6 Steps to dealing with a problem ...

1     Actually define the problem that you are struggling with


2     List your options for solving the problem 


3     Write down the possible outcomes for each option


4     Write the pros and cons for each option


5     Discuss with 3 trusted friends


6     Make a decision that you can commit to 

Design Collaborations - Fashion

Collaborations between high-end designers and high-street brands are nothing new. In fact, we barely even bat an eyelid anymore, at the throngs of fans camping outside stores at 5am to get the first look-in. Versace for H & M was perhaps the most hyped-up collection yet, but, we have to ask ourselves, do they live up to the media attention they receive? Luckily for you, we have done all the legwork to find the best pieces from the cream of the collaboration crop this year. Form an orderly queue, ladies.

Colour blocking has been the daddy of all trends for several seasons now, and SS12 is no different to the others. This colour block dress, the lovechild of partnership between Debenhams and London label Preen is a sure-fire hit. One of the more low-key collaborations, yet with perhaps more longevity and less need for PR hullabaloo, Preen’s EDITION range for the high-street giant focuses on Preen’s strength: well-cut pieces that make women feel fantastic. Coupled with the reliability and value-for-money prices Debenhams offer, the entire collection would make a sound investment.

When it comes to paying a premium price for what is, essentially, a high-street manufactured piece, versatility is key. This Vanessa Bruno for La Redoute shirtdress has it all- a flattering fit and the perfect mix of laid-back cool and sexy, due to the slouchy shape and sheer chiffon fabric. Wedges, lipstick and a leather jacket would transform it from a daytime dress to a vamped-up party outfit in one fell swoop.

People Tree, the fair trade fashion pioneer, has teamed up with both Zakee Shariff and Orla Kiely this season. Both offerings are characterised by each designers’ signature prints. Zakee Shariff’s designs feature delicate, illustrative prints with a smattering of paisley whilst Orlia Kiely’s features bolder designs.

Celebrity collaborations are often even more anticipated than the high-end designers (who could forget Kate Moss for Topshop?) Geri Halliwell by Next is surprisingly well thought-out: structured pieces in solid colours and girlie floral print produce  a mix of grown-up chic and fun. From March also is a selection inspired by that Union Jack minidress, albeit not so tight and with a longer hemline.

The limited edition nature of these collaborations means that unfortunately it can be very difficult to get hold of even the less popular items, let alone the key pieces. For this reason, it is advisable to check with stores to find out when they receive delivery of the items. It may sound extreme, but will avoid disappointment. The plus side is knowing you have paid a fraction of the usual price for your favourite designer!

1 Anthony Vacarello For La Redoute. Blouse, £69, skirt, £69.

2 Orla Kiely For People Tree. Skirt.

3 La Redoute. Vanessa Bruno shirt dress, £89.

4 Zakee Shariff For People Tree. Paisley mini dress, £45.

5 Geri By Next. Colour-block dress, £38.

6 Debenhams Preen/Edition. Colour-block printed dress, £65.

7 Principles By Ben De Lisi For Debenhams. Pleat dress, £60.

8 Fearne Cotton @very.co.uk. Cotton pleated long skirt, £35.

Time to declutter your home!

This blog post was written by my fabulous assistant Julie!

Having just moved house, I have come to realise just how much clutter I have accumulated over the past 10 years. Although I class myself as organised, there were 2 cupboards which we rarely entered into! A large under stairs cupboard and a large cupboard in the spare bedroom. Busy lives often mean that we are prone to the ‘I’ll do that later’ mentality which usually means storing items in cupboards which never get sorted out! I now find myself with a garage full of clutter which now needs sorting!

To save yourself the room and the time it will now take to clear 10 years worth of clutter in one go, it is much better to keep the house clutter free in the first place. Not only will your house be nicely organised, but you will only be using space that you need, and not storing items that you don’t. If you think you need to move because you’ve outgrown the house, you may be surprised how much room you actually have if you just de-clutter those cupboards, drawers and sides!

So, you’ve decided to de-clutter the house but where do you start? Firstly, clutter needs to be identified. For further help on this, read our previous blog post which will give you advice on how to identify clutter from non clutter. It will soon become apparent that the house is full of much more clutter than you first realised and this may seem daunting. Here are a few simple steps that will help you:

1. Be Brave

Clutter can take months and years to build up. It is important that you are in the right frame of mind when you take on a de-clutter session. Many items that are now considered clutter may have been expensive when first purchased or you may have attached sentimental values to these items. The most important first step with de-cluttering is to be brave and ruthless to be successful at restoring organisation.

Top Tip – Some items will have sentimental values attached and will not be classed at clutter. Whilst being ruthless, it is acceptable to select a small box for keepsakes. By keeping everything together, you will be able to gain more control on your organisation.

1. One Room At A Time

When de-cluttering, it is important to consider each and every room. However, to be most successful, we recommend de-cluttering one room at a time. In each room, make separate piles:

• Bin it pile
• Donate / Sell pile
• Move to another room pile

Part of the de-cluttering process will be to restore organisation. At present, it may be that similar items are scattered in various rooms, therefore, it is important to store similar items together in rooms where they are most needed.

1. Make A Mess

De-cluttering is not a tidy business! The best way to properly de-clutter is to empty all cupboards and drawers onto the floor or a hard surface and then sort. This ensures that your entire house is thoroughly organised and sorted through in the process.

1. Family

De-cluttering the house is a big job, so why not ask other family members to help? Everybody has helped create the clutter so it is only right the whole family pull together and help. It is also important to train children (and perhaps husbands!!) at tidying up after themselves. Storage boxes will help children to learn to put toys away in the correct place, but it is also important to regularly remove old toys that have become broken or unused.

1. Time To Relax

You will find your new de-cluttered home much easier to relax in once you’ve finished, knowing that everything is well organised, tidy and free of clutter. It should also make cleaning much easier with less clutter to move and dust!

How to identify clutter

Clutter affects most households to a greater or lesser extent, with items scattered in a disorganised way throughout the house. For those who do not see clutter as a big problem, think about how long it takes daily to find certain items. This is time that could be spent more wisely if the house was de-cluttered and properly organised. Clutter can easily get out of control, making you feel stressed, disorganised and ashamed to have visitors round. If regular de-cluttering sessions have not occurred in your household, you can guarantee that clutter will have built up!

So, you’ve established that your house is cluttered, but how exactly do you decide what is clutter and therefore what needs to go? Follow these simple steps to identify clutter and remove them from your home.

1. Broken Items

Many of us often keep broken items with the intention of mending them at a later stage or perhaps using them as ‘spare parts’ for other items. In reality, most of these items remain broken and unused, yet remain in the house taking up valuable space. Be ruthless! If it’s not going to be mended straight away, get rid!

1. Items Never Used

 We all have items in the house that have been used once or twice, if at all, and are highly unlikely to be used again. This type of clutter can include items such as the tea set passed down the family that you have no intention of using, ornaments that are now considered old fashioned, or perhaps you simply have no room to display them. These are all items of clutter that need to be removed to restore organisation in the home.

1. Obsolete Items

As newer models are released and purchased, older versions are often stored in a cupboard ‘just incase the new one breaks down’, or ‘I might need that one day’. A good example of obsolete items is video tapes. Most of us now use DVD or Blu-Ray discs and players to watch movies, yet many of us still have video tapes stored in the house, often years after the video player stopped working. Yes, the videos may have cost a lot of money when purchased, but in reality, they will never get used again, so get rid! Still have old TVs stored away because they still work? Get rid or donate to a charity shop but don’t keep hold of them!

1. Items You Can’t Use

We all like to have the latest gadgets, but unfortunately some of them are so technical that without spending hours reading the manual, it is impossible to use. There may be items in your house that you bought but still can’t figure out how to use them. If you don’t have the time or inclination to find out how to work it, sell it or donate it and put the money to better use.

1. Items You No Longer Like

I’m sure everybody can think of at least one item in their house that they no longer like. Perhaps clothes that no longer look good, shoes which are no longer in fashion and pinch your toes, ornaments which you never liked but put on display just because you had it. Now is the time to get rid of these items!

These are just a few ways to identify clutter. Dedicate time each week to scan your house of any of the above items. You will be amazed how much clutter you really have!




If you need help dealing with your clutter please email hello@mrsbloom.org to register for the declutter clinic

Other peoples 'problems'

box from Dottie Designs

I have recently been asked 'how I manage dealing with other peoples problems all day'.  Many of you will only know within the confines of 140 characters, so here is a slightly longer synopsis of what I do and how I do it!

Firstly, I don't deal with problems, I deal with bumps in the road, sometimes we can step over them, but often we have to just go around them.  I find that many of the great big road blocks that my clients come to me with are in reality just a series of small bumps that can be cleared very quickly when approached one at a time.

Secondly, it is a great privilege to facilitate a change in my clients lives and not a role I take lightly.

Yes, I do have a very risky sense of humour and an almost child like sense of fun, but these are actually the antidote to many years where life took my laugh away from me.  However, I do have a very serious side and that is the side that I use to run my business and to prepare for client sessions.  I will add here that I do not always employ my serious side during the whole of a session as life coaching is a celebration of life and the future not a wake for the past.

My sessions are never back to back, I need 20/30 minutes to prepare myself for a client.  In this time I familiarise my self with notes taken from previous sessions and focus on what will be needed during the coming session.  about 5 minutes before the session I will actively close down my mind of any personal thoughts or worries I may have and open myself to the task ahead.  The technique that I use is based in meditation and incidentally the same technique that I use to drown out my children!

Lastly, I have my very own life coach.  I too have someone that helps me to make sense of things and those personal sessions put me in the right place mentally to be the very best I can be for my clients.

If you would like to know more about what I do and how I do it please email me at hello@mrsbloom.org

Self Image

The article below is very interesting - Resources to help educate children about their body images and to show them that the images fed to us via the media are often airbrushed or staged to give flawless effects.

The way in which we perceive ourselves is crucial in everything we do.  The way that we feel about ourselves will influence us in the choices that we make and how we view the world around us.  Poor self image will almost certainly lead to a lot of bad choices and stop us from living life to the full.

Here are 5 things you can do today to boost your self image ...

1     Let go of the past - Start everyday from a firm base of who you are today.  Remind yourself of all the good things in your life NOW

2     Don't compare yourself to others - You have no idea what is really going on in other people heads or lives.  We are all different and thank the universe that we are

3    Walk tall, hold your head up and stride with purpose - If you slouch or walk with your eyes to the ground your view of the world will be very limited.

4     Do some exercise - The endorphins released during exercise enhance your mood and make you feel good.  The effect that exercise has on your body will also help you to feel good about yourself

5     Get out and do something.  Learning new things will help you grow as a person and give you confidence.  Meeting new people especially those who are like minded will open up your world

In almost all people it is not what they see in the mirror that is the problem, but what they hold in their heads.  So often the most carefully prepared diet will not work until we change the way that we think and remove the subconscious blocks that prevent any change from happening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18531752

A lovely review ...

Thank you Sisley xx

http://sewwhite.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/life-coaching-with-mrs-bloom/

Keep up Mrs Blair!

London Mums asked me to respond to a story about how Mrs Blair thinks that women who go out to work set a better example to their children as opposed to those who stay at home.  Mrs Blair needs to catch up, many of us are doing both and very successfully thank you very much ...

http://londonmumsmagazine.com/2012/sorry-cherie-blair-but-we-are-proud-and-efficient-home-mums-mumpreneurs

The power to create

I came across this quote yesterday and it just resonates with me, how about you?

The universe has equipped you with the power to create.

You just have to become conscious of this fact.

You decide who and how you want to be.

You can be anything you want to be ...

Your Fabulous Self

Here’s how to find your very own Fabulous Self : 


On a blank sheet of paper 


list at least twelve things that make you special


list at least twenty personal achievements and successes – even if it's learning to tie your own shoes!


list at least twenty things that you are good at or can do well – maybe including cleaning your teeth!


list ten exceptional qualities or unique things about you


write down at least one particularly attractive physical feature - even nicely painted nails or perhaps a particularly shapely ear lobe!


Try reading this to yourself out loud every morning for a week ! 

The Blooming Diet ...

Ok, so I tweeted rather tongue in cheek about giving me £40 to help you loose weight, but actually the more I think about it, the more I think lets give it a go ...  My tweet was triggered by another tweet advertising a diet system based on a slim shake, the starter pack for which was £40.  I can only imagine all the little extras that would be needed along with the ingredients for the 'healthy' evening meal.  It all seems a lot of money to spend on something very unlikely to work, without will power and possibly a rumbling belly.


So, I was thinking, how about doing it like this ...


A.     Full daily support and heavy gentle persuasion from myself


B.     An achievable exercise programme


C.     An eating plan that includes wine and biscuits


D.     Resetting of cognitive conditioning related to food


I know it works, because I have done it - I would happily go as far as to guarantee at least a reduction of one dress size or I will just give you your money back.


Shall we give it a go?


Book your first session here NOW 

Or email hello@mrsbloom.org if you would like more information


LETS GET THIS DONE!

List boxes

In reference to one of my previous blog posts


http://bloomhq.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/box-up-that-to-do-list.html


I would like to introduce a beautiful product developed by Dottie designs for just this purpose


http://www.dottiedesigns.co.uk/




I am thrilled to have inspired such a thing of beauty and functionality ...  go get yours now!

50% off Brain Declutter sessions ...

Visit Mrs Bloom's Modern Lifestyle Management, Bow on Qype

Monday morning focus meetings

Make Monday mornings count ....


Get focused ....


Share your plans for the coming week ....


get encouragement and advice from like minded people ....


guided meditation to help ground you in what you need to do ....


No more wasted Monday mornings .....


Register NOW by emailing your interest to hello@mrsbloom.org

listen to ‘Monday morning focus meetings ’ on Audioboo

Positive Energy Boost

listen to ‘Positive Energy Boost’ on Audioboo

I won an Award

OY VEY, for all the things I could have won an award for, it was in the end for a picture of me with a Sainsbury bag on my head!  Anyhooo ...


I would like to thank Eliza and her lovely blog Mommatwo for the award 


The rules of the award are:


1.Thank the person who gave it to you and link back to their blog

2.Tell seven facts about yourself.

3.Nominate seven worthy people for the award and let them know

So seven facts about me ...

1.   I am not a natural blonde

2.   I drink milk out of the carton when no one is looking

3.   I drink wine out of the bottle when no one is looking

4.   I have an unhealthy obsession with Simon Cowell

5.   I once waited 2 hours to meet Paul Weller and fainted when he came near me

6.   I have no idea what the words 'age appropriate' mean

7.   I don't have all the answers and thats OK

Nominations 

Sophie - because my grandson thinks she is beautiful 

Lucy - because she a beaute

Charlee - because beautiful things are coming for her

Jane - because what she does makes a difference and thats beautiful

Jenny - because I think she is beautiful

I am really sorry, I have come up short on my list - I promise to read more blogs in future ;0)

Chocolate Crunch

I thought we might have a bit of a change from the soul searching blog posts to something else that is good for the soul ... CHOCOLATE!








225g (8oz)  biscuits

115g (4oz) butter 

30ml (2tbsp)  syrup

180g (6oz)  chocolate

30g (1oz) chopped nuts

1. grease a baking tin (20cm (8in) .

2. Crush the biscuits.

3. Put butter in a saucepan with the syrup and melt.


4. Melt 90g (3oz) of chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. 


4. Add to syrup and butter in saucepan,  mix in crushed biscuits. 

5. Press mixture into tin and put in fridge until set


6. Melt rest of the chocolate and pour over the biscuit mixture, sprinkle with nuts and pop back in fridge until chocolate is set.

Dreams and Goals

Most of us have dreams and goals, but they tend to be tucked away for when we have more time, more money or any number of reasons that give us an excuse not to to do anything about them.

Why do these dreams stay at the wishing stage? Very often its because we just don’t know where to start or perhaps deep down we are just afraid of failing. So, we have to manage the risk of failing and that is very simply done by planning …

Write it down!!
Your goals should be reinforced EVERYDAY, so put them somewhere you can see them (maybe on the fridge or on your bedside table). This will form a constant reminder and reinforce your goal in your mind.

Inform others.
Make sure you inform others of your goal. This works for two reasons. The first is that you need to be accountable by someone other than yourself. Secondly and more importantly is the support and motivation of having family and friends behind you all the way. This last point cannot be emphasised enough; the value of support in the pursuit of any ambition has been researched and widely recognised as integral to reaching your goal. This is also where a Life Coach is invaluable as being accountable to a third party who does not have an emotional connection with you is very powerful. A Life Coach is also able to see the bigger picture.

Change your thinking, attitude and beliefs.
Your thinking, attitude and beliefs are extremely important as they affect the decisions you make and things you do or don’t do. A goal is nothing without a need, desire or emotional reason behind it. You can be told what to do, why to do it and even shown how, but no one can make you do it if you don’t want to. Do you want it, really want it? Regular sessions with a Life Coach will keep you motivated and inject new energy into the process where it is needed.

Education or knowledge.
At this stage, you have written down your goals (you know exactly what you want and when you want it), you have set in place a support and motivation network (point 2), you have strong desire and need to achieve your goal, but how are you going to make it all happen? You have to plan, research and give yourself a time scale for each step of the way. Again a Life Coach will be able to help plan all those steps.

You may find that these steps are enough to get you motivated and on your way to achieving what you want in your life or your business, but do consider using a Life Coach to give you a boost. Having someone else hold the ‘to do’ list is very effective and the focussed thinking time that a session with a Life Coach provides is very powerful.

http://my.vcita.com/margot.bloom

Human Needs

In order to live full and fulfilling lives we need 6 basic areas to be covered


Certainty


This is usually our environment, this is somewhere that we can come home to and feel safe and relaxed.


Variety


It is very true that variety is the spice of life - we all need to be stimulated.


Significance


We all need to know that what we do matters.


Connection & Love


As human beings we were not made to be solitary, we need to have people we love around us.


Growth


Healthy growth usually comes from taking the positives out of our experiences


Contribution


Simply - to give beyond self.


Are you fulfilling all 6 basic needs in your life?  What could you change today?

Pain and Suffering

At some point in our lives it is inevitable that we will feel pain, not the pain of a cut finger, but the pain that comes when our soul is pierced.  There is very little we can do about the pain, it is an emotion that used in the right way will cleanse and help us to grow as a person.  Pain opens up our souls and what we fill it with is up to us.  At that point when we are at our most vulnerable we have to make a choice - we can chose to continue on and suffer or we choose to put the baggage down and move on with our lives.


This is not to trivialise the things that are causing you pain or to shake you and say pull yourself together but it is saying you are more than that point of pain.  If you chose to suffer, your relationships suffer, your lifestyle suffers and the things and people that you love become tainted.


There was a point in my life, years ago, when I looked at my child and in his eyes all I could see was my pain.  My friends had long since got fed up with being pushed away.  How I wish someone had been around at that point to tell me I could put the baggage down and go in a different direction, to point out to me what I did have in my life and help me to look to the future.  Well, obviously I did get there in the end and I did replace the pain in my sons eyes with joy, it wasn't easy but it did shape my future ... its maybe part of the reason why the sign on my office door now says Life Coach and the one on my heart says open!


There are many ways to get rid of the baggage - it maybe that visualising putting the baggage on a bonfire would trigger a change, it may be more physical than that and redecorating the house or at least moving furniture is the way to go.  In other cases talking to someone who is not emotionally connected to you, someone who sees only who you are at this point in time and not the person who was in the source of the pain.  


What works for you is as personal as the pain that you feel, but the first step is always to make the decision not to suffer anymore


It is worth remembering that pain is natural, but suffering is a choice!

Cognitive Distortions

A place of safety

My decision to completely change my career and become a life coach didn't happen over night, it was a gradual process, peppered along the way with the universe nudging me in the right direction and talking to someone who helped me sort out my personal conflicts.  I absolutely believe in leaving myself open to opportunity and that the universe will send me what I need.  Now, that may sound like a lot of airy fairy nonsense, but actually its the way I ground myself to reality.  Opportunities are around us everyday, we tap into them by getting out into the world, by talking to people by reading a magazine.  I have even found opportunity in reading a really bad romance novel and although the plot was a bit weak, the author had a character doing something that resonated with me, so I tried it and it worked!  What I am saying is, if we sit in a corner worrying about life passing us by, it most certainly will.  We have to get up every day and say "come on then show me what you've got".  Those are actually very powerful words because, the world we live in is packed full of 'stuff' to show us, we are bombarded with information and most of it comes from two relatively small boxes in the corner of the room - the TV and the internet and thats before we have even stepped out of the front door.  


So how do we process all this information and sort out what is relevant to us?  Well, thats where being grounded comes in, we have to know ourselves and we have to know where we are and also where we want to be.  To add to the confusion, those 3 points of grounding will change on a regular basis, especially if we are opening ourselves to opportunities.  Our grounding and affirmation of self must therefore be something that we do everyday to some degree.  Most days it will be as simple as saying "this is a good day"  "I am happy in my work/life"  "I know what I need to do".  Other days are more complicated and overwhelming and its on these days that we need to step back and give ourselves time to adjust to life.  IT IS OK TO STEP BACK, TO TURN OFF THE PHONE AND LEAVE EMAILS UNREAD.  The world will not stop turning just because we take some time to sit on the sofa and stare into space.  WHEN WE GIVE OURSELVES TIME TO THINK POWERFUL THINGS HAPPEN.  


The problem is we are always so busy in our lives that we don't ever think to make time to think.  In order to make that time and to keep ourselves grounded it is essential to actually physically mark out the time in our calendars.  <Here is the sales pitch>  Working with a Life Coach gives you that time, it gives you a place of safety in which to explore your life and have someone help you to sort out the rubbish.  There is no need to commit yourself to a long course of sessions, one off 'brain declutter' sessions can be booked as and when you need them and if you need it ASAP I will do all I can to fit you in on the same day.  


TO DO LIST


Block out some time for a meeting with YOU - ASAP


www.mrsbloom.org
hello@mrsbloom.org

Pathfinder sessions

The Pathfinder Course

I am now able to offer my clients the Pathfinder course ...

The Pathfinder Program is a 6 part personal development program founded on the idea that personal success and happiness ultimately come from enhanced self- awareness. Through the program you will be guided through a success alignment, which covers essential personal development components including: values, beliefs, goals, skills, support and success

This is the perfect course for people who have not used a life coach before or for existing clients who wish to re-affirm where they are in their life.  It is a joy to accompany clients through this process, which always has a powerful outcome.

The Pathfinder Program will help you to:

  Gain an in-depth understanding of what makes you tick
  Make decisions that are congruent with your values
  Explore your own empowering and disempowering beliefs
  Create a skills development plan for yourself
  Establish goals that excite and motivate you
  View success on your own terms

To launch this course, which I believe to be one of the most effective that I have come across, I am offering the following ....

The Pathfinder Course of 6 Sessions 

@ £145

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED

Six 

The number 6 (六, Pinyin: liù) in Mandarin is pronounced the same as "liu" (溜, Pinyin: liù) and similar to "fluid" (流, Pinyin: liú) and is therefore considered good for business. The number 6 also represents happiness.