A Very British Blog Tour

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Welcome to
A VERY BRITISH BLOG TOUR  – 2013

A collection of blogs, books and authors who are surprisingly very British

Great Brit Blog TourChristine Miller invites you to take part in ‘A Very British Blog Tour’ by visiting and supporting the websites of authors involved in the tour and who are dedicated to turning out some of the finest books available in Britain today. Authors Paul Anthony and Clive Eaton invited me, together with a hand picked group of British authors, to take part in this great initiative.

Each author named at the bottom of the page has asked been asked the same questions, but the answers will obviously all be different. You simply click on the author’s name below to see how they have answered the same question.

By the way, we British have certain conventions, traditions and procedures that are expected. There is a dress code in the reading of this British blog and you are expected to comply with it.

For example…

Lancaster House Christine Miller

Now then, let us proceed in an orderly fashion. As you know, we are all very boring and staid in Britain, aren’t we?

Well, there’s a myth about the British and your starter for ten is – stuffy, class conscious, boring, staid! But is this still relevant in today’s world?  Let’s find out from our wonderful writers what they feel about it.

So, without further ado, here are the questions and answers from

THE VERY BRITISH WRITER:  Christine Miller

Q. Where were you born and where do you live at the moment?

Alfie in the sunA. I was born just outside Preston, Lancashire, UK. Preston is a city now, but it was just a town when I was a gal. I have very happy memories of walks in the countryside, birdspotting, celandines, lily of the valley, cowpats, trips to the seaside, to the beautiful Trough of Bowland in the Pennines, to the Lake District, and to North Wales.

I now live in West London, with my family and one Bengal cat named Alfie, who we rescued. Of course he is now in charge of most things…

Q. Have you always lived and worked in Britain or are you based elsewhere at the moment?

A. I have lived in France, The Netherlands, Greece, Denmark, Norway and Australia, not necessarily in that order. One of my children was born in Denmark, and one was just 14 weeks old when we moved to Australia. Whilst I am currently based in London, with the ease of connection through the internet, I feel myself to be a global citizen with friends, colleagues and contacts almost instantly available all over the world. When I first lived in Oz we used to have to book phone calls, and there was an irritating and disconcerting time lag. Now with Skype, I can be in touch when the mood and desire take me!

Orbit towerQ. Which is your favourite part of Britain?

A. I love the Cotswolds, Dorset Heritage Coast, especially Lyme Regis and Bridport, The Lake District, and Scotland. I still love the Fylde coast where I grew up,  and I am immensely proud of London. I think it is a wonderful city, and the way Great Britain pulled off the 2012 Olympic Games was truly amazing, it was a privilege to be part of it.

Q. Have you ‘highlighted’ or ‘showcased’ any particular part of Britain in your books? For example, a town or city; a county, a monument or some well-known place or event?

A. Yes.  Lyme Regis in Dorset, in several poems in my book Secret Garden of the Soul; London Underground, in particular Ravenscourt Park Station on the District Line in another poem called ‘The Slow Train’; London Snow where I live, The Thames at Marlow, Buckinghamshire, in a poem called ‘Sea of Mind’. Also  another poem written about the garden of a friend’s house where I write deep in the West countryside, The Goddess Tree and one from France called Vines. Probably more, but that’s more than enough for now.

Q. There is an illusion – or myth if you wish – about British people that I would like you to discuss. Many see the ‘Brits’ as ‘stiff upper lip’. Is that correct?

A. No, not in my experience. It may have been true to some extent in earlier times, such as the reign of Queen Victoria, or during WWII for example, when people were dealing with external challenges and deprivation, and were in danger – and adopted a stoic, let’s-get-on-with-it approach. We don’t have the expressive, emotional nature of other races with more fiery temperaments, perhaps, but we are full blooded and passionate in our own way. Also,  these days, being British is about a broader, multicultural heritage and way of living – I think we have opened up in many ways because we are now a melting pot of many races, cultures and creeds.

Just look at things like football crowds and how we responded to hosting the Olympics; if you had the chance to be at the Olympic Park you’ll know that the atmosphere was just amazing, the volunteers were brilliant, and I think it also came across on television that there was real happiness in the air, and such jubilation when we did well.

800px-Meissen-teacup_pinkrose01Also, the exuberance of events such as Royal Weddings and the Queen’s Jubilee – we do it with such style and turn out in our thousands.  All those people lining the Thames in pouring rain in June, waving flags and cheering, and hosting celebrations all around the country – they might have been ‘stiff upper lipped’ in terms of enduring horrible weather, but they were spirited and joyful in their appreciation for the occasion.

I do think we have that characteristic of drinking tea…(with or without the extended little finger!) but we also love coffee, and of course we still have the reputation for liking warm beer, though chilled white wine is equally popular now, as are cold beers and exotic cocktails.

magician2Q. Do any of the characters in your books carry the ‘stiff upper lip’? Or are they all ‘British Bulldog’ and unique in their own way?

A. Those characters peopling my writing are in possession of a full range of emotional expressions; I would describe them as global souls occupying a unique place in the world. I haven’t yet really ventured into prose fiction in such a way that I can offer a description of my characters, but if I were to imagine, they would be as complex as we all are, and might have national characteristics to support and elaborate the plot.

Q. Tell us about one of your recent books?

RECov solidA. My most recent published book is a non-fiction volume called The Resourceful Entrepreneurs Guide to Business dedicated to the self-employed, entrepreneurs, and independent thinkers such as authors, to help them harness their talents and ambitions into successful ventures through being more resourceful and managing their mind-sets with focus and fulfillment. Innovators and creative people can find it tough to stay on track and translate their ideas into action, and this book is here to help.

I also publish an online magazine portal dedicated to human potential, where I often interview authors – a recent piece is with Wm Paul Young, of The Shack fame, which was a surprise phenomenal best seller with 18 million sales and 50 weeks on the NYT bestsellers list. He gives some interesting insights.

Q. What are you currently working on?

A. I am playing with and creating  several projects – a new volume of poems called Courage to Love, a non-fiction about Love in Organisations, for which I’ve interviewed 60 leaders about love, caring and compassion at work, plus I have two companion editions to Resourceful Entrepreneur’s Guide, on transformation and growth and leadership in the pipeline. And some very juicy interviews coming up.

Q. How do you spend your leisure time?

A. I invest my leisure time in reading, cooking, cinema, dining out, entertaining, theatre, gardening, being in nature and in conversation, and writing, especially poetry,  is a joy to me so I regard that as leisure as well, and I love to travel. In fact, because my work is largely play, I often can’t distinguish between the two, and enjoy a fertile creative playground which is highly productive.

Q. Do you write for a local audience or a global audience?

A. A global audience, geographically. I have a very specific reader in mind though when writing, in terms of audience.

Q. Can you provide links to your work?

A. Yes, I certainly can. I write, edit and publish and offer written, audio and video author interviews for book promotion purposes.

Secret Garden of the Soul
Resourceful Entrepreneur
Guide to Writing Poetry (complimentary)
ReSource magazine web portal
Idea Festival
Author Interviews
Video Interview 

inviteI’ve invited the following British, not necessarily British-based, authors to join in the fun. Once they’ve agreed, and set up their own answers on their respective websites/blogs, then clicking on their name will take you there.

Also, if you are a British author and would like to join in, please get in touch via the Contact page or click the link in the invitation opposite.

To see how our other authors responded, click on an author’s name below. They will appear in orange when the links to their answers are live. 

Tom Evans
Kirsty Allison
Tony Buzan
Lubna Gem Arielle
Sarah Arrow
John Logan
Lynn Serafinn
Mark Perl
Anne Fallas
Anthony Russell
Diana Cooper
Nigel Cutts
Mary Curtis
???????

 

Twitter hashtag: #VBBT2013

Shortlink: http://bit.ly/britblogtour

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Love Is – More than rosy moments

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heartstone Christine MillerLove Is

I was reflecting this morning that this is the first Valentine’s Day for three years that I haven’t been involved in some kind of poetry competition or promotion – 2010 and 2011, I was working with Hallmark Cards as a judge on a ‘Twittermantic’ project offering a prize for the best short romantic verse, with the winning words being turned into a card. Great fun and we attracted lots of entries both times.

Last year, I was working with QVC, the shopping channel, as resident poet on a Love Letters campaign to help the British public write messages of love to their loved ones – I turned out hundreds of poems in two days, and it was great fun. Each entrant received a beautiful, specially designed card with a personalised verse inside, and the requests came from sons and daughters, parents and friends as well as romantic interests, the long-married and newly established and those hopeful for relationships to develop. There were some deeply moving stories of loss, illness, misfortune – through which Love had triumphed and endured, and it was such a delightfully endearing project.

Although not publicly involved this year, I am,  as well as writing a book about Love in Organisations, deeply engaged in the process of bringing together a new volume of poems called ‘Courage to Love’, and this seems like the ideal time to give you a sneak preview.

This one is called ‘Come to Love’ and seems quite fitting for Valentine’s Day, even if it’s a little alternative. It’s really a statement that hearts and flowers and romance are not the essence of lasting love. We need more of the kind of love that endures and grows, standing up to all kinds of challenges and upsets, just like every aspect of human life. A Love that is present not only between couples and in families, but throughout our lives, including our work, our politics, and the way we engage with nature and the environment – in fact, throughout the planet, even the cosmos.

I like to think of us rising and standing in love, strong and courageous and loyal, collectively, rather than falling in love and being infatuated, on a hormonal high which inevitably recedes and leaves us wondering what we saw in that person in the first place. A Love that simply Is…not always easy, but one we know will endure the ups, downs and broadsides of human life.

I dedicate this poem to Love  – as a way of being and becoming; inclusive, extensive and pervasive, bringing the joy and spirit of human flourishing to us all.

Christine Miller

Happy Valentine’s Day – Loving Every Day, Every Loving Day 

Come To Love Christine Miller

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What Are The Top 5 Regrets of People Who Are Dying?

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I am in the middle of reading ‘The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying’.

Published by Hay House in March 2012, this is a beautiful, powerful and moving book written by Australian musician Bronnie Ware, based on her varied life experiences, particularly those as a palliative care nurse.

It really makes you think about the importance of living life to the full, being yourself, fully embracing all life’s lessons as blessings and not allowing others, or convention, or fear, to dictate what and who you can be.

It appeals strongly to my dedication to the fulfilling of human potential, and I am finding it very inspiring and engaging, reflecting on the importance of courage – particularly the Courage to Love, which just happens to be the title of my forthcoming new edition of poetry, currently in press.

These are the top 5 regrets Bronnie details in the book:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Bronnie tells how the time she spent caring for those nearing the end of their earthly life and what she learned from them helped her to transform the way she lives, creating a career which supports her and nourishes her gifts and talents, overcoming self-doubt, and loving and accepting herself and those around her.  The book emerged from a blog post which attracted massive attention, with millions of people reading, which you can find here.

It reminds me in some ways of the wonderful book by Eugene O’Kelly, ‘Chasing Daylight – How My Forthcoming Death Transformed My Life’, which is a real wake up call about how a highly successful man, a self-confessed ‘Type A’ leader, has to adapt to finding out he has only a few months left to live.

All this prompts me to revisit a poem I wrote a while ago for a friend who was going through some of life’s inevitable challenges, en-couraging him to take a different view on all that was happening.

Carpe Diem! 

Blessings

Whatever
Happens in our lives
We can learn from it,
Accept and assimilate the experience
As a Blessing.
Often,
When I was a little girl
My mother would advise me
After some disappointment,
Some less than perfect event,
That it was probably
A blessing in disguise.
It has taken me a long time
To fully appreciate
The wisdom inherent
In those words.
Now, I can see
Clearly
How So many things
That have and have not
Happened
Are really, truly Blessings.
What I have gained
From my less glorious times
Has been immeasurable
Wealth,
In Emotional
Mental and
Spiritual Realms.
What is the blessing
In where you are now?
In what has happened?
It has created space
For More
Love
More Joy
More Beauty
More Fulfilment
To enter your life.
If this had not occurred
You would not be opening
Your heart to the delights
That are presenting themselves now.
Your career would not
Be opening up either:
As painful as it is,
Sometimes
We have to give up
Let go of attachments
That no longer serve us,
To see what might
Be possible.
Know that I am here
As a sure and steady friend
With a heart full of Love,
Care, and concern,
Who will stand firm
And support you
In any way I can.
You are the purveyor
Of dreams: Day dreams, fantasies,
Wonders of the mind.
If you are true
To your heartfelt teaching
You will soon create
The life you want and deserve,
And the world,
The universe
Will roll in ecstasy
At your feet.
And I
Will be there for you
When you want me.
Top 5 Regrets Amazon
Chasing Daylight – Amazon
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Work as Play

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Work as Play – The Heart and Spirit of Business

work as play christine miller It seems that increasing numbers of us are looking for different ways to live in a more balanced and fulfilling way, so that we feel connected with our work.

At the heart of this is the growing desire to have a sense of purpose and a yearning for meaning in how we spend our time and make our living. We want to feel the spirit of what we do – to be inspired.


People who have been working in organisations for many years are now being asked to re-apply for their jobs, unable to take them for granted any more and having to market themselves as the best candidates. This means they are in effect becoming more entrepreneurial in their approach to their positions. And those entering or rejoining the job market need to be very clear and precise about what they offer and how they fit with prospective employers, both for their own sake in finding satisfying work, and in order to attract a suitable opportunity. (See: The ReSourceful Candidate)

Entrepreneurs, the self-employed, creatives and small business owners already know the importance of  this, but sometimes, running a business or being a freelance feels more like a job that ties you down than an uplifting experience of creativity, wealth and fulfillment. And the dream you started out with becomes a drudgery that leaves you working longer and longer hours just to stand still.
 
I had my most recent experience as an employee in the corporate world over 11 years ago now, and friends and colleagues who’ve known me for years (and even some who haven’t known me for long!) comment on the way I’ve crafted what is essentially the perfect job for me – meeting people and asking them about their current thinking and passions, guiding, coaching and mentoring executives, leaders and business people into the best options for them so that they LOVE what they do, writing, being creative, being playful – and having lots of fun.
 
Most of the time, I can’t distinguish whether I’m working or playing, so that my work becomes play for me…that’s a great joy. It didn’t happen by accident – I did actually deliberately create and craft the ‘playground’ (otherwise known as workspaces!)  in which I operate, and it is a highly productive space. And it evolves all the time, as I develop and learn and share with clients in workshops and individual sessions.
 
Find out more about loving work at www.loveworks.co 
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How to fail your way to success

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How to fail your way to success – why it’s good to get it wrong… sometimes

Failure, Fear, Feedback and Fascination

In business, venture capitalists know that only a small percentage of the projects they invest in will make it financially, hence they have an ‘if you’re going to fail, fail fast’ mentality so they can move on and support the companies that are succeeding and thereby recoup their investment.

The quicker you make mistakes and recover from them, changing what you do and how you do it, the more your chances of succeeding. In sales, collecting the ‘nos’ so you get closer to a ‘yes’ is a way of bolstering the spirits and confidence of the salesperson, helping them to persist and ultimately arrive at the closed sale.

There has been such a huge emphasis on ‘success’ in our world it has made it difficult for people to admit to failure, though it’s often the times we don’t achieve what we set out to that teach us the most, both about ourselves and our projects, and help us to be more resourceful. The idea of the ‘survival of the fittest’ is really more the survival of the most flexible and adaptable, fleet of thought and action. 

I have stories from my work with young people, where, gliding through the system with ease, with no failures or impediments until a sudden roadblock arises, has left a gifted and talented teenager devastated and unsure.  The doors that had always opened effortlessly are now suddenly slamming shut – and they have neither resources nor an alternative view of the future, nor means for coping with that upset and rejection.

They don’t know how to take the experience as a valuable resource in building resilience, and use it as a ‘set-up’ for future achievements, because they have never been taught how to manage themselves in such a way.  It’s not what our current education system does, and sadly it leaves a lot of casualties in its wake who feel branded and boxed as failures when it doesn’t need to be that way.

Failure

Adopting a different perspective, if we take ‘failure’ to mean simply not achieving the result we set out to accomplish this time, and acknowledge that we did achieve something even if it was unexpected or undesirable, it’s much easier to accept that failure is a temporary setback that can be corrected and adjusted. Moving from a position of ‘Trial and Error’ to ‘Try-all and Success’ makes a difference, and we can regroup, rethink and carry on.

Fear

If we can work with the idea that we are not going to improve with every attempt, or trial, (think experimenting and persevering, not tedium and stress!) then the fear of not achieving is removed, and we can feel more relaxed about finding new ways to approach whatever it is we want to accomplish. If we know that plateaus, dips and even troughs can occur alongside peaks and pinnacles, we can assimilate it into the way things really are, and it helps reduce the pressures.

We all know fear is a major inhibiting factor for success, but it is easier said than done to eradicate it in a world that revolves around constantly winning and being ‘right’.

Fear of failure, of being judged as in some way wanting, is something most of us have suffered from at some time and having the courage to push through allows us to go on to success.

Feedback

This is where Feedback comes in. If we can be gracious and accepting in failure, rather than sulking or quitting, we learn valuable lessons from what happens in the process, which we can take with us to the next trial. In NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) one of the presuppositions is that there is ‘no failure, only feedback’: your results tell you what you need to know to be able to move forward.

In a way, it is true, but telling that to someone who has just had exam results that definitely failed to get them into the school they wanted is a tricky business! The language around education demarcates ‘pass’ and ‘fail’ very clearly. The feedback is very clear; you didn’t answer the questions correctly.
Feedback from failure: Learn more; apply it better for next time. Getting to the point of accepting that maybe it was for the best in the long run takes time and sensitivity.

Fascination

So what happens when you don’t get what you want? How can you deal with it more elegantly? Can you become fascinated by your ‘failure’ so that you experience it from a position of researcher, observer, analyst, in the style of the scientific method, which always attempts to disprove its hypotheses and therefore acknowledges the process rather than the outcome? Can you extract the lessons with good grace so that you use them as a lever to propel you to success?

If you can get to the position where you say to yourself ‘How fascinating!’ as you fail, or fall or don’t get what you want, rather than swearing or sulking, you’ll gather more clues of what needs to be done next time to succeed. Fascination is more comfortable than frustration, and more likely to bring you the outcome you want, faster.

What fascinates you about failure? What experiences could you re-vision as a resource for your future success?

We’d love to know. 

 © Christine Miller

(Adapted from ‘Fail your way to success’, first published Sept 2011 at www.birdsontheblog.co.uk) 

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