PLAYFULNESS + CURIOSITY Page 1 of 16

What I learnt at barista training (and it wasn’t just about the hearts and tulips)

Posted on 2016-08-29 at 8:55 am.

Does it feel like the end of summer where you are? I am sitting in a coffee shop with a steaming cup of tea, looking out at the rain splashing on the pavement. It feels like October, not August today, but inside this cosy café I don’t really mind.

I can’t help looking at the café menu differently today. I can’t help noticing how the sofas are arranged, or how whether the staff ‘bless and press’ as they are making the next cappuccino. Why? Because Mr K and I spent two fun days training to be baristas last week, and learnt all sorts of things about the business of coffee and coffee shops.

We wanted to take a couple of days to do something fun together after many weeks juggling work and family while I was trying to finish my book manuscript. We left the girls with their grandmas (all parties were delighted!) and headed to Limini Coffee in Yorkshire. Over the next two days we laughed a lot, learnt a lot, and drank so much coffee we felt slightly drunk. By the end of the workshop Mr K had proved himself to be a dab hand at latte art, and I had just about managed a thistle-topped mocha and a tulip-topped latte.

Besides learning that the coffee industry is booming (apparently the Recession was the best thing that happened to cafes in years, because ‘a coffee and a cake treat’ is considered by most of us to be an ‘affordable luxury’), we learnt that taking time off together works miracles—besides having fun together, we have both been coming up with idea after idea following our short break away. I also got reminded how at home I feel in nature, having stayed at the lovely old Shibden Mill, surrounded by rolling hills.

This week I challenge you to give yourself a short break, whether it be a whole day or just a couple of hours, with someone you love, to just have fun. If you can learn something new when you are at it, even better. Stretch that brain in new ways this week! As summer is edging away, soak it all up this week (even if that means jumping in muddy puddles!)

I’ll be back next week to share some of the great adventures I’ve been having over the past few months in the writing of my book…

Have fun

Beth

PS Thank you to everyone who has already signed up for the Do What You Love e-course, which we are running in October for the last time this year. I can already tell from the energy of those of you who have signed up that this next class is going to be completely transformational. If you missed it, and feel ready to discover your true passion and do what you love, registration is now open here!

My top 3 takeaways from an amazing festival of ideas

Posted on 2016-06-20 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

A couple of weeks back I spent a few days at ‘How The Light Gets In’, an ideas and philosophy festival in Hay-on-Wye. I love that events like this are popping up all over the world, challenging our thinking, and connecting us with other people who are interested in deep conversation.

HTLGI was particularly special because of how intimate it felt. One afternoon I found myself sharing tea and excellent cake with one of Britain’s most celebrated pop artists, Allen Jones, the next morning I breakfasted with Jenny Boyd, a former model who hung out with the Beatles in their hey day, married a member of Fleetwood Mac and has had both George Harrison and Eric Clapton as brothers-in-law, and has gone on earn a PhD in Psychology and write a book about how rock stars tap into their creativity. In both cases there were only 10 of us around the table.

I was not expecting the heady combination of Cake + Warhol, or Croissants and The Creative Merits of LSD, but I was grateful for the opportunity!

The whole festival had a friendly, unpretentious feeling, all teepees and delicious local food.

People were invited to get involved in the discussion, not just listen to the speakers. I will be back, and I highly recommend it if you can get yourself there next year.

Here are my top 3 takeaways from this festival of ideas:

(1) There was a moment in the sixties when almost everyone was divided into two camps: War / No War. You could tell which side someone was just by looking at them. You instantly bonded with people on the same side as you, and there was a strange magic in the air borne from everyone caring so much, whichever side they were on. (It’s feeling a bit like that here just a few days before the nation votes whether or not Britain leaves Europe…) These pivotal moments in time are opportunities for us to connect and contribute, and we must not let them past by without playing our part.

(2) The only way to conquer apathy is inspired leadership, and the first place to start is with yourself

(3) Everyone has something of value to offer to the conversation. Sometimes you just have to probe a little to give them the confidence to share it.

This week I challenge you to think in big ideas, and find some interesting people around you to discuss them with. Maybe even book yourself into a festival this summer.

Struggling to turn your ideas into reality? Try our free resource L.E.A.P. which will help you find the courage, commitment and focus to make a major leap this year, and see it through, to get your closer to doing what you love, for life.

Happy ideating!
Beth

PS We announced the winner of our ‘Reach Teach Profit’ e-course mentoring competition last week. The lucky winners were Michelle Lloyd (UK), Claire Eden (Australia) and Victoria Hackett (USA). Congratulations all!

Let the fun begin…

Posted on 2016-04-22 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

When did you last take time out from your every day life and responsibilities to play like you did as a child? Can you even remember what you liked to do?

When life gets busy it’s not always easy to find time to connect with your inner child but according to The National Institute For Play the benefits are huge. They include:

A healthier immune system
An improved sense of connectedness
Increased empathy
Boosted creativity
Reduced stress (especially when paired with laughter)
A positive outlook on life

5 easy ways to put the fun into your every day…

1. Organise a creative date with yourself: for example, you could visit an exhibition or art gallery, go for a walk with your camera, go pottery painting, pick up your guitar, create a vision board, write a letter or poem, or make a gift for someone special.

2. Create a ‘play’ box/draw: fill your box or drawer with things that will inspire you to play more often. This might include:

The jigsaw you’ve been wanting to do for years
An adult colouring book — like art therapy, colouring can help adults to cope with the daily stresses of life through the act of mindfulness — an active, open attention to the present.
LEGOs. Take 20 to 30 pieces and see what you can build in 5 minutes.
Sketch book and pencils to doodle and draw.
Juggling balls or bean bags to practise your juggling technique.
Play doh and cut straws, bottle tops, sticks, leaves, cotton buds, dry pasta, pipe cleaners, marbles — any small objects you have lying around the house — and give yourself five minutes to see what beautiful scenes/landscapes/characters you can create.

3. Get out of your comfort zone: Toddlers take risks all day long. As we mature, we tend to stay in our safe place. Your day will be so much more exciting if you see the queue as a chance to make new friends, or your walk to walk as an opportunity to gather inspiration for your next painting, after all, the world is a playground.

4. Games night: Get out the Monopoly or set up the Scrabble… there’s a board game for everyone and it’s a great way to socialise, have fun and switch off.

5. Call in the experts. Children innately know how to play and have fun. Whether it’s making up games, playing shop, or dancing around the house, you can’t help but be inspired. If you have nieces, nephews, grandchildren, or children of your own, make time to observe their abilities to live in the moment, and incorporate their ideas of playfulness into your own life.

How will you play today? What little things will you do to bring more fun into your life?

Need inspiration? Join us to rediscover the small wonders that make you happy, carving out one minute at a time, one day at a time

We all lead busy lives and it is sometimes easy to loose sight of those small things that can make a major difference to our daily experience of happiness.

That’s why we have created this fun 31-day challenge to make time for the things you love. Let’s think of it as an experiment in happiness and prioritisation – it starts very gently, and slowly but surely builds over the 31 days, so by the end you will be amazed by how much additional time and space you have found in your day. After all, the minutes, become the hours, become the days of our lives…

It couldn’t be easier to get involved – just sign up HERE and get ready to begin. Check your inbox for details, and get ready to receive one inspiring email a day for 31 days. Each one will provide thought-provoking words and a prompt to encourage you to create, connect or just find more joy.

Reasons to be happy

Posted on 2016-03-21 at 9:27 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Did you know yesterday was the International Day of Happiness? Where does your happiness come from? What are your sources of joy? Do you actively think about it, and prioritise those things in your life?

Hanging out with my girls. This makes me happy.

Here are a few treasures from around the web to explore and ponder this week (After all, being happy is the whole point of doing what you love):

If you find any other great resources on happiness around the web please share them with us via Facebook or Twitter!

Have a happy week

Beth

What does adventure mean to you?

Posted on 2016-03-16 at 4:44 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

You can print high res version of this image here.

IF YOU WANT THINGS TO CHANGE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE ACTION. GET READY TO L.E.A.P.!

Love initiative

Posted on 2016-01-22 at 10:38 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Last chance to join our life-changing e-course Do What You Love (Starts today!)

Posted on 2016-01-18 at 12:55 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

One of the best parts of my job is guiding people through the Do What You Love e-course journey, because I see them cracking open, unfolding and growing in front of my eyes.

I see people grow in confidence, make bold moves, discover new things about themselves.

They get a ton of ideas for getting paid to do what they love, and put together real plans for moving forward.

Crucially they reorganise their lives around what really matters to them, so they can do more of what they love every single day.

This is the ninth time we have run this course and the results continue to astound us. Just recently one of our course graduates said,

“I can’t believe it’s nearly a year that’s flown by since we took the course and how far I’ve come; physically, emotionally, personally and professionally.”

This is why we do what we do, and I why I started Do What You Love in the first place.

Class begins today, and this will be the last time we run it until the end of 2016 (because I’ll be working on a very exciting project which I will share shortly…)

CLICK HERE to register and begin your journey of self-discovery to find out how to do what you love, every day.

Hope to see you in class for a transformational experience to remember!

Beth

Go on, break the rules!

Posted on 2015-09-25 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Food for thought at The Little Beach Hut of Dreams

Posted on 2015-08-19 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

In the spirit of summer we’re delighted to bring you this post from lifestyle blogger Niomi Smart who packed a delicious picnic to enjoy at The Little beach Hut of Dreams….

Last week I was lucky enough to spend the day in the ‘Little Beach Hut Of Dreams‘ in Hove, Brighton, so I whipped up lots of delicious food in preparation for a delicious picnic by the sea.

The beach hut is beautifully decorated in greys, whites and pale pinks, and there are comfy seats with big fluffy cushions to help you get comfortable while you dream the day away. As it’s the height of summer (although you’d never know from the windy weather!), I thought I’d make this video to share a few of my fresh and healthy recipes, which are perfect to pack up and enjoy on-the-go. They’re all listed below, too. I hope you enjoy!

Fruit skewers

strawberries
blueberries
raspberries
melon chunks
grapes

1. Chop the strawberries into chunks, and slide onto a skewer. Follow with a blueberry, then a raspberry and finish with another strawberry chunk.

2. Repeat with the melon and grapes.

Corn on the cobs

2 corn on the cobs

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

2. Wrap in tin foil and place in the oven.

2. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Salsa

2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/4 red onion
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red chilli
Himalayan salt & pepper to taste
handful fresh coriander leaves
1/4 cucumber, chopped

1. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor apart from the coriander and cucumber and pulse until the tomatoes and onions are chopped to the consistency that you would like the salsa.

2. If there is a lot of liquid from the tomatoes, spoon out the excess liquid. Transfer into a container with a lid.

3. Chop the cucumber into small chunks and pick a handful of coriander leaves and stir into the salsa.

4. Store in the fridge for up to three days.

Butternut squash & buckwheat salad

1 cup uncooked bulgar wheat
1/2 butternut squash
salad leaves
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp paprika
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
handful fresh coriander

1. Peel the skin from the butternut squash and chop into about 1 inch thick chunks. Steam for about 20 minutes or until soft.

2. Cook the buckwheat according the the instructions and allow to cool.

3. When the buckwheat and butternut squash are cool, transfer to a large bowl and stir in all the remaining ingredients.

Fresh mint & orange water (serves 2)

10 fresh mint leaves
1/2 large orange
1 lime

1. Slice the orange and lime into slices and divide into two glasses.

2. Add the fresh mint leaves to the glasses and top with water.

Naomi’s outfit: Dress – ASOS, bag – Skinnydip, shoes – ASOS, sunglasses – Quay Australia

To find out more about Niomi, visit her website.

We need your vote! The Little Beach Hut of Dreams shortlisted for Beach Hut of the Year!

Posted on 2015-07-06 at 12:15 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

Yesterday we opened up The Sunday Times newspaper to discover that The Little Beach Hut of Dreams has been shortlisted for Beach Hut of the Year (cue squeals of excitement!)

This is particularly exciting for us, because it is a tiny creative project that we dreamed up in order to create space in a busy world, to honour the importance of carving out time to dream, and just be in the moment. But more importantly because it recognizes our idea to share this tiny space with the world through our Dreamers-in-Residence programme, which allows members of our community to borrow The Little Beach Hut of Dreams for free for the day in return for a blog post which will in turn inspire others.

Now the competition is on to find the winner – and there is a public vote so we would LOVE for you to support our project and vote for The Little Beach Hut of Dreams! It just takes a minute – CLICK HERE to vote.

By voting for The Little Beach Hut of Dreams you are showing your agreement that we all need time and space to dream, and encouraging others to use assets like this for wider community benefit, not just their own enjoyment.

Here are just a couple of examples of how The Little Beach Hut of Dreams is playing a part in other people’s dreams and plans:

SHABNAH: Shabnah used the time to think about a big adventure she was planning, and in doing so realised just how much power there is in pressing the pause button. Since her residency, Shabnah has travelled to Peru and Ecuador, before spending January in Colombia, which she tells us was 100% unplanned and 100% perfect. She wrote about her Dreamer-in-residence experience here.

In Shabnah’s words “Every time I catch sight of (a beach hut) I am taken to that silence within my previously overactive, second-guessing mind. When I applied (to be a Dreamer-in-Residence) I had been feeling lost and struggling with all decisions – I might make the wrong one, so best to make none. Being able to take a deep breath and return to how I felt that day makes it easier to listen to myself and make a decision that feels right in the moment, however small. Thank you Little Beach Hut built for dreaming for letting me clear enough of the chatter from my head for dreaming space.”

PETA: When Peta applied to be a Dreamer-in-Residence she was in need of a huge boost of inspiration. She had been working on an illustrated book for months, but needed space, and the view and calm to make real progress. She said that in her home office she was constantly distracted by emails and other work obligations. She also has a grand plan to live somewhere where she can plant fruit trees and keep bees, but is currently stuck somewhere with little nature nearby, so the day in the beach hut was a taste of being close to nature for her. She made great progress with her book during the day and we are waiting to hear when it comes out.

Our 2015 Dreamers-in-Residence are using The Little Beach Hut of Dreams this summer and we will share their stories soon.

If you like our idea and love our Little Beach Hut, please do take a moment to vote..

Huge thank you – this means a lot!

From all at Do What You Love

[All images: Holly Booth]