This year already I have been on tour! In January I went to Wales for 3 days. I discovered the pleasure of the welsh Foundation Phase – it’s to end Year 2. Fabulous play based opportunities till your 7, my idea of pure exciting education.

On my second night I set off into the Valleys and the rain was lashing down and wind it did blow!
As I arrived in this little town I found the school nestled in the hillside, sheep yes of course. As I got out of the car a man got out of the car in front and he looked like he modelled Swiss ski wear! As he took me into the hall there across the hall came a man more my age but who could equally model for a catalogue outfit or two!

Here in the Valleys was not one, not two but 15 beautiful male catalogue model primary school practitioners! They were not only beautiful but the whole staff were warm and friendly AND fun! Had a brilliant training day there and the head and I are now firm BFF!

Both schools in Wales were exciting and friendly and pleasure to work with. As I journeyed home on the Friday singing way to floor fillers and disco divas I was glad to have been on tour to Wales and look forward to going back again – regularly. In fact I may venture to Cardiff for my hen do!

Quatar next and then back to Dubai …

Shonette

As I penned my December blog I received a call from my son who was out walking with my Mum…

‘Quick Mum, Grandma has broken her leg!’

As we shot into the wood in the Geordie Prince's brand new white car he had just finished washing, and hurtled down the farm track towards the scene, dialling 999. I remembered what my Mum had said to me the previous evening.

We had had relatives over and they had asked my Mum how does Shonette manage her busy schedule and family (2 dogs and a cat and now 3 fish!!)? My Mum told them that the secret was a large sense of humour!

As we arrived on scene there lay Mum in claggy mud by a swollen muddy stream, with our 2 boys and dogs equally covered in mud… a smile crept across Mum face as I arrived in baby pink coat, PJ’s and light brown UGG’s!!

The Geordie Prince went to guide the ambulance men down the track and I tried to make her comfortable.

The ambulance came and the 3 Paramedics administered morphine and strapped her to the stretcher pondering how to manage the mud and stream! Geordie Prince (being the hero he is) stepped in as man 4 and away they went through the stream, I had to carry the paramedic packs and the sight was truly one of comedy, as they loaded her with relief into the ambulance, I observed everyone still had a sense of humour (ok, so Mum’s was more than likely Morphine induced!) but everyone joked about the mud, the adventure and it being 31st Dec 2011!!

As we all bounced back up the dirt track following the ambulance, the Geordie Prince and I giggled and I knew that for every day and every adventure 2012 brings we are all going to need a sense of humour to get us through.

So is your sense of humour ready for 2012?

P.S. The wedding panic has started, next month hear about the EBay wedding dress search, bridesmaid dress hunt and so much wedding chaos …. Oh no, I have not done the invites!!

Is it a disappointing end?

As the year draws to a close I begin to ponder 2011, no doubt just like you?

I hear people say ‘can’t wait to see the back of this year.’
 I realised how many times previously I have said this phrase! But have they actually looked back upon the year and reflected on the happy times? Or like we do reflect and highlight the rough or negative patches?

This year has been busy – like yours too!
This year has had its low points – bet you’ve had a few?
BUT THIS YEAR… 2011… has also had many moments of laughter and joy. Were you there too?


I bought my Mum a framed quote this year:

If I could reach out and touch a star for the amount of times you have made me smile this year; I would hold the evening sky in the palm of my hands.


So thank you to all those people who have made me smile this year, on trainings, in their schools, in my schools, the children, my friends, strangers on the street … It’s the smiles that make the year worthwhile.

I am here to make you smile next year and on 31st December 2012 look back and smile?

All my love
Shonette

‘Every minute of everyday is a learning opportunity’

In work and play!

What with a busy Autumn 1 I almost forgot I was engaged! (Don’t tell the Geordie Prince!)

So did my mouth and my stomach!
I always like an extra layer for winter and it’s usually beneath my skin not the latest autumn collection!

November already!!!

Still nowhere near a size less as I had planned, so its time…

The Soup diet

Mother of the bride has ordered and taken delivery of the ‘soup maker’, machine not chef (shame!). She has set about buying and trying a range of assorted veg and fruit (not sure pear and apple was quite my flavour!).

Join us this month as we go for "30 days has November and each day a new flavour to savour!"
You can drink as much as you like! Soup that is, but only 2 slices bread during the day… none at night!

Fruit is allowed – not in pie though and no the cherry on top of your Belgian bun is not part of your 5 a day!!

A hearty porridge breakfast followed by soup glorious soup…

Join me if only to giggle as I slosh and gurgle my way to a lower size?

I MUST order the dress by end Dec…

To be continued…

Shonette
x

Zoom, zoom, wedding costs hit the moon!

Ok quick wedding update… nothing really has happened!

We booked a party venue for the return from abroad wedding celebration. The venue said is it a wedding? I said ‘no, it’s a party to celebrate our wedding.’
They said ‘it’s a wedding then and we have wedding rules.’

WHAT?
WOOOOOA!

With the word wedding came ££££££!

I could not believe me, the customer, was going to have to follow RULES at my own wedding party! And pay for that as well!

The Geordie prince looked down crest as I ranted on my Shonette soap box and when I eventually got down … he said let’s look elsewhere?

So the wedding party venue hunt went wild, venues here, venues there, venues everywhere.
Some were booked, some did not cook, some did not look… great!

Eventually we found a man who said ‘I can!’,
He did not add on wedding charges and now we feel like we have found the perfect place to celebrate!

Phew!

What next?
I am determined to tackle my ever increasing thighs! I am back to Autumn boot camp. The only way for me not to want mince and dumps and jam sponge (of course with custard), is the voice of Gordy!
Find out if the dark nights and tricks and treats of October take its toll!

Stay with me - I am going to need support!
Shonette
x

Well have I got news for you!
In June I got engaged to be married!!
In August I booked my wedding!

Now you know my theme is ‘on a shoestring’! So I wanted to do my wedding on a shoestring too – I have been married before and that dress ended up at the tip!

So first the location? I have a love for the island of Cyprus and so I have decided to tie the knot there! The hotel I want said £1000 online for a small wedding. Great I thought to my self as I googled my three bridesmaid dresses and got them for £15 each!

My Fiancé and I visited the hotel with its picturesque views and luxurious environment. Squeezing each others hands with excitement we flicked the prices brochure …

Let’s just say a small wedding of 15 people was not a shoestring price! They also informed us that they did not allow children - having 6 between us that might be a problem as 3 are bridesmaids and 3 are the best men!

So sitting on our beach (well technically it’s not ours but it feels like it is!) we decided that perhaps a hotel wedding was not for us!

We went to the local Municipal to enquire what our options were and were informed that they would happily marry us anywhere we wanted! Anytime, any place, any where really applied here! So what better place to take our vows than at our villa in the hills with a spectacular view of the Mediterranean!

On a shoestring and unique.

So in August 2012 I will be going round the pool to marry my Geordie Prince!
This is your official VIP invite to join me on the journey.
I will be bride-blogger for the next year and I have asked key members of the bridal party to blog for me too! Hear from the mother of the bride, bridesmaid and wedding planner, hen do organiser and even the Geordie Prince himself may blog!


Next month it’s the cake and reception! Plus I need to lose weight so the big fat becomes slim!

Happy exciting new year
Shonette

Also I will need your help to choose the perfect – on a shoestring dress! Must be under £50!
 

Bikini Boot Camp the story continues…

It’s June the 1st 2011!
I have been a Bikini Boot camp member now for 6 weeks!

AND I am still going!

My body shape is starting to change!
My bottom has a muscle – as Gordie says ‘it’s the biggest muscle in your body’, mine is visibly the biggest muscle!

My clothes are fitting better and I am eating cake!

The thing I have found the hardest is not the Boot Camp itself (although Gordie it’s hard!), it’s the self motivation when there are days I can’t make training I have to self motivate; go out on my own!

Without Gordie I cheat myself, I think ‘maybe later…’, ‘tomorrow!’ and ‘I am not feeling great!’. All these excuses are cheats! On who? Myself!

Gordie said when you working and you can’t make training you need to run – just 20 mins!
If Gordie says I do!
So I thought come on girl! Laid my clothes out on floor, set the alarm and had a serious word with myself about my bikini goal!

There are so many things in life like exercise that we don’t like doing! We put them off, we fin excuses but when we do them and do them regularly we enjoy them! Or at least feel better for facing it!

I am determined when I Boot camp with Gordie but alone… So I changed my language to ‘determined’ something I talk about a lot in my keynote.

I am determined to be self motivated to exercise.

For 4 mornings now (at 5am) I have got up and run for 20 minutes. I can’t say its been easy and when panting round my streets at that time I chant ‘come on girl’ or if there is nothing left ‘bikini, bikini’!!

What do you need to be determined about?
What goals are you setting yourself for this term and for the summer?

Want to know if self motivation and Boot camp get me into my bikini? Or least a size smaller and whole lot fitter!

Come back for July’s.

Love Shonette

Bikini Boot Camp
Week 1

I have tried them all have you?

Diets that is!

This year I have decided as I approach a 0 ending number that fitness needs to be a priority!

So I have joined a Boot Camp with Gordie the personal trainer. It's in a local park 3 times a week and I know I love outdoors but I have fallen in love with fitness outdoors.

Day 1: It was a struggle to even get my trainers laced!   For many years my exercise has been dog walking – Gordie informs me that’s not fat burning exercise! And cake eating!
As we ran for 3 minutes, something I believed I could do I nearly lost all feeling in my legs! At 21 minutes in   I could actually feel body parts I never knew I had!
Gordie said at the end as my friend threw up in a nearby bush that we had done well to complete the full 75 minutes!

Day 2: Getting out of bed was hard! Not because I was tired more because I ached, top to toe!! The only part I found that did not hurt was my nose!

Day 3: Session 2 with Gordie took us on a different route, I talked a lot less this session!
When he shouted out the halfway point I nearly wept with relief! It was nice to see the other ladies in the boot camp also looking as wrecked as me!

Day 4: Do I have a walk like John Wayne! Yes I do! 2 sessions in and I could hardly walk, every inch of me ached and the only relief was Radox!!

Day 5: Feeling is starting to come back into my limbs. Bingo wings (under arm fat) not wobbling as much and are my trousers going on smoothly without a shoe horn?!!

Day 6: Session 3 a different location, a different group but same old Gordie! Three of everything! That means 3 sets by the way! Gordie counts and every number lasts 5 seconds!
‘Dig deep’ he shouts as sweat drips down my forehead!
‘You're doing so well, I am proud of you he smiles as I pant past him up a hill for the third time!!

Will I get bikini fit?
Will I come back?
Find out next month…

Look up!
Really!
Look up!

I recently went back to Dubai. Whilst walking in the sunshine I took some time to ‘look up’. Two things made that possible - the towers gleaming in the sunshine, different shapes and sizes reaching sky high and the second is the clean streets. You can walk without fear of tripping as your eyes scan the sky.

On return to the UK I noticed the number of people who walk along in life looking down. There are people in our lives that drain us? You know they pull the plug out at any point in the conversation and spiral-suck the very life out of you – DOWN the plug into the drain. People who radiate in our lives, the people we feel warmer for being with? The radiators – heat rises upward!

As Spring is sprung the chinks of blue sky make us look up after a long cold winter. I watched my children fly kites on the beach last week. Everyone who walked by looked up and smiled watching the kites sailing high in the sky.

So look up, walk tall - it’s much healthier and makes you feel so much better. You could even go fly a kite?

Look up and dream.

A dream is a wish your heart makes when you’re fast asleep. In dreams you will lose your heartaches. Whatever you wish for, you keep. Have faith in your dreams, and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true. - Cinderella

Is your life a daily celebration?

Someone died …
His name was Clive.
Clive Gott
It was a huge shock.

Clive was an amazing man he ran, he walked, he jumped, he danced, he laughed, he cried, he was honest …
To pay tribute to this man would take 6 months of blogs!
One of my favourite things about him was that he appreciated life.
I enjoy the simple things in life, in a busy day it's hard to appreciate that cup of tea or that daffodil blowing in the breeze. Clive came on a family picnic to a seaside castle. It was the end of April and freezing! The seagulls, the sea breeze, the taste of the homemade pasties were all fully appreciated by this world traveller.

As I sat in his favourite café in Dubai watching the tallest tower twinkle high in the sky. I thought about Clive and how much he lived.
He did not worry so much about ‘things’, he believed in kindness and karma.
We watched ‘the bucket list’ at pictures together and spent many hours making our lists after. In his death, I know he has done so many things and you could really say he celebrated life everyday.

So celebrate your life daily?
Wear your best underwear and splash on that special occasion perfume.
Buy yourself flowers.
Go to your favourite place.
Take time to see spring …

I am so glad to have known Clive and he is someone who I will never forget and I will mark his death by committing to celebrate my life daily like he did.

I don’t want to go on …

Happy New Year again!
Did you stick to what you really wanted to achieve?

Yes? Well done?

No?

Ask yourself this?
When you decide to do something, anything l- ose weight, write a book, join a club, …

What do you say?

I want to try to?

I did I say I want to try to lose weight. I lost 2llb first week, second week hit hard times, third week …

 
You know the story! I was only trying and thus setting myself up for low performance!

I have looked around over January for the successful, those achieving their goals and do you know they were few and far between but what I saw was the motivational language difference.

My friend who is succeeding at losing weight says she is determined to lose her weight.

My friend who is taking up a Masters degree says they are determined to achieve their goal.

Its simply the difference between determined and trying.

What are you determined to do?

Shall we change our wording and get to our goals?

I am determined if you are.

Yours determinedly...........

Shonette

Since November 2010 when the big freeze hit my screen wash has been frozen! Everyday I have tugged the lever to no screen wash!!

After 4 weeks and many stops on the hard shoulder – I learned to live without it and wish for spray from a lorry. I even spent large part of December on our rail network and was never disappointed, in fact had a number of adventures and met some amazing people – even talked on the tube!

My point and let’s make it quick! As I drove to Newcastle at the end of December suddenly I realised the temperature was 5 above freezing and with hope in my heart I flicked the wind screen washer and there it squirted onto my screen and I watched happily as the windscreen wipers danced merrily through the spray. It was at this point I realised how often we take simple everyday actions for granted.

We also had a power cut for 7 hours and my children learned that you can flush the toilet but your iPod will not charge!

How much do we take for granted?

Who do we take for granted?

I often talk about ‘attitude for gratitude’, giving thanks for the simple things, for the people in our day to day life, the random people we met on trains or at stations. The helpful taxi driver, happy people in a local shop …

In 2011 I intend to appreciate the simple things and look for the good all around and simply continue to improve my attitude for gratitude.

So Happy New Year, Thank you for reading my blog and don’t forget to come back next month for my little pearls of wisdom and my fabulous stories!

Shonette

P.S. I am in the process of writing a fiction novel so watch this space for a Shonette Bason rib tickler!

Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Egypt to train teachers in the Modern English Speaking school. I was extremely excited having never been to Cairo or Egypt for that matter.

Most of all I was excited to see the pyramids. I have often watch documentaries on TV about them and marvelled from a behind the 2D box over the design and mystery that surrounds them. So to see them up close, even perhaps to go inside?

I chose my outfits carefully as Egypt is a Muslim country and had my toenails specially minxed gold! Attention to detail!

On the day of my trip to the pyramids I sat in the lobby awaiting my guide with a butterfly gathering of excitement that I was going to see one of the seven wonders of the world and as I bumped along in our coach down the traditional streets of Cairo and along the Nile, my guide told me she was taking me not to the usual tourist spots but out into the desert to see the pyramids in their real glory amidst the vastness of the desert sands.

There it stood taller than I had imagined, wider and more magnificent a sight than I had anticipated.
My guide pointed out other pyramids close by and also showed me how many trial pyramids there were! Trial pyramids? I had never heard of these and sure enough there for everyone to see were about four ‘have a go’ pyramids!

The fact is that to build something so big, so amazing and magnificent they made mistakes first! They were all left still standing and each magnificent in their own way as they showed the design process and the true effort it took to get the perfect shape of the final pyramid design.

• How often have you made a mistake in your life?
• How often have you almost despised yourself for the wrong choice you made?
• How long did it take you to get over your mistake? Or are you still living with it creating a negative impact on your life now?

Let's learn a lesson from one of the seven wonders of the world - to get to where you want to be, you sometimes make mistakes but like the ‘have a go’ pyramids they can each one be a magnificent monument to where we eventually want to be.

Standing in front of the pyramid I realised once someone had a big idea as I climbed down the deep tunnel to look inside attention to detail was noted…

So if you have a big idea or vision keep going don’t let mistakes get in your way just find another space to rebuild on what you know.

Thank you to Andrell and Sasha for the opportunity to go and work in Cairo.

Shonette

Enjoy Talking – in fact BIG talk it!
To: MHRS, Manchester England Airport GM
Subject: Wednesday 30th June 2010

Dear Robert,

                  My name is Shonette Bason, I am an educational consultant for Andrell Education.

I am writing to tell you about the most divine dining experience I have experienced in a long time and it was in your Marriot Hotel at Manchester airport, Hale.

On Wednesday I was running a training in the stable room ...

At lunch we went down to the Marriot’s restaurant and were greeted by the hotel's waiter, Michael. He made everyone feel a million dollars by claiming out loud to have had his day made by serving this lovely group of ladies. He made sure he described all the delights on offer and we felt pampered and special by his excellent manner.

I was so amazed by his excellent technique that after the lunch I decided we should use our morning session to TALK out the experience and write down sentences to describe to Michael how the experience and made us feel. The delegates loved this idea and then asked if I would bring him upstairs so they could read their writing to him! I went down and spoke to the hotel manager Andrew who was delighted by my feedback and agreed whole heartedly that I should take (poor!!) Michael upstairs to hear the delegate’s gratitude. On the way I explained to him my theory on ‘attitude for gratitude’ and a little about the training itself.

The delegates cheered as he entered the room and he got himself a comfy chair at the front with me. Table by table they read what they had written to him. Here is what they wrote:

Dear Prince Charming,
Thank you for your welcoming and attentive
service during luncheon. The ambiance in your
restaurant was relaxing in the extreme; after an early start and a busy
morning we were ready to
indulge all our senses and you did not disappoint… Your
recommendations were excellent and we
regret that we were unable to resist all the desserts. We look forward
to our next visit to your
outstanding establishment.

Yours Sincerely

Dear Mike,
A sensational choice of delicious food which made our
mouths water!
Your recommendation of strawberry cups was obviously informed by
extensive research of the dessert
menu. We thoroughly enjoyed the calm environment you nurtured and the
attentive attitude you
showered us with.
Your customer service was impeccable and blew us away! A refreshing
change from our usual, mundane
dining experiences

Dear Mike,
Thank you for the array of coloured mouth watering
delights. Combining with the dancing aromas.
Accumulating into a wonderfully sweet hospitable luncheon experience.

Dear Mikey,
We entered your glamorous dining hall ready for an
appetizing lunch. We were ready to satisfy our
growing appetites. The atmosphere was relaxing and accommodating. The
way you presented your apples
and plums was stunning and fruity! The chocolate cups and mousse for
dessert, were divine. They
supplemented the main course beautifully. The food was orgasmic.
We gusto and energy we are now off to attack our afternoon session.
Thank you for the wonderful
luncheon experience.

With regards and true admiration, your fan base
The Spring Hill Supersizes!

He shone inside and out from the experience and the delegates did too. I said because they had gratitude for Mikey’s service they too would be rewarded in some way. About fifteen minutes later in he walked carrying a tray full of smoothies he had made specially to say how much he had enjoyed the experience.

Robert,

I used to be in the catering industry and I considered myself a natural customer pleaser but this Michael was truly a star at his job and I wanted to make you aware of the excellent level of customer service being provided at this Hotel.

I had also stayed the previous night been guided to my room, assisted by security in car park, indulged in the most amazing breakfast in my room and been warmly greeted by all the staff at the hotel despite the level of customers pouring through the door.

I wanted to let you know because like my delegates thanking Mikey, praise is not something we dish out often! I hope you are now glowing with pride because it certainly is a Marriott Hotel to be proud of and I look forward to my next visit.

Kind regards

Shonette Bason

Shonette,

Thank you so much for your email, your time, and your talent and making people feel special. I too now feel a million dollars and because of that so will all my associates as I spread the word around the hotel with your remarkable feedback. Mike is one of our star performers, I agree that he is naturally confident, relaxed and skilful in his job, and I am lucky to have him on the team and shining the way in hospitality for his colleagues. The team of Chefs here, headed by Darryl are also passionate about the food that they prepare.

We get together at 2pm on Mondays to go through all feedback, and you are correct, much of it is about 'improvement'. I will read out your email to everyone, and please be assured that Mike will be recognised
for his contributions.

You may receive an invite to complete a survey from Marriott, if I may encourage you to complete it by thinking how excellent your experience was.

And finally, thank you for your business, I know you have many choices, and I am grateful to you for coming to Manchester Airport Marriott, be assured that my team will always be attentive to your needs.

Have a great weekend.
Rob Rudge
General Manager

Read all about it…

Shonette Bason Leaves Teaching in the Classroom!!

I know can you believe it?

I, Shonette Bason, have left the classroom for a trial period as a full time motivational consultant/trainer!

I made the decision for a number of reasons and it was a hard choice as, if you know me, I LOVE the practical aspect of teaching combined with the consultant aspect one day a week. However over the past year the demand for my training and work across the country and indeed THE WORLD! has become huge so I have decided to step out, as they say.

In the summer term 2010 I jumped for joy at the thought of no more assessment, prep, prep and toilet habit cleaning!

On Day 1 of the Autumn term I cried all the way to Liverpool and back at the thought of not being able to have my own class and in a dramatic voice ‘no working with children!’

I have waited to be a few weeks in to write my blog as I wanted to see how I felt and you will be pleased to know I have a new light on my role…

I am going out into the world to IMPACT and to make a difference – not just to my one hundred children in my setting but hopefully to hundreds and thousands. As every person I motivate, inspire and train then goes back bubbling to their thirty and the ripple effect occurs…

As soon as I thought these thoughts and stopped feeling sad I had feedback like:

"Thank you for a great day yesterday. I certainly came home with a new lease of life and brimming with ideas to take back to school! "

"Thanks again for a fantastic day I’ve really enjoyed it drove straight and purchased play doh in little tubs! Unit 2 will be having exciting fun with dough disco tomorrow!"

So come and help me IMPACT by booking on a training or INSET or coming to my Early Years Conference!

Here is to a Happy New School Year
Shonette

Thinking of something this July?

Wow is it July already?
Another school year is nearly over!
Phew we made it!
So much has happened since my last blog I am not sure quite where to begin; the beginning I hear you cry and you're right, so …

June is my Birthday month and I sailed through with pride but I am approaching a zero ended number and it makes you think …

A lovely school friend died tragically and I attended her funeral. That certainly made me think …

I was filmed for Teachers TV and that made me think …

Ben Harding taught me how to teach maths in the most amazing way called CLIC. His inspiration made me think …

I trained over 100 people this month and learned so many new things. Every minute makes me think …

I was moderated!!! That made me think …

So much thinking in such a short space of time! My point is? Throughout all the thinking I focused my mind to creating a good feeling inside, hard in some of the circumstances but the better the internal feeling the better the external view became.

I realised so many things in the space of 30 days but mainly I realised life is short. No one knows how long we actually have but by maintaining happy feelings and creating happy experiences we can impact not just on our own selves but on others and help them to get ‘happy’.

• A good friend said to me ‘happiness is a choice’ and they are right
• Where are you happiest?
• Who are you happy with?
• When you go to work each day do you make a conscious choice to be happy?

Perhaps you need to do some thinking?
Perhaps you need to do some choosing?

Ultimately I believe that each human knows what makes them happy - brand new shoes, CD, a place, a person, your children, your partner… So why do we chose to stay miserable when the solution is simply a change of choice?

Lots of love for the long summer ahead
Keep happy and see you in September
Shonette x

OH NO! I forgot it was May and then suddenly June was upon me!

Have you been lost in the sands of time too?
I missed you already!

My excuse for not writing to you?
Simply?

Hard work!

Do I need to say the words moderation? OFSTED? Teachers TV? Reports? My Life...!

Sorry 'life' what's that? Is that the weary bit at the very end of the day where I want to sleep but that sensible voice in my head says 'Go on do just one more ... Report!!!'

This term is the most fabulous weather wise but the hardest work. Your to do list seems endless but the end is once more in sight!

Russell C. Taylor: Quotes: Hard Work
"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do!"

So as we speed through June and into July we must as Russell says...

Oh Where Oh Where has my Dolly gone?

Sometimes in your life you’re down?
Sometimes in your life you're down and things spiral even further... downward?

Sometimes in your life your friends and relations are down?
Sometimes when they are down their life spirals even further... downward?

It’s so true when we are down at the bottom everything looks bleak, then more of the same happens to make bleak seem colourful! Have I got you down there in empathy yet?

Well I am not down!! Yeah! But lots of people in my life have down been recently and my advice to them? Simply? 'Get back up!'

Get back up! That's it, you cry?! No, really lift yourself on a daily basis through music, dance and song.

Take time when you’re 'down' to play some music you love - blast it! Lay back! Or dance around - go on... try it, no one is watching!

When you take this time your mood lifts and your perspective and all of a sudden things start happening.

A friend and I went on a night out to cheer her up we stayed in a hotel, had time getting ready and nice glasses of bubbles but when we got onto 'the town' the music was little ... boring?!

Our favourite tunes to dance to are by her good self Dolly Parton - yes I know that made you smile but you can't beat a bit of 9 to 5? Well, we decided to search for a pub that played her. We searched all over this said town and people looked in shock when we asked for Dolly Parton!

Where oh where had Dolly gone?

Eventually we found her in a traditional pub that was full of stag do's! As the Dolly beat struck up, a cheer echoed around the pub and the dance floor filled with elated Dolly fans. We danced the whole song as the whole pub sang along and as Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer' came on we knew we were on the up!

So this month take time daily to find your Dolly, just one or two songs that make you smile and sing even when people are watching.

As your mood rises watch life get on that upward turn too.

Love

Shonette x

Happy holidays!!

As a teacher, holidays are a perk of the job. How many times do people remark about how many holidays ‘teachers’ have? I always laugh it off and say I know its great isn’t it! No point in arguing when we get more than most!

This holiday I asked my children where they would like to go!
(Don’t ever do that!)
They said they would like to go to Blackpool!!!
SO to compromise and take the dogs with us too I booked a cottage in the country just outside Blackpool.

The weather for the week was spectacular, the food delicious, the cottage gorgeous. As the week went by I jotted down some notes as the children described the best bits of each day:

Day 1 was arcade day! The best bits were the tummy in the mouth moment as the ride tips over the edge! The sensation of freshly cooked chips and the taste of a full English breakfast! The rosy cheeks from sea air and sea weary feeling when you get home.

Day 2 was water park day!
The sun rising over the horse fields in a bright blue sky! Washing drying on the line in a field! Excited chatter on the journey there. ‘Whoosh’ of the roller coaster waterslide and the feeling of bravery that Mummy rode it!!
Giggles of laughter, screams of fright and peals of delight! Arms gripping your chest as you fly straight down, YES straight down a vertical tube! The faces of your children as they see you fly out the bottom – shaking!

Day 3 was forest day!
Children pony riding round the cottage. Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine! In-car picnic when lost looking for the forest! The panic of being lost with no mobile signal! The sight of random tea van that sells ice cream!! Walking on the fells. The cold wind on your face. The sign that says you’re going the right way!

Day 4 was our poorly day!
…

Day 5 was zoo day!
The realisation my children were now interested in Zoo talks, not just park and shop! Watching huge silver back gorilla guard his family. The roar of the lion to the playful lioness! The pink of the flamingo’s, cuddliness of the Lemurs huddle!
If you could be animal what would you be conversation!

Day 6 the last day!
Gratitude for time well spent together. Happiness from such an adventure and final wash load on the line in the field!

Happy kids, happy dogs and happy Mum.

Holidays are about getting to know your life, your family, your dogs …
Holidays are for spending time without time curfews!
Holidays are about staying up late and sleeping in!

Holidays, no matter where you spent yours, are about finding that inner tranquillity and peace that helps us to cope with the summer term!

 Seven weeks till half term!!

What you going do and where you going spend your next one?

Shonette

My big fat early years wedding – sorry conference!

In  February 2009 I was sat thinking about the people who inspired me on ‘my learning journey’. I thought of Anne Cradock who inspired me in my physical development skills and introduced me to Andy Dalziell. I thought of Lorraine Patterson and her magic wood in Lucker. Dr Jan who makes me think about talking! I thought of Clive Davies who inspired me to Learning Challenges and introduced me to Ben Harding …

In life I believe there are some people who you are destined to meet for a reason.

I wanted the North East region to meet people who inspired me so that they to could be inspired on their journey. So I thought how about a celebration day with all these people, with Helen on admin bookings and location finder it became reality.

On Tuesday 26th February all of the above people  (Ben will be there next year! ) came to Durham for a one day conference celebrating Early Years within our region.

My vision for the day was not only to fill delegates with inspired thought but to also celebrate early years practitioners across the region. People like me who work hard everyday indoors and outdoors, through extended hours and onto high profile targets!
                                                       

So I filled the day with fun from the word go, the ugly sisters (who were really actually very pretty!) greeted delegates with colourful party bags. Balloons filled every room – even balloon trees stood tall waving yellow, red and blue branches!

The tables in the main room were set party style with gifts to fill their party bags and glass jars full of treats to boost the delegates sugar levels should they lower over the day.
Clive was the first Key note speaker and he talked about the Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory that Early years settings are seen as.

I felt so proud as I stood on the stage for the closing key note. I could feel the energy from delegates was still very high and the room was still full – no one had left early although the super raffle prizes might have held everyone to the end!

As the raffle was drawn and the winners whooped, my big fat early years wedding – sorry conference came to an end. The feedback was brilliant and I have received such a large number of emails and texts telling me how the inspiration and motivation has actually lasted and ebbed into settings all over the North East region.

So ‘my pearl of wisdom’ this month is dreams can come true. I had one about bringing all my inspiring friends/trainers together to create a special day to nurture early years practitioners who often feel under valued. It came true – with little bit of organisation and vision.

What do you dream of? It only takes a vision and little bit hard work and determination and it will come true.

If you're reading this from another region my big fat early years wedding – sorry conference is going on tour!

Wednesday 20th October 2010 – Leeds
Thursday 18th November 2010 – Bristol
Friday 10th June 2011 – Nottingham

Those who attended thank you so much for making my dreams come true and date for next year?
Thursday 3rd March 2011

Shonette

 
"Minds are like parachutes-
They only work when they are open"
Thomas Dewar

Would you believe this quote came out of my Christmas cracker?

The year I turned Thirty (it seems so far away now!!) I decided to do a tandem parachute jump in Cyprus!!! It was the most exhilarating feeling dropping from a plane and freefalling, then suddenly the chute opens and silence falls as you sail through the air! The instructor strapped to me kept me right the whole time and having the experience together made a bond so strong. When I landed he lent across and said ‘we made it together girl!!’ – YES I felt the relief to have made it too! Together!

Over Christmas I had the pleasure of  meeting another inspirational consultant called Ben Harding as we co-created some exciting ideas together in a Costa coffee one bleak day - the excitement was doubled because it was shared. When I am working on consultant publications the co-creation of ideas is a great tandem moment, the drive to the initial meeting full of ideas, the meeting and sharing of ideas, experiences and innovative thoughts. The drive home buzzing with proactive future thoughts that the tandem moment created.

The down moments in life are often testing times and endured mainly through our ‘tandem moments’. People who love us and care enough to say ‘come on, let me help you by pulling your chute open for you!’

Do you often choose to work alone?
Could you find a ‘tandem jumper’?
Co-create.....  go on, give it a try - bet you feel that magic buzz after when you have given ‘tandem moments’ a try.
  

Thank you to all who share in my ‘tandem moments’, the energy and the buzz you give me in co-creation keeps me smiling and innovative in thought.

Shonette x

Winds and Wands

Wings… if we had wings we would fly to the person/situation that troubles us.
Wands… if we had magic wands we would wave the wand over the person or situation that troubles us.
But we have neither.
What do we do have is a seed of faith in the source of universe/God…
Only a small seed, granted, but a seed of trust, and as we trust the universe
With our faltering seed… she will respond in the right time and space sequence.
Until that time – you have my hand to hold
By P.P.

A  simple poem for January 2010, January is a tough month for everyone, back to work blues, lack of cash, tax bills to pay, whole six weeks till we  are off again!!
BUT it is also the start of not just a New year but a whole new decade!!
What are your hopes for the next ten years?
Do you have any challenges for yourself?
How old will you be in ten years and what would you like to look like?
Don’t waste your seed on bird food! Sow it this month and see what you can create. Visualisation of your dreams is the first step to realising them. How can you sow the seed if you don’t know how you want the plant to look?

Whilst you're thinking, sowing and trusting in the universe – know, as the poem says, that I have got your hand. Reach out and tell someone now who is going through a tough time that you have theirs - you would be amazed what a difference to their day this will make.

Ready to leap into the next decade with me? Hold on tight!

Happy New Decade!

Shonette

Do you believe?

It’s that magical time of year, where teachers all over this land are tearing their hair out trying to get their class into some sort of show for parents/carers to celebrate Christmas.

I myself began the task yesterday! 28th November - my key workers cried:

 ‘It’s too late to knock them into shape!’

But I have a duty - a time honoured tradition - to impart. All my 82 parents/carers are waiting for the Christmas show date!  So it's for parents/carers everywhere I attempt the task of producing the Christmas show!

Do you remember your child appearing in their school show? Dressed as a donkey or with a tea towel on their head as shepherd? Was it a moment you will always cherish? Especially as they become teenagers!

Even the toughest of parents has a glory moment as their child treads the boards in the name of Christmas. It literally melts hearts.

I remember helping one of our builders get much sought after tickets to his daughter's final Christmas show at primary school. I called the school and told them how upset he was not being able to share her moment and they gave him VIP access and seats! I am sure even now if you asked him he can recall the moment as she appeared on stage and the hug she gave him after for being there.

Those parent moments are why we torture ourselves each year to produce the Christmas show, why we scream ‘will the animals please sit still’ and ‘sing please SING!’

The Christmas production gives so much joy to the audience watching it. It fills us all with hope and love as we watch the children of the future dance and sing.

Two of my children have parts in their shows this year and I know I will be there glued to my seat – I know their words off by heart too. The joy of watching them will bring me more pleasure than anything you could buy in a shop or online.

So are you seeing a Christmas show? Even a pantomime? Restore your belief in Christmas and go watch a show or someone you know dance and sing Christmas in.

The ticking ticking hands of time

Already the shops are full of Christmas!

Do they not know that with every sight and sound of Christmas season approaching the heart of the Early Years practitioner beats faster because they know they soon have the dreaded task of turning their classes of 3 to 5 year olds into cute nativity characters!

Over half term I had the pleasure of spending time with my family in a far away town in the sunshine. It was time well spent everyone took a turn being poorly but recovered quickly so as not to miss a day at the pool!

Whilst I took time out from my busy work schedule I pondered the modern world’s desire for ‘quality time’, ‘ME time’, ‘US time’ and stumbled upon a theory. When I was little I enjoyed my friends, my toys and my imagination. I never expected my Mum to play with me nor did I ever look for our ‘quality time’ together. She thankfully gave me two brothers to play with when I turned five so I had ready and willing playmates. As an adult now time is so precious, work loads heavy and I am conscious about how I use my ‘time’.

All these demands on our ‘time’ are a modern term I think to pressure the modern individual. This ‘time’ is not something new - in fact it’s something very old and precious. What I learnt on holiday is that the most important thing about ‘time’ is not the lack of it but the importance of sharing it.
The moments we share our time with our families, friends or in doing our own pursuits - these are precious times.

So how are you sharing your time?

In the words of Cecelia Ahern

‘Time is more precious than gold more precious than diamonds, more precious than oil or any valuable treasures. It is time that we do not have enough of; it is time that causes the war within our hearts, and so we must spend it wisely.
Time cannot be packaged and ribboned and left under trees for Christmas morning.
Time can’t be given. But it can be shared’

Taken from her book ‘The Gift’ ISBN 978-0-00-729658-3

Sorry if you missed me in September but it was back to school crazy month for me! I am working right across the country now so look out I may be coming to a venue near you very soon.

Yes, you guessed right - a week before his Birthday I got a call from a season ticket holder (to whom I will be eternally grateful). Two tickets to see Manchester United at Old Trafford. Whoop Whoop!
Sorry was I actually whooping for football. I decided to take him to the game although I had many offers to unload my burden and people laughed at the idea of me at a football game but undeterred I counted down the sleeps, took advice on football etiquette and most importantly bought myself a new outfit with boots! Not the football variety.

The big day came and with pack up and a real sense of adventure we crossed the M62 to central Manchester.

My youngest son beside me in the car on the way home in his new Manchester United hat and scarf chatting about the game was a priceless moment that I would not have missed for the world.
So thank you to everyone who made that possible.

Remember at the beginning of this story I had little interest in football, never mind going to a game?
Well I have to say I would notch it up there in my top ten life experiences.

This experience impacted on my whole life, lifted my spirits, made me forget my worries and put the sparkle back into Shonette Bason; alongside making a little boys dream come true.

Why don't you try something new this month? Or even today? The experience may just surprise you but I know now that doing something different brings newness into your life which replenishes anyone’s flagging spirits.

My children’s little red bucket.

Last month I wrote about my children’s fishing adventure (have a look at June’s Blog). Whilst they were knee deep in water and scooping handfuls of tiny fish they kept asking me for a bucket! Now we had not intended to fish and although my handbag has many Mummy essentials I don’t really carry a bucket as one of those!

My children all believe in ‘The Secret’ and magnetising is a term they are familiar with in fact they regularly magnetise for desired outcomes with great success. But magnetising a bucket in the middle of a waterfall in a woodland park?  We all laughed and put the wish out there and I moved to a bench to allow them time to fish. A little while later they all appeared proud as punch with a red sandcastle bucket full to brim of fish!

I was so surprised and asked them ‘where did you get the bucket from?’. They explained that another family had come along with a big bucket and a small bucket to fish in the falls and had offered them the smaller bucket! They laughed as they each said ‘It was amazing as I was magnetising a bucket’.

The story of the ‘little red bucket’ stuck in my mind as I thought as adults we give up on our ‘magnetism’; we often believe our desires to be impossible but if my children can magnetise a red bucket for their fish from nothing then surely anything is possible if we put it out there and believe in it?

Use the time the holidays affords us to dream and find what your ‘little red bucket’ is and then put it out there - believe and see what happens?

Happy holidays

As this month flew by in terms of work load, I nearly missed my own Birthday! I was struggling this year with turning another year older as 40 is fast approaching and it’s not that I think 40 is old but it’s the fact that time flies and at certain points in your life you wake up to the fact that you’re a certain age and not getting any younger!

My children are obviously growing older too and it’s that time in their lives where I feel like a taxi and housekeeper rather than a Yummy Mummy! Their busy lives keep me busy but it’s important to make time and often our quality time involves walking. This particular weekend I had taken them to a local woodland park and they all dashed off in front. As I turned the corner there they all were - shoes off and trousers rolled up knee deep in a waterfall, scooping handfuls of water screaming ‘FISH, FISH!’.

They were so happy and absorbed in catching fish that the moment made me smile so wide. I forgot about work load, to do lists and any other business and simply took pleasure in the moment of my children fishing.

I didn’t have a camera to capture the moment but my memory took a fantastic picture that will always be there for me to look back on and I know each time I look it will make me smile.

So what makes you smile? In those crazy months when work load and stress are common words what moments, memories, songs make you stop and smile, forgetting all your problems for a moment can really make a difference to your health.

If you find it hard to think of them in those times of high stress then why not make a CD of songs or album – pocket size to help you focus and take that tense edge away. Smells too can distract you from stress.

Simply take a moment out of your busy day and see what difference it makes to you.

May – What are you grateful for?

I am grateful for you logging onto my site and reading my blog this month so thank you.

May! Really already?

My book you will be pleased to know is finished! Outdoor learning on a shoestring will be available on a bookshelf near you soon. What a project, what an opportunity that I only dreamed of when I was five years old. So I am thankful to have met Helen Gordon, Anna Michele-Hantler and George Robinson who all mysteriously linked to me having the book published.

This year already I have been witness to several stories of friends and family who have had the big C, yes cancer. It has made me really think about how lucky I am to have these people and the healthier people in my life and how often due to time and that ‘busy’ word we forget to tell people we are grateful for them just being around or just by us simply being grateful for our lives.

 I recently sponsored a friend from my past, she is running in the race for life and her dedication of her race to a mutual friend made me realise the difference these two women had made on my life in a time when I had little family and friends around me. I had just returned to work after having my children. The children were young, my confidence was low and these two women made me look forward to going to work, they made me laugh and they hugged me when I cried mainly from being so bone weary at the end of a working day! Most of all they helped me with child care and enjoyed my children. I have kept in sparse contact with the lady running the race but I have never forgotten the time shared with them both or anyone at that time in my life and I am so very grateful for that time. I even met my fabulous accountant during the school run at that time!

My wonderful Mum invented a game with my children the other day called ‘the grateful game’.

When you feel negative or life is getting to you or people are getting to you, dissolve all negativity with gratitude - sounds simple but it works.

Ask yourself ‘what am I grateful for?’

Sit with a group of friends or in a team and state in turn ‘I am grateful for …’

I play it with my children in the car when they are chewing each other, at first they struggle and may pass but as the sharing builds and the ‘I am grateful’ statements flow the powerfulness of this exercise shows.

Thank you again for taking time to read my blog. I am grateful to you for that.

April 2009 blog

I love Disney’s Aladdin, in fact my oldest daughter Jasmine is named after Princess Jasmine! Everyone loves the idea of having wishes in the story.

Aladdin finds the lamp and to his surprise when he rubs it, a genie comes out and grants him three wishes. At this point you immediately think - what would I do with my three wishes? In the original story there was no limit to the amount of wishes! Imagine that - unlimited wishes!

Where would you start? What would you choose differently in your life?

Part of ‘The Secret’ is creating the life you want. One of the items on most people's wish list would be money. Either larger amounts or just simply creating more in your life. One of the games I play to give you a healthier attitude to money therefore attracting more is called ‘the bank of abundance’; simply create a bank of abundance in an empty notebook and on the first day deposit £1000. Then spend it on anything you want. The next day deposit £2000 and spend it, give it away, save it but enjoy the experience each day and see what happens.

I am up to day 50 so I deposited £50,000! I decided to divide it up into 25 cheques of £2000 and give them away to my friends and family. I wrote a list of 25 people I would give the cheques too and imagined my pleasure giving the cheques and them receiving them. I thought I would struggle to think of 25 people but as I came to 25 I thought of 25 more, so the next day did the same - it was such a pleasurable process. No, its not real but the pleasure felt creates good vibrations inside.

Have a go - see how you get on - see on the never ending wish list what you would wish for.

March’s Blog 2009

Why not try it? Simply take a breath when your day is spiralling on a downward turn. Change the direction of your day in an extremely simple way.........

February’s blog 2009

I always find myself in bed early in the months of January and February - is it the dark nights or that human need to hibernate when the hours of sunlight are few and far between? No, it's because being outside during the day exploring the world through the eyes of three, four, five year olds wears you out!

My fitness has been an issue and my weight has been spiralling upwards for sometime so this month I made the adult decision to do something about it. There are so many diets on the market but the one I chose seems extreme to most and they are not wrong! Anyway which every form of weight loss road you choose to take, on my road it was extremely uphill in fact it was like climbing a glacier at times! Through the first fourteen dark days I struggled miserably wanting at times to chew on a table leg! I suddenly realised in the darkness that I ate a lot more than I thought. After twenty one days my energy levels have raised, what I thought was the need to hibernate was in fact my unhealthy body being exhausted. I am actually enjoying my food now and tasting it for the first time in long time. I crave large mushrooms rather than cake and I can say no to chocolate fudge cake for the first time … EVER!

Changing my habitual eating has opened my eyes to what in my life is a habit and how we go through routines daily as though in a sleep state missing the enjoyment of situations. It’s just like we miss the sunlight in winter - it's there... we just focus on the darkness.

I am looking forward to spring now I have started to put the spring back in my step. Although the odd sample of aero is still allowed!

January – Gossip!

Happy New Year!

Hope your Christmas was as fabulous as mine? If not, let me tell you it was the best one had in five years!

January, January and you sit thinking well shall I diet? Shall I give up something?

I been reading this Christmas and I have decided I carry far too much baggage with me, if my house looked like my emotional baggage I would clear out, bag it all and bin it! So that is what I have decided to do this New year - bag the past and bin it. A fresh start for 2009, a clean slate! Why not?

So my wonderful web guy T is clearing out the gossip section – letting go of old ghosts in a cyber way! I am setting myself learning challenges this year some I will define for myself others will just appear to me and do you know what?

It feels really exciting.

What do I hope to achieve by clearing out?

Space!

Space for the new, to hoe and mow and creativity to grow. A space from which happiness will flow.

So Happy 2009! A year where the road is open and so is my mind. Enjoy following my journey as visit new places, meet new people and most importantly share all of it with you.

Shonette