This is a culmination of some of the posts I’ve written on fab places to visit with kids in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is a great place to visit with kids young and old so bookmark this and get your trip planned!

1. The Dean Gallery (free)
Find out more about the galleries here – National Galleries of Scotland

2. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (free)
My favourite of the art galleries in Edinburgh. It’s situated directly across from the Dean gallery so I’d reccommend doing them both in a morning or afternoon.

3. Gorgie Farm(free)
Kids love this city farm. Situated in Gorgie, not far from the Heart of Midlothian football ground. Grab the 3, 25 or 33 from Princes St.

4. East Links Family Park

Can’t believe it was 2007 since we visited East Links, was just saying yesterday that we need to get back there this year. This one’s just outside Edinburgh in East Lothian, worth a drive though.

5. Museum of Childhood (free)
Arguably the best museum in Edinburgh for kids as it’s really geared towards them with lots of interactive elements and toys to play with. It’s situated on the Royal Mile so a great way to break up a day sightseeing.

6. Dynamic Earth

It’s not cheap, but well worth a visit if you have kids that love science and history. Located near the Parliament.

Do you feel that success is a far away place that you might never get to visit? Do you feel like you’re working really hard but you’re worried you might never get to visit success?

Back in the beginning when I was trying to find ways to make money for myself I felt like I wasn’t making much progress. It was difficult to see at those times how I was on any kind of journey when I hadn’t even made £1 yet. I had hopes and dreams and a lot of time on my hands. I had no indicators to show my success and no ££’s to show for my time.

Looking back now I can see that even in those early days I was already on the path. My failures were moving me one step closer to making that first £1. The thing is you don’t know that until you actually have the breakthrough. I read somewhere once that many people give up on their dreams and ambitions right before their first breakthrough. I don’t know if there’s any truth in this in general but I know from my own experiences that I’ve had fleeting thoughts about giving things up and shortly after deciding to give it ‘one more month’ I experience a breakthrough. When I was trying to make that first £1 I was determined not to be that person and my breakthrough came.

I made my first £1 and there was the excitement and elation of earning money for myself, yes it was only £1 but it was so much more than that. In that moment it was success.

That feeling passes though and £1 isn’t as exciting any more, £1 doesn’t make me feel as successful as it once did.

Fortunately this motivated me to earn £10, then £100 and even £1000 and more. Each time there is the excitement and the feeling of success and then it becomes the norm, the new standard.

Success isn’t a place you’ll ever arrive at. You may well have an income goal (or any goal) right now but once you’ve met that goal there will always be the next goal, the next high, the next fix. The success feeling comes and goes, it is part of the journey.

If you don’t feel like a success today, think back to a year ago, are you further on than you were then?

Success isn’t earning £1, £100 or £1000 or running 5k, 10k or a marathon

The success is in the progress, it’s in the journey, and it’s not a feeling you can have all the time. If you did you would tire of it.

Enjoy your success. Enjoy the journey. There is no destination.

That title isn’t completely accurate but Antonia and I were talking about Record Breakers the other day – you remember it right? The late trumpet playing Roy Castle overseeing a range of impressive, and at times odd, record breaking attempts. It was essential viewing when we were kids. Antonia was surprised that I could remember it, not sure why…not getting any younger here! Anyway, the theme tune has been in my head and as I set about working on my personal theme this week – honouring my time and worth – I started to think about the importance of delegating (dedication is important too by the way which were the actual lyrics!).

To grow a business (or run a home!) you absolutely must learn to delegate. I’m still learning. I find it hard to delegate. Some (my husband!) might call me a control freak, I find it really hard to let go. But let go I must, and so must you!

When and what to delegate;

1. Delegate things you hate – you’ll always find excuses not to do things you hate, delegate them and ensure they no longer take up any head space and they get done.

2. Delegate things you aren’t good at – don’t waste time mastering everything, as soon as you have the resources invest in people that can do certain jobs better than you. At home I’ve learned to spot when Erin is quite good at something and giving her the chance to help, which she seems to really love – at the moment anyway!

3. Delegate things that others can do more cheaply – if you’ve worked out that your time is worth £100 an hr, then you should delegate everything that doesn’t contribute directly to you earning that. Hard to do, and there are a few exceptions along the way, but a good rule of thumb that will keep you questioning everything you’re doing. That’s how it works in business anyway, at home I have been more open to getting help when I need it, especially the cleaning and gardening.

4. Delegate if you’ve become the bottle neck – are you holding your business back? It’s often the case that the very person trying t grow the business (the owner) is the very person that holds the business back. If you’ve become a bottle neck you need to delegate and get things flowing more freely. At home I do tend to get in the way of getting jobs done as I think everything has to be perfect. I’ve found that letting others help and do things in their own way means at least they get done and I don’t have everything piling up!

Can you think of any more?

Nobel Isle have launched a distinctive and exquisite modern Bath and Body brand, which is made in the UK and is inspired by the natural  and cultural riches of the British Isles.

Nobel Isle products combine the finest fragrances with natural extracts, creating 24 luxurious unisex bath and body products.

Here are our top 5 new Nobel Isle products:

1. Rhubarb Rhubarb. I love rhubarb and the sound of this takes me back to being a little girl and eating rhubarb straight from my great aunties patch in her back garden. This is a hand and body wash sourced in Yorkshire .
2. Summer Rising. This fragrance is available in bath and shower gel and body lotion. Sourced in Cornwall, it ignites the senses and takes you to the beautiful English countryside. A great way to awoken in the morning with your shower.
3. Heather Honey. Honey also brings back treasured memories and in this exquisite  hand wash and lotion, it nourishes your hands every time you wash. Sourced from the Perthshire Bees, this wonderful wash would make a great addition to any wash area.
4. Fireside. Warmth, glow and heat are what I imagine on hearing this great fragrance. Available in a candle, bath and shower gel as well as a body lotion, this great fragrance has natural extracts from Mynwyn Valley. Great for warming you up on a damp or wintry day.
5. Perry Pear. Using natural extracts from Gloucestershire orchards, this fruity fragrance shampoo and condition will leave you feeling awake and revived.

These and many more products are available online, and from Fortnum and Mason and a selection of other outlets across the UK.

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My focus at the moment is ‘honouring my time and worth’. It came up at a work conference and then I realised how much it applies to life and parenting too.

It’s really made me think about the work I do, what I charge, my own self worth and how that affects my pricing. As well as how I act socially and with family.

It doesn’t matter if you run a business, run the home or work for someone else, we all need to recognise our value and time. If we don’t value it nobody else will either!

One of the main human fears is rejection: in fact I heard once that it was the number one fear. Being rejected by our fellow human beings can be one of the most hurtful things that can happen. It comes from our ancient background, our need to be an accepted part of the ‘tribe’.

To avoid rejection many people choose to go ‘under the radar’ or do things to be accepted even if this is at odds with their own needs. Parenting asks you to be very selfless I find, especially modern ‘helicopter’ style parenting, and I don’t think it’s altogether healthy for anyone (parent or child).

Some people never ask for what they really need as they’re too frightened they might be rejected or that they will be putting someone else out. This was definitely me (was!). It’s ok to put other people’s needs first occasionally but if you’re repeatedly putting your own needs last then that’s a problem.

It’s the classic ‘fit your own mask’ first. If you learn to look after and respect your own needs you have more to give to others. I think parenting can often result in forced martyrdom – who can be the most selfless – who can ‘give’ the most to their kids even if that’s at the expense of other things like their own wellbeing, the partnership between the parents etc..

I honestly think it’s unhealthy for kids too, what sort of example are you setting if you constantly take care of your own needs last? What is that teaching them? Don’t get me wrong, as a parent you do need to be prepared to sacrifice in many areas and of course the pay off is absolutely worth it, but has the line become blurred when it comes to who has their needs filled (and who doesn’t) and who takes priority? Is this serving anyone involved very well?

I originally wrote this post with purely business in mind but actually I think it relates to other aspects of life too.

If being in business were easy everyone would be doing it, right? But they aren’t.

It’s not easy.

It’s really quite hard.

There’s so much to learn beyond your own niche area. Beyond learning there’s the energy you need, especially when you’re just starting out. You need huge amounts of stamina to get the rocket off the ground. Then there’s the mindset, the ‘inner game’. You have to be confident, you have to burst through your fear of failure, and just when you think you’ve got there you find that your business asks more of you and you have to find a way to get to that next level.

I was chatting to someone over lunch recently about all the ‘you can make £1m in 5 mins in your pyjamas’ people out there spouting what is, quite frankly, a load of rubbish. It doesn’t matter what type of business you’re trying to build, or whether that business will involve some form of passive income. Getting it off the ground will still be bloody hard work. If you’re not prepared to work hard, learn and take action. My advice to you, and this is meant in the nicest possible way, is not to bother.

So for those still reading I guess that you’re part of the group that has to do it even though it’s bloody hard, yes? It’s an addiction, an obsession, we want the rewards so we’re willing to work hard. For me it’s about autonomy and knowing that I have no choice, I make an awful employee, I really do. To you, I want to say, it gets easier and it gets harder.

Physically it gets easier because you have more cashflow, more to leverage, you can outsource. It gets harder because mentally the challenges get tougher, the margins for improvement get smaller and you have to go deeper to gain the edge over competitors.

I guess all I’m really saying is that it’s ok to acknowledge that it’s hard.

Acceptance is the first step to finding the solution.

As I said earlier, I really do think this relates to life too. I think a lot of people (myself included) struggle as they expect things to be easier than they are. Sometimes life is really hard (and I fear I haven’t seen the worst of it yet) I don’t think it’s pessimistic to accept right now that there will be some very difficult times. I think being mentally prepared is a good thing and will stop you collapsing at the first sign of trouble.

Guest post

Alcohol is always in the headlines these days. Whether it is because it is too easily accessible or binge drinking causing crime or death, it is always there. So this has prompted the question, how and when do we talk about alcohol to our children?

I have an 11 year old who is about to move up to Secondary education in September. Until know he has been going to a small village school and the subject of alcohol has never really cropped up. He has occasionally asked us why we drink it (which is very rare), and we have glossed over this,but it is something I am going to have to have a serious think about. I think it is important that we tell him the facts about what can happen if you drink too much and answer any questions he may have honestly. Iif you ignore the questions and are not open, you make it more of a taboo, and they are more likely to try it and not talk to you about it.

Getting the right message over to him is what is important to me and with the rise of teenagers drinking energy drinks and more alcoholic drinks coming in the form of energy drinks, this is more important than ever.

So taking the time to talk and listen to my son before he encounters other teenagers glamorising the use of alcohol is important to me, and is a conversation that we will be having in the very near future, outline what happens when you drink and knowing exactly how much you should have once he is legal to drink.

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Image by photostock

We may be in a double dip recession but that doesn’t mean that it has to be all doom and gloom. There are many ways you and your family can have fun without it having to cost a lot!

Here are our top three tips:

1. You don’t need to venture far to have great fun with your family. There are plenty of activities you can do together at home. Why not try target shooting by marking targets in the garden and using water guns to aim. Have a prize for the one who gets the closest. Another idea is to go stargazing in your garden. Wait for a clear night, lay down a blanket and star at the stars. Kids love being able to spot the big dipper and other constalations.
2. There are some fantastic websites where you can book activities at the fraction of their RRP. One great site is Groupon, they have great offers on activities, holidays, deals specific for your area as well as on goods. There are time limits and limited numbers of each item so you need to get in quick and see what they have.
3. Check your local paper’s as well as national ones as these usually have some wonderful offers for attractions and local venues. Whether it is money off a meal or half price tickets to a theme park, keep your eyes peeled and you will find some great offers available for you and your family.

You really don’t have to spend a lot to have fun with your family and spending time all together is the most important factor, not where you spend it!

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I was thinking the other day about the little things that make you feel really good that don’t cost a lot of money. Here were the twenty I came up with, in no particular order…

1. Wool socks and comfy clothes

2. Good company
3. Interesting, open and honest conversations

4. Light-hearted interactions on social media
5. Breakfast, good coffee and the paper on the weekend

6. The feeling of whether to work or not being purely my choice
7. Going in to tuck Erin in last thing at night
8. Family dinners
9. Spontanaeous affection from Erin

10. Mid week days off with Alex
11. Walking the dog and having a good think
12. Getting in the flow and writing a few good posts
13. Getting good feeback and feeling like I’m making a difference
14. Helping a friend
15. Getting the blanket out and watching trash on the tv when I’m not well
16. Feeling like someone else genuinely cares about me
17. Feeling free or that overwhelming ‘at peace’ feeling

18. A hot bath on a cold day, or after a long day
19. Eating something I really fancy.
20. An unexpected warm day

What are your simple pleasures that don’t cost much?

We’re launching the ACE Marketing Club today!

Most business owners underestimate what is included in marketing. This first term in the ACE Marketing Club is for people that have a business but need the space and time to really look into whether the foundations of that business are right. Without the right foundations your business will never succeed, and even strengthening the foundations can make your business stronger.

If you are unsure or need support in any of the following areas this first term is for you.

· Am I offering the right product or service?

· Am I targeting the right market?

· Why am I not making more sales?

· What could I do to make more sales?

· Why aren’t my advertising and promotions producing results?

· Who are my competitors and how can I compete with them?

· How can I be different and get noticed?

· I’m a bit all over the place: I have a good business idea but I need to get clear on my strategy

· I would like to have a clear focus for my business and get on the path to success

When you really understand your business and begin to apply the principles in this course to your own situation you will see results faster. Everything we teach we’ve applied to our own fast growing business.

We will teach you the theory of what you need to do and we’ll help you overcome the challenges you face. We’ll be explaining how to put what you learn into practice right away in your business. This course will help you improve your business and find more customers even as you study.

This course requires a small monetary investment and the results will be well worth it. Once you understand the principles and apply them to your business you can continue to use the strategies to ensure you’re staying on course.

We’ll be with you live on webinars to coach you through everything you need to know including how to apply it to your business. We’ll also be available to support you both on the webinars and via email.

This term will start you off with the essentials of marketing, and as with all ACEInspire courses, you won’t just learn the theory. We’ll be explaining how to put what you learn into practice right away in your business. This course will help you improve your marketing and find more customers even as you study.

Follow this link for full details of the course – ACE Marketing Club