As a personal development expert, leadership facilitator and emotional intelligence teacher everything I do is linked by kindness. What if everything you did was directed by a thought or intention of being kind to yourself? 

Whether getting fit doing mindful movement that is kind and gentle to the joints whilst being playful and silly to the spirit, Barefoot Dancercise is an inspiration that came from my heart to start teaching again locally where I live in Hove, East Sussex. If you are local join us by following this link for more details. 

I have always used music and movement in my training sessions where only a privileged few get to take part, enjoy and reap the benefits. I now intend to share these joys on a much wider scale and to make it available to everybody. 

Have you ever had a crise de confidence? A random sudden no self belief and ability to move forward and do the things you'd love and dream of? 
I have, plenty of times and know that this is just part of our mysterious life evolution. 

Having been through a military coup in Chile, lost my father under the most violent of circumstances, came to England with my family as a young child as refugees neither speaking English nor being able to communicate or play with the other children, I know a lot about having confidence issues. 

It's taken me a lifetime of therapy, personal enquiry and every healing modality you could imagine to get to a place of 'no matter what happens, good or bad I LOVE MYSELF and I am my best friend. 

This is my definition of confidence as an inside job. 

I am super inspired to teach a process which is simple and heart-centred that inspires you to learn to be your biggest supporter and kind friend no mater what. There are tools and techniques that I have learnt that are literally life changing. 

Going through a difficult situation is one thing, but how you speak to yourself about it in your head is quite another - and it is THAT that can me transformed into kindness. 
I invite you to join us on regular free Confidence webinar events from the comfort of your own home. 

I'm finally ready to start teaching again!
Inspired by my amazingly inspirational brother telling me to act upon my 'calling' because that is God talking to me... I have taken a leap of faith and am putting on the first of what I intend to be many classes. 

If anyone used to do Nia with me years ago (I am she formerly known as Nia Maria) then I want you back! Come back, remember how fun it was? Let's dance our bare feet off once again and this time this studio is gorgeous and much bigger with no mirrors so just let your spirit soar and move like nobody's watching. 

Easy, playful, natural way to get fit without even thinking about it or working hard. I'll allow you to find your most comfortable way of moving, your speed and your way. I'll demonstrate moves as an idea, but you can do whatever you want! As long as you're enjoying yourself - you're getting a fitness effect in your body, mind and spirit.

#THISISNOTZUMBA

Why barefoot? So that you can feel. So that you can sense and most importantly so that your body can find its natural balance. Thick spongy sports shoes can take away sensation and so this is a really revolutionary way of doing fitness that will support healing and strengthening for your feet, ankles, knees, legs, hips, spine and whole body. Give it a go now, take off your shoes and feel the world underneath you - its really quite life changing.

In 2003 I studied the Nia Technique and taught it for many years taking it to Oxford and Brighton. I also taught an adapted class at Oxford L.A. Fitness for the over 60s for 2 years which was such fun.

The technique can be adapted to any level, fitness and intensity so if you're having a lazy day and feel slow then you can take your time and do it gently. If you're having a cat style funny five minutes and fancy tearing about then you are so welcome to do that too - make sure you take me with you!

Barefoot Dancercise (amazing name created by wordsmith husband) is my evolution of movement to music facilitation which I have developed over many years under my own brand of Body Intelligence. Under this I have taught mainly on elite leadership courses as a self awareness tool for self management.

It is now time to share these wonders with the larger world at large and I intend to allow this to grow however it wants to. I want to hear from you what days, times and things you'd like to learn so do share your ideas.

Classes are held in a gorgeous dance studio at A.C.T. Hove which is opposite the big Tesco on Church Road but you have to go in via the side street Vallance Road (took me ages to work that out when I first went there!) and you just buzz and come to the top floor.
Great news if you drive as you can park for free in Tesco opposite as long as you buy £5 or over which is fine as you always need food...

#NOMIRRORS

Move, dance and get fit without any mirrors! I just invite you to be free and mess about as much as you want because nobody's watching!

Introductory rate of £5
Please join us on our Facebook page Barefoot Dancercise: https://www.facebook.com/barefootdancercise​

We are back in full sunshine for the second edition of girls leadership week BASKET TALENT CAMP in the stunning state of the art International School San Patricio.
>> See Twitter feed for Basket Talent Camp

The week is designed to give an all round experience of sport, wellness, leadership and personal empowerment to a group 32 girls aged between 8-11.
>> See full article in Spanish
I’ve been facilitating my Body Intelligence to kick off the energy games every morning and to relax, let go and sleep in the evening. One thing I found really fun is that my teaching style does not change for such a young group of participants. I’m much more accustomed to teaching senior leaders, and also more recently young adults in their 20s - and so to work with young children is a great opportunity for me to see if the work translates and works across all ages.
And I noticed that it does. Because the foundation of what I share is essentially how to be kind to yourself, to your inner child. And because these girls are young, they are closer to their inner child. However they are still under the influence of social conditioning just as much as adults, so my delivery is exactly the same for that reason. The work is about melting and releasing the many layers of conditioning that sadly have us believe that we are not enough and the biggest job is to bypass the critical inner voice that offers a constant stream of unsolicited commentary…
Please consider the following questions of self inquiry:

• What if your inner voice was nothing but love?
• What if you were the first one to congratulate yourself every time you did something well?
• What if even when you did something “wrong” your inner voice was the first to comfort you with kind, supportive words?
• And what if no matter whatever happened, you were ok with you?

This is where this boat is going and this is how I personally define leadership no matter what age.
In this vein, this morning I taught a self kindness practice of the 3 Ps which in Spanish (when in Spain…) is: Palabras Positivas Personales which translates as positive words to myself. This is a simple way to set an intention for the day. I asked if anyone knew what an intention was and I think about 2 put their hands up. So I made it super simple and explained that it means in the morning I say lovely things to myself and create a nice day in my mind.
I gave a personal example of the fact that this morning I woke up with tummy ache (as I can never get used to late Spanish eating times at night) and nor can my stomach. I also woke up feeling slightly nervous and not full of beans. So I set a lovely positive intention and my mood really did instantly change! It was quite remarkable. By teaching using personal examples, making myself vulnerable like that and demonstrating that its not only okay but normal to feel odd, it gives everyone else permission to just be yourself.
That very evening in our circle sharing many girls shared that they’d had a good day because of their personal positive intention.
So I’ll finish by telling you what mine is, I always say to myself, ‘you’re doing so well, well done!’
And so are you!

Men get so much negative press, labels and assumptions. I am inspired today to offer another view. I personally love and respect men VERY MUCH and am inviting more compassion and kindness towards mankind. 

I have been very lucky in my life to have many male friends and a wonderful husband, from whom I've been able to hear and know what its like to be a man - and it's not what most women would ever imagine. 

I would like to hear from you men and know what it is like for you and what you need. I feel that if we can go beyond the labels and connect with the deeper part of who we are, whatever gender we may inhabit, we will have a more intimate communication. 

I want to thank you for being a man and acknowledge your courage and strength. 

>> Listen to the podcast

About a month ago whilst having a typically deep conversation with my husband we came to an idea that is so beautiful and so inspiring that it is creating itself into something truly wonder full. We had the idea to create a spade called Our Vision where whoever was interested could reflect on the question of 'if anything were possible, what would you do/create/see?

And the inquiry inspired me to record conversations and create a podcast channel as an innovation which I've never done before. I felt that by taking away the pressure of video, the two people would be able to relax more and share a more private exploration.

I've now recorded 5 podcasts and I'm getting so much wonderment and amazing energy from it that I can't express it in words. It's creating its own unique space of what I can only describe as magical.
Yesterday I met with Helen Thatcher and I was left floating on this lovely gentle space of what felt like unconditional love.

I am interested in what's causing this. What is the ingredient that is making this happen?
I think that key ingredient is intimacy. A conversation held in deep active listening. A conversation that is lasting about 2 hours on average while we usually record about half an hour. And if we had time we could easily talk for the whole day!

My intention is to showcase and celebrate the person in their full glory and wonder by holding a powerful space of allowing such that they are comfortable and relaxed enough to touch upon that precious Jewel of inspiration.
​
So what's happening to me as a cause of all of this is that I'm being showered with a multitude of blessings like never before. It's like this positive energy is feeding and nourishing me and giving me so much more than if I were just bumbling along my own life on my own.
I've always believed that as a group we are more and we are connected and supported. I feel that new paradigm of 'work' is collaboration.

Join the conversation: 
https://www.facebook.com/ourvisionhub/

Listen to the podcasts: 
​https://soundcloud.com/user-380902387

>> Also in the news: 300,000 people have joined together in Brighton for one of the UK’s biggest summer Pride celebrations. 

>> Brighton School of Samba, everyone welcome, every level

[INTRO: I am extremely lucky, privileged and grateful to be here in Spain this week teaching on a pilot leadership course for girls centred around Basketball training and life skills. This one of a kind innovative pilot program is called Basket Talent Camp, creation of Santiago Puebla Sanz, general manager, strategic coach and expert in high performance teams with his company JOINTALENT. 

We are in the stunning 5 star corporate training facility of Gas Natural in Puente Nuevo, just outside of Avila, an hour from Madrid. I have worked on leadership programs twice before here at beautiful place however a pilot leadership program for children has never been seen before... ]

The final day of our incredibly life-changing adventure of Basket Talent Camp saw a coming together and completion of a perfect circle.

We all gathered in the Casa de Cristal, a new and innovative building set in the botanical woodland on the grounds of Puente Nuevo Gas Natural Corporate Campus (http://www.campuspuentenuevo.gasnaturalfenosa.com) for our final presentations, reverences and reflections on what has been an unforgettable and magical week.

I was extremely honoured to be asked to be a panelist for a discussion about women in leadership and weaving in what the girls had experienced and learnt that week. When it came to my turn to share I elaborated on the previous comments about the wonderment, openness and creativity that is always-on in children. This light is abundant in childhood because for children, exploration, inquiry and investigation is a way of being.

I reflected on how amazed I was, like everyone else at the depth and level of empathy, compassion and care that the girls displayed naturally for each and all. In dreaming up questions for fellow children with autism, for our guest Cheija from the Sahara and for future car design, the girls created questions that showed such maturity and a sense of 360 degree insight.

What I noticed is that nothing escapes their noticing, their perception and vision. They seem to see everything and take note and also take action. This high level of others awareness I feel is an extraordinary quality that serves to unite and collaborate. This I feel is a particular asset of feminine leadership, it is the care and concern for the whole as opposed to ‘what’s in it for me’ more linear thinking.

One day we had a workshop on re-writing a popular song and making it about the week’s experience on the camp. One girl volunteered a lyric: ‘we play to learn’ and upon hearing this my heart leapt out of my chest! Bingo, I thought. This just coins it perfectly. This is the epitome of childhood, to learn through play. Everything is a game, is an adventure, is creativity, is play.

When and why is this magic lost?

My work with Body Intelligence speaks to precisely this and re-minds people of this innate wonder-ful way of being. It serves to re-connect adults with their magical child, that inner child that never left them, that’s still in there somewhere inside, its voice growing quieter and quieter the more its requests to play are ignored and pushed further down…

For me the final day's’ conversation was a great completion for this reason. The question of what have we all learnt from our week together for me was this; I was reminded of the majesty of inter dimensional perception that a child is endowed with. I was all the more inspired to nurture this again and again and talk, blog, teach, offer, share, inspire and motivate with it as long as I live!

Amen to that!