More To Life Than Shoes

Do you have a novel in you?
Last November, I almost wrote a novel. Having discovered a long time ago that I never achieve anything without some kind of deadline, I decided that my only chance of ever getting a novel beyond the first three pages was to sign up to NaNoWriMo, also known as National Novel Writing Month. The idea is that, starting on 1^st November, you have exactly 30 days to write a novel of at least 50,000 words (about 175 pages). NaNoWriMo has become a world-wide craze in the last few years – from 21 participants in 1999, last year saw 200, 000 sign up, and a whopping 30,000 complete their word count by the deadline.

Well, I wrote in my lunch hour at work, and sometimes when it wasn’t strictly my lunch hour at work. I wrote in bed, on the loo and on the bus and occasionally even at my desk. I didn’t get to the end of my story, and what I produced could by no stretch of the imagination be called a finished novel, but I did my 50,000 words.

Now, obviously, NaNoWriMo is about quantity, not necessarily quality. Writing 50,000 words in a month means churning out 1,667 words a day. That’s the length of an average short story, every day for 30 days. It’s a bit like thinking aloud with a keyboard. You have to just keep typing, whatever’s coming out. There’s no time for planning, editing, or going back and hitting delete when you decide you don’t like what you’ve written. You have to turn off your inner editor and keep going, no matter what.

Telling your inner editor where to go
Maybe you’ve always dreamed of writing a novel. Maybe you’ve even started one a couple of times but not really got anywhere with it. When would-be writers fail to get work finished, the culprit is usually that pesky inner-editor with her red pen, telling us that what we’ve written isn’t up to scratch, that our idea isn’t good enough, that we should go back and start again rather than carrying on.

And this is what makes NaNoWriMo a great excersise. Forcing yourself to block that critical voice so you can reach an arbitrary word count might seem counter-intuitive, and might mean you churn out some dodgy stuff, but it will also unlock bits of your brain you didn’t know were there. Because, in among the rambling and waffle, you'll get the occasional good idea that might never have sneaked past that inner-editor. It’s exhausting, irritating and often frustrating, but it can also be exhilarating, exciting and magical. 

When I read back my NaNoWriMo effort a couple of months ago, a lot of it made me wince, but a lot of it also made me think, hold on, that’s not half bad. What I got out of it was potential – lots of rubbish, but a few ideas that I reckon I might be able to turn into an actual novel, with some work.

But when NaNoWriMo finished, I was back to the problem of working without a deadline. With no word count to meet, I’ve been noodling around with planning and structures and generally procrastinating for a few months now. My inner editor is having a field day. But last month I discovered a new way of imposing my own personal deadline. 750words.com is a website that encourages you in the practice of ‘morning pages’, a technique suggested by Julia Cameron in The Artist's Way: A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self. It’s simple – start your day by writing 3 pages, or 750 words, on anything that comes into your head. It can be your dreams, a diary, a rant, your random thoughts – whatever it is, it’s like an idea-dump. Whether you’re writing a novel, a blog or a personal journal, forcing yourself to write when your brain is still fresh will clear your thought process for the day. The website sends you friendly reminder emails, counts your words, and gives you pretty graphs and tables about what you're writing to give you some insight into how your brain is working.

750 words a day is a picnic compared to NaNoWriMo, but even so, when I checked my monthly word count recently I discovered I was well on the way to 12,000 words this month. It was a good feeling. With a 6-month old baby to look after, I sometimes feel like I’m not going to have any time to myself until he leaves home at 18. But I can manage 750 words, and my morning pages are proving to me that it is possible to get a novel finished, one tiny step at a time.

I've decided on climbing  as my physical challenge.  Last week I went to have a look around a climbing centre, and as soon as  I walked in there I felt real excitement - it looks very hard, but very satisfying.  I have booked a taster session in two days time to give it a try and to discuss some regular lessons.

For the thing that really scares me, I've decided on diving (diving off a diving board, not scuba diving!)  I'm a competent swimmer and relatively confident in the water, but I'm really unnerved by the idea of falling through air.  I could never imagine doing a bungee jump or skydiving.

To read the rest of this blog, follow this link...

Listen to the first episode of our podcast - MTLTS member Carol shares her tips on finding the confidence to go travelling solo, and Professor Karn Pine, author of Sheconomics and Love Not Smoking: Do Something Different, tells us how to trick your brain into doing what you want, from stopping smoking to getting rid of your compulsions.
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New member Sweety reviews our book.

Us ladies may be shopping-savvy and indulge in spurts of retail therapy, but if you find yourself, like me, spending dole-money on cupcakes and shoes because you haven't found your true calling, you might find yourself asking, is there more to life than shoes? Is there a recipe for success? How do you make things happen? What makes successful people tick? How did they do it? That's the puzzle Nadia Finer and Emily Nash wanted to solve when they decided to overcome their resistance and write a book on successful women. The result is More To Life Than Shoes: How to Kick-start Your Career and Change Your Life.

I took this book to Pakistan and read it on the aeroplane and at boring dinner parties. The book is jam-packed with case studies and tips from movers and shakers from a spectrum of industries and professions. It all starts with a chapter on Passion Power, and indeed it is a passion we must deliver if we want to be successful in life. The layout of the book is extremely user-friendly and the language is fun and female! The book spans a wide range of successful women from Margaret Thatcher to Betty Boothroyd and Hilary Mantel.

The creative process can have stumbling blocks, whether it is a lack of confidence, resources, or fear of the unknown. Nadia and Emily interview writers, inventors, artists, unveiling how they took a leap of faith and made their goals happen. Some of these icons had the shield of confidence while other women conquered male-dominated professions and carved a niche for themselves in science and politics.

After giving a lowdown on useful strategies, the authors seal each chapter with tips and techniques from experts. This further accentuates the down-to-earth and simple feel of the book. In my opinion More To Life Than Shoes: How to Kick-start Your Career and Change Your Life is an encyclopaedia of hope, entertainment and achievement. It inspired me to go to networking events, to collapse negative barriers and raised my self-esteem. In the words of Martha Lane Fox, "Read this and realise you can do anything."

Nadia and Emily give each chapter a catchy title, such as The Spark and Balancing Act or Being Bendy. The latter is an insight into the modern challenges of the yummy mummy who wants work, husband, innovation and a family all in one go. The chapter Kitchen Table is a beacon of optimism for sole traders looking to start a business.

I stumbled upon the More To Life Than Shoes organisation whilst browsing the British library Business Centre. It is reassuring to know that there's a place where  women can come together in a melting point of ideas and ambitions. After finishing the book I feel I've had a boost in self-esteem, and I'm buoyant with ideas and re-energised to accomplish my goals for 2011.

Nadia Finer and Emily Nash might be ready to change our light bulbs, but we also have to want to change our light bulbs ourselves. There are many women out there who will succeed, becoming mini-alchemists, bestselling authors or painters of new horizons. I hope I will be one of them ... and in answer to the question, there is definitely more to life than shoes!

Can you learn to be a successful entrepreneur, or do you have to be born with a business brain?

So, you’ve always dreamed of starting your own business. But before you take the plunge, are you thinking of brushing up your business skills with a course or a mentor? According to a new survey conducted by Hiscox Insurance, most female entrepreneurs would tell you there’s no need, and that a business brain is something you’re either born with or not.

82% of the female entrepreneurs questioned didn’t study any kind of business or management subjects at school, and believe their flair for business is an innate talent. Creativity, networking and communication were given as the most important skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur. Even more intriguing, nearly half of those asked claimed that their business finesse couldn’t be learned, and that it was a talent that came naturally to them.

It’s true that many of the inspirational business women we interviewed for our book, More To Life Than Shoes: How to Kick-start Your Career and Change Your Life , never had any formal business education. Nikki King, MD of the massive truck manufacturing company Isuzu, left school, took a secretarial course and then raised three kids – none of which sounds like great preparation for a business career. But when she went back to the workplace years later, her lack of business qualifications didn’t hold her back. In fact, it was the skills she’d learned as a stay-at-home mum that she credits for her successful management technique: “cuddles when down, smacked bottoms when naughty; managing a company isn’t that different,” she told us

But we think that budding entrepreneurs shouldn’t discount the benefits of a bit of preparation and training. Another of our interviewees, Emily Cummins, the young inventor of an award-winning solar-powered fridge, recognizes the importance of a business education, even though her real flair is for invention. She studied for a degree in Business Management, which she says, “has taught me some useful skills, and given me the ability to promote my products.” 

We reckon that although a natural flair for wheeling and dealing is certainly an advantage, potential entrepreneurs shouldn’t be put off by the fear that they don’t have a business brain. Creativity, networking and communication skills can all be improved with tips from those who’ve been there, practice and advice. Whether that practice comes from other work experience, a business course or learning on the fly, don’t be put off by that nagging worry that you’re not a natural entrepreneur – the bit you’re born with is the drive to get out there and do it – the rest will come.

For more amazing business success stories, get More To Life Than Shoes: How to Kick-start Your Career and Change Your Life in paperback, or for your Kindle.

It started with a random magazine and all kind of discoveries. Then we got physical got sweaty. Made scary phone calls and got a mega dose of entrepreneurial inspiration.

This week, we're going to take a breather and review our progress.

So often we're rushing around from pillar to post, not stopping to appreciate that we've actually achieved some great things already.

Not any more! We've created a short and sweet form to help us all have a think about how our big plans are going, what we've achieved so far and what we'll have a bash at next. 

So, drumroll please, bring on the  Wufoo form. (yup, that's what it's called)

Don't forget to give yourself a treat to celebrate what you've achieved so far and of course share your progress with us!

Member Carole reports back from an inspiring evening at the 2011 First Woman Awards.

 Earlier this month, I attended the First Women Awards. My boss had seen it advertised and suggested it might be a good networking environment.  I jumped at the opportunity to mix with the type of business women many of us aspire to be!

The event celebrates the achievements of women in sectors such as Science & Technology, Tourism & Leisure, Public Service, Property and Manufacturing & Engineering. Past winners included fashion designer Nicole Farhi, managing director of Isuzu Trucks Nikki King and entrepreneur and Perween Warsi, the founder of S & A Foods (who you might have seen recently on the panel of The Apprentice: You're Fired show on BBC2). 

The evening was hosted by Clare Balding who was great, instilling confidence in us all. It was a great networking event - although I was attending on my own,  I was  put at ease as soon as I arrived by some other guests.  I was lucky enough to be placed on a table with four women who had been  nominated for an award. We were all very excited for them when their category was announced.  Unfortunately none of them won, but their achievements were amazing.

I came away from the event feeling totally inspired and buoyant after meeting so many fabulous people. I'm already looking forward to attending next year.

Jojo, leader of More To Life Than Shoes's Oxford group, explains why changing careers to work for a charity has inspired her in all areas of her life.

Twelve months ago I was doing a job I really hated. The highlight of my week was getting to the weekend and having a glass of wine and forgetting all about it. Now I work for Platform 51, a charity that supports girls and women, helping them take control of their lives. My career change has helped me learn that I can do more with my life in other areas.

I had always been interested in gender issues at university, but somehow after I left, I lost my way a little bit. Then one day, my boyfriend told me I couldn’t sit around moaning about my job for the rest of my life, and that I had to get out there and do something else. So I did. I joined an agency and became the Marketing and Communications Officer at Platform 51.

At Platform 51, women and girls use us as a platform for having their say.  We run programmes at women-only centres in some of the most deprived areas of England and Wales. Each woman who comes to us has different problems. By taking part in courses, group activities and counselling, we help them understand what's going on in their lives. This often inspires them to take the first step, whatever it is: finding the courage to say ‘no’, learning to speak English, applying to college, or having more confidence as a parent.

We also speak out on behalf of women. We challenge inequality, discrimination and negative stereotypes by influencing decision makers and lobbying for changes in the law.

The women that I have met at our centres have really inspired me. They have been through some terrible times: mental health problems, domestic abuse, drugs or prison, but they have used the services Platform 51 provide to do more with their lives and break the cycle.

As soon as you visit a Platform 51 centre, it's obvious why they're so special. It's like getting a big hug from someone you love. It's support when you need it. That's what makes our visitors say things like, 'Platform 51 has given me a new life.'

I've gained a lot from working for Platform 51. Truly caring about what I do as a  job has made me more enthusiastic in all areas of my life. I now run the More To Life Than Shoes Oxford group. I have entered the Royal Parks half-marathon (I am running for Platform 51, of course). I'm always getting out there and trying new things.

If you're like I was, hating your job but not doing anything about it, have the confidence to make the change. I would recommend doing something you love and care about. You never know what might happen.

If you would like to find out more about Platform 51, then why not follow us on facebook, twitter or visit our website.