Author: Kim Potgieter

As I think of the political and social changes in our beautiful country, I would like us to reflect on our freedom … the freedom to choose, the freedom to direct our own destinies, our freedom to make of our lives something purposeful. I love to hear stories from my clients who have made a decisive change to their lives to ensure they live on purpose.  I recently enjoyed a flight over Plettenberg Bay with one of our clients.  He took stock of his life and realised that the best use of his time was to enjoy life with his wife in a beautiful part of the country.  He still...

My father used it extensively when he started the 12-step recovery programme at Alcoholics Anonymous and it helped him stay sober for the last 17 years of his life.  It seems to help me get a little perspective on a situation, and to have an honest conversation with myself about how much control I really have. The prayer’s origin goes back 70 years and has been translated into many different languages and is prayed by people from lands and backgrounds the world over.  So, although it may seem to be founded in religion, don’t let that put you off if you aren’t that way inclined. It...

Seeing spending differently When it came to buying Christmas family gifts one year, I reminded myself of a different perspective on spending. This is partly owing to the fact that my family so often craves my time … a commodity in short supply! Inspired by our beautiful advent calendar, I made vouchers to be redeemed as each ‘door’ was opened: for my daughter, Gabi, time to brush and plait her hair; the reading of a bedtime story; a visit for the whole family to the Magnum pop-up store in Rosebank for mouth-watering creamy ice-creams; our son, Josh, was allowed to download his own choice of...

Over the past five years, I have been involved with a senior citizens group in my local neighbourhood. It is an instructive activity as one becomes aware of members of the group who are suddenly no longer there, having passed on. I was recently invited to speak at one of the weekly meetings of the group to encourage and reassure them as, the caller told me, they were feeling a bit despondent as a number of them had lost friends who had passed away in the past few months and were feeling very lonely. Have you ever had the opportunity to speak to senior citizens? Having done it for the past...