March 12, 2013 by Maggie Currie

Self Awareness

When I was in my teens and even up to my early 40s I had very little self-awareness. I plodded along doing what I was told to do, manipulated by so many people. I was so totally not self-aware I didn’t even notice that I was living my life on other people’s terms.

It is only since I have trained to be a life coach that I have really discovered myself and discovered my own self awareness. I have found that to be able to grow into my own self-awareness I have to understand my feelings and emotions. This was quite a difficult journey for me, as I have suppressed feelings and emotions for many years. The reason – I was told by my parents when I was a child that I should be seen and not heard. I was told that I should not express anger or display any emotion. And so I learned to repress them.

Having this understanding now after learning so much about my feelings and emotions and rediscovering who I am really am, I know that I can express my feelings and emotions. And this is a huge step for me towards self-awareness. But what does self-awareness do for me? What are the benefits to me? Being self-aware has given me the opportunity and freedom to change those things I want to change about myself and create the life that I want. I now don’t allow others to manipulate me. I live my life on my terms. I am seen and heard and I do express my feelings and emotions.

The more clarity I get about who I am and what I want, and of course why I want it, the more I empower myself to consciously make those wants a reality. But, how do I get this clarity? I turn to the expert – ME. I know more about myself than anyone else, I know I have been manipulated and by whom. I know I have suppressed my feelings and emotions, and I know why. And I have got to know myself even better over the past few years by becoming so much more self-aware. I am, of course, still learning.

To get the clarity I want I have learned to ask myself questions and expect specific answers. The more specific my answers, the more impact they have on my life and then I have a much clearer picture of me. Of course, there are times when my answer is ‘I don’t know’ and I know that is okay too. I give myself the freedom to take a wild guess and this allows me to carry on. What I have discovered is that I really do know more than I ever thought I did.

Honesty is vital in my answers to myself. It will lead to my true self-awareness, but it does take a lot of courage. It is the courage to face my fears or to face something I find difficult to accept about myself. For instance, I know that I am impatient and want things to happen now. I also know that when people are speaking to me I get impatient to hear the end of what they are saying, and I tend to try to finish their sentences for them. I know this about myself and do my best to bite my tongue and not jump in with the answers. By being totally honest with myself I take ownership of my actions, thoughts and feelings and find those beliefs that are no longer serving me. Those beliefs can then be discarded, altered or whatever feels right for me.

I find that sometimes I do slip up and give an answer that perhaps I think I should give, rather than what I really know is right. That means I am giving answers from my head rather than getting in touch with my feelings and getting the answer there. To get out of my head again, I take several deep breaths and start to listen to my body, to notice where it is hurting and breathe into that place. This helps me to balance myself and to find the answers I need, and they come from inside me rather than from my head.

I know that whatever I discover about myself I can handle with ease and acceptance. I trust that whatever I discover about myself will in some way lead to a greater sense of me and increased self-awareness.

I have found that practising listening to my body has enabled me to get to grips with my emotions and feelings in a way that I have never been able to do before. And of course I am learning every day more and more about myself too.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

International Confidence Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author

Travelling alone and enjoying it ! – Guest Blog by Gwen Perret

Maggie wrote me a guest blog a month ago titled « After Divorce, Travel ! », and that got me thinking. Of course, I am convinced of all the good things that comes out of traveling, especially in times when we need to reconstruct ourselves. But as a female travel lover and travel PA, I am concerned about the issues of women traveling alone : safety, boredom, social acceptance…

Yes, I believe that traveling is essential on a self-reconstruction journey, but only if all conditions are put together to make the traveller feels safe. Feeling safe as a woman solo traveller, or as women traveling together in a group, means feeling free and safe wherever you go, whether it is physical integrity or not feeling judged or looked at, totally out of place.

Of course, you always have the travel with singles option, which can be fun of you are ready to meet someone new in your life, outgoing… But what if you are just not in the dating mood, or just not that kind of person ? What if you just want to enjoy a place you have never been too and want to enjoy your new “you” just being by yourself ?

Well, that is possible. Good news, huh ? All you have to do is make sure, before you go, to pay attention to the following details.

1) Choose your destination carefully. Go somewhere you have always wanted to go but never could. This needs to be YOUR choice. It might not be everyone’s choice, but who cares ? When I was younger I spent a year abroad in Alaska, I was not 18 yet, and most people thought I had lost my mind. Who, on earth, would leave a great school, successful studies, a family and everything to go abroad for a year ? And moreover to Alaska ? Well I did. I have always loved far away, unknown places. And I am so glad I made it, no matter how discouraging people were before I left. So open Google Maps and choose.

2) Choose your place of stay carefully. Now of course I would not recommend that you go spend a week in Gao, Mali right now. That might have to wait. But there are lots of places you can go safely. And then you can choose a nice district or town. You should know that some networks are specializing for solo travellers. Whether you prefer a hotel or a B and B, spend time in getting to know the area and the owners. Most of the B and B owners are passionate people and will help you with everything you need to know. Some of them even have special weeks for solo travellers, everything being planned to them to feel very comfortable.

3) Choose your activities and options. Make sure you do not end up in a crowded restaurant for Valentine’s Day, or in the middle of young couples diving during their honeymoon. You know what I mean. Being the only single one, moreover the only recently divorced one can be a devastating experience. Here again, some networks will organize activities for solo travellers that have nothing to do with dating activities.

4) Do not be shy. The earth is full of people who want to share experiences, even if it is just a few words on the weather, the landscape, the wine… Enjoy those moments sharing time with locals or other tourists. And if you are afraid of being alone, bring company ! Why not organize an all solo tour ? Whether it is an all divorced women, or mixing men and women… As long as you base it on a shared passion, for an activity, a product or a region, you will enjoy the company, be in the same state of mind…

5) Make sure you give a full detailed planning to someone you trust at home : a family member, a good friend… Someone who will be to check on you on a settled basis, one a day, once every other day… You decide. A daily text or email is always a good solution to make people feel safe.

6) Let it go and HAVE FUN !

Yes, let it go and have fun, because at the end that is all it is about. When you will be planning your trip carefully, at some point you will have to just trust yourself and enjoy. Open your eyes, your ears, talk to people, discover, get out of your comfort zone. The world is yours, take advantage of it.

I know that planning a whole trip can be quite something for people while they also have to deal with their daily life. If you need help planning a bespoke trip, whether it is just for you or for a group, if you need someone to make sure you will be safe and who can check on you everyday, if you need someone to rely on in case of emergency while you travel, if you want a private woman travel guide with great ideas… I am here, that is my job, and I will be delighted to help with planning your vacation.

Gwendolin Perrett

Personal travel and event advisor at SensationElle

Our guest blogger, Gwen, taught for 4 years after graduating from anthropology. Then decided it was time to do what she really loved; travel. She recently became a Personal Travel Agent, mostly selling France and Europe to foreigners, but she also works on other destinations. She specializes in bespoke travel and events, making sure that her clients get the best experiences with no worries. This new job allows her to travel as much as she wants with her hubby and doggy and still be available for her privileged clients. Her office fits in a hand luggage : a Mac book, an iPhone, her notebook and a pen, and a few SensationnElle gift cards ready to be sent! Get in touch if you would like to know more information!

If you would like to contact Gwen her contact details are below:

www.facebook.com/agence.sensationnelle
www.facebook.com/sensationnelle.wine
www.twitter.com/asensationnelle
pinterest.com/asensationnelle

February 16, 2013 by Maggie Currie

Do you need to change your surname after divorce?

There are a million reasons why it is advisable to stick with your married name after divorce. There are also a million reasons why you could change your surname after divorce.

If you have children, it can make it easier when dealing with schools to keep the same surname as the children have. Although, in this day and age, it is very common for children to have different surnames from their parents. For instance, when two families merge there will be Mr & Mrs X and their 6 children. 3 of the children have come from Mrs X’s previous marriage, and 3 of the children have come from Mr X’s previous marriage. So there will be Mr & Mrs X with children X and children Y.

It can cause some hassle with paperwork, but other than that, it is not a problem.

When there are no children involved, it may be that you may want to change your surname. You can choose to revert to your maiden name, if you like that name, or you can choose another surname entirely. Changing your name can be done relatively easily via deed poll. You will have to provide several forms of documentation to prove you are who you say you are, and that you not going to commit fraud. But once that is done, and the fee paid of course, you can go ahead. You can find out more information from their website.

You could completely reinvent yourself if you chose to. Pick a name that you have always loved and that you think will suit you. If you are not sure, then try a few out for size. Write down the names you think of, say them out loud, see if they fit. If they don’t then think of some more until you find one you really like.

There will be banks, credit cards etc., to inform, but once that is all done you can live happily with your new name.

Some people want to revert to their maiden name, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing that either. It is a matter of personal choice.

There are, of course those, who didn’t change their surname when they got married, and therefore nothing needs to change now, unless they want it to…………….

Whatever decision you make, be sure it is the right one for you. Don’t allow other people to influence you either way. It is your life, your name and it is you who has to live with it.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

International Confidence Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author

My radio interview with Susan Rich on W4WN Radio

Yesterday I had the privilege of being interviewed by Susan Rich on her radio programme. She and Annemarie Scheutz chatted with me for half an hour or so about my work and wanted to learn more about how divorce coaching works.

Click here to listen to the programme.

I had such a good time and was made to feel so welcome.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

International Confidence Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author

It’s December!

Where has this year gone? It only seems a few days ago that it was the beginning of January.

There have been so many changes during the last year, some good, some not so good, but all leading me to where I am now.

I was working very closely with a small coaching company based in the USA until a few months ago, and then, quite suddenly, I wasn’t. They had decided to change the way they worked and so we parted company. I have to say, this has been one the best things that has happened to me this year!

I have started working as a resident life coach on a radio programme networked in the UK and in various countries around the world. This is Calder’s Confessions and you can listen to one of the programmes here. It is so much fun and also very interesting to hear how many problems people have.

More recently I was interviewed by Deb Bailey on Power Women Radio and you can listen to that recording here. I really enjoyed that programme, and the time just flew by. I was talking about my books “What you believe creates your reality” and “7 Stepping stones to rebuilding confidence in yourself”.

I have commissioned a new website to be created and that is coming along nicely and will be ready by the end of December.

I am writing a 6 month online coaching programme entitled “From confusion to clarity – Becoming ME again
The successful woman’s guide to surviving divorce and beyond”. This will be launched in early 2013 and I am really looking forward to working with people who I know I can help to get out of the feelings of despair and worthlessness. I have written it specifically with professional women going through divorce, or who have been through divorce, in mind.

On the outside you are looking great, but inside you are falling to pieces. The cracks are really beginning to show. There is no need to suffer in silence, you are not alone. I understand what you are going through. Reach out your hand, grab hold – I’ve got you. I will help you to transition the bold front you are putting on – the perfect appearance on the outside – and the inner turmoil where you are tearing yourself apart.

I will give you the tools and techniques to heal the inner you and get you back to the real you. Rebuild you confidence in yourself and end that constant ringing in your ears that you are not good enough. You most definitely are good enough.

I have today been featured in the Lionesses Daily Roar and you can take a look at that here. They picked up on my radio interview with Deb Bailey.

There has been so much good stuff this year, like the marketing coaching course I am undertaking with Claire Mitchell. She is just great and you can find out more about her here.

Things are really coming together now and for the first time in a long time I am feeling that I am on the right path for me and that there is so much out there for me to learn and so many people who want to work with me.

I am so looking forward to the coming months and enjoying my life and enjoying changing the lives of others.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

International Confidence Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author

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August 28, 2012 by Maggie Currie

Your life does not resemble anybody else’s

People come into our lives for a reason. Sometimes we are not sure why until they have gone. But even that is good, because we always learn something from every single person who touches our lives.

We learn a myriad of things from so many different people. Some who have such amazing stories to tell, some who have simple stories to tell. Some people who are only now beginning their journey of self discovery, some who have travelled a long way along its path.

Every single person has their own perspective, their own thoughts and dreams. Each and every one of us is following our own paths to discover what is lying ahead of us.

Accept that your life does not resemble anybody else’s. Everybody’s life is totally unique to them. Live your life the way you want to. You can happily co-exist with lots of like-minded people if you choose to.

Challenge your limiting beliefs about your life. Discover why you have those limiting beliefs. Open your mind to the possibility that you are not as limited in your life as you first thought. Open your mind to the endless possibilities that are out there, great or small. Be prepared to extend your thinking beyond what it has been, up until now. Be prepared to expand your norm.

Examine your attitudes. Decide whether they really are your attitudes, or whether they are attitudes imposed upon you by parents, guardians, siblings, teachers and so on. Once you have established which are yours and which are imposed, make the decision to alter the ones that are imposed upon you (but only if you disagree with them or they just don’t sit right with you).

Make one small change in your behaviour to create a huge change in your life. It doesn’t have to be anything dramatic, it could just be changing the filling in your sandwich. Start small and work up to bigger changes, but make sure the changes are the ones that you want to make.

Attract different people to you. By changing your perceptions, your attitude and your behaviour you will begin to attract different people to you. Your circle of friends will expand and offer you even more choices. Make the choices that are right for you.

Change your attitude to yourself; believe that you are capable, that you are beautiful, that you are lovable. Learn to love and respect yourself.

Intend to create your life. Picture your life in great detail, make it bright, colourful and clear. Add as much detail as possible to the picture. See what you will look like in your new life, hear what people are saying to you and about you, feel what it will be like in your new life. If you don’t like what you are seeing or hearing, change the details in the picture until you get exactly what you want. Make it as bright as you can, see what you see, hear what you hear, feel what you feel. Step into your picture, be part of your new life.

Life is too short to live it on somebody else’s terms. Live the life you want to live and be happy. Expect more from life and you will get it. Don’t settle for anything less.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

International Confidence Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author

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July 25, 2012 by Maggie Currie

Living in the moment

I went on a road trip from the Isle of Wight to Perth in Scotland. I left on a Monday with my husband and we drove 200 miles towing our caravan to stay overnight in a camp site in Nottingham. The lady there was lovely and had her own little bar with real ales. We slept there and then set off again on Tuesday for County Durham.

We drove another 200 miles and stayed for two nights in a camp site near Beamish. The caravan site was impersonal and quite frankly money grabbing, asking for £20 deposit for the keys to the toilet block and the gate to get in and out. We visited Beamish, the museum, on Wednesday and rode on the old trams and buses, went into the department store that sold everything you could think of, the sweet shop and the old tea rooms. It as a wonderful day out and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

On Thursday we travelled another 200 miles to Scone Palace in Perth in Scotland and spent 4 nights there at the Rewind Scotland Festival. Loads of 80s bands were playing and we were doing Indian Head Massage for the punters. It was fun, we met some lovely people on the other trade stands and the punters of course.

On Monday we set off for home, travelled 280 miles to stay in a camp site in Lancaster. The lady there was lovely and friendly and we slept well.

On Tuesday we had another 280 mile drive to Southampton to catch the ferry back to the Isle of Wight.

How is this all connected to living in the moment you may ask? Well, I have deliberately enjoyed the whole trip by staying in the moment and not thinking about what is going to happen when we get back. After all, the more we stay in the moment, the more fun we have and the less worry we have. If only I had known how to do this when I going through divorce. My life would have been so much easier.

Interestingly, last night I began to think about what was going to happen tomorrow with my work and instantly felt a tightening in my chest. So I deliberately stopped thinking about it and the tightness faded. I listened to my body and to my own advice.

It has worked for me and I am feeling relaxed and energised, enjoyed the journey home. Tomorrow is another day and I will live in the moment again, and again.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

International Confidence Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author

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July 15, 2012 by Maggie Currie

Where would I rather be?

I would rather be sitting in a deck chair with a good book, ‘Living Your Design: A Manual for Cellular Transformation (Student Manual)’ by Lynda Stone comes to mind. I don’t mind where I place the deck chair, it could be in the middle of a field, on a beach, in a clearing in a forest, in a park – but it has to be in nature. I love watching the animals and birds going about their daily business. Watching children playing happily, laughing and having fun.

So where am I now? In my office finishing off the final bits of work that I had on my to do list, doing the last bits of washing and packing clothes and things for my road trip to Scotland that starts tomorrow.

Leaving home at around 8am to get my caravan that is stored on a farm about 10 miles away. Hitch it up to our van and then off to East Cowes to get the ferry to Southampton. Then off to Perth via County Durham and the Beamish museum and aiming to arrive in Perth on Thursday.

I have planned to meet up with an old friend just outside Leeds on Tuesday, someone I haven’t seen for 5 years, and I am really looking forward to having a cuppa and a chat with her.

The camp sites are booked for our overnight stays on the way up to Perth and then we will be at Scone Palace at the Rewind Festival from Thursday to Monday. I love the change of scenery, the change of work (we will be offering Indian Head massage to the festival goers and traders) and scenery.

Heading back home on Monday, staying overnight in Lancashire and then home on Tuesday evening.

So back to where I would rather be. Reading a book in nature. I am going to achieve this over the next few days.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

International Confidence Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author

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June 19, 2012 by Maggie Currie

Friends come and go for a reason

I was considering why it is that friends come into our lives and some of them go out of our lives again.

There are many reasons but for me I think that some people fall away because of the changes I have made to myself. I have learned so much about myself that I was unaware of. For instance I have stuffed emotions and feelings down because I was conditioned not to show emotion or share feelings.

When I was in a toxic relationship I had very few friends, and those I did have were not that close. I wasn’t allowed to get close to anybody. Getting divorced and learning to live my life as me has been a steep learning curve.

I have learned how to express my feelings, get close to people and keep others at arm’s length. Now that I am able to express emotions and share my feelings other people may find this unacceptable to them. And that is okay. What I am comfortable with is not always comfortable for everyone else. And that may be why some friends have moved away.

The friends I have currently are wonderful. Some live nearby, some live on different continents, but I am grateful to them all for their friendship and support. I do my best to support all my friends, it may be in a big way or in a small way.

I am grateful for all the friends I have had, still have and those I have yet to meet for their contributions to my life.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

International Confidence Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author

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Facebook

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June 8, 2012 by Maggie Currie

What makes me laugh?

I was wondering what to write and then it came to me – what makes me laugh?

The things children say that are so honest and innocent – for instance my granddaughter Abigail who is 9 years old now, was asked when she was about 18 months old to go and do something with her mother. Her reply was ‘I haven’t finished yet’. When asked by her mother what she was doing that she hadn’t finished yet, Abigail replied ‘Looking out of the window’. Now that made me laugh, because it was so cute, so innocent and so honest.

My husband makes me laugh on occasion. Sometimes it is something he says, sometimes it something he does, it could be the way he looks.

Dogs make me laugh by the way they run around in circles trying to catch their tails, or chase leaves or each other.

Monkeys with their antics, squirrels playing with their acorns, horses trotting around their fields.

My face in the mirror first thing in the morning is hilarious.

I love to watch people and often the way they behave makes me laugh. It could be that they are tipsy and giggly, or they have a specific way of packing their shopping into their bags.

Laughing doesn’t mean I am ridiculing, it means that I am enjoying what I am seeing and feeling. I love people and animals. I find them fascinating and intriguing.

So lots of things make me laugh, sometimes inwardly and sometimes with a full on belly laugh. The latter is extremely good as I can feel my mood shifting too.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

International Confidence Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author

When I was in my teens and even up to my early 40s I had very little self-awareness. I plodded along doing what I was told to do, manipulated by so many people. I was so totally not self-aware I didn’t even notice that I was living my life on other people’s terms.

I know that whatever I discover about myself I can handle with ease and acceptance. I trust that whatever I discover about myself will in some way lead to a greater sense of me and increased self-awareness.

I have found that practising listening to my body has enabled me to get to grips with my emotions and feelings in a way that I have never been able to do before. And of course I am learning every day more and more about myself too.

I have some availability for coaching clients, we just need to fix some dates if and when you want to get started. Get in touch today.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

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Well, that is possible. Good news, huh ? All you have to do is make sure, before you go, to pay attention to the following details.

5) Make sure you give a full detailed planning to someone you trust at home : a family member, a good friend… Someone who will be to check on you on a settled basis, one a day, once every other day… You decide. A daily text or email is always a good solution to make people feel safe.

6) Let it go and HAVE FUN !

Gwendolin Perrett

Personal travel and event advisor at SensationElle

If you would like to contact Gwen her contact details are below:

Share this:

There are a million reasons why it is advisable to stick with your married name after divorce. There are also a million reasons why you could change your surname after divorce.

It can cause some hassle with paperwork, but other than that, it is not a problem.

There will be banks, credit cards etc., to inform, but once that is all done you can live happily with your new name.

Some people want to revert to their maiden name, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing that either. It is a matter of personal choice.

There are, of course those, who didn’t change their surname when they got married, and therefore nothing needs to change now, unless they want it to…………….

Whatever decision you make, be sure it is the right one for you. Don’t allow other people to influence you either way. It is your life, your name and it is you who has to live with it.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

Share this:

Yesterday I had the privilege of being interviewed by Susan Rich on her radio programme. She and Annemarie Scheutz chatted with me for half an hour or so about my work and wanted to learn more about how divorce coaching works.

Click here to listen to the programme.

I had such a good time and was made to feel so welcome.

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

Share this:

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

Share this:

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

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Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

Share this:

Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

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Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

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Maggie Currie

Creedence – Confidence for You

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