The Little Things In Life

It’s been an exciting week in an OUT LOUD coach’s schedule.

I participated in an EFT workshop which had me tapping my energy meridians and discovering all sorts of strange bodily sensations, attended a network event on style and fashion where I reconnected with my love of clothes and dressing up, had a meeting on a forthcoming public speaking webinar where I am one of the trainers, met with a new client, had a sample session with a prospective client, thought quite a bit about my upcoming Leadership Programme, joined a  new network for alumni of my old college and felt very happening indeed when I went to a gig in Hackney where a friend was performing with her new band.

But Saturday night I closed my front door and turned my attention to more homely pleasures. I decided to live dangerously by descaling the kettle. As it fizzed and bubbled away, I thought it might be fun to share my rock n roll lifestyle with my Facebook friends – interestingly along with my other post on the purchase of a rather funky new shopping trolley, this proved a distinctively popular announcement. Somehow or other these little vignettes from the gentler side of life resonate with people.

Thoroughly clearing out and tidying a cupboard, bringing up the shine on an old silver picture frame, ironing every crease out of the ruffles of a fine, cotton shirt – these quiet, cosy tasks calm my spirit, bring a sense of deep satisfaction for a job well done and remind me that spending time with the more practical side of things can bring out the contented whistler in us all.

A couple of weeks ago I visited the Ice Age exhibition at the British Museum and marvelled at the beauty and intricacy of the artwork and carvings that our ancestors were already creating thousands of years ago. There is a wonderful recreation of the famous French cave drawings together with sounds of cave life. The pleasure we take in enhancing our space, in creating the place we call home and where we get to just potter is primitive and ancient.

As we become increasingly preoccupied with striving and doing and rushing and succeeding, it’s good to remind ourselves to also take time to slow down, curl up on the sofa, read a good book, make a collage, take up the hobby you once loved like embroidery or painting or stamp collecting. It’s so nice to listen to Radio 4 with a cup of tea or sit on an old deckchair in the sun, close your eyes, drift and dream.

That’s being OUT LOUD too because it’s being fully alive. We don’t always have to be aiming for the heights and the hubbub and the next big achievement in order to prove to ourselves and others that we are living and living now. Living can also be in the minutiae, the detail, the small, the soft and the quiet. It’s something that our ancestors knew and it’s something we need to know about as well.

What do you do to leave all that frantic stuff behind? Do you like to sew, cook, garden, dust, vacuum the house from top to bottom? What gets you humming happily to yourself? Please share with us and maybe we could start an anti-excitement movement.

And if you feel you are running too fast and are interested in rediscovering the joys of the quieter side of life please connect with me at and we can start the conversation.