Kath Lockett tells the tangled story of going it alone as a self-employed writer — along with the problems of facing panhandlers, admitting to a flirtation with Feng Shui, and sundry other sources of uncomfortable self-realization.

People, especially in relationships and in jobs, recreate the same old story, over and over again. They are held in the vice-like grip of old patterns of behavior and broken dreams. Only when we realize that to change our world we have to change ourselves will something different occur. Once you face that reality, you can change the way you react and begin a new adventure of learning from mistakes and building on successes.

Betrayal and mistrust are rampant in the corporate world of today. To be conscious, you need to view life, right here and right now, from the 25,000-foot level and ask yourself: “What am I doing right here, right now?” Consciousness is about being decent right where you are. That’s who successful and truly respected leaders and managers are. Let your consciousness tug on your sleeve as you reflect on these questions.

Authentic communication is rare today in the business world, which is why there is so little trust between people who work there. Without authenticity in communication, trust is impossible to build or maintain. The ’spin doctor’, the manipulator, the egotist and the ‘yes-man’ are examples of people whose communication is designed to carry a different message from the one contained in the words themselves. What they say may be factually correct, but it’s still designed to mislead those who hear it. If you want to be trusted, people need to know far more than what you are saying. They need to know who you are and where you are coming from.

Nearly every leader is tempted at some time to assume some leadership style or persona appropriate to workplace and status. It’s never worth it. You’ll be be more successful — and less stressed — if you try being yourself instead.

Facing the truth about what you are doing is the only way to avoid predictable — and often nasty — consequences

Conservatism may be the chosen political stance of many people in business, but it’s a poor way to create a better future. If you want to build a stronger business, a better and more satisfying [...]