regular exercise helps aid recovery from health challenges. Sufficient sleep and a healthy diet play an important role too. Being involved in community projects, charitable causes, staying optimistic and expecting things to work out for the best also help.

Here are some ideas to develop resilience:

Goal setting

Having personal goals, even small every day ones help you to look towards the future with optimism and provide a sense of accomplishment once completed. Goals you’ve achieved in the past are a strong reference point (in the future) when you’re pursuing something and the going gets tough.

Acceptance and positive expectations

Accept where you are at and that you can’t change the past. Focus your energy on the present moment, your growth and development as much as you can. Have positive expectations of good outcomes. Create a mechanism to review your progress. Maintain a positive attitude and an optimistic outlook. I know this isn’t always possible particularly with health challenges.

Make room in your life for laughter and fun

The ability to maintain a sense of humour and to see the funny side of a situation when facing a challenge is a great coping mechanism. It helps to relieve stress and keep your spirits up.

Remember how you conquered previous challenges

When you face a fresh challenge remind yourself how you conquered a previous challenge and the learnings that you took from the experience.  It’s good to have clarity about strategies that helped you cope with previous hardship. Focus your energy on the things you can control.

The importance of self-care

Take care of your needs and feelings both physically and emotionally. Engage in hobbies and pastimes that you really enjoy and contribute positively to your overall wellbeing. Get sufficient sleep each night and exercise daily.

Maintain a journal.

This helps to externalise your feelings and provides a sense of clarity and perspective. It quite often allows you to view situations in a different way and conjures up new perspectives for you to consider. It can help you to create some new ideas, approaches and action plans that you can practically apply.

This week why not pause for a few moments to reflect and consider what action you can take to develop your resilience.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” Plato.

My wife and I love going to concerts and over the years we have been very fortunate to have seen some of the biggest acts in the music industry. One of the items on my bucket list was to see The Stereophonics in concert.

I am very grateful that I got to tick this off my list when I saw them perform last December in Birmingham. They didn’t disappoint, it was a brilliant concert. The sound quality was excellent and the voice of lead singer Kelly Jones was so clear. It is now in my top 10 favourite concerts of all time.

During the performance Kelly told a lovely story about how the band started from humble beginnings. He explained that he grew up in in the Welsh village of Cwmaman in the Cynon Valley. One of his neighbours was Stuart Cable, who played drums, Kelly played guitar.

They formed a band and it was from this that The Stereophonics was eventually created. They used to practice twice a week at the youth club in the village. They used a trolley with squeaky wheels to transport their amplifiers, guitars and drums. On their way to the youth club, they went past a working men’s club where one of the band’s members mother was playing bingo. The squeaky wheel used to make quite a noise and everyone at bingo knew they were going past!

During the concert, Kelly told a story that made a link from the beginning of the band to the night of the concert. He said from a trolley that had a squeaky wheel they had progressed a great deal. He stated that now in order to put on concerts during the tour, they had needed 4 tour buses, 9 trucks full of staging and equipment and a large group of people behind the scenes. Over the years they have performed with many artists including Tom Jones, U2 and David Bowie. That’s quite a change from a single trolley!

For me the story was a reminder to us all that something wonderful can be created if you put enough effort, belief, patience and passion into it. It encourages perseverance and a recognition of the value of tiny steps and small efforts at the start of a project. The story can be used to reassure or inspire someone who is starting out on a project, new direction or adventure.

It reminds us that the little acorns planted today will become mighty oaks in the years to come.

This week, why not pause for a few moments to reflect. Consider if there is a new project or hobby that you want to start or a group that you want to join. If so, what will your first step be?

Alternatively, is there someone you know, who is just starting out on a new path who may need a bit of inspiration, encouragement or reassurance?

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk