Are you ready to dig deep inside yourself and unwrap your GIFTS?

Firstly a big Happy New Year!!!

Hope all is well with you and that things have started to move forward for you this year.

Most of us are so busy working, studying and just living life that we don’t take the time out to sit down and focus on ourselves.  What key skills/ GIFTS do we have that we are not fully utilising?  What inspires us the most to be better and work more towards achieving our goals?  Believe it or not many of us already have skills and GIFTS that we use regularly however something distracts us from being the best we can be.  Yes other people, situations and circumstances get in the way but one of the biggest reasons that we do not fully utilise our skills is because of ourselves!! Yes we try and self destruct when we are doing well.  When life starts going good, for example we may have got a new job, new contract, passed an exam ...hooray!!!  Then all of a sudden we start feeling that we are not good enough and maybe do not deserve the success we have worked so hard for...  Sound familiar? 

We will be looking at self sabotage and ways to help overcome this; we will also look at our skills and strengths whilst networking with likeminded people.  Coaching is a powerful tool that enables people to look within themselves and pull out the best bits.  As a certified Life Coach I have worked with many people on how to find their skills and build the confidence to use, enhance and share them with others who can benefit.  Click here to see the official website for Careeta Robert-Green www.careetarobertgreen.com

Let us know if will be joining us for the “What’s Your GIFT?” Motivational Workshop on Wednesday 8^th February 2012 from 6.30pm (registration to start at 7pm) until 9.30pm at Ramada Hotel Ealing Common?  We will be celebrating Born with a GIFT’s 2^nd Year anniversary so lots of surprises and treats in store! The theme of the event will be “Loving yourself” in line with Valentines day.

BOOK NOW to secure your seat http://whatsyourgift-esearch.eventbrite.co.uk/?srnk=1&ebtv=C

Limited £10 tickets or £15 on the door! Seats filling up quickly !

Look forward to seeing you at the next event J

Check out some video footage of our “Let’s Get FOCUSED!” launch in November right here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnVrvIboczI&context=C36261edADOEgsToPDskJ05yQ_8Guy_zYKEcRPBIop

If you have any questions just let me know.

Kind regards

Careeta

www.bornwithagiftevents.com

What I learnt from “Let’s Get FOCUSED!” by Tosin Badmus

If there was only one reason to attend the Born with a Gift ‘Let’s Get Focused’ Workshop event, it would be to see Careeta Robert Green’s beautiful face. There was however, a plethora of other reasons. The main one is the wealth of information and advice that was given by Careeta and the amazing speakers – Sonia Brown, Carly Ward and Denis Asamoah. To say that I was inspired by this event is an understatement because not only did it come at just the right time but I felt that the speakers were so honest and gave straight-forward advice that I could apply to my life immediately.

The evening started with reception and refreshments and after turning up (a little late...) I was welcomed inside the beautiful venue to a drink and room full of people. The event began - Careeta gave a little talk on the programme of the event and introduced each of the speakers. After this Careeta began the workshop, and then gave away some goodies!

Four things that I learnt from the Born With A Gift – Let’s Get Focused! Event

1.   “FOCUS – Follow One Course Until Successful”

Focus is so important, without it we cannot accomplish anything great - Read that again.

                                       

I meditated for the first time today, and really came to terms with how to focus on nothing. Meditation is essentially focusing on nothing – clearing your mind of all the noise, worry and thoughts that fill your mind 24/7- just giving your mind a bit of a break really. It sounds really easy, but it was one of the hardest things.

My mind kept on drifting into thoughts about what I need to do today, noises from outside and I kept on opening my eyes because I thought I heard something in my house, when I was (supposed to be) home alone. But I was resilient and forced myself to focus.

I got distracted again. Then I regained focus. I got distracted again. Then I regained focus. I got distracted again. Then I regained focus... and kept focus... and kept focus... then I realised... “Hey, I’m meditating!” It proved that being resilient and following course gets you to the goal. Remember: If you let distraction steer your mind – you’ll be going round in circles. But if you continue forward when distraction comes - you reach the goal.

2.   “Goals help us to keep focused”

Careeta gave a great analogy about goals. She said; imagine a football game with no goal posts – players would just be running around the field fouling & tackling each other but there would be no objective, it would be pointless.

The goal posts are there to remind players about the overall objective. Why are they playing this game, what do they want to achieve? They want to score goals because that brings them closer to the overall objective – to win the game.

So goals are necessary to keep us focused because they are the stepping stones to the overall objective.  E.g. Overall objective: to write a book. Goal: to write a 300 word synopsis for your story that will serve as the foundation of your idea and characters by 1^st December. Remember: No one climbs a mountain in one big step.

3.   SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.

A few days ago I created a ‘By Today’ to-do list on my phone. I note down all the goals I have to accomplish for the next day only. I make sure that they are SMART goals. And the next day I commit to accomplishing them all.

It could be something really small that requires little effort but I’ve been putting off - for example yesterday I erased “buy theatre ticket” from the list. I’d heard about a play that I wanted to go and see but just hadn’t got around to booking it, and finally after pointless procrastination – I booked it!

Making our goals SMART makes them clear and achievable – and this helps us to commit to accomplishing them.

Putting a completion date on a goal and committing to it really helps because I can be the best procrastinator in the world (not anymore!). You can also make a big goal seem less daunting by dividing it into small, really basic goals and focusing on one or two every day. Remember: If you focus on each step, instead of the whole mountain, it will probably take you half the time to climb – That doesn’t mean think small. THINK BIG & THEN ACT SMALL, OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

4.    Invest In Yourself!

There’s nothing like a guy/girl that looks good, smells good and has everything on your ‘check-list’... and then they open their mouth and it’s like..... -____- all attraction gone!  Well, our lives can reflect this. We can have all the external things that are considered good things but we haven’t invested in the development of our internal person – not just for successful entrepreneurship  but also for personal development - because who you are is a  foundation for what you do, where you go, who you associate with and everything else.  

An example of this could be; driving a really expensive car and then not being able to keep up with insurance payments - this person could invest in themselves by buying some personal finance books.

Another example is someone who works non-stop for 14 hours every day and neglects their health – this person could invest in themselves by eating well, sleeping well and being active etc. Sonia Brown said ‘Do a SWOT analysis on yourself’ – which I really need to do... (It’s now on my ‘By today’ to do list for tomorrow)J.

 Remember: You must first BE, before you DO, and then you can HAVE.

Something that each speaker said that stuck in my mind:

Careeta Robert Green: “Only I can make it happen, success is my destiny”

Sonia Brown: “Some people are bad mind you know! (laughs) That’s Caribbean slang (laughs) ... some people hate you because you’ve got ambition – don’t take it personal”

Carly Ward: “Contact the person you aspire to and ask for their help, chances are they’ll be more than willing to give thirty minutes of their time over coffee”

Denis Asamoah: “In order to be focused you need to have a vision or goal, so you can track your progress”

I hope to see you at the next Born with a Gift event!

Tosin

The next workshop is "What's Your GIFT?" Wednesday 8th February 2012 6.30pm to 9.30pm at the Ramada Hotel Ealing Common BOOK NOW http://whatsyourgift.eventbrite.co.uk/

Check out www.bornwithagiftevents.com and suscribe to our mailing list and be the first to know!

"I Choose!"

"Outstanding people have one thing in common; An absolute sense of mission!” – Zig Ziglar

There is no such thing as succeeding by accident.

In other words; we can gather all the resources we want or think we need – all the quotes, all the contacts, all the good intentions however, unless we actually begin our mission we cannot asucceed.

Now, I’m one to talk – I’ve got a Business Law exam in approximately 5 days and 1 hour. I’ve got all my books open and ready on my bed, my revision timetable, my pens/pencils, and I’ve got a separate tab open on which I’m supposed to be researching contract law cases – but yet I’m writing this blog. Or watching TV, or on the internet, or on the phone, depending on the day. I seriously need to GET A GRIP. It’s not like I don’t have the resources – everything I need is laid out before me. I’m just not making the conscious decision or the conscious effort to revise.

I’m not going to pass my exams by accident. It’s not going to happen out of luck or chance or fate. It’s not going to happen if I pray real hard without putting the work in. It’s not going to happen by thinking over lectures in my head and trying to remember what the lecturer said.

I need to make the decision – Either I will FAIL or SUCCEED. And the difference between the two is gaining a sense of mission about what I‘m about to do. I can have whatever result I like, but I need to make the choice. I know what to do in order to get a good grade and I know what to do in order to get a bad grade. So all that’s left to do is choose & follow through.

Is what you’re doing right now (or right before you started reading this) going to contribute to achieving your minor/major
goals? No? Me neither...

However we both need to understand that DREAMS are different from INTENTIONS. So, we can dream about a goal but if we don’t intend to fulfil them with ACTION then what use are they?
It’s easier said than done, but it’s easier done now, than regretting later, right?

So make a choice. (I will too.) :D

Much Love!

Tosin

 

 

Thank you Tosin for that fantastic blog! We look forward to welcoming you at our launch for Born with a GIFT Events.  “Let’s Get Focused!” Motivational Workshop will be held on Wednesday 23^rd November 2011 from 6.30pm – 9pm at the Ramada Hotel Ealing. At this launch we will be looking at how to set goals and learn some tools and tips to help keep focused and motivated on goals! Limited Early Bird Tickets only £8 in advance click here or £10 on the door send us your full name and e-mail address to info@bornwithagift.com

 

For further information click here  

Time to get FOCUSED!!!

Can you believe that it is already September! This year has been flying by and so many things have been going on!

There is a quote that says "Sit quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself!"

We are already nine months into the year and what a year it has been! There have been fantastic highs and some very lows. But we must continue to look forward and plan for the future to ensure we work towards achieving our goals.

During 2011 we delivered a variety of different workshops to people across the UK that received some great feedback. We have inspired and motivated hundreds of people and achieved great success with the 3 workshops we rolled out earlier this year! One of the main question we keep getting asked is “When can I attend one of these workshops?” Well we have listened to the requests and we are pleased to announce the launch of Born with a GIFT Events!

These events are aimed at 18-30 year olds Young Professionals, Young Entrepreneurs, Students and Graduates who want to set goals, have more FOCUS, build CONFIDENCE and learn how to overcome challenges whilst meeting likeminded people. The events are consisted of interactive fun coaching workshops which help provide tools to get you from where you are now to where you want to be.

“It is not the questions you ask, but the questions you fail to ask that make the biggest difference!” Robbins. Are you asking yourself the right questions to achieve your goals?

I would love to see you at our "Let's Get FOCUSED!" Motivational Workshop launch on Wednesday 23rdNovember 2011 at the Luxurious Ramada Ealing Hotel, if you are serious about success and want to up your game then I will see you then.

There are limited seats so book now!

Click here for further information... www.bornwithagift.co.uk

Hope you have a fantastic day :)

Best wishes

Careeta

Unrealistic?

Have you ever had a great idea that got you all excited and buzzing? Then you took that idea and excitement and shared it with someone only to be told it will never work and you will never be able to do something like that! Sound familiar? You are not the only one. In the next blog post our guest blogger Tosin discusses this topic...

Unrealistic?

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds” Albert Einstein

It is important that we don’t ever let anyone tell us what our reality should be.

I don’t like the word unrealistic – it makes me think of limiting possibilities to reach mediocrity. There are goals, ideas, visions and dreams that you will have that people around you will think are silly or unrealistic. And they will usually tell you this. Not because they’re being mean or are hating on you (although sometimes this is the case) but because that is their belief of what is and isn’t possible. It’s important to remember that everyone has their own reality and just because your dream or goal doesn’t exist in someone else’s, doesn’t mean it can’t in yours. DEFINE your reality. What is and isn’t possible to you?

WHAT EVER YOUR IDEAS OR DREAMS ARE, NO MATTER WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS SAID - IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE. IT IS NOT WACKY, OR STUPID, OR OVER-AMBITIOUS...

What kind of word is over-ambitious anyway? We live in a society were mediocrity is normal. And that’s just boring. Someone once told me that ‘the ability to expand or shrink our lives is determined by our courage’. We (and I say ‘we’ because I’m talking to myself also!) should build up courage enough to step out and do things that society think is bizarre.

IT IS NOT BIZZARE - even though people may say it is...

Apparently it was a ‘wacky’ idea that a black man could be the president of a country that his ancestors were enslaved in. But two words... BARACK OBAMA. I was talking to my Dad about this – and even he said that he didn’t believe it was possible before it happened.

Whatever it is, it may be something small or big – and we all have small and big goals – we should chase after them regardless of another person trying to drag you back down to mediocrity.

[LOL “drag you back down” sounds a bit violent – seriously though...]

Furthermore, if you don’t take your ideas, goals and dreams seriously...who will? The idea of a laptop was dismissed as stupid, wacky, never going to sell, too ambitious even. The inventor of the first Apple Laptop Steve Wozniak is now worth billions!

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE, TO EVERY DESTINATION THERE IS A PATH.

It may be a lonely path. The path of no-one-believes-in-my-dream-no-one-is-supporting-no-one-thinks-I-will-achieve-this but nonetheless walk down it.

Learn lessons and get experience and achieve along the way.

We can do this!

IT IS DO-ABLE.

THERE IS A PATH TO EVERY DESTINATION.

BE BRAVE AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, AND YOUR IDEA.

EVEN WHEN THE EXCITEMENT AND THE INITIAL NEWNESS OF YOUR IDEA FADES, BELIEVE IN IT AND FOLLOW THROUGH.

YOU CAN MAKE THE ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ POSSIBLE.

Just like Obama, Thomas Edison, Rosa Parks, Diane Abbott, Roger Bannister - the list is endless. These were normal people, living normal lives but they believed in their dreams – even when no one else did – and that’s why they are great achievers.

So, on that (rather serious) note, I will leave you with a quote from Roger Bannister:

“We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves. The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that. The human spirit is indomitable”

Have a great day!

Much Love

Tosin

25 Years, 25 Quotes

After reading Tosins blog 17 Years, 17 Lessons it inspired me to reflect upon my 25 years and lessons that have been learnt during them. As many of you may know I use quotations to highlight and reinforce points. Quotations can speak volumes in just a few words therefore I have decided to use a quotation to reflect a lesson for each year. Sometimes when things happen to us in life they may be painful, frustrating and we may not understand why they have happened. But when we stop, reflect and ask “What did I learn from this experience?” we may find that it is a blessing in disguise. I have had many good and bad experiences in life but one thing that has remained the same is the spirit to take the lesson, learn, grow and keep it moving! See below my 25 Years, 25 Quotes...

1. “Most of the shadows in life are caused by standing in our own sunshine” Ralph Waldo Emerson.

2. “Be yourself everyone else is already taken” Oscar Wilde

3. “I close my eyes so I can see” Lao Tzu

4. “Holding on to anger is like holding on to hot coal, you are the one who gets burnt” Buddha

5. “Whether you think you can or you can’t your right”. Henry Ford

6. “When the student is ready the teacher will appear” Buddhist Proverb

7. “When the Queen is ready the King will appear”

8. “Gratitude adds value to our perception of life” Theresa Robert-Green.

9. “Who Said I Can’t?” Careeta Robert-Green

10. “Those who gossip with you will also gossip about you”

11. “We are all Born with a GIFT” Careeta Robert-Green

12. “Smile it’s Free”

13. “If you do not ask, the answer is already NO”

14. “Do not let your comfort zone become your prison” Steve Whyte

15. “I had to come outside the box to see inside” Careeta Robert-Green

16. “Walk in your circle of excellence” Always quoted by my mentor Sonia Brown MBE

17. “If life knocks you down, make sure you land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up” Les Brown

18. “If you want to be more valuable you have to add value to yourself” Jim Rohn

19. “One of the greatest things in life is doing things people say you cannot”

20. “When there is no vision the people perish” Proverbs

21. “Possession of material riches, without inner peace, is like dying of thirst whilst bathing in a lake” Paramahansa Yogananda

22. “Still I rise” Maya Angelou

23. “Don’t tell me that sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon”

24. “Eagles don’t fly with pigeons”

25. “Don’t hate, Rate” Careeta Robert-Green

Quotes can be enormous sources of strength and a simple quote can change your mood. These quotes have helped me to gain strength in times when I have needed that extra push or motivation to continue. 25 Years, 25 Quotes lessons learnt and shared.

Born with a GIFT will be holding Coaching and Motivational Workshops that can add value to your life. You can meet like minded people to share, grow, learn and connect together. Please add your name and e-mail address to the website http://www.bornwithagift.com/ and you will be notified when we have our events. If you like this blog feel free to share :)

Written by Careeta Robert-Green

17 Years 17 Lessons

“Time flies!” We often pass this comment in our general day to day conversations without much thought. Sometimes the days fly by as we go to University, Work or run a business. Whatever way we pass our time one thing is for sure, even if we do not do anything with it, time will still continue to pass.

Each year brings new challenges, achievements and lessons that shape the way that we live our lives. In this blog Tosin Badmus shares with us a lesson she has learnt for each year of her life up until 17 she is now 18. Enjoy :)

So, in the 17 short years of life I have lived, I've learnt some life lessons and I've decided to share them with you.

1. I’ve learnt that life is too short to wait for things to happen.

2. I’ve learnt that good friends are rare and special. Do not try and make everyone your good friend, some people are placed in your life for short periods, sometimes to show you the opposite of what a good friend is.

3. I’ve learnt that those who humble themselves will be exalted and vice-a-versa.

4. I’ve learnt that rushing into a relationship is like rushing anything else, it looks/feels good at first, but things start breaking and falling off one by one. It takes time to build a healthy relationship. It takes no time at all to imitate one.

5. I’ve learnt that what goes around really does come back around. Whether its 1,2,5,10 years, it will always find its way back to you.

6. I’ve learnt to never regret. Things happen for a reason.

7. I’ve learnt that I shouldn’t allow others to put me in boxes. These boxes are usually tiny and small-minded. Never dim your light just to make others comfortable. Be bigger and bolder. Be different. ☺

8. I’ve learnt that it’s not about what happens to you, but your reaction to what happens to you.

9. I’ve learnt that you can only achieve up to the limit of what YOU BELIEVE you're capable of. No more than that. So believe that there is no limit and you can achieve all things.

10. I’ve learnt that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

11. I’ve learnt to accept different people for who they are regardless of race, religion, beliefs, how they dress, how they act and how they speak. One of the best gifts you can give somebody is allowing them to be themselves around you accepting and loving that.

12. I’ve learnt that no one owes you anything in life. Not your best friend, your sister, your boyfriend, your girlfriend. Not even your mum or your dad. So be grateful for what people give/do for you. Never blame your circumstances on someone else, because they owe you nothing.

13. I’ve learnt that anger blocks good judgement, and does nothing for you in the long run. Decisions you make when you're angry/emotional are usually the wrong ones.

14. I’ve learnt that there's always going to be people who search for your 'faults' as if there's a reward for it. Usually because they want to distract others from seeing there's. Don't pay attention to them.

15. I’ve learnt not to entertain people who put you on a pedestal. Eventually they will realise you are imperfect and have flaws just like everyone else and will push you off, and probably find someone to put on that same pedestal and continue the cycle.

16. I’ve learnt to take chances and face my fears. I either achieve what I set out to do, or learn lessons, gain experience and confidence for the next time I try. You win some, you learn some. If you want something you've never had, you need to do something you've never done.

17. I’ve learnt that the sayings; 'Birds of a feather flock together' and 'If you lie down with dogs you get fleas' are true. Who you associate yourself with, is normally what you become.

Thank you for reading!