Time to salute those who influence me. I have a mixed bag of friends, roughly equal across the genders, but it's the women I know that have done the most to change their lives and circumstances when things simply don't feel right anymore, when the shoe no longer fits, that kind of thing. By and large (there are a few exceptions) they've all made what I term a hard right turn and done something else, which usually, if not always, sees an ambition realised. Ambitions that, I have to confess, are above and beyond one or two that my male friends carry, the search for the perfect pint for instance. Never going to grab me that one. Don't mind pubs, but limits please...

This entry is for my women friends who have said enough is enough, sat down, reflected, made hard decisions on occasions, and followed other callings instead. So stand up and take some applause, those of you seeing your inner objectives through, whether its: counselling, coaching, running your own business, risking it all to produce a film, spending three months in the US learning a new skill, working on that organic garden, volunteer work for a medical charity, developing your spiritual / physical side . You know who you are, why some of you even dip in to this blog.

You're the force who drives the green fuse as far as I'm concerned. I'm a fed-up with work guy wanting a change. I take my inspiration from you.