Category: 5 Share Friday

1. Quote I’ve been pondering this week“It’s never too late to be what you might have been” – George Eliot aka Mary Ann Evans

2. It’s the penultimate Friday before myself and the family move to Denmark. We said goodbye to our neighbours yesterday (we’ve been so lucky with our neighbours, we worried about one in the beginning as they were quite loquacious and we could be kept talking for longer than planned, yet the conversation was always good!). While we thanked another for being such a nice neighbour, she replied saying “we’ll always have nice neighbours as we’re such nice people.”

I like to think I’ve always been nice, though the truth is I went through a long period of believing nice guys come last and being nice gets you nowhere. I was wrong, and 10 years ago I decided to become my authentic self again, the nice me that I liked. Since then my life has been more fulfilling and happier than any time before it. If you believe nice people get nowhere have a look at this, as it’s simply not true.

3. What I’ve been listening to –  the most calming piece of music you’re likely to find anywhere. It’s from the Dances with Wolves soundtrack (a fabulous soundtrack to listen to for focus and concentration). The last few weeks have involved extreme tiredness and pressure, this beautiful two minute tune has switched my brain to instant calm and relaxation. Try it for yourself, you’ll feel the calm spread throughout your body.

4. Most productive life hack this week – In my constant quest for life hacks to gain time, I’ve been setting my iPhone up for increased productivity. The biggest difference has come from using the text replacement for words or phrases feature. It’s something I’ve been doing for a couple of weeks now and it’s amazing. For those with an iPhone, read this and try it for yourself. Once you get the hang of it you’ll never go back.

5. Arrgghh GDPR! – If you’re signed up to this site and wondering why I haven’t sent an email asking you to consent again, then wonder no more…The answer is: it’s not necessary for GDPR and many of the emails you’ve received from companies may also not be necessary. Here is a good explanation. I actually love all the opt in emails I’m getting, as I can ignore them and receive less emails in the future.

Have a wonderful weekend!

1. Quote I’ve been pondering –  “The challenge of life, I have found, is to build a resume that doesn’t simply tell a story about what you want to be, but it’s a story about who you want to be.” –  Oprah Winfrey

2. Inspiring video I’ve watched – Staying with Oprah Winfrey, she did a USC commencement speech recently and this site summarises 8 amazing life lessons that came from it. I love her emphasis on truth, encouraging us to make the choice every day to exemplify honesty, because the truth exonerates and convicts. It disinfects, and it galvanises.

3. What I’ve been listening to – A friend pointed me to Rainymood, a place that plays the sound of rain and calming storms. There is even an app for your phone. I’ve been using it for over a week now and find it mesmerising as well as comforting, especially while I’m working away on my computer. Try it and see for yourself.

4. Article I’ve been researching – Google are helping make tech less addictive. It’s somewhat ironic given Google’s long term success is based on people being addicted to their devices and software. However, the company is recognising they have a responsibility and duty of care inline with a world wide movement that’s gaining traction around awareness of tech addiction and it’s negative effects. Google now have Digital wellbeing, go check it out.

5. Cool tool I’ve been using – for the last 10 years I’ve had a Swiss Utili-Key 6 in 1 on my key ring. In the last few days I’ve had several admirers of it as well as people needing to use it. It’s actually reminded me how useful it is. What’s so special about it? It’s ultra-light and durable with a straight knife blade and a serrated cutting surface, a flat screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver, a micro-sized screwdriver, and a bottle opener, and weighs in at an amazing 0.5 oz! No keyring should be without one..

1. Quote I’m pondering this week “Don’t worry when you are not recognised, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” –Abraham Lincoln

2. Work, sleep, family, fitness, or friends–pick three. This is the mantra of many entrepreneurs, specifically Randi and Mark Zuckerberg. I wrangle with this myself so don’t believe it’s just an entrepreneurs struggle. How is it possible to do great things with your employer, your family, your friends and your own health all at the same time? It’s not..We all have phases in life where we sacrifice one of these for another and getting it right can be tricky. Once you have you’re own family however, it’s not hard to realise the right thing is to never sacrifice them for anything, that makes the decision making a little easier..

3. New habit I’ve started – Every evening at 6:30pm my phone buzzes with a calendar reminder for 2 minutes of gratitude. I got the idea from this internet post. Lately with my days blurring into a humdrum of organising a house / country move and staying on top of work it’s been tough, with my mind suffering a little. Setting this simple reminder enables me to stop whatever I’m doing and remember how privileged I am to be here, have the experiences I have and know the people I know. I’m a week in and it’s been ineffable, try it yourself and see!

4. I was sent this clip of When Harry Met Sally recently as a reminder of how funny the film is. It got me thinking about how the film influenced my thinking all those years ago. That is, believing heterosexual men and women can never just be friends. Is this Hollywood or actually true? Have I been missing out on some great friendships? I did some research and wrote about it here . My conclusion is heterosexual men and women can be just friends, though it doesn’t mean attraction doesn’t always exist for one or both of them.

5. Music I’ve been listening too – We’ve been listening to Matt Costa’s Songs We Sing album over breakfast and also while lego building before school this week. It’s lovely to see Mack tapping his feet and even starting to sing tunes like the Sunshine song while he’s concentrating on his lego creations. Music is such a great thing in our lives, I even listen to this album while working (normally songs that include singing aren’t good for concentration). If you haven’t heard the album you can here it on iTunes and Spotify.

Have a great weekend gratituders!

1. Quote I’m pondering this week “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”–Dalai Lama

2. I’ve recently purchased a Sleep Master Sleep Mask after a friend had tried and recommended it. It’s fabulous for going back to sleep after waking and I’m looking forward to trying it out on my next long haul flight. If you’d like a goodnight’s sleep while travelling or at home give it a try.

3. Jet lag can impact us in many ways. While we’re on the subject of sleep, I’ve recently returned to the UK from North America and on the night flight back I drank Dream Water. After landing I drank another bottle on that night and no jet lag! I’ve been doing this on long haul flights for a few years, where before Dream Water jet lag crippled me for days. If you suffer jet lag I recommend trying it.

4. This week I read a 1958 letter from John Steinbeck to his son. His son had fallen in love and told his father. John’s thoughts to his son are timeless and as this piece says, infinitely sagacious (yeah I had to look that word up too). It ends with a beautiful piece of wisdom about taking time and knowing it’ll happen  “And don’t worry about losing. If it is right, it happens — The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.”

5. Article I read this week – about Google’s hiring hypothesis, explaining how STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) is highly over rated for students and employment. This is a good read as many companies and parents put a huge emphasis on STEM, yet Google has proven it’s far from the most important quality for any hire / employee.

Enjoy your weekend!