Podcast Episode 12: Why Becoming a Mother is the Perfect Time to Start A Business

Sabine Matharu, Author at The Future Shapers

Episode 12 of The School of Success Podcast Series is now live! An inspiring and eye-opening deep-dive into why becoming a mother is the perfect time to start a business!

This interview with the accomplished Leadership Coach, Author and Workplace Wellbeing Creator, Sabine Matharu, teaches you:

– top tips for overcoming the limiting beliefs that stop people from launching their own businesses;
– what’s really going on in new mums’ inner monologues when they go back to work;
– myth-busting around the risks of launching your own business;
– how to use adversity to laser-focus new career goals and expedite health, wealth and happiness; and
– how organisations can better support working parents

This is also for you if you have an interest in how to optimise career clarity before making a change and how to find the killer weapons required to start and scale a business fast. This is also for you if you’re not sure what a Leadership Coach is and the main benefits of investing in one!

In this super informative interview, Sabine shares her expert wisdom from years as a management consultant turned successful author and entrepreneur working with women across a whole host of industries whether new mums, aspiring entrepreneurs or leaders in their field.

You can find Sabine at www.instagram.com/sabine.matharu/ on Instagram and at www.theempowermentportal.com. Her recent book, “Shift – A New Era Begins” can be found here: www.learnmoreabout.info/shift.

Full podcast episode here!

From New York Journalist to Farmer’s Wife: What The Dirty Life Teaches Us About Happiness

Good Husbandry by Kristin Kimball review – a new life on a community farm |  Society books | The Guardian

What are you?

A professional or an entrepreneur, a country bumpkin or a city slicker, a conformist or a free spirit? Or are you a hybrid – a suited and booted banker or lawyer with the ‘perfect job’ but a niggling desire to explore less well-trodden paths? Or maybe you’re just plain confused about where you fit and what really drives you.

Whatever category you fall into, most of us from Generation Y were bred by folks with far less opportunity than us professionally. With more conventional views of what constitutes a ‘proper’ job, our parents may have inadvertently left us stuck between a rock and a hard place – between what we should do and what we want to do. But ‘should’ is where it all goes wrong.

Expectations versus reality

OUR HOTELS IN NEW YORK

Nobody knows this better than Kristen Kimball, author of ‘The Dirty Life’ and former freelance journalist and Harvard graduate from New York. After a chance interview with a hunky farmer, she upped sticks to set up farm with her green-fingered interviewee, leaving the city lights and life as she knew it in her wake. You heard right – East Village in favour of mud and veg in the middle of nowhere. This is a story of two love affairs that interrupted the trajectory of an intellectual glamour-puss’ life – one with farming and the other with a man who milks cows for a living. A striking tale about love, happiness and the power of instinct, ‘The Dirty Life’ is a must-read for anyone feeling a little disillusioned with the daily grind or what life’s all about.

The product of a neat, middle-class world, Kimball’s novel charts the mental and physical challenges she faced leaving the glitzy world of ‘convention’ in favour of rural slog. ‘Writ[ing] with precision, authority and gratitude about what is evidently, despite its rigours, an idyllic life’ (New York Times Book Review), Kimball challenges our views about wealth, success and love, giving food for thought as compelling as the gastronomical delights she chronicles.

Kimball’s union with Mark, a rugged hulk of a man with a passion for food and farming, is a world away from the corporate sphere she might have settled into. But as with the different kind of ‘wealth’ she finds farm-side, Kimball takes us on a journey full of surprises, a journey which exposes some stark ironies about our perceptions of ‘success’ and ‘happiness’ of City life.

Does success equal happiness?

How to Get Hens to Lay Eggs in Nest Boxes

‘The Dirty Life’ makes us question our ‘values’ as we know them. In Kimball we find a cosmopolitan New Yorker who, like many of us, supposedly ‘has it all’. A woman with all the trappings of refinement, yet one who is, by her own admission, blinded by ignorance. Openly admitting her surprise that a ‘salt-of-the-earth-type’ person such as Mark could talk with dexterity and intelligence and that ‘the physical world – the trades’ was not in fact ‘the place you ended up if you weren’t bright or ambitious enough to handle a white-collar job’, Kimball shows us the danger of defining people by what they do. In Kimball we find a highly educated woman who has travelled the world with her job, yet whose eyes are opened by an entirely different world, stunned by the happiness she finds ‘pulling warm eggs out of a nest box’.

Shake things up…

So, what is the moral of the tale? Keep meeting new people, keep an open-mind and be true to yourself. Work out what is important to you and don’t be afraid to question reality as you know it. Have the courage to live a life true to yourself, not the life others expect of you and remember, the most successful life is one which unearths what makes you truly happy. Fulfilment goes far deeper than an impressive job title and it will bring you fruits that money can’t buy.

Watch an interview with Kristin Kimball here.

 

 

Career Mistakes or Regrets? Top Tips for Changing Jobs Without the Stress

career coaching tips

“Our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers”

M. Scott Peck

If you went to bed feeling anxious about your work week ahead in a job you dislike, or you’ve woken up feeling sick about another day in an environment or role that simply doesn’t fit you, don’t despair.
That fear is a barometer for much needed change and scary as taking the leap can feel, it’s much easier when you break it down into bite size steps.
If you relate to the above, check out my feature in @refinery29 in the link in bio, ‘I Changed My Career & Regret It. Now What?’, for the ultimate guide to making that big leap – and not looking back.
From the four steps crucial to avoiding career change regret to how to sell a misstep on your CV, it’s packed full of solutions to common pain points clients fret about whether midwives, financiers, lawyers to graphic designers and marketeers. The pain is often the same and the paralysis analysis can often feel crippling without simple steps forward.
Here’s a teaser:
Don’t dive in headfirst. Whether you’re considering changing careers for the first time or feel that a recent change isn’t right for you, step one is making sure you don’t rush your next decision.
“The most important thing in the transitional phase,” says Melanie, “is not to panic and just jump into something else quickly because you can. You need to get clear on what you need to be happy and what your key frustrations are. Because if you dig beneath frustration it’s usually a barometer for exactly what you need more of.”
Read more top tips to career change via the link in my bio and feel the stress dissipate 🪴
Remember, you don’t have to get it perfect, you just gotta get it going ✨

#career #fear #stress #job #wrong #coaching #careercoaching #happy #life #happiness #peace #fulfilment #joy #hope #change

About Me: Coaching + Workshop Specialisms

hdr melanie 1

A lawyer turned Success Coach and Corporate Wellbeing Trainer at Melanie Pritchard Success Coaching, Melanie helps clients peak perform in their personal and professional lives.

Melanie has a particular interest in the high-stress culture of our increasingly ‘always on’ lives and the growing need for successful wellbeing strategies. Having worked in a variety of cultures and organisations and with a range of clients across the world, she’s skilled at stepping into different people’s maps of the world, helping to uncover what makes you tick and how to activate lasting change.

Coaching Specialisms:

  • Fast-Track Coaching: Empowering young professionals and middle managers to conquer obstacles, achieve professional goals and move towards promotion.
  • Performance Coaching: Helping professionals at all levels optimise performance in the workplace by supercharging confidence, resilience, communication, leadership and personal branding.
  • Career  & Exit Coaching: Supporting professionals who are unsure of their role fit to explore options, develop a clear vision and strategise for change whether optimising the current role, moving within the industry or a total career shift. Includes CV, application, interview and LinkedIn coaching.
  • Life Coaching: What happens at home impacts on work and vice versa which is why supporting employees in the round  breeds results. Whether optimising personal relationships, bolstering wellbeing or improving confidence or resilience, happy employees are productive employees.

Coaching Approach:

Melanie’s approach is integrative, which means that she tailors her training and experience to your personal and professional development needs, whether coaching, NLP or mental health related. Melanie believes that once you understand what drives you and what’s keeping you stuck, you can create an action plan which really works and change your life from the inside out.

Corporate Workshops:

A Mental Health First Aid Trainer (Mental Health First Aid England) and a certified Telephone Counsellor with Bristol Mindline, Melanie’s interest in wellbeing extends from individual stakeholders to team coaching and wider organisational effectiveness. She delivers corporate workshops including:

  • Certified Mental Health First Aid Courses: 1/2 Day Awareness Course, 1 Day Skills + Awareness Course + 2 Day Mental Health First Aid Course
  • Manage the Conversation: A half day workshop designed to help managers spot the difference between stress and poor mental health and how to start and manage conversations with a complex workforce in a supportive way. It also equips managers with a toolkit to optimise their own leadership style and bolster their own and employee wellbeing and performance.
  • Mindfulness + Resilience Masterclasses (2 Hours)
  • Bespoke Careers Bootcamps: For universities and schools.

Clients:

Melanie has successfully worked with clients including Osborne Clarke, Simons Muirhead & Burton, BP Collins, The Bar Standards Board, Chadwick Nott, Network Rail, EDF, Nato, Shell, Ford, Microsoft, The Natural History Museum, Hearst UK, Balfour Beatty, The Princes Trust, Bluefin Group, The London School of Economics and Political Science, BPP Law School, The University of Law, The University of Bristol, Imperial College London and HM Prison Service.

Kind Words: 

“The last time I felt this inspired after a coaching session was when I was lucky enough to join a group coaching session at Google with the in-house coach, usually only reserved for very senior employees. Mel’s energy is infectious. I cannot emphasise enough how finding her has made all the difference”

Star | In House Counsel

“I was referred to Melanie at a point when my I felt trapped in a frustrating role and working environment. She proved to be a lifeline and a joy to work with. I could not recommend her enough”

Vanessa | In-House Lawyer

“I was constantly stressed and feeling overwhelmed in both my professional and personal life, unable to clear my mind and change my practices. Upon one session with Melanie, I was able to recognise my strengths and identify patterns within my own behaviour that both help and hinder me. Obstacles have now been removed and my thought process has completely changed. Within weeks, I was performing better at work and am no longer ‘taking it home’ with me. Seek opportunity. Melanie has genuinely shifted the way I think and feel about myself and the life I am living. The things I want are clearer and within reach now thanks to her guidance”

Chloe Chambers | Careers Consultant | Imperial College London 

“I signed up with Mel after reviewing a few firms within the London area. I found her program to be the most comprehensive and proceeded accordingly. Her personal experience working in a corporate and then undergoing a career switch was very relevant to my own journey. Her positive energy and professional / structured demeanour really helped me clarify who I was, what makes me ‘tick’, and gave me an approach for my job search. I would highly recommend Mel. Her insight and capability were second to none”

Sandrine Palmer | Business Development Associate | Amazon 

“Phenomenal. Best training attended”

Gavin Jones | Head of Immigration | Osborne Clarke

“Informative, educational and inspiring! Superb tutor!”

Matt Calladine | Land + Development Director | Barratt Developments PLC

“Excellent, dynamic presenter, clear, pacy presentation slides and good amount of interaction”

Maryann Devally | Station Support Manager | Network Rail

“Mel was very personable and spoke with real passion and experience”

Mark Walker | Head of Assets | Network Rail

 

Qualifications & Certifications:

  • Qualified family lawyer (Mishcon de Reya and Burgess Mee)
  • Certified coach with the Coaching Academy, the world’s largest training organisation for coaches
  • Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner with The American Board of Neuro Linguistic Programming
  • Telephone Counselling Skills Certificate for work on Bristol MindLine, a confidential freephone helpline providing a safe place to talk for people in distress
  • Certified Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England and MHFA Trainer. This helps clients identify, understand and help a person who may be developing a mental health issue, reducing stigma and financial cost in the workplace
  • Member of The European Mentoring and Coaching Council, The International Coaching Federation, The Career Development Institute and The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services
  • First Class Degree in English Literature and French, a Distinction in International Business and a fluent French speaker

Press & Publications:

Melanie writes a variety of articles on mental health and wellbeing for the FT, The Huffington Post, Grazia, The Lawyer, Legal Week, HR Zone, The Law Society Gazette and Elephant Journal and produces The School of Success podcast on a range of topics from relationships and careers to confidence, resilience, communication and wellbeing in the workplace.. She has recently co-authored a soon to be released book, Shift: A New Era Begins.

 

5 Steps To Building A Productive Business Fleet As An Entrepreneur

11169727 695055380604735 7876260938733303607 o 2046983930 1587987270492

“In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity”

Albert Einstein

Some of the world’s most successful businesses were founded during the last recession including Uber, WhatsApp and Pinterest. Could this be the perfect opportunity to home in on that business idea niggling you at the back of your mind?

As a Career, Life and Mindset Coach, I am often approached by budding entrepreneurs wanting to go at it alone.

Here are my most frequently asked questions and top tips to help you on your journey, as published in Be Your Own.

Read my full article for Be Your Own here

Most Downloaded Podcast with Author Your Life! My Resilience + Career Top Tips For Your Eyes Only

https://soundcloud.com/user-317527703/ayl116-melanie-pritchard-returns-resilience-and-career-coaching

If you’re feeling lost about career change, confused as to how to control negative thought loops or overwhelmed by the dating game, check out my podcast interview below with the fabulous Author your Life Podcast.

Invited back as the most downloaded guest of 2018, this is seriously content rich and will teach you:
1: How to turn problems to opportunities
2: What cognitive distortions are, why the brain can’t resist them and how to overcome them
3: Why careers are like dating and why you shouldn’t settle for the first job or average other!
4: How failure to identify your values will keep you trapped in a cycle of bad life decisions!

Listen here and let me know what the most positive learning is for you!

Podcast Episode 2 with Marisa Ribordy: Re-align your Life + Develop A Toolkit for More Conscious Living

Episode 2 of The School of Success Podcast Series: How to Re-align your Life + Develop A Toolkit for More Conscious is now live!

This inspiring interview with the intuitive yogi, women’s guide, writer + workshop facilitator, @marisaribordy, teaches you How to Re-align your Life + Develop A Toolkit for More Conscious Living helping you connect more deeply to your true self so you can shift your life from the inside out.

This is for you if you’re feeling off-center, disconnected from your true self, constantly tired or drained by city living or otherwise or have a feeling you’re on the wrong path but you don’t know where to start to get clarity on who you really are and what you really want.

This is also for you if you want to find greater peace + balance in your life, develop your mind body connection + learn how to listen to your instincts more so you can get clear on areas of your life that aren’t truly aligned with you and your greater growth and happiness. And develop that strong sense of self + clarity that underpins confident decision-making.

In this warm-hearted interview, Marisa lovingly guides you to discover a range of powerful tools to help you develop greater self-awareness and connection to your true self so you can realign your life in a way that makes you feel truly happy and free. Formerly @wildhappyheart, you can now find Marisa at @marisaribordy on Instagram and at www.marisaribordy.com.
Since this podcast interview, Marisa has embarked on an inspiring series on women’s workshops centering around the magical cycles of the moon and how you can set powerful intentions around manifesting + letting go at these times. Be warned she is a powerful manifester with magical tools to help you create your dream life whether in work, love or otherwise.

I hope you enjoy it!

The Lotus & The Lawyer: How Coaching Can Transform Your Life

22450062 1308354372608163 516584937413664217 n

‘People, unless coached, never reach their maximum capabilities’

Bob Nardelli | CEO of Home Depot | 2017 Revenue $88 billion 

I just had a fabulous coaching session with a client who came to me feeling confused and lost about her career path, unable to see options beyond her current professional role and frustrated and drained by her rigid working culture.

She was like a new woman after today’s session, full of energy and excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead. Her whole physiology had shifted, alight with confidence and hope.

Granted, she’s a strong, resourceful lawyer but she’s a great example of what many of my clients exemplify. All of us, whether accomplished professional, tough Army guy or isolated prisoner can feel vulnerable and lost. We can also all achieve extraordinary things when we have the right support. Because once we understand ourselves better, we can create a plan that’s aligned with who we really are, tap into our higher purpose and transform our lives. It starts with understanding and ends with change.

Which is why I photographed the beautiful succulent in the picture above just now 🌴 It reminds me of the lotus flower which is the symbol of fortune in Buddhism. It grows in muddy water, and it is this environment that gives forth the flower’s first and most literal meaning: rising and blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment.

The second meaning, which is related to the first is purification. It resembles the purifying of the spirit which is born into murkiness.

The third meaning refers to faithfulness. Those who are working to rise above the muddy waters will need to be faithful followers.

So I leave you with these musings:

☾ How faithful are you to stepping into your power and achieving your dreams?
☾ What are you willing to do to change your life?
☾ What do you want to be, do or have that you don’t right now?
☾Times that by ten and start manifesting your dreams with positive action

If you’re ready for change or intrigued about how you could get from where you are now to where you want to be, drop me a Facebook msg or contact me at melanie@melanie-pritchard.com and we can arrange a free discovery call to see if we’d be a good fit working together 1f48c

And remember, you don’t have to get it perfect, you just have to get it going 🏹

☾↠❍↞☽

5 Minute Career Quiz: Confusion To Clarity Quick-Fast

11156160 10152678799770916 8417455675423013225 n 6

“Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”

Confucius

We’ve all heard the quote – and many of us have ignored it for:

◭ The bright lights of city life
◭ The prestige of glamorous sounding jobs; or
◭ The common theme that marries most of these together – ego. What we think will impress, versus what truly excites us.

If you’re feeling lost in your career, there are some powerful questions you can ask yourself which will up your self-awareness and help you re-align your life:

◭ What do I love doing?
◭ What would I do if money was no object?
◭ What would I choose if the expectations of others didn’t matter?
◭ What legacy do I want to leave?
◭ Who do I most admire in the world and why?

But HOW do you actually narrow down your options and find a hit list of jobs which combine your interests, skills and drivers?

Here’s the magic bullet.

A simple quiz that will take you a mere 5 minutes to complete and produce a comprehensive list of job options, a description of each and salary expectations, too. Mine was spot on, with options like lawyer, teacher, psychotherapist, social worker, careers advisor.

So if you’re feeling lost, confused or don’t know where to start, start small and get some big ideas here!

https://www.prospects.ac.uk

And next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, remember:

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive”

Howard Thurman

KISS: The Surprisingly Simple Secret For Moving From Zero To Hero

19437420 1217369765039958 7276075045860529486 n

‘Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement’

Brian Tracy

‘Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal’

Henry Ford 

Rather than focusing on whether you’re likely to succeed or fail, break success right down into small, actionable goals.

Focus on something specific you want to achieve and feel your confidence build every time you tick another goal off your list and move closer to your journey goal (the big goal each little goal is moving you closer to). Try and see the opportunity of learning in every test/ failure/ challenge along the way. Few of us were born at our best but the best find the positive learning in every difficulty.

So just KISS this week – keep it simple stupid – and see where that takes you…

You’ll be surprised at the results ☘️

And if you find yourself really struggling, ask yourself what your WHY is for pursuing your goal. What’s the underlying reason for going for it? How will achieving it benefit you? How much better will your life be as a result? How much will you care if you don’t achieve it?

If your goal doesn’t excite you, find a WHY that does and feel the stars start to align ✨

 

hi there.
i'm delighted to
have you here!

To join the Community for Insider Access + a Monthly Newsletter full of advice + inspiration, just hit the button below!

Remember, you don’t have to get it perfect, you just have to get it going.

Warmly,

Melanie