Once upon a time there was a runaway hit television show on BBC named "What Not To Wear". For those of you who are not familiar with the premise of this show, it involves a very no-nonsense and somewhat confrontational approach to unsuspecting individuals whose family members and friends have nominated them to be subjects of the show. Trinny and Susannah take a hard look at the clothes that people wear and proceed to list all of the fashion sins they are committing. People expect their friends… Continue

At the gym I go to there's a particularly dedicated young man who is a

competitive basketball player. How do I know this? I know this because

I observed this guy strapping on some extremely ungainly shoes and

jumping up and down off of a static wooden box for 30 minute stretches.

These shoes are extraordinary - they give you a 6" lift on the ball of

your foot but no heel equivalent, so you can't stand back. The result

is that you are strengthening your calf muscles… Continue

Remember that old Neil Sedaka song, "Breaking up is hard to do?" Well here in New Zealand, "Laying Off Is Hard To Do". The laws surrounding hiring/firing/laying off workers are such that in order to comply, companies must go through a number of steps that are similar to union requirements in the United States. I won't get into boring specifics, but in my own particular situation - the entire New Zealand office of a particular company was being closed. In order to be in proper legal compliance,… Continue

After twelve years working at the boutique firm The Creative Network, the downturn in the economy forced them to let me go. Studying abroad currently, I am quite vulnerable to any changes in my financial situation and this development hit me hard. I have found new employment at a global investment firm that suits my hours and my studies - the environment is great and the people are very nice. I can sincerely say that I enjoy the work and it's… Continue

Have you ever stopped in the middle of something and asked yourself, "What the heck am I doing? Why am I doing it this way? Whose crazy idea was this anyway?" I have. I am. Jumping outside of my usual day-to-day paradigm I'm challenging myself in a myriad of ways. I have achieved some successes and have suffered some failures. And my time outside of my comfort zone is only just beginning!



When you first step outside of your paradigm, you are constantly challenged by everything that's… Continue