Creative Alchemy
Find your inspiration in 2006
Claudie,
Welcome to the December Creative Alchemy Newsletter.
Please get in touch if you have any thoughts or
responses to the subjects I write about, or about our
events. I'd love to hear what's been useful or
interesting, or downright annoying...
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your
network.
New Year's Resolution
Unsuprisingly there have been a few things occupying my
mind this week. It’s the run up to Christmas, we are
rushing headlong towards 2007, and I’ve been putting the
finishing touches to my workshop on Powerful Goal
Setting which is scheduled for the new year (see below).
All this leads me into a contemplative mood. I’m
thinking about the year gone by, what I want to achieve
for myself and my business in the coming 12 months and
also considering my place in the world and the impact I
have on my environment.
Over the last year I have experienced a gradual shift in
awareness around environmental issues. I’ve always been
very aware of my ethical responsibility to the world and
other people, given money to good causes (usually
environmental and homeless charities), occasionally
given time (volunteering for Crisis http://www.crisis.org.uk,
and Trees for Life http://www.treesforlife.org.uk), but
somehow I’ve missed a few details.
I’ve usually been a bit lazy about recycling (or at best
hit and miss). I’ve often decided not to notice that my
mascara wasn’t cruelty free or that my shampoo came from
a company not noted for its ethical trading policy (its
easy to ignore, I’m very vain about my hair). I’ve used
cleaning products which turned things blue, or left
scary chemicals all over my kitchen counters, because
I’ve bought into the myth of clean being more important
than green (and haven’t realised its possible to achieve
both http:// www.ecover.com). I’ve also raged against
consumerism and gluttony, whilst conveniently ignoring
my own penchant for non-essential pretty dresses and
shoes.
What has changed is that I’ve raised my awareness of
other options. What I love about what’s happened is that
I’ve found I can do and have most of the same things
whilst reducing my negative impact on the world. I’ve
found amazingly lovely cosmetics which are against
animal testing, with minimal packaging and sustainable
provenance, which also make my bathroom smell of jasmine
for days and my eyelashes a sight to behold
(http://www.bnevertoobusytobebeautiful.com).
I’ve discovered how easy switching to recyclable,
environmentally friendly cleaning products is, and which
supermarkets have plastic recycling facilities to get
rid of anything I don’t need. I’ve also discovered a
fantastic use for my old clothes and shoes which can
help other women find jobs and opportunities which they
might otherwise be unable to access
(http://www.dressforsuccess.org).
If I want to fly when I go on holiday there are ways I
can offset my carbon footprint
(http://www.carbonresponsible.com), and I can do the
same for my home and business (http://
www.carbonfootprint.com/). So, I find I am no less vain,
trivial or shoe-obsessed, but that I am finding ways to
maintain my bad habits in a much more sustainable way!
Finally as I start the process of goal-setting for the
coming year there are a couple of questions I’m finding
useful.
Is this goal ecological (how will it impact on the
people around me, my immediate and global environment)?
Is there another, more sustainable way to achieve the
same thing?
I wish you a wonderful happy and peaceful festive
season and a great New Year!
Creative Alchemy Tuesday 9th January
Polka. 58-59 Poland Street, London W1F 7NB (upstairs)
Creative Alchemy brings together creative businesses and
freelancers from across the different creative sectors
for networking, discussion and socialising in a chilled
out smiley environment designed to encourage
collaboration and inspiration. Join us for a drink and
see what develops!
Register here to attend this event:
Powerful Goal Setting – Take your business to the
next level in 2007
24th January 2007 @ Westbourne Studios in Notting Hill
You’re a creative business owner, employee or
freelancer. You know where you are business-wise but its
essential to maintain a vision of the future. What’s the
next step? How do you want to grow? Where should you
focus your attention next? It’s easy to get caught up in
the whirlwind of commitments and challenges, dealing
with situations as they come up, and forget to check out
which way you are heading. The result of being so caught
up in the moment can be increased stress levels,
confusion, and chaos.
Why not start the New Year with new motivation,
purpose and direction? Learning how to set compelling,
well-defined goals can be the means to really taking
your business or career to the next level.
In this one-day interactive workshop you will:
Learn how to identify your values, and how they can
help you to create your ideal business or career
Understand what stops you getting what you want, and
how to break through any obstacles to your success
Set compelling, powerful goals
Create a timed, realistic step by step action plan to
achieving them in 2007
Coaching for Creative Businesses
|
Employee Engagement is essential if you want
to retain top quality staff, whilst
maintaining peak performance, creativity and
motivation. Providing coaching to your staff
as an employee benefit will enable your
business to perform at the highest level,
increasing focus, performance and
creativity, whilst providing support and
stress management for your most valuable
resource - talented people. Get in touch to
find out how coaching could work for your
business, or forward this link to your HR
department.
Learn More |
