Born with a GIFT Official Blog

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

2012-01-11T13:34:00.000-08:00

Firstly a big Happy New Year!!!

Hope all is well with you and that things have started tomove 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 andfocus on ourselves. What key skills/GIFTS do we have that we are not fully utilising? What inspires us the most to be better andwork more towards achieving our goals? Believe it or not many of us already haveskills and GIFTS that we use regularly however something distracts us frombeing the best we can be. Yes otherpeople, situations and circumstances get in the way but one of the biggestreasons that we do not fully utilise our skills is because of ourselves!! Yeswe try and self destruct when we are doing well. When life starts going good, for example wemay have got a new job, new contract, passed an exam ...hooray!!! Then all of a sudden we start feeling that weare not good enough and maybe do not deserve the success we have worked so hardfor... Sound familiar?

We will be looking at selfsabotage and ways to help overcome this; we will also look at our skills andstrengths whilst networking with likeminded people. Coaching is a powerful tool that enablespeople to look within themselves and pull out the best bits. As a certified Life Coach I have worked withmany 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 forCareeta Robert-Green www.careetarobertgreen.com

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

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 thenext event J

Check out some video footage ofour “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 justlet me know.

Kind regards

Careeta

www.bornwithagiftevents.com

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

2011-12-10T03:10:00.001-08:00

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

The evening started with receptionand refreshments and after turning up (a little late...) I was welcomed insidethe beautiful venue to a drink and room full of people. The event began - Careetagave 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 – FollowOne Course Until Successful”

Focus is so important, without it wecannot 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 isessentially focusing on nothing – clearing your mind of all the noise, worryand thoughts that fill your mind 24/7- just giving your mind a bit of a breakreally. It sounds really easy, but it was one of the hardest things.

My mind kept on drifting intothoughts about what I need to do today, noises from outside and I kept onopening 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 Iregained focus. I got distracted again. Then I regained focus. I got distractedagain. Then I regained focus... and kept focus... and kept focus... then Irealised... “Hey, I’m meditating!” It proved that being resilient and followingcourse gets you to the goal. Remember:If you let distraction steer your mind – you’ll be going round in circles. Butif you continue forward when distraction comes - you reach the goal.

2. “Goals help us to keep focused”

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

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

So goals are necessary to keep usfocused 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 thefoundation of your idea and characters by 1^st December. Remember: No one climbs a mountain in onebig 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 thenext day only. I make sure that they are SMART goals. And the next day Icommit to accomplishing them all.

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

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

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

4. Invest In Yourself!

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

An example of this could be; driving areally 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 worksnon-stop for 14 hours every day and neglects their health – this person couldinvest in themselves by eating well, sleeping well and being active etc. SoniaBrown 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 stuckin my mind:

CareetaRobert Green: “Only Ican make it happen, success is my destiny”

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

CarlyWard: “Contact the person you aspire to andask for their help, chances are they’ll be more than willing to give thirty minutesof their time over coffee”

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

I hope to see you atthe 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!"

2011-10-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

"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 lookforward to welcoming you at our launch for Born with a GIFT Events. “Let’s Get Focused!” Motivational Workshop will beheld on Wednesday 23^rd November 2011 from 6.30pm – 9pm at the Ramada Hotel Ealing. At thislaunch we will be looking at how to set goals and learn some tools and tips tohelp 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!!!

2011-09-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-04-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-26T00:36:00.000-07:00

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

2011-02-18T02:27:00.000-08:00

“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!

GUEST BLOG: Procrastination!

2011-01-31T04:10:00.000-08:00

I need to stop waiting for things to happen.

I need to stop waiting for ‘another day’ to come before I start writing blog posts. I need to stop waiting for tests to come up and actually study for them. I need to stop waiting for the perfect scenario and setting for my first time trying sushi (lol, I will explain later in this post)

Earlier this year, I wrote a facebook note called 17 years, 17 lessons. It was a list of seventeen lessons I had learnt in the seventeen years I had lived. (I’m eighteen now.)

The first lesson I had learnt was – ‘Life is too short to wait for things to happen.’

But recently I’ve been waiting. Sitting here waiting.. SMH (Shakes my head).

The other day, my friend and I went out for a meal, and she suggested we have sushi. And I, being the ultimate dreamer I am, said this;

“No, not sushi. I’ve never tried it before, but I’m saving it for my first date with a boy I really like, who wouldn’t have tried sushi before either and it will be a really memorable experience and it’ll probably be really fun.."

WHAT!!

From this day forth: I am done with procrastination.If there is something you’ve always wanted to do.. DO IT! Stop waiting for another day, because another day may not come. If I had waited for another day this blog wouldn’t exist, so START NOW.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE WE WAITING FOR?? LIFE WILL NEVER BE JUST RIGHT, IT WILL NEVER BE THAT PERFECT PLACE IN OUR HEAD WHERE WE IMAGINE THAT WE ARE CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO START, SKINNY ENOUGH TO START, RICH ENOUGH TO START, TALENTED ENOUGH TO START, POPULAR ENOUGH TO START, ETC. BECAUSE EVEN WHEN WE THINK WE’VE REACHED THAT ‘PERFECT’ PLACE, WE WILL TELL OURSELVES THAT WE NEED SOMETHING ELSE TO START. AND ON THE CYCLE GOES.. WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE, AND WE WILL FIND TOOLS ALONG THE WAY. TOOLS THAT WILL HELP US ON OUR ROAD TO SUCCESS. THE ONLY WAY WE WILL REACH SUCCESS IS TO WALK TOWARDS IT. AND EVERY WALK STARTS WITH A STEP. ONE SMALL STEP. TAKE IT.”

Do it now.

I’m off to buy some sushi!

Much Love,

Tosin Badmus

Get ready to FLY! 5 tips to help you achieve your GOALS in 2011

2011-01-07T13:40:00.000-08:00

Firstly I would like to say a big Happy New Year! How fast did 2010 go? It was just the other day we were saying it is 2000 and mine (2009) and now we are in 2011! There have been significant changes for us all over the past year and it is so easy to get caught up in all of the doom and gloom that surrounds us every day. We have had a change in government, many people have been made redundant, university fees have increased and loads of people have had to tighten their belts and be creative in how they spend. You would think that with all of these external circumstances going on everyone would be walking around with a grey cloud over their heads.

However there are a growing amount of people who are seeing these times as one of the greatest opportunities ever! Whilst everyone is clutching their bank cards and moaning about how bad everything is there are some people who are actively planning and building foundations. Working out how they can improve their lives for the future, making connections with influential people, creating their own networks and enhancing their skills to succeed. One of the greatest things that you are doing right now is reading this blog post as this will provide you with some tools and tips that can help you to join those few and FLY in 2011!

1. Get Focused!

This is a major step that you can take to help you kick start your year. I hear the callings of “where to start?” There may be 2 million things on your to do list, that is if you have a to do list. You may have no idea which one to start with first! A great place to start is with a mind map, on a fresh piece of paper list out all of the things that are going on in your mind that you have to do. Whether it is book a holiday, register on a course or clean up your room. All of these things are floating around in your mind distracting you from your daily duties. Imagine how you will feel when you have your completed list with ticks next to all of the things you have done! That’s right a big smile and sigh of relief. Once you have compiled your mind map pick the top 3 things that you need to do and put a date and time next to them of when they will be completed. You are now committing yourself to carry out the action to do these activities. How will you feel if you do not complete these tasks? What do you need to do to get them finished? What are the next action steps you will take? When you have completed the first one move on to the next one and don’t forget to tick or cross off what you have achieved.

2. Get Motivated!

When you think of motivation you may have images of someone running around a stage jumping up and down telling you how to achieve your goals. Motivation can mean different things for different people. However it is very important to understand why you are doing something as it can be the difference between achieving a goal and not achieving a goal. When you look at your mind map/to do list find one or two benefits of completing the tasks and list them next to the action step. When you feel you cannot start or finish the task focus on the benefits and use that as motivation for you to achieve your goal. Find what motivates you and focus on the benefits.

3. Read books that inspire you

There is a quote that says “Readers are Leaders”. Do you regularly read? You are reading right now so you may regularly read blogs and articles. However do you read books? More importantly do you read books that help you to grow as a person? These are the books that leave you thinking and developing ways to enhance and grow in your own life. When you read these books you feel empowered and motivated to go out there and do something with your life. It is now even easier to get a hold of books with them even being delivered to your front door! So think about how you can introduce reading books that leave you inspired into your life.
You may be the total opposite and have so many books in your life that you cannot remember the title or the author. You may have books that have become handy things like placemats and something to lean on when you’re writing. It is great to have so many books but it can be challenging sometimes to sit down and read the whole book. It is easy to start the book with great intentions, be all excited about how great the book is and half way through convince yourself that you get the drift and move on to the next one. Sound familiar? It is important for a balance to be met and some knowledge to be gained from reading something that helps you to grow as a person.

4. Ask How

I love this word “HOW?” it is a simple three letter word but this can be life changing when action is applied. For example when you are learning something new or of interest you can ask yourself “How can I apply this to my life” instead of “things like that never happen for me”. When you ask how you are opening up new doors in your mind that enable you to think differently. They open doors rather than close them and you may find that you start to come up with different answers than usual. How can I get a new job? How can I start saving more money? How can I start a new business? With all of these questions we are so lucky to be able to have access to resources like Google. If we are asking a question then millions of other people may have asked it as well so we can search for ourselves and have the answers within seconds. So next time you have a question instead of assuming you do not know ask yourself “How?” and get moving to find out, remember you can always ask somebody if you cannot find what you want.

5. Take ACTION!

Once you have got focused, got motivated and asked how the next thing you need to do is to take ACTION. Nothing will happen by itself if you want something you have to go for it. “Do not wait; the time will never be "just right'. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along” Napoleon Hill. Even if you take one baby step at a time it will take you closer than if you took no baby steps at all. Good Luck and begin with the end in mind. Have a great 2011 and get ready to FLY.

We have some fantastic workshops that can enable you and your team/group to set goals, be inspired and increase your motivation. If you would be interested in having a “Let’s get FOCUSED!” Motivational Workshop at your organisation feel free to contact us at info@bornwithagift.com or http://www.bornwithagift.com/

Born with a GIFT Youth Journey so far...

2010-09-09T12:57:00.000-07:00

SONIA SAYS..... It's time to listen to the young...

2010-08-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

Sonia Brown launched the National Black Women's Network (NBWN) in 1999, to promote networking opportunities on behalf of women within the wider professional and business environment.
In 2008, Sonia launched http://www.sistatalk.co.uk/ an exciting corporate and social networking forum aimed at women looking to create a strong online professional presence and provides an extensive and useful resource for anyone serious about attracting the attention of who's who in industry and business
Each month Sonia shares her thoughts and inspiration.

Sonia Says.....

There's something quite refreshing about the new breed of entrepreneurs and professionals emerging at the moment. Don't get drawn into the media hysteria of hoodies, gangs, knife crime and under aged pregnancies. There is a movement bursting through who are young, dynamic, innovative and very hungry for SUCCESS.
I am turning up at meetings and beginning to feel like my mother when I am listening to girls younger than my niece inspiring me to get busy and do more to be successful! They have studied their craft, researched their market and are navigating through the complexities of starting and growing their own business; all without the help from banks.

This month I am talking to Careeta Robert Green, Director of Born With a Gift Coaching Consultancy and asking her to share her 3 top reasons why to dismiss these creative, dynamic twentysomethings is to do so at our peril........

1. In the words of Les Brown "You got to be BOLD!

"I am seeing many more young people know what they want and they are not letting no one or a negative attitude stop them. They see the majority of older entrepreneurs are not coming up with anything new to stimulate or inspire them. So whilst we sit still and complain about the banks not lending, the Chancellor's cuts and the state of the business sector - they are planning and working towards their first (of many) million's. They are selling their brands to within an inch of their lives. They are extending their product range and service like they are part of P Diddy's entourage (books, t-shirts, CDs) and I believe they have Facebook and YouTube to thank for this. They don't seem themselves as someone working from the spare room. They are GLOBAL!! They do their research and they know what is relevant and what is not. They are not going to waste their time trying to fix an ideology or model that has never worked for them, because they have created their own! To succeed at all costs!
"You have to step outside of your comfort zone and take the risk because you must believe that you can do the things you say you can do" say's Careeta. "By being bold you are stepping into your greatness and doing the things that you said you could do." Careeta explained that the biggest push for her was I didn't believe in the 9-5 rat race. I believed I had the skills to run my own business because i felt inspired when i saw other young people were doing what i wanted to do, By using social media I was able to connect with them and it encouraged me to do what i wanted to do."Without a doubt, being bold has reaped benefits" explained Careeta. "Having to speak in front of hundreds of people made me stronger because it reinforced that I could do anything I put my mind to once I found the internal courage."

2. You have to network

While most of us are burning out, these young people are creating their own networks and are vigorously marketing and selling to them. With my work with the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and Regional Development Agencies, I found government support agencies had struggled to engage with key communities but our younger generation are taking advantage of these services in unprecedented numbers. Business Link London have reported that attendance at their meetings have doubled over the past year, and I believe young people are attending the traditional Business Links, Chamber of Commerce, women's networks and other specialist events in greater numbers to make sure they meet the right people and the right people are meeting them.
"Bring your business card everywhere you go because you don't know who you will meet" continues Careeta. "That person, who does not want to buy from you, may know others who do, so don't dismiss them. By going to different types of business events you can meet different people so that my relationship web is constantly increasing simply because I am stepping out of my comfort zone."
"In my experience, younger people depend on social media so you can build a relationship before you meet them" says Careeta. "The older generation need to have a more open attitude to networking through social media. Twitter is a great tool to link customers to their website; showcase their expertise and get up to date information about events and your sector. But you have to be careful that what you talk about is relevant because we are not all movie or rap stars. As long as you keep it related to your sector then people will contact and respect you more."

3. Bridge the gap

Everywhere you turn, you hear the cry that the older generation just don't understand the younger generation and the bridge is getting wider. This is not a good thing as we are losing out on creative ways to market our products and services and the younger people are losing the opportunity to learn from our experiences and benefit from some wise counsel.
Careeta believes that older people don't take younger entrepreneurs seriously simply because we are young and have no 'established' credibility. "It's important that the established business owners embrace our energy and passion, and then they will give us more respect" she says. "We are desperate to engage with established businesses in order to expand our skills and talents to be more successful. We need the knowledge that comes with experience."
Careeta believes that the older business sector are still very conservative when it comes to business and are not embracing the new tools as quickly as the younger generation to propel themselves to greater success. "We have had the benefit of the 'The Secret' to show us that we can achieve our dreams and the only thing stopping us is ourselves and lack of action. So we say, don't hang around with negative people. Mix with those who are going to inspire, encourage and empower you to be greater than you are today."

Careeta believes that social media is an indispensible tool for success and is surprised by the number of older people who dismiss the benefits citing 'too busy' as the number one reason. "We can find our peers and competitors much more easily thanks to social media" continues Robert Green. "We can build relationships online and then meet up if we share the same values or are able to collaborate on projects. Twitter allows us to establish a positive reputation as a leader in our field if used correctly. Don't tweet about things that have nothing to do with your brand or people will see you as frivolous and a lightweight!"

Careeta concludes that younger people need to understand the true principles of business that only comes with experience. "Established businesses can help the process by being more open to sharing their experience, achievements and knowledge rather than keeping it to themselves. All it means is that younger people have to work together in order to act on our dreams and fly."
So I am sure you would agree with me that these new twentysomethings are ambitious, they are confident and they are going to be successful. They understand the value of maximising their brand irrespective of the labels that have kept our generation in entrepreneurial bondage for so many years. Careeta, like so many of the next generation coming up are the ones to watch because there is so much we can learn from them.

Let's take time out and help support the next twentysomething success story.

http://www.the3rdi.co.uk/august10/sonia_august.html

Born with a GIFT Kingston University Interview

2010-06-17T03:16:00.000-07:00

Careeta Robert-Green has quit a successful corporate career to start her own business as a life coach, eager to inspire young people from school-age upwards to achieve their potential and ‘unwrap the gift within’.

The 24-year-old, who graduated from Kingston in 2006 with a 2.1 in Sociology, visited a life coach herself last year, after a rapid rise through the ranks at a corporate firm. "I’d been working in a corporate IT company for three years, heading up arranging training across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, but decided there had to be more to life than working 9–5," says London-based Careeta. "During my coaching session, I realised that I’ve spent a lot of time talking to people and encouraging them to fulfil their dreams, so I wanted to become a life coach myself."She won a scholarship to the Coaching Academy and after studying part-time became a fully-qualified practitioner in February, launching a business and website, Born With A Gift.

"The name just came into my head, and I quickly Googled it to make sure no-one else had it," smiles Careeta. "Luckily they didn’t, because it perfectly captures what we are about."The business rapidly took off, with Careeta appearing in newspapers and on radio, and she left her corporate job on 9 April to concentrate on it full-time. Unlike many life coaching companies, Born With A Gift is specifically aimed at young people aged 18–30. "My aim is to empower, motivate and inspire young people to achieve their goals," says Careeta. "There are a lot of young people out there doing jobs they don’t like, and coaching is perfect for them. Everyone has something special within, and sometimes it takes time to discover it."She spotted a gap in the market for coaching for young people while at the Coaching Academy. "Many older people turn to life coaching when there is a crisis, after years of trundling along – perhaps they are made redundant, for example," says Careeta. "I want to reach out to a younger generation, many of whom are not aware of coaching or how it can help them."So how does it work? "Coaching is not counselling or mentoring," says Careeta. "We don’t delve into past experiences or offer advice or suggestions. Our role is help people to identify and develop their strengths, and recognise and challenge their fears. You have all the answers locked away within – you are the expert in your life. As a coach, I help unlock doors in your mind you didn’t know were closed." It is done by phone, and Careeta has coached people as far afield as Abu Dhabi.

Careeta is also launching Born With A Gift Youth, aimed at younger people of school-age. "I did a workshop at a youth centre, and I was inspired by the positive feedback I got," says Careeta. "Working in schools, youth centres and other institutions can really help to raise young people’s self-esteem, which makes such a difference to their lives." Careeta volunteers with Descendants Youth Group, which she attended as a youngster herself, and has received an achievement award from them. She is currently developing a range of different workshops and plans to write books based on her methods.Careeta has fond memories of her time at Kingston, where she spent a year in the Seething Wells halls of residence, and was also liaison officer for the Afro-Caribbean Society, under the then President Eddie Kadi, who has gone on to find fame as a stand-up comic. "I met lifelong friends at Kingston on different campuses, and we’ve gone on to success in many different fields. Kingston exceeded my expectations and I thoroughly enjoyed my degree. I’d strongly recommend it as a university. I hope reading my story will inspire potential students to make Kingston their first choice.

For more information on Careeta and her work, or to book a life coaching session, visit www.bornwithagift.com. Extract from Kingston Alumni Website: http://www.kingston.ac.uk/alumni/news-and-events/alumni-stories/2010/april/19-kingston-graduate-inspires-others-to-unwrap-the-gift-within/

One of the most important notes you will ever read!

2010-06-17T03:10:00.000-07:00

Extract from Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill#

If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don't
If you like to win, but you think you can't,
It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost
For out of the world we find,
Success begins with a person's will-
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man
But soon or late the one who wins
Is the one WHO THINKS HE CAN!

"I GIVE UP!"

2010-05-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt to just give up?

You have tried your hardest and put in 100% but it has still not worked out. Nothing ever seems to go right especially when you try that is when it all falls apart. Life challenges us all of the time to see how much we really want something. For example when looking for a job you may send your CV to hundreds of applications and all you receive is rejection after rejection! What is wrong with me you may even ask yourself, it must be the credit crunch, there are no jobs out there... you may get to a point where you actually see no results for all of the effort that you are putting in and decide to just give up. The people around you may even be telling you to give up because you never achieve anything anyway. But the big question is WILL you give up? HOW much do you want the thing you are trying to achieve?

Many people face rejection, disappointment and perceived failure all of the time however it is how they deal with it that makes the greatest difference. There is a quote that says "Many of life's failures are people who did not know how close to success they were when they gave up!" Thomas Edison. The moment you are about to say those words "I give up" you are cutting off the oxygen to what you really want to achieve. If you look at it in a different light and think maybe this way is not working let me plan a different way as I have learned a lot from the lessons so far. See failure as a lesson that empowers you to move forward with a little bit more knowledge. We all have the ability to make choices no matter how big or small therefore it is important to ensure that you make the right choices to help you move forward in a positive way. Ask yourself now what have been your 3 greatest achievements in life so far? Write them down on paper and anytime you find yourself saying those three words "I give up" shift your energy to the positive achievements that you already have and these will help you to achieve even more. Remember as Les Brown says "You must remain focused on your journey to greatness".

Let’s FOCUS – “Making time for time”

2010-03-11T23:48:00.000-08:00

I have got so many things to do; I don’t even know where to start! There’s not enough hours in the day for me to get this done it’s just not going to happen. If only I done this yesterday then I wouldn’t be rushing around now. Sound familiar? Truth is we always have so many things going on that we just don’t know where to start, which one is the most important? How can we go about getting all off the things done? An instead of just getting on and doing what we have to do we sit there and moan about how much things we have to complete wasting precious time.

Lets FOCUS, write a list of everything that you have to do, I mean everything this way it will help to eliminate what is necessary and what is not. Once everything is written down pick three of the things that should have happened yesterday. Just 3, now try and prioritise those three and concentrate on what is the main thing that you can do to get these things completed. Set a date a time for all of them and once they are completed go back to the list and try and do the same for the other things on your list. Just keep focused on the end result and how you will feel once you have completed all of the tasks. The more you make a habit of this practise the easier it will become for you to start making changes in how you deal with your workload.

Remember keep FOCUSED and have the end result in mind, Good luck :)

So what do you want to be when you grow older?

2010-03-11T23:40:00.000-08:00

The importance of this question has only recently came to light for me, a simple question that is asked to children at a young age. Almost every child will come across this question sometime in their life whether in school or the home. As you sit back and listen to the bold answers given “I want to be an Astronaut, a Wrestler, a Singer” the list goes on. They all have some vision of where they see themselves as an adult, they have no idea how they will get there or even if they will but they still have vision. I sat down and had a conversation with a 9 year old boy and decided to ask this question in general conversation, “so where do you see yourself when you grow older?” The result amazed me and we then led on to have a quite detailed conversation of his dreams and aspirations, a little 9 year old boy had a full vision of what he wanted to do with his life and it came off his tongue almost automatically without much thought. As I sat there and listened it dawned on me that we all have an inherent sense of who we are and where we want to be even from a young age, the examples become more realistic if we have seen or heard of someone similar doing the thing that we want to do, something that seemed completely impossible now looks like a reality. When we are asked a question that requires no action to be taken all of the fear, excuses and restrictions become eliminated and we discuss the things that we really would love to do. However we are conditioned in a way that makes us believe that we are not capable of fulfilling the things that we really want to do in life “because they are to hard” or “we can’t be bothered”. At times like this I have always tried to challenge myself “Who said I can’t?” or “What would happen if I could be bothered?” When do we get taught to challenge ourselves? We let other people do it to us everyday but when do we ask ourselves to give the reasons why we can do something rather than why we can’t?

“Dreams are only dreams they will never happen” It is sad when people actually believe this and it is the foundational excuse as to why people have not done something. If you have never met anyone that has achieved their dreams then this actually may start to look like a reality, which is even more worrying. When people say that they would love to do something but immediately claim that it is not possible then why would they attempt to even try? Say they do try and fail then this becomes evidence of why they shouldn’t have bothered in the first place. In times like these I always quote Les Brown who says “If life knocks you down make sure you land on your back, because if you can look up then you can get up!” When we fail at something it can be looked at as evidence as to why we can’t succeed this is a very negative view that suppresses any growth and motivation. The alternative view is that it was a lesson that will not happen again but will fuel our determination to do it better next time. The situation will be the same but the way in which we respond to it will be dependant on you.

Stretch your mind to new levels that have not been reached. Have you ever tried to do this? For example have you ever imagined what it would be like to live life without having to worry about paying the bills, without having to worry about next months pay check? What does it look, feel and sound like to live life free of all of the daily worries and stress that may surround you today? If you have then well done, but if not then why? Do you believe it is not possible to be in a completely different situation that you are in now in a few years time? This came to light for me whist I was watching a programme about two bankers that had been made redundant going into failing businesses where they could potentially help them stabilise their finances. Usually I would have just looked at the programme and thought those snobby people don’t know anything, who are they to go in and try and help people make money! But I decided to actively listen to the different view points expressed. One lady who worked in the hotel complained that she never had enough money and she didn’t see why they were trying to help because in 5 years time she would still be in debt! I nearly screamed at the TV... That was like suicide to me. She had a 5 year plan already laid out in her head that detailed that she had no intention that she would be able to get out of debt. This was her reality and she was not accepting another one because this is the way it should be. The bankers went into a situation with a different mentality; they had a belief that they would be able to increase sales. With this belief they were able to spot opportunities, make connections and do things that would never have seemed possible if they never held this belief. If you dismiss something without trying, or justify ways that it cant happen without thinking of ways it can then you may be overlooking some great opportunities. Things that have always been staring you in your face may leap out and slap you once you believe you can do something that seemed impossible before. Challenge, challenge, challenge and listen to what you are actually saying to yourself. If you can start to hear the voices are they telling you that you can’t achieve, you can’t be great? Or are they cheering you on saying give it a go you know it can do it? This voice can be trained to be your best friend; it will comfort you in times of need, support you through crisis and also be the thing that sets you apart from others. Become aware and when you do you are better positioned to change the negative into positive, at first it may be slow but it will eventually get stronger, louder and more supportive. An old Chinese proverb says “If there is no enemy within then there is no enemy” think about this whilst you listen to your voice more consciously.

Embracing my GIFT: Life Coaching

2010-03-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

My name is Careeta Robert-Green; I Coach young adults aged between 18-30 and also raise the awareness to the benefits of coaching amongst this age group. I believe that there are a large number of young people drifting through life, following a routine that has been set and not challenging it in anyway. Suppressing major talents; skills and abilities in the name of fear and self limitations. One of the major reasons for starting up with this group was determined at my live training days with the Coaching Academy. Most people I met was older than me, had spanned a whole career just drifting through life without having any self fulfilment in what they was doing. Some were ex Directors, Teachers, Police Officers the list goes on but we all had one thing in common and that was coaching. The belief that we can have more control over our life than many of us believes. Whenever I mentioned my target market and what I had visions of doing peoples eyes always lit up in amazement that I was so young and had learnt something they wish they knew when they were my age. Aged 24 I started to realise that this was something that not many people were aware of, the ability to set goals and work towards achieving them consciously. As my journey continued and I started to research it became apparent that many organisations had not even mentioned coaching as a service that they offer to people trying to succeed in life. Could I have found a niche market that was completely unsaturated with the main reason being that people were unaware of what coaching could offer them? With other disciplines that have been around for years there is not often any explanation needed as to why they exist or why people would need them however with coaching it is a relatively new discipline in comparison and it should be seen as a Life toolkit. I started to have visions, imagine if people were aware and could see the benefits that coaching had to offer then maybe they would take it more seriously. Images of everything that has every been created probably came up with some resistance e.g. The world being seen as round instead of flat, Videos converting to DVDs and any other revolutionary change. Coaching is a new and condensed way of empowering people to achieve their goals and dreams with the key factor being in the individual’s belief that they can achieve. If every young person saw a coach and understood the basic principles of goal setting and positive thinking then we would all be much better people! Reality is that not everyone wants to fulfil their dreams, they are happy just working and being comfortable and that is their personal choice. But if one day they decide that they would like to achieve something they have been putting off for a while they should be aware that coaching may be the special tool that can enable them to achieve that goal or dream. We do not have to be passive observers of our own life it is something that we choose to do when we believe there is no other options. I believe that one day Coaching will be viewed as a profession that is known amongst all age groups as a helping hand to a life lead without restrictions. “Leave your fingerprint in the world” CRG.

Careeta Robert-Green
Director of Born with a GIFT
http://www.bornwithagift.com/ – “Unwrapping the GIFT within”