Major Changes

A few weeks ago, whilst I sat on a tatami mat supping green tea, 6500 miles away from my comfort zone, a very dear friend said to me:

"Be warned, everyone who has come here has gone home and made major life changes so be prepared."

I was in the middle of Japan on a trip of a lifetime soaking up the culture,  atmosphere and scenery; what a spectacular backdrop to an amazing trip! 

Her comment hit me hard and got me thinking and, I'll be honest, initially the spoilt child in me came out in me, just a little bit. What if I don't want to change? Can't make me! When I set my internal toddler tantrum aside, I realised I was afraid. Would I somehow fail the universe or miss an opportunity if I didn't change? What needed to change? How major does a 'major change' have to be to deserve the title? Arghh!

In today's ever changing world we are constantly being asked to adapt, to develop, to fit into moulds or boxes that represent how society thinks our lives should  be. It's a race and we are constantly being asked to keep up or fall by the wayside. What would happen if we just said..... 

"hang on... look at this... let's take time... let's switch off our mobile phones (gasp!) and have a real conversation."

Now I'm back in the UK and my routine has once again kicked in but my mind is still pondering the challenge and question of 'major change' and how it could affect (or should that be infect) me. I have said, in a previous posts, that a change can sometimes be better than a rest and I still firmly believe that. 

Then it occurred to me, those people who had been to Japan and then made 'major changes' in their lives actually did something even more amazing first. They changed their perspective and were honest with themselves about what they really wanted. Stories of realising that you want to get out of the rat race to start a family,  aspirations to become a published writer, owning your own business, take up a new hobby etc all these things came about because the person shifted their mindset and decided to make it happen. Other people only see the physical ramifications of the mindset change so in truth they have no idea just how 'major' the change really is or when it really happens, maybe taking the trip was actually the first physical representation of the 'major change' but of course no one but the individual would know this and they themselves might not even have realised at the time ... ooo that's deep!

So what about me? Well since coming home, I have signed up for a half marathon and started a running programme (you have to understand the enormity of this as for me as I am not athletic at all!), I have made some tough decisions and been honest with others, I have recognised the situations that don't serve me well and I have truly opened my eyes and ears to many possibilities and opportunities around me. I'm taking each day as it comes, but I know when I look back at my journey in a few months time I'll be able to say "Wow, I made some major life changes."

As an aside, If you ever get the chance to experience Japan grab it with both hands, find yourself a guide and limber up for that flight, it's well worth it.

Take a moment, raise your hand...

.... and pat yourself on the back!

Yes that's right, I am asking you to physically pat yourself on the back. Now for added impact I want you to say, out loud, "Well done, you did it!" How does that feel? Strange? Good? Are people looking at you like you've been at the mulled wine? Good, let them look. Let them hear that you have done a good job. Revel in the feeling of success, why shouldn't you?!

It doesn't matter what "it" is, everyone's "it" will be different. Maybe you've handed in an assignment on time, maybe you remembered to post your Christmas cards before the postal deadline, maybe you finally sent that email that's been lurking in your draft box for days, maybe you stood at the front of your kids carol concert and made a total tit of yourself just for giggles and actually enjoyed it......for all those things and for every other "it" out there ...... pat yourself on the back! 

Look what you can achieve, bet you didn't think you'd been so productive and had fun in the process. So often I find myself thinking about how much I still have to do rather than stopping for a moment to reflect on what I have already done. We should take pleasure in the wins however big or small they are, listen to the laughter and join in, reflect on the friendships we've cultivated and be thankful for the people around us and supporting us on our journey, dance round the room like a looney just for the hell of it (I find this is most effective when accompanied with loud music but it's your call) ....heck we deserve it! 

Hey, if we don't blow our own trumpet sometimes, no one else will do it for us.

A change is as good as a rest

Actually, in my experience of late, I have found that a change is sometimes better than a rest. Who knew?!

How did I come to this mind blowing and wondrous conclusion? I'm glad you asked .....

There I was, twiddling my thumbs, thinking that I had reached capacity and taking amazing leaps forward in my bid to becoming the reigning Queen of Procrastination when suddenly, I was faced with the need to move out of my nice comfortable office surrounded by my familiar and favourite distractions - people, twitter, face book, emails and doodling- for the day and work somewhere else. Argh, what a shock to the system!

Now not only did I need to work in a different environment I also had that overarching feeling that, as I was no longer available to call on or contact in the usual ways, I needed to almost justify my use of the time and my choice of new work venue.

An amazing thing happened ...... I was so productive that day! Unbelievably so in fact! All the mental blocks I had put up against doing certain tasks and starting particular projects seemed to disappear and I found myself striking task after task off my list. Documents that I'd been putting off writing practically wrote themselves and the wording for those, shall we call them "less than fun" emails just flowed freely, none of the usual pondering over getting just the right wording to ensure the message is received clearly but feelings are trampled on. It all just worked.

So I got to thinking....Why, when I have felt so stuck has everything just fallen into place with such ease? The  answer I came up with was the change in location. It seems that in changing my physical workspace I had also, unexpectedly  made a profound change on my mental workspace as well and the result was that I was more productive in that single day than I had been for a long time.

In my day job I often hear people saying that they feel stuck, are finding it difficult to remain enthused or engaged by the work they are doing, be it a project, report or assignment. From now on I will be suggesting they consider a change of workspace, just for a day, and see if they find that helps to get those creative juices flowing again. For me, the change really was better than a rest.




"Cosy Cat" image used under CC Licence courtesy of DOH4 

All the world is a stage...

... and we are but players on it" 

- W. Shakespeare 

(Yes, I know I should look it up and reference it properly but you get the idea so let's keep it between us ok?!)

The stage, a training room filled with tables, chairs and post it notes galore. The players, a collection of new and continuing Student Mentors who have pulled themselves out of summer hibernation. Throw in some lighting effects (damn those complicated switches), some action (including throwing a rubber pig at each other) and a large amount of music (can't beat karaoke for a social night) and you have the perfect ingredients for Mentor Training 2012.

Lets do the Time Warp

How many mentors fit on a sheet of A4?

What a fab
5 days they were! 

We explored 

values, networks, personality types, brand awareness, team building, project building, lego, pigs, juggling, affirmations, 

e-portfolios, goal setting and personal development. 

For me the most rewarding part was watching the physical and emotional changes in people as they went through the week and to see new connections and friendships being formed. What was mind blowing and humbling was the support for each other and the sense that here is a group of people rooting for each individual in that room to succeed in whatever they set their mind to. 

Topping the week off with my own graduation too, woah! What an emotional roller coaster I had, but what a rush!!

Me and my hubby 

Four heads are better than One

Armed with a notebook and pen I took myself off, on my tod, to the refectory to come up with some creative ideas of stuff (what? that's a technical term!) to do in the scheme that would raise awareness of key issues, encourage discussions and link into university initiatives......... Who am I kidding??? My office was being used for an external meeting and I hate working from someone else's desk so off I went!

The Challenge

To come up with something fun to do to raise profile and funds as part of breast cancer awareness and Movember.

The Result

Wow! Within half an hour I'd been joined by three mentors and the ideas were in full flow. From naked calendars to cookbooks to rubber duck races and super heroes! Bam, bam, bam, and another one, and another one! In truth we have enough stuff (seriously, it's a technical word!) to keep us busy for months and what's more, we're all really excited to get started :)

So what's my point? Well if I have to have one, and sometimes random waffle is perfectly acceptable I think, my point is that getting out of the office, sitting with people and actually talking face to face can generate some amazing results. My other point is that I have been reminded, once again, of what a creative, open minded and down right bonkers bunch of people I am lucky enough to work with and that makes me smile.

See, proof that its a 'technical term!'

Follow our Movember Team here 

I'm sorry, what? July?? Already??? Oh heck!!

The sun has got his hat on... and legged it off to far and fantastical lands!!

Ergo, instead of  lounging out on the lawn catching a few rays and networking, I have been forced to focus and be practically productive instead. If I'm honest, not as much obvious fun and ice-cream involved but definitely a sense of achievement when you see those to-do's becoming to-done's (sneaky pat-on-the-back to self, hey if you don't pat your own back who else is going to do it for you?). So, although I hate to say it,  a few good days (nay, weeks) of rain has been very helpful for my planning and attempts at being organised.

Yes, yes that's all very good Bellamy, but what exactly have you been up to and how is it likely to interest us? Well, it probably won't interest you at all but just for giggles I'll share ...

.... updates to departments given, online resources developed, training sessions organised, new campaigns imagined, collaborations discussed, new skills acquired, professional boundaries challenged, diplomacy tested, to-do list shortened, celebratory moments enjoyed ... Pretty good eh?

Highlights of my week?

• Catching up with Mentors at the departmental away day and seeing them get right into the thick of it, sharing ideas for a new promotional video. Just love it when people throw off their "staff" or "student" label and just get in there and work together, it brings a real energy to the whole thing, I think.

• Becoming more self aware and appreciative of my own central belief system as a result of finding myself in a personally challenging situation. Boy, you can really learn a lot about yourself if you listen to your inner voice and give yourself permission to say how you feel.

So what's in store for the rest of this month? Well....lots, if I'm honest! So don't tune out yet... Hello?... helloooooo?

Time out to develop your craft

For me, this week seems to have heavily featured frantically running but getting no where fast. My to-do list is rapidly becoming a to-do novel and, as much as I like a good read, I am sad to say that the ever filling pages of my trusty note book (no I've not quiet fully embraced the digital world yet) are no work of fiction and do unfortunately require my attention and action over the coming weeks.


During a series of frantic email exchanges, chasing paperwork gremlins and listening into live streams of conference presentations it occurred to me that I may be in danger of stepping onto the slippery slope sign posted "Running just to keep up!"  So I stopped and took a moment to ask myself the potentially heart sinking question..."What have I actually achieved this week?"


Now, I am not about to go off on a million mile moan monologue about how busy I am, poor me, no one understands what I have to do, that is pointless and I take total responsibility for the length of the to-do novel I just wonder what it is that fuels the engine. Interestingly (for me anyway, you might think otherwise) when I gave myself the space to think and reflect on what I had truly been using my time for it occurred to me that the things that came to mind where those that involved people. Colleagues, peers, friends and family. Giving time to listen, connect and support where needed whether I was forwarding an email, having a coffee, taking a walk or posing challenging questions. All of this is time consuming and doesn't necessarily generate much visual or tangible output (which if I think we so often measure ourselves by) but, if I'm honest with myself about the contents of my working day, I believe this is the stuff that forms the foundation of what I do and where I draw my energy.


So, I got to thinking ... and reading... and came across an article on Lifehacker that talks about craftsmanship and how it is fundamentally "doing what you love and doing it right." In essence it suggested that no matter what you do in your role, your job is your craft and that you should think of your work as a step towards becoming an expert in what you do or honing your skills. 


Now my funny little brain immediately said... "Yay, I can become an expert coffee drinker and gossip! My life is complete!" but I'm guessing that I should really think a little more deeply than that, right? So I have put on the breaks and given myself permission to take a moment (or three) to consider my craft and plan how best enhance the work I do. Just as building an ornate cabinet requires delicate woodworking skills, maybe I need to identify and consider the tools of my trade and how best to perfect them.


I can't share any conclusions yet as a true craftsman develops over time (or so I am telling myself) but I do promise to update you on my journey and some of the madness that I am sure to find along the way as I try out new things.... who knows I might even switch from coffee and sample a few teas, but let's not get ahead of ourselves!!

"Improve your work by learning from others and from your own experiences"