Bangkok dangerous! Don't try this at home...

As an expat and woman in Bangkok I am in danger all the time...or so most people I talk to, who have not been here, seem to think. They often say things like: "Aren't you scared? Isn't Bangkok dangerous for women?" Most of these ideas come from something they may have glimpsed on the news or some report on the internet that highlighted some danger. Yes, we have had multiple coup d'etats here in the last 6 years, and certainly people died. We've also had floods, and more people died or their homes were ruined. People get killed here just as they do in the USA, Europe or Canada.

That does not stop most people from living a very enjoyable life here on a daily basis, and creating businesses in this thriving, bustling metropolis. 

In fact, I feel safer here than in many other countries. For one, with nearly 15 million people in this city, there are always people around. There are very few dark alleys for evil to lurk, most streets are brightly lit, with people out and about, eating on the street, socialising any night of the week. Thais are generally polite and happy to help if you ask for it. 

So when I hear that question, 'Aren't you scared?" about living and working overseas here in Asia, I wonder if it is not because the person asking it is maybe scared. Scared of unknowns, or scared of being out of their own comfort zone. It is easy to pass on an opportunity because it "may be dangerous" or "it wouldn't work anyway", or "I could never do/complete/succeed in that".  I let myself fall victim to that train of thought sometimes too. It is safe and easy. Comfortable like a well-worn blanket. 

Not your average commute to work...

But lately I've been doing a lot of reading about productivity, efficiency and challenging yourself. So I try to shrug off that security blanket sometimes and push myself beyond my comfort level. 

Because when you think about it, when are you really the happiest? 

It is when you are safely on the couch, watching that TV show, eating the same few rotated dinners, going on holiday to the same old places year in, year out? 

Or is it that time when you threw caution to the wind and went on that zip line adventure, or that time when you tried sushi and found out you loved raw fish after all? Or when you went cycling through the Masai Mara, and ended crashing upside down in an aardvark hole with scratches and bruises all over, but was not that one of the highlights of the trip? 

When do you feel the most alive? Tim Ferriss' book, The 4-Hour Workweek suggests that the opposite of happiness is not sadness but boredom, and that therefore excitement equates to happiness. For me, I think that's what makes me love being my own boss as well as living in another country. It forces me to get outside my comfort zone sometimes, simply because I've either never done it before, or I've never been there before. And guess what? Most times, I don't die, I don't actually fail miserably, or horribly embarrass myself. In most cases, the worst case scenario is just a good laugh at yourself. I think you'll find the same thing for you. 

Try a new dish every week...?

So why not give yourself a challenge? Perhaps start small: Eat something completely new, once a week. (Eating children only recommended for fictional characters.)

Or check out this Failure Games app, which gives you challenges and 24 hours to complete each. Today's challenge: Ask a friend to write down 3 things you can improve upon, then take a photo of the list (you have to submit the proof; you're held accountable!). 

In stead of re-booking last year's all-inclusive getaway, you could throw a dart at a map and go on a road trip holiday there. Imagine if you got lost! Would it really be so bad? 

There are lots of ways to challenge yourself. If you're getting a queazy feeling in your gut, you're doing it right! 

Hopefully this post inspired you to take a step outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself. If it did, or if you have other ideas and suggestions, please share it in the comments!

Happy Halloween everyone! Spook on! 

Cristel

Your Senzu Style Insider.  

On the couch with a life coach (who's been on Oprah!)

A few years ago, in a small upstairs room in this coffee shop in Bangkok, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott, Ph.D. and her husband Michael. We were all there for an intensive 4-day Thai reading course, in an effort to improve our Thai language skills. During coffee breaks, we started talking and it turned out that was not the only thing we had in common. Like us, they also own their own business, are expatriates living in multiple countries for months at a time, taking a variety of courses to improve ourselves, love of travel and the list goes on. 

One of the things that intrigued me about Cherie and Michael is that they are professional life coaches. In fact, not only do they help people by coaching them, they even teach others to become life coaches. And yes, she's been on Oprah, check out the video here. 

When she offered to give me a coaching session, I grabbed the opportunity to get a new experience. An hour with her really brought home some truths about myself and yes, it helped!


Cherie works with a lot of owners, entrepreneurs and people going into business for themselves for the first time, so I asked her if I could ask her some questions for my blog here, in the hopes that some of the answers may also help you, my dear readers, with your business or life goals in general. 

She said yes, so here we go!
Q: Thanks for the interview, Cherie. Let's start with what is a life coach? It could mean anything, what is it that you do? 
A: Life Coaching is a partnership between coach and client in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires the client to maximize their personal and professional potential. The coaching relationship continually gives all the power to know and to choose to the client. The basic assumption is that the client knows the answers to all questions and challenges he or she may encounter, even if those answers appear to be hidden from their perspective.
Life Coaching is a profession that is profoundly different from consulting, mentoring, advising, therapy, or counseling. The coaching process focuses on specific objectives, examines what is going on right now, helps the client to discover their obstacles or challenges, and facilitates them making a choice to make their life what they envision.

Q: What have you found to be the most common obstacle that people encounter when starting out with their own business? And what advice would you give that might help them overcome it? 
A: Fear of failure, or conversely fear of success. In fact, change is what makes people uncertain, insecure, and indecisive. Change for the worse or change for the better makes the client feel out of control and can in and of itself create a block to making a decision and taking action. To overcome fear, the individual must trust him or herself and believe that they have what it takes to make their life become what they envision. Secondly, they have to be willing for life to shift from good to great. They might have a good life, but are they willing to have their life be absolutely fantastic? If they want to go for greatness, it will require taking a risk. If they are risk averse, they must consider the cost-benefit analysis of their choices and consequences.

Q:  You've been in business as a successful entrepreneur for quite some time now, and you work with family! How do you make that work without either killing each other or being consumed by your work? 
A: It will be 40 years as an entrepreneur in 2014! We have six businesses that are all related to individual and organizational transformation. I work closely with my sister for 40 years as my business partner and my husband for the last 23 years. My closest associates are my family and friends. We need to stay current with each other at all times, no withheld communications, no secrets, no hidden agendas. In my book, If Love is a Game, I address "No Stones in the basket" which means that you don't put issues in the basket on your head, but rather on the table to be addressed. Transparency is our motto, and sometimes we need to preface the communication with, "I have something uncomfortable to say, and you may not want to hear it, but I have to say it or write it because it it is getting in the way of our relationship." Our pact with each other is to make it safe to say the "Unsayable," and clear the air regardless of how difficult it may be to deal with the content.

Q: What is, in your opinion, the first thing people should do when considering becoming their own boss? 
A: There are questions that are really important for the potential entrepreneur to answer. I have attached this list to this interview. If you want to publish it, feel free (I've added this list at bottom of this blog post). I have learned over the years that this is absolutely critical to sort out before the person makes the leap. Honesty is key to this process. If the person is truthful and really knows him or herself well, answers the questions correctly with "Yes" answers, then they will succeed if they are willing to do whatever it takes.

Q: You've met and worked with a lot of successful people, whether they were entrepreneurs or not. Is there one thing you could say they all have in common? 
A: They believe in themselves. They are flexible to change direction when required. They do whatever is needed and wanted without complaining. The four main components are: desire, willingness, belief, and commitment.

Q: Thanks very much Cherie, for your candour and being part of this interview! One final question: What do you love most about your job? 
A: I love watching people manifest their heart's desires. I love watching them become successful. I love watching them release the stress and transform their lives into what they envision in their deepest desires. It fuels me, and since I can only ask them for what I am willing to live as an example, I am also going for my dreams, and this process has no end to it. That means that as long as my brain is fully functioning, and my body is at optimal performance  there is no end in sight. You see, there will always be people in transition who want to make their dreams become reality...and that is why I am the dream midwife! 
Thank you Cristel for asking! My website is: www.drcherie.com in case your readers want to give personally signed books for holiday gifts!





Dr. Cherie and I are working together on the Dutch audio version of her book 'If Life is a Game, these are the Rules'. 

It has a lot of simple truths in it that you may find helpful, whether you're on your way to becoming an entrepreneur or just would like a better grasp of your own life.


I hope you all enjoyed Cherie's input as much as I have! Contact her directly through the links in the text above the interview if you would like to schedule a life coaching session with Dr. Cherie or if you'd like to learn more about what she does. If you've been inspired to become your own boss, contact me ;-)

Style on!

Cristel

Is procrastination a human condition?

The procrastination blog post, which I’ll write....tomorrow?

procrastinate
verb

To delay, put off doing something, postpone action, defer action, be dilatory, use delaying tactics, stall, temporize, play for time, play a waiting game, dally, drag one's feet/heels, take one's time; hesitate, vacillate, dither, be indecisive, be undecided, waver; Brit. haver, hum and haw; Scottish swither; informal dilly-dally, shilly-shally. 


According to my Thesaurus, there are many words/actions to describe delaying doing something. Even with calendars, reminder apps and sticky notes, inevitably I end up procrastinating certain things all the time. Unpleasant phone calls for example, certain accounting tasks, even this blog sometimes falls victim to my procrastination, unfortunately. Not because I don’t like doing it; I love it! So why then? 

Well, that same dictionary consulted earlier states: “fear of failure is often the reason why people procrastinate”. But research shows that’s not always the case. Other reasons for procrastination (plus how you could overcome them) are:

• You perceive the job or task at hand to be unpleasant, and you’re trying to avoid having to do it. Oftentimes you’re better off just getting it done and over with, so you can continue with things you enjoy more, or with more pleasant/fun aspects of the task. Like ripping off a bandage: quicker is less painful! Also, many procrastinators overestimate the unpleasantness of a task, but many times, in hindsight, you find it was not nearly as unpleasant as you had thought.

• You may be disorganised. More organised people are better able to prioritize tasks and schedule them in order of urgency or importance, and because they have prioritized to-do lists that cut the task down to manageable blocks of time, they don’t get caught with tasks overdue and avoid the stress that comes with being late to deliver. 

• Even though you are organized, you may feel overwhelmed by the task or job at hand. Maybe you have doubts whether you have the skills or resources to complete the job, so you delay getting started on it and spend your time on other, less important things in stead. But if that job you’re procrastinating on is important, it won’t just go away. So start with the parts of the task that you do feel confident about, and that you know you can complete succesfully. You’ll often find that once you’ve started, the rest will come too. Make a realistic schedule, taking into consideration the time needed to complete each segment, and stick to it. If needed, ask for help from people you know have the knowledge, and you’ll expand yours. There is no shame in learning along the way! 

• You may also fear success as much as failure. For example, you may worry that success at this task will lead to you being overwhelmed with more requests to do this type of task, or that you’ll be pushed to take on things that you feel are beyond you. Surprisingly, perfectionists are often procrastinators, as they tend to think "I don't have the right skills or resources to do this perfectly now, so I won't do it at all." Focus on one task at a time. Also look at all the potential outcomes: what's the worst that could happen? In many cases, reality is unlikely to be that bad! Learn to think more positively: it is a powerful tool to build your self-confidence and neutralise self-sabotage. If all else fails, have your Plan B ready, beforehand. No matter whether the outcome means success or failure (which is in the eye of the beholder and subjective to begin with), you are ready to deal with it. 

• One last reason for procrastination could be because you have an inability to decide. You just can’t make up your mind what to do, so you delay the decision, in fear of making the wrong choice. If you are really torn between your options, and your gut feeling is also not helping you, check out this guide from Mind Tools to help you develop decision-making techniques. 

Are you a procrastinator? If the answer does not come to you immediately, you can try this procrastinator self test. 

What's the most outrageous 'reason' you've ever given yourself to delay something you did not want to do? Share in the comments below. 

Have you ever used some of these ‘reasons’ to delay doing a task or job? There are a million of them, to be sure, these are just a few:

• Filling your day with low priority tasks from your To Do List (laundry, making a grocery list, organising your closet, etc.).
• Reading e-mails several times without starting work on them or deciding what you’re going to do with them.
• Sitting down to start a high-priority task, and almost immediately going off to make a cup of coffee (“I’ll get coffee now, that way I’m ready to sit down and work without interruption later.”).
• Leaving an item on your To Do list for a long time, even though you know it's important.
• Regularly saying "Yes" to unimportant tasks that others ask you to do, and filling your time with these instead of getting on with the important tasks already on your list (“Sure, I’ll help you sort your filing system!”.
• Waiting for the “right mood” or the “right time” to tackle the important task at hand (“I’ll start my work-out routine tomorrow, I don’t feel in the mood to work out right now”).

I know I have on occasion used one or more of these ‘reasons’ to delay an important phone call (“I’ll call later, when they’re back from lunch”), a confrontation with a staff member (“I have to check my emails and update the Facebook page first before I reprimand So-and-So for coming in late again.”) or yes, even writing of this blog (“I need a few hours to write and I have no inspiration right now”). 

Personally, I’ve found that making to-do lists that indicate priority helped me a lot. There are a lot of Apps out there that can also help with this, and Apple’s Calendar has built-in reminders that  you can set, as well as a Reminders app. Those are the ones I use the most, you may have your own favourites, please share them in the comments below? 

Another method that works well for me is to reward myself with something fun, once I’ve done the task I’ve been procrastinating. For example: complete a blog post, then I can go play tennis! Or update my jewelry sales spreadsheets, then spend a while (a.k.a. two hours) on Pinterest or Facebook :-)

In any case, most experts agree that procrastination is a deeply ingrained habit and is not easily broken. Like any habit (good or bad), it takes a long time to develop or break, so you should not expect results overnight. 

But if you tackle procrastination at every encounter, you’ll find that over time, you start recognising when you’re procrastinating and as soon as you do, you have an opportunity to identify why you’re procrastinating and and take the appropriate steps or actions to overcome the block. 

Well, I am off to play some tennis! ;-) But when I come back, I’d love to read your comments, your personal experiences and your suggestions! Thanks in advance for sharing.

Your Style Insider,

Cristel
Thanks go to www.mindtools.com for much of this post's background research. 

Mad about the final season of Mad Men!

"It's all about the detail. That's why I love all those vintage things. It's the details." - Christina Hendricks.

Christina Hendricks recently told The Associated Press going to be difficult when the seventh and final season of "Mad Men" starts filming this November.

"I just want to milk it as long as possible," said Hendricks, who plays my personal favourite character on the show, Joan Harris, on the AMC drama. "I want to really enjoy this last season every second that I can because it's been a really special time for me and a really special show." I couldn't agree with you more, Christina! 

What keeps me glued to the show, apart from the great story lines and excellent acting, is the show's signature fashion, created by costumer designer Janie Bryant. And the style has really seen a revival in streets and offices everywhere. 

When Joan got married in the show, you watched her starting to wear higher necklines, and then power suits joined the character's rotation when she was promoted at the show's advertising agency.

Thinking back when I got married (19 years ago already this month, wow!), my dress style did not change at all. Did you change your dress style when you got married? Maybe that's a 60's thing. But one thing never changes about her look: her updo!  

Christina's personal style is very different. For the AP interview, she wore an Alice & Olivia zebra-printed top, teal Stella McCartney cigarette pants and neon-yellow Jimmy Choo heels. Not something you'd see Joan wearing in the show!

"For me personally, I think I'm a little bit more playful than I think Joan is," she said. "I think that reflects in my clothing. I like things with a bit of whimsy and a bit of romance."

That hasn't kept some of the "Mad Men" midcentury style out of Hendricks' wardrobe, though. "I never had a pencil skirt in my closet until I was on `Mad Men,"' she said.

Her favorite outfit during the show's run? A knee-length, belted purple dress with a silk fuchsia scarf, which was re-created for the Barbie collector doll. "It has a little kick-pleat in the back," she said. 

All I know is I will savour every episode that's left in this series, and get lots of fashion inspiration from it. 

Has Mad Men's style influenced your personal style? Are you experimenting with pencil shirts, form-fitting tops and scarves? Personally, my style is somewhere between Betty and Joan, depending on my mood :-)

In case you need some tips on how to recreate this iconic style, check out one of our other blog posts on that subject here: How to recreate the Mad Men Chic 60's chic today. 

Let me know in the comments how you create your own personal Mad Style.

Style on my friends!

Cristel

(Interview credit: The Associated Press.)

Senzu Interview for Biz Opportunities - Part 2

Good morning everyone,

A few weeks ago we at Senzu had the honor to be asked for an e-Interview with Biz-Opportunities.biz, and were contacted by Ms. Angela Shupe with 11 questions. The Business Opportunities Weblog is a moderated list of legitimate business opportunities for entrepreneurs. It will be posted on their website on the 21st of December 2010, but you get to see the questions and my answers here first, in this 2-part blog post. Part 1 was published on this blog last week, here's the conclusion!  It was my pleasure to do the interview and I hope you enjoy reading it here and on biz-opportunities.biz from 21 December onwards!

6. What separates your business and opportunity from the competition?

- Senzu is very young, and therefore the market for Senzu Stylists is still wide open. Other companies may have been around longer, but people are ready for something new and fresh, which is reflected in our designs as well as our business model. 

- Senzu Stylists are not bound by any territories; all of Canada is wide open, so lots of room to expand their sales!

New Bracelet in Senzu's
Stainless Steel Collection

- Senzu Stylists can track their commissions and orders online.

- The Senzu website sets us apart from much of our competition. It allows our Stylists to sell direct from the website and also track their sales and commissions right there. It is very mobile-device friendly, so Stylists can have the Senzu e-Boutique at their fingertips wherever they are. In today’s world of smartphones and iPad-type mobile devices, we believe that it is important to offer our Stylists the best advantage in direct market sales.  The website supports our Stylists and our Stylists support the web site, it is a symbiotic relationship. 

- Our jewellery ranges in price from $8 to $154, with the average piece being about $40, so it is very affordable for every budget.

- Senzu carries a Stainless Steel Collection, all made from 316L stainless steel, which is 100% hypoallergenic. A great advantage, as some people have allergies to silver, gold or other metals. 

- Senzu also has a Naturals Collection, made from all natural products such as silk, cotton, semi-precious stones and wood.

7. When was it launched, and how has it grown since then?

We first formed Senzu in early 2010 and we had our Soft Launch Party on the 29th of September. About three weeks later, in late October 2010, the e-Boutique went ‘live’ and online ordering has begun. We’ve had quite a few Soirées since then, both hosted by us as well as by hostesses for our Stylists. We’ve been using this first Christmas season mainly as a vehicle to get the word out in Oakville about the Senzu company, the Senzu jewellery and we are already registering new Stylists in and around the Greater Toronto Area.  

8. Do you have any goals you'd like to accomplish in the next year or so?

Our main goal is to grow our network of Stylists and our sales of course, throughout Ontario and Canada. We will continue to create beautiful, affordable jewellery and by doing so, our Stylists will find that it sells itself. Our focus is on supporting our Stylists in their Senzu business and encourage their sales by continuing to enhance the website, the Stylist webportal, an easy to understand commission and downline structure and great customer service and Stylist support. 

9. What are some lessons your business has taught you?

New Earrings in Senzu's
Stainless Steel Collection

Together with my husband Brad, both Sumitra and I have run (and still run) many businesses, but this is our first business supported by an online store. I love browsing through our own e-Boutique! I have learned that for as many people there are in the world, that’s how many tastes and styles there are. I am inspired by working with the designers and manufacturers to develop great looking, high quality jewellery for Senzu. For Sumitra, this is the first time running a business in Canada. I think for her it is a breeze, compared to the challenges of doing business in other countries. Of course we all love being active in an industry that deals with such an exciting product as well as giving people the opportunity to change their lives and offer them a chance at financial freedom. 

10. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

A Senzu Stylist’s earnings are only limited by their imagination and efforts. Based on our records, our Stylists typically do around $1200 in sales per Soirée (our home party), which means about $300 in commissions for them, for just about 3-4 hours work. In addition, anyone can be a hostess (those who host a Soireé) and potentially receive hundreds of dollars in free jewellery, compliments of Senzu.  Our Stylists have no minimum sales requirements, but no maximums either! Anyone can become a Senzu customer, hostess or a Senzu Stylist. Our Senzu jewellery is high quality and attractively designed and priced, so it practically sells itself.  

11. Any advice you'd like to offer fellow entrepreneurs that are just getting started?

Immerse yourself in the industry, read up on your peers, their experiences and be open to advice from people who’ve been there. Don’t give up on your own concept but be prepared to adapt it to what the market will support.

Read the complete interview at www.biz-opportunities.biz from 21 December 2010 onwards.
In the meanwhile, a quick reminder to all our readers that Senzu has express shipping and can still deliver your shipments (within Canada) to arrive in time for Christmas, which is only 5 more days away!

Styling it up!

Cristel