Fun stuff and serious stuff...

I stumbled across this shop today, La case de cousin Paul. It makes me want to put fairy lights up around the place!  I particularly love the "about" page - which is all in French so you'll just have to take my word for it that it's funny. It makes me smile.   You might be wondering what all those coloured "balls" are for - well if you go to "le composeur" and then click on "les kits" you'll get a better idea. The baubles are made to fit over garlands of electric lights and you can either "compose" your own or buy a kit. I think it's a majorly funky home accessory! I'm very tempted to get a pink kit to go with my future living room décor. Only 16 Euros for a kit of 20 boules, and that includes the lights - bargain!
Changing the subject, the OH called me the other day to say he'd seen an advert for a free introductory course to Life Coaching, which is something we've both been considering for a number of years. Having recently decided that the LLI Personal Development course, although very valid and useful, was too expensive for others to subscribe to in such an adverse economic climate, I have been looking for other ways to move forward with my goal of helping others. The ad W was talking about seemed interesting, so we went to check it out last night. The session very conveniently took place near my office, so we met up at 6pm and went to see what it was about. I had an enormously enjoyable and enlightening time. There were six of us at the event, and we learned about the differences between mentoring, counselling, training and life coaching, as well as the type of person suited to becoming a coach, and the content of the course and timeframe to become qualified.  We also did a couple of exercises which enabled me to gain some more insight, and this has given me a push in the right direction. I have begun researching other companies who offer training as well as the accredited bodies that are out there, so I won't be making any hasty decisions. One interesting fact is that there is no legislation, so anyone can say they are a life coach without getting into trouble with the law. That thought is a bit scary, isn't it? 
I've taken part in a mentoring scheme before, and I loved it, but this is more suited to the direction I want to take.  I think W will also be brilliant at it; he, too, has been planning on helping others, by "paying it forward": he was lucky enough to be mentored himself as a young man, and he is very keen to work with other young black men to show them that they can have dreams and, more importantly, achieve them too.  Where do I see myself in a few years? Working for myself as a photographer and life coach, just like Andrea Scher of the Shutter Sisters! See? It's not incompatible! (I will stress here that I only found out today that she is a life coach, so there was a bit of a serendipitous moment there...).
It certainly seems like I'm marching towards the life I've been thinking about and planning for. Things fall into place when the time is right, don't you think?
Before I take myself off to bed, I got the new Lakeland catalogue today, and on the back of the envelope was this little gem: Stirr.  What will they think of next, I wonder?

Comments

[Soojay]

LOL I got the catalogue too! They always make you think you NEED it.
Love those fairy light balls. I have some green ones hanging up in the dinning room. i LOVE fairy lights :D

[Paula]

Those fairy lights are fab!

Sounds like you're getting your life all planned out. Good for you, and good luck! Great idea about the mentoring too!

[Life Coach - Maia Berens]

I'm a life coach and I LOVE IT!

[Maria]

Life coaching/Photographer sounds like a great combo! :D

Lovely fairy lights!