Confidence and motivation
What sacrifices are you going to make for what you believe in? What are you going to do to keep you going towards your destination?
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd
Coaching
Your unique experiences mean that no one else can be who you are and that you are uniquely placed to do what you do. You’re authentic and beautiful and this world needs you simply to strive to be the best you that you can be!
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd
Mental health care
Too many people with mental health problems are made to feel isolated, worthless and ashamed. Time to Talk Day is a chance for all of us to be more open about mental health – to talk, to listen, to change lives.
I’ve written several times about my own struggles with mental health. I’m in a good place right now, but I remember all too vividly the worst days – the uncontrollable crying, the inability to get out of bed let alone leave the house, the nearly irresistible urge to just run away from everything and disappear.
What I have decided to share for the first time, however – because I think I should walk the talk about being open – is that anorexia and body dysmorphia also form part of my history. I thought I should mention it because to me it feels more taboo than depression. That in itself is reason to talk about it. I find this interesting. Why should it be so? Maybe it somehow seems more superficial, despite my knowing that this is worlds away from the truth.
Wherever you are today, tonight – start your own conversation about mental health. Be kind, always. Choose your words carefully. Try not to judge. You never know what battles a person is fighting.
i looked at you today
when you were contemplating alternatives
to semblances of normal; stiff upper lips
and the notion that if it’s not ok, it’s not over
you were wearing your usual colours
blue, grey, black
— like a bruise, blooming
you turned to me, and i had a fancy
i could smell salt; you spoke
under your breath, soft,
as if navigating some provisional distance
to get to anywhere but here
and i wanted to wrap you up
in a cocoon
as if to say don’t touch, not ready
tell the world you’re tired
you’ll come out when you’re ready
i know you’ll come out when you’re ready
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd
Confidence and motivation
Here’s some #mondaymotivation for you. I’ve got a to-do list a mile long! Don’t get overwhelmed. One step at a time, keep focused and before you know it you’ll have made significant headway. Tick something off on your list, be proud of yourself, and then you can reward yourself with your favoured tipple. Mine’s ginseng matcha at the moment. Yours might be builder’s tea. Or a double espresso. Or maybe gin. xx
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd
Coaching
I love this moment when it happens. Just as you’re doing the heavy lifting – and then a pause, and sometimes an ‘oh’ or a ‘hmmm’ or equivalent, because a light’s gone on in your head. Aha.
Have you had any moments of clarity this week? What are you going to do with those revelations?
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd
Coaching
I read a really helpful article the other day about virtual coaching. Until now I’ve always coached in person; I’ve never been sure about virtual work in terms of potential issues for rapport and engagement. However, a recent enquiry from a potential client living in New Zealand has made me reconsider.
The article’s in this month’s Career Matters publication (from the Career Development Institute), by Jude Tavanyar, and positions virtual coaching as an entirely different way of communicating, with its own unique benefits and possibilities. Jude uses the VELVET acronym which sums up six factors that help coaches to achieve a trustworthy and engaging presence across distance:
V – virtual etiquette
E – emotional connection
L – listening with curiosity
V – vocal presence
E – engaging visually
T – technology.
Some great tips in there if you can get a copy of the article: www.thecdi.net.
If you coach across distance, what are your thoughts? Any tips?
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd
Coaching
El Credo (the Apostles’ Creed), etched into the floor at the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela – today reminding me of my faith and what I believe in.
We all believe in something, whether we are religious or spiritual or nothing of the sort. It grounds us, keeps us on track and reminds us of why we’re doing what we’re doing.
What are you working for? Who are you working for? What purpose are you working towards?
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd
Lifelong learning
This is Affinity, an interactive light installation by Amigo and Amigo that was at the National Gallery in Singapore when I visited in December 2016. Can you tell I’m still lingering on the theme of experiences? It was magical. You should definitely check them out if their installations are ever somewhere near you.
New experiences can touch you on so many levels: heart, mind, soul. Be open to the possibilities they offer and they’ll repay you with so much learning and so many rich memories so you don’t look back at your life and regret all the things you didn’t see and didn’t do.
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd
Career development
NOW is the time. Whatever time zone you’re in (you’re allowed to wake up first if you’re currently asleep 😉). The longer you play the waiting game, the longer you will have NO results. As one of my favourite authors says, you don’t want to be in the waiting place, for people just waiting. Waiting around for a yes or a no, for the fish to bite, for Friday night, a Better Break, for Another Chance. That is NOT for you.
No! You’re going to be the person who this year ditches the New Year Resolutions that are forgotten about after January, and instead makes the choice to get some lasting results this year. With bunting or with no bunting (although I always recommend bunting, because in every day there is a cause for celebration).
I’m really excited about the new career reinvention programme that Quiet Space is going to be launching in the next few weeks! I’ll be looking for people who’re fed up of waiting or making excuses and want to say YES to finally making some deep and lasting changes in their lives and getting a job they love in 2018.
The venue for the workshops has yet to be confirmed but they’ll be held in the Coventry and Warwickshire area. If you want to get an advance preview of some of the programme content before it’s ready for launch, drop me an email at natalie@quietspacecoaching.co.uk and I’ll get in touch!
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd
Reflections
Throwback to early 1999 and a backpacking trip around Spain during my first year at university. This is the Santa Maria de Montserrat, a Benedictine abbey in Catalonia. It’s been nearly twenty years, but I still remember the feeling – if not the details – of the day we visited the abbey.
When I was much younger, I used to balk at spending on travel and holidays – nothing ‘concrete’ to show at the end of it. Over the years I’ve learnt how much more worthwhile experiences are, rather than the collecting of things.
Embrace new experiences. They keep you learning, marvelling, transforming. Travel to discover other people’s worlds and become more empathic about their realities. If you can’t travel in person, journey through books. When you do buy things to possess, buy less; buy better. Buy things that make you smile and your heart sing, not throwaway things to forget next year.
What do you value?
– Written by Natalie Snodgrass Tan, Quiet Space Ltd