Be A Bit Brave...

via Pinterest

A short post for a Sunday evening (who wants to concentrate too much tonight?) but I wanted to just share this little story and the quote on this image seems so appropriate.

When I started my wedding planning business a whole decade ago, I guess I was a little bit brave. I took that leap, I plunged on in and I didn't sink. Yes, sometimes the water was a bit choppy but I met marvellous people, I went to fabulous places and I got to do things I never thought I would do. Did I think I'd end up on TV? No. Did I think I'd win awards, publish books and be asked to be godparent to one of my bride's children? No. But I went with it, tried new things, pushed myself and it all paid off.

Sometimes, you just have to be brave.

But last night, I met up with a truly fabulous wedding professional. I've wanted to meet her for ages, I love her style, her personality and I was so excited to finally get together. And I wasn't disappointed - she was amazing, everything I thought she would be and more.

We were talking, chatting, about weddings, business and everything else and then, from her bag, she produces a copy of one of my old company brochures from 2007.

And this, she said, was what gave her the courage to believe in her business idea. If I was doing it, she could too.

I cannot begin to describe how this made me feel. Honoured, humble, happy and proud. So flipping proud that I'd given someone else a little boost of bravery that set them off on the road to something amazing. It's a remarkable feeling, something so incredibly special, something I want to bottle and keep forever.

So be brave. You'll never regret it.

A Dirty Word? - Thoughts On Ambition

Earlier this week, I read a piece in the i newspaper that absolutely struck a cord with me. Rebecca Armstrong's excellent feature sung the praises of being amibitious, of wanting more and more importantly, believing that we're all worth more than settling simply for what we have. If you've not read 'Ambition is something we should all be proud of', then take a few minutes out of your day now and give your reading muscles a little exercise.

What I loved the most was Rebecca's rejection of the really rather idiotic idea that it's somehow unseemly to be ambitious or that we shouldn't want better either for ourselves and those we care about.

I'm ambitious. I like to achieve, I like to get things done, I like to improve things and I can't bear standing still. I want better for myself. And I want better for a lot of fabulous people I'm lucky enough to know.

What I don't like however is achieving at the expense of all else. You can still be polite, friendly, funny and human whilst being ambitious. Knowing what you want and what you're going for is so important but you don't need to knock others down and climb over them on the way. What's the point of getting to where you want to go but not having anyone to share it with you when you get there?

Another lesson in ambition this week came from my son's school choir. His choir are very good indeed, they enter competitions, they often do well but, most importantly, the boys enjoy their singing and they all want to do well - for themselves and for each other. They didn't win the latest festival they entered but when the results were announced, they turned around and applauded the winners. No-one told them to. They just did it and they're eleven-year old boys. That's pretty good in my book.

They didn't win but they weren't beaten either. Their ambition didn't stop them appreciating what others had achieved.

So, thoughts on ambition - for goodness sake, be ambitious. Keep striving and believe you're worth everything you dream of and more. Try hard, work hard, don't set limits and don't let anyone scoff at your ambitions. But don't stop being a person - help others achieve their dreams and you'll be surprised who reaches out to you to support you on the way to yours.

Thanks so much for your words Rebecca - I'll definitely be joining you in wearing the 'I AM VERY AMBITIOUS' t-shirt and buying them for my son, step-daughter, family, friends and colleagues too. I want us all to be the best we can be.

Ambition isn't a dirty word. Although if you only care about your own, it can be a very lonely one.