Enigin Campaign Blog

Lottie makes an appearance!

I have been away from Enigin HQ, on paternity leave after my wife gave birth to a healthy little girl (Lottie) on Thursday morning at 0418.

I already have two daughters, Nola and Erin! When you add my wife Anna into the mix it makes my levels of testosterone somewhat diluted when battling against the hormones that fly around ‘Freeman Heights’ on a daily basis. Things are going to get a whole lot more intense now that Lottie has joined the party.

I am considering moving into the garden shed, electricity would be easy to wire through from the garage, the plumbing wouldn’t be too problematic and I could easily insulate the wafer thin walls to give me some extra warmth. I am, of course, kidding!!! For anyone who doesn’t live in a female orientated environment, let me tell you…………….it is kinda cool! I could not be any more looked after, not that I am milking things of course!!!!

Anyway, I thought that I would share some an anons Grandmothers advice on being a Father to little girls. She herself apparently didn’t have the benefit of a Father so I guess her advice is fairly relevant and accurate:

“Bringing up a little girl takes two parents. A mummy to show her how to be a woman and a Daddy to show her how to be independent. Your job is to make her brave, to fear nothing. To make her feel beautiful. To give her a sense of adventure. To make her feel secure and confident in herself. Your relationship with your little girls is this: She will love you and trust you completely… forever. Because YOU, are her first love, her first hero…..the first man in her life.

Always be involved in everything she does. treasure every minute spent with her. Be her hero.

Tell her everyday she can accomplish anything she wants to. Let her sleep on your chest.

Emotionally, physically and spiritually healthy girls are raised in a loving atmosphere. Do all you can do to create a tranquil, harmonious home.

Take her shopping. Just the two of you but resist buying her the world. Brush her hair sometimes.

Never forget that supportive fathers produce daughters with high self esteem.”

I live by those principles of Fatherhood and I will die trying to instill the virtues of the above to my three beautiful little girls. For the time being I am will force myself to put up with the hassle of having my life run for me!

My favourite poem (it will help with trying acheiving your goals! )

I am not a huge fan of poetry (my Enigin colleagues will testify)but I can appreciate heart felt words when I read them.  Too much literature is written these days for monetary gain only.  Too little is published that was really written with intent to stir mind and soul.

I came across this poem a long while ago and it is still by far and away my favourite piece of poetry.  It was written by a chap called William Ernest Henley. Henley became a victim of tuberculosis at the age of 12. In spite of this, in 1867 he successfully pressed on to pass the Oxford local examination as a senior student, something that he was told he would never achieve. His diseased foot had to be eventually amputated directly below the knee; his Doctors said that the only way to save his life was to amputate. Henley persevered and survived with one foot intact. He was discharged after 8 years in hospital in 1875, and was able to lead an active life for nearly 30 years, despite his disability. With an artificial foot, he lived until the age of 53. “Invictus” was written from his hospital bed during his most torrid time.  It was not written for commercially orientated reason, but more from a passion for providing evidence of his never give up attitude.  You may find it inspiriting.  I certainly do.  Try putting on your desk top as a screen saver, or printing it out and having it somewhere to hand.  refere to it when time are bad and you will find an inner resolve.

We don’t have a library of motivational literature at Enigin HQ, we are all too motivated in ourselves, but maybe there is room for me to suggest that we start thinking about putting one together.  Food for thought!!

Invictus

William Ernest Henley.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

5 goal setting tips from an Enigin employee

The days here at Enigin have slipped away from me at the rate of…oh lets say one a day!!!!!!  Joking aside, It has been a while since my last post, but not for lack of good reason.  I have been away from the Enigin offices for two weeks due to the arrival of my third Daughter.  I now have three girls all under the age of five.  If you add my wife to the equation that leaves me in a major minority.  Lets just say that I am considering moving to the Enigin offices.  We have a shower, kitchen, comfy lounge and facilities that many would die for.  Again, I am joking!  However, it is fair to say that Enigin have a superb Headquarters and whilst I don’t wish to sound like a ‘home dodger’, it is a pleasure to be able to work in the kind of environment that I do.

Anyway, enough rambling, there was a reason why I started committing finger to keyboard and it was connect to my last post.  It is all well and good me preaching the virtues of Goals, but that is of little use without some tips and ideas to get you started on your way.  Now, there are literally thousands of books devoted to self help, mentoring , life coaching etc etc.  But I have listed my top five tips for wannabee goal setters.  See how you get on!!! and by all means, please contact me to let me know how you get on.

1. Specific, realistic goals work best. When it comes to making a change, the people who succeed are those who set realistic, specific goals. “I’m going to recycle all my home rubbish” is a much more doable goal than “I’m going to do more for the environment.” And that makes it easier to stick with.
2. It takes time for a change to become an established habit. It will probably take a couple of months before any changes — like getting up half an hour early to exercise — become a routine part of your life. That’s because your brain needs time to get used to the idea that this new thing you’re doing is part of your regular routine.
3. Repeating a goal makes it stick. Say your goal out loud each morning to remind yourself of what you want and what you’re working for. (Writing it down works too.) Every time you remind yourself of your goal, you’re training your brain to make it happen.
4. Pleasing other people doesn’t work. The key to making any change is to find the desire within yourself — you have to do it because you want it, not because a girlfriend, boyfriend, coach, parent, or someone else wants you to. It will be harder to stay on track and motivated if you’re doing something out of obligation to another person.
5. Roadblocks don’t mean failure. Slip-ups are actually part of the learning process as you retrain your brain into a new way of thinking. It may take a few tries to reach a goal. But that’s OK — it’s normal to mess up or give up a few times when trying to make a change. So remember that everyone slips up and don’t beat yourself up about it. Just remind yourself to get back on track.  People do not fail, they simply stop trying!