Happy New Year everyone. As we battle the January Sales, and finish off the last of the Christmas cake, I’ve been reflecting on 2011 and gearing up for 2012.

 I love telling people that I lead a woman’s group called Damsels in Success, because more often than not, the first reaction will be … ‘what a great name’!

Certainly is and it’s a great concept too … I’m not aware of anything quite like it and the fab thing is, that any woman can come along and try it out for free.  In fact, I will even throw in a cup of tea (or coffee ;-)) and some cake … if you come along to one of our events … so come along on in and see what we’re all about!

So just WHAT is it all about then? Damsels in Success is a supportive, high-energy gathering of fabulous women, who want the lives they want, the way they want it!

Now I joined this ‘eve-olution’ over 3 years ago & can honestly say that it has changed my life … in all sorts of superb ways. Before then I was doing the oh so feminine juggling act of family, work, housekeeping, gardening, being a social secretary & so much more besides. I ran around like a headless chicken, feeling, so much of the time, tired, ill, lonely, unhappy & unfulfilled …

Well to cut a long voyage of self discovery short, I found Damsels in Success and from then on - every month I got a mega burst of fun & energy, as well as witnessing inspirational speakers, learning new living strategies & seeing myself in a whole new & positive light.

Damsels in Success was, quite simply, the catalyst for me to change my life. It has allowed me to appreciate who I really am & to live the dream - MY dream - on my terms.  This all came about because even though I had a 9 to 5 job & the 50,000 pressing commitments that most of us have - I decided to commit time, effort & money in myself and my ‘investment’ has re-paid me huge dividends - in terms of the business I now run, the life style I chose to lead and the fabulous people I now get to spend my working life with.

Having joined the original Damsels group in Warwick I knew this was going to be HUGE for women everywhere!  I am proud to say that I became the first woman that our Founder Lucie Bradbury has entrusted to take on the mantle of Leader and over the last 18 months Damsels in Success has gone from 1 group to 11, all over the UK AND held its first national conference (in November 2011).

It has been a truly amazing time of life changing growth for so many women: Here is what some of our fabulous members and guests have to say about their experience of being a Damsel in Success and spending time with me:

“Sandie takes her work seriously, in the sense that she is deeply committed to supporting the people she works with to achieve their goals and she isn't afraid to ask challenging questions to help them get there. At the same time though, she knows how to inject some light heartedness and fun into the proceedings. ~Helen Hobart

Just want to say a big thank you to Sandie and our group of Damsels for last nights meeting at Burton. I gained a lot of strength, energy and support from our discussions and listening to others experiences. ~Jo Westwood

Sandie is an inspiration and role model to others seeking to change their lives in a positive and stress free way. She is a good listener, she is thoughtful and intelligent with the ability to to get straight to the heart of a problem or situation. When speaking to a group she is able to draw people in, capture their attention and surprise them with an unexpected conclusion! This makes her fun and interesting. Sandra has the 'feel good' factor and is therefore energising to be around. ~Lynne Charlton

Sandra is excellent at her job as leader of Damsels in Success. I always found Sandra to be very supportive, enthusiastic and her know-how was second to none. For self-development, enthusiasm and fun, Damsels in Success and Sandra as the leader is the place to be. ~Avril Mitchell

“Damsels in Success is a great organisation for women looking to achieve their full potential. I attended as a member with Sandie two years ago and she has become an integral part of the Damsels team, taking the message from its home in Warwick out to the rest of the Country. Sandie is a lovely lady, with vision, integrity and who truly cares for those she works with.” ~ Roni Flatley

“I am a member of Sandie's Burton based Damsels in Success group, and through this have had personal coaching with her. I find Sandie's approach to be very positive, thoughtful, considered, calm and yet energising. Every time I leave a Damsels meeting I am totally buzzing with ideas and motivation, thanks to Sandie's inspirational energy. I should also mention that Sandie goes beyond what is expected with her caring personal touch. Many a time I have received an email, phonecall or Facebook message giving individual support, follow up information or simply a suggestion of something that might be of interest. Sandie has great integrity and is a fantastic person to work with. I do not hesitate in recommending her services.”

~ Jo Westwood

“I have attended Sandie's Damsels in Success self development / networking events on a number of occasions now and have always been blown away with the support for both my business and personal life. Sandie is down to earth, honest and really knows her stuff. She has a very approachable personality and really makes you feel valued to be part of her world. Her presentation and speaking skills are flawless and she makes sure that audience participation is kept the maximum! Thanks Sandie!”

~ Rebecca Harvey”

And now 2012 is fast approaching, bringing with it the promise of … who knows what?!  I’m setting my intention that it will be the best year ever for all of us and to make that happen our January event is ‘Goal Setting for Goddesses’, where I will be sharing Damsel’s unique process for making ‘success with out the stress’ a fabulous, feminine reality, as I guide you through using your talents to create the actions that are going to give you your best year yet! 

And may be, just may be, your New Years Resolutions have had a tendency to fall by the wayside in the past, well instead I am going to show you how to make your dreams and goals a reality and make 2012 the year of the Damsel in Success. 

To join us, just sign up on the website – it’s free when you register on-line for the first time.  Yes: it all takes place on the evening of 18 January, at the Royal Hotel in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, within easy driving of Leicester, Burton on Trent, Nottingham and Derby (to name but a few!).

I’m looking forward to another amazing year and can’t wait to see how it all turns out – for YOU and for me!

With love and laughter from,

Sandie xx 

Leader – Damsels in Success: Burton upon Trent

So the calendar changed to 1 November and suddenly the retail world was getting ready for Christmas – mince pies and Christmas trees in the shops, Yule tide adverts on the telly and ho ho ho – into Christmas we will go!

People are counting down the days, stashing away their early present shopping and the sense of anticipation starts to build. 

It’s a time for celebration, of family and coming together, of remembering long lost friends on your Christmas card list, of bringing down the decorations from the attic, blowing off the dust and bedecking your home.  Then there are the parties, the writing of the cards, and the wrapping of the presents and how many Turkey Dinners before the big day on The 25^th of December?

Christmas really is a time of community and yet so often, people can feel so alone, so stressed and so stretched.  It’s a long time for anticipation to build and yet some how, couples can bicker, families fall out and tempers fray, when all around us it seems that it really should be the season of good will.

At Damsels in December we are concentrating on celebration, community and creation.  We will focus on importance of community and celebrate the fabulous female phenomena of Damsels in Success.  We will also be celebrating the big C in our very special and unique Damsels style and this involves the creation part …

Not only that, we will ALSO give you the Damsel’s Recipe for a stress free and joyous Christmas, so that December will be the month of the delicious Damsel, enjoying Christmas without chaos, a yummy Yuletide and lots of other fabulous acronyms all leading up to 2012 … the best year yet!

Join us on the evening of Wednesday 14th December in Ashby de la Zouch and let your Christmas season sizzle and sparkle. Sign up for FREE here.

Have a Peachey Christmas!

Sandie x

November the 5th came round again and so me and a gaggle of friends, from 50 to 3, crammed in to a car and made our way to our local public display, waiting patiently in slow traffic and then joining the crowds shuffling along the pavement expectantly to our sparkly destination. There were hotdogs, fair ground rides and people of all ages who had dug out their winter scarves, hats and gloves for the very first time this year. 

Having queued for the loo and the food, we were ready to be wowed and so when the fireworks began, we weren't disappointed ... 

The first rockets exploded and I found myself with a huge smile on my face. The rockets whizzed, banged, flashed and sparkled. We cheered, clapped, oohed and ah'ed. And amongst it all, I reflected how much I still love fireworks, how they can carry me back to the excitement of being a child again and how they make me feel so ALIVE. 

I've seen fireworks so many times in my life, yet they never fail to fill my head with light, spectacle and joy. 

So what are YOUR fireworks, what do you have in your life to take you out of the ordinary, lift you and let you sizzle and soar??? For me of course it's fireworks, it's dancing to 80s hits with friends, it's cooking for loved ones, cuddling a purring cat and so many more fab things ... All pleasures to treasure, all guaranteed to help me sparkle and shine. 

It can be a favourite book, an old film watched on a Saturday afternoon ... seconds, hours or days of time set aside to give me space, inspiration, comfort and joy. 

All deliberate acts of kindness to myself. Because let's face it, we can be the hardest on ourselves, not always deliberately take care of ourselves and find ourselves falling into routines where work, family, etc, etc becomes all consuming and rest and play for ourselves may or may not get factored in.  

So stop and think about giving priority to your rest and play - for the psychological and emotional benefits to you and so, it follows, in turn to those around you, as you then shine brighter. Just think about what opportunities you can create for pause and for play - the fireworks for your soul - what you will do, for you, to make those moments, hours and days of comfort and joy? 

For me - a few weeks ago, I was getting caught up in all the things I had to do, getting worried and overwhelmed, so I sat down and created opportunities for my fireworks for the soul ... So for starters, this week sees me going to a gorgeous country hotel for afternoon tea and champagne with a loved friend - giving me my 'fireworks' and giving her a treat and a break too. I'm enjoying the thought of it already :-). And some how, the other commitments are met, the work gets done AND I get the 'fireworks'. 

So it's time to find YOUR fireworks ... enjoy the planning, enjoy the doing and I look forward to sharing the sparkle with you...

With sparkles and stars.

Sandra

Founder - Peachey Days

So … have you ever heard of in-door fireworks?  Well at my next Damsels in Success event - on 16 November, we are all about creating our OWN sparkle!

Now if I were to ask you if you would love to have more happiness, success and fulfilment in your life … I’m guessing the answer would be a resounding yes!

So let me ask you another simple question:

Just WHAT is stopping you from getting it then?

Well maybe you know or may be it’s more elusive than that … either way, you know you would like things to be better or different …

The things is, most of us say ‘yes’ to wanting more happiness, success and fulfilment, but we never give ourselves the time (or even ask ourselves the question) to find out what is stopping us from getting all what we want … and more besides.

At Peachey Days with my women’s self-development group; Damsels in Success we truly believe that women really can have more, and each month we join together at our Burton group in Ashby de la Zouch and within our amazing online community across the UK, and explore exactly how we go about doing just that.

Sparkle from the Inside Out

Join us as we celebrate with fireworks and extra sparkle this month, on the evening of 16 November, at the Royal Hotel in Ashby de la Zouch and to make the proceedings extra amazing, we have an extremely special guest joining us: Life Transformation Mentor - Natasha Abudarham, helps women get out of their own way, understand who they really are and then live their purpose.

Natasha spent years searching for something more in her life and each time she thought she’d found it, she soon realized it wasn’t ‘right’. Her quest took her across the world to try life in 5 different countries, changing her job 8 times, moving house 15 times and as for boyfriends - well! No matter what she did or where she went, Happiness, Fulfilment and Success simply seemed to elude her.

And then she realised it wasn’t her external world, but her internal one that really needed to change and she’ll be telling us exactly how, at our fabulous November event.

During her inspirational talk, Natasha will share with you:

• The 3 crucial areas that are dampening your Sparkle right now
• The biggest culprit affecting your Self-Esteem and Confidence
• The unseen things you are doing every day that stand in the way of your dreams
• The cause of physical pain and sickness

You will also learn how to:

• Create more Happiness, Fulfilment and Success in your life
• Align with the real you and your what gifts you have
• And how to let your life flow with ease and grace

Sounds like the perfect way to lighten up those cold autumn nights, so put 16 November in your diary and make a date to sparkle!  Book on-line for this event - it’s fabulous and free (to all first timers)!  Simply complete your details here and together we’ll create own gorgeous fireworks – my favourite is the Catherine Wheel – what’s yours?!

With love and laughter

   Sandie x

Peachey Days Founder / Leader – Damsels in Success – Burton on Trent

Think of VIPs and chances are you think of swanky cars, posh restaurants and the like … Now if you want to become a VIP yourself – be in it in business, in job search or for reaching for the stars in any area of your life – it means pushing yourself to be your best, to get the results that you so desire.

So how can you dramatically improve your ability to deliver those results? How can you make being a VIP - on your own terms - less of a lottery ..? Well, the answer lies in one simple word: accountability.

Often in life, in business, etc we are rarely really accountable to anyone. So this means that we can make all kinds of promises and commitments to ourselves and then when obstacles, procrastinations and (good old fashioned) life gets in the way, we forget or turn our back on these great goals, just as if we had never signed up to them in the first place. The thing is that most of the time there is no-one out there to really ‘manage’ us and so we get away with not fulfilling our promise and reaching our own targets. Then to compound it, our self-talk and subsequent conversations with partners and colleagues rationalise and justify what has now become our inability to step up and deliver and instead we procrastinate or give up.

Often in life, in business, etc we are rarely really accountable to anyone. So this means that we can make all kinds of promises and commitments to ourselves and then when obstacles, procrastinations and (good old fashioned) life gets in the way, we forget or  turn our back on these great goals, just as if we had never signed up to them in the first place.  The thing is that most of the time there is no-one out there to really ‘manage’ us and so we get away with not fulfilling our promise and reaching our own targets.  Then to compound it, our self-talk and subsequent conversations with partners and colleagues rationalise and justify what has now become our inability to step up and deliver and instead we procrastinate or give up.

So what can you do to change all that?  Well, the single most effective way of keeping your own promises is to be held to account. You need to find the right ‘manager’, the team and then put in place some kind of device, process or system which means that you are held accountable to deliver, to perform and to succeed, so that now you become a proformer instead of a procrastinator.  Easier said than done – just how DO you do that?

In fact you have a number of options to make yourself accountable. Whichever option you go for, you need to figure out what works best for you, your goals and your style. Will it be carrot or stick?  Airing it in public or privately anguishing over it? Moving towards a goal or away from the pain?  Well nothing is ever THAT simple – you will probably need a combination of ALL of these things!

As a VIP you should be ‘Chairman of the Board’ and your board would be the obvious people to be accountable to.  These people should also include a business coach, a consultant, or accountability ‘buddies’ to whom you will commit your goals, get you past procrastination and then get the right support to make them real.  The most powerful and successful way of doing this is to join a VIP Circle, Mentoring or Mastermind group, where you will have a coach, a group of peers and therefore the materials and support necessary to get you to where you want to be. 

As part of the package one to one coaching will get you focussed, fit and kitted out to reach your goals and power past procrastination.  Over and above this you are part of a group of supportive peers with whom you share your goals – and solutions – and who in turn will give you the powerful, positive pressure needed to push you on to win. 

Remember - unless you are accountable, there's no obligation, on you to deliver the results. And without the desired results, the right decisions and actions mean nothing.  Instead combine positive accountability with the tools, support and advice of a business coach and VIP Mentoring Group like the next one being launched by Peachey Days and your VIP Board is ready made.  YOU then have to invest the time, money and resources to make it all happen and get the congratulations of all those people on your side when you do.

Applications are being invited for the next intake of the Peachey VIP Mentoring Programme which will start in November 2011.  To register your interest, find out more and for the chance to win a FREE place on the next programme, worth £4,000, register here.  And not only that - every person who enters the VIP campaign draw will automatically get a free copy of the ‘The Little Book of Procrastination’ by Andrea Perry.  In fact the perfect procrastination busting tips and advise to start you on the road to being a true VIP!