Girl Power!

  "Who runs the world? Girls!" - Beyonce

My friend Olivia gave her baby shower last week for her friends, mother and new baby daughter called 'Rosie'. Can you believe that Olivia is the one in the pink dress who had her baby only 3 weeks earlier and her mother is in the blue dress and I'm holding the baby!!

It was such a fun, great occasion with mostly Olivia's female friends that it got me thinking about the world that Rosie has come into and how as a female she will fare. The era of the woman has been building for the last 70 years or more and it arrived on January 1st  2013 - the shift from a masculine patriarchal society, to a feminine, Gaia, society from this date was predicted by many trendspotters, astrologers, futurists and marketeers.

In the last 100 years the evolution of women has accelerated and the right to vote came into being in 1918 thanks to the Suffragette movement and other brave women before them. In the last 50 years women have taken giant steps. Women have become Prime Ministers, CEO's, Supreme court judges, doctors, lawyers, Film and TV Producers, Film Directors etc., etc., and hopefully in 2016 we'll see the first ever female USA President in Hillary Clinton. Female members of the UK Royal Family are to be given equality with men in the rules of succession. So Rosie will be in good company................! The next Royal baby due next month will be the first British monarch born in the 21st century - the age of the personal brand. There is no mention of gender yet of the Royal baby but I'm sure she/he will be the first Royal baby with a registered URL and twitter account! So this is the world that Rosie has been born into - yes, I know there is still a long way to go but women are already succeeding and on their own terms. I believe there has never been a better time to be born female!

I am an auntie, great aunt and godmother and I believe womanhood has to be taught. As Steve Biddulph says in his book 'Raising Girls' (a must read I believe for all parents raising daughters): "Modern womanhood is tough. Your daughter will need to be self-reliant, clear thinking, emotionally strong, good with people and responsible for her own life. They will need mum, aunties, great teachers and other older women to help them get there." I believe with great parenting and education you can teach your daughter to evolve spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally. However, I do believe that to embrace Eastern philosophy which offers a much more profound view of the world is so important and that's where Rosie will be very fortunate!

To teach her that this life is an inside job - the way you think creates reality for yourself - your thoughts create your life. The law of attraction is a science. So teach her to make a conscious decision to be happy because that is infectious and attracts other like minded people. I also believe that by living naturally and exercising regularly, the body will tell the mind to be happy. There is loads of data that proves that the mind can believe itself well by optimising the body's natural self-repair mechanisms. Most doctors now agree that the mind has a profound effect upon a person's sense of well-being. The mind is the most powerful tool we have - so teach your child how to use it by opening up their mindset to bigger picture thinking with travel and life enhancing experiences that broaden their horizons and help them find their spark!

Here are a few more tips I'd like to tell Rosie:

• Learn yoga and meditation and deep breathing - it will do wonders for your peace of mind!
• Remember that there will be people around you with low self-esteem who covertly undermine you to make themselves feel better. Don't listen to gossip - it corrodes the gossipers and those who listen! Those who gossip are usually jealous of you - so rise above it. Do as the Royal baby will be taught "never complain, never explain."
• And remember there is no 'glass ceiling' only the one you create in your head

Finally this is my Buddhist blessing to Rosie:

May you be safe and protected

May you be happy and peaceful

May you be healthy and strong

May you carry your life with ease and grace

Go girl!

With love

xxx

PS    "Be yourself. Everyone else is taken."  - Oscar Wilde

PPS  And remember boys are wonderful too!!

The importance of The Arts

"The gift of being human is that we have deep creative resources and from these we can  continuously transform our lives if we choose. Whether you aim to change the whole world or the world within you, the limits are set as much by your imagination as by your current circumstances. This has been true for all people since the beginnings of human history."    -    Sir Ken Robinson As you've probably gathered I am a huge fan of Sir Ken Robinson. He is a recognised leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human potential.  He advises governments, corporations, education systems, and some of the leading cultural organizations. He understands the importance of The Arts in education and peoples lives which is an issue very close to my heart.  He believes that in The Arts we can focus on the qualities of our human experience and what it is to be a human being in vision, in sound, in movement and in words.

Theatres, galleries and other arts organisations are feeling the squeeze from government funding cuts. In the midst of austerity-driven cuts to UK local council budgets, the Local Government Association (LGA) recently said that while cutting arts budgets is understandable under the current circumstances, it may not be the right thing to do. It has been proven that investing in the arts can generate growth and create jobs. It says that for every £1 invested in the arts another £4 is generated. Investment in the arts can deliver an impressive rate of return. However, I think more importantly, the arts bring joy and a calming cohesiveness to communities. Without the arts life would be pretty boring!

The Arts ..........promotes diversity of culture The Arts...........encourages expression The Arts...........help to improve social well being The Arts...........start a dialogue The Arts...........brings people together The Arts...........entertain and brings joy to communities The Arts...........improves and strengthen communities The Arts...........drives economic development

At the new St James Theatre in Victoria (where I'm an ambassador) they have created a new paradigm for The Arts and Business for the 21st century. They are setting a grand example of how Arts and Business can work together to create an economically successful, powerful and effective coalition in changing the face of Victoria with the local developers Land Securities.

A theatre, cinema, museum or festival draws visitors who do not simply spend money on their ticket or entrance fee, but also buy meals in local restaurants, go to local shops, or perhaps stay in hotels as part of their visit. These people may never have visited that location without the pull of its cultural attractions. The St. James Theatre is positioned in the heart of the Land Securities development scheme - creating a whole new Victoria. This is living proof how The Arts and business can work together and create a dynamic that works creatively and economically!

The Arts are a cultural expression of society. The Arts are so important to the human spirit and soul. People get closer to reaching their full potential when they can express themselves through The Arts. The Arts make the world a better place to live. That's why they are so important in education too! Please support your local arts communities wherever you can by going to all the incredible entertainment they produce and spread the word!

'Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions"  -  Albert Einstein

(PS - Talking of fantastic creativity - please go and see the film 'Behind the Candelabra' about Liberace starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. I was fortunate to go to a small Bafta screening last week with Michael Douglas - the man himself. He and the film are superb! Rob Lowe as the plastic surgeon is hilarious. I highly recommend it - to be released on June 7th.)

Image courtesy of Imaginative Creative Therapies

Do you like what you do each day?

Do you like what you do each day? I asked myself this a few years ago - having had a very successful 30 year career in advertising and marketing non stop.

I began to realize it was time to realign my goals with what's on the inside now. I wanted my career path to better reflect the values closest to my heart. I wanted time to set new goals differently and to listen to that inner voice of mine and to find a new career that was fulfilling and meaningful. Don't get me wrong I was always pretty headstrong about being true to myself, my values and my drivers and I had much to be happy about and producing had been my first love, but you move on - time, you and goals change..........

I do think knowing that I was on the right track for me, doing what I had been put here for and to believe that you will only be truly satisfied when you find your place in the world was important. That is the place where your skills, ability, personality and dreams all come together. I'd found that in producing - I loved it - but it was now time to set new goals which might include producing skills too! There was a need to connect to other personal talents and passions.

I found clearing space in my head was very important, to think clearly, dream, make concrete plans and also just to have restful thoughts was very beneficial. I would often have to physically remove myself from my house/environment in order to get the space and peace I needed - phones, e-mail, household noise are very distracting from deeper thoughts. I found reading books like 'Finding Your Element' by Sir Ken Robinson helpful - he shows that age and occupation are no barriers to discovering what makes us happiest and once we have found our path we can help others to do so as well. The breakthroughs that happen in our lives are the breakthroughs that happen within us.

Being good at something is not enough, you have to have a natural aptitude for it and you have to love it! I believe the new celebrities are the one's who inspire, who know how to link the inner world with the outer world and who make our lives richer in the deepest sense of the word. Those who inspire by speaking with feeling - from the heart, moving others emotionally, perhaps moving them to action, to change or to happiness. That's where my new career began...........

As Sir Ken Robinson says: "Recognizing your own dreams and the conditions you need to fulfill them are essential to becoming who you can be. It will give you a deeper sense of who you really are and the life you could and maybe should live."

I'm now inspiring other people to find their element and much more too! I love being involved in The Arts - hugely important to my spirit and soul, being positive in a negatively orientated world and stepping outside your comfort zone are all important and treating self-doubt as a hurdle to overcome, not a stop sign!

'What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us"  -  Ralph Waldo Emerson

The visual is of course Auguste Rodin 'The Thinker' which I have always loved - very powerful isn't it? (Two early casts of The Thinker have just sold in New York on May 8th 2013 to a private collector for £10.3 million - a record price - you see always a marketing girl!)

Serendipity

Do you believe in serendipity? I do. Wikipedia defines 'serendipity' meaning a 'happy accident' or 'pleasant surprise'. I believe it's much more than that - it's being open to chance, luck, happenstance and having gratitude. Serendipity smiles upon people who know what they like, love and want. Life follows you. Choose what you love and remain relaxed but sticky enough to attract and magnetise the good stuff to yourself. I'd like to give you an example of this in my own life. At the time I wasn't consciously aware of the fortuitous circumstances I'd created but by loving something and showing gratitude I had attracted it to me. In 1984 I was flying out to Sydney, Australia to produce some Quantas commercials with Michael Parkinson and Barry Humphries (Dame Edna). The flight at that time was @26 hours (with stop offs) so we knew we were in for the long haul. One of the creatives I was travelling with handed me a book called 'White Mischief' by James Fox and said 'I think you'll enjoy this'. I could not put the book down. I was riveted start to finish. Isn't it great when you get a book you love - well done James Fox! Anyway the book is based upon a true story about the Happy Valley set in 1940's Kenya and the murder of the philandering Earl of Errol. Whilst I was reading the book I began to realise I would go there, not just to Kenya but to the Djinn Palace on Lake Naivasha. In fact I loved the book so much I was certain I would go there - it all seemed so familiar - maybe I was visualising the movie!

I had travelled a lot by this time, but I had never been to Kenya yet. My father had been there as a young man - before his marriage to my mother - and had loved the place, so I must have picked up on this as a child. He'd regale stories of his adventures there, meeting Karen Blixen, Joy Adamson, etc. He'd also said whenever you go to Kenya you always leave a little piece of your heart there - it's a very spiritual place that gets to your soul.

So I remembered all of this, especially the 1940's were very much my parents era - so throw in the nostalgia factor too - I was hooked. So much so that when we arrived in Sydney I rang London to try to get the film rights of the book. However, the director Mike Radford had already snapped them up and the rest is history. An excellent film was produced called 'White Mischief' starring Greta Scacchi and Charles Dance which was released in 1987. However, by 1986 I'd already met the friends who would take me not only to Kenya but to stay at the Djinn Palace on Lake Naivasha - the Earl of Errol's original home where much of the action took place in the real and filmed 'White Mischief'. Coincidence or serendipity?!

Since then I have spent many Christmases and holidays there with the owners, June and Hans Zwager and family and have loved every minute of it! They run as a family the biggest flower farm in the world - Hans Zwager is truly the flowering Dutchman! I was also asked by June Zwager to oversee the filming of the 'Safari' perfume launch commercial for Ralph Lauren who had chosen the Djinn Palace as the location to make the ad with his New York ad agency. I didn't realise back in 1984 what an important part in my life Kenya would play but the Zwager family are like extended family now and when they are in London they have a house 5 minutes from mine in Kensington. Coincidence or serendipity?

I am now embarking on helping raise awareness of the poaching of white rhino from their animal sanctuary at Lake Naivasha which specializes in protecting endangered species at great annual cost. You can find out more  about this wonderful charity at their website www.oserengoniwildlife.com. As you probably know this is a worldwide issue with great supporters such as HRH Prince William and Stephen Fry rallying the cause. I would hope that the serendipity factor works for me with this!

'Meaning' is the new money

I believe we are in a period of massive change and generally people are looking for deeper meaning in their lives. With the global financial crisis and lack of trust in governments and corporations many people are hungry for something different and may have lost the connection to their deeper selves. After decades of pursuing riches, wealth seems less alluring and meaning has become the new money. Whilst I was researching this I came across a book by Dan Pink called 'A Whole New Mind' about how the 21st century is all about the Conceptual Age and the future of global business will belong to the right brain thinkers. The era of 'left brain' predominance of the logical, linear, computer based Information Age that it engendered are giving way to a new world of 'right brain' qualities that predominate which are inventiveness, empathy and meaning. The future belongs to those with a right brain mindset - creators, empathizers, pattern recognizers and 'meaning makers'. These people -  artists, inventors, designers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers, big picture thinkers will all reap the rewards of this new age. We need to maintain our left brain directed skills but now master six essential right brain directed skills. The six essential aptitudes on which professional success and personal fulfillment now depend are Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning. Pink reckons that these six senses will increasingly guide our lives and shape our world.

The four historical major ages:

1.  Agricultural Age (farmers) 18th century - left brain domination

2.  Industrial Age (factory workers) 19th century - left brain domination

3.  Information Age (knowledge workers) 20th century - left brain domination

4.  Conceptual Age (creators and empathizers) 21st century - right brain skills now required

According to the latest research, IQ accounts for between 4 and 10 per cent of career success. However, IQ tests are based upon excessive left brain directed thinking. The qualities that are more important and tougher to quantify are imagination, joyfulness and social dexterity - right brain qualities. Pink says the most valued degree in business is now the Master of Fine Arts (MFA). The MFA is the new MBA.

Research also found that the most effective leaders were funny (ha ha, not peculiar) and these leaders had their charges laughing three times more often than their managerial counterparts. Interestingly in my 20's before I started my own business I only had 3 great bosses all called Ian and all hilarious and well loved - so I can testify to this!

I think this book is more relevant now than when it was first written just before the financial crisis. I'm even more delighted that the future belongs to skills that I embrace where creativity is key, but I do think if you can integrate the right brain and left brain qualities equally you'll go far!

Happy Conceptual Age!

'Leadership is about empathy.  It is about having the ability to relate and to connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.'   -  Oprah Winfrey