Be the sunshine, act like Apple and drink the ginger wine.

When you cant find the sunshine, be the sunshine.?

I received this gift from a dear friend yesterday and it was a beautifully timed message & reminder to receive. I have not seen the sunshine in awhile thanks to “Storm Isha” & her wee pal “Storm Jocelyn” (I swear I would love to be in the room where people decide what to call these storms! hehe..)?

Often you cant see the sunshine physically and that can be tricky for your health as Vitamin D is important for us humans. The sun's UV rays help your body make this nutrient, which is important for your bones, blood cells, sleep and immune system. It also helps you take in and use certain minerals, like calcium and phosphorus.

AND…. vitamin D is a lovely mood booster in regards to your emotional wellbeing. Sunlight helps boost a chemical in your brain called serotonin, and that can give you more energy and help keep you calm, positive, and focused. That's why aiming to have your face in the sunlight for about 15-30 mins per day can be so powerful.?

But what do you do when you cant physically see the sunshine? Since moving back to Scotland I have been taking a high dosage of Vitamin D in tablet form and eating foods rich In Vitamin D such as fish & mushrooms. Like I always say though every single person is unique so some of you may have enough Vitamin D some of you may be super low so it's always a good idea to get tested and take action from wherever you are at.?

The other thought I had when this message came to me was sometimes you may feel that perhaps things are not going to plan for you or as well as you hoped, or you look around at the world and feel it can be disheartening at times, or perhaps people around you are being quite negative or draining, or perhaps you cant see a way through something right now, that's when I find embracing “being the sunshine” is so important.?

We are never in control of anything in our lives really - ?people's behaviour, situations that arise and our environment and so that's when I always make sure I am embrace being the light for myself and others.?

I always remember in my old corporate job when managers use to pass on their stress, negativity, criticism and problems onto their team. I saw first hand how much that upset and negatively impacted people and I vowed to myself never to pass that energy onto people.?

So be the sunshine when you cant see it, be the light for people when they need it most and embrace being the LIGHTHOUSE when your community & the world needs it.?

Act like Apple.?

So last week I decided it was time to move on from my 10 year old HP Laptop & Windows and transition to Apple and my first ever Mac! (I know WILD!) Let's just say after working for HP for 7 years and only ever working on Windows I felt a bit like a loyalist to them and I also was a wee bit scared of the transition to the Mac. I mean the last time I used a Mac was when I was in school and it got wheeled in on a trolley! hehe…?

Anyways, I walked into Apple explained my “situation”, they deeply empathised with me and have carefully taken me on one of the best customer services journeys I have ever been on! (I'd say right up there with Zoe!)?

I was immediately offered a training session 24 hours later on how the Mac works and it was honestly fantastic! The trainer was full of passion, great energy and facts that have created this excitement in me to change over. To be honest I was ready to buy at the end of that training session but what the woman did was inform & direct me to the “Apple Business Team” who look after anyone that runs their own business and how this was a much better path for me because it meant that I could call my local store anytime I needed any business / tech support. (MUSIC TO MY EARS!)?

Within the next 24 hours I then had a call with a lovely Irishman (of course.. what is it with Irish people - they just make me happy… the really are the sunshine) Anyways, Darren asked me so many questions about my tech needs and was so genuinely interested in my business & what I do.?

I also explained to him that I would prefer to have a finance option and pay monthly installments for my new tech and then I explained that after looking on the Apple website I wasn't too keen on going with Barclays bank. I try and steer clear of a lot of large multinational banks as I now know that they are not ethical. I was delighted when Darren shared with me that Apple have noticed this shift in consumers and not wanting to go through big banks anymore so they had a partnership set up with Photolease - check them out who specilaise in finance/lease agreements for small to medium business owners! WOW… again!?

As soon as I checked out their website I just knew this was a great solution for me and actually I am sure many others too. So one more email to Darren to confirm my choices and another 24 hours later I am awaiting my call with Photolease and very excited to get everything finalised with my new tech.?

Why am I sharing all of this ? Well not once was I sold to in this entire process. I was guided gently step by step, with a high amount of education & empowerment with listening ears and genuine care. It has felt incredible being on boarded as a new Apple customer and I am excited to get started with my new tech.?

I feel like there is so much to learn from Apple for your own business. Imagine Acting like Apple everyday as you go about onboarding new clients no matter how long you have been around. Apple have been around for 48 years and yet it still feels so fresh, so new, so simple and so genuine.?

My word this year is “Simplicity” and I felt I needed my tech to be more simple & streamlined as a lot of the time my laptop doesn't work or sync to my phone. I truly believe Apple embodies Simplicity and I am excited for my new Apple Adventure! :)

Drink the Ginger wine.?

Another dear friend of mine gifted me some “Ginger Wine” for Christmas. I had never heard of this before or tried it but he said it was incredible. And he was right. WOW. It really hits the spot and tickles the back of your throat.?

So what is ginger wine and why is it good for you?

Ginger wine is a fermented blend of ginger, raisins, sugar and yeast and often fortified with brandy. It originated in England in the 1740s by The Finsbury Distilling Company based in the City of London.

In the 19th century, sales of ginger wine were boosted by a cholera epidemic and a widely held belief that ginger offered protection against the disease, as well as other claims of medicinal properties such as being hailed as an aid to digestion and an effective aphrodisiac!?

In Scotland it is clear it has become part of our culture, ginger wine is a popular traditional drink during Hogmanay, and a non-alcoholic version is often made. Its popularity led the Scottish company Crabbie's manufacturing their own version!?

I shared this on my social media over the weekend and sooo many people messaged me saying their Granny or Granpa made it for them when they were younger! So something tells me we need to keep the ginger wine tradition going…. something also tells me that this was really a Celtic/ Scottish/ Welsh/ Irish tradition and the English may have stolen this…. hehe…. either way it is a big tick from me - try it and let me know what you think! :)

Lastly - a wee reminder that applications are still open for The Power of 8 Wellbeing Program.

I've got your back,