I go running about twice a week. Ok, quite often once a week. Do I like it? I mean actually enjoy it? Maybe in a round about way I do, at least some of the time. I think I've now discovered a way of making the experience better.

Today I was running over Blackfriars Bridge and I had a realisation. Running becomes a much better experience if you stay firmly in the moment. Concentrate on surroundings, positive things about current physical state - anything just as long as it's in the present. Thinking about how far you've run, how much further you have to go, how you'll feel in ten minutes will put any runner at a disadvantage.

It's true to say that this idea is highly transferable. Many people spend large portions of their time worrying about the future and fretting about the past in a way that serves no real purpose. I realise that this sounds like a sweeping statement. However, I often work with clients on being in the present and it generally leads to impressive results in all sorts of areas.

The area it's helped me has been with my running and I'm hoping I'll be ready for my charity run on Bank Holiday Monday. All donations will be very much appreciated - www.original.justgiving.com/teamhewsonpurdy

I was listening to Womans Hour yesterday. I was driving up the M1 to see my Pa in Warwickshire and the radio makes these journeys much more enjoyable.

There was an item about assisted conception which was talking about a shortage of donor sperm and eggs. What I felt the item lacked was a true acknowledgement of what a big deal sperm/egg donation actually is. It just seemed to suggest 'people want babies, more gametes are needed, something must be done', and was weighted very heavily towards the viewpoint of prospective parents.

Gametes are not like blood or organs. They are the essence of an individual and I know many people who could not bear the idea of their biological child being brought up by a stranger. Therefore, surely a shortage of donor gametes is to be expected and is entirely appropriate. Does anyone really want to live in a world where they are freely available commodities?

Procrastination is very common. It's a big factor in a lot of the coaching I do with clients. It gets in the way, it holds people back and it stops hoards of people from achieving their true potential.

I have to confess that I, too, procrastinate on occasions and have an excellent example to share today.

National Insurance. I had a very small issue to sort out with mine. Whenever I thought about it, complicated forms, difficult sums and stern sounding voices came to mind. Admittedly, fairly low grade anxieties but certainly enough to make me push the whole thing to the back of my mind. Again. And again. And again.

Whenever I've thought about it I felt a vague feeling of discomfort. On occasions I've woken up in the night thinking about it. Although I couldn't say how much time I've spent not sorting this out, it certainly adds up.

Today I bit the bullet and made the phone call to the National Insurance man. The issue was resolved in three and a half minutes.

Enough said.

I went for a pretty substantial run with my friend David on Saturday. We starded at Clerkenwell, got to the north side of Blackfriars Bridge, ran along the Embankment to Westminster Bridge then back along the Southbank to Blackfriars Bridge. It was lovely and a route I'd recommend to anyone.

I enjoyed the post-run buzz afterwards (probably a mixture of smugness and endorphines) but to be honest, I'm still feeling pretty exhausted from it two days later. And I ACHE!

What's going on?

I'll tell you what going on - I didn't warm up properly, didn't stretch properly and didn't get enough rest afterwards. All text-book mistakes and as a former Personal Trainer, I should know better. I'm not sure why I'd think I am exempt from these very basic rules of exercise but yes - warming up is cool.

If you ever want to change your state of mind, a simple tool is to simply act as if. If you're feeling sad, act as if you're happy. If you're feeling tired, act as if you're energetic. If you're disappointed, act as if you're pleased.

Just do it and see what happens. You'll notice a shift in your mood within minutes.

Go on! Try it!

I often get moments of inspiration, insight and resolution when I'm having my morning coffee in Sobo on Tower bridge Road (www.sobogallery.co.uk) and this morning was no exception.

I was just leaving when Alan, who I'm on 'hello' terms with said 'See you soon Stephen'. The tone of his goodbye, I felt, demanded eye contact but because I had already walked past him when he issued it, I just said a breezy goodbye without looking. It could well be that Alan hasn't given the matter a second thought and I hope that's the case. I, however, felt vaguely uneasy about it as soon as I left the shop and I began contemplating the importance and the power of eye contact.

Customer-care trainings always stress the importance of eye contact and it adds meaning to the special occasion tradition of clinking of glasses. A smile from a random stranger in the street has the power to raise the spirit and people who cannot meet your eye are often perceived as shifty.

Some eye contact is second nature to nearly everyone. It could also be that nearly everyone could make more use of eye contact and that it is actually a very useful tool.