Indigo Turtle


Stuff Happens!

In this week’s guest post Marie Yates, The Survivor’s Coach, invites you to consider…

"Stuff Happens!" A guest post by Marie Yates

Stuff Happens!

By Marie Yates

Essentially, you’re born and stuff happens. Some good stuff and some not so good stuff. There’s a high chance I’m over simplifying but this is the stuff that happens ‘to’ you, the stuff you’re handed. There’s no rhyme or reason, it just is what it is. There can be a tendency to dwell on the not so good stuff though can’t there?!

What about the rest of the ‘stuff’?! In the spirit of over simplification let’s make a list of the good stuff versus the not so good stuff in the average day. I’m not necessarily talking about major life events as these don’t happen every day – not to me anyway! Yet, how often does a major life event take over our thinking?

So, the list… Here’s mine so far today – it’s still early!

Good Stuff:

  • My current favourite song came on the radio (P!NK’s ‘Give Me A Reason’- I’m sure you were curious?!)
  • The sun was shining for my morning walk with the dogs
  • I had a text from a friend that made me laugh
  • I had a delivery from Wiggle (this is an online sports shop… best thing about it is that they send tiny packets of haribo with each parcel… simple things!)

Not So Good Stuff:

  • A very early morning wakeup call from one of the dogs who heard a car door shut 3 miles away. This resulted in a 4am bark-a-thon at full volume.

Without even trying I’m up 4:1 on the good stuff! Not bad hey? I grant you that these are hardly life changing events but they are all things that have ‘happened’ today. If I had rolled out of bed & only concentrated on the fact that ‘bad stuff always happens’ and to prove this I had been woken up at silly o’clock then I can guarantee that a grumpy day would have ensued. I’d have ignored my favourite song, been annoyed on the walk, found the text a little irritating and complained that there weren’t any fried eggs in the packet of haribo! What a waste of a day that would have been!

Even on the days where the not so good stuff is at the forefront of your thinking. Ask yourself ‘What Am I Choosing To Focus On Right Now?’ Keep it simple and allow yourself to enjoy the little things! Open your eyes to the good stuff and I guarantee that more will come your way!

About the Author

Marie Yates, ‘The Survivor’s Coach’, is the founder of Indigo Turtle.

Taking the experience of rape and sexual violence and using it to create a catalyst for positive change is something that seemed impossible. Marie has shown that it is not only possible; it is changing the way that survivors see themselves and the way that survivors are seen by others.

Through a variety of ways, Marie looks at what it means to be a ‘survivor’ and then takes it to the next level. Looking to the future and exploring what can be achieved gives a renewed enthusiasm for achieving success as defined by YOU!

Follow Marie on Twitter here.


The Last Lesson 1

The Survivor’s Coach, Marie Yates shares a personal experience and a question in this week’s guest post:

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The Last Lesson

by Marie Yates

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This was a question my Grandma asked me only a couple of weeks ago! I won’t reveal my age but I can assure you I would be considered ‘grown up’ by anybody’s standards. The question was asked by a woman who has always been an incredible role model to me and whilst her memory was fading, she never ceased to amaze me with her strength and courage.

Initially, the question made me laugh. I am grown up. However, it was only then that the enormity of the question struck me. I looked at my Grandma and told her what I wanted to be when I grow up. ‘I want to be a writer’. She looked at me, smiled and said ‘that’s nice, what are you writing?’

Ok, so the list of reasons why I wasn’t actually writing anything at the moment didn’t work on my Grandma. I love what I am doing at the moment. I am blessed to be able to work with people I connect with and I wouldn’t change anything about my life. I would simply add this element to it. That burning desire to write has never gone away, it has just been muted while I have developed other elements of my life. Grandma simply said, ‘make the most of being young as the time goes so quickly’.

Grandma passed away last week and that was her final piece of advice for me.

I would love for you to ask yourself the question ‘what would I like to be when I grown up?’ Smile as you ask yourself and think about the first burst of inspiration that comes to you.

What are you doing about it? How are you making this a reality?

Don’t put it off thinking that there will be time. Make the time now and make this happen.

As for when you will be ‘grown up’… I will leave that for you to consider!

About the author

Marie Yates, ‘The Survivor’s Coach’, is the founder of Indigo Turtle.

Taking the experience of rape and sexual violence and using it to create a catalyst for positive change is something that seemed impossible. Marie has shown that it is not only possible; it is changing the way that survivors see themselves and the way that survivors are seen by others.

Through a variety of ways, Marie looks at what it means to be a ‘survivor’ and then takes it to the next level. Looking to the future and exploring what can be achieved gives a renewed enthusiasm for achieving success as defined by YOU!

Follow Marie on Twitter here.