So far it’s pretty quiet in there, but what I have found are a few people taking the most amazing pictures of the city I live in, London. I kept seeing them and being blown away by the powerful images of the most ordinary things. Just seeing how the view of a lamp, rooftop, or looking up at a skyscraper seemed to hold a new beauty.

I see many of the things that people are photographing, almost every day. But there was something about these pictures that inspired me. So I started taking my own photos. If I found myself spotting something that made me notice it, I would stop, think about what it was that I was drawn to and then try to capture that essence. I wasn’t trying to take a snapshot, I wanted to point out the one thing that drew me in. Often this would actually be the clouds behind the scene I was looking at. There is something very unique about the clouds in the UK. So you’ll see in many of my pictures that clouds feature prominently.

What I found the most interesting was when I found something that really moved me, it would more often than not, move others. It was like I had suddenly tapped into a new connection, not only with myself, but the others around me.

One comment that really interested me was “I wish I could take pictures like that!” to which I replied, “You can! Just take lots of pictures of things that move you and post the best ones.”

He now goes for walks with his children, with one specific reason. To find things of beauty and capture them on his mobile phone.

Join me on Google+ and share what moves you, too.

Sun Rise over Tower Bridge

Paul and Sam explore the possibilities of asking “How to…?” do something – whether it is drawing, cooking or starting a podcast! From opening a Pandora’s box on Google, to discussing the merits of having a clear goal (or picture) vs simply knowing where to start; different styles can even affect our self-criticism!

Join us for this teddy-bears’ picnic! (And do share your drawing on our Facebook page if you take up the How-to-draw-a-Bear Challenge!)

Paul's How-to-draw-a-bear!

Sam's How-to-draw-a-bear!

And here’s a sneaky video of Paul’s drawing in action!

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post! You’ll also be the first to receive a copy of our new e-Book.

Of course ActionPodcast is your number one but other than that what other websites, iPhone apps and systems do you use to keep you on track with your own personal development?

Personally I use the following

1. Actionpodcast.com (of course!)
2. Morning pages – I use either good old fashioned pen and paper, or I have a couple of iPhone apps that I use. They are EverNote and ShapeWriter.
3. DailyBurn - helps me track my weight and general fitness.
4. Google Calendar – I would be pretty much lost without it. As I have it synchronised with my iPhone I have it everywhere I go.
5. Google Docs – Great for keeping track, of pretty much anything using their suite of spread sheets, text documents and even presentations. I’ve also found that I can create quick and simple forms using Google docs and then use them on my iPhone for tracking things like expenses. The form then automatically fills out a spreadsheet for me, which makes doing my finances each week a breeze!
6. Social websites – I’ve bunched them together, but Facebook and twitter type sites really help me keep up with my friends, family and are a great way to ask for HELP! I use Ping.fm to send updates to all my social websites at the same time.
7. GymFu – I recently found a cool suite of applications for the iPhone that actively monitor your movements as you work out. It actually tells you how many to do, when to slow down even when your form isn’t quite right!

I love hearing about how people use technology and the internet every day in their own personal development. So please take a minute to send me your top favourites!

ENJOY!