Welcome to the Funny Farm!

I’m Lilia Sinclair and my partner is Carolyn McDonald.

We would like to give you a brief introduction as to how the farm came about, and what we would like you to get from your time with us, be it one day or 3.

First of all let me tell you a bit about our backgrounds.

Carolyn and I have been friends for over 27 years. We were teenagers when we met, I was working for her mum in the local hair salon, and Carolyn used to come in a work with us on her school holidays. Try as I might to get her to become a hairdresser, as her talent with people and her creativity was obvious, she decided to get away from Argyll and went to Glasgow College of Food Technology, to train in Hotel and business management.

During this time I got married and started a family, having 3 children by the time I was 22. We still remained close friends, although our lives were so dramatically different, Carolyn went on to advertise herself in the papers, thus getting a brilliant job in a brand new trendy hotel in the Merchant city.

I was busy at home with the work that 3 kids involves, and we would see each other at weekends or whenever I could get some time in the city. When the kids were young, it was at the start of the aerobics boom, and through a series of coincidences, I started teaching in the village, and then in our local sports centre. This was my first introduction to training and motivation, although, teaching was very much in my dads side of the family. That was the beginning of a 20 year involvement in the fitness and motivation industry.

Carolyn moved on to another brand new bar in the city centre, got it up and running, before moving back to Tarbert to run the Anchor Hotel with her mum, and then eventually taking over herself, putting her own style into all the rooms, and attracting musicians from over the country to play there and bringing some of the city excitement to Tarbert. I could strum a few chords on the guitar, and we would frequently sit up singing for hours, happily entertaining ourselves, and sometimes a few others!

Meantime I had gone back to work full time running a salon nearby, and we would discuss the pros and cons of managing people, motivation, and all the other emotions running a business involves, guilt at taking time off, and the usual women's concerns.

Our interest in spirituality, or if you like the overall view of complete health in body, mind and soul, was sparked at similar times, although looking back it is hard to say exactly when, as with most things it was a gradual awakening, and slow realisation that all might not be as it seemed!

Also the big one I think a lot of people are coming round to now is, that contrary to what we previously had thought, that it was all happening despite us, in actual fact, it is all happening because of us! Not easy to get your head around when you are first faced with that possibility.

I then faced the biggest challenge of my life, moving to the city, and managing lots of hairdressers, in the largest hair franchise company in the world! There I was challenged and scared in a way I had never been before, a huge lesson on hindsight obviously, but a challenge that I actually did consider running away from on more than one occasion.

Carolyn decided to do an aromatherapy course, which she absolutely loved. She is now facing another challenge, although almost the opposite from me, that was what next? Having done everything she had set out to do, came that other big decision, a change, but what to?

Never under estimate the power of the “comfort zone” I left my job in the city after 18 months, realising that even although I had tremendous career prospects, it was draining my spirit, and I had to keep my mouth shut to keep certain people happy, therefore draining my own moral power, selling my soul.

Carolyn and I heard of a healing course, through a mutual friend, which seemed exactly what we were both looking for, Vibrational healing, we were flung headlong into an entire new belief system!

Almost everyday of the 8 day course, we came out looking at each other, not quite knowing what the hell was going on anymore. No bite size pieces for us, oh no, the full entire challenging bhoona, right there in our faces. I can honestly say that rather than help us initially, it threw us into total confusion, and we wondered if perhaps it was not a lot easier, having our belief systems remain unchallenged.

During this time I decided to run a motivation course, taking my fitness experience, business experience, and put it together with what helped me, and how to pass it on. This proved to be invaluable learning experience for me, and gave me more insight to how scared we all are of change!

I left to go on a round the world trip I had been talking about for years, and our communication for the next year was mainly via email.

We started flinging ideas back and forward about our need to use what we had learned, and also to build it into our daily lives. And slowly but surely the Funny Farm evolved.

Carolyn came over to Whistler BC, for 3 weeks in January 2002 , and we started to turn the idea into reality. We strongly believe that life should be fun, and looking after yourself at all levels is important for your mind body and soul. The food you eat, moderate regular exercise, meditation or relaxation, and creativity and fun! Laughter is a priceless tonic!

Identifying the areas in your life that need attention, and sorting it out NOW!

Not taking yourself too seriously, and looking carefully at your priorities.

TIME Taking some for yourself. Analyse one week and see how effective your time management is.