The FunShop Way Blog

Taking control of your own life

Helene — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:53:00 +0000

Being aware gives you choices, choices give you control over your own life

The appeal of the common cow pat!

Hilary — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0100

Well look at me aren’t I growing up! This is a picture of me on my lawn. I am just relaxing after my bath, which was necessary (or so Hilary told me) as I had been familiarising myself with some canine beauty scrub which I came across, just waiting to be rolled in in the cow field!

I can’t understand what the fuss is about really, it smells and tastes much nicer than that foamy stuff that I was smothered in in the bath. Oops better go now as Hilary is coming back and I am not supposed to be on the chair, let alone posting to a blog!

Hi readers, I can’t believe how dogs can find cow pats so appealing, when we are programmed to opposite effect! It made me realise that we have brought dogs into our homes and expect them to behave according to human standards. To a great extent they be trained to be a sociable house guest, however outside they still demonstrate, some instinctive things that we will never be able to change entirely (and nor do we have the right to). Perhaps it is the same with us, can we always change our deeply entrenched behaviours all the time? Maybe not, however what we can do is adapt to different environments taking the lead from those in charge, allowing different groups to live and work together effectively. Perhaps we have a thing or two to learn from dogs who are open to behave in a way that is acceptable to owners when appropriate, whilst still not forgetting how to be a dog when out and about!

Hilary and Hélène are successful accredited business coach-mentors who have used their experience to create the FunShop; a fun and empowering way to move forward in the face of change www.thefunshopway.co.uk

What’s stopping you, your team, from finding the way forward?

Helene — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:08:00 +0100

I have always loved locks especially old ones. They seem to have a beauty of their own and carry memories of days/people gone by. Many are worn dripping with the effort of restraining water.

But I particularly like what they are and what they do. At first sight they are an end; they block the way forward. Yet, with a little time and practice, they allow change; close the gate on what had been, and the water level can rise or drop allowing the opening of the next stage in your journey.

Most of us face locks as we travel through life: no focus, no motivation, no confidence… they stop us in our tracks. Just imagine if there was a way to open the gate to let uncertainty drain away and energy, motivation flood in; what possibilities would lie ahead?

Hilary and Hélène are successful accredited business coach-mentors who have used their experience to create the FunShop; a fun and empowering way to move forward in the face of change www.thefunshopway.co.uk

A dog that doesn't like its food...surely not!

Hilary — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:50:00 +0100

For the last couple of weeks, Conkers has been turning her nose up at the food we have been giving her. At the same time she is more than happy to feast on garden soil, grass and clothes pegs (especially the blue ones!), and many less savoury items which she finds during her forays into the woods. Even though Conkers is clearly full of health and metaphorical, if not real, beans, this was causing us some concern, so we asked the trainer for some advice. She recommended that we try making her work for her dinner, given that dogs are natural scavengers. We have done this with some success by leaving scent trails to chicken wings secreted at various places in the garden (the neighbours if they didn't already, are now convinced I am as bonkers as Conkers), and by throwing dishes of her dried food all over the lawn (ditto). Amazingly rising to these mental challenges absorbs the dog and when she finds it, she eats with great enthusiasm, the very same food that she would have greeted with disdain if presented on her silver (well stainless steel) platter!

This got me thinking about the parallels with the sense of achievement we feel when we have worked hard for, and succeeded in effecting or coping with big changes in our lives. When we perceive that things have been handed to us on a plate and that they just happened, they are never accompanied by that same feeling of bursting pride and a sense that the rewards are deserved. So if you are feeling bogged down with change, and that you are working hard and getting nowhere, just take a few minutes to reflect on how good you will feel when you have overcome your current challenges, and maybe that feeling will give you a little energy to drive you that little bit closer to your goals..

Hilary and Hélène are successful accredited business coach-mentors who have used their experience to create the FunShop; a fun and empowering way to move forward in the face of change www.thefunshopway.co.uk

Using images to increase awareness

Helene — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:51:00 +0100

What do you see; a dark picture, a path in/out of the woods, a ray of sunshine,…

What do you feel: nothing, excited, scared, dreaming to enter, keen to get out

What do you hear: snow crunching under your feet, a bird in the distance, leaves rustling in the breeze, nothing…

What do you think: this is just a picture, I wonder what these bushes are…

I don’t know about you, but I love images. My husband would tell you how I am click mad with a camera, especially since we have joined the digital age. And worst of all I find it almost impossible to thin the pictures down (even the poor, blurred ones), because each in its own way tells something special.

Some could argue I am not a particularly good photographer and it is true I do not have the patience to wait for the perfect setting, lighting… I know the reason is just simply because I find images often express a mood and help reflection way beyond what words can capture; they evoke a mood, a sensation, a sound even.

That is why I use images in coach-mentoring, training. I am always surprised by the depth of reflection they generate and the increased awareness and thinking they provoke.

Images can often reach parts words cannot

Hilary and Hélène are successful accredited business coach-mentors who have used their experience to create the FunShop; a fun and empowering way to move forward in the face of change www.thefunshopway.co.uk

Conkers and Car travel

Hilary — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:45:00 +0100

Well our latest challenge has been to help Conkers get used to travelling in the car. She is fine sitting on someone's lap, however I don't think that this is entirely practical if that lap belongs to the driver!

As we have a hatch back, we bought a dog guard and thought that we would try her out sitting in the back. Unfortunately our first trips out were rather unsuccessful, she was howling and jumping around the back, clearly unable to settle, and her panic lead to other even more unpleasant emissions!

Knowing that she was fine to travel on someone's lap, I knew that it was not the car travel itself that was causing a problem, so it was much more likely related to her not being able to have the same security and comfort in the back of the car.

We invested in a rigid dog bed with a very snuggly fleecy cushion which she absolutely loved, and once she realised she could settle there, and not be sliding around, she settled down and slept for the whole journey. Whereas our 10 minute local journeys had been less than successful, the simple addition of a new bed allowed us to travel the 50 miles each way, to Basingstoke to visit a friend and some dogs and we spent a lovely afternoon together. Conker's confidence in travelling in the car is growing with each journey she does.

This prompted reflection that by making very small changes to help improve the physical comfort of a situation can completely transform one's attitude to something that one had feared. A personal parallel with this that I have experienced is when I have been worried about important presentations is to ensure that I always wear my favourite outfit that feels and looks good. Although this can't in itself make the presentation go well, I know that looking good outside gives me confidence from inside to handle anything. Maslow's hierarchy in action!

Until next time!

Dogs are like mirrors

Hilary — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:13:00 +0100

People always say that owners start to resemble their dogs, and whilst I have a couple of wrinkles appearing on ...

Celebrate your way to success

Helene — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:38:00 +0100
Celebrating success builds self confidence and motivation

Learning from a 10 week old puppy

Administrator — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:51:00 +0100
Learning from a 10 week old puppy