Website

If you enjoy reading my blog, why not visit my website.

Tuesday 26 January 2010

RED SKY AT NIGHT

I'm sitting in my consulting room as I write this. I've just started evening surgery and I'm looking out of my window at one of the most beautiful red skies I have ever seen. Enough to delight even the fussiest of shepherds!

In fact it's about a million differnt shades - from orangey pink through to purple and looks incredibly dramatic with the trees silhouetted up against it. I'd put this up against any sky anywhere in the world right now..... and that's saying something!
In 10 minutes it'll be dark but I felt I just had to seize the moment and record it for ever. Absolutely beautiful.

It's been a lovely day all round really, with even a little bit of winter sun earlier on. The snow seems a long way away now although there's still quite a nip in the air.

I felt very privileged yesterday to be able to finally distribute cheques to those people to whom my late grandmother had bequeathed some money. I'm an executor of her will and it felt a bit like that programme "Secret Milionaire". It gave me a great buzz to think how much pleasure the recipients will get when they open their post today. Wonderful. Lovely to be able to bring a smile to someone's face. Wouldn't it be great if that's how we measured success in our society; not by wealth or power, but by the ability to enrich the lives of others? Might make the world a happier place. Keep smiling.

Thursday 21 January 2010

A BUSY START

It's been a hectic start to the new year for me, but a very enjoyable one.
I can't say I'm sorry to see the back of all that snow though. It looks beautiful but the chaos it seems to bring make you realise how much we all take travelling around for granted. My normal 8 mile journey to work took much longer in the bad weather, either a very slow and hair-raising drive or part on foot and part by bus or train. Two hours was the longest it took from door to door..... but I did make it in every day.

I can't say the same for one of my partners who fell on the ice and broke his leg a couple of weeks ago. I'm glad to say he's recovering well, but it makes you realise how easily accidents can happen. Get well soon, we miss you!

A lot of last week was spent preparing for a whole day workshop which I delivered yesterday to a group of 25 local doctors. They are all involved in training newly qualified doctors to become GPs. We had an excellent day. They were a great audience and I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to share my material with them. I absolutely love presenting like this - it gives me a real buzz and yesterday was no exception.
Bringing the message of coaching to a new group of people only goes to increase my enthusiasm for it.

Although it was cool again today there was an almost spring-like feel about the air when I went out on my visiting rounds at lunchtime. i'm back in my consulting room now and can hear the birds singing away outside.....it really is a beautiful world sometimes.

Friday 1 January 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope you've had a great start to 2010.
Mine has been excellent so far. Although the snow has gone it was absolutely freezing today, well pretty cold anyway, barely above freezing all day. However there was a clear blue sky and bright sunshine.....wonderful.

It was the perfect weather for a run, my first outside for 6 weeks due to my recent calf problem.....and it was lovely. I only ran for half an hour but the leg felt fine and it was great to be back out there. My short-term goal is to take an hour off my London marathon time in April. This shows you how slowly I did it last time. I am also aiming to complete an ultra-marathon later in the year. The injury related disruption to my training has meant that I'm not going to be fit enough to do any of the ultras I had eyed up in Jan, Feb or March so I'll need to look at something after London.

I returned from my run feeling on top of the world. If you run yourself, you'll know the feeling I'm talking about: if you don't, why not make this the year that you start to!

The edge was taken off it very slightly when I got in the shower to find that one of my boys had used all the hot water. Don't you just love it when that happens? Anyway, it was certainly invigorating!

It seems like a day to count your blessings today and I certainly feel that I have many to count. I'm lucky enough to be sat in a nice warm home, fire roaring and roast beef in the oven. Many others in the world aren't so blessed, so as the New Year starts may it be a year for peace and justice in this world. As you think about your resolutions, think about how you can give something back in 2010. You'll be really glad you did.