We are out on the open ocean again and heading into balmy weather, sunshine and fresh, invigorating breezes. No,  I know that's not the weather message you're getting currently, what with ice, snow, Arctic winds and all that we are familiar with at this point in the year.  But I thought I would just cheer everyone up with a vision of 2010 as clear, forward looking, positive, out there with fresh winds and sunny skies, possibly even miles of golden sand too? Why not?  I prefer to paint this as an ideal for all of us rather than a viewing of life as a relentless grind of pressure, stress and gloom.

Times are tough, of course.  But we are so blessed to have everything that we do possess compared with life as it might have been for us in past generations.  The advances we can make,  the fulfilment we can gain and what we can contribute from our own individual standpoint to all the networks of souls on this planet is massive, with the tools that have been developed to enable us to do so.

Twitter x 1000

A philosophical mood has gripped me - as you have possibly gathered.     Well ...... it's a time for reflection and assessment isn't it as we head from this decade into the next?  And if you are wondering about the reference to a flotilla in the title, this is because, through Twitter, my colleagues and I are amassing a growing band of like-minded souls who are promoting a life of optimum health.



In a flotilla, as with a flock of geese flying in formation, there is strength for the whole group.  The group of people in the flotilla I have been sailing with during this past few weeks has grown to around 1000 (yeehaa!) - and it is composed principally of those who have an interest in health, wealth and happiness via Social Media.  (View my twitter profile >>> here).

This is small beer to some of the mega-twitterers like Stephen Fry, P Diddy (who he?) and one of the greatest gang leaders of them all, Barack Obama.   But currently recognised as the King of the Tweeters in the UK is Peter Cashmore of Mashable, with 1.8million followers.  Peter is an internet entrepreneur and Social Media guru, who since 2005 has developed a business with revenues of seven figures, with offices all over the world.   He is popular because his tweets discuss technological changes in terms of everyday issues such as shopping, music and social networking.  And, folks, he's only 24 !  See Daily Mail article >>> here.

What Peter is doing is adding enormous value to so many people's lives with information and technologies.  "If he can, so can I!"  is what I feel.   We are both Pied Pipers, drawing all those people (whether it's 1000 or nearly 2 million) into a new understanding of life as it is now and as it will be lived from here on in with all the wonders of technology that we have at our fingertips.



And the tune that I am playing on MY pipe is a broadcast about optimising health, concern for the finances of the elderly and building international awareness to shine a light on all that.  (It's reported here that at least 3,000 elderly people a year are forced to sell their homes to pay for care in later life.)

After a lifetime of paying tax and saving in pensions, that is !  Well  .........words fail me !

It is a message that I hope will reach huge swathes of the world's population - in particular the "thinkers" and "doers" who will use this marvellous medium to raise consciousness about any or all of these issues.  How long do you think it's going to take me to achieve a following of a million or two?  Who can tell?   Does it matter how long it takes?  Well yes of course quick is better than slow but  the word will spread as the the ranks begin to swell  and those messages will impact more and more lives  -  for the good!

By the way, WHAT are those Twitter lists all about??  Whose list?  Is it mine or someone else's?  Who do I put on it and will I be able to find them?  Can I select when and to whom messages go?  Does it matter and do I care?  As always when confusion of this type grips me the only answer is  ........... to walk away until the fog clears.  And hope that somebody,  somewhere will understand and explain.  It does make you feel so pathetic though, don't you think?

The Emotion Code

Back to the flotilla.  And a like-minded souls we are now sailing alongside... .  This week I was introduced to a book called "The Emotion Code" by Dr Bradley Nelson.  A holistic, chiropractic physician, he is a specialist in the fields of bio-energetic medicine and energy psychology. 

 "............ Dr Nelson talks about the inner workings of the subconscious mind. He reveals how emotionally-charged events from your past can still be haunting you in the form of "trapped emotions"; emotional energies that literally inhabit your body.

............these trapped emotions can create pain, malfunction and eventual disease. In addition, trapped emotions can exert a dramatic effect on how you think, the choices that you make, and how successful you will be."  

One very significant aspect of Dr Nelson's book - and indeed an extensive website with an abundance of material on this subject - is the fact that he uses Nikken magnetic products to release trapped emotions and balance the body.  We are all energy beings.  If you examine your hand, for instance, at the most microscopic level, it is possible to see a mass of cells that never stop moving.  It makes sense that these living cells of human energy would respond to another form of energy ....... that of the natural magnetic field from which all forms of life on this planet have evolved.  In the 1950s, when Japanese scientists began their groundbreaking research into the  body's electric and magnetic forces, they were able to prove beyond a doubt that a pulsing electromagnetic field causes changes at a cellular level and alters cell metabolism. The Research & Development corporation Nikken, with whom I have been associated for 12 years now have been developing and marketing their unique range of products that implement these technologies since the 1970s - products that are designed for use in every aspect of our everyday lives.

So in layman's terms what does all this mean?   It makes perfect sense (to me and to all the colleagues I have been working with for the past 12 years or so,  plus thousands around the world)  that if you can shift blocked emotion and energy,  the body will most probably begin to be restored to its natural status and function better.  In practical terms we use and advocate the Nikken magnetic technologies for massage and relaxation of stress and muscle tension; for helping to energise;  and to bring about deep, restorative sleep.  All of these contribute substantially to the principal of achieving and maintaining optimum health in our lives.

Have a look at the video (below) to see what Dr. Nelson has to say about "The Emotion Code" and Nikken technologies.  It is worth ten minutes of your life, so grab yourself a cup of tea or whatever tipple takes your fancy and watch the video.
.



Okay, that's quite enough of the technical stuff.  Time for all of us to strap on our heavy-duty Christmas marching boots, wrap the cloak of Yuletide cheer around our shoulders and sally forth into the High Street.  It's got to be done, you know that.  "Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood ........." etc.  It will be murder but don't try to fight it!  I'm preparing to max out the credit card to make sure that those children and grandchildren of mine have the best Christmas EVER !  Because they're worth it !  And because I love them.

A rare treat - don't miss it!

But before I go (I hear you groaning - Oh God, not more!)  may I just draw your attention to the brilliant #theNTshow which takes place every Wednesday on Twitter at 10.30am?  This coming week the very special Christmas guest is Father Jack from Craggy Island, who is renowned for his singular dedication to all matters of supreme importance to humanity, the most notable of which is the quality and availability of the pure Irish! ........... His verbal dexterity and skill with communication  is minimalist, powerful and incisive and his Tweets say so much in so few characters that so many of us could well sit at his feet, observe and learn.



Do please tune in to @father__jack for a fun lesson with a great Master of Social Media in all its boundless vision.

Happy Christmas!

From myself and my family, I hope you all have the most wonderful holiday season; a Christmas that will be warm, loving and all that you wish for you and yours.  And my sincere desire is that 2010 will be fulfilling. rewarding and - quite simply - your best year yet !

With all best wishes from The Twittering Granny

A valediction:

Oh, and just one more ..............P.S.   I wonder if you were listening along with me and eight million others on Friday when the "TOGmeister" Terry Wogan bowed out from breakfast radio after 27 years.   I was in tears, as was he and probably all of the millions whose daily lives have been enriched by the banter, the whimsy and the inspired lunacy that has been a daily listening for two hours every morning.



Ah, Sir Terry!  We shall miss you!  God Bless you and thank you for just being you in our lives.  You made the mornings glow!

The second decade of this new millennium is on the horizon!  Is life better now than it was 10 years ago when it was predicted that planes would fall out of the sky and all communication systems would go into meltdown?    Well that didn’t happen, did it?  But there have been many other calamities both natural and man-made that have afflicted populations across the world…. And there will probably be more.  Is life worse as a result of this?  Undoubtedly so, for the souls who have suffered loss of everything and are having to rebuild their lives from scratch.  But for the many millions who are moving on with their lives, taking the changes and development of new technologies in their stride, this next ten years is going to surpass everything that has gone before by countless leagues.



We have seen the rise of Google, Facebook, Twitter and others into being household names and accepted as central to the way so many of us live.  Whole areas of previously unfathomable (for most of us anyway) techno knowledge have become mainstream and are being utilised by the most surprising enthusiasts whom no-one would have believed had the capability or knowledge – or indeed the interest – to incorporate this into their lives.

I don't claim to have real expertise but since being introduced to the concept of Social Media and Social Networking for the purposes of growing an international business,  I am growing by the day.  This is being chronicled in these Diaries, which have been developed to promote a message of achieving and maintaining optimum health for all ages, and particularly for an increasing large senior population.  I still struggle with getting to grips with the technicals.  I know it’s all supposed to be logical and simple to follow but for a principally “right-brain” person like myself  ……..  well, sometimes I have to confess that I despair. And walk away in tears!  However, there’s generally someone at the end of the phone who can walk or talk me through it and after half a dozen or so attempts to pin it all down I am now beginning to see daylight – just a bit!  My mentors Nick & Vanessa Tadd are very knowledgeable and unstinting with their time.

Social Media and online blogging has opened up a new world of possibilities for me and for so many people.  By reading of my ongoing learning experience, I hope that others will be inspired to launch into similar activity  and realise that they, too, have a lot to offer in terms of accumulated wisdom and experience.

I have not been practicing for long – really only for six months or so and posting blogs for less than three. But what I would claim to be my best online accomplishments in blogging has been developing the persona of "The Twittering Granny", finding an online voice and gaining recognition from all around the world - and in such a relatively short space of time.  This is leading to radio and possibly TV interviews, speaking engagements and now a book idea has emerged which is a very exciting prospect indeed.  A lifelong desire is now being fulfilled through Social Media and is an awesome illustration of its power and potential.   What almost unheard of possibilities exist now for an emerging writer which were never dreamed of ten years ago!  And last week we made another breakthrough with a Diary that was a Videoblog!

It is also a world where, as I make my own progress, it might be possible to help and encourage other seniors to walk along with me and broaden their whole perspective on life through utilising resources that they may have felt were outside their realm of understanding.  If I can do it - technophobe that I am - then I'm pretty sure you can!

So what results have I achieved to date?   Tangible results so far, in terms of increasing income – not a lot yet!  But I didn’t expect that investing time in contributing to the web was any kind of “get rich quick” scheme!  I believe it takes time to get gain visibility and traction on-line, just the same as it does off-line.  They say it takes an average of seven phone calls for a salesman to get a sale.  I believe I am making those “calls” on-line and I guess I must be around the 4th call by now.  So I know that the market will grow with on-going business exposure on the web.  As for the psychic satisfaction from accessing a worldwide following and communicating with so many wonderful souls - unquantifiable!

My principal intention in beginning this voyage is to explore potential markets and raise my online profile.  This is to promote a philosophy of achieving and maintaining optimum health because that's the business I am in.  It’s also about attaining recognition for myself and others who choose to follow my example, particularly those over the age of 50 who have unfulfilled dreams and ambitions.  Some of them may be feeling they are at a disadvantage in this techno universe and I would like to inspire them and others to enhance their income by exploring the possibilities that exist through online marketing.

Health topic  -  Restoring Bone Density Loss 

A recent article talks about the rationing of a drug that helps older people, particularly women in the treatment of Osteoporosis…

“GPs will be allowed to order a drug costing £300-a-year Protelos only for patients whose condition has 'deteriorated' - even though the cost of treating a broken hip is estimated at £25,300 a year. 

"Tens of thousands of women with thinning bones who cannot take cheaper drugs because they do not work or cause serious side effects will go untreated. .  Experts warn that their bone density will have to drop to a dangerously low level and they could suffer broken bones before they qualify for more expensive treatments such as Protelos.  Osteoporosis can affect anyone because of natural bone loss caused by ageing, but women are at greater risk. "

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall became President of the National Osteoporosis Society after losing both her mother and grandmother to the brittle bone disease.



"There are crippling stomach side effects for the cheaper drug  and a woman in her early 70s unable to tolerate it would have to get 20 per cent worse - using a clinical scoring system - to qualify for the more expensive drug.  Protelos would become an option if the patient became 60 per cent worse. Experts say NHS savings from restricting the use of the more expensive drug are relatively low compared to the cost of treating hip fractures." 

(Read the full article here and my comment in the section at the bottom)

This I think could be described as the proverbial “nightmare scenario” between a rock and a hard place for people as they grow older.  It’s one that I, personally, am managing to avoid, as do so many people who work alongside me to promote natural solutions to health problems.

OsteoDenx

I would like you to take a look at a brief video which explains the development and success of a NATURAL treatment for bone thinning that I have been working with for a couple of years now which is having a remarkable success.  It’s called OsteoDenx, it is based on natural lactoferrin and is extremely effective with NO side effects.  Fundamentally what it does is to help tighten the pores of the bones and enable them to retain calcium.  This product has actually reversed bone loss.  As I don’t want to take too much of your time (I know the busy lives you all lead and Christmas is looming!) may I please ask you to look at the video because it will explain more coherently and effectively than I can here.

Please do ask me for more information on this if you, or someone you care for is experiencing problems with bone density loss.  I know I have spoken about it previously but, as you may now understand, it is a subject that needs to be explored and quickly.  Because it’s becoming a growing crisis … and there is help out there!



Sailing out onto the High Seas of the next decade...

The good ship “Twittering Granny” is well underway again gaining momentum with every passing day and those aboard are feeling a rising sense of excitement at the possibilities that lie before us.

I so firmly believe in the fact that the world is becoming more open, random and sharing.  We can all benefit each other in a way that has never previously been an option for us.  When you "Know Me", you may "Like Me" and then you may "Follow Me" (the title of a book Penny Power of Ecademy).  I will be linking with YOU and connecting YOU with all my global contacts too because that is the ethos of everything I do.

What a prospect for generating an invisible worldwide network of like-minded souls whose philosophy is that of enhancing everyone's lives!

On a final note, Twitter alerted me to this story.  It’s amazing what grannies get up to nowadays – there seems to be no stopping them!  This particular 84 year old caused mayhem in a shopping centre by impersonating a “hoodie” ..... Read the story here. 




Signing off for now ……

Joy Webber - Director a.k.a. "The Twittering Granny"


Balanced World Limited - Wellness Home Consultants
+44 (0) 1442 876022
+44 (0) 7970 836 937
joyce@balancedworld.com
balancedworld.com
nikkenwellbeing.co.uk

Diary of a Social Media Virgin - Part 10:  "Greetings from the Poop Deck" (VideoBlog)

This week, I am taking my Diaries to another level by publishing my first ever Video Blog!



By way of a "thank you" for watching my VideoBlog, everyone who comments on my blog will be entered into a free prize draw to win a bottle of the amazing health juice drink, Ciaga. 

Made from aloe vera, pomegranate, and many other healthy juices including blueberry and white grape, this nutritious and re-vitalising drink contains outstanding levels of anti-oxidants which are known to protect the body against illness and premature ageing.  I take a "slug" of it every day and I've found it has helped recapture the youthful glow of my skin, as well as improving the overall skin tone of my face!  It tastes delicious and helps towards your "five a day".

I look forward to reading your feedback and thank you for watching!

You can read the archive of my previous Diaries >>>>here.  (Click on the "Blogs" tab).

To your health!

Joy Webber
a.k.a. The Twittering Granny @joywebber

Diary of a Social Media Virgin - Part 9:  The SS "Corporate Thinking" is sinking ...

Change is inevitable – growth is optional!!  Isn’t that what they say?  When a new way of thinking and operating in this rapidly changing world of emerging ideas comes SMACK up against  ‘established’,  ‘orthodox’,  -  the “forgive me for pointing this out to you, My Dear, but I have been doing this for so many years now I think I know what I am talking about….”  way of thinking.  And the new way is vigorously – robustly – opposed.

Saying that business isn't changing and that the web and social media isn't having a massive impact on business methods and strategies, and that we should all continue along ‘proven’ business paths is akin to the Captain of the Titanic saying, "Don't panic !  We're just stopping to take on more ice for the cocktail bar.  Everything’s gonna be fine – trust me!”

Pow-Wows

So we dropped anchor this week and spent some time on a business encampment, engaging in various pow-wows with inhabitants, old and new.  We discussed aspects of business and how to promote our specific areas more effectively.  Isn’t that what we are all about?  Achieving more awareness, expanding our markets, gaining more clients and customers, more sales?  Does anyone have a problem with that?

This was at an Ecademy Blackstar event, the first I have attended since taking on the subscription and – quite frankly – I think it will be my last!

Maybe I’m just useless at communicating the essence of what I am setting out to do – or more likely, ineffective at putting over a concept of “Givers Gain” – in an environment where hard-edged business methods still prevail.  There were nice, friendly people with whom I was able to hold nice, friendly discussions.   Some of them had heard of “The Twittering Granny” and were saying very kind things about these Diaries.  But there was also quite some hostility to the business I am in and the way it’s promoted.  And as for blogging as a way of achieving an identity in a global marketplace, raising awareness of the quality of the product and service you provide, well that was dismissed as being fanciful and almost definitely not an effective business strategy.  I felt uncomfortably close to being Gulliver in the Land of Lilliput!



Do you know what my dear Readers?   I’m SO glad that the options open to us through Social Media have evolved in the past few years, which means that I don’t have to waste time, energy, and indeed my life, building a business in that “dinosaur” way.

Do you see that rusty old hulk out there in the harbour, the pride of the fleet in its time, but now holed below the water line?   It’s the SS (Sad Ship) "Corporate Thinking" and the Captain and crew don’t seem to be aware that its ocean-going days are over.



Anyone who says that the web is not impacting how businesses must engage on-line is in denial.  The web is impacting every area of society and business on many different levels.  You cannot turn the internet off.  The paradox is that we are all are using the web now to read this (whether now is 30/11/09 or five years time).

I’ll trust my goals and my vision of making a valuable contribution to global health and wealth through the business I am in, to the speedy clipper “Twittering Granny”, and will navigate the high seas of the Web on the winds of change and optimism.

Super Troupers

That’s done with the nautical stuff for today, you’ll be relieved to know, I’m sure.  But I would just like to acknowledge some of the really friendly “natives” who truly follow the Open, Random, Supportive philosophy advocated in Penny Power’s excellent book (which I am reading and relishing) “Know Me, Like Me, Follow Me”.  They are Aron Stevenson whose huge smile and whole being glows with a love for humankind and who lifted me up from a low point that day.  Aron leases cars and is one of the best in the industry, I gather.  Here’s just one of several testimonials from an impressive list of clients on his Ecademy site:

"Aron took the pain out of sourcing vehicles for both myself and my wife. The service and advice he provided was excellent from start to finish. I would not hesitate to use his services again or recommend him to others."    ~ Alastair Nuttall - Partner - Ernst & Young

I would dearly love to be commissioning a car from Aron right now. ...........Probably next year though!

Equally “in tune” people were David Shirley, a Recruitment Consultant who is sharing this new world of blogging with me, and Rupert Honeywood who helps businesses to reduce costs and improve performance.  These are some of the nicest people I’ve met through Ecademy and I will treasure the connections.  And hope that some of my connections will prove to be of benefit to them.

Thought Leaders

In a recent edition of "Networking Times", Doug Firebaugh noted that many people are not yet using Social Media as a marketing tool, because it is on the internet and they shy away from it as if it were the plague.  He tells of speaking to a small business owner who commented that she didn’t have time ……… as she needed to go and find more customers.  He goes on to say “ …… if people really understood Social Media marketing they would be running to the social media zone and staying there”.

I’m going to quote an extract from an article by Seth Godin in that same edition of Networking Times, (author of the New York Times bestsellers “The Dip” and “Tribes”) where many of the world’s thought leaders (John Assaraf  “The Secret” , Stephen Covey “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, Michael Gerber “The E-Myth” and Ivan Misner, the founder of BNI, to name but a few) speak on the power of networking in a global economic downturn:

Says Seth:  “……. Here’s my dream for you: find a product and a price and a story that people choose to seek out.  Discover a niche that people would miss if it disappeared.  Offer an experience that’s about more than money, more than making a living and more than recruiting a new salesperson.  When you bring joy and utility and trust to people (at a fair price), they’ll embrace you.”

That has been my ideal for a business model.  It is one I have been following for over 10 years now and will continue to do for the rest of my natural.  As the saying goes!

Back pain

One of the most common health issues I am asked if I can help with is back problems.  Well, the first and immediate answer is “Yes, we can!”  (Who said that recently?)    We don’t claim to ‘cure’ or ‘heal’;  backs are a specialist area in every way and specialists have spent years studying their subject and honing their skills to the highest level in an age when medical and surgical resources are probably greater than ever before in history.  However, there is a lot that individuals can do to help themselves when the message is “That, I’m afraid, is the best we can do for you.  You may possibly have to live with some pain………..”

From my own personal experience,  and from those of the many, many people I have encountered in the time I have been working in this business, I know that some of the technologies developed by the company I’m associated with that relieve stress, improve circulation and reduce muscle tension work astonishingly well for those with lower back problems.

Firstly:   WATER!  If the body is dehydrated and there is not enough water in the cells, guess what happens?   The brain, which has first call on your entire system, will demand water from other parts of the body, and this demand can be made substantially on the lower spine.  Leading  to back discomfort.  So if you are suffering, try drinking an extra litre or two of water every day.

Secondly:  when muscles relax, circulation improves, oxygen and nutrients in the blood are directed to an area of discomfort and can very often help to relieve that discomfort.  The principle of stress reduction in all areas of life is, to an extent, predicated on releasing muscle tension and improving blood flowso that the body - an organism that is breathtaking in its complexity but which responds to natural solutions that restore balance and flow – can provide its own solution to some of the problems that it is experiencing.

So please, if this is something of concern to you or someone you care for, do explore some of the products that have been developed that contain these stress releasing technologies.  And ask me for testimonials …… of which there are hundreds!  No drugs, no side effects.  And very, very effective in so many cases.

The rain is sheeting down here again and I’m doing my best to feel positive about it.  And you’ve been so patient and understanding, bearing with me while I had a bit of a rant earlier on.  I was feeling slightly bruised as you can probably tell.   But I’m resilient and enjoying the wind in my hair again after being just a little becalmed in that backwater.  We’ll be moving onto more destinations next week and I will list them so that you too can decide if your business or service would benefit.

We will really be hammering my new website into shape this week with Nick & Vanessa Tadd.  It’s time to get it finalised and I’m poring through reams of stuff about directing people there to raise visibility.  "You can never learn less" is a popular saying isn’t it?  And I am so grateful to all the legions of experts who really know what they are talking about and have the generosity to reach out a hand to a stumbling beginner.

“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” ~ Isaac Newton

Until next week,

Joy Webber - The Twittering Granny                 

P.S.  Have decided that the weather and the television are equally dire I am off to see a screening of “Alvin and the Chipmunks II” with the little ones.  So now you know where my priorities really lie. 

“Boomchickawawa !”

DIARY OF A SOCIAL MEDIA VIRGIN - Part 8:  “First Port of Call”

We’re going ashore, folks!  It’s very exciting!  We’ve just rounded the first cape and have received radio communication that the natives are friendly and will be welcoming us with feasts and celebrations.  And it’ll be good to walk on dry land for a change after slipping and sliding on the decks of the good ship “Twittering Granny” for the last few weeks.

What I’m referring to, of course, with all this somewhat tortuous analogy is that there will be a gathering of Ecademy Blackstars this week, with 1-2-1s, something called “Boardrooms” and a party bash with real food.  That’s going to be so welcome after the diet of grog and ship's biscuits that we’ve been enduring since we launched.  Here is where Social Media moves into its real-life phase, from cyber space to face-to-face communication with members whom I’ve been connecting with since first posting the Diaries.  I will be polishing up on the profiles of those I’m scheduled to meet and sourcing connections for them – including the mighty white Chief, Thomas Power.  I hope they will be doing the same for me too.  This is where “Know Me” evolves into “Like Me”.  That’s the way I visualise it, anyway.

My whole view of Ecademy has been transformed over the past few weeks since my profile was heightened and people have been able to see me through the crowds of thousands who throng its ‘walls’.  When I first registered as a naïve Powerworker back in the early days, the benefits of membership were, to be truthful, seemingly non-existent.  It was time-consuming, irritating and – to my mind – a pointless membership which only existed because I never got around to cancelling my membership.  Neither was I really able to bestow benefits to others, no matter how I tried.  There was a barrier of what I call “suits”, i.e. formal businessmen and some women (though far fewer); they and I had little, or virtually nothing, in common.  To my mind there has been a polarisation between those who consider themselves as corporate or professional and the rest … entrepreneurs like myself.  My suit is cut from a very different kind of cloth and I don’t feel comfortable in yours.  But I think you look good in it and beneath that somewhat formal exterior there exists a human being like the rest of us.  The connectivity is genuine if we listen and learn more about each other.

Humans Being More ...

  

The company I have been associated with for the past 12 years – the visionary Japanese health and wellness company Nikken – has a philosophy that it has promoted and followed for 36 years of “Humans Being More”.  Not “having” or “doing” but simply “being”.  If every day we can focus on that as a primary driver, everyone will gain from the relationships that will result.  And there will be a lot of connecting with the REAL person behind the business façade next Thursday, I trust.

The Twittering Tax Man meets the Twittering Granny....

As an illustration of just how it is possible to be in what I call a “left brain” occupation and still manage to be a genuine, lovely, human professional, I met with James McBrearty this week to induct him into being the formal handler of my personal and property affairs.  And good luck to him, I say!  It’s difficult to think of anyone less structured, organised and more scattershot than I am and always have been.  Is it too late to change?  Probably  not……. but is there time in my life to try?    He took over the assorted bundles of paper I gave him with a nice friendly smile and an admirable lack of any kind of tut tutting.  Now that’s my kind of accountant !    And James is one of the most knowledgable people I’ve met on how to use the resources of Social Media, not just for accounts but, it seems, all aspects of business.   He’s got a special scheme on offer too, for anyone in the Network Marketing industry for an ongoing commission payment .And he flies planes too!



Find out more about James >>>> here.

Swindon declared Britain’s first WiFi town ....

I was shocked to learn this week that Swindon is set to become Britain’s first WiFi town - but I question at what cost to its inhabitants’ health?  In an article published in the Mail this week titled "Is Electro-fog causing your headaches?":

“Already there are an estimated 10,000 WiFi hotspots across the country while 80% of secondary schools and 50% or primaries are thought to have WiFi installed in the classroom.  But amid all the excitable rhetoric about our electronic future there has been precious little recognition of the downside.  For the reality is that these sprawling new grids of pulsing signals will add immeasurably to the amount of electromagnetic radiation in the air – with potentially disastrous consequences for the nation’s health.

…… Particularly at risk could be children who are more vulnerable to waves of radiation as their brains and nervous systems are still developing.”

The author of this article is Alasdair Philips the director of an organisation called Powerwatch, an independent organisation researching electromagnetic fields and health.  (Read the full article >>>> here).

This is what those of us in my business have been fully aware of for years now and what my colleagues and I get out and preach about.  “Preach” is an appropriate word here and of course, prophets are historically not heard in their own land.  There are definite dangers allied to electromagnetic stress and these are recognised in the USA, France and Germany where steps are being taken to control and even remove some of these installations.  The article states some of the side effects being diagnosed, i.e. some cancers (brain particularly),  ADHD, sleep disturbance, hearing loss, depression and more ……… The type of comment you will read at the end of the article is so typical of dismissive sneering, contempt even.  And do you know what?  Those kinds of attitudes were very much voiced in the days when the dangers of smoking and asbestos poisoning were first raised.   Have I made my point?  We need to be aware and if possible take preventative measures.

Introducing “the Healthy Office” ....

A colleague of mine who has suffered breathing issues, a lifelong problem with a streaming nose and almost constant headaches is being helped substantially with the technologies we feature in the Nikken range.

To this end, I have put together a package for office workers of a selection that I have been promoting for 12 years now, which will help to counteract some of the hazards mentioned.  This is to benefit those who spend anything from 8 to goodness-knows-how-many-hours seated at a computer, soaking up all this radiation.   I’m not sure what the latest figures are for stress-related absences in the workplace but what I am sure of is that these figures are rising and so too is the long-term risk to health.  It’s worth noting that, without good health, your performance will suffer, and that will have a potentially knock-on negative effect on your business!

The "Healthy Office" package consists of:

A magnetic seat pad to relieve muscle strain in the back and balance out some of the electro-smog;

 

A filter that I’ve spoken about before which cleans the air to a very deep level and then add negative ions to refresh and invigorate a stale environment;


 

A water filter which cleans, re-mineralises and oxygenates tap water.  This water is magnetised so that the body’s cells can absorb it most effectively:  the cells then release toxic fluid which they have been holding onto and the body is re-hydrated and becomes more alkaline - the best state for boosting the immune system, countering many of the nasties I listed above, and maintaining optimum health.

Frankly, I wouldn’t even think about settling in Swindon or anywhere else that is proposing blanket WiFi coverage for its unsuspecting and unlucky citizens.  Do they need it?  Do they want it? Have they been asked?  And I gather that Mayor Boris has vowed to make London a WiFi City by the time of the benighted 2012 Olympics.  Boris, you may well not have my vote next time if that promise is fulfilled!   I don’t care how many damsels in distress you rescue, London does not need it.

Blog Talk Radio and the Challenge!

This week’s interview with Jon Hansen was simply great!  You can listen to it via my Balanced World website.




Pictured:  Jon Hansen

Now there’s someone who really knows how to ask the right questions, listen, draw one out and get into the heart and soul of his interviewee.  We spoke for an hour, which flew by, and it was as if I was sitting together with him over a cup of coffee in the peace and privacy of my own home.  The thousands of miles between London and Canada faded away, as did the listeners and it was a private conversation.  He’s very clever.  We had another technical drama when my computer went into meltdown – why do they always have to do that at the worst possible moment? – however we managed to conquer the gremlins again.  It’s only a tool after all and human brainpower and resource will always win through.  In this case it was the “steam” telephone!

During the discussion Jon’s astute questioning allowed him to latch onto my long-term desire to publish a novel …. And he wouldn’t let it go!  He also discovered that there were four or five that had been started but were currently stashed under my bed!  And issued a challenge to me to start a new one, which he feels I am quite capable of producing, and to deliver the first two chapters the week after next.  “Now listen …..” I said, protesting.  “No buts,” came the answer, “I know you can do it.  So ….. just do it and let me have those pages in two weeks time.  Please! Nicely!”  And I don’t know what came over me.  Dear readers, I heard myself saying, “Yes of course, Jon”.  (What craziness!) “Yes, I accept your challenge and I will do it.”

But what is amazing is that I went to bed that night and everything was churning around in my mind  ….“What shall I write about?  Can’t think of a story.  How will I fit it in?  Who’s going to want to read it? ….. and Yadda, Yadda, Yadda!, you know the sort of thing.  And then, around 4am I woke with a plot in my mind.  Small, perfectly formed but -  wow -  interesting to some of us, I think. Two main characters, a time frame, a focus and an ending!  Just after about four hours sleep.  That was just so exhilarating, I’ve hardly slept since.

So, I’ll keep you up to speed with what I’ m going to be doing on that over the next few weeks.

Off now to see how the next episode in my quest to find Prince Charming works out.  Yes folks, that’s still a work in progress but I’m not going into details here.  It’s not really any concern of yours, I realise, but I appreciate your interest and will only just say that things are looking promising.  For the moment.  Under the clock at Victoria, with red rose (that’s him not me) is where we’ll start the evening, followed by a savouring of the manifold delights of the West End.  Gosh, life as a one of the older generation doesn’t seem to slow down at all. Roller coaster ride is more like it.  But I’m enjoying it so I hope it doesn’t stop.

Finally, some future oceans I will be navigating and recording in the ship's log as I build my on-line presence:

Everywoman:  apparently the largest women’s network in the U.K.

Prime Business:  Founded by the Price of Wales, PRIME is a charity that provides free information, events and training to help people over 50 start their own business or become self-employed.

Until next time ....

Joy Webber

Read the archive of my previous Diaries >>>> here.

P.S.   ‘Fess up now!  Just how many of you have been reading up on Belle de Jour’s blogs this week?  Now there’s a girl who made the most of Social Media!

P.P.S.  I will be at the Weybridge/Guildford ecademies social media and property networking event on Monday 30th November.  See you there?  Full details and registration >>>> here.

Diary of a Social Media Virgin – Part 7: Grappling with Gremlins

They’re everywhere aren’t they? Even out here on the high seas of the web. You don’t think of them as having sea legs, but gremlins seem to have stowed away and while we have been focusing on steering an exhilarating course, they crept out and quietly shinned up the mainmast. And managed to jam the radar! By which I mean that the radio interview with Jon Hansen of Blog Talk radio – known as the Piblogger – was sabotaged last week and had to be abandoned. Until today (Monday 16 November), 5.30pm so I hope some of you were able to listen . 

In my view, it’s critical to identify your core message first. I invite people to explore what it is that gives them a sense of excitement, of purpose. A part of my business is to draw people out on this – to go beyond the rudiments of everyday living and to begin to tap into deep desires that have very often been undeveloped. The self-expression will come from that. The secret is to make it something that will add value to others.

Branding

From this, you will begin to identify your personal brand and get it defined. That’s crucial. When I look at the way my personal and business identity was presented a few short weeks ago…….. and the way it is now, only a few weeks on ……… there is a world of difference. I recommend taking some advice on this. And do please look at my wonderful new Twitter background @joywebber which is lighting up my Cyberworld through the talents and inspiration of Ces and Jay Loftus. This is such a valuable part of the re-branding process I am undergoing and so much of it is due to them and their insights.

And - Get basic computer skills training if you need it. Just START! And enjoy the journey.

I wanted to create an entertaining read that flowed. I didn’t know when I started that this was what I wanted.  I listened and observed others blogging on all sorts of topics and felt lost when trying to think how to write about what mattered to me that wouldn’t sound as if I was beating the business exposure drum or delivering a sermon. When the idea of the Diary was conceived – along with the persona of The Twittering Granny– it was like being let off the lead and allowed to run. And the Voice came so easily.

The Message and the Medium

One of the world’s top thought leaders, Seth Godin says ”When you have something valuable to say or share, blog about it.”  I’m listening to the public and training myself to keep these narrative gems shorter and more frequent. I will try, I promise! (Oh, and do please get a load of the Visual Thesaurus – as recommended by Tom Evans, @thebookwright - it’s brilliant! It saves so much finger licking and page turning to give inspiration with just the most perfect word to fit the need). I love the Diaries because they are a personal journey and, it has been mentioned,  a possible book ….    "The  exploits of the Twittering Granny ...?”, “Bridget Jones on a zimmer frame?” .... “The Twittering Granny does the Web!”.

What would be great is to be known as the “go to” person with regard to achieving and maintaining natural health and energy, particularly as we get older. I want people to trust me through my on-line contribution and for them to be talking about me and advocating me into their networks, both on and off-line. As Penny Power once said, a measure of success is how much people talk about you when you are not there!

In this testimonial from Vanessa Warwick, she kindly commented on my vitality and energy.  I must say it feels so wonderful to be promoting health technologies that have brought me such great quality of life.  I love to help and advise people how to achieve optimum health, because, without that, you will not be able to perform and your business will suffer as a result.  There is no point in creating weath through business, if you do not have the health to enjoy it!  My good health and vitality has also allowed me to enjoy spending active time with my grand-children.


Photo caption:  Me with my grandson, Archie.

These blogs have given me the opportunity to express myself. The opportunity was always there – it always is ....... if you look for it. What’s happened for me is that I never had the self confidence to put myself out there, because I think I always worried about what people would say. And though I knew I had something of significance to say it was as if I anticipated rejection, disbelief, even ridicule.   This quote from Seth Godin has helped me enormously on this front:

“The secret of being remarkable is not to try to please all of the people all of the time”.

Write what feels right for YOU. And in so doing it will open up new avenues and confirm the beliefs that you have held within you and left largely unexploited. Like a goldmine waiting for you to get into it with a shovel and start digging.

Joy Webber - Director
a.k.a. "The Twittering Granny"

Balanced World Limited - Wellness Home Consultants

+44 (0) 1442 876022
+44 (0) 7970 836 937

joyce@balancedworld.com
balancedworld.com
nikkenwellbeing.co.uk

Diary of a Social Media Virgin - Part 5:  Wind in my sails ....

“Could you tell me about hash tags again, please?” I asked.  “Again?” they replied with just the tiniest of sighs but with infinite patience and forbearing. 

They are such excellent, motivated and professional colleagues and mentors and I am finding their guidance to be invaluable in my quest to become a recognised expert in my chosen field.  If my ability to grasp some of the basics of using Social Media to achieve this goal is slow – and I find it is taking 4-5 teachings of the almost any point for it to become fixed in my head – their tolerance in going over the same ground AGAIN each time is reassuring.  I’m talking, of course, about my friends Nick & Vanessa Tadd, who are achieving a higher and higher profile as exponents in the world of Social Media both here in the U.K. and internationally.

Indeed, Olivier Blanchard @thebrandbuilder, one of the U.S.’s foremost authorities on social media, last week sent out a tweet saying “Nick and Vanessa are fast becoming national treasures in the U.K”!

I don’t think I would have received the recognition and positive feedback from posting these Diaries without their knowledge and guidance and the exposure they have given me in their network.  So - many, many thanks to them both!  And thanks to everyone who has given me so much encouragement.  I hope I can add value to everyone who has done so and possibly even provide a “leg-up” of some kind for those who might like it!

Who and what is an Expert?



Speaking of recognition, I’ve discovered by searching on tweetreach.com, that the phrase, “The Twittering Granny” had reached over 26,000 people via Twitter (at the time of searching).  And that’s in just the last 50 tweets at the time of searching; what an awesome medium it is! The outcome, I hope, is that I am beginning to become established in many different forums and hopefully as an expert in my field.

So what and who is an expert?  And is it a good thing to aspire to when you are in business?  Well, here’s an extract from the Women Unlimited newsletter where Jenny Littlejohn writes about “How to stand out as the expert in your field” and some of the pointers she lists are:

People like and are attracted to experts;

People remember experts (who do you remember for example as the expert in helping women feel GREAT about their bodies);

People are more likely to refer/recommend experts or those with a specific niche, because they remember more clearly what you do and who you do it for!;

Marketing is easier (Oh yes!!!) – many people think it limits them, but actually it positions them!;

It keeps you focused – look what happens to certain retailers when they lose or don’t have a focus.

Publicity is easier to get – journalists and the media love experts too!

Come on folks - you can all do it !   And the fundamental route to succeeding in this is by ....

Blogging – How and why we do it...

We had a terrific day yesterday with Tom Evans “The Bookwright” and Nick Tadd, hearing again about the purpose behind blogging; the nuts and bolts of how to do it; and some ways of stimulating the imagination to get the creative juices flowing.  Tom has some great ideas about how to do this.  I would urge you to take a look at his website and also to get a hold of his book “Blocks” about how to silence all those chattering monkeys in the head that tell you can’t do it and you’re out of your mind to even think about it!

There was talk of dashboards, widgets, blogging platforms and I don’t know what else. Sounds more suited to mechanical engineering that the ethereal world we are working in.  Would this be like Platform 9.3/4 at Kings Cross in the Harry Potter books?  Would I be whisked off to Hogwarts and be able to enjoy a game of Hashtags with Dumbledore and Snape?  But no, it was an extremely practical, hands-on learning of this new language and the way we make use of it in blogging out our message.

Twitter-athon Mk II

The second innovative Tw-Interview on "The Nick Tadd Show" (#theNTShow) on Twitter took place this Wednesday too, (as pioneered last week) this time with Tom Evans, the Bookwright.  The exceptional and truly hilarious aspect of the event this week was the fact that Nick & Vanessa conducted the Tw-interview from a motorway service station, as they had a tyre blow-out on the M1 and couldn’t get to their destination in time.  However, being the stalwart troupers that they are, this was no impediment to putting on a successful and very well received “show”.  Read about it >>>> here where you can “follow” the actual conversation too.  These interviews are proving to be truly groundbreaking ways of getting to know how successful people have been able to obtain a profile and a following via Social Media.  Nick himself picked up over 200 new followers during the course of the interview!

This Wednesday, 4 November, it’s Penny Power, in the hot tweet so don't forget to tune in at 10.30 on Wednesday morning on #theNTshow!

Meanwhile, Emma Jones of Enterprise Nation , which is a free resource to help you start and grow your business at home, is asking me for an interview on the subject, with particular relevance for PRIME (the people who help over 50’s start in business) about providing them with a basic website builder for their members.  More on that later …….  

And it looks as though the interview with Jon Hansen of the PI Social Media network in Canada will take place on 11 November as a live broadcast between 12:30 and 1:30 PM EDT which is between 5:30 and 6:30 PM UK time.  (Gulp!)

“Connected-ness”

Thomas Power who, together with Penny founded Ecademy eleven years ago, gave a really illuminating talk on 26 October in Weybridge. He spoke of  just how far all this Social Media “connected-ness” is going to take us, how our children are so totally in tune with it and with each other, as a natural element in their lives …….. almost as natural as food and drink.

From his blog on the subject:

"As your connections grow across multiple online platforms (and I recommend you join as many as you have time for) you become more connected. More connected with people, more connected with content, more connected with the flow of what's happening throughout the world. Your connections inform you, guide you, lead you, teach you. They act like a torch in the dark. You can see this happening in the blogs on Ecademy and the conversation threads on Friendfeed, the feed on Facebook and the flow on Twitter. We may as a generation be 100 times more informed and better connected than our parents. Our children might be 100 times better connected and informed than us once working adults.

As you become more connected over time something called connectedness kicks in. Connectedness is the art and science of being connected sometimes called Social Presence.”

It truly illustrates that we are not just seeing the dawn of a new era in communication.  The sun has actually risen and the horizons are boundless.

Bone and heart health

As you may be aware by now, my business is to promote what I am calling a “one stop answer” to most aspects of natural good health.  This incorporates air quality, clean revitalised drinking water, good sleep, supplementing your diet and some exercise.  I’m not in the slightest bit doctrinaire about it.  I am the last one to preach about giving up the good things in life which you enjoy - I certainly don’t!  Unless of course if you were to choose a daily diet of McDonalds and nothing else. And that’s just plain daft!  But I am a walking, talking case study, if you wish, of the benefits of what I’m promoting - and my family too - and I know from the past 12 years or so that the impact on achieving and maintaining optimum good health is very real.

Each week, I write about an aspect of this and today I’m highlighting the issue of bone health again as well as  heart health.  High cholesterol levels are one of the major factors in causing heart attacks;  these seem to be occurring more frequently nowadays, and in younger people too.  There are a range of solutions out there to this, many natural and many, of course, pharmaceutical.

I do believe in integrating the best of Eastern and Western medicine to achieve the “Balanced World” that is the name of my business.  To quote from Dr Joe:   “Life is to be enjoyed not endured. Optimising the health of your mind, body and soul is critical to this.  Optimal health requires the mind, physical body and spirit to be in balance.  Focus on being well. “



I have been working with a natural soy product since it was launched in Europe earlier this year which is getting substantial results for those with cholesterol problems as well as for that huge section of the female population suffering from menopausal misery (quoted as around 18 million in Europe).  It is totally reliable in its sourcing, guaranteed non-GMO and is effective, with none of the side issues that exist with statins, for instance, which are frequently prescribed for this condition.

A conclusion published in the British Journal of Nutrition 2004 says that natural soya made a significant difference to the levels of LDL and can have a significant effect in the reduction of heart disease risk.  This is especially relevant to those who cannot take high doses of statins due to liver damage and the consideration that high dose statins will compromise the liver  The FDA allowed the claim that 25g of soy daily will have noticeable health related benefits on cholesterol levels.

It is a privilege for us to be working in partnership with Dr Lars Hoie who founded Nutri Pharma ASA in 1993 in Norway and spent 20 years researching and validating the underlying principles, backed up by clinical trials,  to prove the effectiveness. Dr Hoie will be speaking at our showcase event in Milton Keynes on 14 November and I would love to welcome anyone along as my guest to find out more.  Click >>>  here for details and also >>>> here, to hear from Sonia whose life has been turned around from an intolerable hormonal condition by incorporating Nutri5 into her daily life.  It’s a compelling story.



That’s a substantial chunk of this week’s blog devoted to the health aspect.  Thank you so much for hanging in there with me – I really appreciate it and commend your stamina.

Before closing, just to touch back into the power of Social Media and how it can benefit every single one of us:  there is growth through leveraging other people’s knowledge.  And to quote Thomas Power again “Grow your connectedness and you grow yourself and thus your life.  Grow your connectedness and strengthen those around you.” That’s a great philosophy to have at the heart of everything we do, isn’t it?

Ah, now!  Wait a minute.   A friend of mine has just called to say that there’s a Rock’n’Roll dance at the local rugby club tonight and would I like to go?  Well, would I ever !!  That’s always been one of my most favourite things and it’s something I’ve let drift out of my life.  It might end up hurting a little more than it used to but that’s not going to stop me.  So, digging out the dancing shoes and dusting them off, that’s where I’m headed now.  Grannies (and this one in particular) do rock you know!

Until next tweet …………
 

Joy Webber
"The Twittering Granny"
@joywebber

P.s  You can catch up with the first four installments of my Diary >>> here.

Diary of A Social Media Virgin - Part 4:  “Leaving Harbour” ...

This Social Media thing is a really powerful tool.  Well ……. Duh ! That’s a statement of the staggeringly obvious, of course.  But really it’s only obvious to those of us in the know.  There are still zillions of people out there who don’t see it, don’t want to see it, and arch their eyebrows with disdain and turn away.  Well, all I can say is that it’s beginning to show results for me in my world and the good ship “Twittering Granny” is well and truly underway, sailing out of safe harbour and into uncharted waters.

What, precisely am I talking about?  It’s that my Twitter presence is growing and the number of followers has increased substantially since I started this blog only a few weeks ago.  (From 170 to 370 approx.)  And when I opened my laptop yesterday, among numerous requests to “follow” me was one from a star of the film “The Secret”, John Assaraf – a  leading mentor, international bestselling author and business success coach.  It is such a compliment and a further illustration that what I am doing is reaching out to people I would not have the proverbial cat’s chance of reaching with traditional methods.

What he may have picked up on, as so many others have done, is a truly innovative venture which I took part in this week with Nick & Vanessa Tadd, which was the first of a series of “Tw-interviews” – an online conversation where I answered a series of questions in real time about my views on Social Media and how it was working for me.  (Have a look at #theNTShow on Twitter for the full stream.) Oh, my goodness, was that ever a learning curve? It was fast, furious (in keeping up the momentum so the conversation didn’t drop off people’s screens) and it taught me in that short space so much about how to use Twitter as a business resource.

I was so grateful for being asked to be the subject of what we think is the first ever use of Twitter for this purpose in order to lift my profile (my “find-ability”) to another level.   LaRae Wilkins commented on Vanessa’s blog on Ecademy“The Nick Tadd Show – Connections made and Lessons Learned” that “these two really do push the envelope of what’s possible.”

In addition, I feel extremely proud and humbled that an experienced and prolific blogger Hannah Coleman a.k.a. @dreamwalls, who was taking part in the “conversation” felt inspired to resume her blogging career as a result.  Fingers on keys folks!  That’s what it’s all about: get the message out there and don’t fret about what the “critics” may say.  Feel the support that is coming to you from all over the Social Media Universe.  Go Hannah! 
It was quite a “Twitter-athon” but a real “Tweet” to have taken part!  Oh dear, there I go again.  Do ease up on the puns, lady, if you don’t mind!

Please take a look at it on #theNTshow  and make sure to tune in next Wednesday 28^th October at 10.30 am when Nick interviews Tom Evans @thebookwright, who, by the way, I am talking to about possibly constructing these blogs into a book of some kind.  So here is Social Media leading me to the realisation of a life-long dream!

Invitation to speak ... !

A tangible result ... While meeting up with Nick when he spoke at a Business Scene event last Thursday, I spoke to various people about the way I am utilising Social Media to create business exposure.  One of these people promptly asked me to speak at her event in order to get the message out to the members of her organisation.  Is this working, or is this working?

(Note to Self:  What on earth am I going to say and how in the name of goodness am I going to say it?)  My tongue wrapped itself around my tonsils as I heard myself saying,  “Oh yes of course. I’d be delighted”.  A nerve-wracking prospect it is, at this stage anyway.  But I’m hoping that it will come together in time.

Working from home and potential for older women ....

Of course, one of the beauties of working on gaining visibility for my business this way is that I don’t have to go to an office.  I am, though, having to adopt quite draconian (for me anyway) self-discipline in structuring time and not to squander hours on following threads that may be fascinating but not necessarily productive.  But because part of the focus of what I am doing is to help older women, particularly, to find ways of easing financial stress, I commented on the article in the Mail on Sunday on how women generally experience more hardship in retirement than men.  I have been able to link it into various Twitter conversations on that topic.  One that is very close to my heart I can tell you!

Here is my comment:

"Speaking as one of the older generation of women who has peered into the void of retirement funding may I suggest looking at an alternative way of supplementing income.

First as a single parent and then after a second marriage that did not provide me with a long term income, I had made virtually no provision for my “golden years”.  I was unable to sustain a career while bringing up my children and when I looked at re-entering the workplace, I was way beyond the age barrier.  The only option open to me was part-time work of a quite mundane and depressing nature.

I discovered by chance a home-based business that has been very successful for me and still provides a residual income.   Women are great networkers, love talking to people and have an interest in caring and helping.  And what’s more they seem to have a natural ability to take advantage of the new online opportunities available now.  It’s working for me – I’m learning more every day.  In fact, I’m known as the Twittering Granny!"

There was quite some debate on this in the Ecademy “Home Business” club, where I commented:

“All power to home-based entrepreneurs who - mercifully now - have the option to develop a career while based at home with the children AND develop a business through the almost limitless opportunities offered by internet.”

Ecademy and BNI

By the way, I’ve just registered to become part of the Ecademy BlackStar community.  Not sure, at this stage, where it will take me in practical terms  but I’m confident it will open up new avenues of connection and mutual interests, Ivan Misner the founder of BNI for one , whom I’ve met several times as I’ve been an on-and-off member ever since I started my business.  He’s a great networker, one of the best and I really admire him. It’s a true compliment that he should request a contact with me.

I also have to thank a BNI colleague, the talented, very professional Tony Harris, who took time and trouble to produce my posh new photos.  Which one do you think is best to use as my profile picture?

Tony is a lovely man, based in Fulham SW London, and you might like to look at some other examples of his work on his website  www.tonyharrisphotographer.co.uk

Wellness topic  -  Bone Health

As you know, I am introducing different elements of the health and wellness message I advocate in each of these blogs.  This week, I would like to mention the issue of maintaining bone health which is a matter of real interest as we get older.  For women, the body stops manufacturing oestrogen through our 40s and 50s and this can lead to osteoporosis as, with age, the bones become more brittle. When a fall results in a broken bone in old age it’s very often the other way round – the bone breaks and then the fall occurs.

There are a number of ways that this can be helped.  I personally recommend natural solutions and there are a range of those on the market.  With regard to Hormone Replacement Therapy, which is often recommended, there is a growing body of evidence to show that the risks of HRT far outweigh any perceived benefits.  I will be posting results of some recent studies on health forums and, of course, on Twitter.

For those who would be interested in finding out more about this, I will be attending an event on 14^th November in Milton Keynes and would love to welcome those who are interested as my guests to listen to some very special speakers on this and other aspects of maintaining optimum wellness.

Here is a brief video on the subject of restoring bone density with an all-natural product, currently showing remarkable results in North America and now available in Europe.

Social Media and silver surfers socialising ....

Now – while I have your attention - I’ve been longing to do this and get some feedback, I’d just like to bring out an aspect of Social Media that is flourishing.  Let me tell you about my dating experience!  Yes, we golden oldies apparently make up a substantial sector of the online dating community, which is growing by the day.  One in five people in this country are listed as singles of all ages.  I’ve been fairly contentedly solo now for more than 10 years but I’m spurred on by a couple of friends and also my children who say I’m not old enough to give up on this sort of thing.  I’m putting that delicately as I’m not sure of the best way to phrase it!  Give up on the game has a different interpretation I realise!  Anyway, I’ve taken the plunge and registered.

There has been a fair old shift in my life over the past year as I’ve been supporting my daughter while she copes with the fall-out from the end of her marriage and I’ve taken up temporary residence with her and the beloved grandchildren in a tiny village in Hertfordshire.

Being a card-carrying, lifelong townie, the transition to country mouse has been quite an experience – fulfilling,  yes but somewhat isolated.  As we are new in the area, other than propping up the bar in one of the two pubs which the village boasts, there are not many ways to make new contacts. And that’s not really my style either! Hence the move towards finding fresh (male) companionship, a soulmate, “Lervv” however it’s best described ………. Well, you know what I mean...?!

So I got myself togged up this week and met up with a  local gent  who sounded nice, if a trifle shy,  appeared suitable,  pleasant-looking  … and quite sporty I gathered.  In the local gastro-pub , which lists Richard & Judy among its patrons, we consumed a drink and a packet of crisps (which turned out to be dinner) and toiled over an eye-wateringly stilted conversation about his sporting achievements past and present.  He had a lot to say on the subject.  I didn’t have a lot to say on the subject, I’m afraid, though trust me, I did try!

After a while, as our interaction was floundering, to put it at its kindest, he invited me to feel the muscles on his arm ……… and then his leg!  How fit he was!  “Didn’t it feel like iron? “, he asked.  Have I mentioned that he was a sports freak?  Well, I demurred, as a lady would, and found my hand taken and clamped, without my being able to stop him, onto these parts of his anatomy – presumably for me to admire ……..  whatever it was that I was supposed to admire.

Gentle Reader – what would you have done?  Well, yes precisely!  I was suddenly prompted to remember an urgent phone conference and I simply had to be there.  (I recommend this as a simple but totally believable strategy to anyone finding themselves in a similar situation – you might find it useful one of these days).  Blushing - I think I can still remember how to do that - stammering a thank you for the crisps, I backed out of the pub not knowing whether to be cross or to laugh.  If that’s an example of a close encounter of the dating kind, I think meeting Prince Charming may take a little longer than I had imagined!   And furthermore, tottering down the unlit, rutted mud path to our little cottage played havoc with the Jimmy Choos!

Well, I seem to have gone on far too long again.  I hope some of you are still with me and that you are tuning in at least to some of what I am “blogging on” about.    Not the sporty, gastro pub encounter naturally.  That is totally irrelevant, time-wasting and a bit of an indulgence really and you are within your rights to tell me so if that’s what you feel.  But it illustrates something … not quite sure what, at this stage.  I enjoyed writing it, though! And writing of experiences and what lights a spark is what I hope will connect us all and stimulate other people to do the same.

It’s too late now for the gym so that’s gone by the board for the day.   And somehow, do you know what?  I think I fancy a touch of retail therapy.  Wonder if Harrods is open on a Sunday? 

Until next week ………….

xxx

The Twittering Granny

Diary of a Social Media Virgin - Part 3:  "The "Twittering Granny" is launched - God bless her & all who sail in her ... !"...

Oh the thrill of getting recognition and feedback – someone out there is reading me !

I’m so pleased to report that this blog is beginning to gain momentum.  It’s exciting, flattering and humbling at the same time!  For a “newbie” in the game I’ve received comments and suggestions (generally favourable, it’s good to say)  from some serious professionals.  Penny Power, Nic Oliver among others have said kind things and there have been responses from as far afield as New York, Zimbabwe and the Land of Oz.  (In fact, thanks to the power of Social Media and Ecademy in particular, Dr Joe is now promoting his message of natural good health to a whole new network Down Under and everywhere).

This week, inspired by my friend and accountant, the Twittering Tax man, James McBrearty, I have morphed into the “Twittering Granny”.  (Please follow me on Twitter @joywebber).  You may be surprised to know that seniors are one of the fastest-growing groups to take advantage of the “connected-ness” that the web affords all of us, no matter what age we might be.  There was an interesting article - click here - .  Mind you, Boston-area blogger Millie Garfield, aged 80, puts me in the shade and makes me feel positively a spring chicken!

Whether you are 18 or 80, what a privilege it is to be able to communicate a message or a concept to so many millions without leaving home!  In fact, here  I am sitting up in bed with the computer on my lap, comfortably propped up by pillows.  Now how’s that for a modern way of doing business?  I need to become a bit more efficient, though, at all this Twittering, Tweeting, RTing, Following Friday and the rest, because time evaporates at an alarming rate while I attempt to keep pace with all the features that are there on offer.  How many times have I composed something clever, pithy and (I think anyway) extremely apposite only to find – at the click of the wrong button – that it disappears down the tubes, never to return!  “Frustrating” doesn’t even begin to describe it!

However - and this is very exciting – here is a development that’s happened in the past couple of days thanks to posting my blog on ecademy.  I’ve been asked by Jon Hansen of  Procurement Insights in Canada to be a guest on his radio show, the PI Window on Business.  Now how good is that?  What an opportunity so soon after plunging into all of this? And how well does it illustrate the power of this Social Media “thing” that so many people are sceptical about?  The phrase “return on engagement” has just crossed my radar to question the effectiveness and ultimate financial benefit of promoting through this medium.  In my view, everything in business starts with a conversation (which is what we do isn’t it?) and there is no simple way of equating the value that the initial exchange might have on long-term business achievement.  Or if there is I don’t know of it.  So thank you Jon for the opportunity to appear on your show ……. I can’t wait!

We’re logging onto various forums now, getting the website revamped. And my goodness there’s a whole nest of techie words to scramble up the mind.  You mess the DNS-A with the FTP, not to mention corrupting the HTML, and the whole thing could crash into cyberspace and never be seen again!  But grateful thanks to the irrepressible and multi-talented Nick Tadd for taking this on for me along with Peter, my beloved son.   (Yes, I did manage to pin him down eventually!)

Continuing the theme of introducing an aspect of good health, good drinking water is critical for us all.  Our bodies are 70%-80% water and we should ALL be drinking 6-8 glasses minimum per day to cleanse the system.  Don’t want to lecture you, folks, but we must be aware that this is what will allow the cells to function at optimum level.  And you can try just drinking a glass an hour – it makes the prospect seem less daunting.  Tap water is OK to drink – in the UK anyway – but it doesn’t always taste very nice and that can put people off.  It does also contain chlorine which is not all that good for us, to put it mildly.  Bottled water is an option but that can contain hazards in the form of the chemicals leeched from the plastic containers it’s sold in.  And it’s pretty well dead water.  Consider filtering water for drinking, cooking, making your tea and coffee as well as washing fruit and vegetables before consumption.  And it doesn’t mean that you can’t have your beer, wine - whatever - as well as long as you get the water down you.  Here’s another video of Dr Joe on the subject:

And how about the logo? Please have a look at the latest development.  Thanks to all who contributed views – we really appreciate your input.  I think this is what we will end up with, though the jury might still be lingering …… not precisely there yet.  Ces and Jay are very patiently and professionally handling the variations – lovely ideas too!

I attended an event with Stephen Covey this week, and he spoke directly to my heart and soul.  What a wonderful man he is and how he held that room of over 1000 people totally in his hand.  Spellbound I was!   He speaks of doing what you love doing that serves a human need and the concept of Servant Leadership.  He talked of having an abundance mentality and of “Cultural ID theft” and how we have become immersed in a cultural DNA where we constantly compare with other people.  Of finding your own voice and then inspiring others to find theirs.  Now isn’t that what all the social media platforms permit us to do?  Absolutely they do!  But please rein me in if I become too evangelistic about it won’t you, because I am a dedicated advocate as you’ve possibly gathered by now.  Anyway, do look at Dr Covey’s website on “The 8^th Habit – from Effectiveness to Greatness” to gain further insights into what he has to say:

Click here -

I was so proud to spend a few minutes in conversation and to have my picture taken with him.

He’s got 51 grandchildren!   Wow!   My tally so far is two.  So ……. way to go!

All the talk of purpose and value-driven principles was in my mind as I read an article in the Daily Mail when I got home which caused me to boil with rage. It probably did so for thousands of others too and with justification.  It has reaffirmed for me why it is that I am still promoting the business I am in, following a couple of years of sluggish progress and battling scepticism - even ridicule.  The article by Ros Coward “If ever there were proof of the folly of Doctors playing God, it’s this man’s barbaric death” is on this link and my comment is published there at the bottom along with quite a few others.  This is why I’m hanging in there and will continue to do so while there’s someone to listen. So, please, grab yourself a cup or a glass of something and read through to the end.  You will hate it!

“Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Dylan Thomas

Click here -

Oh, my ears and whiskers, look at the time!  I’ve been here most of the morning writing this.  But you know what?  There’s not much else I would rather be doing on a grey Saturday ………… and it’s FUN!   Thank you for staying with me to the end.  I hope it was worth it.  And just casting a glance at myself in the mirror, oh dear!   Our Joan (Collins that is) says we should always make the best of ourselves, at whatever age.  Hmmmmmmmmm!   Well, better get started then – off to gym and swim to see what can be done and to see if some of that glamour might just rub off on me!   Until next week.

Joy  Webber – the  Twittering Granny

Diary of a Social Media Virgin - Part 2:  "Paddling In the Shallows ...." ...

Well it’s week 2 and we’re launched! The journey (or rather it’s better described as an epic voyage) has begun. How will this undertaking lift me from the shallows to the crest of the business wave? Will we flounder on the rocks or will we be set fair towards the horizon? By now, you will have realised that I’m a bit of a metaphor freak and that may become a trifle wearing. So I’ll just have to restrain myself.

There are some who sneer and dismiss Social Media as new-fangled nonsense – “What are you doing messing with this stuff? Get back to the fundamentals of business marketing and just go talk to people”.

Others (visionaries like my mentors Nick & Vanessa Tadd) are shining a torch for a growth in business which is breathtaking in potential and which is tailoring itself daily to the changing and exciting media times we live in. However, N & V have opted to take a well-deserved break in the sun and so, chin set and shoulders squared, I’m here attempting to put some of the new systems into place. And one of the joys of launching into this new life as an inexperienced ingénue is the range of support and guidance that is out there from relative strangers. “Property Tribes” has provided some very helpful advice and support this past week - click here -

Something I’ve been grappling with for a while now, since my business started its downward spiral a couple of years ago, (a lot to do with family issues but more of that another time!) is just how to get across the essence of what I do and my belief – indeed passion - in the benefits I have personally experienced these last 11 years and more. And how these benefits can be of such value to pretty well everyone. My own health was not bad then but I was noticing a considerable decline in energy as I rounded the curve of 50 and I had always suffered from dreadful headaches and a dire sleep problem. There’s none of that now; I don’t get sick and, in fact, I think I am becoming healthier as I get older! And I’ve seen it happening with countless people over the years, which has been a main driver for me in persisting with my business through the highs and lows. Some people tend to think it’s all about hugging trees and following a harsh regime of diet and exercise. Well it isn’t all about that as I will attempt to convey in the course of these writings. And just to let you know, if you’ve ever tried hugging a tree, it can be a rather therapeutic experience. But I won’t dwell on that!

So we are looking at Branding the whole concept and working with Ces and Jay at Creatively Minded who have come up with some great visuals. We really feel that this will take me and my business to a new level and get us to stand out from the crowd. Talking through the guiding principles behind what I’m setting out to do, and bringing out the vision and purpose, has really helped me to crystallise the concept of this entire venture.

Here’s just a sneak preview for you brave souls who have stuck with me to this point ……… What do YOU think?






My aim with all of this is to engage people for longer periods of time, stay visible and establish myself as a resource and the “go to” person for my area of expertise. I understand that advocacy is an important part of successful social media engagement and I intend to advocate others, and have others advocate me, in order to increase my business exposure.

On that note, I’ve been helped tremendously this week by Bernadette Doyle whose article on successful blogging has given me and all those who read it on Ecademy an invaluable framework to operate in, from a true marketing professional.

I wanted briefly to introduce one of the aspects of my business which is gaining awareness in terms of maintaining optimum health and that is all to do with the quality of the air we breathe. Clean air is fundamental to our health and that of our children particularly. A lot of pollutants exist in our homes nowadays, infinitely more than did so 30-40 years ago, and these can affect our general health as we breathe them in on a constant basis. There are ways to help ourselves through various practices and technologies. I do urge you to explore them; a start would be to watch this brief video made by Dr Joe Kosterich, just one of the many people out there who are in tune with what I do and what I believe in, to give you an idea:

I’m faced this week with beginning on a total re-vamp of my website and, to technophobes like myself, this could possibly prove to be a bridge too far. We’ll see! I’m calling in some long-deserved (by me, that is) favours from my son who is obdurate in avoiding my calls when he knows I’m after him for something like this. However, Persistence is my middle name and ……… do you know what? He owes me!

Right now my task, for the rest of the day, is to go off and find I don’t know how many log-in details and passwords for connections to all the sites I’ve ever registered on, to start getting this “out there”. It’s going to be complicated I can tell you; I’ve got my FlickR confused with my Twitter, FriendFeed and Google Reader are, literally, closed books to me, Digg and Delicious are but names in the ether and Seesmic slides off the screen when I’m not looking and refuses to respond when I call it to heel ... but Nick is helping me with these.

Ho Hum ……… these are just some of the trials we business magnates have to bear!

Onward and upward!

Footnote: If you would like to learn more about how to maintain optimum health, we are inviting guests to join us on Tuesday 13th October at the European Headquarters of Nikken for a showcase event. All the groundbreaking technologies will be featured and experts on hand to answer questions. We also offer a buffet lunch and a tour of the premises to see this global company in action.

Please click this link for precise details - click here -

Joy