27/06/2011 by Ann.

I have some new neighbours moving in and what is even better is that I know them through work!

They have a six month baby girl, Vera, who has to be the most smiley person I have met in a long time. She gave me a big beam when I smiled at her. Why is it that babies are so good at smiling? I am sure that is down to some form of protection, but it certainly contrasts with the reaction I get from adults when I smile at them, so I did a quick experiment in the last 24 hours and smiled at everyone in shops.

What results did I get? Well some people smiled back and that was great, some remained unsmiling but looked a bit taken aback and some just totally ignored me!

Perhaps being willing to make even a slight connection scares the hell out of people (or maybe it’s the way I smile at them!!).

Anyway I am going to carry on smiling as there isn’t enough of it in this world.

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19/06/2011 by Ann.

I awoke to the news this morning of the death of Clarence Clemons, saxophonist, most widely known for being one of the most colourful members of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘E Street Band’.

I was thrown back to 1981 and the day I went to Wembley to see Bruce and the band live: I was ten rows from the front! It was amazing; a show I had heard about and seen on TV but nothing  could match up to the energy of it. Three hours plus of musical heaven that I will never forget.

I was so mad to see Bruce on his first big  tour of the UK nothing was going to stop me from getting tickets to see him and his amazing musicians and now I can be thankful I didn’t put it off to another day as, you never know if that day will come and what you might miss out on.

So what’s stopping you from achieving your ambition?

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12/06/2011 by Ann.

It’s amazing what gems you can find as you work your way through the Sunday Times!

Now, I don’t know about you, but back at school Maths was not my strong point (yes I am good at mental arithmetic and am so glad we had to learn our tables) and I don’t think I am alone. As my eldest brother was the maths genius and my other brother great at politics I stuck firmly to English. But I was, and still remain, frustrated at how hard I always found that subject and wondered if I was just rubbish or I was never engaged.

The thing is I am not alone. When I worked in the corporate world I was considered to be very numerate, which was pretty alarming I can tell you. I could never get excited about maths and wondered who could. A couple of years ago my brother was talking to me enthusiastically about how negative numbers were so much more interesting than positive numbers. I had to say that he was really animated on this subject and it rather demonstrated to me that perhaps I had missed out  by never having done maths beyond 16 years of age.

So imagine my delight to read about the success of www.khanacademy.org set up by a financial analyst with loads and loads of videos to watch on all kinds of subjects. Crikey even Bill Gates’ family has been using it!

So, if you or your kids need help (and apologies that this comes right at the end of the exam period) then go and take a look and give it a go.

Ann

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03/06/2011 by Ann.

I am writing this as Andy Murray is two sets down to Rafael Nadal in the French Open semi-final.

Less than a year older than Murray, Nadal has won nine grand slams and the French Open five times. Is he a much better player than Murray? Not according to tennis commentators. So why is he so much more successful?

The general concensus is that it is all in the mind; that is what stops Murray climbing above his fourth place ranking to usurp Djokevic, Federer and Nadal.

Murray’s constant mutterings to his team and swearing is what distracts him from the game and causes him to lose. Yet has he changed?

Does all the aggression focus his mind and make him play better? Well the results suggest not! Plus, the other three players manage to keep their language in check on court.

Murray seems to be playing the blame game: but unless he can master the mental side of the game then he won’t make progress.

When running your own business the mental attitude you hold is hugely important to keep you motivated and keep you going through tough times, so on that note, are you a Nadal or a Murray?

Ann

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