Finding inspiration for my business in the hills

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I generously gave myself the day off today and headed to the Lake District to go walking with my family for a bit of exercise and fresh air. There’s nothing better than spending my day off getting out into the countryside and enjoying the stunning scenery. The Lake District was home to Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK. What I love about it though is how easy it is to get off the beaten track and hardly see anyone else for hours.

I liken a good hike with running my business. There are so many elements that can be compared. For example any hike takes some planning and preparation. You need the right kit and provisions and a route to take. Just like my business, I need a business plan and need to understand what my goals are and how I am going to achieve them

With any good hike there will be obstacles along the way. This morning when we set out on our walk the fog was low over the hills and it was raining. But we decided that we would risk the weather and set off anyway. This strategy paid off as the fog soon lifted and the sun came out. Just like in business, sometimes you have to take risks in order to learn and grow. Remember if you always do the same things, you will always get the same results.

We stopped after a few miles for a break and enjoyed a cup of coffee to reward ourselves for our perseverance. Again, just like in business it is important to celebrate milestones along the way to reward yourself for doing a good job. Most people are quite hard on themselves and it is very easy to get bogged down in work and forget what is important in life.

The next stage of the walk involved the steep climbing to the summit, this was by far the hardest part of the day. Your senses are heightened as you’re feeling tired and your heart is beating fast. This is the part where you will yourself to keep going and your inner strength pushes you to the top. Just like in business you need your inner strength to keep motivated through the tough times. Because it is those tough times that make the person you are now.

We reached the summit feeling tired but we were rewarded with the 360 degree views of the Lakes. You can really feel on top of the world up there just taking it all in. This is the same feeling you get with your business when you make that first sale or reach a certain milestone.

At the end of the day I feel really tired but I know that although my body is aching it was all worthwhile. I got to spend the day with those close to me and I found inspiration for myself and my business in the hills.

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Are you finding it hard to gain updated skills online?

Internet usage has increased exponentially over the past decade and there are now over 1.4 billion users worldwide. This can be a daunting prospect for a relatively new user to the internet and it can be hard to find what you are looking for. I have put together a few tips for you to find updated skills online.

I will focus on three key aspects in life where you can find updated skills online and keep it relatively simple for now. These three aspects are your own personal development, saving money online and staying in regular contact with your friends.

Finding updated skills online for your personal and career development

If you are looking to further your career and get to the next level or are looking for that next opportunity, there are some great sites you can use. I personally would start with the job sites as they often offer free advice on CV writing, interview skills and much more. They may offer many training programs that will help you learn some valuable skills to improve your career prospects. If you are looking for new life skills there are many avenues to choose from. Look for life coaches and see if there are reputable coaches locally. They will be able to give you a new perspective on life and help you to get the most out of your life.

Finding updated skills online to save money!

Now everyone loves to save money, even the richest people on the planet. Well at least they would like value for money. In these uncertain times you need to be more careful with your money and look out for value. As the saying goes if you look after the pennies, the pounds will look after themselves. And the perfect vehicle to help you save money is the internet. You can use the internet to ‘shop around’ and search many virtual shops in order to find the best deal. It doesn’t really matter what you are shopping for, whether it be a new pair of shoes or a sofa, a house or a holiday, there are specific sites to help you find what you’re looking for.

Finding updated skills online to stay in touch with friends or make new ones

There has been a massive rise in social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook in the past few years which means it is much easier to stay in touch with your friends and family. This is particularly important if they live overseas. You can become a member of these sites for free and find your friends through handy ‘friend finders’ that search your email address books. So have a look around and see if these sites are relevant to you and if not perhaps try searching for local events or pastimes that are happening in your area. You will be able to find something to do at anytime and any place in the world.

These are just a few pointers to find updated skills online. I hope that they will be valuable for you, now or in the future. Because if you don’t keep your skills updated the world leaves you behind. And as the old saying goes, if you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.