Relocation & Expat Coach

Silence!

All too often we speak to just fill the space with sound because we feel uncomfortable in the silence.  We might turn on the TV, the stereo, the ipod, the walkman just to fill the space around us.  

When you are thinking about your move or wanting to move, how can you really think through this whole question with a lot of noise around you.  Is this not the right time to find that silence?

Only in this silence can you really hear your own thoughts, your own concerns, your own fears, your own intuition.  Now is your opportunity to find that one place that you can be quiet, that one place that no-one will disturb you, that one place where you can just be quiet.  Once you've found this place, this is the time to switch everyone thing off - no phone, no mobile/cell, no stereo, no ipod, no walkman, no TV, no sound.  The first time you do this the sound will be 'deafening' ... and be very uncomfortable; but persevere. 

Sit there and just listen to what you can hear - your own breathing, the pen writing on the paper, the sound of the waves hitting the beach, the wind in the air - whatever the sound is, what can you really hear?

Once you've started to hear the world around you, what else can you hear?  Being really silent will allow you to hear your own thoughts.  What thoughts are going through your mind?  What answers are you hearing?  What questions are you asking?  What fears are being raised?

 Whatever the thoughts are, this is your own opportunity to truly start to listen to your own thoughts without having them impacted by the thoughts, feeling, emotions of others.  Now is your opportunity to start to ask yourself the questions that you want answers to - what is the reason that you want to move?  What is the reason that you want to make this change?  What is the reason that you want to change your environment?  Don't worry about looking for the answers, just jot down the questions as you ask them and the answers will come.

As you start to get used to silence, used to being on your own and listening to your own thoughts - you'll find that the answers to the questions you've been asking will come.

If you wish to discuss how to do this, just email me.  I look forward to hearing how this has helped you make your decision(s)!

Want to convert your dreams/aspirations to achievable goals? 

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life'

Find Barbara's biog on http://www.internationalinstituteofcoaching.org/coach_referral_service/display_detail.php?trf=91

Cabin Fever!

The last week has been a very interesting experience.  On our return from New Years Eve in Wales, where we celebrated our achievements in 2009 and the start of 2010 with friends, we left on very snowy roads and returned to Kent, still on very snowy roads.  The Sunday we returned saw the start of the winter we were to experience this week.

Today, a week later, we are still 'snowed in'.  It's interesting as one of the reasons for our move back to the sub-tropics was to ensure that we could spend a lot of time out doors, but here we were being forced by the weather to stay in-doors.  The South East of England is not the best place to live when it snows, as we are not prepared for the unusual weather - airports close, planes are delayed and/or cancelled; railways battle, trains are delayed and/or cancelled; and roads become impassable. 

Download 2010-01-08_snow experiences  Now we are suffering from 'Cabin Fever!' 

I received an email from a friend - Download 2010-01-08_Extracts from the diary of A Man from Kent!  Having sent it to a range of friends, the responses have agreed with the sentiments.  My only change to this is changing 'Australia' to 'Madeira' - and if only I could rely on planes flying in the direction I would be on one now.

This week has really highlighted one of our reasons for wanting to move away from the South East of England.  The frustrations that come with cabin fever show how much we are now missing the opportunities to get out and about.  Yes we can go out now, but it is with risk as the roads and pavements are very slippery and unsafe.  This frustration is added to, by the experiences and knowledge that in other countries this type of weather does not bring everything to a standstill. 

Roll on next winter when we will be in Madeira and experiencing their winter for the first time!  

Want to get out of the snow? 
Convert your dreams/aspirations to achievable goals and start to plan your move! 

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life'

Find Barbara's biog on http://www.internationalinstituteofcoaching.org/coach_referral_service/display_detail.php?trf=91

'New Year's eve is like every other night: ...

... there is no pause in the march of the universe,
 no breathless moment of silence among created things
that the passage of another twelve months may be noted;
and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening
that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.'
Hamilton Wright Mabie

via www.spiritualreflection.eu

Paperwork!

'Although it has been subject to strong criticism for a long time, bureaucracy and its variants can still be found in a large number of organisations.'

As we work through the 'selling process' we are find out just how many pieces of paper we have to submit, review, agree, sign ... !  I'm not sure whether the information about the complexities of selling have been pubished, as we are finding out step-by-very slow-step.

Not only do we have to complete and sign forms that we don't understand - the new process is not to use a legal firm that can support you in the process.  So how do you move forward? 

We've been lucky with the Estate Agents that we selected and that have sold the house - they have one person allocated to supporting each sale.  Not only did it take a couple of days to work through the paperwork, recently we were asked to sign the contract - the sale contract.  The challenge with this is that it is written in bureaucratic legalese with references to a 'standard contract'.  When we enquiried as to what the clauses were in the 'standard contract', the Estate Agency didn't know, so we contacted the Conveyancing Agents.  They sent us the original paperwork that we completed.  We explained that we were looking for clauses 'x' in the 'standard contract' and they send us a very old frequently photocopied copy of the 'standard contract'.  With great difficulty we battled our way through this contract in line with the sale contract and found that we were now doing the legal work!  It's a scary position to be in ... but we have been very lucky with the Estate Agency representative - they have supported us.

Now we are in the position of having returned the paperwork ... and know no more!  We have put in a request for an exchange date and a completion date, but these new processes don't allow you to get confirmation.

Towards the end of last week we found out that the VAT rate to be charged on these services is dependant upon when we exchange and that in the UK this goes up by 2.5% on the 1st January, 2010; but that our Conveyancing Agents don't seem to worry about the additional charge that will be made to us.

So although we found the purchasing process in Madeira an unusual one, we were supported all the way through the process with clear understanding of what was happening when.

Planning ... what a challenge when you are unable to find out the dates that are required for planning!  Watch for the next challenge in organising the moving companies. 

Your Relocation & Expat Coach.
Spiritual Coaching designed to suit your requirements.

'Whatever you think you can do ...

... believe you can do, begin it.  Action has magic, grace, and power in it.'  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A fabulous quote that I found when doing some research on the internet.  My understanding of this quote is that if you really want to do something, start it.  By starting it, you will begin the action to do it and you'll see the magic starting to happen around you.

I've recently experienced this myself.  2009 for me has been a magical year and the realisation of this has suddenly come to light ... yes, the year has been a hard one; but the magic moments have made it a very special year.  Twice special friends have travelled with me to Madeira and seen the magic of the island (for those who do not know, I am moving from the UK to Madeira).  I have been in contact with a number of friends from my school days - people that I thought, when I left boarding school in South Africa to return to Malawi, I would never see or speak to again.  We email, we facebook, we skype!  It's been magical.  I'm meeting up with a cousin of mine, who again I haven't seen since I left school - he lived in South Africa (recently USA and now the UK) and I've travelled extensively - so to be able to meet in London this week is magical.  I've experienced special, quiet, meditative moments (sometimes as short as 10-minutes, other times as long as a couple of hours); which ave allowed me to really focus on myself, my health, my business and my future.  Business opportunities - there are a number of business opportunities that have been brought my way ... watch for updates throughout 2010 on these.

So although the world has said it is in a financial recession, I know that my life has taken a different path.  How?  As a coach who works with individuals and organisations that want to grow in their own understanding and development, I have used a number of these skills working with myself and my own coach - I am clear about how I wish my future to be.  I've developed a real understanding about what my future will focus on.  I've learnt how to face the fear of giving up something that is fundamental to my financial stability.  I've truly learnt to trust my own intuition.  All of this and more has allowed me to experience a very magical 2009! and by starting it and taking action, I've seen the introductions to relationships, the business opportunities, the peace, quiet and calm that I've been asking for, all start to come in to my own life.

So ask yourself, what magical experiences did you have in 2009?  What did you believe that you could do, that you could start now?  I look forward to hearing how 2010 develops for you.

Expat Coaching designed to suit your requirements.

Season Greetings!

The next step ...

... or is this the final step?

As we work through the process of selling our house in the UK, the question came to me ... is this just the next step or the final step in the process of emigrating?

For a number of people I would guess it would be seen to be the final step, as working through the process of emigrating, is a long and in some cases very slow process; and those seeing this as the final step will be celebrating their success in moving.  For others it will be seen as the next step, with many more small steps in front of them!

For me I'm seeing this as the next step in the exciting process of leaving one environment and moving into a new environment.  There are still a number of immediate steps that have to be addressed, but I've just finished filling in the paperwork to sell the house and it feels like a huge step forward.  Is it?  After agreeing to sell the house this does feel like a huge step forward.  The paperwork is now with the solicitors and we are in the waiting game - paperwork and legal processing!

So the next step has been started and we are working through what now needs to be done to move out ... re-directing post, changing details on services, organising packers ... to mention just a few.  Watch for the list - I'll publish it under Hints and Tips.  Any suggestions added would be gratefully received.

Want to convert your dreams/aspirations to achievable goals? 

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life'

Find Barbara's biog on http://www.internationalcoachinginstitute.org/coach_referral_service/display_detail.php?trf=91

Interesting place to be ... !

We are just negotiating the sale of our house in the UK - yes our dream is coming true and we are moving - but I've suddenly remembered that the outstanding items on the house in Madeira are still just that - outstanding!

Thankfully the house is in a state in which we can move into it, but it will mean that areas of the house we would like to have completely finished before we moved - won't be.

How does this impact what we are doing now?  It doesn't.  We had to make the decision that we would move and sort these little things out once we are there.

Where does this leave us?  In a very interesting position ... we are in the process of selling the house in the UK around Xmas and New Year.  We are just waiting for the final moving date to allow us to truly plan our move.  What are our options?  When it comes to moving from one country to another you must truly understand what you need in the house/environment you are moving into, before you finalise your plans.

We are just working through what we need - electricity, running water, gas (for water heating), internet connection, telephone, mobile, and the list goes on.  If you are in this position, what do you need? 

Once we have the actual moving date from the Estate Agents, we will be able to create a plan of each step that we need to take.  I'll publish these as we create them.

Want to convert your dreams/aspirations to actually moving? 

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life'

Find Barbara's biog on http://www.internationalcoachinginstitute.org/coach_referral_service/display_detail.php?trf=91

Dreams do come true!

Over the past few weeks I've seen dreams come true:

• Mark Wilson has now set up his own charity! 
  After a period of research, excitements and challenges, Mark has now received his first donation into the charity!  This period for Mark has been a journey of experiences, learnings, and achievements!
• Allan Cameron has published his book - Emma! 
  As Allan says 'On a Sunday morning, sometime in 1972, I sat down at my desk in the prep hall ...'.  After after a life of learnings and experiences, Allan has realised his dream by seeing his own creativity captured in a book that has been publshed!
• Audrey Mbuyazi has now recorded her first album! 
  As Audrey says 'For many years, this Zimbabwean-born singer-songwriter, now resident in South Africa, has yearned to record an original album.  Now, Audrey is seeing her dream become a reality ...'  Audrey is preparing for her concert at Pirates in Greenside today.
• Maxine Harrison has again been recognised by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the world's Top Villa Specialists.  
  Maxine originally received this award in 2006 and every year since.  To achieve this award Maxine not only sources some of the worlds most interesting villas, she also vists them all, and provides a personal service that sees her clients return year after year.  After 20+ years in this industry, Maxine is still one of the specialists who has a passion for travel and providing a personal service to allow people to achieve their own dreams ...  

'To accomplish great things,
we must not only act, but also dream;
not only plan, but also believe.'
Anatole France

We have all had dreams, and you will know from following my story on this blog, that my dreams are coming true!  Yes we are one step closer to making our move ... but more on that later.  Today it's about others achievements and your dreams.

I've met the four people I've seen achieve their dreams ....  For each of them it hasn't been an easy path to achievement and yes they still have steps to take.  As they have trod the path of their dreams, step-by-step there have been challenges, great learnings, little dreams have been achieved, milestone reached, but for each the dream has stayed alive as they've taken each step to achieve it.  Mark I met through my membership to the Rotary Club of Ashford, EarlyBirds (UK); Allan is a school friend from my days at boarding school in South Africa, Audrey I met in the UK through my IT career as we were both trained as Oracle 'consultants'; and Maxine I met in the UK at a networking event when a friend introduced us as we had the same country of birth!  Who do you know that's achieved their dream?

As Anais Nin says 'Dreams are necessary to life.'  We all dream ... we've all had dreams.  Take a few moments now and capture your own dreams ... if you had no responsibilites in life what would you really like to be doing now?  If there were no restrictions where would you be living?  What are you dreams?

Dreams pass into the reality of action.
From the actions stems the dream again;
and this interdependence produces
the highest form of living.
Anais Nin

 Ask yourself, 'how important are these dreams to me?'  'What will happen if I do not live my dreams?'  'What will happen if I do live my dreams?'

How would it feel if you were to convert your dreams/aspirations to achievable goals?
How would you feel to achieve your dreams/aspirations? 

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life' or email her to talk about converting your dreams to reality!

Find Barbara's biog on http://www.internationalcoachinginstitute.org/coach_referral_service/display_detail.php?trf=91

"The world is a book ...

... and those who do not travel read only one page.” St. Augustine.

Travel expands the mind.  From each trip you do you gain some new knowledge and new experiences.  The language, the culture, the differences in the way people eat, communicate, socialise, entertain themselves, are all different in every part of the world you travel to.  Often you'll find that two environments in one country will be different.

Thinking about the quote above - if you only travel around your own environment - village, town, city, county, or state - what are you learning about people?  If you travel around your own country, you will experience different types of people - in some cases even feeling as though they may be from different cultures e.g. England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland.  Just learning what you have in your own country can broaden your horizons, your knowledge, your experience, and your opportunities.

If you travel outside your own country, what opportunities are you opening yourself up to?  Just think about those horizons and the chances that you could encounter.

Take that trip - read that book!

 

Want to convert your dreams/aspirations to achievable goals? 

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life'

Find Barbara's biog on http://www.internationalcoachinginstitute.org/coach_referral_service/display_detail.php?trf=91