Your Time With James Sweetman

Episode 128 What I learned from taking a sabbatical

I’m kicking off this new series with my reflections on having taken a ‘practical sabbatical’ over the last few months. I speak about how imposter syndrome and other limiting assumptions surfaced when I was not distracted by the busyness of work. How I went back to basics, delved into my motivations and even sought ways to fall in love with my business again. As well as a time of renewal, it was also a reunion, a time to reconnect with parts of myself that I’d discarded or forgotten. I also share some exciting news, something I couldn’t have predicted when taking a ‘timeout.’

Episode 127 Why I’m pressing pause

This week I’m sharing how after a few weeks of contemplation, I’m pressing pause on several aspects of my business including my weekly podcast. I’ve had to put my hand up and concede that I need a rest.

In this very personal episode, my final one before I take what I’m calling a practical sabbatical, I share the question that prompted this reassessment. We’ve all been through so much and sometimes a pause is needed, not just to reassess direction, but to take a breath to rebalance and resource ourselves.

If you’re feeling lost, stuck, or know some change is trying to take place in your life or work, know you are not alone. I’m walking the path too.

Episode 126 What are you investing in?

What are you investing in? We don’t just invest money, we invest our time and energy too. This week I look at 6 different aspects of life including physical and mental health, relationships, career, and future security, and ask how am I investing my time, energy, and resources.

I focus on the idea of investing in our dreams and look at the challenges we have to navigate, especially the voice of the inner saboteur. I also recount a story about how I invested in my dream of running my own business and the unexpected dividends I reaped when I committed to taking action.

Episode 125 Celebrating the 200th edition of my community ezine Next Steps

This week on my podcast I’m taking a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the 200^th edition of my monthly community ezine Next Steps. Over the last 17 years, I’ve written and distributed my newsletter to my clients and contacts every month for 200 consecutive months. That’s over 600 articles and book reviews. It’s said consistency is key with any marketing initiative, so I certainly adhered to that!

Expanding on the theme of recognising achievements, this week I delve into why it is important to celebrate successes and why we can be reluctant to do so. Also having taken time out to review old editions of my ezine I’ve noticed common themes have emerged. I’ll be sharing these too.

 

Episode 124 Listening

For those of us blessed with good hearing listening is a primary sense, it’s how we interpret the audible environment. There are times when we can be very bad listeners. Poor listening skills are the number one marker of poor leadership and poor communication skills.

All conflict and complaints arise because someone doesn’t feel listened to or understood. Attentive listening shows that we care, it’s the simplest way to recognise and appreciate others. It’s what makes a good friend.

This week, in addition to some practical listening tips, I explain why listening is not a passive exercise. I also take you through the 12 barriers to listening as well as recounting a workshop I attended a few years ago that transformed my listening skills.

Episode 123 Self-care is not just pampering

Self-care is more than pampering or shopping, everything that is marketed under the banner of ‘I deserve it.’ In this week’s episode, I’ll be looking at the tough love side of self-love and how self-care is finding a way to be gentle with our precious heart in the midst of life’s challenges and messiness.

It’s an area many of us can struggle with, myself included. Whilst cosseting and pampering is balm for the mind, body, and soul, it’s a small part of self-care and sometimes can distract from the real work of caring for the self.

Episode 122 In conversation with Bernie Rogers

This week I’m joined by Bernie Rogers an experienced, coach, trainer, and facilitator. Bernie ran the NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) courses I attended in the past. We speak about how we personally benefited from NLP and how NLP tools and techniques underpin so much of our work with clients.

I was fascinated when Bernie spoke about mBit (multiple brain integration techniques) and how to align the wisdom of the head, heart, and gut, something that is very new in the personal development world. For more about Bernie and the NLP and mBit courses she runs, check out www.nlptraininginstitute.com

Episode 121 Fear of Returning to the Office (FORTO)

We’ve all heard the adage about not wishing you spent more time in the office as you lie on your deathbed. With offices reopening this autumn, the sentiment is relevant for many people.

For some, it’s Sunday night syndrome multiplied by ten, like that dread of the new school year we had as children. For others, it’s ‘JORTO’ the joy of returning to the office. In this week’s episode, I’ll be exploring some of the issues we are all grappling with as we navigate this uncharted territory. I also share triage self-care tips for those times when we feel overwhelmed.

 

Episode 120 ‘How I start my day’

Over the years I’ve developed a morning routine that sets me up for the day ahead. In this week’s episode, (the last for two weeks as I take a summer holiday) I share the menu of options I use to allow me to go into the day as the best of myself. 

In today’s busy, noisy, fearful world we all want to respond to events not react to them, to feel proactive, grounded, aligned, and in control of how we engage with the world. My morning routine is my handrail for doing this. I’m not rigid when it comes to this self-care practice, I like to mix it up, but I find the 30-60 minutes of investment in myself repays me tenfold throughout the day. 

 

Episode 119 A Summer Recharge

The theme this week aligns with one of my key intentions with my podcast, which is to present you with an opportunity to pause, reflect and connect with your inner wisdom.

This week’s episode is built around 6 questions. They are an invitation for your to take a trip down memory lane, to acknowledge how far you’ve come, and to reconnect with your sources of inspiration.

From favorite journeys, gifts received and goals achieved there’s plenty of food for thought. I’ll be sharing my responses to the questions too. If you journal, this week’s episode will have to reaching for your notebook and pen.