Wonders of This Week

This week has seen the joys of :

*gorgeous, sunny Autumnal days

*long walks in the forest with just

the sound of crunching leaves for

company

*silence (but knowing you are

not alone)

*the first homemade soup

of the season

*Books and throws

(my perfect combination)

*Cashmere

(do check out the lovely

Catherine Robinson, the

cashmere queen ;-)

*Knowing you are needed

*Finding the perfect gift

*finding that book you've

been searching for and
thought you had given away

*the cake that emerged 

golden and domed and

stayed that way ;-)

* an early morning call that 
wasn't a heart-stopping emergency 
but a close friend from
the other side of the world
(who'd just forgotten the time
differences)

*watching TV  when I

knew I should be doing

something more constructive 

with my time, but 

just don't care

*hearing from

someone whose 

e.mail address I'd lost

*feeling suspicious about something

and following my instincts

*the need for jackets but

not for coats

* realising I hadn't thrown

the important phone number

my Husband was looking for

*unconditional love

*the need for sparkles

but not for diamonds

Aurelia 

* just having time to exhale slowly

What  wonders have you

found in your week?

However small or big I would

love to hear

xxx

p.s a BIG thank you to all those that contacted me re coaching. I was overwhelmed (and terrified) by the response and am working my way through your e.mails. So if you haven't heard from me yet-sit tight ;-)

Tentative Steps Back on the Bandwagon

In the late 1990's I went to a seminar

that changed my view on just how much

control I have over my life.

I went to a seminar by the man who I still think

brought life strategies to the masses and who

I still consider to be one of the BEST.

TONY ROBBINS

My Dream Team; Tony Robbins and Oprah

I was so inspired with what I heard at that

3 day seminar. I just soaked everything up

and came away bursting with enthusiasm in a 

way I had never felt before.

I suddenly felt for the first time
that I was the navigator of my life.

I was going to drive my life in the way
I wanted too.
I wasn't going to follow anyone else's map
(which I am proud to say I haven't)

I bored everyone who came into

contact with me with what I had

learnt.

One year later whilst Hubs was working
in Hong Kong, I took unpaid leave from

my corporate life and I went to the US to train with

 Anthony Robbins

I then started coaching friends, and friends

of  friends, and gradually my business grew

beyond anything I could have imagined.

I never advertised. I never marketed.

It just grew organically.

I didn't even have a website and of course

Twitter and Facebook didn't exist then.

And then something happened.

Everywhere I looked people where calling

themselves Life Coaches; people who perhaps had 

just read a book on coaching, 20-somethings who had done

a weekend course. EVERYONE.

I was really peeved. 
What can a 20-something know about

life?

What experience both professional or personal can a 20-something

bring to the table?

How can reading a book make you eligible to start

charging people for your services?

In fact I spoke to a business coach not

that long ago who said to me

"I see you are NLP trained. What

is that?". I was flabbergasted.

If you are not a coach I don't

expect you to know. BUT if you are a coach

you damn well should know and

yet she was charging phenomenal

amounts for her coaching services.

Was this right?

Was this ethical?

Anyway back to 2005 where I was still peeved. 
So I threw all my toys

out of the pram, stamped my feet and decided

that apart from some very close clients

I was not taking on any more clients.

Fast forward to Winter 2013 and 

a couple of old clients made contact with me.

They had new challenges and wanted to work with me

again. Of course I said NO.

However not that long after my best friend

and I were having a conversation about the

new contacts. I explained to her that my life 

was all about "sparkles" now.

She then said something surprising.

She said "you are letting your ego make

this decision for you". 
WHAT? 
How could she say that?

She explained that as soon as I felt 

everyone had jumped on the coaching

bandwagon, I decided I had to jump off 

(as I was never one to follow the masses ;-)
It was never a logical decision in her eyes 
(and she knows me better than anyone).

We spoke about how much I loved coaching,

how I grew my business organically and

with very little effort. How I always felt

that with my Psychology background I could

move my coaching clients forward much faster.

She asked me, "why can't you coach and 

have sparkles in your life?"

I didn't really have an argument, so I said I

would "think about it"
(my usual way of stalling a decision when I don't
know what to do).

She continued to nag me throughout the Winter 
(as only a best friend can).

Then in the summer of  2013 someone contacted
me via my blog and asked if I was still coaching.

Was this serendipity?

My best friend thought it was.

So I tentatively said yes.

We've been having a blast; I've

been loving it. I also come to the table with

8 years more life experience under my belt (the

good, the bad and the down right ugly ;-)

So after much thought and cajoling

from certain quarters I have decided

to dip my toes tentatively back into

coaching.

Apart from a couple of old clients that I

started re-working with and a new client via my blog
I decided to open up only 
THREE more slots.

As I have NEVER had a website

for my coaching I am mentioning

this only here on my blog.

If you are interested and would

like a 30 minute complimentary chat 

to see if it's really for you,

then drop me a line. Even if you are not

sure what the hell coaching really is,

I would be happy to talk to  you.

I would love to know your thoughts about

coaching? Is it just a waste of time?

Do you feel you can work through your 

own things without having someone tell you

how to do it?

Do you prefer to talk through challenges

with family and friends?

Have you ever worked with a coach?

Finally back to sparkles.

These SABRINA earrings are new and 
not yet in our shop; they will be going in in October.
The web price will eventually be 165.00 (GBP)


However  for blog followers and subscribers
I am offering these for 120.00 (GBP)
which is approx $195.
This offer ends Saturday 28 September.


Have a lovely weekend Lovelies
xxx

On The Couch With.....................

..............with the lovely COCO from Italy.

We became blogging buddies only recently

but she is such a wonderfully kind person

that I wanted to introduce her to those who 

may not know her yet.

So here Coco reveals a little more

about what makes her heart sing.

How long have you been blogging and why did you start your blog?

  I've been blogging for over one year. I started my blog because I love writing, I love fashion, and I felt the need to share my passion, make it real. I also thought that people - getting to know me through my posts - might want to have me as their personal stylist/virtual shopper.

What has surprised you most about blogging?  

I made friends. Lovely, charismatic, sensitive, open-minded women from all over the world have earned my profound admiration and affection, and have encouraged me throughout my blogging experience.  

You are Italian, so who is your Italian style icon?

Bianca Balti. She is stylish inside, which basically means she could get away 
with anything and still look elegant and classy.

Which celeb do you think has the best style/look at the moment?

Cate Blanchett, another lady shining from her inside. 

How would you describe your style?

I have been experimenting more since I started blogging, 

but in the end I need to feel feminine and chic. 

The one brand you can't live without?

Chanel. Can you imagine the world without the

iconic C?

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours:

with no travel or money restrictions ;-)

In Dubai: every 3 hours of shopping, 1 our of spa treatments. What else?

Dubai shopping mall

Favorite place in Italy?

The romantic, opulent, decadent 

VENICE

Wardrobe staples?
Silk scarves, bon ton dresses and ballerinas.

Saving up for?

One pair of Aruna Seth's fabulous pumps.

Aruna Seth Butterfly Pumps

The temptation you wish you could resist?

Online shopping and designer outlets: 

I can't possibly say no to a good bargain!

Favorite hotel?

 I Bagni Vecchi at Bormio (thermal water spring). 

Book or Kindle?

Book without hesitation. 

The book that holds an everlasting resonance?
The Alchemist by P. Coelho

Perfume of the moment?
La vie est belle by Lancome

Best skincare tip you have ever been given?

My mom applied unrefined shea butter every night 
as an eye and face cream, 

and always had the plumpest and smoothest skin.

A person from history you would love

to share a plate of pasta with?

Cicero: I'm fascinated by his "ars oratoria", 

I could definitely use a couple of tips from the maestro. 

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to

haunt you (if there is one)?

I'd love to work - I mean earning a living  -  
in the fashion industry, to be an influencer.

 Tell us something that would really

surprise us about you? ;-)

I can't think of anything really 

surprising about me. 

Your motto or mantra?

How would you like to
be remembered?

I find happiness in giving love and being loved. 

That's how I'd like to be remembered.

So there you have it, the lovely Coco from

pink topping blog

If you love fashion and a really girlie

read, then that's the place to go.

Happy weekend Lovelies

xxxxx

Seventeen Years

Before I start this post let me just preface

by saying I am NOT a soppy romantic.

But this weekend is my 17th wedding

anniversary and  friends 
are constantly asking how Hubs and I
 do it ; we rarely argue,
we are polar opposites and yet........
it works. 

 I too am so proud of how far 
we have come; how many adventures we
have had and with minimal damage

You see I was the girl who never 

wanted to get married.

I was fiercely independent and felt that

letting my guard down, being romantic
 was a sign of weakness

(not really sure where that came from)

I was happy having a boyfriend and having a good time;

I didn't "need" a husband

I  didn't need a man to validate me.

I never wanted the big white dress

But then Mr came along and made
me realise how wrong I was.

*he showed me he wasn't trying to validate me

he just wanted to share who I was

 *he showed me how to  

embrace my vulnerability

* he makes me belly laugh daily

*he answers the question "does my bum 
look big in this?" correctly every time ;-)

*he goes along with all my

mad hair-brain ideas, knowing

I will sort the wheat from the chaff

*he's happy with only one fifth of

the space in our closets and bathroom

*he showed me that I didn't have to lose my
femininity and  become an "Alpha bitch"
just because I worked in a male-dominated
environment (this was pre-sparkles ;-)

*he's always in my corner shouting "YES!""
when everyone else is saying "Are you sure
you should do that?"

*he buys the things I can never 
justify buying myself

*he lets me take the first sip of his
cappuccino (even though I 
don't drink coffee ;-)

*he patiently drives with the roof
of the car up when I know he is desperate
to put the roof down and his foot to the metal...
but he doesn't, because he knows
I will start faffing about my hair

*he never buys me flowers because I once said 
(when we were boyfriend and girlfriend)
it was so predictable. So he buys my fav 
magazine, or chocolate, or ....................
whatever he thinks will make me squeal with delight.

* compromise for either of us is not an issue; 
it's a given

That's why 17 years have felt like a 
mere 17 days of fun, laughter and love.

Don't get me wrong we have had our trials
and tribulations to deal with, but never 
in our relationship

Winnie the Pooh sums it up best for me

sorry for the slush

Would love to hear your thoughts on
love and marriage; was it what you expected,
do you wish you had never married? 

Perhaps you believe there is no 
such thing as a fairytale
or happy ending.
Maybe you believe that marriage 
is a dying institution

Would love to hear your thoughts however
diverse they may be ;-)


p.s  A HUGE thank you to the lovely COCO who
did a completely unsponsored post on me and
my sparkles; it was a wonderful surprise and I
am so grateful for her kindness and generosity
xxx