Sknow Magic!

There is something magical about snow.

I remember the days when I used to watch the news and read the papers. As soon as snow hit there were reports of disaster, doom and gloom all over the country. Trains weren't running because it was the wrong type of snow, people were freezing to death and cars were being marooned all over the country.

These days I do not read any papers beyond the sports pages and the news is something that I haven't watched for years. I realised one day that not since the days of John Craven's Newsround (and I'm now showing my age!) had I seen something positive on a news report.

Since our focus affects our lives, why would I want to find out lots of things that aren't working?

Today I went out walking in the snow and a lady in a car pulled out in front of me as I walked down the road. She looked at me and gave me a huge smile. I smiled back and have felt great ever since. It has not been a typical experience for me in St Albans so far.

Since the snow has come I'm sure that all of the same things that always happened are happening. However, my experience is now completely different.

My evenings have now incorporated a walk to our local lake, which has been frozen over for the past week or so. The snow-covered surroundings light up the place enough to see clearly as the moon reflects upon it.

Something that I would have taken for granted, or not even left the house to see, is now causing me an inner peace like never before. Standing on the bridge of our lake and taking in the surroundings at night, in what is usually an empty park, is something special and has led me to many profound insights.

My nephews, Connor and Kian, aged 6 and 7, stayed with me over the weekend. On Friday evening we went for a late night walk and snowball extravaganza by the lake. We ran into a group of people building an igloo – a very impressive feat. What wasn't so impressive was me falling through the wall of the entrance as I attempted to help them cover the roof.

This caused great (and understandable) irritation amongst the builders. It also prompted loud laughter from my nephews. I decided to take the blame and exit the scene as the builders of the now collapsed igloo pointed fingers at each other and the language became more colourful! My nephews giggled all of the way to the lake. It was funny and a classic example of when positive intent meets negative results. Fortunately, Connor and Kian saw the results as very positive indeed and have been laughing about it ever since!

After an hour or so of running around I took them to the bridge to stand and reflect with me.

We chatted for about half an hour and I found my eyes welling up at the profundity of what they had to say. My elder nephew, Connor, realises how lucky he is and how others do not have as much as him. His plan is to contribute his entire savings to sponsoring goats for African families.

I'm not sure that his mum and dad will be as quick to let him spend all of his savings on goats but he really wants to do it. I had no idea about the project that he was on about but now realise that it is running and the advertising must have affected him deeply.

Kian, my younger nephew, started talking about Club Penguin and saving rainforests. I had no idea what the link was until afterwards. It turns out that there is a website called Club Penguin where kids have their own penguin and collect coins for penguin accessories. Every now and again they get a chance to give coins to a worthy cause. Kian told me that he always gives coins to help grow trees. He tells me that this is – "because without trees we will be dead."

Kian also went on to say "When I was young (and he's only 6!) I thought that it was important to win all the time but now I know that it isn't always." I had never heard them share in such a light before. I let them stay out late, talked to them like adults and, suddenly, I'm faced with two philosophers.

Connor then looked up at the stars, "Isn't that nice Uncle Ads, shall we join them together and make shapes?" I hadn't even noticed them until that point.

In those moments I felt grounded, connected and truly grateful to be alive. Magic is the ability to be in the moment and usually involves doing something different to that of the masses.

I went to catch a train at St Albans station last week. It was delayed and severe weather warnings had the staff advising us not to travel. I had an event to run and had to go into London. I ended up having a drink at the station coffee shop. It soon filled up and before I knew it I was joined by three ladies. Chatting to people that I don't know has not been a regular experience for me in St Albans but lately it has.

In adverse situations community spirit is nurtured for many. More people are smiling. More people are talking. And more people are feeling better. Maybe this is just a reflection of what I am feeling at the moment. Whatever it is – it has all been enhanced since the snow started.

How I feel has now become my number one priority in life. If it feels good then I will do it. If not – it's time to do something else. Right now, I am loving St Albans, the snow and everyone who I have met or smiled at me in the past weeks. Even a simple smile has the ability to transform someone's day.

The Key to Happiness from my 7 year-old Mentor

Occasionally I have one or both of my nephews around to stay with me at the weekend, they are currently aged 5 and 7. This usually gives me the opportunity to regress a bit and have a lot of fun.

I get to play games and eat unhealthily for a day or two whilst they get the freedom to do pretty much what they like. As they are not ready to own the merits of eating healthily I have adopted their mentality whilst they are staying. Meanwhile, I get to pick their brains for the pearls of wisdom that they occasionally present.

I have a habit of asking them questions that I have yet to find an answer to and indeed probably never will. "What is the key to the universe?" and "What is the secret to life?" are things I have pondered for many hours.

Over the years I have asked them such questions and have been given answers that both astound and amuse. "Doing good farts," was an old favourite of them both in response to the above questions, for a good while.

Whilst sitting down for lunch last weekend I asked "What is the secret to everlasting happiness?" My eldest nephew, Connor, looked up and said "Look after yourself."

His tone was questioning, yet his response struck a chord with me. I knew that looking after myself was a good idea but I do not always do it. I do meditate. exercise and walk a lot "but I could do more," is a well rehearsed line that soon followed.

The tyranny of the word "but" suddenly came into play. In one second I had dismissed all of the good work that I do. But dismisses all of the content that has gone before it. It is dismissive, finite and pointless in a context like this.

I know that as far as health is concerned that I am in the higher reaches of the population in looking after myself. Using the word and, instead of but, is a much more productive linguistic structure after acknowledging something positive.

It is certain that I could do more to be healthier and look after myself better but (and this is a good context to use it) when I compare myself now to where I was last year I walk more, drink more water, eat healthier and exercise more. It is about momentum and mine has been in the right direction.

Most of my changes have been slight and manageable, without causing major or immediate shifts. However (a word that is virtually the same as but!) over time major shifts occur.

So, the lesson from Connor has deeper reaches. Looking after myself is not just about taking action to feel better it's about giving myself proper credit for the changes that I have made.

Part of this process is allowing myself to venture into less healthy practices occasionally, like eating occasional junk foods with my nephews. It is important for me to realize the lessons that I learnt whilst nursing. Namely, that how I speak to myself will have much more impact on my health than what I do to myself.

Only by becoming my own best friend will I ever be a truly healthy individual. The key to happiness is indeed looking after myself, by giving myself more credit for what I have done and being less harsh for what I haven't. It also helps to play a lot, laugh a lot and let loose

Connection and Blackberries

On Monday I went for a long walk. This is something that I love to do. Since the weather was great it made it all the better.

Recently, I have run a couple of walkshops that have had a very natural theme to them. I asked "What do you love about nature to my fellow Walk Innovators. The results were eye-opening, to say the least.

Our group started to notice all of the wonderfully kept gardens in St Albans, we paddled in the stream, listened to Crickets, connected with nature and ate blackberries. Most surprisingly of all we noticed a tree that towers over the buildings near St Albans Town Centre. I had never noticed it before.

Despite the size of the tree and obvious longevity of it and my numerous hours spent in St Albans, over numerous years, I had not seen this magnificent tower of nature that stood above the buildings. What else have I not seen that has been standing right in front of me was the consideration that I had afterwards. The answer is - many things.

This simple metaphor has exploded a range of interventions that I had not noticed before, despite them being right in front of my face.

Nature can be a powerful metaphor for life when you walk your talk. It has certainly given me much food for thought - and much food to eat on Sunday - I do love freshly picked blackberries!

Magic, Fairy's and Breaking Comfort Zones

I have just spent 11 days training with my business mentor, Clinton Swaine. This has been a vastly rewarding and beneficial experience. Many concepts are taught as he hones his students business and presentation skills.

One of the sections involved us dressing up in different costumes to add different aspects to our stage presence. We became 12 different archetypes during this 3 day section, including executive, motivator, commander, majician, majesty, channeller, pirate and fairy.

Much as the course taught us many things about breaking through our comfort zones the highlight of this section came when about 30 students, dressed as fairy's, went dancing on the lawn of the hotel where the training was based.

As we danced we were seen by a small child, no more than 3 years old. His wide-eyed expression was priceless and made the experience truly magical. Convincing this young lad that fairy's and magic aren't real may take somne doing!

Letting loose, breaking comfort zones and having fun is part of life's rich tapestry. I encourage all of you to give it a go one day!

The Power of Being Someone Else

Reverend Soulseeker and Robin Wood prepare for a day out in London

  Yesterday I organised a day out with my family from Frontier Trainings. We are a group of entrepreneurs who are brought together by Clinton Swaine. He teaches business games and gets his points across with the use of an impressive wardrobe and many different characters - that he calls faculty members.

  During some of his advanced courses a few weeks ago I started adopting a few alter egos of my own and felt how different it felt to wear the clothes of someone else and think differently. During the training I became a Buddhist monk, a hippie, a super hero and a Frenchman. Each character involved me thinking through a different set of values, a different attitude and a different voice. Each new character transformed my presence in the room and on stage.

  Not only did this prove to be interesting, it also proved to be a lot of fun. So much so that other members of the group started to reinvent themselves. It was a great exercise in being who we wanted to be and inventing new faculty members that had the traits that we wanted to develop.

  Yesterday I sent out a message to the attendees of the training and over 20 turned up in London yesterday dressed in an alter-ego. Our mission was to spread love and have fun around London. Never before have so many people wanted to have their photo taken with me in one day. I became Robin Woods, a character intent on justice and freedom. On a day that a bigger march of protest about the G-20 summit happened - we decided to march against the flow of the rest of the marchers and focus on love.

  Singing Monty Python on the tube and seeing the responses of the other commuters was particularly fun and seeing so many people smile back and join in was the recipe for an uplifting day out. Witnessing the transformations in the personalities of the group was incredible - not to mention the creative conversations as people got into character and let their imagination run away.

  I can honestly say that this was one of the best days of my life and I will be having plenty more. For anyone reading this - the next one will be on the 9th May, in London. If you want to create an alter ego, feel positive and have a lot of fun then come along and witness the power of positive energy. 

How to Reinvent Yourself

On Sunday evening I completed 3 of the most phenomenal courses that I have ever been on. During the 12 days I spent with Clinton Swaine I learned the true beauty of modelling. Not just as a paper exercise - as dressing up, living, acting, thinking and talking like someone else.

Clinton demonstrates lessons in business for entrepreneurs through games. That's right, 12 days of playing games and learning a host of phenomenal lessons - through experiencing them. 

Part of Clinton's approach involves dressing up as different characters, giving them their unique story and values and acting them out. His unique wardrobe has provided a whole host of colourful aliases over the 12 day slot.

After experiencing all sorts of differing emotions and shortfalls during my opening days, I decided to join in the fun and visit the fancy dress shop. This led to the invention of several new identities, including hippy Ric who didn't stress about anything. The tonal shift and laid back chain of thought that went with this character transformed my stage presence.

One day I donned a super-hero outfit and invented Rocky Righteous. Suddenly, the usually laid back, easy going Adam was quick to step in, volunteer his opinion and stand his ground. It was a liberating feeling. So much so that the various members of attendees all started to reinvent themselves - with incredible results.

The event was so liberating that we will be meeting in London later this month wearing fancy dress outfits for our new alter egos. I have to say that it is something that I fully look forward to,

If you could be someone else for the day who would it be - and what traits would they have. How would it feel to act like them for a day? My experience says that it is one of the best things that anyone can do to increase their social flexibility and get out of their own way. Call your friends now and organise an alter-ego night out. This will probably turn a few heads but as a good friend once told me - it's better to get looked over than to get overlooked!

Walking Wellbeing in Shenley

  Last week I ran my first event this year, in sunny Shenley. Five people turned up in -4 degrees to go walking. It proved to be a great success. Even in sub-zero temperatures it is possible to have fun, get great results and witness the beauty that Shenley has to offer. 

  It makes me realise the true wonder in the simplicity of walking and even my nephews are appreciating how a walk can yield many wonderful benefits. It is my firm belief that the simplest things will get the best results.

Another Day in the Life of an Icon

  Being an individual who likes to walk and bring a smile or two to the faces of those around me, I'm always looking to do so. As I have a local event starting off in my home village of Shenley, in Hertfordshire, I decided to deliver a few flyers and let a few people know what I'm doing - dressed as Santa.

  Having never done any door to door deliveries since a paper round when I was 10, this was always going to be an interesting affair. Since over half of the houses that I went to were empty it was a bit of a lottery. 

  Some mothers were in, with their small children, and that provided plenty of smiles all around. I also received a few worried looks - after all, I'm sure that it's not every day that Santa turns up on their doorstep telling them about a wellbeing event at the local village hall. It was particularly ironic for those houses with the "Santa, please stop here" signs planted outside numerous front doors - be careful what you ask for!

  For the most part I received very friendly responses and had some great chats. Of course, one group of teenage chaps were not so reciprocal as I wished them a merry Christmas, responding with "Santa - you w****r!" Even this brought a smile to my face as the ghost of Christmas past came back to visit - I was no angel as a teenager either!

  Everyone else who I came across walking gave me a warm smile and drivers would beep horns and wave at me as the passed by. So, all-in-all it was a wonderful day out. I've connected with the local community in a way that it hadn't dawned on me to do before, I've spread a bit of Christmas cheer and I've let a few people know what I do. 

  It's been a simple lesson in the power of Santa, connecting, walking and staying positive - for it's always the most potentially negative experiences that result in the funniest tales. Just ask any Fawlty Towers fan.

Hello and welcome to Wellbeing Innovation. This is the start of a new concept and a new era for me. Thanks to a serendipitous chain of events I have found the right people to send me into the right direction. The aim of this website will be to spread the message of simple, sustainable and fun health to a world audience. I warmly welcome all of you to my new website. Warmest wishes,

Adam