A jolly good "fellow"!

Yesterday I received my certificate showing that I have been elected a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM). The Institute is the world’s largest professional body for marketing and business development.
I have been a member of the CIM for 12 years, and as you know I’m passionate about professionalism within the voluntary sector. I believe that charities must be run in a businesslike manner and prove to their benefactors that they are managed in both a cost-effective and efficient way. During these challenging economic times those who work within charities need to be savvy marketers and be evermore ready with a business plan and proof of where public donations are being spent.

Carpe diem - "seize the day”

I’m luck to have a great network of friends and business colleagues Recently I read an e-mail from one such friend in which they had been inspired by a 90 year old and his 45 lessons of life.

I’m not quite 90 yet so here are 26 of my favourite lessons;

- When in doubt, just take the next small step.
- Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
- Pay off your credit cards every month.
- You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
- Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
- It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
- Save for retirement starting with your first pay cheque.
- Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
- It's OK to let your children see you cry.
- Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
- It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second oneis up to you and no one else.
- Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
- Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
- What other people think of you is none of your business.
- When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
- No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
- Forgive everyone everything.
- Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
- Believe in miracles.
- God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
- Your children get only one childhood, be there for them.
- All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
- If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
- Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
- Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."
- The best is yet to come.