www.thebestyoumagazine.co
THE BEST YOU TRANSFORM • INSPIRE • MOTIVATE • ENRICH • EMPOWER • ENJOY JULY 2014 / PRICE £3.99
GINA NELTHORPECOWNE
Bernardo Moya chats with this tenacious talent manager
KEZIA NOBLE tells us what it takes to be a dating expert
ELTON JOHN
HE MAY BE A ROCKING ROCKET MAN, BUT HE HAS USED HIS WEALTH AND FAME FOR GOOD
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
SHOUT! LET IT ALL OUT
WHAT LIES BENEATH
DAVID BEDRICK HELPS TO INTERPRET DREAMS
DON'T HOLD IN YOUR FEELINGS
ALICE MACINTOSH SAY BEAUTY IS MORE THAN SKIN DEEP
ALSO: WE INTERVIEW EMILY HARTRIDGE - INTERNET SENSATION
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JULY 2014
CONTENTS
REGULARS
5 EDITOR’S LETTER
Bernardo Moya welcomes you to the latest issue of The Best You
20 WE SUPPORT… Elton John AIDS Foundation – for an HIV free future
31 BOOK REVIEWS We review some of our favourites – a small selection of what’s available
60 THE BEST YOU DIRECTORY Find the best coaches, trainers and practitioners here
62 ROBIN'S SUCCESS RITUALS
18 READER’S CHOICE THIS MONTH WE LET YOU DO THE TALKING, AND YOU TOLD US WHAT IS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST
The road to success takes many weird and wonderful forms
FEATURES
24 HE’S STILL STANDING
We profile Elton John – a stalwart in the music industry and a charitable guy
28 LET'S TALK ABOUT SUCCESS Bernardo Moya interviews Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne, queen of tenacity
INNER YOU 10 HAVE NO FEAR
Tanya Franks used the power of NLP to help a woman overcome her phobia
12 MAKING SENSE OF DREAMS
David Bedrick sheds some light on what the symbols in your dreams mean
14 SEMINAR NEWS
We look at upcoming events and reviews of personal development seminars
ENJOY LIFE
24 HE’S STILL STANDING WE PROFILE ELTON JOHN – A STALWART IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND A CHARITABLE GUY
18 READER’S CHOICE
This month we let you do the talking, and you told us what is on your bucket list
21 IT’S THE GOOD NEWS
With so much of what we read in the papers being negative, The Best You is bringing you some good news
22 SHOUT! SHOUT! LET IT ALL OUT!
According to the latest research, bottling up your emotions could kill you
THE BEST YOU No. 21 · July 2014 · Year 2 · EDITOR / PUBLISHER Bernardo Moya · DEPUTY EDITOR Zoë Henry · ASSOCIATE EDITOR Matthew Wingett · CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Gail Kingsbury · PROOFREADER Bryan Szabo · COPYWRITER Aaron Wells GRAPHIC DESIGN Joanna Frackiewicz · NEW MEDIA Allan Banford TECHNICAL CONSULTANT Martin Carter · ADVERTISING advertising@thebestyou.co · COVER PHOTO BY David Loftus The Best You Corporation LTD 5 Percy St. · London, United Kingdom, W1T 1DG · Tel: +44 (0)845 230 2033 · www.thebestyoumagazine.co
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JULY 2014
CONTENTS
LIVE LOVE LEGACY
38 WHO ARE YOU CALLING A DROPOUT?
These five success stories prove you don’t need a college degree to be rich and famous
40 BREAK THE CYCLE OF ABUSE Kristen White chats with Marala Scott, Oprah’s Ambassador of Hope, about breaking the vicious cycle
42 WHAT DOES IT TAKE… …to be a celebrity dating expert? We chat with Kezia Noble, best-selling author of The Noble Art of Seduction
FEEL & LOOK GOOD
46 WHAT LIES BENEATH
42 WHAT DOES IT TAKE… …TO BE A DATING EXPERT? WE CHAT WITH KEZIA NOBLE, AUTHOR OF THE NOBLE ART OF SEDUCTION
Alice Macintosh from The Food Doctor says good skin is not only what you put on it, but what you put in it
48 A BIG PROBLEM Research tells us that Britons are getting fatter. What can we do to stop this unhealthy trend?
WEALTH & RICHES
53 FEMINISING WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Victoria Wilk says it’s time to start making finance more appealing to women
54 DON’T LOSE FINANCIAL AUTONOMY Ryan Eidson explain the dangers of one partner doing all the paperwork
56 FINANCIAL PLANNING MYTHS Kris Miller does some myth busting regarding your financial future
58 THE ROCKY ROAD TO SUCCESS The Best You looks at some historical figures who didn’t have success handed to them on a silver platter
21 CENTURY LIVING ST
64 SIMPLY SENSATIONAL WE CHAT WITH EMILY HARTRIDGE, THE INTERNET SENSATION WHO CREATED HER OWN DESTINY
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64 SIMPLY SENSATIONAL
We chat with Emily Hartridge, the Internet sensation who created her own destiny
66 FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE Online streaming is the way of the future. We look at the best service providers
THE BEST YOU
EDITORIAL
THE SUN IS
SHINING
H
allelujah, it’s finally arrived! Despite the fact that we didn’t have a very harsh winter this year, there is nothing quite like the joy that comes when spring turns to summer. It’s the time of the year when we can finally get outdoors and enjoy the sun, when it bothers coming to the party – this is the UK after all. There are so many great things to do in the summer, and it is perfect for spending time with your friends and family. And with the longer days and shorter nights, taking advantage of the great outdoors is easy, even for those of us who work full time. Get up early in the morning and go for a walk around your neighbourhood, or make a plan to meet your friends after work for a round of sundowners. Smartphones have turned almost all of us into
amateur shutterbugs. It’s easier than ever to take photos of your friends together, the sunset, or a bustling street scene. Observe everything around you and cherish those things or people you might take for granted. There’s no need to wait for Christmas or Valentine’s Day to show your partner you care. Now is the perfect time to surprise them with something that will show them you care. In this issue of The Best You, we are all about showing appreciation. Our cover star, Sir Elton John, is very grateful for all that his life and fame have afforded him, and he shows this by being one of the most charitable celebrities in the UK. I chat with Gina NelthorpeCowne, who came over from South Africa and tried her hand at many things before finding success running an impressive talent management agency.
Finally, local actress Tanya Franks writes about how she attended our NLP Licensed Practitioner course and managed to use the skills she learnt there to help a fellow Londoner overcome her fear of escalators, for which the young woman was very grateful. Pick up a new book to read, start exercising, or eat more healthily. We always advocate being more proactive. The start of a new season is the perfect catalyst for self-betterment, so make this summer your summer.
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Brault
BERNARDO MOYA,
Editor-in-Chief Follow me: @Bernardo_Moya
WE WANT YOUR STORIES The Best You is all about inspiring people. If you have a tale to tell that you think will help someone become the best they can be, please tell us.
video slider gallery
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THE BEST YOU CONTRIBUTORS
ALICE MACKINTOSH
gained a first-class honours degree in Nutritional Therapy and has a scientific background with a prior degree in Biomedical Sciences from Leeds University. She regularly writes for leading magazines and newspapers and is often invited to comment on a host of nutritional matters on BBC World News and BBC Radio 4.
DAVID BEDRICK
KRIS MILLER
@lovebasedpsych
has clients who have relied on her as a PREtirement and living trust expert for more than 20 years. Through her expertise, she has become known as ‘The Money Maestro’. She has a long list of credentials, including ChFEBS, CSA, LDA Certified Senior Advisor, and Estate Planning Specialist.
RYAN EIDSON
TANYA FRANKS
is a speaker, counselor, and attorney. He is the author of Talking Back to Dr. Phil: Alternatives to Mainstream Psychology. He’s on the faculty of the International School of Processwork in Poland and writes for Psychology Today and Huffington Post.
KRISTEN WHITE
is a professional business, life, and media coach, author, video producer, international speaker, host of The Ripple Effect, and intuitive business designer. She enjoys helping entrepreneurs succeed in business and in life.
@RippleffectTV
@KrisMiller_NOW
@alicemackintosh
ROBIN SHARMA
is the founder of Sharma Leadership International Inc., a global consultancy with a single focus: to help organisations develop employees who Lead Without a Title. SLI's clients include many of the best companies on the planet such as Starbucks, Nike and The Coca-Cola Company
@_robin_sharma
is the author of A Couple with Common Cents. As a former newspaper journalist, he has written on a diverse range of topics from educational issues in public schools in America to daily living in rural Asia.
@TheRyanEidson
has been acting since 1986. She has just finished filming alongside Lindsey Lohan and Grant Bowler, playing Richard Burton’s first wife, Sybil, in the Lifetime TV movie Liz And Dick. She is one of Britain’s most versatile leading actresses, particularly known for her role as Rainie in EastEnders.
VICTORIA WILK
is a Certified Wealth Strategist, licensed financial planner, and registered investment advisor representative. She is the founder of Wealth & Wisdom Financial Group in Manhattan Beach, CA.
@Well_Org
The Best You is published by The Best You Corporation Ltd, 5 Percy Street, W1T 1DG. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect The Best You Corporation Ltd, policy. The Best You Corporation Ltd accepts no responsibility for views expressed by its contributors. Advertisements and reader offers are not endorsed by The Best You or The Best You Corporation Ltd.
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FAN OF WHAT WE DO? DO YOU WANT TO?
We have launched a brand-new platform for people who are as passionate as us about eduation to share their thoughts and ideas. If you are one of these people, please sign up at We have some amazing and priceless www.alifewithoutlimits.co rewards we know you will love and want. and start posting. Read More. Support us and what we do
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THE BEST YOUยง INNER YOU
THE BEST
YOU
Life Without Limits
TM
Connect with the wonderful, special and powerful inside. Learn new ways to get your mind and body in balance, bringing out the rich core of your being. Discover the secrets that will enable you to take charge of your inner life and become The Best You.
HAVE NO FEAR Tanya Franks used the power of NLP to help a woman overcome her phobia in minutes
MAKING SENSE OF DREAMS Beth Murphey from Mind helps us understand the complexities of depression
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INNER YOU TANYA FRANKS
SCARED? HAVE NO FEAR Popular television actress Tanya Franks can currently be seen playing drug addict Rainie Cross in EastEnders. She is also known for her roles in hit shows Pulling, The Bill, Broadchurch, and many others. But today she’s talking about overcoming phobias with NLP.
T
his sounds totally pretentious, but I’m going to say it anyway – I am literally amazing myself! For those of you familiar with NLP (Neuro Linguistic-Programming), you’ll understand exactly how I felt this week. For those of you who haven’t heard of NLP, I hope this will introduce you to this powerful tool, which has the potential to help each
of us live better, more fulfilling lives. As an actress of stage and screen, I am constantly channelling and overcoming my nerves. And yet my fear of spiders absolutely floored me. I would end up in tears and a nervous, quivering wreck at the very sight of the tiniest eight-legged creature. Come October, it will be three years since Dr. Richard Bandler, co-founder of NLP, cured me of my debilitating, life-long phobia. I name this anniversary Rosie Day, the day I held, for the first time, a spider (Rosie the tarantula) in the palm of my hand. My fears (of
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spiders, snakes, and even the crucifixion) eroded. Having been so blown away by this life-changing technique, I trained as an NLP practitioner, and with a few added techniques of my own creation that have proven to work, I now help others overcome their phobias, which lead up to the events of this week. I was entering the underground at London Bridge station. I believe in using the escalator for exercise and, as I began to step down, I saw a young lady of about twenty standing ahead of me. She could hear my footsteps descending towards her as she tightly held on to the arm of the young man standing next to her on the same step. She was shooting worrying looks over her shoulder at me as she heard me approaching. “Excuse me please”, I asked, wanting to pass her.
TANYA FRANKS
INNER YOU
She shuffled in a frozen fashion closer to her friend, with a petrified look on her face as she apologised to me, “I’m so frightened, I’m scared I’m going to fall.” I placed my hand on her shoulder, attempting to reassure her that she would be absolutely fine and that she wouldn’t fall. As I carried on down the escalator I thought, “Hang on a minute, I wonder if she will respond to NLP if I offer to help her.” I knew I was risking her thinking me nuts, but so what – the worst she could do is refuse my help – it was worth an ask. I waited for her and her friend to reach the bottom of the escalator. “I know I’m a stranger and this may sound crazy”, I said, “but my name is Tanya and I can help cure you of your fear if you have about five minutes to spare.” “Ok, why not trust a stranger for once”, she replied. We moved to the side, out of the main pathway, and over the next few minutes I took her through my trust and self-control exercises and the process of visualisation. I had her reverse and shrink the fear in her mind to the point where she no longer felt scared of being on an escalator at all. She opened her eyes and thanked me. “Well, as we are still standing next to the escalators,” I said, “how about we put it to the test. Fancy giving them a go?” “Why not”, she said bravely, smiling back at me. With that, she stepped on to the upward escalator completely on her own, went all the way to the top and came back down the descending one, not just standing, but walking down. In fact, she skipped down the last few steps! As she stepped off the bottom she was ecstatic. “May I give a fellow Londoner a hug?” she asked. We threw our arms around each other, said our goodbyes, and parted ways. I didn’t even learn her name. Being able to change somebody’s life in a moment was one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever had. Hence, I even amazed myself!
RECOMMENDED READING Intro to Financial Tech By Roy Freedman
Covers the broad range of topics involved in this industry
The Best You website is packed with loads of great books, DVDs, CDs, downloads, free articles and reports. Check it out now: www.thebestyou.co
Cashflow Quadrant By Robert Kiyosaki
Civilization By Niall Ferguson
This book delivers tools for great success
The six killer apps of western power
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INNER YOU DAVID BEDRICK
Making sense of Dreams are quite a large part of our lives. They are a window to our subconscious. But what are your dreams telling you? How can you understand their meaning? David Bedrick offers you three keys to help unlock their wisdom and counsel.
D
reams Are Drafted in Symbols To understand dreams is understanding symbols. When you dream of your mother, your spouse, or your best friend, these dream figures should not be confused with the actual people. Even if you dream of Jesus, Buddha, or your spiritual teacher, don’t only think of these teachers; instead, think of them as qualities or ways of being that are unconscious aspects of yourself. For example, say you dream that your partner is being unfaithful. This may indicate that part of you is not interested in your normal way of living or interacting. Some part of you is ‘flirting’ with a new approach to life. Or,
say you dream of a monster chasing you. This could mean that you are scared of some part of yourself and are trying to get away from it. For example, some people fear their own vulnerability because they have been hurt in the past; these people might dream of their vulnerability as something scary (a monster) that they are trying to escape. Or, say that you dream of a person who is sick and throwing up. This might mean that you need to ‘throw up’ and stop holding things in, speaking unpopular truths, or swallowing things. However, some dreams are psychic or prophetic. Certain dreams do tell you that a friend really is sick, to take heed of your circumstances, etc. I am highlighting the symbolic quality of dreams because
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While ‘I’ am worrying about going the wrong way in life, this dream often occurs for people who are inclined to follow a path that is more acceptable to other people
our tendency to literalise the symbols in dreams cuts us off from the psychological wisdom our dreams offer. You Are Not You Most people perceive and feel their dreams as if the symbol that looks like them is really them. For example, I say “In my dream ‘I’ was driving down a one way street the wrong way; everyone else was going the right way.” While ‘I’ am worrying about going the wrong way in life, this dream often occurs for people who are inclined to follow a path that is more acceptable to other people instead of going their own way or marching to their own drum. I tell the dream from ‘my’ perspective – as a person who feels he is going the wrong way as opposed to a person who is independent
DAVID BEDRICK
INNER YOU
Occasionally, our dreams do answer our questions directly, but more often, they offer a new perspective on our problems – a perspective that opens the door to answers you may never have considered.
MAIN PICTURE Depression can make us want to shut out the world, but this is the worst thing you can do
and courageous enough to go against the grain. Or if I have a nightmare where a dark cloud is descending upon me, ‘I’ think that this is happening to me. In my waking life, I may feel sad, down, or depressed. But that dark cloud is also me, descending on another part of myself. In this case, while ‘I’ feel victim to the dark cloud, the dark cloud may be suggesting that this is a time when I need to be sheltered from the day-to-day world, and instead turn away from the light, to the realms of emotion and dreaming – the symbolic meaning of going into the dark cloud. Or let’s say ‘I’ am being criticised by someone in a dream. I am not only the one criticised or hurt, I am also the one who is being critical. This dream may be suggesting that I become more consciously critical of ideas and people I accept. Dreams Resolve Problems in Unusual Ways Dreams often help us solve problems in a non-linear
manner. For example, let’s say you have a relationship problem that you try to address by listening better. Your dreams may suggest that you stop listening and instead start talking, asserting, even shouting. Or, you may find yourself struggling with fatigue and a lack of energy. In response, you may be trying to eat differently, exercise more, or change your sleeping habits in order to feel more energy during the day. However, your dreams may suggest that you let go, drop down, and stop trying so hard do accomplish things in the day that are not truly important to you. Or perhaps you have low selfesteem and have been told to self-affirm more often; meanwhile, your dreams might be telling you to begin playing a musical instrument, complete a degree, or spend more time in nature. Occasionally, our dreams do answer our questions directly, but more often, they offer a new perspective on our
problems – a perspective that opens the door to answers you may never have considered. Einstein said that we can never solve a problem on the level on which it was created. Dreams follow this wisdom by not only commenting not only on our problems but also on the way we look at them. This is particularly useful for issues that stubbornly resist our best intentions and efforts to change. Our problems are often a manifestation of who we are. It is not the problems that need to change; we need to change.
b
Tanya also uses similar techniques to release people of their sugar addiction and to live a healthier life. If you are tired of having a phobia or would like to be free of sugar controlling your diet, please email nosugarnofear@gmail.com for enquiries or to book a session.
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INNER YOU SEMINAR NEWS
UPCOMING SEMINARS Success Seminar 2014 5th July 2014 | ExCeL London
T
he Success Seminar has previously hosted international success icons such as Sir Richard Branson, Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, Anthony Robbins, Donald Trump, and Robert
Kiyosaki. This year will feature Chris Gardner, the author of The Pursuit of Happyness, a New York Times and Washington Post #1 bestseller based on his life story and the inspiration behind the movie of the same name. The author will share how he was given the opportunity to leave behind his life of poverty and climb to the top of the financial industry from the very bottom. Les Brown, one of the world's most renowned and highly sought after motivational speakers, Duncan Bannatyne of Dragon Den fame, and many other speakers will share their personal strategies for success. Learn how to get results in your business for now and in the future at the biggest success event of the year!
Anthony Robbins' Business Mastery 5th July 2014 | ExCeL London
D
evised by world-renowned business leader Anthony Robbins and developed with some of the brightest business minds in the world, The Seven Forces of Business Mastery have allowed thousands of businesses to thrive despite one of the worst economies in history. As always, admission to Business Mastery is extremely competitive, but if you're accepted, you can expect to grow your business by 30 – 100% in the next 12 months! Over the course of five days, Anthony Robbins, the world's foremost authority on peak performance will be there to work with you on your business.
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SEMINAR NEWS
INNER YOU
SEMINAR REVIEWS Get The Life You Want 17th – 18th May 2014 | Copthorne Tara, Kensington
P
aul McKenna was extremely charismatic. From the start, he rushed onto the stage as if it were an ‘80s rock concert. In contrast, Bandler played the cool yet funny character, and the audience seemed to respond well to the combination. They complimented each other, giving the attendee a broad spectrum of personal development knowledge. Registration was very smooth considering the amount of people who attended the event, and the NLP Life store provided a wide variety of products to buy. The books were written by both McKenna and Bandler. The production and event was impressive and the venue subtle and luxurious, tucked away in a five-star hotel in Kensington. The way McKenna engaged with the crowd was great. His showmanship was engaging and his on stage-demonstrations
were impressive, while Bandler constantly made the crowd laugh with his informative stories that always seemed to have so much depth and meaning. His way of getting through to the audience was effortless yet effective.
NLP Licensed Practitioner 10th – 16th May 2014 | Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Kensington
T
he Licensed Practitioner Course is an amazing networking opportunity as well as a learning one; you meet intriguing people from all over the world with such a huge variety of different cultures and careers. Richard Bandler, John La Valle, and Kathleen La Valle really take the teaching techniques to a new level to make you feel a part of something huge. But despite its vastness, it has a personal feel to it – so you feel comfortable in the environment, allowing you to take in more information. There was an incredible, experienced and friendly team of assistants, who were by our sides the entire time. They helped us practice techniques effectively, taught us different ways to remember all the information, and really supported us throughout the duration of the course. Richard Bandler is such a funny man, and told so many stories, which made the time fly. Even though seven days straight sounds like a lot, it was over in no time. Attending the Licensed Practitioner Course has really opened my eyes and made me confident to take all the next steps I need to in order to succeed, not only with my career, but also with myself.
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NLP TRAINING INNER YOU ALEXANDRA TRUTA
with RICHARD BANDLER Co-Creator of NLP
in London PERSONAL ENHANCEMENT A workshop with Richard Bandler 6th - 8th Oct 2014
LICENSED PRACTITIONER OF NLP 13th – 19th October 2014
LICENSED MASTER
PRACTITIONER OF NLP 11th – 19th October 2014
Book today on +44(0)207 927 6500 www.nlplifetraining.com info@nlplifetraining.com 16 | WWW.THEBESTYOUMAGAZINE.CO
THE BEST YOU
ENJOY LIFE
THE BEST
YOU
Laughter, humour, travel, love - these add the sparkle that make life worth living. Climb a mountain, give to others, start a family, embrace life. What are the things you wish you had done but haven’t yet? Life is no rehearsal – find ways to enjoy it, whenever you can!
Life Without Limits
TM
READER’S CHOICE
This month we let you do the talking, and you told us what is on your bucket list
IT’S THE GOOD NEWS
With so much of what we read in the papers being negative, The Best You is bringing you some good news
SHOUT! SHOUT! LET IT ALL OUT! According to the latest research, bottling up your emotions could kill you
READERS’ CHOICE
S
ince we started our Bucket List column over a year ago, we have covered a vast range of topics. There have been sights to see, books to read, food to eat, and music to hear. We really hope that it had served
as some inspiration for you in putting together your own bucket list. Some of you have been working so hard on that bucket list that you, our dear readers, sent us some of your ideas. So this month we are compiling a readers’ choice list based on your submissions.
AN ARTSY HOLIDAY BAccording to Khandiz from London, Mexico should be at the top of everyone’s bucket list. She cites swimming with the dolphins at the wild Puerto Escondido as the highlight of her visit to this Central American paradise, but she also recommends visiting Cabo San Lucas, commonly called Cabo, during your stay there. Her final suggestion is to make a stop at the Frida Kahlo Blue House, which both art geeks and newbies can appreciate.
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Part of enjoying life is living for the moment, so don’t wait until you’re on your deathbed to make a list of what you should’ve done. Life is happening now, so start ticking things off that bucket list.
A BIT MORE TRADITIONAL While staying in the same area in the world, Nicky from Cape Town, South Africa chose something a little more traditional for the number one spot on her bucket list. Cancun in Mexico, with its white sand beaches and turquoise seas, would find a comfortable fit in almost any bucket list. Tourist-heavy though it may be, it’s beauty is undeniable. It’s really all about sipping cocktails on the beach and working on that fabulous tan.
BUCKET LIST
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART Carlos, another London resident, has a bucket list that is just overflowing with ideas for the adrenaline junkie. He includes kayaking with orcas in Canada, dog-sledding in Lapland, where you can see the northern lights, looking at the cherry blossoms in Tokyo in April (his calmest option), seeing the herd migrations on the African plains, and climbing the Eiger, which is a 13,020-foot mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland.
OUTSIDE THE BOX Chris from Maputo had a very unique suggestion – certainly one we’ve never considered before. According to Chris, riding a mule into the Grand Canyon is quite popular. “It is spectacular”, he says. “There’s a spot down there where your voice echoes forever. It’s very Indiana Jones-y.” Of course visiting the Grand Canyon is on a lot of people’s bucket lists, but we think this approach has a unique edge. And who doesn’t want to embrace their inner Indie?
ENJOY LIFE
CONNECT WITH YOUR MOTHERLAND Although Santhie grew up in London, she comes from a traditional Chinese family, and when she went to Beijing to visit extended family, she found it to be a rewarding experience. Not only was she able to reconnect with her heritage, but there were also a lot of great places to see. The Great Wall of China, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Tiananmen Square are just a few of the places she visited and enjoyed.
HITTING THE OUTBACK One reader named Mungo from Leeds says it is his dream to do a traditional walkabout in the Australian outback. He wants to roam the desert like the Aborigines, looking at nature and admiring the native art. The great thing about taking part in this sort of holiday is that you do it in groups, so it’s an opportunity to meet new people, and, of course, to learn and see new things. But remember to wear comfy shoes.
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WE SUPPORT Elton John AIDS Foundation At the Elton John AIDS Foundation we believe that AIDS can be beaten. Our goal is to create an AIDS-free future for everybody in this world. With enough support, love, and creativity, we know this is possible.
A
IDS is the most devastating disease the modern world has ever known. By the end of the 20th Century, AIDS had annihilated 50 years worth of public health gains. This is an unnecessary tragedy. But the biggest weapon we have to fight this is in all of us – compassion. We believe that through our network of kind, amazing, creative friends we can overcome the stigma surrounding AIDS. We can help motivate scientists, aid workers, and politicians to end AIDS. With your help, we can pioneer ways to prevent HIV from spreading and help people deal with its effects. This way, we can keep the dream of an AIDS-free future alive. We can do this. No More HIV Infections We fund a huge range of projects – from mobile testing units at football matches to sending SMS text reminders to pregnant women. They all make HIV testing easy, affordable, and reliable. Above all, we endeavour to offer HIV testing
to everyone without judgement or discrimination. It’s essential that HIV testing is a routine part of public health. The work we fund is always linked to national systems, and we lobby governments to ensure that structures are in place to maintain and expand these systems. No More AIDS Deaths HIV medicines are now available for as little as $300 a year. Enlightened donors, NGOs, and governments have made them available to over 7 million people living with HIV. These medicines not only save lives, they make people living with the virus up to 96 per cent less infectious. It turns out that compassion for those who are sick has also been the best prevention plan. We fund programmes that expand affordable, quality medical treatment to reach those who urgently need help and are still waiting. No More Discrimination Stigma is still HIV’s most deadly symptom. We have cheap, easy ways to test for HIV, and ever more
This way, we can keep the dream of an AIDS-free future alive. We can do this.
effective drugs to treat the HIV virus. We cannot use them if people living with or very vulnerable to HIV are shunned, hidden, or denied their human rights. Compassion cures discrimination. It needs no special training or qualifications, just a belief that all people deserve the chance to protect themselves and others. Without compassion, we cannot create an AIDS-free future.
b
Further information: Elton John AIDS Foundation: www.ejaf.org Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7603 9996 Office hours: 10:00am – 18:00pm GMT Monday to Friday
OTHER WORTHY CAUSES WE SUPPORT Teenage Cancer Trust
Katie Piper Foundation
Children Of The Night
www.teenagecancertrust.org
www.katiepiperfoundation.org.uk
www.childrenofthenight.org
SMA Trust
War Child
The Children’s Trust
www.smatrust.org
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www.warchild.org.uk
www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk
THE GOOD NEWS
THE BEST YOU
ENJOY LIFE
The news we read in the newspapers and see on the television is so negative that it can often feel like the media is conspiring to get you down in the dumps. That’s why The Best You is bringing you snippets of good news.
App, app and away
W
hat would you do to help a visually impaired friend navigate the world with more ease? A group of middle school girls in the tiny town of Los Fresnos, Texas went above and beyond for their classmate, Andres Salas. On 27 May, the girls presented the app they had created at the White House Science Fair, and President Obama gave them the proverbial thumbs up. He told their story to the public, giving the girls the proudest moment in their short
lives. Their app is called Hello Navi, and the girls designed it for the Verizon Innovative App Challenge, an annual challenge for teams of middle and high school students to design an app that solves a problem in their community or school. The girls were one of eight winning teams that received best in nation honours, a grant to support STEM programs at their schools, and the opportunity to work with the MIT Media Lab to turn their concept into reality. The app will soon be available on the Google Play store free of charge.
INSPIRING A GENERATION
M
om [Rita Schiavone] used to make an extra portion of food every night. She would put it in a tin container, and give it, the next day, to an elderly person in need. It was just part of our dinner routine”, recalls Vince Schiavone. Putting one meal aside every day turned into
Rita’s legacy, which has now helped thousands of people. By feeding a single person in need, Rita started a chain reaction. Her friends and members of her church were inspired by her and got involved. Before long, the idea evolved and turned into an organisation that is today known as Aid for Friends. It has 16,000 volunteers who provide
400,000 meals a year to 2,200 elderly people who are hungry and alone. Rita Schiavone didn’t set out to fix the hunger problem; she set out to make a difference for one person at a time. She has passed that legacy and charitable spirit onto her kids, who are also very involved in the community, trying, like their mother, to make the world a better place.
DECREASE IN ABUSE
With all the reports of violence and abuse, it’s understandable if you thought that everything violent was on the rise. However, comparison of 50 types of violence against American children revealed significant declines of up to 63 per cent in 27 of the categories, including assault, bullying, and sexual victimization. Between 2003 and 2011, there were no increases in any of the categories of violence against children.
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ENJOY LIFE
THE BEST YOU
SHOUT! SHOUT!
LET IT ALL OUT We’ve known for a while that holding in your emotions isn’t great for your mental and physical health, but recent studies show that it is even worse for you that we thought. The Best You does a little digging into the benefits of letting it all out. 22 | WWW.THEBESTYOUMAGAZINE.CO
THE BEST YOU
H
ave you ever become so angry that you wanted to scream at the top of your lungs and punch a wall? Of course we’re not advocating violence, but recent studies have shown that sharing your emotions instead of putting a lid on them can dramatically reduce your chances of suffering from cancer and heart disease later on in life. A study in the US by experts at Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Rochester shows that the risk of premature death from all causes increases by about 35 per cent among those who fail to say how they feel. And when the researchers looked at specific causes of death, they discovered that the risks increased by 47 per cent for heart disease and 70 per cent for cancer. The study began in 1996 with 796 percipients, both men and women, with an average age of 44. The researchers asked a series of questions to ascertain how vocal the subjects were about their emotions. They were asked, for example, to indicate on a scale from one to five whether they let people know when they are angry or they try to be pleasant so that others won’t get upset. Twelve years later, the researchers did a follow-up study. 111 of the subjects had passed away, predominantly of cancer and heart disease. When they took a closer look, they found that many of the people who had passed away were the ones who admitted to not expressing themselves
when they were angry, but rather opting for the less confrontational route. While the figures speak for themselves, the reasons are as yet unclear as to why people who express their emotions live longer, but one popular theory is lifestyle and diet. Experts believe that people who bottle up their emotions are more likely to turn to drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol to cope with the stress of keeping it all in. Of course we know that these substances lead to cancer and heart disease, so it is the symptom of the pent up aggression (substance abuse) that leads to cancer rather than the anger itself. However, there is another theory, which states that it is, in fact, the anger that leads to an early demise. The stress of keeping the lid on negative thoughts disrupts the hormonal balance in the body, raising the risk of diseases linked with cellular damage, such as heart complaints and cancer. A previous study on the topic suggested that getting angry was good for you because it actually reduced the negative impact of stress. In addition to this, getting angry increases your chances of experiencing positive emotions on the whole. This is due to the fact that getting angry increases blood flow to the left frontal region of the brain, which is responsible for feeling good, while the right side of the brain is associated with more negative emotions, such as fear and sadness. Voula Grand, a London-based business psychologist confirms,
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We have been taught that shouting at people is abusive. We have been so socially conditioned to keep everything inside that embracing a new attitude towards anger seems impossible.
“It has long been thought that cancers are partly the result of suppressed emotions.” And yet another study claims the bottling up anger can impair the immune system, making it more likely that you will suffer from flu, common colds, and other viruses. While it’s all fine and well to acknowledge that bottling up your anger is bad for you, expressing it is contrary to everything we have been taught since childhood. We have been taught that shouting at people is abusive and inappropriate for the workplace. We have been so socially conditioned to keep everything inside that embracing a new attitude towards anger seems impossible. Luckily Voula Grand has some encouraging words: “Although people learn to hide their feelings at a very early age, they can still be taught to express them later in life. It takes a lot of energy and effort but it can be done.”
b
The Best You website is packed with loads of great books, DVDs, CDs, downloads, free articles and reports. Check it out now: www.thebestyou.co
How they started: Digital By David Lester
The Guide to Social Media
How 25 Good Ideas Became Spectacular Digital Businesses
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ENJOY LIFE
By Sean Mahoney
Getting Started with Facebook, Twitter and Google+
Know Me, Like Me, Follow Me By Penny Power
What Online Social Networking Means for You and Your Business l
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COVER STORY THE BEST YOU
STILL STANDING AFTER ALL THIS TIME It's been 40 years since the release of Elton John's hugely influential album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The Best You finds out what went into the mix to create one of the world’s most durable stars.
THE BEST YOU
THIS PICTURE Elton John has had his trademark 'quirky' glasses for decades
I
n 1947, Reginald Dwight, son of Stanley and Sheila Dwight, came into the world and grew up in his parents and grandparents' council house in Pinner, North London. From these humble beginnings, he started out on his own yellow brick road to stardom. The son of a World War II RAF pilot posted in Iraq, young Reginald Dwight rarely saw his father for the first four years of his life. Instead, his mother took charge. Having long wanted a girl, she refused to cut young Reginald’s long blond curls, indulging herself in some quite girlish baby photos of her boy. She was strict with him in some ways, and the seeds of his artistic introspection were perhaps sown when she decided not to let him get dirty playing with other boys, insisting he play alone in the family's backyard. Nevertheless, he had his mother's support in other ways. When at the age of three little Reggie picked out on the piano the melody of The Skater's Waltz, a nineteenth century classical piece, he instantly became the family's musical prodigy. Sheila supported him in his musical endeavours, arranging for Reggie to perform for friends and family. This broad early musical upbringing was a seedtime for his personality and his passions. Because of his weight and his shyness, his energies were driven into music. At the age of five to a piano teacher whose lessons he devoured. Asked what he wanted to be at this time he confidently replied "a concert pianist". However, he also inherited a love of Rock ‘n’ Roll from his mother. There was a tension between being a ‘serious’ musician and an entertainer, which became more pronounced for Reg when Sheila enrolled him in the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 11. There was undoubtedly something special about Reg's musical skills. In the entry exam to the Royal Academy, his tutor played him a four page piece by Handel. Reg played it back to the examiner by ear, almost note perfect. Though regarded as a model student by his Academy tutors, Reg skipped lessons, relying on his innate ability to get through. The truth is, the tension between classic and popular music was
This broad early musical upbringing was a seedtime for his personality and his passions.
COVER STORY
beginning to show. It was becoming clear his heart belonged to Rock 'n’ Roll. But he hardly seemed rockstar material. Reg was a fat, small, nervous boy, devoid of charisma who hid behind his spectacles out of shyness. In fact, his later trademark glasses were initially unnecessary, being inspired by a musical hero. "I didn't really need them," Elton says, "but when Buddy Holly came along, God, I wanted a pair like his! I began to wear them all the time, so my eyes did get worse." When Reggie's parents divorced when he was 14, his mother's new man, Fred Farebrother arranged for Reg to get his first gig at the Northwood Hills Hotel. As a weekly performer playing piano and singing, he was paid the princely sum of £1 a week, plus a collection at the end of the night. His first night was a difficult one for Reg. If the audience didn't like what he was playing, they hurled abuse or threw ashtrays – the ash trays at least being of the tin variety, so they didn't hurt too much. Reg persevered for 18 months, and, as word spread about the talented youngster, he sometimes took as much as £25 in an evening.
THIS PICTURE Two legends hanging out together - Elton with Freddie Mercury
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COVER STORY THE BEST YOU By now, Reg Dwight knew he wanted his future to be in popular music. He decided to leave the Royal Academy and drop out of school to get work as an office boy for Mills Music. His teacher at the Royal Academy tried to dissuade him for 45 minutes, but his mind was made up. Working as a tea boy at Mills Music, Elton John also started his first band Bluesology. When the band got a manager, and recorded a single, ‘Come Back Baby’, written and sung by Reg Dwight, they started to get more gigs. However, big success eluded them and they started to work as a ‘pick-up’ band, supporting visiting American stars such as Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, Billy Stewart, and Major Lance, who took them on tour around the UK. Reg charmed many of the artists he supported, and Patti LaBelle spoke highly of his piano-playing, though less highly of his card-playing ability, at which she always beat him: "I might have sent him home with an empty pocket, but I never let him leave with an empty stomach." Reg also met Long John Baldry, a singer who was to
THIS PICTURE Elton John puts of quite the stage performance
become a lifelong friend, and Bluesology worked as a backing band for him. By now, however, Reg realised he had to get out on his own and become a star in his own right. With customary decisiveness, he reinvented himself with a new stage name, taking the name Elton from his bandmate Elton Dean, and the name John from Long John Baldry. As Elton John, he applied to Liberty Records, who were looking for new talent. It was then that luck came in to play. Though Liberty Records did not see the young Elton John as a
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recording artist, Ray Williams at the studios introduced him to the work of 17-year-old lyricist Bernie Taupin. Elton liked his work, and, after the pair hit it off, they were eventually signed to Dick James Music, being paid to write songs together and produce hits. For two years Taupin and John worked together, living with Elton's mother and cranking out dozens of songs a month. At times they would become disheartened, but Elton's mother would give them a reality check, telling them, "Right, piss off... go on, there's a job going up the greengrocer's." This would soon get them back on track. It was in 1968 that Elton, at the age of 21, very nearly got married to a woman called Linda Woodrow. He met Linda at a gig and took pity on her because she was being beaten by her boyfriend. She took his virginity, and they moved into a flat, together with Taupin, in London. Things did not go well. The relationship was stormy. When it was announced they were going to get married, it was long John Baldry, himself a gay man, who took Elton to one
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side and told him that if he married Linda, he would not only be messing up one life, he'd be messing up two. John Baldry knew the truth: Reg was gay. For Reg at the time, this was something of a revelation. He broke off the relationship and moved back home with his mother. She fiercely supported her son's decision, telling him clearly, "If you marry her, I won't speak to you again." So it was that both Elton and Taupin moved back into Sheila's home – though there was never a question of a gay relationship between Elton and Bernie. They regarded each other as brothers, with a fraternal love and affection for each other. Things were changing. Elton John was a jobbing musician, playing piano on hits for the likes of Tom Jones, The Hollies and The Barron Knights. One day, he even met Paul McCartney at Abbey Road Studios whilst on a session. Even if stardom had yet to touch his shoulder, he was definitely moving in successful circles. Eventually, Taupin and John did write an album of songs together called Empty Sky. It was not a huge success, but it did create enough interest for his next album, Elton John. Though this album was not huge in the UK, it did receive a lot of airtime in the US. So it was that in 1970, Elton John went to the US for the first time to play The Troubadour Club. It was this gig that would change his life forever. The gig was attended by Neil Diamond, Gordon Lightfoot, Mike Love of The Beach Boys and numerous other stars of the time.
He started off slowly on the gig with some quieter ballads, but then realised by the fourth song that he wasn't being listened to and suddenly kicked away the piano stool and declared: "Right! If you won't listen, perhaps you'll bloody well listen to this!" was the legendary gig that launched Elton John's career. He left the UK a minor musician, and came back a superstar. Thus began the most creative part of his life, which led to the extraordinary album and mega-hit Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, to countless hits, and to massive sales worldwide. Looking back at his early life, you can see that, although Elton John was in some ways an ‘overnight success’, everything he had been doing from the age of four had been feeding into it. His mother's encouragement of him as a musician was a starting point; his own determination to become a popular entertainer was another; his ability to charm others, to be single-minded about what he was doing were all contributing factors. More than any of these, though, it was his determination to stick at things that were working and to change those that weren’t – to break out and try new things when success sidestepped his approach. When Bluesology didn't bring him the success he wanted, he walked away from it and reinvented
COVER STORY
ELTON JOHN AT A GLANCE Born 1947 in Pinner, Middlesex Albums include such classics as Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, and Tumbleweed Connection Has sold more than 300 million records Is ranked as the most successful male solo music artist in the world More than fifty Top 40 hits Seven consecutive No. 1 US albums 58 Billboard Top 40 singles, twenty-seven Top 10, four No. 2 and nine No. 1. For 31 consecutive years (1970– 2000), he had at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100. His single, "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997", sold over 33 million copies worldwide and is "the best-selling single of all time". Six Grammy Awards Five Brit Awards Academy Award for The Lion King soundtrack hit "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Elton John number 49 on its list of 100 influential musicians of the rock and roll era. Created Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1996 Received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998 In 1992, he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation Has donated nearly 10 per cent of his welath to charitiy in the last year
himself as a songwriter. There was also the luck he had in meeting Bernie Taupin, a songwriting relationship that still exists today. His decision to remake himself as an outrageous camp figure was a stroke of genius. His shyness about his private life, his drug taking, his search for happiness in a loving relationship – these are all parts of the whole that make up the man. And, the fact is, that after all this time, he is, no doubt about it, still standing. b
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FEATURE THE BEST YOU
Success GINA NELTHORPE - COWNE
(née Kruger) is one half of Kruger-Cowne – one of Europe's leading talent management agencies, representing the likes of Bob Geldoff and Bill Wyman. Bernardo Moya finds out how it all happened.
G
ina Cowne is clear. There's one key skill every business person needs: perseverance. "You have to have perseverance. If you are going into business and you fail and you give up too quickly, then you’ll never succeed. Very few people succeed first time round, so the best advice is that you get up, dust yourself off, and start all over again." Gina has certainly lived this advice, persevering in finding a role that made the best possible use of her talents. It wasn't obvious she would succeed so
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MAIN PICTURE Gina NelthorpeCowne is as beautiful as she is tenacious
impressively. Growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, her Afrikaans school was rigidly Calvinistic. Its frequent use of corporal punishment made her terrified to even go there. Only her love of English and Art enabled her to get through – or nearly all the way through. At 15, she left before completing her education. "In a way, I think that made me what I am today. I think I wouldn’t have been the same person had I finished." With no qualifications but a bundle of energy and imagination, she soon went into business for herself. Her first business venture was to set up and run an ice cream parlour with a friend of her mother. It had its bonuses too: all the ice cream she could eat. After the business failed, as did the businesses she started afterwards, she hit on the idea of creating a South African beauty competition with a difference. At school she had done a little bit of modelling herself, for pocket money, but this was a beauty pageant with a difference, with the prize setting the winner up for life with a house and a modelling contract. "I went to SA Philips, the white goods
OPPOSITE Gaining confidence means doing something scary
company, and I asked them if they would be prepared to sponsor such a thing, and they said ‘No, what would be interesting for us in that?’ I said, ‘Well, you do Philips Ladyshave. Why don’t we call it Philips Miss Ladyshave? We find a girl with the best legs in town and she can be the beauty queen.’" Gina put together a proposal and they agreed. That was the start of three years of running the beauty pageant. “It was the first beauty pageant in South Africa that had a house as a first prize, amongst other things. This girl was made.” After this she went on to various projects, starting a company called the African Wildlife Club, where she worked alongside her future husband, Mark Cowne, who was running a construction company building game lodges - natural venues for her club "We organised all kinds of lectures and tours on everything related to nature and conservation. I helped him and he helped me." It wasn't long before they were married. The speakers at the African Wildlife Club were scientists and celebrities. Looking back, Gina says: "I think that is probably the base of what led me to do Kruger-Cowne. Those people were personalities, they were
THE BEST YOU
the leaders in their field. We booked them to deliver speeches and lectures - similar to what we do today." In 1997, Gina, her husband, and their two kids moved to the UK. Arriving in England with nothing, they decided to set up an interior decorating magazine. It ran for 18 months, until it was put out of business by competition from Condé Nast. "I think failure as much as success is what builds us and what makes us who we are", Gina states. While her husband got work in computing, Gina was offered work by her brother-in-law, the BBC journalist John Simpson, to act as his PA . "It was 24/7 from the word go", Gina recalls. "I dived into the deep end with him and took on everything and worked as if I was him."
While her husband got work in computing, Gina was offered work by her brotherin-law, the BBC journalist John Simpson, to act as his PA .
FEATURE
A series of phone calls changed her life. She was approached by an agent who wanted to book John for public speaking. A few minutes later, another agent wanted to book him for the same event. Four more followed. Gina realised the agents were not directly representing artists; they were acting as middlemen. She asked John if she could act as his agent rather than go through third parties. He agreed, and because of her highly personalised service, Gina was soon representing Simpson's colleagues at the BBC. Gina picked up more names along the way. Her husband met Bill Wyman at a party, who announced he was interested in public speaking. Then there was Bob Geldof. Gina's difficulty in handling Bob Geldof's particular demands brought her husband into the company. "I’ll never forget the first job that I did with Bob. He was the most impossible human being on the planet to deal with", she smiles. "I called my husband and I said to him, ‘I need your help, I can’t deal with Bob. You’re going to have to come and help me. Let's build this thing together.’" Mark and Bob became firm friends and Gina reflects: "He’s probably one of our easiest clients. Mark knows him so well. We know exactly what he wants, what he needs, what he likes,
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FEATURE THE BEST YOU what he enjoys to do. It’s just been a wonderful growth with him. " Now with 35 exclusive clients and about 300 other artists she works with, Kruger-Cowne is a thriving business, dealing with agents throughout the world. Dealing with some very big egos requires its own set of skills, but Gina and Mark meet the challenge. "I think because we work on a personal level with them, especially the ones we exclusively manage, we’ve grown with them and we know what they’re about and understand them. You’ve got
Regrettably when [major celebrities] egos exceed their abilities, we prefer to cut them out. We’ve done that in the past.
GINA NELTHORPE-COWNE AT A GLANCE Grew up in Johannesburg in the 1970s Attended strict Afrikaans school with rigid discipline Hated school, but found she enjoyed arts and literature Worked as a model while at school Left school at 15 to start an ice cream business Remained focussed on succeeding and was never put off by business failures Started the Philips Miss Ladyshave beauty pageant in South Africa Started the African Wildlife Club, encouraging science and conservation Moved to England and started from scratch, publishing an interior decorating magazine with her husband, Mark After magazine folded, worked as PA to journalist John Simpson Saw opportunity to act as Simpson's agent for public speaking engagements Recruited his colleagues for public speaking With her husband, set up the agency Kruger-Cowne Works with Bob Geldof, Bill Wyman, and many more celebrities Is now seeking to expand public speaking brand to also teach public speaking to CEOs, directors, etc. Kruger-Cowne is one of the biggest talent agencies in Europe, with major names Works with 35 stars closely, and a further 300 in a less formal basis Looking forward to exciting times ahead!
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to know who you’re dealing with and their likes and dislikes, and once you understand them then I think it’s easy." On the other hand, there is only so far Gina will go to accommodate these big personalities, adding, "Regrettably when their egos exceed their abilities, we prefer to cut them out. We’ve done that in the past." As for the future, Gina tells me about a new division of the company: "Kruger-Cowne is growing. Kruger-Cowne Rights will be doing TV productions, we’re looking at proposals for our talent now, we’re busy with booked deals, brand ambassadorships, brand endorsements – it’s a different side of Kruger-Cowne that we’ve not before." Another venture includes public speaking classes for leading CEOs and managing directors. For Gina, being a successful entrepreneur (a word she finds peculiar to think of as a profession in its own right) requires you to be passionate about your ideas and to be ideas-driven. "But", she adds, "if it doesn’t work, go and find a job. Don’t sit around and think this is it or nothing, there’s always something to fall back on. Some people are made to work for someone and some people aren’t. Each person is different, and you have to know within yourself what your capabilities are." b
Kruger Cowne's Speaking Academy has now been launched. For more information, check out www.krugercowne.com
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BOOK REVIEWS
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YOU
Life Without Limits
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It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.” – Oscar Wilde
Great reading, viewing and listening to empower, entertain, enrich, delight and enhance. The Best You rounds up classics and new books and media products that will make a positive difference in your life.
BOOK REVIEWS
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F*** DIETS
BY SUSAN HEPBURN
Forget the ‘D’ word. They don’t work and the yo-yo dieting is harmful to the body, putting a strain on the heart and disrupting the metabolism, so that it becomes harder to lose weight each time. No more guilt feelings about the food you eat. No more drama around food. No more constant chatter about food. And above all, enjoy food. Just eat slowly and mindfully. Hypnosis is simply a state of total relaxation within the body and a state of increased of heightened awareness within the mind. So you are completely aware and awake the whole time. You hear everything said to you and can open your eyes at any time during hypnosis. The mind is more receptive and it responds to the agreed suggestions put to it. Mindfulness is central to hypnosis.
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I have bought this for all my friends and they have all lost the weight they wanted to and we are all puzzled how it works.” – Diane Voss
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THE BEST YOU
BOOK REVIEWS
INSTANT CONFIDENCE CD SET BY PAUL MCKENNA
Paul McKenna Ph.D. is the world’s leading hypnotist and Britain’s most successful self-improvement author. In this ground-breaking new book, he reveals the secrets of mastering your emotions and living with a greater sense of ease and certainty than ever before. You will learn how to push the ‘off’ switch for fear and desperation and create massive amounts of confidence and motivation in just a few moments. Before you’ve even finished the book, your whole attitude to life will begin to change for the better! In addition, the book contains a mind-programming CD, which uses the latest psychological techniques to fill your mind with positive thoughts and feelings. Each time you listen, you will be re-enforcing positive optimism and programming your mind for success. If you’re ready to feel completely comfortable in yourself and finally achieve what you are truly capable of, this book and CD is for you!
“
After listening to the CD most days for about two weeks and reading most of the book, I’ve noticed a massive difference.” – Jayne Moore
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BOOK REVIEWS
THE BEST YOU
LOVE IS THE CURE BY ELTON JOHN
In the 1980s, Elton John saw friend after friend, loved one after loved one, perish needlessly from AIDS. He befriended Ryan White, a young Indiana boy ostracised because of his HIV infection. Ryan’s inspiring life and devastating death led Elton to two realisations: His own life was a mess. And he had to do something to help stop the AIDS crisis. Since then, Elton has dedicated himself to overcoming the plague and the stigma of AIDS. The Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised and donated $275 million to date to fighting the disease worldwide. Love Is the Cure includes stories of Elton’s close friendships with Ryan White, Freddie Mercury, Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor, and others, and the story of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Sales of Love Is the Cure benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
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Love is the Cure is strong medicine, and Elton is an inspiration.” – Joan Rivers
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THE BEST YOU
BOOK REVIEWS
INTUITION
BY MARALA SCOTT AND ALYSSA M CURRY
Intuition is a timeless novel wrapped in a romantic psychological thriller, inspired by true events. It will captivate you all the way to its spellbinding conclusion. Marala Scott, author and motivational speaker, is sharing her most powerful message at a major speaking event when she is kidnapped. Her daughter, Alyssa must now follow her intuition to save her mother’s life, while placing her own life in jeopardy. Marala is faced with an incredible test of faith to see if she will follow her intuition or do what she believes will protect her daughter and survive an unknown killer. Filled with many twists and clues, the reader is challenged to trust their own intuition to solve the mystery. More importantly, there’s a profound meaning and life lesson in Intuition that will encourage you to change your life!
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If I didn’t believe in intuition, I certainly do now! This book is a masterpiece!” – Nancy Ferrari
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BOOK REVIEWS
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NOBLE ART OF SEDUCING WOMEN BY KEZIA NOBLE
Everything a man needs to know to become an infallible seducer of women, courtesy of a female pick-up artist. Kezia Noble is one of the first women to offer the aspiring pick-up artist advice on how to attract women from a woman’s point of view. She runs many classes and a workshop, and even produces corporate videos on the chemistry of attracting women. Now, in answer to requests from her students, Kezia has written a book on the 15 steps to becoming a master seducer, the first and only sure-fire pick-up guide to be written by a woman. It has the potential to transform a lonely man into someone who need never be single again, unless, of course, he wants to be. Kezia is a no-nonsense teacher who always tells the truth, and works with her students instead of belittling them.
“
This book is great. Kezia tells us guys a lot of things that women really don’t want us to know!” – Jon McClane
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LIVE LOVE LEGACY THE BEST
YOU
What do you want to be remembered for? What are your relationships like with those around you? How does life treat you - and how do you treat your life? There is so much good in you. Enrich your life with the passion you feel and the connections you make.
Life Without Limits
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WHO ARE YOU CALLING A DROPOUT?
These five success stories prove you don’t need a college degree to be rich and famous
BREAK THE CYCLE OF ABUSE Kristen White chats with Marala Scott, Oprah’s Ambassador of Hope, about breaking the vicious cycle
WHAT DOES IT TAKE…
...to be a dating expert? We chat with Kezia Noble, best-selling author of The Noble Art of Seductio
LIVE LOVE LEGACY THE BEST YOU
WHO ARE YOU CALLING
A DROPOUT? Dropping out of the formal education system doesn’t mean dropping out of life. Some of the most influential people in the world never got to don the robe and throw their hat in the air. The Best You looks at six people who dropped out of college and became wildly successful.
OPRAH WINFREY
NAUGHTY BOY Shahid Khan, or Naughty Boy as he is better known, is a British DJ, songwriter, record producer, and musician. After school, Shahid enrolled in the London Metropolitan University studying Business and Marketing. However, he only stayed there for one semester before dropping out without much of a plan. He started working odd jobs, including a stint delivering pizzas for Domino’s. But it wasn’t long before he got restless and decided to follow his passion for music. In 2012, Khan signed a three-year publishing deal with Sony ATV, as well as a recording contract to release one album under Virgin EMI Records. Khan launched himself as a record producer under the moniker Naughty Boy, and he now runs his own production company called Naughty Boy Recordings. He has worked with artists such as Emeli Sandé, Ed Sheeran, and Gabrielle, and in 2013 he won the MOBO Award for “La La La”, which was awarded Best Song and Best Video.
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Oprah Winfrey is a household name and the richest AfricanAmerican woman in the world. She is also wildly philanthropic, giving money to a series of charities, building schools, and giving her fans extravagant gifts. But the road to success wasn’t easy for Oprah. She had a very difficult childhood filled with abuse and neglect and was sent to live with the man she believed to be her biological father, Vernon Winfrey. He held getting an education in very high esteem and was pleased when she did well academically. However, her passion was for media, which could not be achieved with academics, so she dropped out of Tennessee State University to establish herself in media. And establish herself she did, creating Harpo Studios, which put together The Oprah Winfrey Show, one of the world’s most watched television shows. Despite the fact that she no longer does that show, she still continues to entertain, inspire, and provide for those in need.
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ELLEN DEGENERES You may know this hilarious woman from her syndicated talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which premiered in 2003, but she was hardly a newcomer to the screen at that time. She starred in a sitcom called Ellen from 1994 to 1998, as well as acting in a few movies, such as Mr. Wrong, The Love Letter, and Finding Nemo. She first rose to prominence as a stand up comedienne in 1986 when she was a guest stand up on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He invited her to come and join him onstage after her set – the first female stand up comedian to receive that honour. She also came out publically as a lesbian on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1997, a story arc that was mimicked in Ellen, and she continues to fight for LGBT rights on an on-going basis. She briefly attended the University of New Orleans after high school, but dropped out to do clerical work in a law firm.
MARK ZUCKERBERG Facebook founder and CEO, and one of the world’s coolest geeks, Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to pursue his dream of connecting people through social media and digital voyeurism. He is also the world’s youngest billionaire, completely smashing the theory that you need a degree to be successful. He has totally revolutionised the way people use the Internet and made social networking what it is today. He was also named as the Person of the Year 2010 by Time magazine for his amazing work in the field of Internet technology. His story has been well documented in many forms of media, from magazines and documentaries to the Academy Award winning film, The Social Network, which did the impossible, making a film about the inception of Facebook a gripping drama with a great soundtrack.
STEVE JOBS If you’re reading this article on an iPad or iPhone, you have Steve Jobs to thank for its superior design and gorgeous interface. He took machines that were inherently clunky and ugly and turned them into fashion accessories. Even if you don’t own an Apple product, your Android has taken design elements from Apple products. Jobs is the godfather of tablet and smartphone design. Always a smart boy, Jobs graduated from Homestead High School in 1972 and went to Reed College in Portland, Oregan – a very prestigious and expensive institute. His parents – not exactly well off financially – struggled to pay his tuition, so he dropped out after six months and carried on his tertiary education with a variety of creative courses. One of these courses was calligraphy, which he credits as being the inspiration for the Mac’s multiple typefaces and proportionally spaced fonts.
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LIVE LOVE LEGACY KRISTEN WHITE
BREAKING THE CYCLE OF ABUSE Abuse has a powerful way of perpetuating itself through the people subjected to its tragic circumstances. Kristen White chats with Marala Scott, a woman who went from a life of abuse to being a successful author, motivational speaker, mother, and Oprah’s Ambassador of Hope.
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ccording to the US Department of Health and Human Services, about 30 per cent of abused and neglected children go on to abuse their own children. Moreover, children who experience abuse are about nine times more likely to become involved in criminal activity and three times more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs later in life. Author and speaker Marala Scott was able to break that cycle of pain in her own life. Born into an abusive home, Scott grew up to become a renowned author, motivational speaker, and one of Oprah’s Ambassadors of Hope. Scott is now a mother herself, and she
recently completed a novel, Intuition, in collaboration with her daughter. So how was Marala able to break the cycle of abuse when so many others have failed to do so? “[I was] born into that cycle, [but] I wasn’t destined to stay in that cycle. It was my job to figure it out and get out of it so I didn’t repeat it when I had my own son and daughter”, says Marala Scott. Scott now considers inspiring others born into similar circumstances to be her most important job. Marala Scott’s work teaches others in tragic circumstances that they do not have to be victims of those circumstances; they do not have to perpetuate a
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That’s not who they’re destined to be. It may be a terrible lesson in your life, but I learned so much out of it, and it helped me turn into what I am today
cycle of abuse because they themselves were born into it. “They don’t have to live it. That’s not who they’re destined to be. It may be a terrible lesson in your life, but I learned so much out of it, and it helped me turn into what I am today”, Scott says. Scott was able to diverge from her family’s path when she realised as a young woman that she had a choice, albeit an extremely difficult one, to make. Rather than remaining a victim of her circumstances, she decided to actively change them and improve her quality of life. Her willpower to seek something beyond what was expected of her is what enabled her to release herself from that
KRISTEN WHITE LIVE LOVE LEGACY tragedy. Perhaps the hardest part of breaking the cycle for Marala was choosing to forgive her father, who abused her, her siblings, and her mother when she was a child. The abuse inflicted by Scott’s father was so extreme that it ended up taking her mother’s life. Despite this, Marala made an active choice to forgive. “It was hurting me more to hold on to anger, rage and pain”, says Scott. “The first step to forgiveness is not about them; it’s about you”, Scott says. “Your own history, however tragic it may be, can never change. As long as you allow someone to have power over you, they are holding you emotionally hostage to what was – something none of us can change”, says Scott. Marala explains that one of the greatest barriers to forgiveness for many people is a hypocritical mindset about apologies and forgiveness. Scott says that when many people make a mistake or mess up in life, they immediately expect to give an apology and receive forgiveness. Why is it, then, that those same people are not
ready and willing to offer this same unconditional forgiveness to others? “That person who hurt you may not even be aware that they hurt you, so you’re holding onto something toxic”, says Scott. And it is that toxicity, Marala says, that causes many people to carry unnecessary pain that can affect their career, family life, and relationships. Only by letting go of that hatred and anger can you truly move forward. Marala’s daughter, Alyssa Curry, is a recent college graduate with a degree in psychology. Curry says her mother never kept her abusive past a secret. Instead, she openly shared her experiences with Alyssa in hopes of empowering her to have strength in the face of adversity and to live with honesty and integrity. Now Alyssa has collaborated with her mother on their latest project, a novel titled Intuition. Though the book is fiction, Alyssa and Marala say much of it is inspired by real life. Both Alyssa and Marala
RIGHT Marala has gone from being a victim to being Oprah’s Ambassador for Hop
Though the book is fiction, much of it is inspired by real life
BELOW We all need to do what we can to break the cycle of abuse
want readers to learn from the book how to have faith in their own abilities and trust themselves. Scott says intuition is like a personal tracking system that protects and guides people. “Intuition works across the board. Professional life, family life… It can be a lifesaver. You just have to tune into it”, says Scott. Intuition is something everyone has, and, according to Alyssa and Marala, it rises above logic and reason. Learning to listen to it is an essential skill. This skill, along with immense dedication, strength, and forgiveness, is what enabled Marala Scott to transcend her circumstances and become such an inspiration for others.
You can find the book Intuition by Marala Scott and Alyssa Curry here.
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LIVE LOVE LEGACY THE BEST YOU
TO BE A
dating expert? Part of being the best you can be is focusing on what it takes to get there. We’re continuing the “What does it take…?” column, which looks at this aspect of being the best. This month, we’re chatting with celebrity dating expert KEZIA NOBLE. LEFT Kezia Noble’s book has reached the best-seller list
Eventually a publishing company heard about me, and I was given the opportunity to write a book. The launch of the book attracted much media attention, which resulted in me being featured in various media.
HOW DO YOU BECOME A CELEBRITY DATING EXPERT? In 2006, I began holding small monthly workshops in London where I would give guys the brutally honest truth that I felt they needed to hear. Through word of mouth, my workshops became weekly seminars, and the demand for my expertise meant I found myself travelling the globe, holding large seminars and boot camps that helped men increase their success rate with women.
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WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A CELEBRITY DATING EXPERT? I get the opportunity to be direct and ruthlessly honest without getting into trouble for it. I love the expression on my clients face when I show him everything he’s been doing wrong. It’s an expression of relief, shock, and gratitude all at the same time. They confess that no one has ever been so honest with them or articulated their sticking points and strengths so well. WHAT ARE THE WORST PICK-UP LINES MEN HAVE USED ON YOU? There is no such thing as a bad pick up line. All that really matters is what you do after you execute that line. The response to her reaction and reaction to her response plays a far greater role in the interaction than
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the actual opening line. But personally, I feel that one of the worst lines that is hard to bounce back from would be: “You look really pissed off/upset/sad. What’s wrong?” It’s really weak, and if the girl is indeed in a bad mood, the last thing she will want to do is share her problems with a random stranger. AND THE BEST? I do love direct openers, which come in the form of a detailed compliment. So long as the guy gives the compliment with total watertight confidence and doesn’t wait desperately for a compliment back, this can be really effective. The more alpha the female is, the more she will favour the non-needy direct approach. However, if she is shy, it may overwhelm her. WHAT IS YOUR SECRET IN GARNERING SUCCESS WHERE SO MANY HAVE FAILED BEFORE? A lot of dating coaches dish out lazy, textbook advice that people have heard hundreds of times before. Vague and generic advice is replaced with my more modern and powerful skills. The old, obsolete advice such as “Just be more confident” or “Unleash your inner 007” are not the kind of tips I share. I show men how to re-brand and market themselves without telling a single lie, and always in a way that remains congruent with their character. YOU SPECIALISE IN HELPING MEN FIND DATES WITH WOMEN. DO YOU HAVE ANY DATING TIPS FOR WOMEN TO FIND MEN? Yes! From spending so much of my time with men on a very transparent level, I know what they are really looking for, and what women can do to help them feel more relaxed, while understanding the challenges that women can give men to keep them on their toes without going too far. THIS PICTURE Kezia Noble know what women want
HOW DOES BEING A WOMAN GIVE YOU A UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO HELPING MEN ACHIEVE SUCCESS WITH WOMEN? I can tell them from first hand experience what works, how it makes us feel and why. A man can only tell another guy what methods he’s applied that has gotten him results, but he can’t tell a man how it made the woman feel. A man can’t give the same detailed insight into the female mind as I can. WHICH PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE AND WHY? Margret Thatcher. I don’t agree with her policies and the decisions she made on a political level, but I do admire the fact that, for a time, she was the most powerful world leader in the world. She did not allow the fact that she was a woman in a predominantly maledominated network affect her vision and rise to power. WHAT’S YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT BEEN? A few months ago one of my students came up to after the seminar and told me that my book had changed his life. I have been told this many times, but when he went into more detail and revealed that the book contained the answers and solutions he had been looking for that stopped him from committing suicide. At first I thought he was exaggerating but when he broke down in tears, I realised that he was telling the truth. It was an incredibly touching moment, and I then understood how this area of many men’s lives carries so much personal importance to them. DO YOU FIND THAT WHEN DATING YOURSELF, IT FEELS LIKE WORK? OR HAVE YOU LEARNED TO SEPARATE WORK FROM PLEASURE? I can spot a rookie error from a mile off, but so long as the man’s game is adequate, I have taught myself to switch off and enjoy the process. I believe chemistry does not exist, it is just a sensation that is made up of a multitude of techniques, but it’s sometimes nice to romanticise the moment rather than dissecting it to shreds.
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LIVE LOVE LEGACY ONE PLUS ONE
paulmckennadubai.com http://paulmckennadubai.com/
THE BEST YOU
FEEL & LOOK GOOD
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YOU
Feeling good about yourself makes the joy shine from your eyes and your skin. It makes others respond to you in new ways and it gives you a whole new outlook on life. Looking good draws others to you and enhances your life in ways you haven’t yet imagined. It’s great to find new ways to feel and look good now!
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WHAT LIES BENEATH
Alice MacIntosh explains that having good skin is not only what you put on it, but also what you put in it
A BIG PROBLEM Research tells us that Britons are getting fatter. What can we do to stop this unhealthy trend?
FEEL & LOOK GOOD
ALICE MACINTOSH
WHAT LIES beneath
The desire for good skin drives men and women everywhere to spend thousands on beauty products that promise all manner of results from deep exfoliation to intense moisturisation, cellular regeneration, and surface renewal. Alice MacIntosh from The Food Doctor takes a deeper look.
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he skin-care market is estimated to be worth £2.1 billion in the UK alone; a demonstration of the deep-seated vanity that drives us to reach deep into our purses and pocketbooks. While there is no doubt that many of these products will help support skin structure and discourage blemishes and wrinkles, it is puzzling that we attempt to manage our skin in a way quite unlike the way we manage our health otherwise. Rather than ingesting something, we apply products topically. This is a rather perplexing phenomenon. Though our skin has a visible outward layer, supporting it is from the outside is not necessarily the best method. Just like every other cell in the body, nourishing the skin requires the support of the body’s natural reflexes, requiring far more than simply putting lotions and potions on its surface. As the largest organ in the body, skin is incredibly complex and is under the influence of many other bodily systems. Immunity, liver function, hormones and digestion all impact its health and,
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Though our skin has a visible outward layer, supporting it is from the outside is not necessarily the best method
thus, its appearance as well. Our skin is a reliable barometer of the health of the body. It can tell us a lot about what is going on internally. Since undesirable symptoms often suggest imbalances in one or more of the body’s systems, modern skin care regimes seem rather counterintuitive. Throw all the money at it that you want, but no amount of expensive microderm abrasion will get to the heart of the matter. People rarely grasp just how much skin health hinges on good nutrition. From a basic
ALICE MACINTOSH
structural point of view, vitamin C and zinc work together to recruit collagen, the glue that holds skin together, keeping it strong and elastic rather than soft and saggy. Essential fats surround every cell in the body and skin cells are heavily reliant not only on the presence of these in our diet, but also on the assimilation and absorption of them in the digestive system. Plump hydrated skin is a sign that essential fats are in abundance in our diet – as they should be. The importance of antioxidants is also well known, and the presence of these in our diet helps to protect DNA and cell membranes, ensuring a strong integrity of skin cells that keeps them resilient to the signs of aging. In addition to this, many other factors will impact the skin’s behaviour and its subsequent appearance. Hormone balance has long been acknowledged as a contributing factor to blemishor acne-prone skin. This is largely due to over-activity of the sebaceous glands, which can lead to increased sebum production in the skin. Given that testosterone levels impact the activity of these glands, women with hormonal imbalances and high concentrations of testosterone can be more prone to such skin conditions. For men, there are certain types of testosterone (namely, 5-dihyrdotestosterone)
that can affect the skin more aggressively. The production of testosterone can be impacted by liver function and nutrient deficiencies. The processing and intricate balance of our sex hormones is largely governed by how well we process them, which comes down to the liver. Poor detoxification capacity or a high toxic burden (from alcohol, smoking, pollution, plastics, etc.) can go handin-hand with hormonal imbalance, meaning that supporting the liver should be central to all regenerative skin regimes. Digestion also becomes a factor here, as the liver relies on the digestive system for the removal of waste from the body. The ecosystem of the gut also has a complex interplay with the skin. Certain harmful strains of bacteria can reside in the gut, not only exacerbating infection in the skin but also depressing the immune system, the function
of which will have a significant impact on skin health. Research has linked the imbalanced gut flora and poor digestive function with conditions such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis, and many find that symptoms creep up after taking antibiotics. This also helps clarify the link between skin health deteriorating during times of stress, as heightened adrenal function can significantly impact gut flora and our ability to absorb nutrients from the food we eat.
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GET GLOWING Based on the most up-to-date scientific research and experience, The Food Doctor’s skin nutrition consultants have developed the Skin Regeneration Program. During your personalised nutritional program, a skin specialist will tailor a protocol to maximise your skin health and promote beautiful young-looking skin that glows at all ages. We use scientific evidence to help get to the heart of disorders such as: • Acne • Eczema • Blemish-prone skin • Psoriasis • Dark circles under eyes • Rosacea • Blotchy skin and pigmentation • Dull, listless skin
The processing and intricate balance of our sex hormones is largely governed by how well we process them, which comes down to the liver
Skin is yet another demonstration of how synergistic the body is; no system works independently; if one is imbalanced, the knock on effects can be far reaching. Nutrition is not as simple as eating the right foods; it is a matter of assessing the intricate functioning of the internal environment of the body in an effort to identify why symptoms are manifesting in the way they are. It is easy to see just how effective it can be as a way of managing skin health in a sustainable way.b [HOTSPOT] Modern skin care techniques are moving away from managing the skin from the outside in, instead focussing on supporting the body’s ability to regenerate and resist the signs of aging from within.
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A BIG FEEL & LOOK GOOD
THE BEST YOU
PROBLEM
New research from an online pharmacy specialising in weight-loss supplements suggests that the average Briton is 5lbs heavier than they were this time last year, with “stressful schedules” and “new relationships” being listed as the key reasons behind the weight gain.
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new study has exposed the main factors behind the UK’s weight changes and how the figure on the scales of the average Briton compares to the one shown a mere 12 months ago. The online survey, conducted by www. UKMedix.com, was a part of the company’s broader look at British waistlines. Year on year, UK Medix noticed that sales of and searches for weight-loss supplements were increasing, so they decided to investigate the issue. 2,817 Britons participated in the survey, all of whom were aged 18 and over. Initially, participants were asked how often their
weight fluctuated during the year, to which the majority, 83 per cent, confirmed that their weight changed “regularly”. In order to identify any trends in terms of the periods of highest weight fluctuation, the participants were asked to select all occasions that resulted in the largest increases in their weight. Christmas (81 per cent) was identified as the worst holiday for weight gain, followed by birthdays (74 percent) and Easter (69 per cent). Respondents were then asked, “Are you heavier or lighter than this time last year?” to which the majority (71 per cent) claimed that their weight had increased since 12 months ago. Participants were required to state the change in their weight. The team used the figures provided to calculate the average weight change, revealing that the average Briton is 5lbs heavier now than they were this time last year. In order to assess the reasons behind this increase, the participants with an overall weight gain during the last year were asked what factors had contributed to them becoming heavier on the scales. Respondents had the opportunity to select all factors that they felt played a part in their weight
THE TOP FIVE FACTORS WERE AS FOLLOWS: 1. Stressful schedule 2. New relationship 3. Hectic social life 4. Having a baby / babies 5. New job
– 72 per cent – 61 per cent – 55 per cent – 39 per cent – 35 per cent
Of those polled who had put on weight in the last year, the majority (48 per cent) identified that their gain was primarily caused by “unhealthy eating habits”, while 23 per cent admitted it was down to them being “less active”. Sarah Bailey of UKMedix.com commented on the findings: “Unfortunately, we have already been warned that we are getting heavier year on year, so the fact that we are gaining weight is no surprise. However, 5lbs is quite a big gain – almost half a stone! If we keep this up every year, we will very quickly see our weight spiral out of control, which could result in health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and mobility restrictions. All of these things can have a massive impact on our quality of life. That is a very scary thought.” She continued: “While stressful schedules and having babies are understandable reasons for weight gain, it’s important to keep things under control and get back on track before a gain gets out of hand. Not only is it critical to selfconfidence and health, it’s also important to set a good example for family and friends.”
TOP TIPS Go for a walk. Seriously. Right now. Put down this magazine and go. We’ll be here when you get back. If you haven’t been active in a while, don’t strain yourself too much. But it is important to increase your heart rate, so walk a bit faster than you normally would. Hydrate. Not all at once before bed, but drink water continuously through the day. You need at least eight glasses a day to stay hydrated, and dehydration is one of the main causes of fat storage. Snack swaps. We all know how tempting chocolates and sweets can be, but they are really bad for you. When you feel like snacking on something, have a handful of almonds. Or, if you really have that chocolate craving, try carob instead..
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THE BEST YOU
WEALTH & RICHES
THE BEST
YOU
Wealth [n] “happiness,” also “prosperity in abundance of possessions or riches” from Middle English “wele”, meaning “wellbeing”. Riches [n] “valued possessions, money, property." Make money and bring greater wealth to EVERY area of your life.
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FEMINISING WEALTH MANAGEMENT Victoria Wilk says it’s time to start making finance more appealing to women
DON’T LOSE FINANCIAL AUTONOMY Ryan Eidson explain the dangers of one partner doing all the paperwork
FINANCIAL PLANNING MYTHS ris Miller does some myth busting regarding your K financial future
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KATE NORTHRUP
WEALTH & RICHES
FEMINISING WEALTH MANAGEMENT When it comes to male and female wealth, the scales are – to say the least – tipped towards the masculine. Certified wealth strategist Victoria Wilk looks at some of the causes of and solutions for this.
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f the same investment products and sophisticated tax and estate planning strategies that are available to men are also available to women, why aren’t women learning how to protect, preserve, and grow their wealth? Women often say that they feel intimidated, frustrated, even paralyzed when thinking about seeking professional help with their personal finances. Stocks, bonds, ETFs, and alternative investments are gender-neutral, but the financial services industry maintains its sales and marketing, infrastructure, and leadership on a distinctly masculine business model. This approach prevails despite a sizeable demographic shift in wealth patterns. While wealth used to be a largely male-dominated arena, women now control over 50 per cent of the country’s private wealth and investable assets. This rise in women’s economic power is represented in all demographics: seniors, boomers, Gen X and Gen Y. These women are single, married, divorced, and widowed; they have advanced degrees; they are professionals, business owners and inheritors of family wealth. It should
go without saying that these affluent women have the desire and intellectual capacity to understand and manage their personal finances. As a society and an industry, we have not effectively created an environment in which these women feel safe and welcomed. To engage women, we must recognise that they require a different style of communication, one that will quell her math anxiety and establish trust by playing to her intuitive strengths like the preference for a big-picture holistic approach to financial planning (a key difference from her male counterparts, who are more interested in chasing winning returns). These characteristics will promote confidence and motivate her to leverage her economic power to re-shape the financial landscape into more integrative forms that address both genders. Women and men must work together to co-create a more engaging, woman-friendly business model. If we are to maintain an empowering wealth environment, institutions, financial advisors, and investors must all apply pressure to the infrastructure so that it might
accommodate this thriving demographic.
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WEALTH & RICHES
RYAN EIDSON
DON’T LOSE FINANCIAL AUTONOMY Though it might be a drag to do paperwork for you and your family, it’s necessary. The easy option is to allow your partner to deal with it all, trusting them to take care of everything. Best-selling author Ryan Eidson highlights some of the dangers of doing this.
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ne husband started a small engine business after his wife got fired from her job. Even though the household income was less than before, this did not change their spending habits. The wife’s lavish spending patterns soon put them tens of thousands of dollars into the hole. She asked for money from others and borrowed money from her children on many occasions to pay the bills. The wife hid these bills from her husband. She would always sneak out to get the mail every day. One of their sons began to
be suspect that something was not quite right. One day, he went out to get the mail and found some credit card bills. He confronted his mom about it, but she swore him—a 13-year-old boy—to secrecy! More time passed. This son finally got fed up with the situation. He asked his dad, "Why aren't you doing anything about this? Why aren't you checking on the finances? Why aren't you managing this?" The father just replied with excuses. It wasn't until about 15 years into this nonsense that things began to change. The husband found out about even more
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stuff that his wife had been hiding. She had maxed out a couple of credit cards in the process of doing everything she wanted to do. Finally it snapped in his mind, so he got up and decided to make a difference. He told his wife flat out, "You have to go get a job to pay off all these bills, because there's no way we're going to be able to pay them off." He was right; they were going to lose everything if they didn't pay down the debt. Again, we're talking about tens of thousands of credit card debt. Once the husband started doing the
RYAN EIDSON
paperwork and counting the money, in conjunction with his wife, they reduced their debt. They've managed to pay off some credit cards. She is no longer spending money on unnecessary items. They have now bought a truck outright, and this couple is in a better financial state. The son in this story is now an adult. When he told me this story, I just couldn't believe the situation (yes, this story is true). Apparently, this type of arrangement is relatively common. Now, for two insights and application to you: Financial debt. So many people continue to submit to the bondage of debt. This may be for various reasons. Perhaps you've always grown up with it and know no other way; maybe you're just holding on to a credit card for emergencies, yet you use it for regular monthly stuff anyway; or maybe you're trying to keep up with your
Intro to Financial Tech By Roy Freedman
Covers the broad range of topics involved in this industry l
more detailed records, so I'm the one that tracks our money. When is the last time you discussed your money together? Set aside time to review your records and future cash flow (budget) together. It's not just about doing paperwork; it’s about being a mature, responsible person. How do you work together as a couple on the household record keeping? Do you like to keep records yourself, or do you prefer your spouse to do the paperwork? How often do you intentionally set aside time to discuss your money together? Once a week? Once a month? Find the rhythm that works best for you. Don't wait 15 years to change your situation. Start now.
neighbors and financing every single purchase you make. Debt becomes a point of despair for some. They think that there is no way out. In their minds they say, "I am a person who will always be in debt," which sounds just like, "I am a slave and always will be a slave." They treat it as an illness or disease, and just accept it as part of who they are. Because so many people have loan payments and no savings, the moment their income is cut off, they panic and blame others for their own situation. Debt in our society as a whole has become an issue of identity. Record keeping. Either you or your spouse is better than the other one at doing paperwork and keeping financial records. I get that. Both my wife and I are capable of keeping the records. I'm the one that prefers to do it, and I keep
RECOMMENDED READING
The Best You website is packed with loads of great books, DVDs, CDs, downloads, free articles and reports. Check it out now: www.thebestyou.co
Civilization By Niall Ferguson
Cashflow Quadrant By Robert Kiyosaki
This book delivers tools for great success l
WEALTH & RICHES
The six killer apps of western power l
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WEALTH & RICHES GERRY ROBERT
FINANCIAL
PLANNING
MYTHS Most people who have a 401K or an IRA have little idea of where their money is invested. When you ask them, “Where’s your retirement money?” they reply, “At the bank” or “With my broker.” No wonder so many people are financially unprepared for retirement. Kris Miller sheds a little light on the issue.
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GERRY ROBERT
T
he fact is that if you want to be financially secure in your golden years, you must take control of your investments today. Handing over your money to a broker and hoping someone else will look out for you is a recipe for disaster. Imagine saving and investing for 40+ years, only to find out at age 65 or 70 that you don’t have enough money to retire. It’s a distressingly common scenario. With so much financial planning information available, why are so many people still financially unprepared for retirement? Because there are certain financial planning myths that simply won’t go away. The more you believe these myths, the more of a financial struggle your retirement will be. Let’s clear up these myths once and for all so you can take charge of your financial future and prepare for retirement. 1. You have to put your money at risk in order to make a decent return. Most 401Ks and IRAs are invested in the stock market, but the stock market is the riskiest place to put your money. According to the experts, stocks provide, on average, about ten per cent return annually. But this assumption goes back to the 1800s and no longer applies in the 21st century. Today, your typical annual return from investing in the stock market is closer to five per cent. Likewise, you’ve probably heard people say, “Our economists are forecasting…” Ask your broker if the firm’s economists predicted the most recent recession, and, if so, how early? Warren Buffett once said that forecasters make fortunetellers look good. If you want to earn higher returns, most brokers will tell you that you have to take more risk. This
must come as a surprise to Mr. Buffett, who prefers investing in boring blue chip industries. Here’s the truth: There’s no reason for your money to be at risk. You can make money with safer investments, such as fixed index annuities, which are like a savings account with an insurance company. In fact, even during the Great Depression, not one person lost money with a fixed index annuity. They’re safe, they have liquidity, and they offer better rates than most other products. So why hasn’t your broker told you about these less risky options? 2. Your broker only makes money when you do. Here’s the important point: Brokers don’t make money when you do. Sure, they’d like you to make money, but they actually make their money by managing your money. They make money when the market goes down; they make money when the market goes up; they make money when the market is flat. In other words, they always win. Their clients, however (and that would be you), only win in one of those three directions. Brokers win in all three directions. That’s why, even though you always hope for the best, all to often you end up with a cooked goose instead of the fatted calf. Since your broker makes money by managing your money, why would he or she want to have you invest in something boring, like the fixed index annuity mentioned before. These less risky products typically offer brokers a small, one-time commission. Stock market investing is where the big commissions are. Every time your broker buys or sells stocks for you, not only do they charge you a fee, but they also get a commission. Knowing this, whom do you think it is that most brokers are really looking
Brokers don’t make money when you do. Sure, they’d like you to make money, but they actually make their money by managing your money. They make money when the market goes down; they make money when the market goes up; they make money when the market is flat. In other words, they always win
WEALTH & RICHES out for? 3. Maintaining a stock portfolio is very inexpensive. Even though you may be putting money into your retirement account regularly, hidden fees may be slowly draining your account. The disclosed fees are easy to find; look at the expense ratio, which is found in the prospectus. These fees are commonly referred to as ‘management fees’. Administration fees are in addition to the management fees and are much harder to find. At first, you may think that a nominal fee here and there is no big deal. After all, how much could these administration fees possibly be? Well, consider the following calculation, which can be found on the US Department of Labor website: “Assume you are an employee with 35 years until retirement and a current 401K account balance of $25,000. If returns on investments in your account over the next 35 years average seven per cent and fees and expenses reduce your average returns by half a per cent, your account balance will grow to $227,000 at retirement, even if there are no further contributions to your account. If fees and expenses are one and a half per cent, however, your account balance will grow to only $163,000. The one per cent difference in fees and expenses would reduce your account balance at retirement by 28 per cent.” A small difference in fees can make a huge difference to your account balance! Therefore, be sure to look for and ask your broker about the following fees: • Plan Administration Fees • Investment Fees • Individual Service Fees Knowing the truth about hidden fees and taking action to avoid them can add thousands of dollars to your retirement savings.
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WEALTH & RICHES
THE ROCKY ROAD TO SUCCESS
HILARY DEVEY
INDRA NOOYI
LONG HAUL TO SUCCESS
MODESTLY POWERFUL
If you don’t have faith in yourself, then nobody else will have faith in you.”
Take a stand. Be known for your courage and confidence.”
Raised amidst impoverished surroundings for a portion of her life, Hilary Devey never accepted that her father’s failure had to be part of her legacy. Born in 1957, she was barely beginning school when her father’s entire world and means to live crashed and burned when his heating business failed. Devey subsequently left school when she was sixteen and headed to serve in the Women’s Royal Air Force. Having moved often as a child, Devey was no stranger to travelling long distances. She never went to university, and by the time she was a young woman, she was a single mother. Having devised a plan for shipping large, palletised goods at a much faster pace, she travelled the country rounding up independent haulers for what would become her multimillion-dollar empire, Pall-Ex. After years of sustaining Pall-Ex and turning it into a huge success, Devey’s unique personality was recruited into television. A spate of memorable appearances on major programmes catapulted her into her most wellknown role, that of a panellist on the hugely popular Dragon’s Den. After years of working to build her empire, Hilary Devey has also become a fixture in the world of charity, giving back to people working every day toward their own successes, just like her.
When Indra Nooyi was born in India in 1956, if someone would have told her parents that one day she would become CEO of the second largest food and beverage business in the world, would they have been convinced? She attended the Yale School of Management in America to further her burgeoning professional career. While still in India, however, she aggressively kick-started her career with positions at multinational companies such as Johnson & Johnson. Nooyi traveled to the United States to attend Yale and subsequently began climbing the corporate ladder even higher, with positions at Motorola and Boston Consulting Group. In 2001 Nooyi became President and CFO of PepsiCo, following a successful seven-year stint with the company. That move instantly made her one of the most powerful and influential women in the world. Nooyi ascended to the top spot at PepsiCo in 2006 and immediately began to steer the organisation toward a succession of key mergers and acquisitions with the likes of Tropicana and Quaker Oats. Indra Nooyi has since garnered numerous awards and achievements apart from her post at PepsiCo, including serving as chair of the U.S.-India Business Council and sitting on the board of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. She is living proof that education and ambition know no borders.
• “HILARY DEVEY IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE ROCKY ROAD TO SUCCESS, PULLING HERSELF UP BY HER BOOTSTRAPS AND NOT ALLOWING HER PAST TO DICTATE HER FUTURE.”
• "INDRA NOOYI IS A REMARKABLE WOMAN WHO HAS MANAGED TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN WHAT IS STILL VERY MUCH A WHITE MAN’S GAME.”
– BERNARDO MOYA
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– BERNARDO MOYA
THE ROCKY ROAD TO SUCCESS
WEALTH & RICHES
MAGNUS CARLSEN
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL
CHECKMATE MASTER
DREAMING BIG SINCE HE WAS LITTLE
Without the element of enjoyment, it is not worth trying to excel at anything.”
I never worry about the problem. I worry about the solution.”
Born in Norway in 1990, Magnus Carlsen knew how to solve complex puzzles at the age of two. His parents are both engineers, and young Magnus quickly showed them that he was no ordinary child. Carlsen made leaps and bounds in the development of his chess prowess after his father first introduced him to the game when he was but five years old. Able to stay engaged for hours on end with chess matches played against himself, and diving into book after book on the subject, Carlsen soon went to study under an international master of the sport. As his chess-playing career gained traction, he began to develop an unorthodox, aggressive style of playing, which caught many of his competitors off guard. He subsequently was able to gain sponsorship from Microsoft, which pushed him even further into the international limelight. At just 19 years old, he officially became the youngest world number one chess player of all time. Beyond chess, the now 23-year old Magnus Carlsen has drawn the interest of Hollywood. He was offered a role in the feature film Star Trek: Into Darkness, and was named one of the sexiest men of 2013 by Cosmopolitan Magazine. Beyond sexy, he can also be regarded as savvy, parlaying his chess celebrity into the main stream with one goal: to make smart look cool.
A basketball legend was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1972. Shaquille O’Neal may have dominated the NBA for almost twenty years, but he walked a rocky road in his quest to become the best. O’Neal never had a relationship with his biological father, who was caught up in drugs and jail for many years, although he did inherit his athleticism. Before the NBA, O’Neal credits the Boys and Girls Club of America for keeping him off the streets as a youth and for kick-starting his love of basketball. After helping his Texas-based high school basketball team to a state championship, O’Neal travelled one state east and attended college, as well as played basketball, at Louisiana State University. After receiving the honour of AP college player of the year, O’Neal declared for the NBA draft and, in 1992, was drafted by the NBA’s Orlando Magic. During his professional career, O’Neal had the distinction of being able to travel well, having won a total of four championships with two teams and helping three other teams to playoff appearances. He has also maintained a larger-than-life persona off the court, appearing in numerous films, recording rap albums, dabbling in police work, and acting as a savvy analyst on Inside The NBA. Whatever he chooses to do, Shaquille O’Neal has never lived life small, proving that a big effort can lead to big smiles.
• "MAGNUS CARLSEN IS THE EPITOME OF GEEK CHIC, USING HIS SUPERIOR INTELLECT AS A MARKETING TOOL. IT’S GREAT THE WAY HE HAS EMBRACED IT.”
• “SADLY A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO FIND SUCCESS IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ENJOY THE FAME AND WEALTH FOR A MINUTE, THE SQUANDER IT. SHAQ HAS PLAYED IT SMART FROM THE BEGINNING.”
– BERNARDO MOYA
– BERNARDO MOYA
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THE BEST YOU DIRECTORY The Best Professionals in Personal Development
UNITED KINGDOM
SPORTS THERAPISTS AND NUTRITIONISTS
Dr Stephen Simpson NLP, Hypnotherapy, and Havening Email: doc@drstephensimpson.com Website: www.drstephensimpson.com clients include leading names from the world of sport, business, and the entertainment industries.
Shayna Schulman Attitude adjuster and flexibility enhancer Email: Shayna.s@virgin.net Phone: +44 (0) 208 960 7715 Licensed trainer, coaching, consulting, yoga, nutrition
NLP TRAINERS Tina Taylor: Licensed Master Trainer and Practitioner Email: kay@the-me-group.com Phone: +44 (0) 7946 351640 Website: tina@tina-taylor.com Tina’s experience allows her to create and provide some very unique coaching services from stopping addictions to pregnancy and pain control.
Ulrika Shaw: Thrive consultant and hypnotherapist Email: enquiry@shawmind.co.uk Phone: +44 (0)7810 556029 Website: www.shawmind.co.uk Are you suffering from anxieties or depression? Maybe you’re struggling with bad habits such as overeating or smoking? I help people overcome anything that holds them back!
Geoff Rolls: Corporate Coach and Kinesiologist Email: geoff@geoffrolls.co.uk Phone: +44 (0)7905 056 513 Website: www.geoffrolls.co.uk Learning and development, NLP Trainer, TFH Kinesiology Instructor
June O’Driscoll: Exec Coach, Business Coach, Trainer Email: june@thoughtitude.co.uk Phone: +44 (0)7876 657 8055 Website: www.thoughtitude.co.uk NLP, Coaching and Hypnotherapy Training School and Consultancy
LIFE COACHES Dr Andrew A Parsons Mindfulness, Resilience and Finding Clear Purpose Email: aaparsons@reciprocalminds.com Phone: +44 (0)7854 029 268 Support people, build awareness and make changes for success
Dustin Vice Personal and Business Development Coaching Email: dustin@alliancecoachingsystem.com Website: www.alliancecoachingsystem.com Professional Coaching, Coaching Business system for professional coaches
Gail Cherry: Torchlight Coaching Email: gail@torchlightcoaching.co.uk Phone: +44 (0)1143 489 161 Website: www.torchlightcoaching.co.uk Helping people with their personal and professional development. We work together to be the best you.
Ruth Hepworth: Life Coach Email: ruth.hepworth@ntlworld.com Phone: +44 (0)1252 655 849
Those Life Consultant Guys: Coaching, Seminars. Business, goal setting and more. Website: www.thoselifeconsultantguys.com A coaching company who pride ourselves in helping you live your best life; every day, through one on one sessions and seminar programmes.
Nick Nanton Career and Life Coaching, Consultancy and Public Speaking Website: www.nicknanton.com Phone: (407) 215-7737 Recognised as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world
Edson Williams: Life Coaching Email: edson@leadbyexample.com Phone: +44(0)7867517777 Website: www.leadbyexample.com Specialising in leadership development and sport coaching
David Owen: Life Coach & NLP Trainer Email: bestyou@excel-yourself.com Phone: 07900 243494 Website: www.excel-yourself.com Stop smoking, slimming, phobias, relationships, stress, confidence, self-esteem.
THE BEST YOU DIRECTORY The Best Professionals in Personal Development
PHOBIA SPECIALISTS John Vincent Public speaking without fear Email: John@JohnVincent.tv Phone: +44 (0)7808 545 421 Website: www.johnvincent.tv
Paul Wright Phobias, Anxieties, Panic Attacks Email: paul@phobiagone.com Phone: +44 (0)203 086 8444 Website: www.phobiagone.com
NLP THERAPISTS / HYPNOTHERAPISTS Linda Cameron and Gail Walshe Inspire For Impact Email: say-hello@inspireforimpact.com Phone: +44 (0)845 601 7567 Website: www.inspireforimpact.com NLP Trainers, NLP Master Practitioners, NLP Life Coaches, Hypnotherapists
Debbie Williams Birmingham NLP Practice Group Website: www.debbiewilliams.co.uk Phone: +44 (0)121 241 0728 Life coaching, public speaking, sports coaching, all eating disorders, emotional mastery, OCD, stopping blushing, cocaine addiction, binge drinking.
Edson Williams Coaching, NLP, Personal Development Email: say-hello@inspireforimpact.com Phone: +44 (0) 7867517777 Website: www.leadbyexample.com With a holistic approach Edson is specialized in performance coaching
Laura Spicer: Public speaking skills and confidence Email: laura.spicer@gmail.com Phone: 01752 361 576 Website: www.laura-spicer.com The only accredited Sound Practice Trainer for the Society of NLP
EATING DISORDERS John Arroyo Coaching, Personal Development Email: john@johnarroyo.co.uk I have been a therapist and personal development trainer for 20 years, specialising in eating disorders for the last 10 years.
EUROPE
NLP TRAINERS
Pasquale Acampora (Italy) Master Trainer and Mental Coach, NLP, Team building Website: www.blackship.it Phone: +39 (0)335 70 99 000 Pasquale’s key areas are sport and business, he has worked with top athletes and multinational companies.
Alessandro Mora (Italy) Sport Coaching Email: a.mora@ekis.it Phone: +39 (0)522 337 611 Website: www.pnlekis.com NLP, coaching and team building applied to sport and business all over Italy
Xavier Pirla (Spain): NLP Master Trainer and NLP Coach Email: kay@the-me-group.com Phone: 91 002 84 44 (Madrid) 93 193 6449 (Barcelona) Website: www.the-me-group.com NLP, NLP Business Applications, Coaching workshops and Consultancy
Aleksander Sinigoj (Slovenia) Mastermind Academy Email: info@itnlp.com Website: www.aleksandersinigoj.com Leadership, Motivation, Sales, Business NLP
If you’d like to be featured on this list, please contact us on 0203 011 0866 or email advertising@thebestyou.co Visit www.thebestyoudirectory.co for more personal development professionals.
TOP TIPS
ROBIN SHARMA
THE SECOND WIND WORKOUT Exercise is one of the finest productivity tools ever created, so why not use it more often within a day to get more valuable things done? Do your morning workout to get you mentally and physically amped for a brilliant day. But then, at the end of your workday, go for that walk, take that swim, or nail a run. Creating a second workout ritual later in your day will give you so much more energy each evening, minimise the dangerous effects of stress, deliver a deeper sleep, and even reduce your cravings later in the night.
USE A TIMER On the two days a week I schedule as ‘creative days’, I set blocks of time to achieve specific outcomes and results – generally working in the 90-minute bursts of intensity that have been scientifically proven to yield best performance. Each of your days only has 16 of these 90-minute segments, so use them well. I then use the countdown timer on my phone to heighten my awareness about the passage of each chunk of time. Not really sure why this ritual works so well, but it does. So do it. Please.
ROBIN’S
STRANGE
SUCCESS RITUALS
ONE-HOUR WALKS Steve Jobs loved walking meetings. Thoreau loved walking in the woods. Mandela would walk for entire days. There’s just something beautifully special about installing the daily habit of walking. It will give you time to think and ideate. You’ll kick-start your creativity and multiply your innovation (bring paper or your phone with you to download the ideas that will pour into your imagination). Productivity will soar and your moods will elevate as your endorphins get released.
Success and inspiration for success comes in many weird and wonderful guises. What works for you might not work for someone else, but there's no harm in trying something new. Robin Sharma shares some of his stranger rituals with you.
TALK TO YOURSELF
One of the tools that people who attended last year’s 48 Hour Transformation told me created very real breakthroughs for them was autosuggestion. The reality is that most of our daily choices and behaviours are not conscious. We think we know why we do what we do, but the truth is, our subconscious programming drives 90 per cent of our moves. This is why we’ll read a book or go to a conference and say we’ll make fantastic changes, but rarely do. For a new idea to create true breakthrough, you need to go to the source. Use autosuggestion to install a new story about your place in the world.
THE BEST YOU
21ST CENTURY LIVING
THE BEST
YOU
The pace of change can sometimes bewilder, but it can also give amazing opportunities to meet new people, discover new things and thrive. Bring out the best in you by discovering the latest innovations that will put you ahead of the pack.
Life Without Limits
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SIMPLY SENSATIONAL
We chat with Emily Hartridge, the Internet sensation who created her own destiny
FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE
Online streaming is the way of the future. We look at the best service providers
21ST CENTURY LIVING
THE BEST YOU
SIMPLY
SENSATIONAL With the dawn of the Internet Age and social networking sites, a new sort of person has emerged – the Internet sensation. Many people strive to be one, creating memes, writing blogs, and starring in YouTube videos. The Best You caught up with the hilarious Internet sensation, Emily Hartridge.
I
didn’t call myself an internet sensation!” Emily laughs. “This isn’t something I’ve coined. I think it was the Daily Mail who first started calling me that. That would have been really weird if I’d said that myself.” She may not have coined the term, but Emily Hartridge certainly fits the profile. Always keen for a career as a television presenter, Emily took fate into her own hands. She looked around at the tools made available to her by the geniuses of the world and decided to put them to good use. “I was trying to be a presenter for quite a few years”, Emily explains. “And it was just so difficult to get a break. People tend to use the same faces on TV, and no one else really gets the chance. But then I got a normal job – a nine-to-five job – and to cut a long a long story short, I got depression. After that I randomly started the first show which was Ten Reasons Why I Wish I was 12 Years Old Again, and then a few people kept saying, ‘That’s a really nice format. You should carry on doing more’, so I did. I started doing them weekly, and then I
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THE BEST YOU guess more and more people started to watch it.” The Ten Reasons Why video blog became wildly popular, with Ten Reasons Why Boobs Are Awesome going viral with over 8 million views. “They were just fun at the time, and I didn’t quite realise how many people would be typing ‘boobs’ into Google”, Emily remembers. “But again, I didn’t do that video thinking, ‘Oh, this will do really well.’ I just thought it was funny topic, and it turns out a million other people thought so, or perverts, I don’t know!” Becoming an Internet sensation starts with one great idea that is perfectly executed. People try and fail every day, so we asked Emily how she came up with this winning formula. “I just saw this boy on the bus one day who looked about 12, and I had a written blog at the time, and then I just randomly wrote Ten Reasons Why I Wish I Was 12 Years Old Again. I didn’t think the lists were really good online. I didn’t think that Ten Reasons Why was quite a nice phrase. It was very, very random, like it wasn’t anything predetermined or really thought about.” While being a YouTube celebrity has its perks, it’s not really known for paying the bills. “I don’t actually [have a day job]”, Emily says. “It’s the first time I’ve ever actually been able to support myself by just doing this. So, it’s presenting as well. It’s not just off YouTube. There’s a very common misconception about YouTube that once you get past 100,000 subscribers, you earn lots of money, and that’s not true whatsoever. I said ages ago that I dropped my iPhone and everyone’s like, ‘Oh, what are you talking about? You’re loaded! Get Apple, they’ll send you another one’, and I was like, ‘No, they won’t. I have to
21ST CENTURY LIVING
pay the same amount as you to get an iPhone!’ So, yes, I think that’s what I find interesting about YouTube is that people think you’re a millionaire, and it takes a really long time to make it. I’ve been doing my channel for about two years, and only now can I pay my rent off it.” Emily Hartridge may have made a career out of doing, not only what she is good at, but also what she loves. However, it’s not all peaches and cream. The anonymity the Internet affords the viewer has created another type of Internet personality – the troll. “I had someone that sent me a private message on YouTube saying how they want to put their hands around my throat. That was quite a bad one, but I don’t get that much of those. That was the most horrific that I’ve had. I’ve had the people that just write, ‘You’re a slut’, or whatever underneath my videos, and I know they only really do it for attention. I used to get quite upset by it, but when you put yourself out there with the Internet, anyone can say anything. If they’re being rude on Twitter, I tend to block them. On YouTube, you get so many comments that it’s really hard to keep up, so I don’t really pay attention to those.” Gratifying feedback from viewers is what inspires her to keep doing what she does. “When I started talking about depression, I got a lot of messages from men and women about how they’ve been through the same thing and how it was nice for someone to speak up about it.” b
Visit Emily's website at http://emilyhartridge.co.uk and follow her on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/emilyhart
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21ST CENTURY LIVING
THE BEST YOU
FOR YOUR
VIEWING PLEASURE In recent years, small screen viewing has moved online. We are so spoilt for choice when it comes to readily available content that it can, at times, feel overwhelming. The Best You looks at some of the best services.
NOW TV
NETFLIX At the moment, Netflix reigns supreme when it comes to streaming services. It has the widest selection of movies and TV shows, a highly usable interface, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Your options will vary depending on where you are – Netflix boasts a wider selection in some countries than it does in others. Even if you’re at the shallow end of the variety pool, though, there is still more than any person with a semblance of a social life can possibly consume. You can enjoy the classics, new releases, as well as some shows that are exclusive to Netflix. Price tag: £5.99 per month
LOVEFILM Amazon’s LoveFilm, with its wide selection of movies and TV shows, is Netflix’s biggest competitor. The one you decide on will depend on what you want out of your viewing experience. Netflix has most of the Hollywood blockbusters and commercially accessible films; LoveFilm has a wider selection of indie and art house films. If packaging is important to you, you’ll probably notice that LoveFilm’s interface is not as attractive or usable as that of Netflix, so that is something to consider. Price tag: £5.99 per month
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Signing up for a bundled cable service when you are really only interested in watching one or two shows that it offers really takes its toll on your bank balance. Now TV is a great service from Sky that allows you to stream the most popular and current shows for a fraction of the price of a full Sky TV subscription. You can watch these popular and current shows on your phone, tablet, computer, or stream them to your TV using the Now TV box. The only downside to this service is that it’s not compatible with Chromecast, so you have to get the Now TV box if you want to watch on a bigger screen. Price tag: £4.99 per month plus £9.99 for the Now TV box
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CENTURY LIVING
YOUTUBE The king of free streaming, YouTube is where it all began, and it continues to be a great – and free – source of information and entertainment. YouTube makes nearly every kind of content – music videos, stand up comedy, online tutorials, documentaries, and much more – accessible from everywhere. All you need to do is search for what you want to watch and press play. The comments section can also be a great source of entertainment as it serves as the meeting place for Internet users from all over the world. Also works in conjunction with Chromecast, so you can enjoy these videos on a bigger screen. Price tag: Free
HULU
Hulu is working in partnership with US Networks, such as NBC, Fox, ABC, TBS, WWE, and many others, which means that the viewer has access to the latest shows as well as behind-the-scenes footage. If you, like so may, believe that we are living in the Golden Age of television, then this is probably the service for you. Sadly it is only available in the United States, its overseas territories, and Japan, so if you don’t live in any of these areas, it’s not an option. It is doing well though, so expansion is a possibility. Price tag: $7.99 per month
BBC IPLAYER Fancy something a bit more highbrow and educational? Then this is the service for you. The BBC iPlayer allows the user to play all the traditional BBC content on demand, making this content available on a variety of platforms. You can activate it on your gaming console or Smart TV, download the app onto your phone or tablet, watch it straight from the website on your computer, use it in conjunction with Chromecast and stream it to your TV, or click the BBC iPlayer option on Now TV. The iPlayer is probably the most accessible streaming app, and it’s totally free, but the shows don’t stick around forever, so you need to keep up. Price tag: Free
CHROMECAST
Have you always wanted to subscribe to Netflix or LoveFilm, but don’t have a gaming console or Smart TV? Chromecast is the latest in streaming technology from Google. It makes watching things from most streaming channels on your TV an absolute joy. No longer will you have to get tangled in HDMI cables. Chromecast is a totally wireless service that allows you to stream practically anything from your phone, tablet, or laptop to your TV. All you have to do is get the Chromecast dongle, download the Chromecast app to your device, connect to the Internet, and start streaming. Price tag: £30
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GEORGE DAVIS
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21ST CENTURY LIVING
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