The Sloth, The Hippo, & The Squirrel

When I first left school, I completed an electrical engineering apprenticeship with Fords Motor Company at their famous Dagenham Branch/training centre (Still to this day, one of my proudest achievements). So naturally, I spent the first 14 years of my work life in the recruitment industry... (Probably one of my biggest regrets. Don't ask.)

Anyway, during my time as a recruiter, I got to observe a lot of people and learn a lot about people's behaviours at work. Since becoming self employed and changing industries, I also got to observe a lot of networkers.

I've come to the conclusion that there are 3 kinds of people in the world.

The Sloth, The Hippo, and The Squirrel.

The Sloth is someone that does the bare minimum. They'll be the ones who do enough to keep their job, they fly under the radar most of the time and only really wake up if they sense danger or they need to go for a coffee/pee break. The sloth, in my opinion, isn't a team player and after a period of time tends to be the first to go if there are cut backs and are usually resented by their fellow team. They may be the nicest person in the world, but in the work place, they just ain't pulling their weight.

The Hippo is the plodder of the group. Now, many of you will take this as a negative. Absolutely NOT! I am a hippo and i'm very proud of this. Have you ever seen a hippo plod along? Those bad boys start off on a mission and they don't let anything get in their way. They just keep charging along until they hit their goal. Then they chill out and wait for the next assignment. Hippos are the bread and butter of any work team. They get things done, they are quite social so usually bond well with others and they can pick up some serious speed when needed.

The Squirrel is the go getter of the team. They get excited by the new and shiny, they chase after their goals and flit around all over the place. They are usually seen as the most dynamic of the group, are great at socialising and networking but they tend to get distracted easily, need constant new things to chase or they get bored and lose interest in things.

If I was going to hire someone it would be a hippo. If I was building a team, I'd have a heard of hippos and a few squirrels. A group of people that will keep pushing the company forward and a few that are dynamic enough to bring in new business.

Ideally we'd all be HippoSquirrel Hybrids with a tendency to "sloth out" on our days off. I'm not sure i've quite mastered mixing all 3 together perfectly but it's a goal of mine. In the mean time, I'll just keep Hippo-ing along.

I'd be interested to see what you think and even better, what you ARE!

Until next time,
Much Love
Dee
Miss Make It Happen
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Yoga - The Truths (well mine anyway)

What do you think of when you imagine yoga? My initial response when asked this question was hippies, "peace & love, man", impossible bending and stretching, and something stay at home mums do... oh, and skinny minnies on a beach at sun rise.

HOLD ON! Before you all run off and form a pitch fork wielding mob, let me explain....

I tried yoga many moons ago and all I got from it was wind and (rather weirdly) cravings for McDonalds. I actually got up mid way through a group session, grabbed my stuff and walked out.
A later attempt at yoga meditation left me restless and moody. I couldn't find something at home that I could follow easily and if i did find something I couldn't find the 60-90minutes to actually get it done properly. Catch 22.

Fast forward to 2017, and a friend of mine explained to me about a company called 'Movement For Modern Life'. At the time of recommending them, I was almost at breaking point. I was so exhausted I could hardly sleep, when I did sleep I had regular night terrors and sleep walking/talking episodes, I felt stressed, depressed, my confidence was shot, paranoia was setting in and I was a walking disaster zone on the inside. To the outside world, I was a confident, happy, hard working, go getter.

I can almost hear you nodding as you read that. You too? Don't worry, you really are not alone. You'd be surprised how many people are feeling like this. A lot of your "perfect" friends are probably losing their proverbial on a daily basis.

Anyway, back to yoga...

I decided to sign up to Movement For Modern Life for a 14 day free trial. It's free, I couldn't lose. Now, to say I got a little excited was an understatement. This is a site for everyone. Not just the stereotypical Yogi but for people who want to do yoga at home - IN THEIR PJs!

THAT'S ME! THAT'S PROBABLY YOU! THAT'S US!!!!!

Next thing I noticed about this company is that they understand us. They realise that we don't all move, bend and think the same. There are literally 100's of videos starting from 2.5minutes upwards. Even I can manage 2.5 minutes in the morning.

I'm starting to get suspicious... what's the catch? Am I going to get hit with a £100 a month membership fee at the end of the 14 day trial? Will I need to sell part of my soul? Truth is, i'm about 6 weeks in now and I can't find a catch. The membership prices start at £10.99 a month. They even have a section teaching you about the anatomy and offer online classes for people with mobility issues. ANOTHER WIN! I have Ankylosing Spondylitis & RA, so this is something close to my heart.

So, I picked out some different classes in the 'beginners' section and gave it ago. Over the next month, I was genuinely blown away. The changes in my body, my head, my mood, my life started to show a lot quicker than I could have imagined. I was doing 2-10 minutes in the morning and focusing on relaxation techniques / breathing at bed time (usually 30minutes). Nothing "special", no difficult moves, no legs around my ears, just me getting to know... me and my body.

I was going to share my first 6 weeks with you in this blog but I decided I wouldn't do it justice. You'll have to read next weeks blog to find out more. On a seriously note, it's been a life line but this is me we're talking about so i'll tell you about the uncoordinated two left feet, my gurning because even the easiest poses are difficult at first, and how this journey has effected me on a day to day and emotional level. The only 'down side' to yoga is actually realising you're human... *rolls eyes*

(Yes, there will be pictures of me gurning.)

Until next time,
Much Love
Dee
Miss Make It Happen
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**Please note, I have not been paid or influenced by MFML in any way in regards to my views on yoga, meditation or the company in general. This is a personal, unbiased view.**

Should speed cameras be advertised more clearly?

We'll get one thing straight from the off - I don't drive. I'm epileptic. The DVLA computer says no.

BUT I have an opinion on something road related and you're about to hear it. So buckle up and we'll go for a little ride through my brain map.

I don't think speed cameras should be advertised / sign posted. Why should drivers be warned that they're about to get snapped?

I do however think the speed limit should be sign posted more.

So, why don't we spend more pennies on advising the driving population what the speed limit is and less on warning people they're about to get caught for breaking the law.

We ALL know there are speed cameras the length and breadth of the country. Lets stop warning the idiots that want to break the law and start using their fines to fix the potholes.

Thoughts?


Adios,

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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Customer Service - The Two Way Street.

Customer Service is important. Very important. BUT there are two sides to this coin.

Supplier to Customer.

Customer to Supplier.

We'll start with what everyone thinks of first when you mention Customer Service. How the business treats its customers - before, during and after a sale.

I'm a big believer of the 'long game' when it comes to business. I like to get to know people, who they are and what their needs are. This helps to create a relationship that not only makes things easier throughout the "business transaction" but also if there is a problem. If you have a relationship with someone then they are likely to see you as a human and any problems can be sorted peacefully and without stress to anyone.

If the business does create a problem for it's customer they should always apologise. This should be the first thing. Even if the customer doesn't expect it. A "sorry" can help a thousand sins. Some times problems arise where the company doesn't have control of whats happened (They sent your product and it never arrived for example). Keeping calm is key. Offer solutions and make sure that you sound like you care FFS! There is nothing that is going to tip an unhappy customer over the edge like an 'I couldn't give a hoot, i've done my part' attitude.

The flip side - How the customer treats it's supplier.
Now i'm a big believer that the customer is NOT always right. Those that have the belief that because they pay for something they are automatically right, are dicks. There, i said it. Because you pay for something doesn't give you the automatic right to treat a business or person with lack of respect. If one of my clients were to treat me like I see retail staff, for example, being treated, I would toe punt them in the fart box.
Shit happens and i'll do my best to help you but you WILL respect me. As I will respect the fact that you may have been inconvenienced and need help. But "Customer is always right" is like leaving your life savings with your toddler. You wouldn't do it. It's old school and it's shit.

A company I bought from recently had PERFECT customer service. I went on their site to buy myself some much needed make up. (The 30,000 make up items I already have are not enough!). Because they were experiencing a busy period they had changed their website to say "we're sorry but all deliveries have been delayed... orders may take up to 2 weeks to reach you". No big deal. I placed my order and went on about my day.

A week later, I received my package of make up goodies. A WEEK earlier than expected. I opened the unusually large package to find a note saying "We're sorry we took so long, please find included in your order some freebies". MAKE UP FREEBIES!!!!! And not those tiny little trial things you get but FULL size, beautiful eyeshadow kits! This was better than xmas. So Thank you TamBeauty.com, You showed us how customer service should be done.

For those that don't know - TAMs products are amazing. (and can be a 10th of the price of some of the big boys. *mentions no names...*)

Next time you come across a problem during a transaction, remember that both parties can be stressed by this situation. Show compassion, show kindness, offer solutions and be flexible. Customer Service is a two way street.

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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Out with the old....

I've missed you guys! Although you've been keeping me busy reading all your mentions on my posts from last year. Thank you :)

At this time of year, like most other business owners, I start to plot and plan whats going to be happening for the year ahead. I sort out my personal / business space, throw away all the rubbish i've stored in THAT drawer. (You all have THAT drawer or cupboard, lets not pretend.) I start to make room for what's important and what really isn't any more. Do I REALLY need the receipt from last February for the pack of tampons? I think not.

Whilst we're all busy de-cluttering our drawers and cupboards we should also add something else to the "clean me" list - Our Friends. Yep, I said it. Sometimes people are much a source of clutter in your life as things are.

Now, I don't recommend disposing of your things and friends in the same way. I'm not sure my dustbin man would have appreciated me putting my friends in to 5 black bin liners and leaving them on the roadside ready for him to squash in to oblivion...

But you DO need to get rid of the neg heads. The ones who take and never put back in to the relationships. These could be people you met in school, the woman who works in the local cafe, a business associate. You need to collect people just as much as you need to collect tampon receipts, or whatever the male equivalent is.

Have you ever opened a cupboard in your kitchen and the next thing you know you're covered in plastic pots with no lids and other bowls and pans?

Life and even social media can be just like that cupboard. We keep filling it up and one day it's all bound to come crashing down on you. You'll have an old friend who, like the pot with no lid, used to close and be useful. You'd spend every lunch time together, you needed each other. Now, well, they're just an empty pot with no lid. The likelihood is, they feel the same about you too.

You've probably had thoughts about them. Thoughts that made you feel heavy and uneasy. You both know the relationship / friendship is over. Every time you see their face pop up on Facebook, you roll your eyes and keep scrolling.

Sometimes you just need to say good bye.

If you keep in contact to be polite, it might be worth having a conversation with them to say you feel you should go separate ways. If you haven't spoken to them in ages, just hit the 'unfriend' button on social media.

I do this a few times throughout the year and believe me, it makes you feel a whole lot lighter. After the initial shock of "OMG What have I just done??" dies away.

Anyway, let me know how you get on...
And remember, It's going to be ok.

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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"Hello, Dee speaking, How can I help you?"

I've been thinking a lot about communication recently.

If we go back through the years, it all started with the grunt of a caveman. Then on to real words, cave markings, paintings, writing, courier pigeon, telephone, fax, internet chat rooms, pagers, text messages, and now social media. *and breathe*

We're a species that have developed our communication skills so much that we're no longer using the basics. Hands up, how many of you have actually picked up the phone this week, dialled a number and SPOKEN to someone? Scary thought isn't it. Especially when it is so much easier to drop a text, or write a DM or email.

We spend hours talking on various social media sites but when we meet face to face the conversation can sometimes be awkward. I found this happens much more with the younger generation. They're so used to interacting through a screen that sometimes they just cannot cope with the face to face interaction. It's quite sad really.

One of the things I love about my other half is the fact he talks. He'd rather pick up the phone and talk to me rather than sending a quick text. He's also a big advocate for penmanship. I love his passion for using pen and paper. I love pen and paper too.

eBooks make me a little sad. You do not need 500 books on a tablet. It's not like you can read them all at once anyway and there is nothing quite like the feel and smell of an actual paper book, in my opinion.

In regards to communication within your business, aren't we lucky? We're part of the instant generation where we no longer have to wait to get news about a contract or to get a project off the ground. It can all be done in a click of a button. The problem with having the ability to do it all, is that we can easily become overwhelmed. So, you have your job, then you have all the back office stuff that needs doing, all the social media accounts that need to be constantly looked after plus any bits and pieces that the day decides to throw at you... you're juggling all your plates perfectly... until the phone rings. Is it just me or does the phone ALWAYS ring at the most inconvenient time?

I've recently come across a fabulous solution. It's not a new idea, it's just perfect for any business that needs to buy a little time. That solution is Apples & Oranges. No, not the fruit, but a super duper call answering service based right here in the UK! PLUS you're not fixed in to a contract so you could just use the service in your busy periods / certain times of the day / When you're on holiday.

I've been in contact with the owners and what they offer and how they can customise their service is amazing! Here is what Dawn Davis had to say....

"Communication is what we're about - 21st century style!

One of the biggest problems when you're in business is ensuring that you NEVER miss a call, therefore never missing an opportunity, so that's where we come in.

Before we started this part of our business we kept being asked "do you have a telephone answering service", after a number of requests we started to think, why don't we have a telephone answering service? We decided to first investigate and then invest!

Every client we have has slightly different requirements, our policy is, the answer is 'YES' now tell us what you want and we'll make it happen for you."

You can get in contact with Dawn and the team via their WEBSITE.

I'd be interested to see how many of you actually look into this for you business so quote 'DAMMIH' when you get in touch. I'll be keeping my eye on you ;). If you'd like to hear what happened When Dawn and I got together for a MMIH Show you can find the Podcast HERE


Until next time.

Much Love

Miss Make It Happen

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The Cost of Kindness.

Last night, whilst I was out hunting Pokemon, a friend and I came across a little old lady on a mobility scooter. the battery had run flat out so we pushed her home. It would have been so easy just to keep walking. A few more steps and we’d have been out of sight and I would have got the PokeStop i’d been walking towards. A few more steps and that lady could have been sitting around for ages. Now i’m not looking for a medal or a standing ovation. I’m just asking that we all think about how truly blessed we are. I’m sure we all have battles to deal with in our daily lives but 10 minutes of kindness doesn’t cost a thing. 

A few years back someone said to me “Be kind, then, you’ll be rich”. I didn’t understand what was meant and, at the time, i wasn’t that bothered. A few years later a friend and I embarked on a little adventure where we were to face adversity. We decided to get a better understanding of homelessness by becoming ‘homeless’ for 24 hours in our home town of London. You can read the full adventure HERE.

One of the main things that sticks out from, what turned out to be one of the hardest 24hours of my life, was that people who have less seem to have more to give and ask for nothing in return but your time. Whilst out, we decided to buy sandwiches and go to meet a few people. We met a man outside a very prestigious hotel and offered him some sandwiches. He accepted but declined a second. This played on my mind. He had no guarantee when his next meal would come along yet he was still thinking about others. I can almost guarantee that I would have taken two. Hell, if you offered me free food in my current comfortable situation I would still take it! 

A little further down the road we met another man and his lovely dog. He was an ex soldier. Just that alone, broke my heart. He explained that Pret A Manger, the popular coffee chain, offer all their end of day food to the homeless and he was waiting for them. 

It turned out this was true and the staff from Pret done their good deed. This man didn’t have a bean but refused our help  knowing full well he was going to get dinner that night and our goods could help someone else. We ended up spending a bit of time with him. Letting him talk. Us listening. Thats all he wanted. He just wanted a companion for a while. That night changed me. I no longer see homeless people as bums. The people we met were some of the nicest people i’d ever met. So humble and kind. 

I vowed that I would try to give back in my life. It didn’t have to be daily, weekly or monthly. Just when I could, when the opportunity arose. I was going to try to be a kinder person. 

Please don’t see this as me judging anyone. As I said, up until I had my experience, I was blind to what was happening in the world. All I ask is that we all try and do something small this week to make a big difference in someone else’s world. 

So ask yourself this - At what point of having everything, did you have nothing to give? 

Until next time.

Much Love

Miss Make It Happen

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Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. It's Where Your Confidence Is Hiding.

If you were to meet me on the street you’d think i’m confident. I’m good, no, i’m GREAT at playing the part. You’d think i’m a social butterfly who has no trouble networking a room, talking in front of strangers or just being myself. The truth is. I find all that ‘stuff’ hard work and somewhat exhausting. 

In todays society, confidence is a must have accessory for every man, woman and child. If you’re not naturally confident you have to pretend you are. If that isn’t hard enough then the same society is telling you you need to eat less, eat more, wear make up, look natural, dress your age, eat this, don’t eat that, speak up, don’t have an opinion, be slim, have curves. Phew! I’m exhausted just thinking about that list.   

I’m an only child so I naturally spent a lot of my time alone growing up. I have grown to love being alone. It’s ME time, it’s quiet and I don’t have to worry about entertaining people or wondering what they think of my ice cream stained PJs as i’m stretched out on the sofa reading a book.   

Over the years my confidence has taken some hefty knocks. People telling me I’m fat, ugly, not good enough. We’ve all been there. This is not a sob story but more of an awakening. I started dating Mike in April. He's literally turned my world upside down. He treats me like an absolute princess and never fails to tell me how beautiful I look, how proud he is of me or just simply that he loves me. Over the last few months my self confidence has changed.  Yes, yes, I know. I shouldn’t let someone else control the way I feel. Blah blah blah. But do you know what. This isn’t about him controlling my emotions but more helping me fix my broken bits. By handing me all the shards and fragments of my previously shattered confidence, he’s given me a platform to rebuild myself from the inside out. A platform I have complete control over. I'm very grateful for that. 

As my confidence grew, I got back in contact with a photographer who has been talking about shooting me for a few years. I took the plunge and agreed to the shoot. We started off with some fun and business like poses and then I became adventurous. Next thing I know, I’ve agreed to a boudoir shoot. My confidence was literally exploding from all the fun and excitement. I wouldn’t have dreamed doing this before and at the same time I hadn’t felt so liberated or beautiful in such a long time. I went from corsets, tutus and heels to butt naked wrapped in a sheet. 

I’ve since named Mikaela Morgan the OFFICIAL photographer for MMIH and we’ve done a really great podcast explaining about how these kinds of shoots can really help people with their self confidence. The woman is an absolute magician with a camera and i’m so happy that I finally stepped outside my comfort zone and let her work her magic. 

I’ve been able to draw a line under the past and i’m looking forward to a future full of Love, Laughter and REAL confidence. 

You should give yourself that opportunity too. What have you got to lose?

Until next time.

Much Love

Miss Make It Happen

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(Pictures owned by M Morgan and D Atkins)

The Only Way Is Up...

... down, left, right, loop the loop.

In life, nothing is straight forward. You'll hardly ever get from A to B in a straight line.

I recently took on one of the hardest challenges of my life. Mount Snowdon. I've written a 2 part blog for Yahoo and HERE is Part 1. The Ascent!

I hope you enjoy reading it :)

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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Kindness Costs Nothing

Thanks to the kindness of people, It's been a good week here at MMIH HQ.

I've had so much help, love and support recently that I wanted to write some thing  to let people know that it hasn't gone un-notice. I'm a massive believer in karma. Business karma, life karma, love karma. You get what you deserve. Put out in to the world what you want to receive etc etc. Never underestimate the power of a thank you, a "would you like help", a hug. To you they may seem insignificant but to that person, who may be going through their own hell, it could mean the world. 

People, however strong they think they are, need support sometimes. A cheerful hug I received last week meant so much more. It was just a normal friendly hug but to me it was just what I needed at that time. It made me feel safe. Safe is not a place I visit often. I paid that hug forward to my mum the following day. 

I've been on twitter for a few years now, I jump from account to account creating tweets, building brands and playing my alter egos. From the MMIH account, to my DJ account, client accounts... I become a difference person. I'm what the account needs me to be. AND I LOVE IT! 

I slipped up recently, I forgot that everyone hadn't been on twitter for as long as me, they didn't have the large interaction circle, they didn't know the ropes. So when someone said "twitter is sh*t, I don't know why you bother" not only was I shocked, I didn't get it! Then I remembered my first months on twitter. It can be a scary place. 

"Will they mind if I follow them?" "Will they mind if I interrupt the conversation" "who should I follow?" 

The truth is, we're brought up to behave, be quiet, don't interrupt conversations, speak when you're spoken to. Twitter throws all those rules out of the window. You need to be assertive, confident and get your point across. SEND THE PIC OF THE HAMSTER DEEP THROATING A BANANA - Do it, be brave. 

The more you use twitter, the better the experience. Yeah, you'll come across some serious neg heads but that's what is so great about the 'block' button. As a whole, twitter is a great platform for personal and business growth. 

Well I'm keeping it short but sweet this time around... I'm not even sure how I got from kindness to twitter to a deep throating hamster. 

Do something selfless this week... Be there for someone, even if they don't ask you to be.

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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Opportunity knocks.

Knock Knock!

We all know that opportunity usually comes with change. If what you have been offered isn't new then what's the point in trying it? You might as well stick at what you're already doing if you're not going to change something with the new opportunity.

Recently I've made some choices that led to changes in my life. At the time they felt risky and I wasn't sure I wanted to disrupt the status quo but so far it's turned ok.

As I've mentioned before, I attended BradCamp Be A Better Speaker, earlier this year on the hope of improving my speaking skills and one day headlining at The Business Show. Truth is, I realised that when I attended BradCamp that I didn't actually want to be a speaker after all. But I did want people to know what I had to say. One of the ideas that I got from BradCamp was to start a podcast. I wasn't sure where to start or what I was doing but I knew I'd figure it out. I always do.

3 months on, I have a podcast that I am proud of, am honoured to interview some of the great minds of the SME world and I love what i'm doing. I'm also in talks with several companies to produce their podcasts. A small idea at a development day has given me the opportunity to not only get my voice out there but to also increase my client base. I'm glad I took that opportunity.

Believe me when I say I know how scary opportunities are and how change is a tough cookie to digest but sometimes the only reason we don't take up an opportunity is because of self doubt.  We think  don't deserve what we're being offered or we're not talented enough. Truth is, if you're being offered the opportunity it's because someone else has seen your potential. Someone else has seen how hard you've worked. Some one else thinks that you're the right person for the job.

Weigh up the pros and cons and give it a go. You cannot grow if you refuse to change. Look at the caterpillar and the butterfly. If the caterpillar didn't make the change, he'd never have grown wings and been able to fly .

Release your inner butterfly. The door of opportunity looks exactly like the door to failure. You need to open them to find out which is which. or you could just stay locked in the same room.

Until next time.
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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Vultures

I get my hosting package and emails from 123-reg. I have done for years. All in all, they're pretty good for what I need. They're easy to work out, their customer services reps are good at what they do and I've not had any major issues with them.

Don't get me wrong i've been without emails a few times over the years but I was kept up to date with the problem via social media and all was well. No one died.

Earlier this month, my emails were wiped out for quite a while during the busiest couple of days of the year. It was The Business Show at London ExCel and I'm a little disgruntled. I couldn't access 123-regs site to ask what was going on so i sent them a tweet. Within minutes, I had a response. They knew there was a problem and I was assured they were on the case. 20 minutes later, I had my emails back.

As far as I was concerned the job was done, I was happy. After all, show me a perfect person or business and i'll show you a liar. None of us are perfect and we need to forgive little mistakes in life and business.

So whilst all this is going on, the vultures have started circling. Other "competitors" wanting my business. To take me away from my current supplier because of a hiccup. I wasn't impressed. I worked in the recruitment industry for YEARS so I know cut throat sales but I hate it. It will not work on me. If you or your staff are selling this way you should be ashamed of yourself.

Sales is a long game, just like networking, and business in general. By sending people "We can offer you a better service" tweets without - 1) Whats going on, and 2) What service I already have you're only going to get one response from me. A shaming live on twitter. If you're lucky i'll throw in a few tips and send you to a networking event.

Just don't be a sales vulture. There is no need for it and you'll just look like a mug. (<Proper East London term for you there)



Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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Creative Constipation

Brain Freeze, Writers Block, Creative Constipation - we all get times when we just can't get the ideas from brain to paper.

It's all perfectly normal.

But how do we get passed these situations without becoming demotivated and getting caught in a circle of never ending negativity and being unproductive?

Well, first, you have to give yourself a break. You're not some massive failure, you probably just have too much on your mind and need to relax and get that in to order first. If you're in the UK, the weather is finally getting warm enough to go out side and have a walk. Go grab some fresh air and clear out the cobwebs. It'll do you the world of good. Trust me.

Another way to stop all of the above is stop leaving things to the last minute. Unless you're one of these lucky people who thrives under pressure then leaving your tasks to the last minute will not make it any easier for you. It needs to be done so get it out of the way now.

My final piece of advice, especially when it comes to writing content is write down all the ideas you have throughout the day. If you have a lightbulb moment then WRITE IT DOWN! You will not remember it, however good the idea and you'll be kicking yourself later when you need ideas and you need them quick!

Well that's it for this week.

Hope you all have a fabulous week and remember ... It's going to be ok.

Much Love
Miss Make It Happen
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Accountability

It doesn't matter who you are, what you do or how good you are at doing it. We all have those days where we would rather hide in bed with a tub of ice cream and Netflix rather than face the ever growing to do list.

That's ok. We all do it. And do you know what, I actively encourage my clients to partake in a "F*ck It" Day. A day every now and then that revolves around them and that makes them happy. No work, no tasks, no people. Just them, in their PJs, doing nothing.

As business owners or just people in general we have this weird obsession with keeping busy. We have to be going something or we're seen as lazy. If you were to ask people how many days i worked a week they'd probably tell you about 2. It's probably true too. I'd much rather go out and spend the day with my friends and family. That doesn't mean i'm work shy. I usually do most of my work in the evenings and middle of the night. Chances are I probably work more than the average person when you break down the hours, I just do my work when no one is looking.

The problem with "keeping busy" is we usually try to look busy but we aren't getting stuff done. So last year I started having weekly or monthly catch ups with people. These online get togethers helped boost my productivity, and i've been told the productivity of those involved. There is nothing quite as terrifying as when your peers ask you how projectX is getting on when you've been "busy" on social media all week.

I started to realise that, although i'm good at what I do, I can sometimes wander off and get distracted from my goals. Again, perfectly normal but not always useful when you're planning world domination. So plans were made, research was undertaken and I finally found a formula to help both myself and other people stay on track and productive. It's as simple as being accountable to someone.

Why not find an accountability buddy or *cough* hit me up at Hello@MissMakeItHappen.co.uk for information on my OMG! Accountability course. Yeah yeah, I know. #BuyMyStuff. My blog, my rules ;)

Until Next Time,
Keep smiling, It's going to be ok.
Miss Make It Happen

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Everyone is doing the Okey Cokey!

Put the UK in
Pull the UK out
in, out, in, out
Shake it all about.

If you haven't heard about the EU Referendum coming up on the 23rd June 2016 then you're probably a tortoise and are just coming out of hibernation in your shoe box under the stairs. For the rest of us, it's world wide news.

The British public have been given the chance to decide for themselves if they think we should stay in the EU or not. Everyone can and will be effected by either decisions but we need to decide and time is running out. No more sitting on the fence bull sh*t. We're about to make the biggest decision we've had to make in a very long time. I can't see us getting another shot at this kind of opt out any time soon.

I've made no secret of my decision to vote OUT. Yes, I know it'll be hard, yes there will be consequences for a while, but doesn't any change come with disruption? We need to look at the big long term picture and we need to vote for what we feel comfortable with.

Every one seems to have an opinion. On the off chance Barak Obama is reading this - You sir, can kiss my arse. If you think our great country will roll over because of you, you are sadly mistaken.

For those of you who are confused about what is going on, here are some, what I think are, impartial facts about The UK and The EU.

"- The UK joined the European Union in 1973 - Back then, it was known as the Common Market. But over the past 43 years, the EU has taken control over more and more areas which don't have anything to do with trade - such as our borders, our public services, and whether prisoner shave the right to vote

- When we (TheUK) joined, there were just 9 member states - Now there are 28, the most recent being Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia. Five more countries are being considered for membership: Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey. If they are let in, they will have the same rights as other member states.

- More than half of net migration to the UK comes from the EU.  More than a quarter of a million people come to the UK from the EU in the 12 months to September 2015- the equivalent of a city the size of Plymouth or Newcastle in just one year.

- While we're in the EU. the UK can't make trade deals on our own. This means we currently have no trade deals with key allies such as Australia, New Zealand or the USA - or important growing economies like India, China or Brazil. Instead of making a deal which is best for the Uk we have to wait or 27 other countries to agree to it!

- The EU costs us £350 million a week. That's enough to build a new NHS hospital every week of the year. We get less than half of this money back, and we have no control over the way it's spent - That's decided by politicians and officials in Brussels, rather than the people we elect here.

- You don't need to be a member of the EU to trade with it.  Switzerland is not in the EU and it exports more per person to the EU than we do. The big banks and multinationals might be lobbying to keep us in, but small and medium businesses feel differently. Only 6% of UK firms export to the EU, yet all have to abide by EU regulations on their business.

- EU law overrules UK law. This stops the British public from being able to vote out the politicians who make our laws. EU judges have already overruled British laws on issues like counter-terrorism powers, immigration, VAT, and prisoner voting. Even the Government's proposed new deal can be overturned after the referendum: It is not legally binding.

- There are risks with voting either way. Experts, politicians, and businesses are divided. People have to weigh up the risks and potential benefits of each course of action for themselves. "*

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you do it for the right reasons but more importantly - make sure you do actually vote!


Until Next Time,
Keep smiling, It's going to be ok.
Miss Make It Happen

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*Facts obtained from www.eureferendumfacts.org leaflet - you can get further information from the site or by texting FACTS to 88802 (Standards charges apply)

Be Proud!

We're all under pressure to like certain things wether it be the same style as our friends or what the fashion industry dictates we should be wearing.

We're programmed to be institutionalised, commercialised, robot human sheep.

We tend to herd together with like minded people. Those people with the same opinions, style, views and taste. Anyone who doesn't fit in with out choices is deemed strange, weird or even wrong.

And I for one am fed up with it.

My best friend and I have grown up together. She's my rock, my confident and my size 6 boot up the butt when I need it. She's my voice of reason and she is the ying to my yang. For anyone that knows me knows I like the colour green, getting dirty, pushing my physical limits, I do not want marriage and kids and am not apposed to getting electrocuted with 10,000 volts for "fun". Jamie is my complete opposite. She likes the colour pink, anything that sparkles, is girlie and has an amazing husband with a little girl and one on the way.
We are opposites, and it works. We've never been on holiday together because we would probably kill each other, we don't socialise together unless it's with the 4 friends that we actually share, we don't like the same men and to be fair our biggest link is probably "dot dots" aka chocolate. But it works.

Opposites attract as much as similarities do.

If you've listening to a track on the radio and you like it - Tell people. Be proud.
A few months back I was on a road trip and my friend Anne. She needed to get something off her chest.
"I've bought a new album, you're going to be so disappointed in me"
Without skipping a beat I responded "You've bought the Justin Bieber album, haven't you?"
Truth was, I'd not only been blasting out the album for weeks but i also, at the grand age of 31, had a full dance routine to go with at least 2 of the songs.

Why are we so scared to like something and actually tell people about it? When did it become acceptable to hide our passion because society or our peers say it's wrong. If you like something be proud. F*ck what everyone else likes. If all your friends are voting labour but you want to vote for the green party - do it! If you want to wear socks and sandals, do it. If you want to wear a dress with doc martins, you rock it. If you want to stay home rather than hit the club, good for you!

If you want to add milk AFTER you pour water on your tea bag then get the F*ck off of my blog, I can't even look at you right now. ;)

Be you, be proud to be different, shine bright my little stars!

Until next time, keep smiling.
It's going to be ok

Much Love
Miss Make It Happen.
Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast - YouTube
*The MMIH Show on Kick It Radio will be launching SOON*

It's a write off.

Did you know that we're all human?
Yep.
You, me, everyone!

I know we're meant to be strong, not show weakness, never be ill and god forbid if any of us actually moan about it but i'm fed up with it.

Over the last couple of weeks, myself and a fair few self employed people have been ill one way or another. There has been silent suffering, hospital visits, secret comfort sessions and of course - soldiering on.

So many people feel that they need to suffer in silence because they think people will not take them seriously if they show a sign of weakness. This is where we need to stop seeing business owners as machines and start treating them like people. We're all going to have off days, days that we want to curl up and hide. That's perfectly normal.

If you're going through a hard patch at the minute, don't be afraid to share the stress with someone. You're human and are entitled to have off days. Keeping it bottled up, feeling ashamed etc etc etc isn't going to do anyone any good.
Last Friday, it was decided that although the week had been somewhat productive work wise, we were going to write it off on a health level. Sometimes you really do just need to say "F*ck it and Forget it".

So remember, up until the point they actually turn you in to a Robo-cop type person, you're allowed to take a break and have a moan.

Nikki Butlin, www.NikkiButlin.com, has just written a great blog about 'Taking Time Out'. It kind of goes hand in hand with this one. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Until Next Time,
Keep smiling, It's going to be ok.
Miss Make It Happen

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast - YouTube

Taking the next step.

Lets be honest, I don't care who you are or what you do, what you look like or how successful you or others think you are; Stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking the next step is scary business.

No one really wants to stay stuck in the same place, you all want to move forward and grow but it's hard work and can be terrifying.

MMIH is working behind the scenes to change things for the better - for both us and those around us. We're launching on different social medias, becoming more accessible and also launching our first set of online courses. To the outside world it looks like we're cool, calm, collected but in reality we're working 18 hour days, scared and freaking out.

Thats perfectly normal.

We're about to tread in to the unknown and although it can be scary it's also very exciting. The thing you need to remember when stepping in to the unknown or out of your comfort zone is that you don't need to do it alone. Build a squad of people who are your cheerleaders but that will also kick your butt when something isn't right.

I have a fair few people who I talk to about this stuff but I have a core4. These 4 people are privy to the inner depths of my head and I trust them profusely. At the moment, I don't make any decisions without first running it past at least 2 of them. This is not because I don't believe in myself, It's so I can enjoy the process of moving onwards and upwards.

So when you're ready to take the next step please remember
1) It's ok to be scared/excited
2) Believe in yourself, you're great!
3) Prepare the squad - Even King Arthur had his knights.
4) Just take the step!

It's just turned spring - What a better time to grow as a person or business?!

Until Next Time,
Keep smiling, It's going to be ok.
Miss Make It Happen

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast - YouTube

Take the step in to the unknown. 

Peaks and Valleys

I've been self employed 6 years this year. I took the big leap in 2010 and to say I haven't looked back, would be a lie.

I've looked back at the comfort blanket of PAYE on many occasions. The guaranteed wages, the set routine, the sick pay, holiday pay, office parties and work/family unit, some one to be accountable to, other than myself.

This last 10 days has been particularly tricky. I'm usually an optimist. I try not to look for problems or the bad in situations. There are no problems, just pending solutions. This week my little world went in to free fall, through no fault of my own. Sh*t started to hit the fan in my business and personal life. I knew who I could turn to but instead I rolled up like a hedgehog and hoped it would go away. I planned a pity party for one and I wanted to hibernate.

Thankfully I have some amazing friends, they sensed what was going on and rather than joining the pity party and feeding me chocolate, they put on their boots and aimed them at my behind. Within 12 hours I had gone from hibernating hedgehog to Sonic the hedgehog. I still had problems but I now also had ideas, solutions and 2 absolutely amazing opportunities. One as a writer and another from a Radio station.

I'm a big believer that things really do happen for a reason. My life had to start to fall apart so I could be pushed out of my comfort zone, change things and see the opportunities that I'd actually been creating for myself. Granted the two big opportunities were offered from outside influences but it was my hard work with my blog and podcast that got me noticed in the first place.

If things are starting to free fall in your world, please don't do what I tried to do. Embrace the change and look for the bright side and opportunities. You don't have to receive them from outside influences, you can use this time to try some thing new, launch a product, change your master plan. Things are falling apart anyway, you might as well try something risky.

Look forward to catching up with you soon
Until then,
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Podcast
*YouTube coming soon*

Take the leap, it could lead to success. 

Second Chances

I'm not usually one for second chances. I am however one to hold a life long grudge, even if it's to my own detriment. It's not a quality that I admire in myself and to be honest i'm working on changing my outlook on chances and grudges.

I think i'm going soft in my old age. That or i've just started to realise that not everyone is perfect like me, and you might just make mistakes every now and then ;) My gramps was one for a grudge. If you got put on his naughty list, you stayed there. If i'm honest, I think I might have got it from him. I've got a lot of myself from my Gramps.

So, back to second chances. Recently, I was put in a position that made me think and question my own reasoning. A long time ago I put my trust into someone and I got burned. It was bad enough that my friends also carried the burden too. Years later our paths crossed again and I realised how much of a grudge I was carrying. I also realised 2 other things. 1) How heavy this burden had been to carry for all these years and 2) how much I didn't want it any more. I was done with the grudge, the hate and if i'm honest, I wanted this person back in to my life.

A friend of mine had recently lost her husband, someone who I considered a friend too. Scrap that, they always have and always will be like family to me. It made me realise, at least reinforced, my belief that life is too short. So we made the decision there and then, after visiting J's grave, that I would contact the person and we'd talk it through. Before we met up, I contacted the friends that were there to pick up the pieces the first time. It wasn't a great conversation but they agreed that it was my choice and whatever happened they had my back.

I also carried out a basic online survey. 50% of people said Yes, They give second chances. 14% said Nope and 36% said it depended on the situation. Thats 86% of people who would give, or at least consider giving someone a second chance. I was a bit shocked it was so high.

So, I bit the bullet and hoped I wasn't about to make another big mistake. Turns out there really are 3 sides to every story and after long discussions, honesty and a bit of a laugh the past was finally buried and boy does it feel good.

I'll be making a conscious effort to spot the grudges i've been holding for too long from now on. I'll either talk to the person or just let them go.

No one wakes up in the morning and decides they'll intentionally hurt someone. sometimes a mistake is just a mistake. Surely, everyone deserves a second chance?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on second chances.

As Always,
Much Love
Miss Make It Happen

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*YouTube coming soon*