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Maybe it sounds dramatic, but I believe Yoga found me at the time I needed it the very most- and I feel it genuinely saved my life. After escaping from an abusive relationship and experiencing amongst many things agoraphobia, I plucked up the courage to go to a small & local Yoga class with a family member. For the first 5-10 mins I wasn’t sure but as we started to move & breathe more that was it- my mind was no longer overwhelmed and full of darkness and as well as lightness in my body I felt a kind of lightness in my mind, something I thought I may never experience again. I was sold! I went back week after week and felt strength rise through my body, but more importantly in my spirit. Yoga gave me this time to myself to focus on my self and in a way escape the often traumatic thoughts that were buzzing in my mind. I later joined a Yoga studio in the city centre, I found a nice job in a small family business, and Yoga became a regular practice and such a healing process for me. I decided it was so beneficial that I wanted and needed to share it with others- and embarked on a 2 year teacher training course in Birmingham. Slowly I actually found that rather than forgetting and perhaps avoiding my past, Yoga allowed me on many levels the space to breathe and confront my feelings and emotions but also the tools to deal with these in a none destructive way to myself and others around me. The journey through my teacher training wasn’t easy, there were many tears and I’m not ashamed to admit many tantrums, but what I felt when I practiced Yoga made it all worth it. Sometimes Yoga is just sitting and breathing, sometimes it’s standing strong in your power, sometimes it’s softness and surrender- it’s whatever you need on that day in that moment, and it’s always there for you. I truly believe that Yoga and the practices within it can help to heal & strengthen mind, body and soul. The word Yoga translates to “yoke” or “union” and can allow us to re-find this unity within ourselves that we may feel has been lost. Leading us to feel more balanced, in control, at peace & calm. I feel my purpose or Dharma and the reason Yoga found me was to help to heal me, but more than this to help me spread this knowledge of a practice to help others on their healing journey too. From my light to yours, Namaste x EMPOWERING YOGA SESSIONS AT SHAKTI Karine Annick is a divine and much-praised yoga teacher. She will be hosting 2 classes for the Jan Foundation in association with Shakti Women on Thursday 26th September. Come join Karine and luxuriate in your power. Both sessions are free, but if you can afford it, please leave a small donation which the Jan Foundation, supporting women to rebuild their lives after fleeing abuse. Thank you. Empowering Yoga Thursday 26th September 10am – 11am: This is modern fusion of Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga. It’s all about empowering posture, flow, breath and mindfulness. This session will leave your feeling relaxed and peaceful and in control. Beginners welcome – please wear comfortable clothing – mats provided. Must book: EmpoweringYoga Yin Yoga Thursday 26th September 11.30am – 12.30pm This is a slow-paced style of yoga which incorporates postures that are held for longer periods of time (ranging for 45 seconds to 2 minutes). Yin yoga stretches and targets the deep connective tissue and is perfect for increasing circulation and improve flexibility helping us to regulate the body's flow of energy. Beginners welcome – please wear comfortable clothing – mats provided. Must Book: YinYoga

I started to write when I returned to reading. Since becoming a mum to a boy in 1995 and again in 2001 (blue balloons again), I felt like I just did not have the time to return to a pastime hobby. I was reintroduced to reading by some work colleagues, passionate about one particular author. They leant me a book and my passion for reading was reignited! When the kids (including the husband) were fast asleep by 9pm (well trained) I’d put my feet up and read, read, read. I read some very good books, that left a lasting impression and some, not so memorable. However, I’m grateful for those not so impressive reads, as it was those, that planted the seed in my head to write a novel of my own and I did not stop at one. I remember the first time I sat, the seed or story growing in my mind, the forming of the beginning, middle and end and that for me is the foundation of attempting to write a novel and then, well, it’s like putting a giant jigsaw together. The best part of the writing process is bashing out that first draft with all its flaws. Transport that story, that motion picture playing in your head, onto that word document or paper, because the even better part is yet to follow, when you commence the editing, the trimming, adding in the finer detail and ensuring the words flow with fluidity. Every writer has their creative time; I am most creative late in the evening, with music for company and influence, yes influence. For example, when I was writing a harrowing chapter, I would listen to a heart wrenching song (Bollywood of course). When I was going back in time, I would listen to some youthful 80s music, Wham, Madonna, Whitney or when going further back in time, some melodious Rafi and Lata songs. When my protagonist decided enough was enough! I would listen to a passionate, driven, empowering song (that famous Dr Alban number helped the once, I know, I know!). It was like when the music flowed, so did the words, when there was romance in the song, there was romance in the words, when there was heartbreak in the song, there was heartbreak in the words, when there was fight in the song, there was fight in the words. For me, writing is therapy. There are some things in life we have no control over, but when you are writing, you are in control. Maybe needing to step into a fictional world where you are in control is sad, but hey, if it makes you feel better, who cares. I’d rather write than dive into a box of chocolates (depending on time of month of course) or go out and get pathetically drunk (everything in moderation!). Finally, if you decide to put it out there, be prepared for the criticism (she cringes), but don’t let that put you off, because if you can tell a story, tell it, even better if you can afford a copy editor! But what’s important is that you can write something that readers can relate to, connect to. Write with a purpose - strike that chord. If writing provides escapism for the writer, it also provides escapism for the reader; don’t deprive either. J K Memmi, Self-published author, because life is too short. At Shakti we want to hear your stories. If you’ve got something inspirational that you know others would love to read. Send it to womanlywords@shaktiwomen.com #womanlywords #whywrite #success #happiness #abundance #knowledge #tenacity #inspiration

In designing your business be daring be bold be creative - use more colour. STEP 1 – IMAGINE PERFECTION Because if you do not know where you are going, how will you ever know when you have got there? You gotta have a dream! STEP 2 – THE POWER OF LESS Most of us start out as Sole Traders with Big Dreams, but there is only one of us. We have to make choices about where we place our energies and how we use our strengths and our power. As we grow, we can add all the new services we envisaged when we imagined success but for now make choices. What can you out source, automate or eliminate? STEP 3 - CHOOSE YOUR BUSINESS ROCKS Imagine your business is a jar and there are only room for 5 rocks. We will still fit in pebbles and sand but The first rock is your core service. Other rocks include: Marketing, Sales, Admin, Accounting, Legal, HR and Logistics. Choose the four elements that will get you to your dream. What are your rocks? STEP 4 - KNOW YOUR PURPOSE AND YOUR CORE VALUES It is your business, you decide what you want your business to represent but know your purpose and your core values. What are your values? STEP 5 - DE-CLUTTER If there is anything in your business, your diary, your emails, or your office that doesn’t relate to your business rocks let it go! Drop it! Focus is your friend! STEP 6 - THINK BIG - THINK WELL Thought is everything and it’s what determines everything we bring into our business – have some good ones consistently. Think well! STEP 7 - CREATE A PLAN Like any other business venture, there needs to be: a vision a strategic plan goals and targets. Write it down. STEP 8 – LIVE YOUR BUSINESS DREAM TODAY This may sound contradictory but if your dream is to have a beautiful office, and to work 10 hours a week do it now. Dedicate time today to your space, your systems and your processes. If your dream is to have a million pound turnover, dedicate time today to building your business wealth. If your dream is to have happy customers, dedicate time today to good customer service. Live your Business Dream. STEP 9 - SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE who are also designing the businesses they love. That is why Shakti exists. We envelope ourselves with people who inspire, energise and excite us. Look for exciting examples of amazing businesses which are operating in a way you value. Loose the people that drain you or sabotage your vision. STEP 10 – DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE As you go through life make one thing your goal – keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole! Look always at what is present and not at what is missing and this daily practice will enable the next step which is.... Gratitude is the mother of all personal growth. STEP 11– LEARN THE "N" WORD As we say yes to our vision we have to constantly say no to others – there just isn’t time to build your business and play Mother Theresa whilst doing so. Sat NO often STEP 12 - BE HAPPY Happiness is not a get to it’s a got to – embrace your new business with joy. Find the joy in your business and continue to do what you love. Design the business you love – now step in.... Finally, I have three myths as women we need to bust. Myth ONE – We are not circus attractions – so Do not JUGGLE. If you are juggling, you missed steps 1, 2 and 5! Myth TWO - You are not SUPERWOMAN. The myth of the superwoman keeps us all trying to do too much, remember Step 2, 3 and 5! You are a goddess and she does not run around, flapping about missed meetings and agendas. She is serene and in control. Remember steps 2,3, & 5! Myth THREE – We can MULTI- TASK, but why bother? FOCUS IS OUR FRIEND and as any successful woman knows, to move one thing forward by a mile is infinitely more satisfying than to move 10 things forward by an inch. Transformation will not happen overnight but I think creating the Business we love that suits our lives and our values is a worthwhile mission for Shakti Women, indeed for all women. IN CONCLUSION: Live each and every single day with joy, with purpose, with your values and as a woman immersed in the things that are most important to you and surrounded by the people who inspire. When designing your business be your authentic self and have fun. Siobhan Harper-Nunes is the Founder of Shakti Women. She is a business consultant and mentor to many business start-ups and leaders.

10 tips for turning leads into loyal clients 1. Two ears and one mouth. The best sales people all have two ears and one mouth. And they use them in that proportion. They listen twice as much as they talk. Listening is the secret weapon of sales. 2. Walk in your client's shoes. See the world through their eyes. Understand what they want. Sell what they need to buy, not just what you want to sell. Understand what they fear and dislike so that you can pre-empt their objections. If you want them to dance, play their tune. 3. Your best prospects are your existing clients. Typically, it costs seven times as much to sell to a new customer as it does to an existing customer. Existing customers tend to buy more; you know what they need and how they buy and you have an established track record. Selling is not the preserve of the lone hunter seeking new clients. Many of the best sales people are farmers who carefully cultivate existing clients. 4. Answer the question, just like in a school exam. You may think you have the best answer or product, but the best product on earth is useless if it does not meet the customer's needs. "Forty two" is a good answer to the question "what is six times seven". It is a terrible answer to the question "how does your product compare to the competition?" 5. Build trust. Let's make this simple: would you buy from someone you did not trust? Buyers buy a promise of performance. The promise is as good as the person and firm that stand behind it. Trust is both rapport (show you have similar interests and values) and credibility (can you be relied on to do what you say?) 6. Win win. Do not try to defeat your client. You can fool anyone once: they will never be your customer again and will trash your reputation at every opportunity. Give your client a win-make them feel good about buying from you. Allow them to tell a story to their boss, peers, colleagues, friends and family which shows that they bought smart. 7. Know your customer. Buyers may be interested in price, but what does the rest of the organisation want: reliability, flexibility, speed to market, customisation or profit? Get beyond the buyer's office. 8. Persistence pays. The harder you try, and practice, the luckier you get. You learn more about what does and does not work. And if you don't try, you don't sell and you don't learn. Selling is a craft skill, it takes effort to learn. 9. Make it easy. Clients are really not interested in your internal procedures, policies and priorities. They have enough problems. Make it easy for them to buy, simple for them to pay and smooth enough for them to use your product or service. 10. Enjoy it: you only excel at what you enjoy. To sell is to see human nature in all its bizarre variety. Make the most of every moment. Jo Owen is author of How to Influence: The Art of Making Things Happen (Prentice Hall)

As the year ends and Christmas and New Year approach our thoughts turn to 2 things: One. Have we met our goals? And Two. Can we afford everything we want for Christmas? Well with those two things in mind we have a few select workshops just for you: THE “F” WORD: Are you financially savvy? Tuesday 4th December 6.30pm – 8.30pm “Women find it difficult to discuss money, they’d rather talk about shoes and spas.” Yes, that’s what people think but do we play into the stereotypes or are we totally in control of our finances? Let’s talk? FREE EVENT Book Now. PLAN TO WIN. Friday 7th December. 9.30 – 2pm. Get a jump on your goal setting for 2019 and review your success and not so good performance (we could use the F word, but we don’t like it) of 2018. Join us for some serious planning and not so serios light lunch. Paid workshop £30. Book Now. IS SPENDING KILLING CHRISTMAS? Monday 10th December 6.30 – 8.30pm In this last Conversation Corner of the year we’ll be posing the question: “Is all this spending giving us a headache and killing the joy and love and warmth we want to associate with Christmas? Join us. FREE EVENT: Book Now. CHRISTMAS DRINKS. Tuesday 11th December 6.30 – 8.30pm Join us in the Woman’s Room for nibbles, bubbly, eggnog, canapes and the obligatory mince pie and help us finish the year with a bubbly pop. Complimentary event. Book Now. We would sincerely love to see you but if we don’t, have a thoroughly Merry Christmas.

Once upon a time there was a beautiful, intelligent, determined, ambitious woman. This woman was called SHE and SHE had a dream to row her boat to the beautiful island of Success, where the rivers flowed with milk and honey and the trees bore delicious fruit like mangoes, pears, peaches and guavas. SHE was determined to reach the island but her boat was small and the sea was large and she found herself drowning in the big crazy sea where the winds swept her little boat this way and that. But SHE was truly amazing, and purposeful and determined to reach the shore of Success so SHE kept on going it alone. Then one day as SHE grappled with the waves, there came another boat. It was much bigger than hers and it was powered by 100s of women. They were sharing the oars and taking it in turns to steer and the boat powered through the water like a hot knife through butter. The rowers shouted to the woman: ”Step in there is room for another. In fact in our boat the more rowers, the stronger we all are. And the bigger our boat becomes!”. SHE said “No thanks. You see I’m special and I can make it on my own.” “We don’t doubt that”, said the women in the boat, “we can see exactly how special and how strong you are, that’s why we want you in our boat, you can make it go even faster. Come on there’s the island, just over there on the horizon”. SHE was lonely, there did seem to be a better technique in the other boat, maybe because they had exchanged skills and they all got better together, but maybe she could save time and money by going it alone. So SHE kept going…ALONE. We think we saw her on our last trip over the sea, still courageously struggling with those big waves. She will make it if her strength holds out. We hope she does. At Shakti Women we are all stronger because of skills, experiences and strengths we share. We are focused, determined and each of us is unique but united we share a hunger for knowledge and self-improvement and we keep each other going when we feel isolated on our business or professional journey. Lady, YOU don’t need to row your boat alone. There is always Shakti Women.

Building a great “tribe” is the most powerful action you will ever take. Our energy enthusiasm and motivation can be enhanced by surrounding ourselves with positive people who enable us to pursue our dreams. These people give us honest and critical feedback, their eyes sparkle when we are flowing in our power and they leave us feeling energised, enthusiastic and excited. Choosing the right connections can mean the difference between facilitating success or giving away our purposeful power. We are often a reflection of the 5 people we spend most of the day with – so take time to reflect on your people. To make sure your tribe is the right “tribe” for you, ask yourself the following questions: Are those people positive, happy and enthusiastic? Do they enrich my life? Are my tribe a reliable and impartial sounding board? Do I trust them with my dreams? Do they inspire me to be a better person? Do the people I surround myself with leave me feeling energised, enthusiastic and excited? And, in the workplace are you surrounded by people who make your work life easier, more organised and more efficient? If you have answered no to any of the above questions – perhaps it’s time to make a change. But where to start? As usual we start with ourselves. The people we surround ourselves are a reflection of ourselves so… Are you being authentic? Do you live and ooze your vision and your values? Do you display a “can do – will do” attitude? Are you enthusiastic, energised and excitied? So what is the first step you will take? We suggest you: Work on your own character You eliminate (or at least limit the time you spend with) negative, draining people You make more time for the people in your life who inspire, motivate and excite you. You can also buy into a positive tribe – our Birmingham Chapter is recruiting new members as we speak. So, don’t waste another minute go build your tribe and take the first step towards your dreams.

We believe that HAPPINESS has everything to do with success, abundance, tenacity and our ability to inspire ourselves and others and here is why. First of all have you ever heard statements like “I’ll be happy when… My son gets into university I get myself out of debt I pay off my mortgage The sun comes out Do you know people who have it all yet who remain miserable and people with nothing being happy? We decided many years ago, happiness is not a destination, it ’s a mode of travel. It’s not a GET TO it’s a GOT TO! We realised that choosing to be happy (not all of the time but most of it) has some pretty spectacular knock on effects… When we’re happy we tend to be more positive which means we address our problems with a different attitude, a solution orientated attitude, which amazingly, leads to us finding solutions and therefore being more successful. When we’re happy we attract more upbeat people into our zone and that means we surround ourselves with more positive upbeat people and we rarely find ourselves fighting off negativity and hopelessness… and guess what, that helps us to succeed. At work, the happy boss enables a happy workforce which is passed onto our customers and guess what that helps us to succeed. And, if that’s not enough, when we’re happy we create hormones with that help us fight infection and actually promotes longevity. We have found 10 reasons to be happier and more upbeat and we share those with our members regularly. We have also identified 5 key reasons why miseries choose misery AND how we can frame our lives to promote happiness on a daily basis. Come on join us – let’s choose happiness today.

Over the course of a lifetime we learn or inherit a lot of baggage or ways for responding to situations that do not serve us. It's simply negative conditioning. Even our sub-conscious self can sometimes undermine our best intentions because she is programmed to protect us. For example, if we plan something a little bit scary or uncomfortable she says “don’t do it!” You’re about to speak in public or take on a new challenge, she’ll tell you to stay home in your comfort zone. But we all know that in our comfort zone there is no change, no growth, and no achievement. The average person has between 50,000 - 70,000 thoughts each day. But how many of them are supporting us to achieve success? And how many of them are telling us to give up, it’s scary, I’m not good enough, people don’t like people like me, it’s too hard? What you would do if your arm kept smacking you in the face? You’d learn to control it and that’s what we have to do with the random thoughts in our mind that do not serve our true purpose or ambition. The way I do it is when I allow the doubters in, is I see myself like a puppet on a string, being pulled and pushed in every direction and I don’t like being a puppet. The same is true when certain people – and you know who they are – push our buttons. We're LETTING them do it and by rising to their taunts, we are allowing ourselves to be that puppet!!! I am a powerful woman I decide. And today I reaffirmed that I will only let powerful, supportive thoughts into my mind. And nurturing, encouraging, empowering people into my space. What about you? Puppet or Power? Hmmmm....choices choices...

Shakti Women is a movement of business and professional women. We value diversity: the beauty dignity of today’s women. We juggle between family, work, home and relationships - yet if we get the balance right, that struggle can work in our favour by strengthening our focus and tenacity to succeed. That’s why Shakti Women’s Workshops are themed to provide a programme of continuous personal and professional growth, to enable us to realise our dreams. We start the year by focusing on our goals: we look at our aspirations and sometimes at the garbage we collect in our minds, our bodies and homes. We also discuss finances, and the internal blocks that may stop us from realising our potential. Women are oft en in two minds about wealth as putting our needs first can be associated with jealousy and condemnation from others. What we love about Shakti is the fact that the movement is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Not only do we put a lot of thought into planning the calendar of training and finding the right trainers to and get the ambience right but we get so much out of working with the members and seeing them progress. “I have grown as a woman since developing Shakti, I get just as much out of as I put in, and in fact I get more!” Siobhan Harper-Nunes “Since starting my own chapter, I am on Fire” Cheryl Garvey “Being a Shakti member is not a seasonal thing, I’m a Shakti Woman for life” Claudette Dawson “Shakti” means power, creativity and energy and women who join us are committed to their own personal growth. Countless women have made great strides in their careers and businesses, because we have created the time and the space and given ourselves the permission to focus on ourselves, to shine, to own our power. Shakti Women is a magical movement that helps our members capitalise on who they were meant to be. That’s what we love about Shakti Women. We love every moment of our members journeys and we know you will love us too. For more information about membership call 0121 456 5122 or email membership@shaktiwomen.com

#MOMMASHOULDATOLDME! I think I would have moved more quickly up the corporate ladder if I had known then what I know now. Here are my 10 quick tips to Take You to the TOP 1.PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS If we look at all the really successful women out there, they aren’t working on their weaknesses - NO - they are playing to their strengths. Develop your natural talents and play the game you can win. 2. GET YOURSELF NOTICED Learn to be your own publicist or hire one. In your career, being coy is not cute! Get yourself noticed for the great work you do, your problem solving abilities, your leadership potential and your team skills. 3. KNOW YOUR JOB Be better than anyone else, know more than everyone else. Because let’s face it girls, knowledge is power and we like POWER! 4. AIM FOR THE STARS There is nothing wrong with ambition. There is a kind of MAGIC in thinking BIG. 5. WALK TALL Carry yourself with confidence, be self assured, be poised. Walk like a manager, a CEO or a Director. Walk like a winner. 6. RAISE THE BAR. Set your standards HIGH and never ever let them slip. There is no excuse for shoddy work, sloppy appearance or bad examples. Be a role model to your daughters and the women in the team. 7. DRESS TO IMPRESS Whether it’s formal, sophisticated, stylish, tasteful, elegant, or cultured, dress the part of the woman you wish to become. But don't forget we want what looks good in the boardroom (not the bedroom) so leave the low lines and the disco pants at home! 8. WATCH YOUR MOUTH Thumper’s Mom (you remember Bambi?) gave some good advice. She said: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!” Don’t gossip, don’t criticise, and definitely don’t swear. What’s the point of alienating half the workforce when a little good manners and decorum wins respect and loyalty? 9. USE THE "N" WORD No not that N word. I mean learn to say NO! You’ve all heard of the busy fool? She’s that “yes” girl that tries to please everybody. People pleasers DO NOT make great management material they just get dumped on. Only volunteer when it’s in YOUR best interest or it's going to get you the right kind of attention. Use the N word. This is definitely for the women out there because in my experience we are much less assertive than most men but it's OK to say NO! 10. PUT YOURSELF IN HER HEELS Your boss and your customers want you to make their lives easier not more complicated. So please don’t moan, don’t whine, don’t complain about the workplace. Get the job done. Go the extra mile. Give them solutions not problems. Be an asset and a trusted advisor. Try to think like your boss and put yourself in her shoes. ABOUT SIOBHAN HARPER-NUNES, BSocSci, MSc, SFEDI Siobhan is a “can do” motivator with vast experience in supporting others to be their very best and to live life with passion. She has delivered personal and professional development training to women for nearly 30 years and has supported 1000s of women to realise their dreams. She is a SFEDI qualified business advisor and enables businesses to grow and flourish. She is also an Executive Mentor to countless women from company directors and chief executives to start-up businesses and aspiring professionals. Siobhan is passionate about inspiring women to be the best they can be. She is an inspirational speaker and writes prolifically about designing the life you want to live. To contact Siobhan for bespoke training, business growth or executive mentoring email siobhan@shaktiwomen.com or call 07973 666 567

Ladies and Gents, let's talk periods. It’s a biological event that none of us can control. Most women get them and that includes women who are homeless. Your housing status does not make you exempt from periods which shouldn’t make you exempt from access to the proper sanitary products. Could you imagine it? Could you imagine using old socks, newspapers, old clothes as a makeshift pad or tampon? It sounds horrific but this is the reality for many women on the street and we need to make a change. Help the Homeless; Period started to do just this. So far we have raised over £400 to put together care packs that will provide women with the products they need. This is not limited to tampons and pads, we are also including wipes, deodorant, glucose tablets, hand gels, compact tooth care, hairbrush and long life snack bars. Our next goal is to get this number up to £1000 and reach as many homeless women as we can especially with the winter months arriving. We may not be able to solve the homelessness problem but we can help. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/theshaktiinitiative