How Much Do You Want It?

How much do you want it? That dream, that desire or that perfect job? What are you willing to do to put yourself on the line to get it? The reason I ask this is because a great friend came to visit me this week. She is a network spinal analysis chiropractor and at the age of thirty she has three full practices with a waiting list of three weeks for people to see her. As usual I am curious about people's approaches to life and I asked her what she considered made her so successful. Since she is rather humble, she was a little shy in her response; however, this is what she said:

You have to ask yourself how much you want that dream, that job, that ideal.
She then said you ask yourself how much work are you willing to do to achieve that goal.
What is the breaking point? The point where you say I have done my best and now it is time to walk away. When you know all that then you go for it full steam. Live fearlessly and jump right in.'
Finally she said a question she asks herself every day:  'how can I give more value with what I am doing.'
She then thoughtfully mentioned, 'the more value I give then the more I see the world around me transform. When I started out I had no patients and an empty practice. No one knew about me, however, I was determined to give every patient the best I could give in terms of network spinal analysis and in terms of life contribution. Something in this opened the world to me and I was recommended and word of mouth went around. I guess the passion I have for what I do combined with an authentic desire to be the catalyst to help people to wellness is the key.'

The woman is phenomenal and a truly great person. Of course this got me thinking about how much must we want something to jump the obstacles and stare that dream in the face when everything around us collapses. There have been times with the writing where I literally was like 'I can't do this anymore.' yet something compelled me to continue. I was discussing the fact that I had had hundreds of rejection letters over ten years with an audio-producer who recently produced The Hairy-Legged Mystery. She asked me what made me keep going. 'I was compelled to,' was my honest answer. After listening to my friend I came to the conclusion that the entrepreneur in me was called to action. I certainly wanted writing success and the entrepreneur decided to find other ways to put my work out in the world. In a time where there are so many digital options I came to the conclusion that yes you have to want that dream. You also have to be open to new and different ways to achieve that dream. There are so many people with knowledge who have already succeeded who you can ask and there is plenty of opportunity. It is through asking other people and enlisting their skills that my writing earned an income. It took around twelve years of constant persistence and plenty of failures to arrive at a place where it all slotted into place. Books sell by themselves and one gives value by sharing insights. Sometimes, and we have all been there, when you want to say 'I am done' - that is when you learn how much you really want that dream. So may people reach that point and make a decision and say 'one last try.' That last try is what often delivers success because when you look back you realise how much you really wanted it.

Enjoy my audio books at the following link:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

BUY this laugh out loud kiss and email romantic comedy now and discover some truly startling dating escapades! You will love it!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LOVE-HUNT-Dating-Romantic-Comedy-ebook/dp/B00ATF8QF2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1471332744&sr=8-2&keywords=Ruby+Allure

MONEY FARM AND ITS NEW ANIMATION

This was such fun to create!

On audio....

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Money-Farm-Audiobook/B010BOM9A8/ref=a_search_c4_1_2_srTtl?qid=1471072677&sr=1-2

Enjoy my audio books at the following link:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

Scattered Syndrome

Scattered Syndrome?

Are you experiencing the scattered syndrome? It seems to be typical of modern day society where placing plates on sticks and spinning them has been surpassed by being involved in this act whilst walking on a tight-rope and playing a one man band. The thing is we all have a certain amount of mental capacity and if you look at your mental focus like a torch beam, we are constantly swishing it in all directions all of the time. Is it any wonder that people feel fragmented and drained because there is no opportunity to focus that light on one thing to take in the details and do it properly?

You may wonder why I am talking about this, well this week I completed the edit of The Ocean Callings audio book, wrote a children's book and worked full time in my corporate job, attended yoga, went to the gym on a daily basis and slept. Someone asked how I managed to do it all? Well it was purely down to concentrated focus. I focus on thing at a time and do it until complete. My corporation does not particularly enjoy the fact that I maintain this ethos; however, I have noticed that the fragmented states people are in result in shoddy work and doing things twice. It is like buy cheap buy twice. Do a crap job then do it three times. The truth is to achieve anything worthwhile one needs to focus. It can be playing with children, doing a sport or writing a book. There is no point being half-present because the results will be rubbish. This ties in with mindfulness too, it is about presence and being in the moment - being there fully. In addition to this, I want to point out that being busy all of the time spinning plates and proverbially playing a one man band whilst absailing down a building does not allow space for problem solving. Have you noticed the time when you come up with the best solution is when you are quiet and relaxed? When I was on a course people shared where they had their best ideas: when they woke up in the morning, in the shower, in the bath or when doing a repetitive exercise. These are the times when your conscious thought relaxes and allows the superior unconscious to solve it. So this Scattered Sydrome is no good for anything. It is worth applying concentrated focus and absolute presence whilst doing anything you are passionate about because then my friends you will find that you produce something far more worthy and of value because you have truly shone your light up in it!

 

You can find my books at the following link: Ruby Allure books on Audible:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

AUDIBLE BOOK AVAILABLE HERE:

 

LINK TO BUY ON AUDIBLE:

http://www.audible.com/pd/Self-Development/A-Short-Course-In-Creative-Writing-Audiobook/B012OVUKE8/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1443260320&sr=1-1

 

LINK TO PAPERBACK ON AMAZON.COM

A Short Course in Creative Writing
by Ms Ruby Allure
Link: http://amzn.com/1517234832

 

The Common Theme...

Has anyone else had that 'Oh my God it's February already' moment? Well I and a few of my friends have. It seems that 2016 is racing away and so many people I know are experiencing a similar feeling in life. They have usually known what they want to do or where they want to go but not this time. For this reason, and my need to reflect and re-evaluate, I took a week and a half off work. Over the last few days I have had some holiday time, friends time and me time. It was brilliant, yet when I talked to people about the fact I was taking time to think about what I want to do in the coming years and decades they all responded with the same thing. 'For the first time ever, I don't know where I am going.' Obviously this got me thinking. That tied in with reading The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer. The question becomes do we have to know what we want to do or where we want to go? According to Michael life knows best and when you surrender life takes its natural course. When I say natural course, one does not sit waiting for things to happen, instead one dances with life. You notice the clues, you follow your inner desire to do something or learn something or even go somewhere. In a way you work symbiotically with life rather than saying 'hey life - here are the keys to my car - you drive'. It is more of a case of right 'we are in the car, where do you want to go and what do you need me to do?' Personally I like this idea, it does not mean that you hand over your power but it does stop a person controlling and forcing life. One of my friend's great sayings is row with the river rather than against it. I don't know about you, but the times I rowed against the river resulted in my biggest struggles in life. It wasn't fun and life kindly evicted me from all that did not suit me by making me redundant, removing my relationship and breaking my car - all in a day. Thank you life.

So today, and don't think I am bragging, I spent the day at a spa. I have a spa jar and put a twenty in each week for reward and luxuriating. This is the reward for completing my Ocean Callings book on audio. Anyway, as life would have it I ended up meeting some rather interesting people at the spa. It always happens and they always have a story to tell. So I mentioned the fact I was being reflective and not knowing which direction to travel in on my fresh new journey and each had some advice because all had shifted their direction.

The first lady said she knew it was time for a change when she sat at her desk and felt taken forgranted. All her passion drained out of her and in that moment she decided to re-train. She now runs her own business as a holistic healer. Lovely lady with a real spark in her eye. She said when the passion dies take it as a sign!

The second lady I talked to had worked in the shipping industry and she loved it yet she reached a plateau and did not know her way forwards. She sat at her desk and felt her passion had gone (notice the common theme) it was then she said to herself I can't do this anymore. Within a month she had handed in her notice. Three years later she is a top dog breeder and shows her dogs at Crufts dog show. She said she is the happiest she has ever been. She said the trigger point for her was when she did not know her way forward. She just had to wait until the curtain was drawn back to reveal where she was going.

The third lady also worked in corporate. She had that sense of malaise and boredom. She just kept going until she had her end of year appraisal and again she was triggered by not being valued. After twenty one years of giving it her all she was taken for granted. She was graded low, even though she had achieved great things. So when she was given her compensation review she was shocked by how little they valued her work. Please note that in her working environment she gauged how well she did by how much bonus and pay rise she received. To say that it was next to nothing was an understatement; however, the office arse-licker, who took credit for other peoples work, received five times her bonus. What made it worse was he had used her work to get that bonus... Fair? Rage? Really? So this lady handed in her notice and guess what happened? The corporation tried not to pay her miniscule bonus. That is after twenty one years of working for the institution. She had to revoke her resignation to get the money and then re-submit it. This, as I said before, was after dedicating twenty one years of her life to a company. So she is now retired, retrained as a proof reader and is doing what she loves: proof reading.

So my little rest and reflection provided some great insights. After this I had a rest and day dreamed. In that time seven new book ideas emerged into my consciousness. I have to say I am so excited and can feel the passion flowing once again. What's more, I have just completed the draft on my recent book about Money. It is so satisfying to know that you can contribute something to the world rather than take from it. I hope the above has given you some insight. Also, as I like to share writing prompts, there are a few below that may inspire you to get in touch with your unconscious.

Use the prompt and write and write until you can't write anymore.

In the next year I would love to....
In the next year I intend to work as...
In the next year I intend to make the following changes...

You can find my books at the following link: Ruby Allure books on Audible:

http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=Ruby+allure&filterby=field-keywords&x=0&y=0

 

 

 

AUDIBLE BOOK AVAILABLE HERE:

 

LINK TO BUY ON AUDIBLE:

http://www.audible.com/pd/Self-Development/A-Short-Course-In-Creative-Writing-Audiobook/B012OVUKE8/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1443260320&sr=1-1

 

LINK TO PAPERBACK ON AMAZON.COM

A Short Course in Creative Writing
by Ms Ruby Allure
Link: http://amzn.com/1517234832

 

 

Need some motivation?

Well this is it... There is a tremendous sense of achievement when a person starts with nothing... When I say nothing - never heard of, never known and literally stands at the base of a mountain and thinks - how on earth does anyone ascend such a monster? Obviously that is metaphorical mountain and we all have mountains in our lives to climb. That is probably why we chose to live: to learn, to experience, to grow and be challenged. Or it might be to arrive in the world and buy things and die. It simply depends which school of thought you are in... and whether the conditioning has paid off.

Anyway I deviate. In the school of writing there are only seven narratives and one of these is rags to riches. Again this is metaphorical, it does not necessarily have to do with money. Instead it is associated with starting at nothing - this could be knowledge, experience or actual poverty and through the narrative the 'hero / heroine' develop and become rich. Again this may well be in experience, wisdom or physical wealth. The point is that from nothing something is made. It is the sense of transformation and metamorphosis on the journey that gives the pleasure. Have you ever noticed that you set yourself a goal and that goal enables you to grow, expand and challenge yourself? You then hit the goal and yes you are elated and this elation is short-lived because now you have reached a plateaux and it is time for a new challenge - one that is bigger, better and more challenging.

 

So you may wonder why I write this - it is simple - I feel the need to inspire others. When you are daunted and doubt that you will make it - keep going.  Notice the voice in your head that says you are being ridiculous and thank it. That being ridiculous is a path to change and growth. When everyone tells you why you can't do it - well show they why YOU can. There are so many times on a journey when you desire to give up and all hope feels lost. It is at that point something seems to be testing you and asking you 'how much do you really want it?' It is at this moment you make your decision. Give up and never know or persevere. Well I can tell you 12 years later perseverance paid off. From nothing my books became something and if I can do it... I know others can. Follow your passion and intuition because a desire or a compulsion to contribute is there for a reason. Secretly you know YOUR own reason for doing something. Why don't you let go of your reasons why not and say 'give it a go - in fact give it your best go!'

Ruby

LINK TO MY BOOKS :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ruby-Allure/e/B00M9Y4GAA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1447793190&sr=8-1

 
 
 

To Listen on audio:

http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Love-Hunt-II-The-Love-Game-Audiobook/B0176Z9Y08/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1447097231&sr=1-1

The paperback on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Hunt-II-Richidiot-com-dating/dp/1517542316/ref=la_B00M9Y4GAA_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447096640&sr=1-3

 

 

 

Dealing with Distraction

Dealing with Distraction

 

Focus and distraction sit at opposite ends of the scale in terms of productivity. However, as life increases pace our attention span decreases. With the continued increase of gadgets, devices, emails and phone calls is it any surprise our capacity to focus is becoming increasingly limited? Now, I remember a lecturer at university advising me when making a presentation; make sure you break it up because the maximum attention span a fellow student has is twenty minutes. I remember thinking ‘only twenty minutes?’ until I researched the average attention span in 2015 and look at this:

 

·         In 2000 the average attention span in humans was 12 seconds

·         In 2015 the average attention span in humans is 8.25 seconds

·         In 2030 will the average attention span for humans be 4 seconds?

·         In 2000 the average attention span of a gold fish 9 seconds

·         In 2015 The average attention span of a goldfish 9 seconds

·         In 2030 the predicted average attention span of a goldfish 9 seconds

Does anyone feel a little concerned?

 

I thought I would then research a few statistics regarding attention span taken from the Statistic Brain Research Institute:

 

·         25% of teenagers measured forgot major details of close friends and relatives

·         7% of people measured had forgotten their own birthdays (some on more than one occasion)

·         30 times per hour is the average amount of times an office worker checks their mail

·         150 times per day is the average amount of times that mobile users check their phones

·         60% of disruptions come from email and phone calls

So with all this to distract us then how do we focus?

 

·         The first thing to do is become aware of our distraction habits. What is it that distracts us and how regularly does it happen?

·         On the other side of distraction ask yourself when do you focus?

·         What makes it easy for you to focus?

 

 

In Zen, concentrated focus is known as ‘flow’.

 

·         What is the easiest way for you to achieve your optimum state of flow?

·         What is your optimum time for flowing?

·         When you have worked out what works for you then do you notice a pattern?

·         With flow in mind, can you break your work down into regular periods of flow?

 

The five best pieces of focus and anti-distraction advice:

·         Make a list and be deliberate in all that you do

·         Make self-imposed deadlines. Set your self a realistic time limit to complete a task and do it in that time. Bear in mind Parkinson’s Law where work expands to fill the time available for its completion

·         Don’t always be available and find ways of being unavailable until you achieve what you need to do

·         Reward yourself with a break once you have completed a task
 

·         Apply the two minute rule: If you have available time and can do something in two minutes then get it done and out of the way as soon as it arrives

 

To explore your creative side - try this on audible:)
 

AUDIBLE LINK FOR A SHORT COURSE IN CREATIVE WRITING: http://amzn.com/B01390THLK

 

21/08/15

 

"An Unexpected Gem"

***I was provided a copy of this audio book for the purpose of a review ***

With the required disclaimer out of the way, let me be brutally honest, I had not expected this little gem. In fact, I had expected my listening would be a bit rough and was fortified by it being less than 2 hours.

The synopsis says the author wrote the book as a takeaway from her evening classes on creative writing. My mental context was ... Community Ed evening classes ...and expected a well intended but kind of amateur product. However, I am interested in adult education, and batter my own nerd head against a giant personal creativity brick wall.

So you have an idea of my mind set... low expectations along with high interest.

Amateur hour it was NOT.

I don't know where the author teaches her class, but Sign Me Up! And bring the narrator. Wow. Two hours of unadulterated, straight up, right on, good learning material delivered by a close friend just sharing the material. The narrator's voice was warm, sincere without any artifact or pompous patronising, and well modulated throughout. The material was mind opening for me, with the right mix of the mechanics of writing exercises, sufficient context that using prompts now makes sense to me, and a sprinkling of the inner heart work of creativity through written material.

This was just what I didn't dare hope for in a how to creative writing listen.

Truly an unexpected gem and a learning and growing experience for me.

A keeper and one I will return to many times as I deconstruct my own wall, one block at a time.

Thank You, Ruby and Thank You, Erin.

 

TO BUY MONEY FARM ON AMAZON.com http://amzn.com/B010F04W9O

· Frode

06/08/15

5 STAR

So Money Farm by Ruby Allure was a surprise! When I REALLY did not read things about this book I review for Audiobook Blast, I sometimes get books I don't know something about. BTW: I read 99% about the books I want to review, but this book I can't remember I did that for. Anyways: This was a nice surprise, and I think it is one of those books that is better the second time you read it. No joke! I listen to this twice before I made this! Money Farm makes you thin, and who does not like to hear a book that makes you think? It is an awesome book, that I will recommend to all that likes audiobooks, and really to people that does not!

Helen Lloyd English accent its the topic like a glow and a hand! Her "lady like" voice is so cold, and clear I feel that the author made this book thinking that Helen Lloyd would read it out loud! That is how I feel those two fits together! The 2 times 14 hrs and 6 mins I spend with her never feels boring or uninteresting! I would love to spend it again, and I will because this book I will hear again, and again, even when it is 14 hrs and 6 mins long! That is saying something!

I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com

MONEY FARM

· "Incredibly thought provoking..."

What did you like most about Money Farm?

It was an eye opener.

 

What did you like best about this story?

I like the way it made you think about the way normal everyday life is here and now, and the future...

 

Have you listened to any of Helen Lloyd’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Helen Lloyd narrated this fairly long audiobook brilliantly. Although the story content was very intense and thought provoking, her lovely smooth voice was very easy to listen to and I thought it was just perfect, a fascinating book wonderfully narrated.

 

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes it was, although it is too long to do so.