#1 — It is your right to strive for success

You can go after anything you want. You have no boundaries, other than obeying the law and your personal moral code. Otherwise, let rip. Go for it. The flip side of this rule is, you cannot deny anyone else from going after whatever they want.

You don’t have to stand in the queue for success. You don’t have to follow the same steps as everyone else. You can do it your way. Accept that others have the right to skip the line too.

#2 — Don’t get involved with the wrong people

Narcissists, negativists, and naysayers drag you down. They deny you the right to happiness. They take up…

The backstory:

They made me change the rules

I had a rethink. I want them to rise to the challenge, so I added two more rules to increase their incentive.

The rules:

1. You can buy and sell or invest in anything you like.
2. All costs have to be accounted for, trading platform costs, eBay fees, etc., have to come from the £1k and not from your own pocket.
3. You win by keeping all the profits you make.
4. If you lose money, I lose. You will not be liable for any losses. At the very least, you will learn from it. So it is a win/win for you.
5. The winner can…

SERIOUS COUPLE ADVICE

According to psychologist, author, and marriage expert John Gottman, there’s one conversation that is critically important to a couple’s happiness and it’s not about the relationship. It’s what he calls the stress-reducing conversation.

It’s the conversation the couple have when they get in from work, or at the end of the day when they have time to themselves. What you say matters and what you don’t say probably matters more.

The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse

It was Gottman who identified the types of negative communication styles that he referred to as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

• Criticism — ‘What the fuck are you wearing…

You’d like my mum

If you met her, you’d want to hug her.

When we were kids, we’d frustrate the life out of her, the four of us. My older brother Kenny was the worst. He’d invite his friends in to play on our miniature snooker table set up in our dining room, then he’d disappear outside. Mum would hear a ruckus and there would be half a dozen kids in there who she didn’t know. She’d offer them a drink of juice and buttered bread and jam.

Her father died when she was young. She had a hard upbringing, money was tight. This…

I never use a recipe to make soup.

Take an onion, a carrot and a leek — or use whatever veg you have leftover — and turn it into a bowl that will delight your taste buds and make you grateful to be alive.

You don’t need a recipe. This is a simple method of making soup that will always deserve the approving accolades it attracts.

But don’t take my word on it.

My secretary, Ros, used to bring in homemade soup for lunch and I used to bring in mine. …

I created a new WhatsApp group for me and my three kids.

Would you like to take part in a challenge?

I’ll give you £1,000 and you have to make money with it.

“Sure,” replied №1 son.

“I like this idea,” №2 son texted back.

“Are you being serious?” Asked №3 son.

The Format

At no cost to you, the Challenge will run for one year.

You can use the seed money to buy stocks and shares, buy and sell goods, or start a sideline — I’ll leave it up to you and your imaginations.

I’ll send you £1,000. The challenge is to use it to make more money. …

My dad used to say he was the worst singer in Scotland — until he married my mum, then he became the second-worst singer in Scotland. My mum had Van Gogh’s ear for music.

In the fullness of time, my older brother came along. They nurtured him, and he grew from a tiny baby into a toddler. He learned to walk and talk. And then the day came when he too tried to sing, and on that day my dad realised he had become the third-worst singer in Scotland.

Regrettably, all four of his children inherited his ‘tone-deaf’ gene. So…

TRAVEL. SCOTLAND

Inaccessible, except for one easy to defend path, the first time I saw it I exhaled. It literally took my breath away.

Dunnottar Castle is spectacular

On the east coast of Scotland a few miles south of Stonehaven, the fortress sits perched on a rocky headland jutting into the North Sea. The promontory a natural acropolis with three sides dropping sharply into the choppy waters. It is as dramatic a ruin as you will see, beautiful, silent, and steeped in history.

The best view of the castle is from the edge of the cliff a few hundred yards from the road. …