Kintsugi Life

"Fall down seven times, Stand up eight" -Japanese Proverb Whether we're facing and working through a time of struggle and adversity, or considering taking a course of action to achieve something, there's a real danger that we can get caught in a cycle of procrastination. We may be fearful of our ability to cope, to get the results we need or to muster the necessary energy and enthusiasm. We may feel we're not equipped with what this will require of us. We may be fearful of what will happen if we succeed! In this episode I discuss why I think it's our imperative to act and more importantly, to TRY and not to allow ourselves to struggle or procrastinate out of a sense of fear of uncertainty. Things may work out, they may not. Either way, we do not know until we try. In the podcast I'll share the five benefits I have experienced of giving things a try. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co

"Where your attention goes, energy flows and results show" - T Harv Eker This episode is all about a power that we each have to shape what we focus on in life, and to determine how we apply our energies to those things which ultimately shapes the results we then achieve from them. It all comes down to the Reticular Activating System which is the part of the brain that filters out what we detect via our senses. We filter out based on what we've trained our minds to notice and if we constantly see the negative, then that's what we'll see more of, and this will ensure that ours is a life of struggle. If we instead focus on gratitude, positivity and energy then that will be how we view the life and this will in turn yield results in terms of how we feel about life. In this podcast I explain how the many ways of observing the same scenarios can indicate where our focus is, and can indicate where we'd be better served to train ourselves to respond more appropriately. If you have any comments or feedback on thi

Having a clear idea as to our purpose, our vision and our why is essential in allowing ourselves to focus on what is most important in our lives, and to direct our efforts and actions accordingly. In this podcast episode I share my thoughts on how we can consider our goal, our one-thing, our main-thing to ensure that it keeps us focused on our aim, whether that is to proceed through a time of emotional difficulty, or as we recover from challenges in our life, our business or as we work through a process such as divorce which can severely test our resolve and our focus. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle

In any endeavour we carry out in life, whether we're trying to grow and improve, complete a project or build a business or recover from hardship or challenge, our patience can often be tested as we become impatient for the results. In this Podcast I'll discuss how it is vital to trust in the fact that the process we are in will deliver the results we expect provided that we keep putting in the actions and trust in the passing of time. I also discuss how the same cause and effect relationship exists in terms of the things we don't do, the stuff we neglect and the bad choices we make. Finally, I'll outline how important it is to work through the entire process from the enthusiasm at the beginning, the 'messy-middle' and the optimistic end; at each stage we must trust the process. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle

Knowing who you are, where you are and where you're trying to go are all essential as we work through times of hardship or seek out personal growth or improvement. In this Podcast I'll discuss how we can become defined by our 'back-story', the events that happen in our life and help to shape us. These can be useful experiences that help us grow, or they can become labels that we unhelpfully cling to or apply to ourselves. I also share the importance of understanding exactly where you are in life and any given process of improvement or journey through (and out of) adversity. Finally, I'll describe the importance of being clear about your goals, where you're going and figuring out how you're going to get there. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle.

I've been trying to work out how any process of personal growth and improvement, or recovery from times of adversity can be mapped out into phases. When we're on a personal journey it's often discouraging to feel overwhelmed and not know where you are and how far you have yet to go. That's how I've felt lately. In this podcast I've outlined the phases that I believe I've been passing through from Ignorance, through to Enlightenment and everywhere in-between. My thinking on this has also been prompted by reading the amazing book '12 Rules for Life' by Jordan B. Peterson. If you feel inclined to read it, I can't recommend it highly enough. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle

In this episode I wanted to share three of the things that often prevent me from making progress in the projects that I'm working at, or when I'm going through times of challenge. In the episode I discuss how the ideas of starting where we are, doing what we can and using what we have, are essential in order to make progress and deal with adversity that we may face. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle

In this episode I'll share what I believe are the 5 Essential Traits to have when you are working through times of adversity and challenge in order not just to survive or cope, but to thrive. They are simple, but often overlooked and apply to virtually every scenario in life whether you're dealing with financial, relationship or personal challenges or simply working towards a goal or project. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle

There are three traits that I think are essentials harness and practice when we're working through a period of adversity, but which are equally important when trying to progress through a project or to achieve a goal; patience, persistence and consistency. In this episode I'll share how I believe these traits are evidenced in the things we do and say and the way that we act. I'll also share how I think they contribute to the ease with which we proceed through life and the results we can enjoy. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle

Whenever we’re in the midst of something that we find difficult or stretching, one of the biggest challenges aside from the task itself is often in taming the inner voices that introduce doubt, fear or despondency in our minds. Instead we need to push on regardless and to overcome those voices and messages. It's no surprise that this is challenging; many of the messages, "I can't do it", "It's too difficult" and so-on are the responses we've been training ourselves to think since childhood. In this episode I'll share how I believe many of us have trained ourselves to think in this way over many years of repeated behaviour and action. I'll discuss what I think we need to do to handle the thoughts better, and share 3 tactics for doing this more effectively. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle

When things don't work out as we expected, there are those who take accountability and seek to learn and grow from the experience, and those who will try and explain it away with excuses and blame. In this episode I discuss how creating alternative explanations and excuses for failure and disappointing results can negate the opportunity to learn and grow; I share a six-step plan for how you can tackle such experiences and grow, strengthen and improve as a result, improving results and your life. Recognising these thoughts for what they are, our mind trying to protect us from harm, danger and change is useful, but we also need to take appropriate action when confronted by them if we're to move forwards in life. In this episode I'll share how I've done that in my own life. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle Thank you

A big part of adopting and benefiting from the Kintsugi-Life philosophy is in managing our mind-set and in overcoming the fears and self-limiting beliefs that threaten to hold us back if we fail to control them. In this episode I will share some of the many ways in which such beliefs come-up in my life, and the tactics that I've adopted to manage them and minimise their influence over my life. Recognising these thoughts for what they are, our mind trying to protect us from harm, danger and change is useful, but we also need to take appropriate action when confronted by them if we're to move forwards in life. In this episode I'll share how I've done that in my own life. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle Thank you

In this episode, I share my thoughts on something that I think is a bit of a lost-art in modern life; I call it the art of showing up. I've learned the importance of this through the various roles that I play in my life, as parent, husband, entrepreneur, manager and just as human being working through life and interacting with others. How we conduct ourselves, the way that we act, speak, listen and behave can all be influenced by the way in which we 'show-up' in life. By adopting a few core habits and behaviours that I outline in this episode we all have the opportunity to get more out of life and to give more to life too. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle Thank you!

In this episode, I discuss how the principles of Kintsugi can be applied as we navigate times of difficulty and adversity in our working life. Whether we work as an employee, a business owner or an entrepreneur there are numerous challenges that can be encountered as we proceed through day-to-day life. I share some of the challenges I've faced as examples of these, to illustrate the learning process that I've applied. The episode also covers the need to create a business where the focus is upon serving and helping others through solving of meaningful problems as a means of creating a business that is enduring and impactful, and not purely based on selling and making money. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode you can reach out by email on toby@kintsugilife.co Our blog can be found at http://kintsugilife.co and our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kintsugilifestyle Thank you!

Kintsugi Life: 002 - In this episode I provide further background on how I think the principles of the Japanese art form Kintsugi can be applied in our lives, in this instance in our relationships with others. This covers not just our romantic relationships but also in all other aspects of life, family, friendship and in our work.

Kintsugi Life - 001: Applying principles of Kintsugi in our lives.