One of Many

Woman looking to create change

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How Trust Is Built

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

At One of many we believe in the power of collaboration. The community we’ve created and the mutual support we offer each other is fundamental to our success. And that support rests on one crucial thing: knowing how trust is built, and making sure our collaboration rests on strong foundations.

I’ve experienced what it’s like to develop a relationship of trust on countless occasions. In fact, one of the people in my life I trust most – Suzanne Dibble, who leads the Empress Collective with me – was someone I ‘met’ online way before we connected face to face. I was looking for someone to interview about UK law, and her name was recommended by someone in a Facebook group I was in.

Fast forward a few years, and I’m trusting Suzanne with my name, my business reputation, and a big chunk of my revenue. But how do you get from Facebook friend to trusted ally? It’s not a fast process, that’s for sure – and there are some key pitfalls to avoid.

How Trust is built

Let’s be clear – I’m definitely not suggesting that you blindly trust everyone you come across. That’s a recipe for heartbreak and let down, for sure. But from the people who take care of our kids to the accountants who keep an eye on our income and the partners we blend our lives with, a full and fulfilling life requires us to trust people.

Here’s how we see trust being built:

1. Approach with an open heart

We see this a lot in relationships: A bad experience can shut down our willingness to be vulnerable and get to know someone. But just as one heartbreak doesn’t mean you’ll never find a partnership that’s right for you, having one negative experience certainly doesn’t prevent you from trusting again. Try to give each person you come across a blank sheet. It doesn’t mean being naive – it does mean giving them the chance to prove themselves, one way or another.

2. Always start small

The simplest answer to the question of how trust is built is: in small steps, one chunk at a time. When you first meet someone, you begin to get a feel for how good they are at keeping their word. Do they show up on time? Do they do what they say they’re going to do? Over time, these little agreements build up to a sense of how trustworthy someone is. For Suzanne and I, it started with me interviewing her for a business program I was running. Later, I spoke at her event – another chance to see the countless tiny clues that told me the kind of person she was, and how she ran her business.

3. Lean on your community

Suzanne’s name came to me via a colleague who I trusted already, because she’d been on my team for years. Personal recommendations go a long way to helping us know if someone’s who they say they are. Of course, someone else’s experience is no guarantee that yours will be the same, but if you’re considering a new hire, or wondering about a romantic partner, chatting to an objective third party who knows them already can be incredibly helpful.

4. The internet can help us trust

We might be wary of meeting fraudsters on the internet, but it can also be our friend when we’re deciding whether or not we can trust someone. The first thing to remember is that not everyone online is who they say they are. (At One of many we manage a community of thousands, and there’s no way we could “vet” everyone who wanted to join us.)

But the internet also means it’s fairly easy to get a snapshot of who someone is, from a variety of different sources. “Due diligence” means, essentially, doing your homework. A quick google search on someone (married and maiden names!) can be a great step towards peace of mind. When I googled Suzanne it was quickly apparently that she was well respected in her industry, had a professional website, and was indeed a qualified lawyer. Other due diligence might involve contacting someone who’s worked with the person and asking for their honest review, or asking them to provide you with references.

5. Trust your instincts

Someone who’s genuinely trustworthy in any realm is unlikely to be offended if you explain you want to be sure before committing your time, money or emotions to them. If things feel like they’re moving too fast; if your concerns are being brushed under the carpet or if there’s something that just “doesn’t feel right”, it’s time to take stock. It can be helpful to talk through your concerns with someone you do trust, to get an objective perspective, especially when there’s lots at stake.

How about you? Do you have any red flags that tell you when someone’s not quite who they say they are – or things that tell you it’s fine to go ahead? Without naming any names, do share your wisdom in the comments below.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.
We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.
Become One of many™ women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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What are the Women’s PowerTypes™?

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

Depending on how long you’ve been with us you may or may not be aware of one of the central tools in our work – the Women’s PowerTypes™.

Allow me to explain a little…

For far too long the only way we have thought we can be taken seriously and get results in the world is to behave like Superwoman. Strong, capable, dominating, often frantic, inefficient, scary…

She is the one responsible for our burn out, our relationship issues, and our lack of joy.

So if being Superwoman isn’t the answer, what is?

Allow me to introduce The Women’s Powertypes™

We believe we need a new kind of power to be the leaders the world needs us to be.

We need a new kind of power to lead the fulfilling lives we want to lead.

A power grounded in collaboration, not competition. A power of co-operation not coercion. A power centred in replenishment not depletion.

At One of many™ we call this new power, “soft power”.

And because so few of us have role models of this way of being, we use the Women’s PowerTypes™ to serve as our inspiration and guides.

Work with the PowerTypes™ and you will not only be strong and effective, but also true to the softer aspects of your nature.

You’ll be taken seriously, without having to take yourself so seriously.

You’ll achieve more, without burning yourself out.

The 5 Women’s PowerTypes™ we work with are: the Warrioress, the Lover, the Mother, the Queen and the Sorceress.

Let me explain each of them a little for you, and perhaps you can start to hear which may be your Primary PowerType™.

The Warrioress

Energetic and youthful, the Warrioress is characterized by her commitment to fighting for justice. Like the mythical Amazonian woman, she’s courageous, independent and quick to act. With the strength of a tigress she looks after her own. Others admire her raw energy, but she can be hard to keep up with.

She leads through cause & participation

As a leader you will find her standing alongside her fellow teammates, with her sleeves rolled up, getting involved. She leads by example, often by being the best, or most dedicated and others run to keep up with her.

The Lover

The Lover is characterised not just by her sensuality and sexuality, but by her enjoyment of emotion, feeling and a love of life itself. She’s the source of life, of creativity. She relishes in the exploration of the world through her five senses, and delights in giving and receiving pleasure in all domains. She is the centre of our own self-care and knows how to take care of herself, and not burn out.

She leads through invitation & appreciation.

Rarely denied, as a leader the Lover is captivating and magnetic. Her invitations hold the promise of a rich experience and she is thus able to tempt others to coming on board with her. She showers her team with gifts, appreciation and experiences that delight the senses. People follow her because they love her.

The Mother

A woman does not need to have children to have a robust Mother PowerType. Always available to provide a space of safety, warmth and solace, the Mother is where we all go for nurture and nourishment. She is patient and kind, mothering not just her children, but all children and the planet. She is always looking to bring out the best in others. She will sometimes sacrifice her own needs for those she identifies as her family. She is centred in the earth energy of late summer.

She leads through love & encouragement

As a leader the mother uses gentle encouragement, teaching and coaching as her tools of choice. She patiently works to bring out the best in every member of her team, certain in the knowledge that everyone’s contribution is valuable and important. She looks to the wellbeing of her team, and supports them to take care of themselves.

The Queen

Comfortable in leadership and certain of her place in the world, the Queen epitomises grace and dignity. She is deeply committed to her realm, and holds a clear vision for what she desires for those in it. People are fiercely dedicated to her vision, and will often lay down their lives in the service of her ideals.

She leads through vision & inspiration

Perhaps the most obvious “leader” PowerType the Queen is happy to be in charge and have the final say. She inspires loyalty, service and dedication not because of who she is, but because of the powerful vision she holds for the team. People are driven to provide for her needs, as she holds the space for greatness for all. She provides unbiased guidance and sanction, order and structure. Her team members will often work beyond their own limits to provide for the vision, and exhaustion and burnout can ensue.

The Sorceress

Connected to a higher power, the Sorceress knows that magic and miracles happen in the every day. She understands and works with the bridge between the seen and unseen. She’s highly innovative, and facilitates transformation. She is naturally curious, searching for information, wisdom and knowledge. She is a master of her chosen technologies. She enjoys her own company and her daily life abounds with ritual.

She leads through faith & wisdom.

With her belief that “everything is possible”, her team admire her magical abilities to see solutions, or come up with new ideas. She always has the right piece of knowledge and knows just how to apply it. Because of her deep understanding and connection, her team will follow her advice and defer to her wisdom. She works powerfully with the energies between team members knowing that the energy of the group ultimately impacts the outcome.

Which Women’s PowerType Are You?

Ever since we started teaching these Women’s PowerTypes™, women have been asking “which one am I?” Well- the good news is you can now find out!

We have developed a comprehensive profiling tool so that you can discover which PowerTypes™ you’re great at, and which you’re, well, not so great at (and why that’s important…)

What’s more, we’ve created a three-part mini-training to help you debrief your profile and understand the significance of your personal PowerType™ makeup to your work, your relationships, your health and vitality.

Discover your unique personal and leadership strengths with our brand new Women’s PowerTypes™ Profile.

The Women’s PowerType™ Profile is just One of many tools we have created to help unleash your bold and courageous leadership.

And that all starts with understanding your potential.

 

Discover your true path to bold and effective leadership by taking the Women’s PowerType™ Profile test today.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many™ women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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Grass-roots women who inspire – Karen’s Story

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

Karen’s Story – Finding Purpose and Fulfillment

‘You have so much potential, follow your dreams and create the life you want!’

This had been said to me many times but for some reason it never meant anything. Probably because I never felt I had any clarity and certainly no direction or focus for my life. Depression had taken residence and my life had come to a grinding halt.

This was how I was feeling. I was unemployed and lacking any clarity, direction or focus. I didn’t know who I was, what I wanted to do or what I stood for. I wasn’t despondent but I certainly wasn’t moving and I felt like an octopus with tentacles out feeling for opportunities but grappling around in the dark to no avail.

I had read a lot about ‘creating your lifestyle’ but for me my need was more fundamental than that, more basic. I simply wanted to find a life. I wanted to experience more meaning in my life and a deeper sense of fulfilment.

I’d been studying women’s issues for a few years and I had a really strong sense that international women’s day was important and should be honoured. If you don’t know, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8th and dates back over 100 years, since the time of the Suffragette’s. It’s a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity (the measurement of gender equality).

The global movement encourages women to celebrate the day locally. After attending my second International Women’s Day event in Swindon I couldn’t help but feel a little bit disappointed. It just didn’t have the energy that I thought it could have.

‘What was it really about? What was the point of us all coming together?’ I asked myself.

There was a deep sense within me that this was a truly important day and that women’s progression over the years should be celebrated and honoured but the gathering just felt a bit off.

I happened to find myself in conversation with a group of women, one of whom was the main organiser. Me and my big mouth, I couldn’t help but ask

“What do you want to do this for?”

My question was met with stunned silence and it gradually became obvious that the organisers had other motives in mind. I left the gathering without giving it a second thought but the next year I got approached to organise it. I said no because I didn’t feel equipped to do it.

Shortly afterwards I was at a One of many event talking with Jo Martin (the founder) about what I might do for my project. This was part of the Lead the Change Program I was doing with her.

I had the awareness that I wasn’t in tune with what I wanted to do but I was terrified of letting myself go.

“What would you like to do?” She asked me.

“I don’t know,” I shrugged, “I think I’d quite like to run a not for profit that transformed the lives of women and girls. Something that created more equality.”

“Actually,” I continued, “I’ve been asked to organise the next International Women’s Day in Swindon but I said no.”

Jo gave me a quizzical look, smiled and said “Why don’t you do it. Do it for fun.”

Do it for fun!

On returning to Swindon I set about organising the event. With only 6 weeks until the day we were on a super tight timescale. I had been learning about the natural gifts and power of women with Jo and I wanted to use my feminine energy to create this event. I have to confess though, I didn’t do very well with that. Instead I used every ounce of Superwoman to meet the deadlines and make the day a success. I kept reminding myself that this was fun but to be honest sometimes I was telling myself this through gritted teeth.

The trouble is Superwoman, the one who is spinning all plates, taking responsibility for everything, doing the doing and all the organising, driving and pushing to make things happen was not me in my feminine. Instead it was me drawing on my masculine energy and true to pattern I ended up burned out.

The event was a great success, however, with over 600 women joining us but I was left exhausted. I had wanted to learn about feminine energy and my natural gifts as a woman. But I had done it all with masculine energy. I was trying to put what I was learning into practice but I was instead living out old habits.

In 2016 I decided to do it differently. I’d been on a wonderful year of personal growth and decided I would bring everything I’d learned, all my One of many language, tools and techniques.

A lightbulb moment

In the past I have always been very literal, with a mind-set of ‘Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.’ But thanks to being part of the One of many community I had a huge light bulb moment that completely changed the way I approached life.

I love photography and what makes me most passionate about it is I just want people to feel really good about themselves. I felt honoured to be invited to photograph our Lead the Change group and through them all simply allowing me to be myself, it suddenly dawned on me that I could shape the way my world looked. Or more specifically I could shape IWD Swindon into what I saw it could be.

I feel truly blessed to be part of an incredible support network like this. I couldn’t have done what I’ve done without these amazing women. They were there for every wobble that I had and kept me buoyant.

We doubled our numbers in 2016

I decided that in 2016 I was going to learn to collaborate. I created a community group to run the event which consisted of 3 of us and a brand for us to become known for.

The 2016 gathering was a huge success with over 1200 women joining with us on that day. Our brand values of Inspire, Educate and Elevate really seemed to capture women’s hearts and speak to them. Personally, I focused on learning to communicate well. I set about learning about different personality types and the sort of language they used so that I could understand and communicate more clearly with my team and our supporters.

Our 2017 event was also a great success and IWD Swindon continues to go from strength to strength. I’ve learned about managing projects as we expand and how to truly empower others to be in their flow.

I’ve had to dig deep but I can honestly say I wouldn’t change a thing. Each year brings new learnings and new growth. This year I’ve stepped into Leadership. Previously I’d been denying my own leadership skills. The One of Many mission is to inspire 1 million grass roots women leaders, women who are making a difference in their locality. I feel proud and privileged to be one of those women.

I would have shied away from calling myself a leader in the past but it was somewhere inside me, lurking away just waiting to be invited out to play. This year I asked myself…

What sort of leader am I? And who am I leading?

This was another lightbulb moment for me as I realised that I hold a strong vision for IWD Swindon and holding that vision takes a lot. Holding the vision also means knowing where everyone else is at. Are we all moving in the same direction?

The One of many Women’s PowerTypes have helped me grow enormously. Learning to embody the power of The Queen has made a huge difference for me. I recall a group exercise back in 2015 practicing harnessing the energy of The Queen, I felt so uncomfortable and I couldn’t even lift my head to look up. This was a powerless place to be and I certainly could not do what I’m doing today without being able to access this part of myself.

As the one with the vision I have to keep an eye on the goal and deal with any problems that arise such as partners pulling out. It is truly wonderful to deal with these things with dignity and grace, instead of freaking out (which may have happened in the past). Now I simply see the vision then reassess and realign.

True leadership comes from being. As I am being more of the grass roots leader that I am, I witness the wonderful positive effect it has as it ripples out to others and they become empowered into their natural leadership. I love watching Helen (one of our team) blossom into her grass roots leadership. She is married to a Japanese man and is going to a global women’s summit in Japan soon.

This year I built a team of 8 people and they are all leaders in their own right. I also challenged myself to put in a grant application with the Arts Council and it was successful. We received £14.5K as well as funding from some local businesses.

It’s not in isolation that we will change the world. It’s through collaboration, community and a greater mission.

This year a film maker made a film of our 2017 event. I welled up when I saw the footage. It enabled me to actually see what it was I was trying to achieve. And it’s allowed me to really understand myself.

I’ve been battling between what’s my identity. Am I a photographer, a curator, a community activist, an organiser of events.

I realised that for now I am the face of IWD Swindon and the work we do with that is part of my purpose.

I want for all women to participate in this event in their locality. When I say all women I don’t mean every person in every house. What I mean is all backgrounds, all classes, all ethnicities. So that there is representation from all women on the day. I also want us to be thinking about girls and what they need to flourish, as well as the parents of girls. This is important so that we can break these cycles of inequality that otherwise just keep on going.

Amazing people show up all the time to help with our mission. They are all experts in what they do but feel that they want to be more on purpose than on profit.

One highly talented lady approached me recently and said she really wanted to help community groups do their thing. I said to her that there were many community groups at IWD Swindon and she should reach out to them and get involved.

Yes she replied… I am. I’m choosing IWD Swindon. You’re the group I’d love to work with. Sometimes I feel like I’m a little bit slow to catch up with how miraculous this is.

This journey has been an amazing ride, it’s bought me things that I didn’t even know I was missing.

I’m so grateful to have a better sense of myself, my purpose and the type of life I want to lead. I wish you fun on your journey!

While developing her leadership skills on her Project, Karen used her new-found confidence and direction to simultaneously launch her own business as a photographer. She is now regularly booked and doing what she loves for work, as well as making a huge community impact for International Women’s Day. Well done Karen!

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

In my 14 years of mentoring and coaching business owners, executives and entrepreneurs there is one question that comes up time and again.

From start up to multi-million dollar business, in times of transition the most common questions is …

Should I start my own business or get a job?

I’ve created a free report to help you answer this question. So if you feel a greater purpose calling you but don’t know where to start this free report can help you gain clarity on the right business vehicle for you.

Download your report here

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Be the Woman You Were Born to Be

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

You want to make a difference.
You want to be valued.
You want to leave a legacy.
You want to show your children that life can be amazing.

BUT…

You’re feeling lost and don’t know which direction to take.

Do you have this nagging sense that there is something more you should be doing with your life? If you do you’re far from alone.

Life is urging us as women towards greater things.

You know there is more of you to be expressed. You feel that nagging tension inside. A subtle knowing that there is something more that you should do and share. You know that there is more to life. But you don’t know which direction to take or where to start.

Phew! Frustrating isn’t it. But take a deep breath and relax. I hear you sister and you’re in the right place. I’m going to share 4 easy things that you can do to get yourself inspired and moving.

Life’s too short to waste another minute on something that isn’t making your heart sing. And the good news is the time of work being a soul destroying chore that leaves you feeling empty and undervalued at the end of the day is a thing of the past.

We’re in a brand new time where your work becomes far more than an exchange of time for money. We’re in a time where your work can be a hugely rewarding experience. Everything changes when you love your career. Sounds dramatic but it’s true. Imagine it…it’s more than work, more than a career even, it’s your life’s mission.

Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire
for that work has been put in every heart. Rumi

If you have that nagging feeling that you’re supposed to do something bigger, something bolder, something greater with your life then read on because I’m going to share with you how you can escape the frustration and start making it happen.

Firstly get grateful for that inner nagging tension.

I know it’s uncomfortable and can sometimes make you feel like you’re going insane. Your mind is in a perpetual whirr frantically searching for what you should do. But fret no longer. Instead rest assured that this inner knowing comes to us all in different ways when we’re expanding into greater possibilities. It’s exciting, a true gift.

I know it can leave you feeling completely lost and wondering ‘What am I supposed to do?’ Annoying isn’t it. I don’t know about you but I’m impatient, so waiting for things to unravel can be super challenging. What I’ve discovered though is this inner tension is trying to guide me. And it’s trying to guide you to.

Once you encounter it, it can never be put back in its box. You can try but it will still be there in the background, it’s a persistent little blighter. It might appear to go quiet for a little while but then suddenly wham it’s back again. It just doesn’t go away.

You see for women meaning is everything, without it our motivation evaporates. Yet for many women finding purpose is the biggest challenge that they face when it comes to career and work. It’s very easy to look out at the world we live in and become disillusioned. Many women fritter their lives away in meaningless or mediocre work that drains them.

Some women are fortunate enough to find something meaningful. But they make compromises on how much they are willing to make, so struggle to make ends meet and become drained.

Imagine waking without an alarm and feeling a burst of joy that it’s a brand new day. The sheets are soft on your skin and you feel refreshed and energised. Brilliant ideas are popping into your head and you get up to write them down. You love this feeling of knowing you are in exactly the right place at the right time. Doing something you absolutely love, making a positive difference to others and being generously financially rewarded in the process.

It’s a BIG difference to meeting the new day with a groan and groping for the alarm to hit the snooze button.

Once you know what your purpose is and you start living it, everything changes. Once you’re truly on purpose that’s when miracles start to become a regular feature in your life.

Don’t fall into the common trap

Many people are waiting for that blaze of light. That mind-blowing clarity where they see a vision for their purpose and mission in techno-colour. That life altering never to be forgotten moment when they know beyond a shadow of a doubt exactly what they are supposed to do with their life.

Sounds great doesn’t it but don’t wait for it. Yes it happens to the occasional person but it’s not usual. It’s a bit like your friends at school who knew exactly what they wanted to do when they grew up. Few and far between right? I think I had one friend like that.

I know that my journey to leading One of Many, this mission to inspire 1 million grass-roots women leaders, has been a journey of unravelling. As I have put one foot in front of the other this mission has gradually revealed itself. And it’s the same for you. You just need to start putting one foot in front of the other.

We are living in a truly exciting and unique time on the planet. In our new paradigm world, there has never has been a greater time for crafting a truly unique career path that harnesses your greatest gifts and provides the income you need to live a truly fulfilled life.

Our belief is when your life’s work is a true expression of your authentic self, work is a true joy.

Now is YOUR time.

Perhaps you, like many women, know you have lots more to give but you just haven’t fully embraced it yet.

This is your birth right. It’s not a question of whether you deserve it or whether you’re good enough. Sadly it’s incredibly common for women to be lacking in confidence and unconsciously holding themselves back.

Are you unconsciously saying no?

Secondly get yourself a really nice journal and commit to writing in it every day. Carve out some time for you to connect with your hearts desires. You can’t create or allow yourself to receive your truly juicy life if you are unconsciously saying no to it.

You need to start saying yes to yourself. Yes to all the good things that life has planned for you. Yes to experiencing great joy, satisfaction and fulfillment.

In order for you to escape that nagging tension that’s slowly driving you nuts you need to start opening your mind. Start allowing yourself to hear and receive that inner guidance that’s there for you.

“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”  Sean Patrick Flanery

A major problems when we feel lost is we do nothing. But this inertia further compounds the problem. Instead you need to start to take some action because taking a step one direction will begin to create some movement in your life.

Be bold right now and make a decision now that you’re going to do something to quiet that inner niggle. You’re going to discover its secrets. You’re too valuable to keep hiding away. Go and buy yourself a really nice journal.

I do love yummy stationery.

You might like to write a little statement to yourself in the front of your lovely new journal…

I am dedicated to discovering my destiny. My meaningful path to success. I open my mind and heart to hear the divine guiding wisdom that is available for me. I commit to creating special time for myself each day where I will allow myself to dream and connect with my hearts desires.

Then sign and date it. Something powerful happens when you write things down.

Why make time for yourself?

“Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. It will not only improve your life, it will improve the lives of all those around you.” Robin S. Sharma

Thirdly don’t go it alone. Women are wired for connection. When we feel connected we flourish and thrive. So come and join our vibrant One of Many community and hang out with a group of supportive, inspiring and courageous women.

Women who you can share your dreams and aspirations with. Women who will cheer you on and hold your hand when you wobble. Wobbles are bound to happen as you open up to the wonder that life has to offer you.

And finally…

Be bold. Start taking some action that comes from the inspiration that you receive.

When I was a medical doctor I realised that we all have a time limit. We live our lives like we don’t but we all do. I asked myself if I knew what mine was would I continue to be a doctor.

I was a great doctor. The nurses and patients loved me. I was smart. I was making a positive difference but…

it wasn’t my difference. Do you know what I mean?

The answer was absolutely no. So that night I made a decision. The decision was to do what felt like me. It was a bit of an aha moment as I realised I wanted to go to drama school. Acting had always been a hobby of mine. I had dreams of being a professional actress but I’d never believed in myself enough to give it a crack.

I got into a great acting school, was loving it and having fun. But I didn’t feel like I was making my difference. That was the time I went to my very first personal development seminar. As I saw the guy on the stage telling stories and facilitating change I thought that’s it. That’s what I want to do. I made a committed decision and I ploughed everything I had into developing myself to be a life coach. I did this despite the little negative voices in my head. “You can’t do that. You’re too young. Who is going to pay you?” You know the ones.

I developed a fairly successful life coaching business by just doing what my mentor told me. This led to me working for a coaching business and travelling the globe leading training seminars of up to 3000 people at a time. But I got burned out.

After recuperating I launched a speaker business and took it to 7 figures in 12 months but again got burned out.

When my son James was born I was breast feeding him in a darkened room. He was so precious and that quote from the Dalai Lama popped into my head. “The world will be saved by the western women.” I realised he was talking about me. I had to do something to make the world a better place for my son. The world would not be changed by political women leaders but by all women. By me and my sister. By you.

This was a huge wakeup call for me and that’s when One of many™ was born. I knew I had to do something for women.

I share because I want you to see that discovering your destiny in an on-going unfolding. It’s only when you’ve finished that you will be able to connect the dots. You can’t connect them in the beginning.

Here’s a reminder of those 4 easy steps…

  1. Get grateful for that inner nagging
  2. Make time to write in your journal daily
  3. Connect with other supportive women
  4. Be bold and follow your inspired action

I’d love to know what you’re inspired to do. Leave a comment and let us know.

If you’re would love to delve deeper to find the key to unlocking your true career fulfilment our BeFulfilled event is for you.

BeFulfilled™ Your Life’s Work

A two-day retreat to uncover your greatest contribution, and find clarity in your career and finances.

This workshop is designed expressly to help you discover and define your inherent value, to express it, and be rewarded for it.

Book a call with Maria our lovely customer services manager to see if it’s a fit for you.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

 

 

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(Podcast) How to create the support you need

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

The instinctive response of the feminine energy is to collaborate and band together. We believe this means as a woman you can’t thrive unless you’re connected to others. And that as women we achieve our individual success with and through others.

Perhaps you, like many women, feel called to make a positive difference in the world. If you do then you’re going to achieve your greatest difference by having the right support network in place.

Let’s just get clear, this is not about networking – this is about the right people, in the right place, at the right time who can support you to thrive.

Today you get a sneak peek into some of the content from our BeFulfilled event because in order to make your difference in the world you need a strong leadership platform on which to stand. Discover the secrets to creating yours through Conscious Network Design in this Soft PowerCast (podcasts for women).

You’ll discover

  • The 4 key pillars to build to create your strong platform
  • The importance of your emergency pillar and how to foster and nurture so it’s there when you need it
  • How to bring sane consciousness to who you have and who you don’t have in your network
  • How to begin to consciously activate the elements you don’t have

As women we have a tendency to believe we need to do everything ourselves and therefore often have difficulty accepting help and support.

In this Soft PowerCast you’ll learn how to:

  • Bring your focus to some key areas and give you practical solutions on how to:
  • Be clear on what you’re great at, and don’t be afraid to tell other people
  • Look for what you can give first
  • Be open to receiving when help is offered- sometimes even when you don’t NEED it.

Listen to the podcast here

 

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

Is it time for you to BeFulfilled?

For many women their greatest challenge in work is finding their purpose. Without a sense of meaning, our motivation evaporates. Still more of us find something meaningful, but because of our love, we make compromises on how much we are willing to make, so end up with an expensive hobby rather than a business.

If you know you have way more to give and would love to unlock your career potential then our BeFulfilled event is for you. It’s a powerful 2-days where you will identify your true heartfelt vocation. You will leave having identified work that is an expression of who you are, and with a plan to bring that into its full, financial fruition.

“I have been going crazy for a long time trying to work this stuff out for myself. Thank you so much for sharing and showing me the way. Thank you xx” – Kay Daze

“As a marketing consultant I have always made others visible and hidden behind the brand. I knew that I needed to be visible with my new brand ‘Business Butterfly’ as a marketing trainer and mentor. As a result of BeFulfilled I now have clarity and the confidence to step into my light and transform the invisible to the visible.” – Shari Thompson

We’re here to support you to blossom and thrive in life. If you’d love to experience greater fulfilment in your life, give yourself some support right now and have a chat with Maria.

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The Soft Power Revolution

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

Last week saw us hosting our inaugural One of many™ Women’s Coach Training. It was truly a phenomenal week of transformation.

I have to say I am both thrilled and relieved to have accomplished this training at 37 weeks pregnant! And it struck me as a time of giving birth to two babies at the moment. Our own little Pumpkin, who has been upgraded from Peanut in the last month (can you see why from the picture?) and our One of many baby is also ready to be taken out further into the world.

This first coaching cohort are really fired up to share what they’ve been learning about Soft Power with other women and the world. But what is this thing called Soft Power? Where does it come from? Why do we use the term and what does it mean?

The state of women: bad news

According to UK statistics:

  • 29% of us are going to be treated for a mental health condition in our life compared to 17% of men
  • One in four of us are going to be diagnosed with depression compared with one in ten men1
  • We’re twice as likely to suffer with anxiety2
  • We’re 60% more likely to suffer job stress and burnout than men
  • 42% of our marriages are ending in divorce3
  • 40% of us are going to have cancer at some time in our life4
  • A sixth of couples have difficulty conceiving
  • The gender pay gap, at time of writing, is the highest that it’s been in 20 years5
  • We are less happy as a gender than we were 40 years ago6

Indeed, since 1972 more than 6 different studies of millions of people around the world have shown that women’s overall level of happiness has dropped both relative to where they were 40 years ago, and relative to men. Now, this is regardless of whether they have kids, how many kids they have, how much money they make, how healthy they are, what job they hold, whether they’re married, single, divorced, how old they are or what race they are. With the slight exception of African-American women who are slightly happier than they were 40 years ago, but still less happy than their men.

So, we’re getting less happy, even though we find ourselves at a time when we have more access to opportunity and more access to power than we’ve ever had.

So, how does a woman who wants to step up and make her highest contribution in the world and step up to leadership do that in a way which still allows her to be happy and healthy?

The state of women: good news

The good news for we women is that we’ve got amazing opportunities right now.

  • 80% of the newly self-employed since 2008 are women7
  • According to CNN women are the largest economic force in the world – not China or India
  • There’s a huge calling for more women on boards, in parliament, in leadership8
  • The Dalai Lama even said “the world will be saved by the Western woman”9

So, on one hand there’s a calling for us to step up and lead.  Many of us feel in our hearts that that’s the path and our contribution that we need to make. But on the other hand, we’re burning out, we’re sick, we’re infertile and we’re unhappy. What’s the problem here?

The One of many™ hypothesis

We propose that the power that it took to get us where we are, to create amazing opportunities, to compete and be taken seriously as a force in the world; is not the kind of power that is going to be able to sustain us here.

We need a new kind of power to be the woman that the world needs us to be.

Understanding Women’s Power

Stereotypically, there’s two kind of types of power that we’re most aware of right now.

One is, the bossy woman; she wears the trousers, the dominating, effectively very masculine Superwoman. But, she gets some stuff done.

The other powerful kind of woman that we recognise with is the woman who use sex as power. Think of our pop stars and our movie stars using that kind of sexy power.

They’re the two types of power that we tend to see most commonly in women trying to be “powerful”. And that’s because of the cultural paradigm that we live in. They’re the only two types of power that we’ve really given any credit to and, unfortunately, we’re playing with two keys on the piano, neither of which are particularly useful. But we’re in a masculine paradigm.

There is enlightening research by Hofstede’s into the relative masculinity of different cultures.  Highly masculine cultures display a preference in society for achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material rewards for success. Society at large is more competitive. Its opposite, femininity, stands for a preference for cooperation, modesty, caring for the weak and quality of life. Society at large is more consensus-oriented. In the business context Masculinity versus Femininity is sometimes also related to as “tough versus tender” cultures.10 This can lead to women acting like Superwomen to juggle all they have to do. Sound familiar?

What paradigm did you grow up in? Has it been more masculine or has it been more feminine?

Note also that the workplace itself though, is also another masculine paradigm. The domain of commerce and economics, since its inception many thousands of years ago, has been predominately dominated by men. It’s only really been very recently that we’ve seen anywhere near equality in representation inside of commerce. And there are some industries where it is still nowhere near equal. Especially in upper level management and board level, where we’re seeing still nowhere near equality of representation.

So, many of us live in countries that are embedded in a masculine paradigm. Then, we’re operating, as professional women in workplaces with unconscious bias towards the masculine. And then, many of us have individual experiences growing up that program us even further, to take on the masculine Superwoman archetype.

What’s the solution?

Our suggestion here at One of many™ is that instead of operating, always, in this masculine way we need to step into a different kind of power.

And we call that Soft Power. It’s no less powerful than masculine power. It’s just different.

Let’s define soft: “agreeable, calm, gentle, yielding”.

Now watch your response to this.  Note that any master of martial arts, will know that the greatest way to get power from your opponent is to absorb the impact of their attack and turn that energy back against them. So, being yielding is sometimes a really powerful thing to do; not always fight, fight, fight.

Power: etymology: the middle English, which is “to be able.”

It’s not about dominion over, it’s just about an ability to do anything.

How do we, as women, start to be more able using a different kind of power?

We find central to it is the collaboration of many and not just the pursuit of one.

Let’s look at another example so that you understand this.  If you were to buy a hairdryer in the USA, it is designed to use the voltage 110 volts. Your US hairdryer works perfectly efficiently on 110V.

If you were to take that hair dryer to the UK where the voltage coming out of the wall is 230 volts and plug it in you would short it out. However, if you were to plug in a British hair dryer into the sockets in the UK, it works with perfect efficiency.

What’s the difference? Is 230 V better than 110 V?

Is 110 V better than 230 V?

I don’t know and frankly it doesn’t really matter.

In just the same way, masculine energy isn’t better than feminine energy, what we would call Soft Power. And feminine is not better than masculine. It’s simply a question of what’s the right energy, the right voltage for your machinery.

Our bodies are designed to utilise more feminine energy than the average Western woman runs through her. We have breasts, a uterus, a different hormonal make up.  Our biology is different to men. Men look different to women, they have a different biological make up.

Does biology impact psychology?  Probably, but that’s not the point. What is relevant is that there are very many women burning out because we’re plugged into the wrong voltage.

If you’re living in masculine energy, with aggression, drive, that adrenaline fueled way of being will soon burn you out. Your marriage isn’t going to last long, your relationships are not going to last long and your health is not going to last long because your machinery is not designed to operate on that voltage.

So, what we invite you to explore- and that’s all we ask- is the possibility that there is a power that is more suited for you.

And it’s not about one or the other. Masculine or feminine all the time.

It’s about harmony.

Most of us ignore the feminine though because we think it is weak.

What are your thoughts when I use the word “feminine”? Let me know in the comments below.

At One of many™ we work with 5 Women’s PowerTypes™, all feminine, all strong:

  • Warrioress
  • Lover
  • Mother
  • Queen
  • Sorceress

What if we were to come from this place of Soft Power? What if we were able flow between masculine and feminine energy as required?

Sometimes you need nothing but a good bit of masculine energy to push through and churn out that project that needs completing by Friday afternoon. But, then you want to be able to go into your Soft Power when you get home to be with your family and your spouse because they’re not going to want to hang out with somebody who’s still pushing through and in overdrive.

It’s about harmony.

So, for many of us, we need to swing the pendulum back the other way. We need to learn to trust what we call our Soft Power. We need to re-discover the power in our softness and that is the journey that we’re all on here together.

If this blog resonates with you and you’d like to discover how you can use cutting edge, proven tools and techniques designed for the unique personal and professional growth of women then click here to find out more about our Coaching Certification.

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

References:

  1. National Institute For Clinical Excellence, 2003
  2. The Office for National Statistics Psychiatric Morbidity report, 2001
  3. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/divorces-in-england-and-wales/2011/sty-what-percentage-of-marriages-end-in-divorce.html
  4. http://www.cancerresearchuk.org
  5. Research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. https://www.ft.com/content/94e2e7b8-6874-11e6-ae5b-a7cc5dd5a28c
  6. The Paradox of declining female happiness by Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers 2009 http://www.nber.org/papers/w14969.pdf
  7. http://www.prowess.org.uk/facts
  8. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/mar/05/not-enough-women-highest-levels-leadership
  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suojNzKZ8ew
  10. https://geert-hofstede.com/national-culture.html
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How to change the world without sacrificing your happiness

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

I’m sure you’ve come across or known at least one person who had great intentions to change the world for the better … but they were so caught up in their principles that they came across as off-putting.

And as someone who also wants to change the world, even if you’d never admit it, it kind of makes you think,

“I want to change the world … but I don’t want to become someone like that!”

Let’s get this clear right from the start: you do not have to become a raging fanatic to change the world. (In fact, you probably won’t get very far if you do).

But you won’t be “normal”.

What’s normal anyway?

Larry Smith, an economist, has a fantastic TED talk in which he tells an auditorium of students why they will fail to have a great career. There are lots of reasons, but a large part of it comes down to choosing to be “normal”.

“Normal” is to work your job, take your wage, love your family, enjoying a hobby or two, and do pretty much nothing else. And if you’re reading this blog and thinking about changing the world, I can guess that “normal” isn’t enough for you.

But equally, you don’t have to take a vow of poverty, become obsessive, or go around badgering everyone who isn’t working as hard as you to change the world.

It is completely possible to change the world and live a good, happy life yourself.

I think a lot of us have been taught this idea that if we really want to change the world, we need to make a huge sacrifice, do something we “should” do but actually really hate, or that we have to become consumed by it, to the exclusion of living the rest of our lives.

Don’t get me wrong — if you want to pack up, move across the world, and work for a charity then by all means do it! That’s fantastic if that’s what your calling is. But don’t feel like you can’t make an impact on the world if you don’t do that.

My two biggest pieces of advice for doing this:

1. Define your realm

OK, so what do I mean by this? By defining your realm, I mean choosing the areas that you want to make a difference in. This is key, because if you try to make an impact on everything, you’re not going to make much of an impact on anything.

Deliberately limiting your realm also keeps you from becoming burned out. I know this can be hard for a lot of people (especially women, who tend to feel like we want to take care of everything), but you’ve got to preserve your energy so that you can make the most impact on those areas you do choose to work in.

2. Focus your energy on your actions, not others.

It’s also critical that you focus your energy on yourself first! By this, I mean that you’ve got to take care of yourself (because after all, you can’t help anyone if you don’t have the energy, money, or time to live). Ultimately, the only person’s actions that you can change are your own.

So start by getting your little energy ecosystem sustainable.  Are you nurturing and nourishing yourself, as you pour your energy into your businesses or causes?

If you are super passionate but find yourself struggling with your energy levels and feeling over stretched then join me for this webinar which will show you how to find an additional 5 hours a week (minimum!) so you can do what you feel called to do.

The second element of this piece is how you go about your “world-changing”.

A lot of people tend to focus on getting other people to change, and when that doesn’t happen the way they hope it would, they either get resentful, or they get aggressive.  That’s where you get the people who go around making other people feel guilty or badgering them about their beliefs — which often leads to the exact opposite result they were hoping for!

It’s about living knowing that every tiny action you take, or inspire, could be the one that makes THE difference… and simultaneously laughing at yourself for thinking anything tiny little you could do could make ANY difference.  It’s about big ambitions, and taking yourself and others lightly.

So focus on yourself and your actions first, and set an example that’s so attractive that people want to step up.

And now for the fun bit: since you’re reading this post, it’s a good bet that you actually do want to change the world. So tell me, what are you going to do? Let’s share and support each other in the comments below!

Our intention is simple. To support professional women to handle the day-to-day so they can unleash the bigger impact they feel called to make in the world.

We believe real leadership is less about skill, and more about having a well of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength to draw on. Every week we support thousands of grassroots leaders globally with our free articles, videos and online trainings with powerful tools and methodologies created BY women FOR women.

Become One of many women creating strong, meaningful connections in our community.

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Has the world gone mad? You are the solution to these crazy times!

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

I really think the world is going mad. It feels like our future, the destiny of our children is being altered dramatically every other week right now.

I’m writing this as I fly home to the UK from a holiday in Australia with my family.  And everywhere I turn the world feels uncertain.

What with the aftermath of the Brexit vote in the UK; an incredibly uncertain election result in Australia (with some very scary candidates getting in); a head to head in the USA between potentially the first female US president and possibly the most obnoxious man on the planet… the ground is definitely shifting.

Now I’m a scientific gal at heart (being a doctor and all that); but I’ve been reading and talking to a lot of spiritual types lately who tell me that the cause of this global insanity is too much “masculine” for too long.  Too much focus on competition, individualism, achievement, profit, and power without an appropriate context.

Whether you believe that or not, it just seems to make sense to me that what the world needs now is more women making important decisions! In fact, we need more femininity in all our leaders.  More focus on collaboration, connection, growth for the good of all.

But the problem is we women don’t trust our own femininity.

We see it as weak.  A place where nothing gets done.  Frilly and silly and soppy.  I understand.  I did for most of my life.  That was until I realized they call it “Mother Nature” for a reason.  And she’s the most powerful ‘entity’ I know.

Perhaps it’s time for us to take a leaf out of her book and OWN our power as women.  The fertile, destructive, compassionate, nurturing, collaborative power we have at our core.

Because when we can own it- we can trust it.  And when we trust it, the world will trust it.  And then we can change this crazy world we live in.

I’m an action taker. I’m watching my son play on the seat next to me while I type this and I can’t help but imagine him saying to me in 30 years – “Mum, when it looked like it was going to hell in a handbasket, what did you do?”  I truly hope I can say to him “I had a vision for this world we see now buddy- with love, and hope and balance and equality- and I asked some other amazing women to join me on the path, and we sowed the seeds for the global shift we’re now enjoying.”

I have a huge mission here with One of many.

I’m committed to unleashing the bold, grassroots leadership of 1 million women internationally because I believe that this new world paradigm of feminine leadership will arise when we reach a critical tipping point, and 1 million women all over the world should do it! I want to equip these women with the tools to get out of “Superwoman Mode” and fall in love with their Soft Power; to trust their feminine energy; and to succeed in ways they’d never imagined possible.

Perhaps, like me, you’ve been feeling something similar.  A real awareness that the future of our very existence lies in the hands of the empowerment (perhaps re-powerment) of women.

Perhaps, like me, you find yourself working closely with women in your work and as a manager, coach, consultant or trainer and you want to be a part of the solution in these uncertain times.

That’s why I am running a free webinar next week called

 “Catalysing the Evolution of Women:
How to Unleash the Power of Your Team, Your Clients and Yourself.”

on Wednesday 20th July at 8pm London time
(That’s 3pm New York, 5am AEST on Thurs)

If you work with women, or want to work with women, join me to discover:

  • The #1 missing link in most  personal development methodologies which often leads to changes “not sticking” for women (after all most effectiveness, leadership and personal growth methodologies were created by men, for a male paradigm).
  • The Superwoman myth, and how bigger, better, faster, more is causing an epidemic of dissatisfaction from women globally.
  • The 3 common disempowering archetypes that prevent women from being effective, and how to avoid them.
  • The 5 Women’s PowerTypes(TM) and how they can be used in your coaching, consulting and management to bring the best out in the women you work with (and yourself)
  • How you can become a One of ManyCertified Women’s Coach and use our tools, techniques, templates and brand new profiling tools to help women more effectively and joyfully than ever before.

I’d love to work with you to empower a million women to step into their leadership so we can make this world a sustainable and loving place.

If you know your work is part of the solution, join me and see if we have synergy!

Click here to join me for “Catalysing the Evolution of Women“

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Jo&Co Episode #7: Effective Presentation

By

Joanna Martin

Founder: One of many. Author. Ex-doctor. Entrepreneur. Sister. Sometime Actor. Baby Wrangler. Personal Chef. Mother.

Latest posts by Joanna Martin (see all)

So many of you amazing ladies in our One of Many community have a sense that you have something important to share with the world. That’s why we share so much about Leadership.

To be a truly effective leader you need to inspire others to action, that’s why I’m so passionate about the difference between a good talk and an effective presentation.

If you want to make more of an impact: get people on board for your vision, grow your business or fundraise for your organisation, then it’s crucial you understand this difference.

In this episode of Jo&Co I walk you through how to increase the effectiveness of your presentations by thinking outcome first. I share a bunch of examples too, which might help.

Ladies, it’s time for us to stand up and be heard.

If you know you need to really nail your effective presentations and want 8 hours of in depth training then join me at my last (for a couple of years) Presentation Secrets event coming up in London on Saturday 16th July. Come and meet me live in person in London and let’s get you effective!

You can get all the details and buy your tickets to Presentation Secrets here

This is my final 1-day training in this topic for a couple of years while we focus on expanding our family. Keep your fingers crossed for me!