My round-up for the month of May as a coach, writer and human being.
What is your most valued asset?
I would say your attention.
The one thing that the world is trying in various ways to grab from you.
Increasingly, I am noticing that I must take control and ownership of my attention. To not allow it to be hijacked by some thoughtless, off-the-cuff remark, headline, or video clip that pops up on my social media feeds.
To recognise that I do not need to be part of every debate, sometimes it is perfectly okay to slide on by – to refuse to be dragged into a debate that is not of my making. I am learning to accept that some conversations are not for me, especially if I ask myself whether my contribution is likely to be helpful, useful, supportive, or just adding to the noise.
Our attention and focus are precious commodities that are best spent on things that uplift, inspire, educate, interest, challenge or genuinely make you smile. I am especially learning this through how I manage my time on the various WhatsApp groups I belong to.
Which is why I continue to carve out more time away from social media and the screens. Making more time to read, write, play the piano and be out and about in the world. I am pleased to say that, after some effort, I am still managing to limit my phone usage to just over an hour a day.
So, I’ll leave you with this quote:
Only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives: where we focus our attention – Greg Anderson.
What do class and social mobility mean to you?
As a much younger woman, I would not have dreamt of sharing my opinions on a public forum.
Still, as time passes, I draw strength and inspiration from the people on this platform who share their messages clearly and respectfully. People from all walks of life who use their voices to highlight the issues they care about.
So, I was delighted to take part in the online discussion on Breaking Class Barriers: Building a Truly Inclusive Workplace on Tuesday, 3rd June, alongside @JennyGarrett @JessicaRogers @CarolStewart and @PatienceOgunbona.
You can access our discussion via LinkedIn Live here:
AI meets robotics in the real world
Watching this little machine just made me smile. But as much as I can admire the engineering, the sleek design and the funky moves – I can’t help but ask myself, what is the point?
What is the real purpose behind this quirky and amusing machine?
Is it an experiment, a clever piece of marketing, or a first step towards automating all coffee baristas? Who knows?
However, it also makes me wonder about some applications of AI, those that appear sleek, well-designed and plausible, but what is their real purpose?
I’ve asked this question before, but might we need to consider the real benefits of automation? Are we automating because we can – rather than understanding where it can make the greatest positive impact on our lives?
These questions are why I wrestle with generative AI: I worry we are being seduced by a technology we don’t yet fully understand.
Enjoy the video.
Finding your joy
Where do you find your joy? What does a joyful you look and sound like once you have found it?
My message for this post is simply this: find those activities that bring you joy, and then do them – no excuses, no procrastination, no waiting for that perfect moment because I think now more than ever, finding joy and contentment is a radical and defiant act.
I first shared this post three years ago but was reminded of it again as I co-hosted another in-person Open Mic event at Afrori Books, Brighton, with Oliviyah Bain.
Thank you, Tracey, Savannah, Chloe, Bee, Mervin, Lee and Edi – the eight others who stepped forward and shared their poetry, prose, humour and stories with our appreciative and receptive audience.
It was joyful and exciting to hear such an eclectic collection of writing, and it makes me think there is magic and alchemy to our Open Mics – especially when someone steps forward for the first time.
Sharing my stories and hosting these events is one area where I find joy. Where do you find yours?
Until next time
