The Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa (PSASA) has launched its first book, Secrets To Success In The Corporate World. It comprises 10 chapters, written by 10 members of the PSASA, and is aimed at equipping leaders who want to hone their skills and succeed in the corporate world, and in life.

My chapter is called Stop Sabotaging Your Dreams, in which I explore the reasons why we unconsciously, but effectively, sabotage our desire to live our dream life - and what we can do to change our faulty belief systems, and ultimately live the life we really want to.

If you would like to order copies of this book, please contact me.

Price: R140.00 (Excludes postage)

We often joke about 'going senile' or 'getting Alzheimer’s' when we forget things. However, most people don’t understand what dementia really is, what the symptoms of the disease are, or how it progresses. It’s important to know the difference between simply being forgetful and suffering from dementia, in order to have a greater undertstanding of this debilitating and frightening illness.

ADHD is one of the most common, yet incurable, childhood disorders. However, many other problems – some of which are as simple and common as an ear infection – can produce similar symptoms. How can we ensure our children receive the correct diagnosis, and what can we do to help them – and ourselves – effectively manage the disorder?

Grief and bereavement are possibly two of the most difficult and challenging certainties we will ever have to face. Unfortunately, they are also possibly the ones we know the least about. In our western culture, we often feel awkward around death and dying and just don't know what to do, or to say to a person who is bereaved and grieving.

We can always rely on change – good and bad - to happen to us throughout our lives. And while we cannot always control the changes in our lives, we can decide how we are going to react to those changes. But, what skills can we learn to help us embrace change, so that we emerge as victors and not victims?

Conflict occurs when the goals, needs or opinions of one person clash with those of another. Unchecked, this conflict can escalate into full-blown hostility and even violence. When viewed constructively, however, conflict can actually become a valuable and productive growth experience. What skills can we develop to help us handle conflict situations correctly, ensuring a positive outcome for both parties?

Learning to identify the different communication styles - and recognising which one we use most often in our daily interactions with friends, family and colleagues - is essential if we want to develop effective, assertive communication skills. But how can we tell the difference between the styles, and is there a time and place for each one in certain situations?

We often feel we have to be everything to everybody – putting our own needs and wants at the bottom of our list of priorities. Yet the psychological, physical and emotional benefits of finding time for ourselves are numerous and well documented. So how can we lose these feelings of unnecessary guilt we experience when we spend time 'just for us'?

We all make plans we don't stick to and make resolutions we don't keep. It's easy to think big - but even easier to act small. Why do we do this? Why do we sabotage our dreams and fail to reach our goals? And what can we do to ensure we end up living the life of our dreams?

Burnout is characterised by physical and emotional exhaustion - usually as a result of too much work. Many people experience burnout without even realising it, and only know something’s wrong when their symptoms become severe enough to significantly interfere with their work and family life. How at risk of burnout are you, and what can you do to help yourself?