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As the last few days of 2012 trickle away, I’m left with a warm and happy feeling.  It’s been a great year!  And I have so much to be grateful for.

2012 has been a transformational year for me, my family, my business and my home.  I’ve had the fortune of travelling to Marrakech, France and Cyprus as well as some beautiful places here in the UK.

With Andrew in Marrakech March 2012 after a hot air balloon ride!

When I think about my personal success and my business success, they seem to hold hands quite tightly – I guess it’s because I love what I do.  It’s not so much a job as a calling.

This year one of my biggest learnings has to be that ‘fear’ when doing something new, is really just ‘excitement’.  The resistance I have felt to stepping up, taking a leap in a new direction, playing bigger has been strong – and it’s all fear based, I guess of not achieving, things not working out and I’ve felt it on a physical level many times.

I’ve had to learn to play bigger, create a bigger vision and take bigger steps and above all to trust more.  Trust that everything is unfolding the way it is meant to, trust in myself, my skills and calling –  and to remember to breath.  As we move into 2013, I know that these feelings will come regularly, I’m up-levelling, on a heart felt mission and I’ll just know that these fears are part of the process of self growth, like growing pains and – as Susan Jeffers said “Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway”.  The more I do this, the quicker I am to realise what’s happening and to release the fear.  If you believe in something, want to achieve something, never give up and don’t delay.

I’ve been so delighted to have been working with my mentor Carly Hope during 2012.  Sometimes we just need someone else to help us to think outside of the box, don’t we?  We can get too close and not see what’s in front of us and working with Carly has supported me to not only see my vision more clearly but to expand it.  So thank you Carly!  And thank you to Kate Gerry, the fabulous online Business Manager – who’s helped me to get processes in place, got my files ‘in the cloud’, found and recruited for me my perfect Virtual Assistant – VA Sharon (who’s completely amazing). It’s all made a huge difference to how I work.  I’m so grateful to you all.

Some of the highlights of the year have been working with some incredible clients though Fab Friends Network, my personal coaching and mentoring groups – the Butterfly Circle and introducing this summer a new business mentoring group Divine Inner Circle.  Working with individual clients and creating very special transformational VIP days with them.  All of these exceptional women have been committed to making changes and it’s been a joy to watch them grow, take inspired action and choose their vision for themselves.

Many of our High Wycombe Fab Friends Network Members

In the spring I was busy working on the licence for Fab Friends Network, writing the documentation and the manual.  It was a long process and I was so grateful to my partner Andrew for supporting me and helping me with lots of the details!  I’ve discovered this year, I’m a big picture person!

With Helen Boss, Leader of Truro Fab Friends Network

And after the Jubilee weekend, I offered the opportunity on Facebook to invest in a Fab Friends Network licence – it felt like a huge leap of faith to put it out there and I was thrilled when I received a huge response!

Dawn Petherick, at the launch of Lichfield Fab Friends Network

And the two successful leaders came forward – Helen in Truro and Dawn in Lichfield – both inspiring women who quickly established their new groups.  Attending their launches was moving for me. The dream and the vision for this community that I had, was now bigger than me and was reaching out and holding hands with others across the country… just as I’d seen in my dream.  It was an honour to be part of it all.

In the summer I was surprised and equally thrilled to have been nominated Women’s Advocate / Role Model in the Women Inspiring

Women National Awards in Birmingham.  And I was lost for words when my name was announced as the award winner on the night!  Wow!  I stumbled through my acceptance speech and my award now sits very proudly at home!

The local paper picked up my story too!

In October I took 7 gorgeous clients over to the south of France to Chateau Ventenac an absolutely stunning old house, owned by my good friend Julia Bristow.

This was the first retreat that I have run – and again, another leap for me!  Each of the clients who joined us brought something very special to the retreat – themselves!  During the course of the week it was wonderful to see each participant just relax, unwind, have time to do some of the reflecting and planning that they’d wanted to have time to do.  Everyone looked different, seemed different when we left.  It was magical and I look forward to running another retreat in 2013.

And my eldest daughter Becky celebrated her 20th birthday this year!  She’s established herself as a successful photographer capturing weddings and portraits – plus she’s a test shooter for Models 1, Europes leading modelling agency and commissioned by Harvey Nichols for a shoot of installations in their Knightsbridge store.  So proud of her!  Well done Becky Rui!

Anna my youngest daughter started Uni at Worcester in September – a big step up for her moving out, being totally independent - and she took it all in her stride.  She’s enjoying Uni and the social whirl that goes with it!  And it’s much quieter at home – and tidier too!  ;)

My gorgeous daughters Becky and Anna

So a really big thank you to Andrew my partner, my family, friends and very special clients for making 2012 a year to remember with great fondness and joy!  Bring on 2013!!!  What magical and miracles await us all?  Let’s find out!