All Change
Posted by: Amanda Walker on: January 30, 2011
If some thing is not working then the best thing to do is change it right? Well here I am, sat here, admitting that the old Life Coaching industry is maybe not what I had in mind when I came skipping out of Life Coaching Training School. Don’t get me wrong I love to coach people and on my own personal journey I set about the world of personal development like there was no tomorrow. Whilst on my new path I found out that I was fascinated by marketing. Not your product, placement lots of p’s type marketing, but on-line and the internet variety, also known as Social Media.
I learnt so much from so many people who had put their Social Media knowledge to good use, the lifestyles that these people live are wealthy and not just wealthy in pocket, but wealthy of mind. They help so many people ‘get it’ that I was envious, I wanted to help people in such a constructive and extra useful way.
I sat down and had a good, long think about where I could add value to the people who I met. The best way for me to help would be to continue on the road of self-development and Social Media marketing and help the people who don’t understand to understand!
So when people groan about Twitter and Facebook and start telling me that they don’t have time for all that Facebook and Twitter stuff they are far too busy building up their business, I can help those people to understand what all the fuss is about, that would really be of value. If I can persuade these folks that it’s not just people telling you what they have had for their dinner last night and there is a very valid point behind it all, the mystery would be solved and they would get the point and have access to a lot more people than they did before they got it.
With that step now taken I am changing what I do to help people in a very constructive way that they can go away and immediately use. I offer support at all levels from the strategic planning through to the implementation. 100% helpful and very satisfying for me – bingo!
So may I introduce you to www.letstelleveryone.com it’s the new me 
My first venture is a workshop that will do what I have just described I will help people to get the point of social media. It’s at 1pm on Weds 16th February 2011 at Hillside, Beeston Road, Leeds. It will be 2 hours of getting your head round it all and grasping where you fit in and then 1 hour of networking with the people who are new to it too, a fabulous chance to ask loads of questions and to meet people in exactly the same boat as you.
There are a limited number of seats and I will reward immediate action of booking on with an early bird price £20 if you book on or before Friday 4th February and £30 if you book after that, once the seats are all taken that’s it, as the supermarkets say when it’s gone it’s gone! Drop me an email amanda@letstelleveryone.com to reserve your place and I will send you payment details – easy as that. New knowledge here we come. Look forward to seeing you there.
Amanda
Why Don’t You…
Posted by: Amanda Walker on: October 1, 2010
Do you remember that kids programme Why Don’t You? I used to watch it in the eighties, but I think it started in the seventies. The opening line was “Why don’t you just switch off your television set and go and do something less boring instead”. I love that, as I can’t stand useless TV, I don’t watch soaps, I don’t watch reality TV and never in my life have I watched X Factor. Don’t get me wrong I do watch some stuff, but only the programmes that I am interested in. My partner and I tend to record the good stuff and watch it when we have time, rather than make time for the programme and put life on hold.
They say that soap operas are popular as the content is predictable and that’s what people like dependable outcomes and easy to rely on storylines. A major factor in the popularity of reality programmes is that they are there so that you can judge people. Some of you may be experiencing a sharp intake of breath at the sheer outrage of that statement, but it is part of human nature to judge. Some people can be nice and compassionate about it and others are just harsh and horrible as it makes them feel better, there are, of course, millions of people in between these two ends of the scale.
Another controversial opinion coming up – I think a lot of people who are scared to experience life for themselves love reality tv, as they can watch other people doing things and they don’t need move off their sofa that has turned into their comfort zone, or if you need more excitement in that sentence, their ‘extreme’ comfort zone!
I’ve had clients where the comfort of sitting in their problem (with the tele on) is far easier than making a move to solve it, they have become accustomed to the misery of the situation that they find themselves in, in the cases I have worked with it was ‘no job’ and ‘ job I dislike’. Sometimes when you get so far into a problem and then relax it’s more pain to get yourself out of it! That’s where we all need help. I’ve also seen clients where they have started to make the move, they have started to think about where they need to make the changes to banish their behinds from the sofa and what happens? Family and friends have opinions about ‘You wanna do this’ ‘Oh no, you wanna do that’. They mean well, but it’s what is right for them – not us!
We all need someone impartial, on our side, both ears open and ready to listen! No opinions as to what we should do for the best. We all know what’s good for us, sometimes we need belief in ourselves and then we can go for it.
Please let me know your opinions and if anything strikes a chord, please feel free to get in touch www.amandawalker.co.uk
Thanks for reading!
Know Your Neighbours?
Posted by: Amanda Walker on: September 21, 2010
Last week I presented a workshop at a day called Women Ahead that was organised by Leeds Voice. Now I know that Leeds is a pretty big place, but I was surprised to discover how much goes on in this city that I call home. There were all types of people telling us what they were arranging and when it was happening, from Feminism evenings to Addiction awareness to Refugee integration.
I suppose it isn’t a surprise to hear that these things happen, but it was eye-opening. The BME groups (Black, Minority Ethnic) that are all contributing to the Leeds community really made me think about what actually happens in and around the streets that I merrily make my way through on a daily basis. I go to different parts of Leeds without batting an eyelid as that is a normal day, but there are things going on to help and support people with their daily lives and I felt privileged to be a part of it, if just for one day.
This has inspired me to be a part of it for longer and why not? Looking at my own immediate environment, I live in a street that must have at least 28 households and I know 6 of them, streets that I have lived in before I haven’t even known that many. This got me to think about the groups that I am in, has that taken the place of the local community? I look at networking, how many of the people who I meet there do I see outside of the networking environment? Not many! Knowing that it is a place for business to grow may seem like a separate entity to my personal or non-business life and that makes me wonder whether it should be separate. If I was to know my street full of neighbours they may tell others what I do, this is in fact networking – can you see me scratching my head?
At what point did community split into business and pleasure? At what point did we lose community? Are there sections of community that are much more dedicated to community than I actually realise? Do you know I think there are. What do you think?
Has my dog more emotional intelligence than most teenagers?
Posted by: Amanda Walker on: April 28, 2010
You may find this a hugely sweeping statement, but having the extreme joy of living on a ‘cut through’ for a local high school I feel it is a necessary question to ask.
The lovely, well-mannered, pleasant tongued youth that stroll down my road at around 3.30pm each day don’t exist, instead I have some orange looking youngsters that can do nothing but swear and say pretty horrendous things to one another. Is it me approaching a certain age? Do I have some insanely high standards when I speak to people that no longer exist? Is it the norm to call one of your pals the worst names you can? It is no wonder to me that some people suffer from low self-esteem problems when they can’t even rely on the people that they refer to as pals to say nice things or be on their side, who do they actually turn to for this?
I compare them to my dog, she knows a lot about emotional intelligence, she has even taught me a few things that I really appreciate. Vida, my Staffordshire Bull Terrier is incredibly loyal, she does not want to put me down, she wants to see me as happy as possible, whenever I arrive home she runs to greet me and showers me with affection and I do the same for her, she does everything that she can with so much enthusiasm I often check the label of her food to see if I can eat it. When I am upset she sits with me and lets me know that she is there for me.
I think the teenagers from round my way could do with her as a teacher or a coach to help them through their tough teenage years, I think positivity would help a lot more than slating each other.
What do you think? Please feel free to leave me your comments, as long as they aren’t rude!
Surround Yourself with Positivity
Posted by: Amanda Walker on: February 1, 2010
On my giant path of learning one thing I have found is that if you surround yourself with positivity good things happen. My Mum refers to it as luck, I firmly believe that I make that luck myself. I recently attended an event with some outstanding speakers who ooze positivity and to sit in the same room and not feel positive would be an impossibility. These people not only have done great things, they inspire you to do them too and (as if you need an and here!) give you sound advice they learnt so you can do it quicker! Fabulous!
Another great learning is that all this learning is all well and totally good, what use is it if you don’t take action? What meaning does that learning have if you don’t put plans in place? Nothing, absolutely nothing, if you learn and don’t do you may as well not be there, may as well stay in bed, may as well not achieve. That’s not me, somebody has taken the time and trouble to let me know the important bits of what they know and I intend to thank them by using it.
I intend to radiate positivity and if I am extremely lucky and chose my opportunites wisely, I will be able to teach someone something about what I have learnt and they can take action too. Imagine if this process went on and on, how many positive and action orientated people would there be?
Practice what I preach
Posted by: Amanda Walker on: January 3, 2010
The new year is here and what reputable coach wouldn’t have goals for 2010?!?
- Professional website by end Jan
- Complete Personal Development Diploma by 28 Feb
- Paying clients starting March
- Write workshop and ask for feedback from relevant people Mid March
- Become Networking monster! A nice monster of course!
Now they are in black and white and available for all to see they are more concrete and I am more accountable – dare you write yours for all to see?
Happy New Year and all the very best for 2010
Amanda
First Steps
Posted by: Amanda Walker on: December 16, 2009
After giving up my ‘day job’ on 31 July 2009 the world is wide open and full of opportunities. I began training to be a personal Life Coach in June of this year as my office role was boring the pants off me and I needed a new challenge. Trying to think of a new career when you are in the depths of lethargy is a task in itself. I had career coaching and part of the way through I had the invaluable ‘light bulb’ moment. I knew I didn’t want to be a counsellor, but I really did like the thought of helping people by talking through what they saw as their problems. If counselling is trying to put right the wrongs of the past, then coaching is seeking out the achievements of the future and putting plans into place to get there as fast as possible!
It is now 16 December and my learning curve has been a steep one, not only learning and practising coaching, also learning how to run a business, how to market yourself, needing a brand – there is oh so much to think about and oh so much to do. Do you know what? I love it! There is nothing more satisfying than learning new skills and putting them into action. I’m not at the stage of paying client yet, I soon will be and I can hardly wait.
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