Dear Reader

Christmas is approaching rapidly with its combination of the religious and the pagan, the historical and the mythical, the festive and the down-right practical (oh, those preparations!). We celebrate the birth of the Christ-child along with the abundance of our winter stores. In Father Christmas we celebrate both the historical figure of Saint Nicholas and the myth that Santa Claus spends the night before Christmas visiting gifts upon all the children of the world. And in the Christmas narrative we celebrate the birth of a child whose story has also assumed the quality of myth.

With Christmas comes the end of one year and the beginning of another. This is a time to look back on the year just gone and to look forward to the year that lies ahead. In case you would like help in shaping your reflections and your plans for the future, look out for the questions I shall be publishing this week on my blog.

In my own life and work I look back on the intention I set at the beginning of 2011 to bring my communication and marketing into the twenty-first century. I celebrate the progress I have made to this end. This has included beginning to shape and practice an approach to asking for referrals which enriches everyone involved. It has included getting clear about what differentiates my approach to coaching from that of my peers. It has included taking my first baby steps towards “shouting it from the rooftops” – most recently, updating my profile on LinkedIn to highlight my key areas of interest.

I also look forward to the steps that have yet to be taken. These include moving my regular newsletter to a platform which can support a growing number of readers. They include updating my website to showcase a business which is radically different from the one I first envisaged when I set up Learning for Life (Consulting) in 2002. They include introducing a growing range of products and services to meet the needs of my core clients.

Most of all, though, in this present moment, I am taking a moment to experience the gratitude for the many contributions I have received this year and which support me in doing work I love. I cannot possibly do justice here to the breadth and depth of this support – perhaps it’s enough, for now, to express my gratitude for the opportunity to work as a coach to leaders, unleashing innate leadership potential through powerful, compassionate and authentic relationships.

So, in signing off, I send you every good wish for joy at Christmas and many blessings in the New Year.

Dorothy

PS If you’re feeling sad about the commercialism of Christmas, take a look at the way these singers took the spirit of Christmas with them to their local shopping Centre.  Just follow this link.