PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EVERYONE - EVERYWHERE
MAGAZINE
THE BEST YOU ISSUE 42 | MAY 2016 | THEBESTYOU.CO
Be Inspired
ADELE
PREPARING TO HEADLINE AT GLASTONBURY DANI DIPIRRO CREATING A POSITIVELY PRESENT SPACE
AMIR KHAN A LOOK AT THE CAREER OF THE BRITISH BOXER
BRETT MORAN THE JOURNEY FROM DRUG ADDICTION TO LIFE COACH
PLUS: AMBITION ISN'T A DIRTY WORD!
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EVERYONE - EVERYWHERE
MAGAZINE
THE BEST YOU ISSUE 42 | MAY 2016 | THEBESTYOU.CO
Be Inspired
ADELE
PREPARING TO HEADLINE AT GLASTONBURY DANI DIPIRRO CREATING A POSITIVELY PRESENT SPACE
AMIR KHAN A LOOK AT THE CAREER OF THE BRITISH BOXER
BRETT MORAN THE JOURNEY FROM DRUG ADDICTION TO LIFE COACH
PLUS: AMBITION ISN'T A DIRTY WORD!
EDITOR’S LETTER|BERNARDO MOYA
SHARING
BERNARDO MOYA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
TWITTER: @BERNARDO_MOYA
STORIES Recently, I was asked what The Best You does. Trying to find a simple, definitive answer, I suppose the easiest response is 'WE SHARE STORIES'.
We are in the business of helping people to achieve their dreams but what we really do through The Best You Magazine, channel and at our events and seminars, is to share people's stories of personal development. By providing a platform, we provide those who are willing to help others with a space to share their expertise, their wisdom, their story.
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For the past three and a half years, The Best You magazine has helped people all over the world to learn and achieve, and we have provided hope to those in need. The world needs more inspiring stories, so our question to you is, What's yours? Will you share it? Join us... tell us about your journey – you never know how your story can help others. From this month, we are extending the reach of our magazine, starting with distribution across London, touching, inspiring and helping more people to grow and develop their own lives.
I would love to see how together we can make the world a better place. We hope you will be inspired by this issue's content. We have fantastic interviews with inspiring people who have determined to create positive change in their lives and those around them. Brett Moran was a drug addict and prisoner, but at his lowest ebb he discovered mindfulness, meditation and began a journey of recovery that he is now sharing with others as a life coach. Lucy Sheridan and Jo Westwood are recasting spirituality for the next generation with their amazing #HigherSelfie website, events and now book. Author Neil Pavitt explains how we can hack our brains for better performance, and writer Rachel Bridge tells us that ambition shouldn't be regarded as a dirty word – without ambition, society would be a poorer place, she warns us. We also have profiles of singer Adele who is preparing to headline at Glastonbury this summer, and British boxer Amir Khan who steps back into the ring this month. Please do tell us what you enjoy in this issue, and share your stories with us. We are here and listening, so get in touch and join our journey towards becoming the best you possible.
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THE BEST YOU CONTENTS|MAY 2016
REGULARS 03 EDITOR’S LETTER Bernardo Moya welcomes you to this month’s issue of The Best You 72
WE SUPPORT...
Invictus Games Foundation, the charity helping wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women
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BOOK REVIEWS
A few of our favourite recently published books – plus your chance to win some great reads
FEATURES 22
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ADELE
Taking the stage at Glastonbury this summer
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AMIR KHAN
TOP 6 SUMMER SPORTS STARS The ones to watch this season
The British boxer preparing for a new class
BRETT MORAN
Helping others to find a better life
INNER YOU 10
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MAKE THE LIFE YOU WANT
Ensure the Law of Alignment work for you!
TRANSFORMATIONAL NLP
How the power of NLP can transform our lives from fear to love
ENJOY LIFE 16
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TOP 6 SUMMER SPORTS STARS Get ready for a summer of sensational sport
THE GOOD NEWS
With so much of what we read in the papers being negative, The Best You brings you some good news
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PRESENT AND CORRECT
Dani DiPirro explains why living in the moment and gratitude are essentials for our happiness
22 ADELE A singing sensation
To enjoy additional digital content, interactive design, video and online galleries, please download The Best You App
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THE BEST YOU CONTENTS|MAY 2016
LIVE LOVE LEGACY 40
From architect to artist, Karen Neale's brave decision to follow her dream
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LIFE LESSONS FOR GREATNESS
Life coach Jamelle Sanders explains why the road to success is a complex journey
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LOVE YOUR LIFE
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46 RECYCLE AND REUSE Giving cashmere a second life
INSPIRATIONAL STORIES
Take inspiration to live your life to the full
WHAT DOES IT TAKE…
…to be a recycle retailer? The Best You chats with Turtle Gloves' founder Kate Holbrook
FEEL & LOOK GOOD 50
#HIGHER SELFIE
Lucy Sheridan and Jo Westwood are inspiring a new generation of spiritualists
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GUT FEELING
Nutritionist Christine Bailey believes our gut health is central to our wellbeing
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HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
Ali Bastian shares a yoga experience close to home
WEALTH & RICHES 58
What's your personality type? A new book reckons there are five voice types which define who we are
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HACK YOUR BRAIN
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50 YOU LIFT ME UP Spirituality in the modern age
HAVE A VOICE
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Neil Pavitt sets out to help us boost our brain power
GOAL-GETTER Rachel Bridge explains why ambition is a good thing
THE ROCKY ROAD TO SUCCESS
The Best You looks at people, past and present, who worked hard for their moment in the spotlight
21ST CENTURY LIVING 68
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VLOGGERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE The Best You recognises vlogstars doing good
KEEPING IT REAL Bryan Szabo reviews the latest gadgets
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THE BEST YOU|MAY 2016 CONTRIBUTORS
DASKA DAVIS
is deputy editor at The Best You. This issue she chats with Dani DiPirro, Brett Moran, Kate Holbrook, Lucy Sheridan, Christine Bailey, Neil Pavitt and Rachel Bridge. "There's an inspiring theme recurring through this issue, with amazing people who are helping others to achieve the life they really want." @TheBestYou
DANI DIPIRRO
is an author, blogger, and designer living in a suburb of Washington, DC. In 2009, she launched the website positivelypresent. com with the intention of sharing her insights about living a positive and present life. Anything and everything focused on positive personal development has a home on Positively Present. @positivepresent
CISSI WILLIAMS
is an NLP trainer, transformational coach, master practitioner of hypnosis, osteopath and naturopath specialising in spiritual transformation. She is passionate about sharing tools, techniques and wisdom, so that others can learn to listen to their own healing wisdom. @Inspiretidning
BRETT MORAN
is therapist, life coach, and change maker. After transforming his own life from drug addiction, Moran became a volunteer for a number of charities that deal with homelessness, inmates and drug addiction. A specialist in personal transformation, he has shared his message in films and books on selfdevelopment. @brettmorantv
BRYAN SZABO
is a Canadian-born freelance editor and writer who specialises in helping authors realise their full potential as writers. He believes that everybody has a story that should be told. His appearance on the acknowledgement page of dozens of titles proves that the voice he is helping budding authors to find is a precious thing indeed. @eidolonink
JAMELLE SANDERS
is a life strategist, success mentor, radio and tv host, leading empowerment specialist, blogger and a respected voice. He is committed to helping entrepreneurs and leaders succeed by sharing the secrets and systems that have contributed to his success. @JamelleSanders
EDITOR/PUBLISHER BERNARDO MOYA info@thebestyou.co DEPUTY EDITOR DASKA DAVIS editorial@thebestyou.co GRAPHIC & DIGITAL DESIGNER MONICA NOTARNICOLA design@thebestyou.co MEDIA DIRECTOR ALLAN BANFORD newmedia@thebestyou.co THE BEST YOU EXPO, PARTNERSHIPS & ADVERTISING LOUISE DOCKERY louise.dockery@thebestyou.co | LUCIANO MOYA luciano.moya@thebestyou.co THE BEST YOU ADVISORS STEVE KELLY steve.kelly@thebestyou.co
Be Inspired
JULIAN DALEY julian.daley@thebestyou.co | MARVYN EBANKS marvyn.ebanks@thebestyou.co THE BEST YOU FINANCIAL MIRACLE WORKER LEKESHIA JONES lekeshia.jones@thebestyou.co
SUSAN ARMSTRONG
MATT WINGETT
ALI BASTIAN
CHRISTINE BAILEY
teaches the same principles she used to go from addicted, abused and homeless to her current position as internationally known speaker, radio show host, award-winning trainer, and author of An Invisible Prison so you can find the happiness and success that you dream about. @SusanArmstrongS
is an actress who rose to prominence on Hollyoaks and The Bill, and subsequently appeared on Strictly Come Dancing. For The Best You, she shares her experiences of yoga around the world, this issue writing about a revelatory experience in her home city of London. @alibastian
is a Portsmouth-based author who is also an NLP master. He uses skills learned from hypnotist Paul McKenna and NLP co-creator Richard Bandler in his work. For The Best You, he writes about singer Adele and the career of British boxer Amir Khan. @MattWingett
is an award-winning nutritional therapist, chef, author and broadcaster with more than 18 years of experience. With a passion for creating delicious nourishing recipes she has a reputation for transforming people’s health and love of food. @AdvNut
The Best You Magazine is published by The Best You Corporation Ltd, 5 Percy Street, W1T 1DG. TEL: +44 (0) 207 927 6502 EMAIL: info@thebestyou.co 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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INNER YOU
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CLOSE UP
The Law of Alignment
HEAL YOUR SPIRIT A fresh perspective on NLP
Connect with the wonderful, special and powerful inside. Learn 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.
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Have you ever wondered why, if the Law of Attraction works so well, and is seemingly so easy, it’s so difficult to actually implement it with any degree of success? I know for many of us it’s easy with the small things: we set our intention, let it go, and poof!, magically whatever it is we desire comes true – we get the work we want, or the blouse is on sale, or a great rate on a holiday... But the larger, more important things we desire – like happiness, success, our dream job or home, or meeting our soul mate, remain seemingly out of reach. I know I’m not alone in my musing of this. The book, The Law of Attraction created a lot of interest in our ability to manifest the life of our dreams, because it seems so simple, and yet, so elusive at the same time. I know plenty of people who only want what we all want and deserve: inner peace and happiness. Yet, no matter how hard they try they can’t seem to attract, manifest, or bring about peace and happiness in their lives. I’ll bet we all know young people who are desperately trying to get a job; or friends and family members who are trying to find love; people who just want what we would consider to be the basics for our existence. You, reading this, may be looking and wishing for some change in your life. So, if the Law of Attraction is so simple and works so well – which it does – then why are these things still out of reach for so many of us? THE ANSWER LIES IN THE LAW OF ALIGNMENT. The Law of Alignment simply means that the insides must match the outsides, to put it in a very simple way. For example, I can set my intention on being a women’s basketball player, release it to the universe, make a vision board, pray about it every day, but I seriously doubt I’m ever going to be a women’s basketball player. Why? Because it’s not who I am. It’s not in alignment with what I’m supposed to do. I am a teacher of human potential – that’s who I am and that’s what I do. So, if I understand this and am in alignment with who I am, why then, can’t I manifest the big desires that I have? The Law of Alignment also means that while I say I want to be a millionaire, deep down, I don’t believe I deserve it, or, I don’t believe it’s possible and so, I will never be a millionaire. Why? Because my own beliefs about myself, my deserving, or my belief on what is possible in this life is blocking it. This is something I have been observing in myself and others for a long time and here’s my conclusion: the reason we can bring about the day-to-day things with ease is that there are no barriers to their existence in our mind. For example, if I would like a particular piece of business, or, to get a certain seat
on a plane it seems to magically happen without much effort on my part. Why? Because I believe that it’s possible, that there is no reason that these things can’t happen. They are within my reach and within my realm of understanding. This is the Law of Alignment: the inner self is ready, willing, and able to accommodate the manifestation of these things. So what does this mean for the really big things we desire: the change in jobs, financial status, happiness, or relationships? Why are the big, really important things we wish to manifest for ourselves so elusive? Because if there are barriers or blocks between us and those really big things we desire, then they will not manifest.
insides, our beliefs must match that which we desire. I must fully believe that it’s possible and that I am deserving before it will happen.
WHAT BLOCKS YOUR MANIFESTING? Let’s look at this a little deeper. Take for example, my friend, who really desperately would like to find love, and is still single. Someone is out there for her, just waiting to materialise in her life, what’s stopping it from happening is that while my friend really truly wants to find love, deep down she doesn’t believe she deserves it. She feels unworthy, not good enough, not lovable. And as long as that belief remains, finding love will be elusive. To all of those people who read the book, The Law of Attraction, and made vision boards with pictures of big houses and lots of money, and then wondered why it never came true I say it's because while your conscious mind really wanted it to, deep down you never really believed it would, or that you were deserving of wealth, and so, it didn’t come true.
• Pay attention to your inner self, catch the thoughts and voices when they arise, and, it’s not enough to just push them away, not listen to them and pretend they aren’t there, you need to get rid of them. When you have one of those, 'Yeah, who do you think you are? you don’t deserve…' moments, go to your mental rolodex of memories and remember all the great things you have done and why you do deserve the good things in life! You need to prove the negative thoughts wrong.
I really would like to see my book, An Invisible Prison, made into a movie, because, let’s face it, it has everything a good movie should have – it’s a triumph over evil story, it’s a love story, it has violence and sex, it’s funny and sad and makes you angry all at the same time, it has a happy ending, and it’s true! I mean really, who could want more in a film? And yet… manifesting this seems to elude me. Why? Because I’m pretty sure that somewhere buried in my sub-conscious is the belief that this can’t happen, that it’s too big, that ‘people like me’ don’t have their books turned into movies – that’s for someone else, that no-one would want to watch the movie, that it’s a ridiculous fantasy and that it will never come true. Now I don’t consciously believe any of these things, but, as we know, it’s not our conscious mind that’s running the show, it’s our darned sub-conscious mind where all of our fears, doubts, and insecurities hide and control our actions and decision-making. And as long as there are any lingering doubts or disbeliefs, no matter how small or deeply buried, the Universe will not respond. This is the Law of Alignment – our
So exactly what does all of this mean for our ability to manifest? It means that we need to pay attention to the fine print consisting of the Law of Alignment. We need to root out those thoughts of 'not good enough' or deserving enough, not talented or lucky enough, not lovable, and blah, blah, blah… the list goes on and on, we all know what it sounds like. Here are a couple of things we can do to start to come into alignment and increase our ability to manifest:
• Pay attention as you go through your day and look for proof that what those voices and thoughts are telling you is wrong. Practise daily. • Learn to love and appreciate yourself; who you are, what you do well. We all have characteristics we don’t like. Instead of dwelling on negatives, focus on positive things about yourself and your life. If you don’t know what they are… then go and ask the people you trust. Scary, I know, but a powerful exercise. • When manifesting, be careful to set your intention on what you do want, not what you don’t. Negativity invites negativity and limits the flow of energy and positive things. For example, instead of saying, 'I don’t want….' change that to 'I want…' I, for one, have faith that if we practise this routine of clearing away the dis-believing part of us, we will be able to manifest our big desires as well as the day-to-day ones. Now, what about you? What are the blocks residing inside of you that prevent you from finding love, happiness, a new job, or whatever else it is you desire? What are you going to commit to do to help you manifest the life you desire? I have a suggestion: start small, set your intention right now on something you would like and then place your attention on bringing it into reality. The Universe always rewards action, and to quote master teacher Deepak Chopra it’s about, 'Intention and attention'. HAPPY MANIFESTING!
INNER YOU|SUSAN ARMSTRONG
Susan Armstrong is a personal growth teacher, author and trainer living in the UK. Visit susanarmstrongspeaks.com for more information and to sign up for her 18 June Stop Standing In Your Own Way! workshop.
Tried the Law of Attraction? Here’s the fine print for getting the life you desire
MAKE THE LIFE
YOU WANT www. t he b e s t youm ag azi ne . co
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Cissi Williams is a certified NLP trainer, transformational coach, osteopath, naturopath and energy medicine practitioner. Here she writes about the power of transformational NLP
Would you like to be able to tap into the creative power and wisdom that exists within each and everyone of us? If you do, then transformational NLP may be able to help you. This is a magical transformational tool, enabling us to heal any area of our lives by harnessing the power and wisdom of a greater force – a force I term the spirit.
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I BELIEVE WE ARE DIVINE, SPIRITUAL BEINGS, IN A PHYSICAL BODY. THE PAIN WE EXPERIENCE IN OUR LIVES IS BECAUSE WE HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO WE TRULY ARE – THAT WE ARE THE LIGHT, WE ARE LOVE, WE ARE AN EXPRESSION OF DIVINITY. TO HEAL OUR PAIN WE HAVE TO CONNECT AGAIN WITH THIS ETERNAL TRUTH. The pain is just an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. However, it is still
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an illusion, consisting of darkness, and the moment you shine your higher conscious awareness on to it, it disappears. It’s the same as when you light a candle in a dark room; the old darkness disappears and instead a beautiful light shines forth. The key is to find the structure of the illusion, of this darkness, and then guide your higher consciousness toward a deep understanding of it. When you do this ’magic’ happens – a profound transformation takes place, from darkness to light. You begin to shine ever more brightly, ever more strongly, because your divine light is able to flow ever more freely through you and out into the world. Transformational NLP is an exquisite tool for this, but it is important to remember it is just a tool. It is a bit like money – it is neither good nor bad, just a type of energy. It is how you use that energy that determines whether it results in something positive or negative. As human beings we can never experience reality as it actually is, since we have to experience it through our five senses and our senses are limited in how much information they can receive. So the information streaming in from the outside world is already limited by our senses.
Despite this around two million ’bits’ of information stream through our senses into our nervous system. To ensure that we are not overwhelmed by this, the unconscious mind screens out most of it and only five to nine ’chunks’ of information reach the conscious mind. This inner screening system is our inner map of reality. This is why we don’t react to reality, only to our perception of it. We communicate our outer experience to ourselves by translating it into an inner experience through our own physiological reaction – the inner pictures we have, the sounds we hear, as well as the emotions stimulated within. All of this is a neurological interpretation of the experience. We also interpret the experience linguistically through the words we choose when we talk to ourselves. These interpretations form the inner map of our reality. We all have our own reality of the world around us and this is based upon which type of neuro-linguistic inner map we have formed. This map decides how we interpret an outer experience, how we react to what is happening around us and which meaning we attach to our behaviours and experiences. We never experience reality as it is, but how we are.
INNER YOU|CISSI WILLIAMS
A fuller version of this article was published in Inspired Wellbeing magazine. For more information visit INSPIREDWELLBEING.NET
TRANSFORMATIONAL NLP
AS A TOOL FOR HEALING
WITH THE SPIRIT This is why it is usually never outer reality that limits us and causes us problems, but our inner reality, our inner maps and screening systems, which either help us to be happy in life or cause us to feel pain and unhappiness. The information that is filtered through the brain and how it translates it affect how we experience life, which in turn influences our behaviour.
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USING NLP YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR INNER SCREENING SYSTEMS AND MAPS. THIS CAN HELP YOU TO LET GO OF INNER BLOCKS AND NEGATIVE THOUGHT PATTERNS, WHICH MAY HAVE STOPPED YOU FROM HEALING YOUR BODY, MIND, RELATIONSHIPS AND LIFE.
Forgiveness forms a central role in transformational NLP, because when you forgive you release yourself from the bondage of the past and this frees you to live fully in the now, enjoying your life. This frees your mind from the past. It is such a miracle when you do forgive someone, because you feel as if you have been freed from a prison. Whereas when you are angry with someone, you keep thinking about them. Often they pop into your head on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day. Once you have forgiven and let go, you stop thinking about them. You have given your mind the antidote to a bitter and negative poison. This is your true gift to yourself, so please realise that you forgive someone in order for you to be happy and not to let the other person off the hook. You actually let yourself off the hook because you hooked these negative thoughts onto yourself. Once you fully understand this it becomes so much easier to forgive, because you realise that it is truly the only wise choice to make, because this
choice will lead you to your own inner peaceful heaven. So give yourself the most amazing gift ever, and first find the structure of the illusion of the problem, and then connect with your higher divine wisdom, and you will notice how this starts to shine a light into the ’problem’ transforming it from darkness to light, from a feeling of being blocked, to amazing freedom, from fear to love.
Transformational NLP – the spiritual approach to harnessing the power of neuro-linguistic programming is published by Watkins
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Be Inspired
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GO-TO GIRLS Wonderful women vloggers
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THE TOP SPOT
Your guide to summer sport
ENJOY LIFE
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GOOD NEWS
Laughter, humour, travel, love – these are the things that add the sparkle that makes 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 – enjoy life every day.
Innovations from around the world
POSITIVE THINKER Dani DiPirro's happy place
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TOP
SUMMER SPORTS
STARS
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DAVID WISEMAN
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Announced by Prince Harry as 2016 UK team captain, former Army Captain David Wiseman will lead 110 wounded, injured and sick serving military personnel and veterans into this year’s Invictus Games. Injured in conflict and living with PTSD, Wiseman competes as a swimmer and won two gold and two silver medals at the 2014 Invictus Games.
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CHRIS SMALLING
Tipped by sports pundits as one of Roy Hodgson’s ‘most consistent and reliable stars’, the Manchester United player has spoken recently about his desire to play a major part in this summer's Euros. “I have bigger expectations this time,” says Smalling who fell short in Brazil.
With a summer of sport, including the Invictus Games, Euros and Olympics, we look at some of the hottest stars to watch out for
ENJOY LIFE|TOP 6
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GIARNNI REGINI-MORAN
Having scooped the gong pile at the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, aged 16, beating the Russian and American favourites, gymnast Regini-Moran is a strong contender at Rio. He will turn 18 just a few weeks before the Games, making him one of the youngest competitors.
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THOMAS BARR
Following in the footsteps of his 2012 Olympian sister, Jessie, Ireland’s 2015 Athlete of the Year Thomas Barr is a four-time 400m hurdles national champion and is Irish senior record holder (48.90). Watch out for a giant leap at Rio.
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HANNAH MILLS
Having missed out on gold at London 2012, Hannah Mills was the first Welsh sportswoman to secure her spot at Rio. The sailor is ranked as the global number one, secured silver at the World Championships and is setting her sights high this summer.
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JAMIE MURRAY Publicly stating that he feels he has yet to achieve his best Olympics, Jamie Murray will play with brother Andy in Rio in his third Games. “It would be nice if I could make my mark at an Olympics and have that to look back on when I finish my career,” he says. The Best You wishes all of the UK’s hopefuls success.
1st - 2nd October 2016
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GOOD NEWS GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
Leicestershire is Britain’s best place to get a great night’s sleep, according to a study by Silentnight beds. The county topped the list of areas where people reported more than seven hours sleep per night, with Worcestershire, Edinburgh, Northumberland and Norfolk completing the list. Maybe time for a move?
ENJOY LIFE|GOOD NEWS
AS EASY AS ABC
UK company Primo Toys has launched Cubetto 2.0, a plywood game which enables children as young as three to learn coding without the need for a screen. More than 6,000 investors pledged support for the concept product on Kickstarter which will now go into production. PRIMOTOYS.COM
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EAT UP
We’ve seen boxes of wonky veg in our supermarkets to avoid waste, and France has made the disposal of wastage via landfill illegal, instead requiring stores to give end-of-shelf-life food to charity. Now a new Danish supermarket, Wefood, sells only food surplus 30-50 per cent cheaper than regular stores, with all profit going to charity. NOEDHJAELP.DK
GOOD TUNES
Love music? Nervana headphones stimulate nerves that trigger pleasureproducing neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin via a lowpowered electric stimulation synchronised to the beat of music. Now your favourite sounds really can make you feel good.
PRESENT & CORRECT In the jumble of life that most of us lead, it can be hard to find the moment to reflect, achieve mindfulness and be grateful for the small positives that are all around us, if we only stop to see them. It’s often from the lows that we can see the highs, and it’s this that was the catalyst for blogger, author and creative artist Dani DiPirro to launch her online platform, Positively Present, in 2009. At a time when blogging was rarely a full-time career, DiPirro felt the inner pull towards creating something as a forum for sharing positive thoughts.
Whether online or in print, DiPirro has the ability to draw her audience’s attention to the moment, to simplify the stresses of daily life and return our focus to the things that matter most.
“I was at a low point in my life,” she recalls. “My career as a marketer for a wealth management firm, was not fulfilling and I wasn’t in a good relationship. Nothing felt right yet something inside me knew something needed to happen, that I should be more mindful and grateful, and I launched Positively Present to share my feelings.”
Now, she has released two new books, Gratitude and Living in the Moment, the first in an eventual series of four feel-good titles that are vibrantly illustrated and feature 18 inspirational quotes. Each one is followed by an insightful explanation, a thought-provoking activity or question and a memorable affirmation. The content aims to inspire readers to think about the theme in a fresh way and to incorporate these thoughts into their daily lives. Both subjects are close to DiPirro’s own life.
The blog provides a platform for anything and everything focused on positive personal development. In the same year, DiPirro’s blog was featured in The Washington Post Express, yet it would be three years before the author left her job and embarked upon her first book, Stay Positive. “I started my blog as a hobby but I wanted to do it full-time so I saved up until I was ready to take the leap.”
“Living in the moment is one of my big problems, personally,” says DiPirro. “I’m often guilty of dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. I started my blog in my mid-20s which was a transition period in my life. It was exciting as it was scary, and I did a lot of worrying. Yet living in the moment is the only thing we have for sure.
Along the way, DiPirro studied graphic design, and her sites and books are illustrated with her contemporary artwork, delivered in uplifting hues. DiPirro’s digital space has been pivotal in achieving a loyal fan base which avidly consumes all that she publishes. Each year she creates a diary/planner, which is snapped up by her followers, and technology is a great conduit to sharing her teachings.
“Similarly I struggle with staying positive. As soon as I start thinking about things that are going well, I realise how much there is to be thankful for and wonder what I’m complaining about. Positivity and staying present are both so important, and these aspects of life apply to all of us. They have the power to turn our mindset around and to help us to move forwards, even in the toughest times.”
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With books on compassion and forgiveness upcoming in the series, DiPirro is a regular contributor to several magazines, and busy maintaining her blog, much to the delight of those who welcome her weekly posts. “I feel very blessed to be doing what I do, and to share what inspires me.”
I LOVE SOCIAL MEDIA AS IT ENABLES YOU TO CREATE GLOBAL CONNECTIONS. I USE GREAT APPS FOR MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION AND I FOLLOW OTHER BLOGGERS WHO I ADMIRE.
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“What I love most is creating a community of like-minded people. There’s a ton of negativity on social media, but my work draws positive people and is a great focal point for positivity.”
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ENJOY LIFE|DANI DIPIRRO
Gratitude and Living in the Moment are published by Watkins. Find out more at POSITIVELYPRESENT.COM
Dani DiPirro is founder of POSITIVELYPRESENT.COM, an inspirational site to help people live more happily in the moment. With the release of two gift books, Gratitude and Living in the Moment, penned and illustrated by DiPirro, we discover the story behind her work
D A N ID IP IR RO
COVER STORY|ADELE
ADELE THE REAL
DEAL Adele singing during her 25 World Tour
A
uthenticity is a word you often hear bandied around in the personal development world as a key to success. Some self-help trainers imply that with that one trait alone, you can conquer the world. The truth is more complicated. Some stars minutely control their media appearances and keep quiet about their private lives; others do the opposite, detailing publicly every aspect of theirs to a world equally fascinated and appalled. Nevertheless, in a social media world, for a certain type of star, authenticity can draw your audience close. For singing sensation Adele, her unpretentious down-to-earthness is undoubtedly an ingredient in her success. Born in Tottenham in 1988, Adele grew up in North London. Her mother, Penny, was an art student when she met Adele's father, Mark Evans. Her parents split when she was three, and she didn't see much of Evans, who returned to his native Wales while she stayed with her mum in London. In the early years before the split, he claims to have influenced her singing, enjoying his chosen tunes. “I'd lie on the sofa all night cradling Adele in my arms and listening to my favourite music – Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Bob Dylan and Nina Simone... I'm certain that's what shaped Adele's music.”
Mid-tour and confirmed as the headline act for this summer’s Glastonbury, Adele’s comeback after a self-determined leave of absence from the stage, has been as electrifying as her singing. The Best You looks at the singer who set out to write other people’s songs, but wound up centre stage, and who talks openly about her lack of desire for the fame that found her
Adele had a natural love of music from early on. Her father recalls when she was four that she had arrived to visit with a guitar from a charity shop, and told him she was learning to play it by listening to music on his record player and trying to make the same noise. “Within a couple of years, she'd started singing along and I remember thinking, when she was seven, 'My God, Adele's really got it.'” At home, her mother also noticed her talent, and would get her to entertain friends who had come round to dinner, even arranging the lights in the room to mimic a spotlight. However, being a music star was far from her mind. She had moved with her mum for a brief stint to Brighton and then to South London. Her new school, Chestnut Grove School in Balham, was not the right environment to support her musical talent, and she was already well aware of the direction her own skills lay. “They gave me a really hard time, trying to bribe me, saying that if I wanted to sing I had to play clarinet to be in the choir. So I left.” When she was 14, she held a microphone in her hand for the first time and heard her recorded voice. One of Adele's traits is her lack of self-consciousness, and it has been true of her from the beginning. “Most people don't like the way their voice sounds when it's recorded. I was just so excited by the whole thing
that I wasn't bothered what it sounded like.” Her musical life reached a new level when she was accepted at the famous BRIT School in Croydon – a government-funded establishment designed to nurture musical and performing talent. Here, she found the natural outlet for her voice; it reminded her of the legendary Fame Academy from the movie set in New York. “It was a bit like Fame sometimes – you get people doing their ballet stretches and singers having sing-offs... I'd rather that than someone pulling a knife!” For her, it was exactly what she needed: “I hate to think where I'd have ended up if I hadn't gone. It's quite inspiring to be around 700 kids who want to be something – rather than 700 kids who just wanna get pregnant so they can get their own flat.” Real talent was all around her. Amy Winehouse had attended the school and gone on to great things, though Winehouse never spoke positively of her experience there. Leona Lewis was Adele's contemporary. Adele found the excitement, the freedom to experiment and the many different musical tastes around her to be an extraordinary education. One thing that the school didn't teach her was how to get over her nerves in a recording studio. Famously, she still gets deeply nervous, to the point of vomiting before gigs. At the same time, she won't be drawn into analysing her singing. She claims to have had only one singing lesson, which made her self-conscious for a while. Instead, she learns by listening and copying and experimentation. When she was 16, in 2004, she wrote and recorded some songs at the BRIT school for a project. She had two songs featured in a small online publication, Platforms magazine, and others were uploaded to a MySpace account by a friend.
*Adele won the Best Original Song Oscar for Skyfall at the 2013 Academy Awards
The power of the web in music was just beginning to be realised at this point, and
COVER STORY|ADELE Adele was on the receiving end of this new, intimate innovation. Soon her friend was receiving emails from record companies, but Adele was very cautious and didn't really believe that she was creating such interest. Eventually, however, she did follow up one request, and went to XL Records, and by 2006 she was signed up for her first record deal. From this point onwards, her rise to fame has been, to use a cliché, genuinely meteoric. She seemed to get everything right, and this was partially to do with her luck, and partially to do with having a professional, supportive team operating with her best interests at heart – ‘Team Adele’. She went on to fame in the UK, and then to success in the US – and the rise has gone on from there. Her audiences are genuinely warm to her and she has a massive, devoted following. So, what is her appeal? She certainly has an idea about the direction she wants to take, and follows her instinct. Her manager, Jonathan Dickins, commented of her in her very early years:
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FOR A GIRL WHO'S JUST TURNED 20 YEARS OLD, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW FOCUSED SHE IS IN TERMS OF WHAT SHE THINKS IS RIGHT FOR HER CAREER.” She is also not a standard mass-produced, skinny, blonde pop starlet. Her build generates comments about her weight, which she bats off without missing a step, one time telling The Daily Telegraph: “I really don't give a toss. If I wanted to be on the cover of FHM, then of course I'd be, like, 'Fuck, I need to lose weight' or 'I need some fake tan' or 'I need to get my teeth fixed'. But I'd rather be on the cover of Q for my music.” There is no doubt that she is a deeply skilled songwriter
and a powerful singer. Her voice has an irresistible force of nature that sweeps you along. Much in that delivery is about power. But there is also nuance. In her live performances she is artlessly friendly and warm with the audience. For example, at her famous Royal Albert Hall concert which can be viewed online, she is self-deprecating and likeable. When she is asked to do an encore, she mocks herself and the convention that rock stars should leave the stage only to be clapped back on. “I don't like encores. I think unless you're Dylan, or Paul Simon, or Madonna, or someone like that, you should stay on the fucking stage. I don't have a catalogue of music, yeah? When I do, I will keep you waiting, for sure.” And what of her authenticity? Later, in that same introduction to her song, Someone Like You, which featured on her second album, 21, she says of the album:
the Grammys until recently (which was seen as rude, rather than a statement of her own ignorance); or complaining about the amount of tax she pays, in order to fund “shit schools” and trains that are late. But these missteps are rare with her. She is instinctively, unselfconsciously herself. Hilarious, unscripted moments occur, like the time she received an Oscar* and announced she had “got a bit of snot” from getting so emotional receiving the award, or joking about male fans who had sent her “crispy tissues”. This openness really is central to her success. She never tries too hard. She is herself, and she is loved for that. Adele, then, is the singer for the social media age, because nowadays, it's hard for stars to be aloof pedestal-
climbers who stand apart from their audience. She is one of them, and she shows and tells them that's the case, resonating with truth and honesty and reflecting their emotions with her words and her voice. For her, being herself comes easily, and it is her straightforwardness, her willingness to be outspoken, her unselfconsciousness and truth to her roots that mark her out. That, of course, along with a beautiful voice and extraordinary songwriting talent.
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I DIDN'T HAVE THAT ONE SONG THAT I BELIEVED MYSELF ON, THAT ONE SONG THAT MOVED ME, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I DO FEEL LIKE THAT ABOUT AT LEAST ONE OF MY SONGS SO THAT I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO LET PEOPLE THAT I DON'T KNOW LISTEN TO MY MUSIC, BECAUSE IT'S SO PERSONAL.” She adds that she “wouldn't have had much conviction when talking about the album” if she hadn't had that song. What's more, she is surprised that the song resonated with people and she, “didn't know that it would go on to affect so many lives.” It's this genuineness that wins so many people over. Sometimes her authenticity backfires, like the time she announced, on receiving her first Grammy Award that she hadn't even heard of
Adele is Queen of the Brits, winning four prizes including Best British Female Solo Artist and Best Album
BOXING CLEVER
THE SUCCESS
OF AMIR KHAN
As Amir Khan takes to the ring in Vegas to meet Saul Alvarez, moving up two weight divisions, we look at the formative years of the young Asian boxer 26
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SPORT FEATURE|AMIR KHAN
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T
here are countless routes to success, and Amir Khan's truly spectacular rise to fame and fortune shows how important the support and love of a family can be for someone to taste the fruits of hard work and raw talent. Things could have been very different for the Khan family, when a few weeks after his birth in Bolton, Greater Manchester, he was readmitted to hospital with a severe chest infection. Perhaps this early scare made his family overly indulgent to him – they “felt a certain way towards me,” he remembers and gave him “everything I wanted, spoiling me, I suppose.” Whatever the reason, he went on to become “a handful as a kid”. He would fight with his cousins and got into trouble for the normal exuberant things kids do. “I felt I could do whatever I wanted, when I wanted, that sort of attitude,” he recalls. Although he is absolutely clear that his family made sure he knew right from wrong, there were times when he didn't want to recognise the rules, and he recalls that he had a fearless streak which could easily get him into trouble. He remembers he was always playing outdoors. When he was five he ran out into the road and was run over by a car. He recovered after physio, and so the exuberant childhood continued which included getting into fights and standing up for himself against bullies. In fact, he began to get a “reputation”, as Khan puts it. Khan’s dad owned a car repair garage and, later, a breaker's yard, and it was his fateful decision to do something useful with his son’s energy. At the age of eight he took him to the Halliwell Boxing Club in Bolton.
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Amir Khan fighting against Andriy Kotelnik during the WBA World super lightweight
SPORT FEATURE|AMIR KHAN
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EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN I STARTED BOXING. I CHANNELLED ALL MY ENERGIES INTO THAT. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT, THE TRAINING, THE PADS, THE BAGS AND BEST OF ALL, THE FIGHTING. Before that all my energies went into mischief. Eight years of mischief.” He adds: “I never threw another punch in the street. My tear away days were over.” It's a classic story. Khan could easily have gone on to be “the tough kid” at school whom trouble followed. But very often the thing that separates the disruptive troublemaker from the model member of society is just that they are given an interest into which they can direct their energy. This was exactly the case with Khan. For him, boxing and the club became an all-abiding passion. He savours his first memories of the place: “It was in the basement of an old factory... It was dark and dusty, full of old leather bags tied up with chains... The ring was disgusting. The canvas had blood all over it!” He goes on: “It stank. I learned to love that smell. You could take me blindfold anywhere in the world and I could pick out a boxing gym at 100 paces. Soon as I get the scent, I feel at home.” At the time, Khan was not the lean boxing machine we know today. “I was chubby as a kid, short and fat. I used to sit there, thinking I would never get a six-pack... I was flatfooted, too” His first coach, Tommy Battle, taught him the techniques he needed to start to fight, turning him from a “slugger” to someone who stayed on his toes and started to teach him the importance of footwork. Lessons came thick and fast at Halliwell. He remembers the first time he drew blood in the ring, he was terrified, thinking that he would be in trouble. “The coach came up up, said ‘Well done’. I thought, ‘Great, I can do it again!’” For Khan, boxing became an abiding passion. He recalls that he went twice a week at first, but would gladly have gone every day. “I used to eat and sleep boxing. When I wasn't at the gym I would train at home, watch videos. The Rumble in the Jungle was my favourite.” After a year, the gym closed down
and Tommy Battle trained at a different club. Unfortunately, the rules of the new club meant Khan was too young to box and for a year or so he did karate. But he knew he would be back, and he managed to get back into Tommy's gym, even though he was only 10. His first amateur fight was three days after his eleventh birthday. Up against a much bigger lad, Khan won on points. It was a story that would be repeated throughout his junior amateur career. “Right from the start I had the support of my family,” he remembers. “My dad and uncles came to all the fights. We were a real team.” In the following years he was often matched against people much older than himself and much bigger. Unsurprisingly, though he did well, he did sometimes lose. But in a fair, well-matched fight he was unstoppable, and he began to get a big following among his friends and family. Khan went on to train under Mick Jelley, who taught him to think about his fighting and how to behave at the ringside. He always encouraged his boys to say, “Sir” to the officials. “If you do that and all the others ignore them, we would get the vote in a tight contest.” His rise through amateur boxing eventually saw him set his sights on the 2008 Olympics at the extremely young age of 17. But while he was convinced he should go, he found that he continually had to prove himself to the Amateur Boxing Association, over and again. His determination saw him do well in numerous internationals, including the Junior Olympics in 2003, in which he took gold. The Americans were so impressed that they offered to have him on their adult Olympic team, with a green card. Khan went on to European Cadet Championships, and the European Schoolboys Championships. Still, the ABA would not consider Khan for the 2008 Olympics, until finally, he threatened to represent Pakistan. At last, the ABA relented, and it was to be the turning point in his life. Khan took silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was a 17-year-old fighting sensation. Soon after, he turned professional, and time will tell how his career goes. Though it's clear that there was the external factor of his father channelling him into boxing, alongside his natural, undisciplined energy, this is not only a picture of
Khan succeeded because he has talent. Many others have talent, but don't go on to win an Olympic medal. Khan also has passion, a supportive family and natural sense of ambition.
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HE IS EXCITED BY FIGHTING AND THE PASSION HE FEELS MAKES HIM PUSH HIMSELF TO NEW PINNACLES OF FITNESS AND TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE. Khan is also straightforward in his psychological approach to things. As he says himself, he is fearless. This is a deeply empowering trait. He is also extremely determined, and his determination is aimed at getting him to the top. He was shown psychological techniques of visualising at the Olympics in coaching sessions, but those he found boring. He was already motivated and needed no more. This does not mean that Khan isn't a thinker. Many people mistakenly think that boxing is all brute force, but it takes far more than that. He dedicates himself to watching videos of upcoming opponents in fights so that he can analyse their strengths and weaknesses and be prepared to take on his opponent. And that's not all. He also has the ability to respond under pressure to an opponent, to think and understand what they are doing, to work them out and to devise a strategy to beat them. As a role model, he is a fascinating presence. He is a Muslim, and he is British. He acknowledges his Pakistani heritage, but he sees himself as British through and through. This makes him an important role model. Just a few days before his professional debut in July 2005, the 7/7 bombings occurred. At the fight, his friends turned up with a flag that was halfBritish and half-Pakistani, with the slogan ‘Knock Out Terrorism’ on it. He has a point to make – that there is another way for British Asians to take. As such, he's an important figure. He stands as a role model for Asian boys – he offers an alternative identity and the possibility of success – and not just for Asians. He is a genuine pan-national figure, who appeals to all. It is a role he relishes. Long may his success continue.
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FEATURE|BRETT MORAN
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Wake The F*** Up by Brett Moran is published by Watkins. To find out more, visit BRETT-MORAN.COM
eeting Brett Moran is like being hit with a blast of sunshine – powerful, uplifting and bursting with the feelgood factor. His effusive warmth and radiant spirit are a million miles from the life used to live. In fact, his story could well have panned out as a life misspent and wasted, but he had the self-determination to turn it a full 360° to become an inspiring model for personal change. “I grew up in Carshalton in an environment that was racist, violent and drug-fuelled, and it wasn’t long before I was a crack addict and sent to prison for drug dealing,” says Moran. “The turning point came while I was inside, when I stole a book from the library and took it back to my cell. Inside I read about mindfulness, meditation and many of the beliefs found in Buddhism, ideas that had never been in my head before. These things made a lot of sense to me and gave me the hope to change but I still felt embarrassed and that if my dad or mates saw me reading it, I’d feel silly. “I was so desperate though and that moment was a point of change which I needed. When addiction kicks in you’re a lost soul, and I felt suicidal at that point. I don’t believe in religion in the conventional sense, but I do believe in an energy and at that moment I prayed for help. I was
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in a desperate place and I took a leap of faith. I wanted to change for the better. I think it’s normal for most of us that when something goes against what we’ve always known, fear rises up and makes us doubt ourselves but I knew this was what I needed.” Moran’s path to enlightenment wasn’t a straight one, and after his release he fell back to old ways, relapsing to drugs and going back to prison. “There was a louder voice inside me,” he says. “It told me to go for it.
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I THINK WE ALL HAVE THAT INSIDE OF US AND WE NEED TO LET THE VOICE HOLD US UP. I BECAME MY BEST COACH, I WAS DETERMINED TO BE ON MY SIDE AND WHEN I FAILED OR MESSED UP I WOULD DUST MYSELF OFF AND START AGAIN.” It’s this positive self-encouragement that Moran now coaches in others, speaking truly from experience as someone who has created real and meaningful change. “We all need a vision,” says Moran. “In prison I could think about being happy, and my vision was
From drug dealing and prison time to mindfulness and meditation, Brett Moran’s journey of self-discovery has been monumental, and now he’s on a mission to help others find their own path
ARE YOU AWAKE?
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effect social change, others pull us back, maybe because they’re scared but we have to stick to our vision. “At the beginning of my transformation I got a lot of stick and it hurt, but I got past those emotions and now people want me to advise them. Everyone has to find their own path.”
being with my daughter and mum in the sunshine, running around. By focusing on the goal we want, we can shift our consciousness to make it happen.
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LIFE IS A DESTINY OF TWO DATES – BIRTH AND DEATH. YET WE’RE LIKE ZOMBIES DASHING THROUGH LIFE RATHER THAN BEING THE DASH. MY PHILOSOPHY IS THAT YOU HAVE TO CREATE A VISION THAT SCARES YOU, AND THEN LIVE IT, IT’S THE ONLY WAY.” The negative pull of those around us, perhaps uncomfortable with our desire to change and be different, can be challenging, admits Moran, but by maintaining our single vision, we can succeed and, perhaps, other will follow us. “It’s been said that if you put a crab in a bucket it will climb out,” says Moran. “But if you put two in, one will pull the other back each time it tries to escape. When we try to
Today, Moran is in high demand as a life coach, leading others through workshops, community projects and via his online platform. Now he’s written a book, Wake The F**k Up, the title of which he says reflects his passion and energy to make others live the life around them before life runs out on them. “I thought giving up girls and drugs was tough, but writing a book was much harder,” laughs Moran. “I’ve been writing this book for the last two years and in the end the message inside that was waiting for me was, ‘Stop trying to be perfect’. I just got on and did it and it was an amazing relief. Now, thinking about it, I realise my ego was getting in the way, and I’m even thinking about writing a second book.” The recipient of a Prince’s Trust Award. Moran has also started a programme, Waking Up Inside, which asks people to buy two copies of his book, one for themselves and one to donate anonymously, for him to take into prison and give to an inmate. “I’ve worked with homeless and addicted people and for me, talking to the unconverted is more impactful. I can look them in the eye and know exactly where they are coming from and that I can help.” Today, Moran is hooked on yoga, mindfulness and meditation, which he practises daily. “You don’t need to be spiritual or religious,” he says. “Everyone needs solitude and silence to hear our consciousness louder. Society is getting noisier but we need to step back and hear our inner voice.”
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B O O K B C L U This month we are giving away a wide range of fantastic books. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning, simply email your name and contact details to PRIZEGIVEAWAYS@THEBESTYOU.CO with the name of the prize you would like to win in the subject title before 31 May 2016.
NEED SOME INSPIRED THINKING? ENTER OUR LUCKY DIP AND WE’LL SEND ONE WINNER A BOOK FROM THE BEST YOU’S BOOKSHELF.
REAL CONFIDENCE: STOP FEELING SMALL AND BEING BRAVE BY PSYCHOLOGIES MAGAZINE ‘Confidence has become the holy grail of modern life,’ argues a new book from Psychologies magazine. Many people believe they could do anything they want, if only they could be a bit more comfortable in their own skin. Based on scientific evidence, cuttingedge global research and advice from a range of experts, this book explores the truth about real confidence.
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WIN!
We have one copy of the book to give away.
BOOK CLUB|MAY 2016
OVERCOMING OVERCOMINGANXIETY: ANXIETY:REASSURING REASSURINGWAYS WAYS TO TOBREAK BREAKFREE FREEFROM FROMSTRESS STRESSAND ANDWORRY WORRY AND ANDLEAD LEADA ACALMER CALMERLIFE LIFE BY BYGILL GILLHASSON HASSON Written Written by by best-selling best-selling personal personal development development author author Gill Hasson, Gill Hasson, the book the book begins begins by explaining by explaining whatwhat anxiety anxiety is and how is and it can howpresent it can present itself, including itself, including panic attacks, panic attacks, phobias, OCD phobias, and OCD IBS. Itand goes IBS. onIttogoes explain on to how explain readers howcan readers manage can manage bothboth the cognitive the cognitive and physical and physical aspects aspects of anxiety of and anxiety identify and activities identify activities they canthey do to can help dothem to help switch themoff from switch worrying. off from worrying.
WIN!
We We have have one one copy copy of of the the book book to to give give away. away.
THE NEGOTIATION BOOK: YOUR DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATING BY STEVE GATES Negotiating is one of the most important skills in business. No other skill offers a better chance of optimising personal success and that of an organisation. The Negotiation Book is aimed at professionals who have to negotiate deals in their company and want to develop their skills in this area. Every negotiation should result in an increased advantage and this book shows readers how to achieve this whilst also ensuring the other party also comes away feeling good about the deal.
WIN!
We have one copy of the book to give away.
OVERCOMING ACCIDENTALLY ANXIETY: OVERWEIGHT: REASSURING THE 9 WAYS TO ELEMENTS BREAK FREE THAT FROM WILLSTRESS HELP YOU ANDSOLVE WORRY YOUR AND WEIGHT-LOSS LEAD A CALMER PUZZLELIFE BY DR LIBBY WEAVER BY GILL HASSON What leads the human body to get the message that it needs tobystore fat and what leads development the human body to getGill Written best-selling personal author the message that itbegins needs to fat? In awhat dynamic, fresh Hasson, the book byburn explaining anxiety is and approach to weightitself, loss,including acclaimed nutritional how it can present panic attacks,biochemist phobias, Dr Libby Weaver discusses the nine that cause us OCD and IBS. It goes on to explain howfactors readers can to eitherboth losethe or gain weight. manage cognitive and physical aspects of anxiety and identify activities they can do to help them switch off from worrying.
WIN!
We have one copy of the book to give away.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS One entry per household. Entry implies acceptance of rules and conditions. No purchase necessary. Open to all UK residents aged 18 years or over, other than employees of The Best You and companies associated with it. Draw will be conducted by The Best You Corporation. Prize is as stated and will be awarded to the entry drawn at random on the draw date. No cash alternative is available. No correspondence will be entered into. Delayed entries will be deemed invalid. Winners’ names may be published and the winners may be required to participate in publicity. Promoter: The Best You Corporation.
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BOOK REVIEWS HEALTHY
READING With the power to entertain, enrich and empower your life, books are as important today as they have been for millennia. Here’s what’s catching our eye at The Best You this month…
GPs are being encouraged to prescribe novels for young patients with mental health issues as part of a new initiative by The Reading Agency and the Society of Chief Librarians. Books which focus on depression, eating disorders, bullying, exam pressure, self-harm and anxiety are being suggested as a toolkit for medical professionals to recommend to teenagers. The campaign follows similar projects for adults and dementia sufferers, with some titles being borrowed up to 346 per cent more frequently as a result.
The Reading Agency says one in ten young people has a mental health issue and with waiting times under greater pressure the reading strategy is seen as an additional resource for the NHS.
‘Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.’ EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, INTERACTIVE DESIGN AND SHOTS ON IPAD, IPHONE & ANDROID DEVICES thebestyoumagazine.co
- Joseph Addison
BOOK REVIEW|BRETT MORAN
WAKE THE F#CK UP BRETT MORAN
What can an ex-crackhead teach us about waking up and transforming our lives? The answer will surprise, amuse and enlighten you. Brett Moran's life changed forever when he was on a drug deal in the prison library and stumbled across a book on meditation. What came next was a decade of personal transformation. This book contains the tried-and-tested concepts and techniques he used to change his life and has since used to help countless others do exactly the same. He will show you how to: • • • •
Separate from your negative thoughts by using meditation and mindfulness as a way of life. Create one epic vision of your life to help you discover what you really want to achieve. Learn how to unlock your negative patterns so you can shift beyond negative habits. Ignite your energy so you can feel alive and learn how to activate your inner spark!
Wake The F#ck Up is a manifesto for personal change, presented with humour and wisdom from one man who's been there, done that, and come out the other side shining.
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BRETT'S WORK SPEAKS WITH AN AUTHENTICITY THAT INSPIRES YOU TO TRULY BE YOURSELF.” - Dr David Hamilton
BOOK REVIEW|CHRISTINE BAILEY
THE GUT HEALTH PLAN CHRISTINE BAILEY
Gut health is critical to our overall wellbeing and many major health concerns have links to an irritated or unhealthy gut. In fact, an unhealthy gut contributes to a wide range of chronic health disorders such as autoimmune conditions, allergies, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression and mood swings. Gut health issues affect a huge proportion of people and are often ongoing and difficult to resolve. But it does not have to be this way. In this revolutionary 30-day programme, complete with 60 delicious easy-to-make recipes, Christine Bailey shows you how, instead of treating the symptoms as they arise, you can tackle the root causes. This programme will help you to remove the underlying factors wreaking damage to your gut, restore digestive health, quench inflammation, and heal your gut for good so you can achieve true, long-lasting health.
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THE BOOK YOUR GUT HAS BEEN WAITING FOR.� - Dr Mark Hyman
BOOK REVIEW|NEIL PAVITT
BRAINHACK NEIL PAVITT
Brainhack is a new book offering 45 ‘hacks’ to help readers unlock the secret power of their brain. Each short chapter provides tips and techniques to help anyone think smarter, improve problem-solving, generate more ideas and be more innovative. “Amazingly, 95 per cent of your brain’s day-to-day activity is unconscious” says author Neil Pavitt. “One hundred billion neurons, one hundred trillion connections and we’re only in control of a tiny five per cent of it.”
Brainhack is full of fun facts and provides practical advice for everyday life. Readers can find out the science behind the hacks, learn what Einstein and Keira Knightly have in common, the merits of watching cat videos, having a messy desk, wearing the same outfit and being sarcastic.
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PAVITT’S BOOK IS A REFRESHING TAKE ON THIS SUBJECT AND READERS SHOULD FIND AT LEAST SOME OF THE 45 'HACKS' PRESENTED HERE TO BE OF PRACTICAL USE." - The Irish Times
BOOK REVIEW|DANI DIPIRRO
GRATITUDE DANI DIPIRRO
Cultivating gratitude doesn't cost any money and doesn't take much time, but the benefits can be enormous, helping you focus on what you have rather than what you don't: friends and family, positive personal qualities, your surroundings, a healthy body, a vibrant mind, and the list goes on. Perfect as either a gift or self-purchase, this lovely little book features 18 inspirational quotes on the theme of gratitude, each one followed by an insightful explanation, a thought-provoking activity or question, and a memorable affirmation – all intended to inspire readers to think about gratitude in a fresh way as well as encouraging them to incorporate it into their everyday lives. Research has shown that grateful people tend to be more relaxed, less envious, more humble, more emotionally resilient, less materialistic, with increased energy, self-esteem and productivity, and stronger relationships. What's more, when children see a thankful parent, they are more likely to become thankful children. With its appealing design, uplifting content and friendly tone, this discerning little book on gratitude provides beautiful, bite-sized inspiration for people around the world to feel more grateful, contented and at peace in life.
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“DANI DIPIRRO HAS ONE OF THE TOP POSITIVE THINKING BLOGS ON THE PLANET. HER IDEAS ARE ORIGINAL, FRESH AND THOUGHTFUL. THEY’RE PRESENTED FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES, AND CHALLENGED WITH DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.” - Brent Smith
Be Inspired
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GO-TO GIRLS Wonderful women vloggers
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THE ART OF TRAVEL
Artist Karen Neale's story
LIVE LOVE LEGACY 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.
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GREAT PLACES
Jamelle Sanders' journey
WASTE SAVER
The business of recycling
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MY PASSION IS SKETCHING AND PAINTING THE WORLD AROUND ME. Ever since leaving school I have kept a sketchbook with me, all through my training, qualifying and working as an architect.
This truly was a journey of a lifetime. My sketchbook was my passport to people and places. When standing or if lucky, sitting somewhere for several hours, simply drawing with just a black biro, I became a part of that place for a time.
Then, in 2000, aged 30, while working as an architect in London, I realised that though architecture was my profession, I wanted to do more with my passion for drawing in my sketchbooks and if possible do some good along the way.
Sketching erodes cultural and linguistic barriers, as a picture and the process to create it can be universally understood. People were friendly, informative, inquisitive and afforded me great hospitality.
It was difficult to articulate this rationally, still is, but I knew that what I thought then would be a few months’ sabbatical to go off on a sketchbook adventure was the right thing to do. Having made that decision, I came across the UNESCO World Heritage List online. This list designates sites as having properties of outstanding universal value, and if you haven’t seen it, take a look, as it is an amazing record of our global cultural and natural heritage. Inspired by the list, I soon began to plan my adventure with a few self-imposed parameters to make the journey viable. These included my limited budget, the length of time I wanted to be away from home, and the fact that I would always try to travel as much as possible in a continual direction on ‘terra firma’ and a little ‘aqua’ so as to see the cultural connections gradually unfold. I naively wrote off to lots of organisations hoping to secure assistance financially (limited success) or otherwise (more success) and I also hoped to raise some funds for charities I would come across on my journey (even more success). Then a few weeks before departure, as I was about to go on bended knees to the bank manager for my crazy, but carefully organised plan, I had the great good fortune to be awarded a Churchill Travelling Fellowship by the WCMT*( great success!). This not only took away any financial worries, it also opened doors and gave my journey more purpose. I left London in April 2001 and travelled for five months through France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, India and Nepal.
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During this time I completed 106 annotated, watercolour sketches recording my experience.
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World Heritage Site, with the Hadrian Wall Partnership. My journey from architect to artist became complete in 2004, when I became the MCC Young Cricket Artist 2004 – 2005 at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. In that season the MCC published a book with Methuen about MCC president, ‘Tom Graveney at Lord’s’ and decided to include my Lord’s sketches within the book. Methuen then asked me if I had any other sketches of the city. In reply I presented my sketchbooks of London and London in Landscape was published in 2006 and London in Landscape
"I DITCHED MY SECURE JOB TO TAKE AN ARTISTIC
DREAM OF A LIFETIME" When I returned to the UK, I did not know how to take forward my amazing journey and pay the bills. So, for a while I worked part-time as an architect, whilst also producing an exhibition of paintings derived from my sketchbooks. After this I was invited by an MP and Churchill Trustee to sketch as ‘artist in residence’ in the Houses of Parliament and then the Athenaeum. I also undertook a wonderful sketchbook project along Hadrian’s Wall, also a
Volume II came out in 2009. In 2010, after the arrival of my son we moved to lovely Lincolnshire, and in 2011 Stamford Sketchbook was published by Walkers. I’ve given talks about my work and my journey inspired by World Heritage Cities and Sites featured quite prominently. People asked when this book would be published. With 2015 being WCMT's 50th anniversary and UNESCO's 70th anniversary, I decided the book of my journey
LIVE LOVE LEGACY|KAREN NEALE that changed my life should be published and is called, A Fellow Traveller.
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FOURTEEN YEARS ON FROM MY FELLOWSHIP JOURNEY I HAVE NO REGRETS ABOUT MAKING MY LIVING AS AN ARTIST. IT IS HARD WORK AND REQUIRES A LOT OF DETERMINATION.
Karen Neale met The Queen in Buckingham Palace on 18 March to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sir Winston's living legacy
The importance of architecture is ever present in my art and both subjects are inextricably interwoven
Karen Neale shares her experience of being awarded a Winston Churchill Travel Fellowship to travel across Europe to document UNESCO heritage sites
A Fellow Traveller, A Sketchbook Journey Inspired by World Heritage Cities and Sites by Karen Neale (published 2015 by Karen Neale Art) can be ordered directly via KARENNEALE.CO.UK
in my work. It is not easy and earnings are variable (so in a good month, save!) but overall enough. The freedom, diversity, ability to 'do good' in the community and inspire others through my work makes it all worth it.
www. t he b e s t youm ag azi ne . co
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LIVE LOVE LEGACY|JAMELLE SANDERS
LIFE LESSONS
FOR GREATNESS
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When most people see me today it is hard for them to believe that I have experienced lots of failure in my life. Everyone sees the magazines, media attention and awards. However, very few people see the years of struggle, failure and adversity that have made me who I am today. It is troubling to me what I see happening in our culture. We gravitate more and more towards this idea of celebrity. While I do not see being a celebrity as a problem, I think we have done society a disservice. We have not opened up enough about the journey and the lessons that produce greatness in our lives. That is why I knew it was time for me to tell my entire story and that is why I decided to write Unbreakable.
PATHS TRODDEN
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GREATNESS DOES NOT COME EASY. I remember many years ago having a dream in my heart. It was a big dream and one that I did not fully understand at the time. I wanted to empower people around the world to reach their full potential. However, I had no idea the difficulty that it would take to manifest the dream. You could not have told me the roller coaster ride I would have to experience to rise to prominence and success. From the beginning it has been a journey filled with winding roads and uncertainty. However, it taught me a valuable lesson. I learned that greatness does not come easy. In order to join the ranks of greatness you must be willing to elevate your life. Excuses will never produce the elevation that you are looking for. Easy will never define this human life.
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YOU HAVE TO REFRAME THE FAILURES OF YOUR LIFE. For every success you see in my life you can trace it back to a myriad of failures. My business almost collapsed three times. I know what it is like to have a dream and be completely broke. I know what it feels like to be mocked and criticised because you dared to step out on a dream in your heart. Hopelessness is an emotion that I know all too well. I even had a period where I completely shut my business down and I did not think I would ever recover. However, I know a secret and that secret is that failure is not final. Greatness is the ability to reframe the failures of your life and turn them into lessons. I always say that I did not fail I just simply learned what did not work. From those lessons I grew, evolved and became a much better version of myself. Failure never defined me but it deepened my roots in the mission that I know I was called to.
Jamelle Sanders is a life coach, business coach, author and leading empowerment specialist. He is committed to empowering entrepreneurs and leaders around the world to profit in their businesses and live up to their true potential. He’s often called the soul coach because he helps people master their inner life, discover their authentic self and empowers them to position their life for total prosperity. Find out more at JAMELLESANDERS.COM
LIFE IS ABOUT MYSTERY AND LIVING WITH MEANING. If you told me years ago that I would be in the position that I am in today I would have laughed at you. Never in a million years did I imagine that my life would evolve into what it is today. I believe it is the mystery of life that matures us. Every phase develops us and empowers us to discover the wisdom and truths that produce greatness. It was the painful experiences of my life that revealed my power and released my potential. The mystery is the quest that causes us to relentlessly pursue purpose and realise our dreams. It was that pursuit that brought me into a level of living that I did not even know was possible. I started realising that nothing in life just happens. Many of the things that we call coincidences are divine calls and prophetic pulls to embrace a higher mission. It was in the madness that I discovered the meaning of my life. Everything moulds us for our moment with greatness. Everybody is in search of more for their lives. However, living with meaning is how you get to the more.
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IT HAS TAKEN ME A LIFETIME TO REALISE THAT MY LIFE IS BIGGER THAN ME. In my earlier years I was so young, naive and immature. I think about all the times I made everything about me. Then it dawned on me that I am the author of my own story. No event or experience has the power to shape my life without my permission. That truth ignited me and radically shifted my life. You were created to leave a legacy through your life and your work.
LOVE
LIVE LOVE LEGACY| BE INSPIRED
YOUR LIFE What will your legacy be? Here are 12 inspirational quotes from those who have considered the meaning of life and the impact we make
beginning to the urse... from the co on ed ay st I " My legacy is that ng inside of me. - Tina Turner lieved in somethi end, because I be
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rich as honesty." - William Shakespeare
- George Foreman
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bed menal laboratory, an unparalleled test The International Space Station is a pheno gazing out the ly silent while ht, thoug often I Yet for new invention and discovery. of humanity's attempts to step into space window at Earth, that the actual legacy nt planet and how to take care of it." curre our of ing stand under r will be a bette - Chris Hadfield
Change makes you find your calling, your legacy, and God's divine plan for your life. Don't run from it." - Iman
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THE YEARS IN YOUR LIFE THAT COUNT. IT’S THE LIFE IN YOUR YEARS." - Abraham Lincoln
I tell my kids... yo u're not going to be the tallest, fas prettiest, the best test, track runner, bu t you can be the human being that nicest someone has ever met in their life. And I just want to leave that legacy that being nice is treasure." a true
" No legacy is so
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" IN THE END, IT’S NOT
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"Do not dwell in
the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." - Buddha
have When you have told anyone you thing ent dec left him a legacy, the only e." to do is die at onc - Samuel Butler
rself. Life isn’t about finding you lf." rse you ng ati Life is about cre w Sha d nar Ber e org - Ge
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The purpose of our lives is to be happy." - Dalai Lama
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What we are doing is, rath er than livin basic biolog g on the inte ical capital, rest of our we're using dipping into up our capita our capital. l, so we're We're using children's an up what shou d grandchild ld be our ren's legacy ." - David Suzu
ki
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If you live long enough, you’ll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you’ll be a better person. It’s how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit." - Bill Clinton
LIVE LOVE LEGACY|KATE HOLBROOK
1|HOW DID YOU GET INTO RECYCLE RETAILING?
4|HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PRODUCTS?
Twenty-five years ago, I was working for a clothing manufacturer and although I worked on the administrative side, I learnt to sew in the evenings as it was a really inspiring and creative place.
Luxurious! People are attracted to our gloves by the way they look and feel – cashmere is such a tactile material. There’s also the appeal of buying an ethical product, as we are reusing a material that has been quite impactful on the environment to create initially.
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I’VE ALWAYS LOVED REUSING MATERIAL RATHER THAN USING NEW. Then, seven years ago, while I was out walking my dogs, they ran into me and broke my leg quite badly, which required surgery and metalwork in my leg. It took a long time to recover and while I was at home one day I saw a pair of fingerless gloves in a magazine that I loved, but they cost £80 – I would never buy anything that expensive, but I thought I would make my own and did so from a recycled jumper from a charity shop. Subsequently I made 80 pairs and did an event where they sold out, and I realised I could make a business from this.
2|WHAT'S THE CONCEPT BEHIND TURTLE DOVES? My husband, Graham, named the company, as Turtle Doves is cockney rhyming slang for gloves! For a while I worked by myself, but then we took on a machinist and it grew from there. We specialise in making quality, stylish and practical accessories from pre-owned fabrics.
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RECYCLED MATERIAL KEEPS THE COST DOWN WHICH ENABLES PEOPLE TO BUY A LUXURIOUS PRODUCT FOR LESS.
5|YOU HAVE AN A-LIST CELEBRITY CLIENTELE – HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT AND WHAT'S THE NICEST THING THAT'S BEEN SAID ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS? The business has grown organically, and we’ve had celebrities buy from us from a stall. We had a delightful email from Dame Judi Dench who said she loves our products.
Turtle Doves is growing and we now sell in France, Germany, Italy, Australia and America. It seems incredible to think it all started with one pair of gloves for me!
3|HOW DO YOU GATHER ALL THE CASHMERE FOR YOUR PRODUCTS? We used to buy jumpers from charity shops, then wash, cut-up and rework the fabric, but we had no control over the supply of material. Graham did some reverse logistics and we identified a good supply of post-consumer waste to enable us to source the cashmere that we needed. This has given us the ability to develop the company, and we now supply 200 shops in the UK. We buy about 60-80 kilos per week, and around 300 jumpers allows us to create 500 pairs of gloves.
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To find out more, visit TURTLE-DOVES.CO.UK
Turtle Doves is a British design and manufacturing company, specialising in using post-consumer textile waste to create beautiful new garments and accessories. The Best You chats with founder Kate Holbrook
WHAT DOES
IT TAKE TO BE A... RECYCLE
RETAILER?
Juice Master Retreats “Sometimes the best way to forward... is to retreat.”
7 Days of Freshly Extracted Juices & Smoothies
There are retreats... and then there is Juicy Oasis. Juicy Oasis is Jason Vale’s stunning juicing, yoga and fi tness retreat, nestled in the rolling hills of Portugal. Our ‘Juice Only’ programmes are designed to help
will help to educate and stimulate your mind with inspiring documentaries, an informative juice talk, exercise, restful meditation and relaxing yoga. Based on
support the body’s natural detoxifi cation process through the power of natures fi nest, freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies. We also understand the importance of feeding you mentally as well as physically, so we
Jason Vale’s No.1 best selling book ‘7lbs in 7 Days’, this 7 day retreat is perfect if you want to shift some unwanted pounds (average weight-loss 7-10lbs), improve your fi tness and detox both body and mind.
Celebrity Testimonials “Words cannot express how wonderful this place is! But one word that comes to mind is ‘MAGICAL’. Congratulations! Hope to see you again soon! ” - Alesha Dixon (singer/presenter)
“Been hiking, kick boxing, circuits, getting sweaty, massages, hot tubs… Bliss. @juicemaster Juice Oasis” - Carol Vorderman (TV Presenter)
“When I arrived I was like a crackly old FM radio; now my skin, hair, muscles, everything has improved – I’ve re-tuned my radio” - Beverley Knight (singer/songwriter)
“I’m excited to go back to London with a glow, I feel rejuvenated, cleansed, detoxed and it’s just been an incredible experience!” - Ashley Roberts (singer/TV presenter)
As featured in:
www.juicyoasis.com
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GO-TO GIRLS Wonderful women vloggers
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COSMIC SISTERS
Spirituality's makeover crew
FEEL & LOOK GOOD Feeling good about yourself has a hugely positive impact on your appearance, persona and the response you ignite in others. Explore new ways to enhance the impression you make and enjoy the benefits of a positive self-image.
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EAT FOR HEALTH
Why your gut is right
NEW DIRECTIONS
Ali Bastian's yoga journey
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FEEL & LOOK GOOD|#HIGHERSELFIE
YOUR BEST
When life coaches Lucy Sheridan and Jo Westwood met online, it was the catalyst for a spiritual collaboration that is inspiring a new generation
#HIGHERSELFIE 50
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to start a meditation group at Canary Wharf, for example – and we’ve had people say they’ve had to binge read it from cover to cover, just as if they’re watching Netflix or a box set.” Binge viewing, whether on TV or online, is another modern day habit which has the potential to drive us deeper into ourselves. Sheridan writes for national press on the ‘compare and despair’ culture of social media and how to be happy. “I’m a big advocate of ‘notice what you notice’,” says Sheridan.
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WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS CREATE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA. FIND PEOPLE THAT CHALLENGE AND INSPIRE YOU, NOT PEOPLE WHO DRAIN OR FLATTEN YOUR SPIRIT. KNOW THAT WHAT YOU POST WILL BE SEEN AND RESPOND WITHOUT CREATING NEGATIVITY.
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, INTERACTIVE DESIGN AND SHOTS ON IPAD, IPHONE & ANDROID DEVICES thebestyoumagazine.co
‘It works for me,’ is the ultimate shutdown as it’s not offensive but closes the conversation. The thing to bear in mind is that when people are being aggressive, it’s usually because of something else going on in their lives, not because of you.”
#HigherSelfie by Lucy Sheridan and Jo Westwood is available as a digital book and from all good bookshops. To find out more, visit HIGHERSELFIE.CO Life moves incredibly fast, and contemplation, mindfulness and spirituality rarely fit alongside social media, corporate life and complex relationships. But for two media professionals, the desire to achieve a more meaningful existence within a modern lifestyle is the driving force behind their social media platform, an innovative event and now a book. Lucy Sheridan and Jo Westwood met online, while chatting on a Facebook group. “We struck up a friendship,” says Sheridan. “It’s often challenging to find your spiritual mates but we really connected. We used to have Skype dates and hang out, and we shared the same outlook. “We were chatting about events we’d like to go to but they were either too expensive or too far away, and in the end we thought why not put on the event we wanted to go to ourselves?” They did, and the result was #HigherSelfie, the first Spirituality un-conference for millennials which attracted a sell-out audience and sponsorship support from Lululemon Athletica. “The un-conference concept is well-known in the tech industry,” says Sheridan, “and part of the format is that the content is voted on by participants, and people
decide which speakers they want to hear as they arrive.
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on which speakers they want to hear as they arrived.
OUR INTENTION WAS TO UNITE THE COMMUNITY AND BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND SO THE EVENT WAS FREE – IT WAS FANTASTIC, IT FELT LIKE BEING A BIG SISTER HOST. WE TALKED ABOUT OUTSPIRITING AND CREATED A RALLYING CRY.” At the event, the pair was approached by a book publisher to turn the concept and ethos of the event into a book, and the resulting title, also #HigherSelfie, is a modern day manual to mastering spirituality in the digital age. The title complements the website, HIGHERSELFIE.CO, which Sheridan and Westwood have built as an online self-help destination. “We wrote it in eleven weeks, just the two of us,” says Sheridan. “and we wanted to make it accessible, easy reading, with a touch of humour. It’s the most current self-help and spirituality book out there – we cover Tinder dating gone wrong, and how
The culmination of the site, event and book are just rewards for the pair who have managed to ditch corporate life to create careers from their passion for spirituality. It’s a path they know others, who have attended their event and contacted them via HIGHERSELFIE.CO, want to achieve, and they aim to guide others towards finding the life they really want. “We’ve done it and we want others to take action and listen to their soul calling. "No-one gets to ditch the hard work, but it is possible to change the world to get the life you want. Recognise it’s a journey and start today to make the future you want – email that person you’ve been meaning to contact, invest in that course that will be pivotal to your future. Technology is here to help you and there are so many resources out there to look to for pointers.” With their book now putting them into the hands and minds of a wider audience, the #HigherSelfie duo are now looking at a second unconference in the autumn, with a tour of workshops also scheduled in the coming months. Radiating positivity and empowerment, Sheridan and her soul mate Westwood have the power to lead the next generation in a new era of personal development.
www. t he b e s t youm ag azi ne . co
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FEEL & LOOK GOOD|CHRISTINE BAILEY
‘YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT,’ the saying goes, but a better truism might be, ‘YOUR GUT KNOWS BEST’. Gut health is critical to our wellbeing, and imbalances or disease can result in many symptoms and health conditions including fatigue, depression and even mood swings. Leading advocate and qualified nutritionist and chef Christine Bailey is a living testament to the fact that healing our gut can, quite literally, be a life-saving approach to health. “I had an emergency operation at 29, and when I was 28 weeks pregnant. "At first the doctors thought I was in early labour, but they realised that my lower colon had twisted itself and was going gangrenous. I was rushed into the operating theatre and there were 20 medical staff working to save my baby and my life. My first born, Nathan, was delivered and half of my bowel was removed. “Following the operation I experienced many on-going problems and it was only through my work in functional nutrition and medicine that I restored my gut health and with it renewed energy and health.
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“Then, at 18 months, one of my twin boys, Isaac, was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease. The only option presented was steroids – but with my training and research I realised that changing his diet and restoring gut health could be the answer – and as a result of my changes in just two weeks he was healed.”
a 30-day programme to help us apply her five-step approach to tackling digestive health. The beautifully illustrated book offers practical, tasty recipes which have been tried and tested by families for ease of use and to banish the stigma of eating a ‘special diet’, so the whole household can enjoy one meal together.
Mainstream medicine has now recognised the importance of gut health and how the digestive system affects many other body systems including our immune health and brain function and is linked to autoimmune conditions, allergies, depression, obesity and mood swings.
“The book aims to identify root causes of your gut problems,” says Bailey. “It takes people through the five steps to restore digestive function and offers recipes alongside to offer practical solutions with medical insight.
“IBS affects one in five people,” says Bailey. “It can cause terrible problems, and the clients I work with can suffer from constant bloating, sickness, discomfort as their stomach swells up to two sizes after they eat, even being unable to leave the house when they eat as they need to run to the toilet.” Combining both her nutritional and cookery knowledge, along with her own experience, Bailey has created a new book, The Gut Health Diet Plan,
“The first step is to remove the gut irritants, and then to kick-start the digestive system with good foods that support digestive function. Then we repopulate the system with beneficial bacteria using a range of fermented foods plus foods and nutrients known to repair the gut lining and rebalance the system. I really wanted to equip people with practical advice and recipes that enable them to move forwards with gut health." So, with the evidence that gut health can be pivotal to our wellbeing, why are so many of us finding ourselves
with poor digestive systems and the associated problems?
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND DIETARY FACTORS INCLUDING STRESS, ALCOHOL, EXCESS SUGAR, PROCESSED FOOD AND SMOKING CAN ALL CONTRIBUTE TO POOR GUT HEALTH," SAYS BAILEY. Christine Bailey is on a mission to improve our wellbeing through our stomachs. Autoimmune diseases, allergies, arthritis, fatigue and depression can all be treated with the right diet, she says
“There’s increasing evidence that gluten can’t be tolerated by many of us, and highly processed foods do not offer us the nutrients our gut needs to thrive. Stress can be a contributing factor too, as can eating styles, so it’s a combination of lifestyle and genetics in most cases.
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WE CAN REDUCE AGGRAVATING FOODS BUT THE ANSWER IS TO GO BACK TO REAL FOOD. A simpler diet will quench inflammation and restore digestive function. I’m walking evidence that you really can heal your gut for good.”
GUT
Find out more at CHRISTINEBAILEY.CO.UK
INSTINCT
The Gut Health Diet by Christine Bailey is published by Watkins.
www. t he b e s t youm ag azi ne . co
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To find out more about Ali’s yoga experience visit MOLLIEMORRIS.COM
Actress Ali Bastian writes about her life as a yogi on the road – this issue she shares her experiences with London-based teacher Mollie Morris
FEEL & LOOK GOOD|ALI BASTIAN
"HOME IS WHERE THE HEART
IS"
My pursuit of a yoga practice has often been accompanied by the notion that I need to travel far and wide to get to the ‘root’ of yoga, or perhaps a little closer to the source… and much as the mystery and beauty of some of these destinations is undeniable, I made the realisation recently that what I was searching for I could in fact find on my very own mat, in my own living room – often negotiating for floor space with my two dogs, but that’s besides the point!
I spoke to her at the end of the session about my concern over committing for six months, that I might have a play in the pipeline, etc, etc… She looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Ali, there will always be plays”.
This journey to said living room floor wasn't a direct one. It came via Camden Market in our capital city. Having spent several months procrastinating and scouring the internet for yoga teacher trainings – anyone who has embarked upon a similar search will know, there are absolutely hundreds – I happened upon the site of London-based teacher, Mollie McClelland Morris.
And so the decision was made in that moment of feeling so seen and understood. It was one I will never regret. The course was in Vinyasa Flow Yoga and although I didn’t have a strong practice beforehand, I was encouraged to develop one during our time together whilst also being allowed the space to explore a more restorative approach, as essentially Mollie’s focus was on helping us to find our own individual expression and voices as teachers.
The stars already seemed to be aligning, there was to be a free Q&A session on becoming a yoga teacher and it was that evening! I’m not sure what happened after that, but my feet just seemed to carry me onto the underground, across town and into the presence of one of the kindest, most compassionate, yet quietly strong women I have ever met.
Having worked for years as a contemporary dancer, she had an incredible understanding of what I might have been wrestling with. “Plant both feet on the ground and ask yourself – what do I want? What do I want?” she said.
Over six months, we had two intensive weeks and one intensive weekend per month. Each weekend centering around a different aspect of teaching and practice, anatomy and philosophy. Mollie offers ‘Grace and Presence’ teacher training and this she
taught in the most effective way – by demonstrating it fully throughout our course. She held the space for us while, as a group and individually, we rode the waves of emotion that inevitably arise when undertaking a course like this, and she did so beautifully, with so much kindness, respect and compassion… all whilst imparting a wealth of knowledge and experience. We all completed the course feeling very different to how we started. Perhaps finding a little more compassion for ourselves and for each other and the gift of peacefully being able to experience those precious moments of connection through our breath… on our very own yoga mat, on our very own floor…
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SOMETIMES THE ANSWERS ARE CLOSER THAN WE THINK.
Molly offers teacher training throughout the year and an invaluable mentoring programme for teachers.
www. t he b e s t youm ag azi ne . co
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• • • • • • • •
Be Inspired
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GO-TO GIRLS Wonderful women vloggers
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SPEAK UP
What's your voice?
WEALTH & RICHES Building your career or business can bring both financial reward and personal growth in every aspect of your life. Seek out advice and support to ensure your success today and for the future.
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BRAIN SPACE
Neil Pavitt's top tips
HIGHLY DRIVEN
Why it's OK to be ambitious
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Many people have run the gauntlet of personality tests and come away without a proper understanding of how personality wiring is mixed with historical experiences and personal choices. In our latest book, we simplified the complicated personality process by creating five voices. Each has particular attributes that make it recognisable, as well as typical behaviour tendencies. Everyone has the capacity to use all five voices but some of them are more natural to us and dominant than others.
WHICH TYPE ARE YOU?
The vocabulary of 5 Voices is beneficial in understanding the relative strengths of people. When this language begins to take root, it becomes easier to have honest conversations as people begin to understand the context of each voice and speak to the voice with clarity.
1. NURTURER All of the voices are naturally hardwired to do certain things well. For nurturers, that thing is caring for others and helping to develop the people around them.
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WHATEVER THE CONTEXT OF THE RELATIONSHIP, BE IT FAMILY, WORK, OR THE LARGER COMMUNITY, NURTURERS ARE AMAZING KEEPERS OF RELATIONSHIPS AND DEFENDERS OF VALUES. In the same way engine oil is essential for a car to run, so too is the nurturer voice necessary in building and maintaining relationships. Focused on the here and now, nurturers make it a priority to know what the people in their circle of care need and value, and their innate desire for relational harmony gives them an intuitive ability to understand what to do to meet those needs, both spoken and unspoken. Nurturers tend to have quieter voices and can be drowned out and bullied by other louder voices.
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As such, nurturers can begin to question their value when they don’t feel heard. Groups and teams suffer without the contribution of secure, confident nurturers, and those who lead nurturers must provide an environment where they feel safe to contribute their best.
2. CREATIVE The creative voice is another quiet voice that can be hard to hear, especially when in the presence of loud, opinionated voices like the connectors and pioneers. The creative genius, which possesses an extraordinary gift for visioning the future, can easily be missed. Creatives are amazing conceptual architects and love scanning the horizon; they are often drawn to new trends in ideas and technology. They come equipped with an early warning radar system that gives them the ability to sense danger where values run the risk of being compromised, and they can see opportunities, solutions, and possibilities for the future long before they become reality. The creative voice invariably prefers to listen and process other contributions internally before responding. When asked for input, often their first thoughts come out in a way that others find confusing or even critical – they need others to invest time, asking them clarifying questions, which gives them the space to allow the right answer to surface. When other voices are patient in this process, they will be amazed at the gold a creative is able to contribute.
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CREATIVES ARE INVARIABLY IDEALISTS AND INTERNAL PERFECTIONISTS WHO ALSO HAVE A STRONG SOCIAL CONSCIENCE. Creatives need to know it’s safe to share their ideas; if they get shot down too often, or judged on their initial input, they will stop bringing their best.
3. GUARDIAN By their very nature, guardians are wired to preserve and protect. Their voice is louder, though not the loudest, and guardians exist to ensure that what is already established is not going to be lost as the more future-orientated voices seek adventure on new frontiers. Like the nurturer, guardians are present-oriented; they like to ask detailed, analytical and critical questions. They are not afraid to address tough or awkward issues, and, unless they are convinced, you can expect guardians to put the brakes on when it comes to any kind of change where money, energy, or other resources could be potentially lost or wasted.
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THOUGH THEY DISLIKE COMPROMISE AND HAVE TO BEWARE OF THEIR TENDENCY TO INTERROGATE, NO ONE CAN DELIVER PROJECTS ON TIME OR ON BUDGET LIKE A GUARDIAN.
4. CONNECTOR The connector voice is the next loudest voice in succession from the guardian and best recognised as someone who is a genius at connecting people and their aspirations to ideas and resources. The quintessential people person, expect someone with a foundational connector voice to have a large number of close friends and to always make contacts and new relationships everywhere she goes.
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KNOWN FOR THEIR CHARISMA AND GIFT FOR BEING PERSUASIVE MESSENGERS, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT CONNECTORS WILL DO THEIR LEVEL BEST TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BUY INTO WHATEVER THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT. Though focused on the big picture of the future, connectors have an intuitive ability to sense
WEALTH & RICHES|HAVE A VOICE
HAVE
A VOICE Each of us has a ‘voice’ with a corresponding set of characteristics, but which type are you? In a new book, Jeremie Kubicek & Steve Cockram share their insight into personality types
what others feel and need in the moment, which is what gives them their uncanny ability to connect people to opportunities. Connectors have to beware of their need to receive credit for their ideas and their tendency to be people pleasers, but when they are healthy, affable and resourceful connectors are a unifying force in a group or on a team.
5. PIONEER We’ve saved the most dominant and loudest voice for last. If you are a pioneer, you may not enjoy going last, as going first, being first, being out in front is a primary characteristic of the pioneer and, indeed, where pioneers function at their very best.
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WITH EYES AND MIND FOCUSED ON THE HORIZON, THE PIONEER IS ALWAYS GUNNING FOR THE NEXT BIG BREAKTHROUGH.
This article is based on 5 Voices: How to Communicate Effectively with Everyone You Lead by Jeremie Kubicek & Steve Cockram, published by Wiley.
With an unparalleled ability to think strategically, pioneers are experts at aligning people, systems and resources to deliver big-picture visions. And although hard charging and quite opinionated, they have a gift for painting a compelling vision of the future and inviting people to be at their table. Their motto is invariably, ‘GO BIG OR GO HOME’, and although their big ideas are what launch new companies, great products or the next big adventure, if they want people to be part of their experience, they have to be mindful of the strength of their voice and critique.
WEALTH & RICHES SUSAN ARMSTRONG
Life hacks are those nifty little insights that make everyday living easier, the nuggets of wisdom that smooth out the niggles. Now a new book, Brainhack by Neil Pavitt, aims to do the same for our minds. Pavitt has scoured scientific findings and research studies to identify 45 shortcuts to help reduce our stress levels, improve creativity and boost productivity. For a start, it’s a fact, explains Pavitt, that although we might think that endlessly toiling away behind a screen is the most effective way to get things done, the perfect formula for productivity is a 50-minute stint of focused working. This should be followed by an 18-minute break, ideally including watching a funny video on YouTube. Even if the cute cat clip is a stretch too far, studies have shown that we can only focus effectively for a maximum of 50 minutes, and that to extend this actually reduces our output, advises Pavitt. It’s an interesting approach to productivity that draws from the 'less is more' school of thought. Similarly, while having the latest gadget or device might convey an image of efficiency, a good old-fashioned pen and paper could be a more effective way to work. “In meetings it’s better to write notes than type,” says Pavitt.
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STUDIES SHOW THAT ALTHOUGH IT TAKES US LONGER TO WRITE, WE SELFEDIT AS WE DO SO, AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO REMEMBER MATERIAL MORE EFFECTIVELY.” The book is packed with these and other fantastic tips, many of which are easy to adopt in day-today life. “Amazingly, 95 per cent of your brain’s day-to-day activity is unconscious,” continues Pavitt. “One hundred billion neurons, one hundred trillion connections and we’re only in control of a tiny five per cent of it.”
Pavitt, himself, has used many of the brainhacks in his book to improve his own brain function and effectiveness. “I do try to use the techniques,” he says. “I aim to have a focused hour in the morning, and try to work in 50-minute blocks, looking at emails and social media only in breaks. Our brain likes these type of rewards, and that’s why it’s often so hard to get started on a task. “I haven’t got a great memory, but I am more interested in letting my brain wander to explore something creatively. I’ve met creative geniuses that are lacking in other areas, and in any team it’s good to aim to have a blend of different skills to get the best effect from each other. For most of us, our comfort zone is geared more towards being either analytical or creative, but we can train our mind in all areas.” Pavitt says that we also have the ability to control and change how we feel about a memory. “Take public speaking for example, says Pavitt. “It might be something we’re not comfortable with doing but by associating it with a pleasant feeling we can lessen the negative connotation we have attached to standing up in a room full of people and delivering a speech. “Language too can contextualise the way we feel about a situation. For example, watching a video of a car crash and having it then described as cars hitting or smashing affects the degree of severity you associate with the incident.” Alongside his work as an author, Pavitt runs workshops on creativity, brand storytelling and brainhacking to help others realise their creative potential. “It’s like anything, the more we understand the way our brain works, the greater our ability to exercise and refine its function and capability.”
Visit THEBESTYOUMAGAZINE.CO and download the digital version through The Best You App to read Pavitt’s top stress-busting tips.
Brainhack: Tips and Tricks to Unleash Your Brain’s Full Potential by Neil Pavitt is published by Wiley.
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WEALTH & RICHES|NEIL PAVITT
Did you realise you’re only in control of five per cent of your brain’s activity? That working less is more effective than endlessly sitting at your desk? And that chocolate is a proven stress-buster? Neil Pavitt is the man in the know
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HACK YOUR
BRAIN
Yuppies, Gordon Gekko, Loadsamoney – the last time that ambition was in vogue, 80s excess and materialism were all the rage. It’s an image that has left an association of greed and selfishness yet ambition can be a positive force for change, says author Rachel Bridge whose new book, Ambition: Why It’s Good To Want More and How To Get It, encourages and shows us how to achieve the things we really want. As The Sunday Times’ former enterprise editor, she interviewed many successful people from all areas of life, and she identified unifying traits, which could be described as the hallmarks of achievement. “Interestingly, although perhaps unsurprisingly, they all take a very positive outlook on life,” Bridge says. “While we might tend towards a negative perspective about the challenges to our ambitions, successful people will think good things lie ahead more often than not.
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SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ALSO HAVE A VERY STRONG SENSE THAT LIFE IS SHORT. THERE IS A NEED FOR URGENCY IN THE WAY THEY APPROACH AND ATTACK THEIR GOALS. This is a real contrast to the rest of us who are more likely to approach hopes and desires with an, ‘I’ll get round to it one day’ attitude. They get on with it now and move on to the next goal quickly. “Take Paul Lindley, the man behind Ella’s Kitchen baby foods. Although he set out to build a successful business in response to his own child’s needs, he then sold this and has since started social enterprises for children’s welfare. His motivation, he says, is that he doesn't want to get to the end of life and think, ‘What if…’” Positivity too is an essential ingredient for success, says Bridge. “Without exception, successful people have a hugely optimistic outlook on life. In reality the odds are hugely stacked against success but they think things are great, even if they’re not, and will always say, ‘Let’s have a go’. Myleene Klass, who I interviewed for Ambition,
has a postcard pinned to her wall that says, ‘Why the hell not?’ and she turns to this mantra every time she puts her hand to different ideas. She’s been a singer, a pianist, a model, a TV presenter, and she tries everything. There’s a big wide world out there and we need to have more ambition to try things out, even if they don’t always work.”
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MOTIVATION AND DETERMINATION ARE CENTRAL TO REALISING OUR AMBITIONS, SAYS BRIDGE, AND ALTHOUGH FAMILY SUPPORT IS IMPORTANT, HAVING A GO IS THE KEY TO ACHIEVEMENT.
“We need to think, ‘It is my life,” she says, “and I want to have a say rather than be governed by external forces’.” While ambition is often associated with getting ahead, Bridge feels strongly that it doesn’t have to be negative, and that if we’re not pushing ourselves forward, great things that are beneficial to society and communities simply won’t happen. “All the best things are achieved by ambition,” she adds. “We need to set goals and achieve things, and it’s sad when we diminish our desire for success. “It’s not selfish and it’s not always about the money – for example, I interviewed a woman who had rowed across oceans. She isn’t wealthy as a result, but her ambition helped her to achieve her goal and vision for success. I think we need to constantly be challenging ourselves to go for it. “It’s hugely beneficial to be ambitious. It’s good for people personally and for society as a whole. It doesn’t have to be selfish, and even should you not realise your goal, you will still have done more than if you had not started. “I get the feeling that a lot of people wish they had achieved more in life but it’s not too late. It’s life-affirming – those who realise their ambitions feel, ‘I can do this, I did it and now I can do anything,’ and that feeling is so exciting.”
Ambition: Why It’s Good To Want More and How To Get It by Rachel Bridge is published by Wiley.
WEALTH & RICHES|RACHEL BRIDGE
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Visit THEBESTYOUMAGAZINE.CO to read Rachel Bridge’s advice to achieving your goals.
Journalist and author Rachel Bridge wants us to reconsider our perception of ambition as a valuable part of personal success
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WEALTH & RICHES|ROCKY ROADS TO SUCCESS
HILLARY CLINTON
JOHN MACKEY
Hillary Rodham Clinton was born into a middle class family in 1947 Chicago. Clinton’s parents were extremely supportive of her intellect and ambition, a trait which was not especially supported in women at the time.
A seemingly go-with-flow attitude early in life couldn’t mask John Mackey’s inner success engine. Born in Houston, Texas to middle class parents, Mackey always leaned toward pursuing his interests, as opposed to getting an education as a way to make more money.
A FLOURISHING AMBITION
At the young age of 13, Clinton could be found helping to campaign for presidential candidates across the south side of Chicago. She excelled at her studies throughout high school and eventually matriculated to study political science at Wellesley College. Amid the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, Clinton shored up support from African-American students to help quell racial tensions on campus during that period. After attending Yale Law School, Clinton was forced to face the realities of the day: aspiring female politicians could expect an uphill battle when attempting to gain equal footing with their male counterparts. She did find an avid supporter in her future husband Bill Clinton, who saw her as an equal. Indeed, Hillary went so far as to maintain her maiden name of Rodham after the couple married in 1975-Arkansas, where he would shortly become that state’s governor. Throughout the years, Clinton was her husband’s most powerful supporter, amidst her own flourishing legal career. Everyone who knew her though, knew that she would never be fully happy unless she heeded her own ambitions. When his successful two-term presidency came to an end, Clinton finally stepped to the centre stage. After losing a close presidential race to Barack Obama in 2008, Clinton became Secretary of State of the United States. She can currently be seen campaigning once again, this time as the presumptive favourite for the Democratic nomination in the 2016 race for President of the United States.
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HIS WHOLE WORLD
To this point, Mackey studied at the University of Texas at Austin in the 1970s, a setting that, at the time, was rife with liberal ideas and was a central hub for ‘hippie’ culture in the south. Mackey took classes ranging from religion to philosophy. While some may have seen his behaviour as the beginnings of a directionless way through life, Mackey himself has said it was because of this freedom to pursue higher-learning topics that fascinated him that he eventually honed a laser-like business acumen and focus. Ironically, Mackey started a company that many around the world now see as their career destinations years in advance of actually working there, a path the younger Mackey would never have taken. After discovering their passion for sourcing and providing healthier and more natural foods, Mackey and his then-girlfriend borrowed money from his father and anyone who would listen to start their own health food retail and restaurant operation in Austin. A short time later, the company merged with another local natural foods grocer and created the very first Whole Foods Market. The company was successful from the time it first opened its doors. Whole Foods has grown to a worldwide global phenomenon, earning a firm listing on the Fortune 100. A plan is also in place to launch a smaller line of neighbourhood markets beginning in 2016, once again proving that Mackey’s passion for innovation in healthy foods continues to grow as time passes.
SACAJAWEA
FROM WRONGED TO STRONG Sacajawea’s early life was fraught with peril. Born into a tribe of the Shoshone Native Americans, she was kidnapped by an opposing tribe at the tender age of 12. This however was not an uncommon age for anyone in untamed North America to be forced to grow up quickly and adapt to a sour turn of fortune, especially the weak, very young and old. A French-Canadian trapper laid claim to Sacajawea upon her arrival in the opposing tribe’s village. They were married when she was barely 13. It wouldn’t be long however before fate would set Sacajawewa on the path to legend. While she was pregnant with her first child, the Lewis and Clark expedition came to her village looking for guides to lead them along their famous journey to explore the American west. With her husband also on the journey, and after having just given birth to her son, Sacajawea, the Lewis and Clark expedition set out. Translating for the men with tribes along the way, she quickly became a popular and indispensable focal point of the trip. As the group ventured into more unforgiving terrain, Sacajawea created medicinal remedies and found ways to keep the group fed until they could return to a milder climate. Sacajawea’s intimate knowledge of what is now the western United States helped perhaps the most famous American expedition map optimal routes for travelling to and from the west coast. Indeed, one of Sacajawea’s recommendations even became a main thoroughfare for the Northern Pacific Railway.
WES BENTLEY
THE PATH OF MOST RESISTANCE One could be forgiven for assuming that Wes Bentley, an actor who has already lived a dramatic Hollywood existence by the age of 37, was born to privileged Los Angeles parents that were successful in the entertainment industry. This however, is not Bentley’s story. He was born and raised in Arkansas to parents that were luminaries in the Methodist Church, his father a minister and his mother a chaplain. Growing up in Arkansas did not diminish Bentley’s thirst for performing. If anything it only stoked the flames of his dreams of becoming a successful actor. He began honing his craft during high school, where he regularly took top honours in drama club competitions, and where he formed his own improv comedy troupe with friends. Bentley was accepted into the acclaimed Juilliard School’s drama programme, but only attended for one year before leaving to take advantage of opportunities calling from Hollywood. His big break came with the wildly successful, Oscar-winning film American Beauty. Accompanying Bentley on the successful launch of his film career was something he never expected: drug and alcohol addiction. By his own admission, Bentley began abusing alcohol and harder drugs, such as heroin, as he steadily gained more fame and acclaim. He soon found himself broke and his marriage in shambles, in addition to relapsing after initially seeking treatment for his addictions. Having bottomed out career-wise and lost most of the friends that would give him a job or lend help, Bentley found himself on death’s door. It was here that he decided to once again enter a treatment programme, and he has lived a successfully sober life since. With a beautiful family, and his career back on track, Wes Bentley’s prodigious talent can finally flourish the way he intended.
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Be Inspired
21ST CENTURY LIVING
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REALITY BITES
TOP OF THE VLOGS Digital space stars
A look at virtual reality
We live in a technological age and the opportunities that new ideas and developments bring to both our personal and professional lives are amazing. Discover fresh thinking and technologies that can boost daily life.
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21ST CENTURY LIVING|YOUTUBE VLOGGERS
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3Y45U
If you want the pitch performance of Ronaldo, start with 3Y45U’s YouTube channel where the deft footwork of Eyasu shows you how to dribble, flick and trick the ball into enormously impressive moves. With more than 2,6m views and 30,000 subscribers – that’s more than many professional football players – he also broadcasts Q&A vlogs for his viewers.
Watch 3Y45U at HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE. COM/USER/3Y45U/FEATURED
2 ADAM LZ
Adrenaline sports fan Adam LZ has been shooting BMX videos for seven years, and shares his Californian wheel-based fun with more than 600,000 subscribers. His awesome stunts are as visually stunning as they are gravity-defying.
Enjoy Adam LZ’s bike action at HTTPS:// WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/USER/LZBMX/ FEATURED 68
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At The Best You, we recognise those who are using their digital space to educate, empower and do good for others
VLOGGERS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
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NICKEHFILMS
His filmography is as impressive as the sports stars that he videos. Nick Hodgskin is a 21-year-old filmmaker and skateboarder from Sydney, Australia who started shooting at the age of 12 after his grandparents gave him a camera for Christmas. When his friends saw his videos they too wanted to be captured by his lens, and now he has travelled the world to film epic skateboarders Tony Hawk, Ryan Williams and Travis Pastrana, among others.
View the world as Nick Hodgskin does at HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/USER/ NICKEHFILMS/FEATURED www. t he b e s t youm ag azi ne . co
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21ST CENTURY LIVING|GADGETS
KEEPING
IT REAL
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2016 is shaping up to be a banner year for tech enthusiasts. Virtual reality (VR) is leaping and striding into homes around the world, and it looks as though we’re on the cusp of a gaming revolution unlike anything we’ve seen before
MICROSOFT HOLOLENS
Microsoft’s contribution to the growing world of VR is a game-changer. It’s hard to overstate the size of the leap forward this represents. Rather than an immersive world that you control with a hand-held device, the HoloLens maps a virtual world onto the space around you. Open a web browser on your wall and pin it there; watch TV on a blank screen; interact with virtual characters who are seated on your couch; fire lasers that, if they miss their target, blow holes through your walls. The possibilities for this kind of technology are limitless. The HoloLens is still in its early stages, and the early reviews are suggesting that the device is not ready for market yet, but Microsoft is working hard to bring a more consumer-friendly product to market. Suggested retail price: £2,250
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CHRONOS
No matter how attractive smartwatches become, there will still be holdouts who prefer the feel and look of analogue technology on their wrist. Until now, these traditionalists were kept at arm’s length from the many functions available to smartwatch users. Chronos changes all that. The disc attaches to the back of any watch, turning it instantly into a smartwatch. It has all the fitness tracking capabilities of the smartwatch market leaders, and it also notifies you when you have a new message, a call, or any other notification you choose. The device is only 3mm thick, and it feels weightless. It’s easy to apply (and remove), it’s water and shock resistant, it’s far less expensive than any of the smartwatches on the market, and charging is extremely easy. Perhaps best of all, it’s discreet. Nobody needs to know that you’re receiving notifications unless you want them to. Suggested retail price: £69
WOO AUDIO WA8
The target market for the WA8 might be relatively small (audio enthusiasts – particularly those who frequently use headphones – who move around a lot), but the device is so good at what it does that it might just convert a few audiophiles to headphone lovers. The WA8 is simple to use, so simple that even techno-luddites will be able to operate it without any difficulties. Simply plug the machine into your computer or other audio device (it has both an audio and a USB jack), plug your headphones in (again, two jacks to pick from) and enjoy. The tubes do all the yeoman’s work, and the soundscape is rich beyond compare. The WA8 is every bit as precise as much larger tube amplifiers, but small enough that it can be carried in a jacket pocket (it weighs a little more than a kilo, so it’s not portable in the same way as an mp3 player is, but it’s much, much smaller than a breadbox). A word to the wise: there’s no point in investing this kind of money in a portable tube amplifier if you’re using anything less than top-shelf headphones. Suggested retail price: £1,299
URB-E
The market for intelligent and tiny-footprint transportation solutions has exploded recently with the Magic Carpet and a host of other gyroscope-based personal transportation units. The Urb-E is a foldable, electronic scooter. It only weighs 12kgs, so it can be carried quite easily, and, when folded, it is small enough that it can be taken on the train or bus or placed under even a small desk. The inventors of the Urb-E had in mind commuters who are using public transportation but still find themselves a mile or more from their destination when they get off the train or bus. The Urb-E will help you cover that distance quickly and in style. It has a top speed of 25km/h and a range of a little over 30km. They are quite new to the market, but they’re already starting to pop up in some of the world’s biggest cities. Suggested retail price: £1,099
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WE SUPPORT...
INVICTUS GAMES FOUNDATION The inaugural Invictus Games in London 2014 used the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women. The Invictus Games Foundation has been set up to develop this legacy, manage the process of selecting the hosts of future games and oversee their delivery Most of us will never know the full horrors of combat. Many Servicemen and women suffer life-changing injuries, visible or otherwise, whilst serving their country. How do these men and women find the motivation to move on and not be defined by their injuries?
They have proven they cannot be defeated. They have the willpower to persevere and conquer new heights. The Games shined a spotlight on the sacrifices these men and women made serving their country, and their indefatigable drive to overcome.
How can they be recognised for their achievements and not given sympathy? Prince Harry asked these questions. On a trip to the Warrior Games in the USA in 2013 he saw how the power of sport could help physically, psychologically and socially. His mind was made up. London would host the inaugural Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick Service personnel.
The 2014 Invictus Games was about much more than just four days of sport – it captured hearts, challenged minds and changed lives.
The word ‘Invictus’ means ‘unconquered’. It embodies the fighting spirit of the wounded, injured and sick service personnel and what these tenacious men and women can achieve, post-injury. The Games harness the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who serve their country. “These Games have shone a spotlight on the ‘unconquerable’ character of service men and women and their families and their ‘Invictus’ spirit. These Games have been about seeing guys sprinting for the finish line and then turning round to clap the last man in. They have been about teammates choosing to cross the line together, not wanting to come second, but not wanting the other guys to either. These Games have shown the very best of the human spirit.” - Prince Harry
Invictus Games competitors are the men and women who have come face-to-face with the reality of making a sacrifice for their country. They are the mothers, fathers, husbands and wives who put their lives on the line and suffered lifechanging injuries. These people are the embodiment of everything the Invictus Games stands for. They have been tested and challenged, but they have not been overcome.
Generations have drawn on the words of William Ernest Henley's poem for strength during times of adversity. Henley was himself an amputee and the poem reflects his long battle with illness. The title means ‘unconquered' and the 16 short lines of the poem encapsulate the indefatigable human spirit, which is at the heart of the Invictus Games. Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. - Invictus, by William Ernest Henley
To find out more about the Invictus Games Foundation, visit INVICTUSGAMESFOUNDATION.ORG
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