ActionPodcast

If you're going to spend money, a simple difference in your choice can make the difference between short-term or longer-term happiness. In this podcast Gina and Chris discuss ways to buy happiness and also achieve fulfillment through gratitude. They reference the book [amazon ASIN="0330511602"]:59 seconds by Richard Wiseman[/amazon]

In this podcast, Sam and Chris explore a simple idea that can have a dramatic impact on your perspective in the moment, your enjoyment of your days and lasting effect for a more fulfilling life. Yes, it's that important.

We all have deadlines to meet. Even the most organised of us can find we are cutting it fine and doing things just in time! Sam and Gina discuss their own challenges with getting things done and explore breaking things down into chucks and having "medium milestones" to help keep things on track

Sam and Gina discuss how becoming more creative – in their professional and personal lives – has not only given them increased self-confidence and happiness, but also impacted positively on their friendships and relationships. In this podcast they'll give you tips on finding your own inspiration, unblocking your creative U-turns and bringing more magic and fulfillment into your life. Read Chris's related blog post on how we find so many excuses not to do things here  

How often have you excitedly started a new project, signed up at a new gym, told yourself this is the year you will write the book, get in shape, move house, leave your job? Yes, we can all relate to lack of momentum... In this podcast Paul and Gina discuss ways you can actually start getting motivated, what you can focus on to maintain momentum - and reach your intended goals. As both coaches have recently started back at the gym themselves, they will be posting weekly accountability blogs on our Action Podcast Facebook page - in an effort to keep their own momentum going!

Have you ever felt you've lost your drive at work or you've stopped trying in your relationships? Felt like you've reached a plateau and either feel afraid or just can't be bothered to go to the next level? In this podcast Chris and Gina discuss ways you can tackle complacency head on: how to recognise it, how to move through it and how to come out the other side!

We are delighted to announce that we have created a FREE training presentation to give you a brand new, simple-to-follow, yet very powerful approach for taking more action, more consistently, more of the time. What we're about to share will help you stay on-track and build rapid momentum for the rest of the year. Show me the video! If you want 2011 to be a year you can be proud of, then make sure you don't miss this video - as it will only be available until midnight Fri 25th February (UK time)! I want to watch it right now! I understand the free training presentation will be taken down at midnight on Fri 25, & I don't want to miss out! In this variation from the usual podcasts, Chris and Sam share why they are so excited about this never-presented-before content that has been created for you. After 2 years and over 80,000 downloads (plus blog posts too), we know it’s time to expand what we do and bring you even more insights, tools and value to help you achieve all you want to in 2011. It’s free. It’s powerful. It’s the turning point you’ve been seeking. We look forward to having you join us for this incredibly powerful presentation!

Trying to do something new for the first time can be daunting, and even once you get started it can still feel downright difficult. Whether it is trying to turn your hand to a new skill at work, put a new habit in place or do what's needed to adjust to change, it can be painful regardless of whether it is something you want to do or not. Have you recently started something new, or been hesitating from taking the plunge? Paul & Sam explore different ways of dealing with the teething pains of trying a new challenge, and how you can let them be helpful rather than harmful. Take your pick of perspective shifts to either motivate, strengthen or sign-post you along the way!

(*Sorry if you have received this post twice, the first time the audio wasn't attached then I some how managed to attach the wrong audio! Maybe I should give myself a break :-)  Paul ) Do you often find yourself saying yes to an increased workload, when you should be saying "No"? Are you working evenings and weekends leaving no time for FUN, or hobbies or relaxing with your family and loved ones? How about asking for longer deadlines, or factoring in more realistic time schedules for your work? Covering Tip #25 from our book 80 Tips, Tricks and Perspective Shifts for Everyday Action, Gina and Chris share their own experiences of being overwhelmed and the repercussions of taking on more than they can chew. And how by committing to less, and incorporating more FUN into their lives, they are actually achieving more.

If you often wake up grumbling, and generally have to drag yourself out of bed in the mornings, then you might not realise how this affects you for the rest of the day. Starting with low energy means everything feels more draining and difficult. But if you get off to a good start with a quick routine that boosts your energy immediately and leaves you feeling motivated, then chances are you'll have a much better day too! Join Chris and Sam as they discuss Tip #1 from the ActionPodcast eBook - 80 Tips, Tricks & Perspective Shifts for Everyday Action - and find out how this can help even the most adamant non-morning-person! Whether it is a quick physical burst, a calm mental focus or a dietary delight, you'll discover how one simple change (or a combination of them) will transform your whole day and leave you feeling great. And if you want to know more about Sam's Awesome Vegan Smoothie (inspired by Chris!), here's how you can create one yourself: Makes roughly 1 pint of smoothie. You'll ideally need to have a good quality blender, although if you leave out the cacao nibs then it's not quite so important. 3 Large bananas 1-2 handfuls of pre-washed baby spinach A generous sprinkling of ground almonds A light sprinkling of raw cacao nibs (if you like some crunch) Cold water (enough to thin to taste) You can use whole or chopped nuts, of whichever type you like, but ground ones are easier on the blender and I love almonds! Peel & break up the bananas and drop them into the blender. Add the ground almonds, and (optional) cacao nibs, top with the baby spinach leaves, and then add water (a few hundred ml should be enough, but you can vary the thickness of the smoothie with the water). Make sure the water is cold, as warm smoothie isn't nearly as nice! Blend just enough for there to be no remaining banana chunks, and for the clunking of the cacao nibs to have lessened. Don't over-blend, as the bananas can become goopy. Pour it out into a pint glass, and enjoy! It might look bizarre, but I find it delicious - and it leaves me feeling fab all day! There's an infinite amount of variation you can apply to this (different fruit, nuts, supplements etc), so just get creative and find something that works for you!

Ever been accused of having high expectations? Whilst expectations themselves seem part of human nature, those of us who hold high expectations for ourselves - complete with perfectionist foibles - tend to have reasonably high expectations of those around us too. Particularly if they are close to us! But the greater the expectation, the more power it has to hurt us. All hurt and disappointment can be traced back to an expectation we've held. One of the 55 Concepts for Conscious Living tell us that "hurt is not getting what you want". The catch-22 of expectations though, is that we also tend to assume others know what it is we want! So we don't tell them - which means they'd either need to be mind-readers, or chances are they'll disappoint us somehow. How we respond to the inevitable hurts and disappoints has the ability to make or break our relationships. So join Gina and Sam as they discuss some of the ways that we can handle our great disappointments, and choose clarity as an alternative to our (un)great expectations - especially when it matters most! P.S. Visit the 55 Concepts for Conscious Living on facebook!

Are you a perfectionist? Do you spend hours labouring over presentations that should only take you 30 minutes? Do you often feel you can't write that book, have that relationship or find the job you love until you are somehow better than you are? The limiting belief inside most perfectionists is a lack of self-belief and low self-esteem. A limiting belief that you are simply not good enough. Chris and Gina discuss the warning signs and what you can do to be successful – even when you're not perfect.

Thousands of people have been affected by the recent nasty flu bug. So how can you make sure you take more care of yourself to stop it knocking you for six?! We can't live in a bubble, but there are ways you can take care of yourself throughout the year to ensure your body and your immune system is in tip top shape when the next flu season comes around. Gina tells Paul how she unfortunately spent a lot of the Christmas holiday period sick in bed. So this year she has committed to making sure she looks after herself all year long! For more information on flu have a look at the NHS website http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Flu/Pages/Introduction.aspx

We often fool ourselves into thinking we are great at multitasking, but actually what we end up doing is simple task switching. Whilst it may feel like we are doing several things effectively but in actual fact we are doing many tasks poorly. By carefully identifying if you are switching or truly multitasking you can make an informed decision on whether to focus on an important task until it's completed or to continue really multitasking in its true sense. Chris and Paul take another tip from the new ActionPodcast eBook and discover a few home truths when it comes to multitasking.

Becoming self aware doesn't always mean that you just focus on something you excel at but  also understanding your frustrations or pet peeves. By understanding what annoys you at work or at home you can drill down into what is really bugging you. Only then can you actually do something about it, and maybe even prevent your pet peeve occurring again. Chris and Sam cover how to identify your own pet peeves and how to turn the situation around convert problem into a solution and often how to even stop it becoming a recurring frustation.