I took Darcy and the bike up Sliabh Coimealta (Keeper Hill) early this morning.  Thick, freezing fog gave way to crisp air and sun bleached panoramas.  I feel set up for the day and can’t wait to do it again.

The thing is, I’ve never been much of a morning person.  I’ve always loved to sleep in at the weekends and generally been slow to come around during the week.  But I made a decision recently to change it – to really make the most of every day.  As tends to happen, I’ve intended to try it for a while, without actually getting around to it.  I know unless I make a conscious, definite decision, it’s not going to happen.  I never have a problem if I’m going somewhere for team building or adventure training, but if I know I’m going to be inside all day – either coaching or in the office – I decided I needed to kickstart the day.

So I reviewed my thoughts on the matter and decided to give it a proper trial.

I’m a firm believer in ‘personal experiments’.  Everything is open to question; no belief, habit or attitude is sacred.  Examine the options and try them out.  Be aware of the results (measure them and log them if necessary).  Then go with what works for you.  Forget what anyone else thinks, how deep the belief is institutionalised, or how long it’s been accepted.  If it works for you and makes your life better, embrace it and enjoy it.  This applies at all levels, from religious doctrine to colour of clothing.  I know it’s harder than I’ve made out here, but ask yourself what you want from life.  Are you going to follow blindly, or make yourself happy and proud?

I knew that this morning thing was mostly about attitude, but physiologically it probably made sense too.  I was going to do a proper experiment on it.  I reckoned this subject didn’t need in-depth analysis, charting, journalling or perfect scientific method, as I’ve used at other times, or when coaching others.  I’d just promise myself I’d get up and out every morning for three weeks, look back, compare with before and make a decision and plan from there.

Some personal thoughts on early morning exercise were:

• I’ve usually been sluggish in the mornings but feel sharper after some exercise.
• Fresh air wakes me up like nothing else.
• Fitness isn’t the problem, just a lack of zip in the mornings.
• In Chinese Medicine, they say that morning is ‘Yang’ time – physical energy, rising sun and all that.  Better to exercise then.
• Darcy loves a run in the mornings.
• Breakfast tastes better when I earn it!
• I have the option of a quick run in the park most mornings, or a cycle further afield if I have time.
• It usually takes about three weeks to make or break a habit.
• Life’s too bloody short not to give it a go…

The first couple of days needed the snooze button before I slithered out from under the sheets.  The next couple were eased by Darcy’s enthusiasm and comical looks as he tried to figure out what I was doing.  After that we got used to a bit if a rhythm.  And even though my initial plan didn’t include weekends, I found myself excited about this morning since early yesterday evening.  I jumped out of bed today and practically dragged Darcy into the car.  This is at the end of week two.  So a week to go and it’s looking good (and feeling great!).

The other important thing here is that I’ve blogged about it.  When setting a goal or a test, it really helps to tell people.  It makes it official, and when things get tough, the commitment you’ve made can spur you on.  Of course you need to pick the right people – someone who will encourage and not put you down if you fall short (good natured slagging is allowed!).  But even to hear the intention coming out of your own mouth can be a powerful thing.

And it’s fun.  There’s a great sense of freedom and exploration, almost like playing, when you experiment with behaviour.  The discoveries bring huge pride, a sense of self and enormous confidence – you know irrefutably who you are and where you stand on an issue.  Knowing you can change your beliefs and patterns to improve your life brings a satisfying duality of possibility and belonging.  So go for it, take on a personal experiment and tell someone about it.  Enjoy.

Let’s see what we, the good people of Ireland, think of ourselves:

We’ve all heard suggestions to ‘take more responsibility’ or ‘we are responsible for our own actions’ or ‘you can’t grow as a person if you don’t take full responsibility for yourself’.

But what does this mean exactly?

Ok let’s have a look.  We all understand the concept of ’cause and effect’ – a chain of events, one thing leads to another.  So whatever state I am in is a result of many factors – my innermost nature (whatever that is), my genes, my upbringing, the society I grew up in and am part of, any major events in my life, and so on.  Therefore, if I am in a less-than-idea state (whatever that is!), isn’t that just the fault of my genes, my parents and my government?  Can’t I realistically blame others for being unhappy/lazy/angry etc?

Well, yes and no.  Certainly you can trace your problem backwards.  You can say that you weren’t taught to deal with such-and-such, or you never had the chance to do such-and-such, or your parents didn’t have the vision to see such-and-such, or person x did such-and-such to you.  This is all real, and the pain caused can be hard to deal with.  Blame can help to relieve some of the weight, but it won’t solve the problem.

This is because this way of looking at things is only a partial truth.  If you get to apply those criteria, and blame the preceding generation, or situation, then so do they.  Your parents, previous governments, people who inflicted pain on you, can all pass the buck and say that they are just a product of their conditions – they did not know any better.  Any pain, any issue, any wrong-doing can be traced and justified ad infinitum.

So does that mean that no-one is to blame for anything?  Well, yes and no.  It can either mean that no-one is to blame for anything, because they are a product of many factors, or everyone is to blame for everything they do, because they do it.  To me neither is very useful.

The important realisation here, and the only truly useful way to look at it, is this:  right NOW, at this very moment, you are what you are.  The past can’t be changed.  You are you – physically, emotionally, spiritually – imperfect, but capable of a whole lot.  Whatever has brought you to this point has happened.  Accepting that can be hard but it is the truth.  That’s not to discount the pain or wrong inflicted, just to say that to grow and move on, it’s more useful to pull things apart and apply the same criteria across the board.

But does that mean I’m responsible for all the events that have happened in my life?  Much of the problem here lies in the varied meaning of the word ‘responsible’.  Responsible can mean:

“That was my favourite vase.  Who is responsible for this?” – meaning At Fault, or To Blame, a cause of something in the past.

or

“I’m glad you like your new puppy, but you must be responsible for it now” – meaning Ongoing Nurturing, Looking After, a sense of ownership.

This second way of looking at it is far more positive here.  ’Ownership’ is probably closer to the best meaning.  You have this being, with all it’s talents, strengths, quirks and imperfections – so what are you going to do with it?  If the puppy was in pain or injured when you got him, you wouldn’t think too much about why.  You’d just be grateful to have him, and look after him to the best of your abilities.  You’d ease his pain,feed him as best you could, and endeavour to make him as happy and healthy as possible.

Try seeing yourself as that puppy!  Be grateful for what you have, accept and forgive, knowing that whatever ills have been cast on you are themselves a result of previous harm.  And just intend to have fun with all that you have.

But now comes another sense of the word responsibility:  now into the future.  Independent of blame, you have your imperfections.  These might impact your life, or that of those around you.  Past events might give you tendencies towards anger, or fear, or lack of confidence.  So for now and the future, you have a choice: will I leave things as they are, or will I work to consciously improve and develop?

You are not responsible (At Fault) for the events that made you what you are, but you are responsible for (Charged With Looking After) yourself now and you are responsible (Culpable) if you pass on pain.

——————

You are not responsible for the programming you picked up in childhood.  However, as an adult, you are one hundred percent responsible for fixing it.  ~Ken Keyes, Jr.

The willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life is the source from which self-respect springs.  ~Joan Didion

A successful business reflects the vision, values and personality of the owner.  It allows their passion, determination and skills to shine through.  Businesses that thrive feel worthwhile and enjoyable; when your venture is about doing what you love, nothing will stop you from making your dream a reality.

At Upwards Ireland, we work with business start-ups to lay solid foundations for success.  Getting a new project off the ground requires a lot of energy and perseverance, but we are all willing to go the extra mile when our work feels a part of who we are.  If we are excited about our enterprise, and can see a clear road ahead, we will do everything in our power to ensure we get there.  That’s where Upwards Ireland comes in!

Our approach is one of collaboration, motivation and creation.  We work with you to clearly define your vision, values and goals.  Then we can design a website, logo and social media to your requirements, reflecting exactly who you are and what you need.  Focus, excitement, creativity, determination and energy can all be kept topped up with our expert coaching service.

We provide:

• Branding & Logo Design – Reflecting your vision, values and personality.
• Website Design & Training – Allowing user control and real value.
• Social Media Training – Tap into this rapidly growing market.
• Business Coaching – Achieve your potential now and for the future.

Business is about people, and we at Upwards Ireland are committed to empowering people to fulfill their enormous potential.  Offering quality, value and excellent person-to-person service, we will work closely with you to get your business moving strongly in the right direction.

Get in touch now for a tailored package to take your exciting new business to the next level:

+353 (0)87 7842848 :: business@upwardsireland.com

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If I could give anyone just one piece of advice – just one single, solitary thing to do that gives the best chance of a happy, fulfilled, healthy life, it would be as simple as this:

Learn to breathe abdominally.

Breathing underpins our entire lives.  It’s the first thing we gasp to do when we’re born and we continue the rhythm until we breathe our dying breath.  The quality of our breathing can be a vivid reflection of our lives:  You’ll probably notice a difference between people with shallow, rushed breathing and people who take deep, slow, calm breaths.

Our bodies need a lot of oxygen to function properly and to help expel impurities.  Clearly, the better this process works, the better we will function physically and mentally.  When we become stressed and emotional, breathing is one of the functions first effected.  We naturally breathe abdominally; just watch any child or animal and see how their bellies rise and fall.  Over time, however, we learn to shut down this process and breathe only with our chest – shallower and faster.

Abdominal breathing is much more efficient and beneficial.  It pulls the diaphragm all the way down, expanding the lungs in all directions, thus taking in more oxygen.  Breathing becomes slower and more relaxed.  Due to fewer cycles per minute, we save energy as muscles do less work, and pure oxygen has more time to permeate to all cells in the body.

Benefits of Abdominal Breathing

• Improved Oxygen  Intake & Supply to Cells and Organs
• Improved Removal of Impurities
• Stress Reduction
• More Energy & Stamina
• Decreased Heart Rate & Lower Blood Pressure
• Better Focus & Concentration
• Improved Posture
• Peace of Mind & Clarity

Abdominal breathing takes some initial effort to learn.  In fact it is a ‘re-learning’ as it is just a natural instinct which has been blocked and needs to be uncovered.  So, with a small amount of conscious effort and practice, you will find yourself with improved health, energy and calmness.

How to do Abdominal Breathing

Breathe slowly, in and out through the nose.  This is our natural channel for breathing – again, observe a baby or animal, they do not use their mouths.  Don’t force it – there are no prizes for breathing!  Go as deeply and as slowly as feels comfortable.  Practice will naturally improve the depth and pace until it is the most natural thing in the world for you.  It is best to practice initially on your back, with your hands on your belly to feel the abdomen expanding.  Then move on to sitting, standing and walking.  If you find it hard to concentrate, it can help to count the breaths in cycles of four.  If you drift off, just start again at one.

1. Breathe deeply and imagine inflating a balloon just below the navel (belly button) .  Your belly, lower chest and back will all expand.
2. Pause for a moment when the balloon feels comfortably full.
3. Slowly exhale, imagining the balloon deflating until it is empty.

Everyone I know who does this felt immediate improvements, and can’t imagine how they got by without it.  It’s the simplest way in the world to improve all aspects of life.  Enjoy.

The latest edition of Time magazine has a fascinating article on Epigenetics, called Why Your DNA Isn’t Your Destiny.

Read here:  http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1951968-2,00.html

The thrust of the piece is that your environment, i.e. your experiences and how you live your life, can influence your genetic code – and that of your kids.  Essentially, your choices can override your genetic ‘destiny’.

So it is possible to change who you are at a fundamental level.  You can choose who to be, and to an extent what will be passed on to your children.

There are 2 main pieces of good news here:

1. Predisposition to negative patterns, like obesity or addictions, is not set in stone.  You can overcome them.
2. Leading a meaningful, healthy, happy life will have a direct positive influence on your kids, and on subsequent generations, at a genetic level.

As well as opening up a bright spectrum of possibility for every individual, there is also associated responsibility.  It means that the effects of making negative choices get passed on to further generations.  Not looking after yourself, not being as healthy and happy as possible, can give your descendants negative predispositions.

So the idea of ‘Becoming A New Person’ is more than just a figure of speech…

Create a life of energy, passion and purpose, filled with what you value most.  Save time and energy, reduce clutter, and be who you always promised to be.  Live your life your way, and give your best to yourself and those around you.

It is easy for life to slip out of balance.  Health, relationships, work and fun all suffer under the pressures of getting by.  Your dreams and important goals seem to be slipping away.

Coaching can empower you to kickstart your life and realign you with your own unique values, returning you to balance and fulfillment.  You will identify what is truly important to you and take positive action to fill your life with your passions.  Coaching will create awarness of where your life may be out of synch, and support you as you overcome any obstacles along the way.  We all have a vision of the ideal shape of our lives and hold the potential to achieve it.  Take control of your life and live it your way.

To move towards a balanced, healthy, fulfilling life, rich in strong relationships, contact Darragh at Upwards Ireland:

+353 (0)87 7842848 :: darragh@upwardsireland.com

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What is the value of looking inside and doing some New Year cleaning?

Think of yourself as a hotel.  You have an external façade, and an inner realm.  The inside has a foyer and restaurant, where the general public are welcome; bedrooms and conference rooms, where paying customers are allowed; and kitchens and laundries where only core staff are permitted to go.

Mostly people just pass by, and judge the hotel’s quality by how it looks from the outside.  A lot of people come and go in the public sections, and some people pay to stay.  Whether they come back depends on their experience.

So how clean does the hotel need to be?  Well, if you keep the outside perfectly, you’ll attract a lot of curious people.  If they find the foyer pleasant, many will have a meal or recommend the hotel.  Customers who find spotless and orderly rooms are likely to pay again for the pleasure, and may become regulars.  As a business. regular customers keep you afloat and pay your way.

Now, what if the outside is beautifully kept, but as you go deeper into the hotel, the hygiene routine is less rigorous?  You’ll get plenty of admiring looks from passers-by, passing trade in the restaurant, the odd night guest, but regulars and recommendations will be rare.  Is this desirable?

Naturally, a tidier, cleaner and better run hotel will attract a higher level of clientèle, who will pay more for the privilege.  You may be happy to have mostly passing trade, but in order to thrive, you need regular customers, who have a deeper experience of the hotel.  In life, be it business, love or friendship, in order to be successful you have to reveal some of your inner workings.  And the whiter the sheets, and cleaner the kitchen, the better the customers!!

This

OR

This?

People are not stupid, and I’m sure you know it yourself:  If someone looks amazing, but there is something just not right, you will tend to back off.  If the hotel is polished to a sheen, but there is a stink from the laundry room, how likely is it to attract quality, long-term customers?!  The problem is that many of us don’t realise there may be something ‘off’, or know what to do about it.

Ask yourself who you enjoy being around: are they gloomy, negative people who seem to have a chip on their shoulder, or the bright, positive, energetic type?  If you had to spend huge amounts of your time with someone, in a relationship or business, which would it be?  I’m sure the answer is almost universally the second type.  So who will attract the best partner, or be offered the big contract?

What makes someone one type or the other?  Is it fluke, or just the way they are, their upbringing, their genes?  Well, we have a genetic tendency towards certain behaviours and patterns, but mostly our attitudes are determined by how we are brought up.  We learn to be negative, to complain, to think badly of ourselves and others, to accept less than the best.  These habits become ingrained until we see them as normal, in ourselves and society.  But all negative patterns can be un-learned; the key is awareness.  If we become fully aware that something we are doing has overall negative effects on us, we will stop.  It sounds simple, but it takes work, perseverance and courage.  To change a long-standing routine and turn the hotel inside-out, in order to renovate what has been there for years, is no easy job – but is it worth it?

We’ve probably all heard at this stage of the “Law of Attraction” or “The Secret”.  They seem to be saying that if you think positively, you’ll become more rich and successful than you can imagine overnight.  The time-frame and scale of this may be questionable, but surely the more positive the experience for someone visiting your hotel, the more likely you are to attract a better class of customer.  And to a large extent, the people around us determine the quality of our lives.

The questions are:  Do I want and deserve a better life?  Am I prepared to make changes?  Am I aware of something I can clean out right away?  If I see positive results from that, will I commit to going further?

By starting small, making manageable improvements, and acknowledging the positive change, confidence comes in the process.  After that, renovations seem to happen by themselves, and there are no limits…

Take control of your career and give yourself the best chance of success in a difficult economy.  Achieve financial and personal fulfillment by bringing passion, drive and excellence to your work.  Find your true direction and the courage to create a career which feels like a life purpose as well as a way to make money.  Utilise your unique resources, values and experiences to forge the lasting and rewarding career that is right for you.

The world of business is changing fast.  There are no longer any ‘secure’ jobs, and we are almost completely responsible for our own careers.  Taking control of our direction is not a choice at this stage, but a necessity.  In fact, the most secure jobs are those we love and feel passionate about.  When we see our roles as a purpose, rather than a burden, we will be able and willing to give more.  Who is more likely to achieve economic success:  someone plodding along to get by, or the person with drive and passion, who is using all their talents and resources to fulfill a mission?

Whether self-empoyed or in the work-force, a career based on enjoyment, integrity and excellence is vital to achieve personal fulfillent and financial success.  The first step is knowing what you truly want to do and what you’re actually good at.  You may have lacked any sort of career guidance, been in the same job for a long time, or just feel like you’re drifting through life without any real direction.

Coaching will enable you to tap into your best resources and find your true direction.  By exploring your values, skills and what really motivates you, coaching will help you to see what work holds meaning and passion for you.  With the support of the coach, you will uncover the courage and power to create a rewarding, enjoyable career, one which will give you the best chance of success in today’s economy.

To begin your journey towards a fulfilling career, which brings Living to Making a Living, contact Darragh at Upwards Ireland for a discussion:

Phone: +353 (0)87 784 2848

Email: darragh@upwardsireland.com

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“The only thing I know is that I know nothing” – Socrates

There are two main categories of knowledge: behavioural knowledge and factual knowledge.  Behavioural knowledge concerns habits and acts such as social rapport, the ability to drive, problem solving skills and so on.  Factual knowledge is the cold, hard stuff like knowing the capital of Zimbabwe, how an engine works, having Shakespeare quotes on the tip of your tongue and all that.  It is important, and increasingly so, to realise the difference!

Throughout history, factual knowledge has been very important, and those who were good at storing it have rightly been well respected.  Traditions, stories, facts and all sorts of nuggets have been passed down through the generations, primarily in oral form, i.e. learned and stored in the brain to be regurgitated when required.  A doctor who knew about the widest range of ailments was considered the best.

But what about now?  These days, facts and figures of all sorts are universally available within seconds.  It is possible to look up any historical detail, scientific formula or translation easily and instantly.  So what is the value of carrying around all sorts of information?  Is the ‘mastermind’ who wins every quiz still as impressive?

Of course there is merit in having a good memory and in exercising it well.  But is there a downside to loading up on cold facts?  In school, we have all been taught to learn reams of information ‘by heart’, some of which has proven useful, but most of which has never seen the light again.  We all remember the time and effort put in to that kind of learning; the slog, the repetition.  Does it seem a bit pointless now that we could look up most of what we learned so easily?  We learned a lot of really valuable things too though:  how to analyse certain problems, how to work hard, social skills, application of our talents etc etc.

“I know nothing!”: Socrates or Manuel?

I’ll bet that if you really looked at it, you’d see that what you’ve carried forward into everyday life are more the behavioural skills rather than the factual information.  The factual stuff can be looked up or dropped at any time, but effective behavioural skills are valuable at every moment of our lives.  Think about it:  who is likely to be happier and more successful – the information bank who spends his time learning hard facts, or the person who has learned to use creativity and vision, who can sense and react to life as it happens.  These are obviously not mutually exclusive, but we must question which is more positive to focus on.

Cold facts in a way are a type of baggage, they have weight and take energy to carry around.  They may prove useful, but is it intelligent to carry them constantly just in case?  It’s a bit like carrying a huge plank of wood around every day, on the off chance that you might have to cross a river!  Is it more efficient to carry the plank, or learn to swim or chop wood – skills which have a wide range of applications?  And while carrying that wood, how easy is it to react to what’s going on around?  I’m picturing Laurel and Hardy moments!

The Plank of Knowledge!

So in our schools today, where is the focus?  Is it still on the hard facts, or have we woken up to valuing life skills more?  Surely skills (and they are skills) such as problem solving, self-knowledge and confidence, personal development, creativity and awareness will give a better chance of success in life than leaving school with a stack of wooden planks!  It’s not practical or sensible, of course, not to teach any facts: these provide context, awareness of subject, memory skills and a useful base in any area of study.  The question is where to draw the line between useful factual knowledge and wasting time and energy that could be used to learn more important skills.

Surely what we want is to produce the most effective, content and positive adults possible.  This is what I imagine (who could know exactly?!) Socrates was talking about:  he had realised the weight of factual knowledge and the value of being light and fully aware.  He saw that ridding himself of the burden of ‘knowing’ left him open, creative, in tune with his surroundings and able to see the world as it really was, rather than through a cloud of learned facts.  In that state, learning, adapting, growing and seeing opportunities come naturally.

This all leads to a higher value on ‘being’ than ‘knowing’.  It takes humility to focus on being the best you can be over knowing the most.  And it can be difficult to admit what you don’t know.  Take the current Irish government:  during the Celtic Tiger, we had unprecedented amounts of money in the coffers and a unique opportunity to create lasting stability.  We had a chance to improve infrastructure, build a strong and secure social system, and a solid platform for the future.  It was wasted, to my mind, because the government refused to admit what they didn’t know.

Ireland is a young country, less than 100 years old, and this was the first time we ever had substantial money.  Our government was filled with local representatives who were far from experts in their field –  how many ministers have ever been qualified in their brief?  Yet there is relevant expertise out there; it’s a big world!  Why not admit our position and call for guidance:

Denmark is a country of similar size who achieved rapid wealth and expansion; consult with those who oversaw that.  Switzerland does banks well; hire one of their top people to examine our financial system.  New Zealand and Washington State have comparable rainfall to Ireland; bring in their experts to sort out our roads and rivers.  For Social Welfare, look to Sweden or Finland…

Like teenage boys, our politicians refused to admit they did not have the skills to do it all; they were afraid to show weakness, to ask for assistance.  And like every teenage boy trying to impress, they were found out!  It takes maturity to admit where you are, and be strong enough to ask for help.  Knowledge is fleeting; it can be called upon easily and instantly.  The awareness and courage to know what you don’t know is eternal wisdom.

Knowing more is useful; Being more is vital.