I like to think of fear as False Expectations Appearing Real. So, more about painful ouchy thoughts than facts based in reality. But does that make it go away? How do you change your unhelpful thinking patterns?

[image: Looks like the word ‘ouch’ in yellow spray paint near a street curb
ouch?]

You are what you are, until you choose to see what you can be.
~ Gail Gibson

When I approached Gail a few months ago to help me shift this sense of how I was ‘blocking’ my full potential, I had no idea what gems awaited me.

After I witnessed her exciting seminar almost a year ago: How not to Network – the title alone convinced me that this would be different.

Her short list of powerful observations on how to communicate your business services in a way that’s compelling to others not just to yourself, her remarkably frank and controversial Don’ts list, had me intrigued.

She provided a particularly vivid description of certain stereotypical moonlighter-networker type that every network group has at least one of – that person who typically swoops in, carpet-bombing everyone with a hard sell, then swiftly aborting the dog fight by leaving. I could imagine them chuckling all the way home about how effective they had handled their diarised time slot. But do they network effectively, building long-term real relationships with fellow business owners? I wonder.

Having enjoyed Gail’s published booklet on how to network through building real business relationships, organically over time, I sensed that her ethos of genuineness would line up with mine. I just had to find a way of working with her.

And so began our interesting journey and skills share: her coaching insights in exchange for my website design¹ in WordPress using ThemeForest. I have now embarked on my personal perilous but powerful and hopefully Purple² journey from F.E.A.R. to F.O.C.U.S. This recently involved more commitment when I joined the Can Do Coffee Club Program³, delivered in collaboration with experienced business coach, Cynthia Crawshaw.

1. 1. Gail Gibson and Steve Preston’s How Colourful is Your Umbrella portfolio lifestyle proposition, is due to launch soon – will keep you posted!
   2. Milk anybody?
   3. Tailored dedicated business development programme designed for local businesswomen who are serious about taking their businesses to the next level and realise their true potential.