Gone are the days …

Yes, gone are the days when a Friday night was drunken, debauched and (thankfully) difficult to remember! These days, instead of fighting my way to the bar, you’ll find me sat peacefully at my laptop writing my blog, with one eye on … wait for it … DIY SOS! If it wasn’t for the large glass of red wine by my side and, come to mention it, the bottle next to that, I’d worry I was properly middle-aged! And I’m not even 40 yet.

Anyway, as Nick Knowles is not as good viewing as he might like to think, I thought I’d update you on a few things that have been going on in my world. Firstly, I forgot to tell you that I went to my first Ladies who Latte meeting the other day. Bit of a bizarre experience to start off with as there was only one other woman there - I was just about to do a runner when she spotted me and then there was no getting away! But as it turned out, I met several really interesting people and it only cost me a coffee, so think I will definitely go again. After all, the networking ‘experts’ say that it’s about relationships rather than referrals, so even though I don’t need a luxury black coach, a wedding photographer, a caterer or an image consultant right now (okay, that last one’s debatable!), who knows what might happen in future?!

As the Mummo website is beginning to take shape, slowly but surely, I’m starting to think more about how to spread the word once it’s live. For example, I’m contemplating attending the Prowess conference in February next year, but then there’s also One Life Live and The Baby Show and The Business Start Up Exhibition … and I can’t do everything! Or can I …?

Perhaps coaching would help me to make some of these decisions? And to challenge my limiting beliefs?! Striding Out offer monthly coaching circles where you get together with a handful of other entrepreneurs to share your business challenges, bounce ideas around and generally pick their brains. Sounds great, but it costs … and of course it also means trekking into London. I still remember the first time I did that, just after the nanny had started working for us and I’d finally got a bit of freedom back. It was a magical experience back then … but I have to admit that the novelty has slightly worn off now!

Really don’t want to complain, though, partly because I’m still attempting to live in ‘Pollyanna’ mode, and partly because I’ve just read an article about Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese freedom fighter, in January’s Easy Living magazine. I’m ashamed to say that I’d never heard of her before, but I am now in awe of her courage and the incredible personal sacrifices she’s made for what she believes in. She effectively gave up her husband and sons in order to fight for justice for the Burmese people, and that is something that not many people could or would do. I can’t imagine what cause would ever prompt me to give up my children, but I guess in the end it’s all about keeping the bigger picture in mind. Food for thought.

Didn’t really mean to get quite so profound, especially as it now feels inappropriate to go and stuff my face with Jaffa Cakes. But there you go, life sometimes seems like one great big confusing muddle of chaos and contradictions. I’m sure that somewhere in the midst of it all is the little peace of calm that you find at the eye of a storm, but hey, right now, I’m loving the mess round the edges. And my quest for mindfulness continues …

A busy week …

Do you know, I could be out every night this week at one ‘Enterprise Week’ event or another! There’s all sorts going on, most of which looks really interesting.

Microsoft are holding an event called ‘Ideas that can change the world’ at their offices on Monday 13th November. Striding Out are organising a ‘Be more’ dinner for women in enterprise on Wednesday 14th, then an event called ‘The future face of social business’ on Thursday 15th, which is followed by an ‘Inspiring Entrepreneurs‘ ‘do’ at the British Library. All in all, it seems that the people organising Enterprise Week have done a great job this year. Just wish our nanny hadn’t changed her days because now I’ve got to find someone to look after the little ones on Thursday. I feel a grovelly call to my mum or mother-in-law coming on!

Am definitely contemplating signing up to the Striding Out network, but am slightly put off by the fact that I’d apparently now have to join Branching Out, which is for their older members (those in their thirties or beyond!). Boy does that make me feel old! I would obviously also have to have a makeover first, as most of their members look extremely glamorous. They obviously get a few minutes to themselves to paint their nails and put their mascara on, and I suspect their sleepless nights, if they have any, are for a very different reason to mine! But hey, I’ve been there, albeit a long time ago, and this is just a different ’season’ in my life. Late summer verging on autumn, I guess!