Fears

 

    Most people have different ideas about what fear is!  Many feel that anything that makes them “afraid” is their fear.  Others think that fear is more of a macabre type of thing that is usually seen in horror movies.  To still others, the “bump in the night” or the sudden appearance of the unexpected is their defining definition of fear. 

     However, consider this: “Fear is a natural, powerful, and primitive human emotion. It involves a universal biochemical response as well as a high individual emotional response. Fear alerts us to the presence of danger or the threat of harm, whether that danger is physical or psychological.” https://www.verywellmind.com/the-psychology-of-fear-2671696#:~:text=Fear%20is%20a%20natural%2C%20powerful,danger%20is%20physical%20or%20psychological.

     Have you ever felt overwhelmed by fear - so much so that it prevented you from doing something you wanted to do?  Believe it or not, this is a common problem faced by many people in their daily lives.

     Fear (even if imagined or perceived) has the power to hold you back from taking risks, following your dreams, or becoming successful at anything you attempt to do.  If you allow it to control you for long enough, it can eventually erode your quality of life and keep you locked in a prison of inactivity.

     What many people fail to realize is that fear is nothing more than a conditioned response.  It's a natural reaction to a frightening or unfamiliar situation.  While it is usually automatic, there are things you can do to overcome it.

1)  Check your expectations.

     One major contributor of fear is the prevalence of negative expectations.  Do you usually find yourself expecting the worst in every situation?  Do you worry obsessively about what could go wrong, rather than focusing on your strengths and capabilities?  Are you one of those people who have given in to the power of the Murphy’s law (typically stated as: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong!”)?

     If you make a conscious effort to expect the best, see the positive side of each situation and keep reminding yourself that you can handle more than you often think, you'll find yourself with much less fear to deal with whatever situations may come your way.  Even if feelings of fear do manage to creep into your consciousness, you'll still be able to keep them in perspective and balance them against an underlying sense of confidence.

2)  Discredit your fears.

     Experts will tell you that the majority of things you fear will never come to pass anyway.  While this may be true, it sure doesn't feel that way when fear has a chokehold on you!  However, if you look a little more closely at your fears when they arise, you may be able to dismiss at least a few.

     For example, if you have a fear of public speaking and your boss wants you to give a presentation at work, you might feel like your life (and perhaps your livelihood) is on the line.  You may fear getting fired, or worry that your colleagues will lose respect for you if you don't do a good job.  There may be any number of concerns that may fill your mind with anxiety and fear!

     But is any of this likely to happen?  In most cases, no.  Rather than worrying about what "might" happen if you don't give a solid presentation, you might brainstorm ways to help improve your performance, such as being well prepared, practicing your delivery on friends and family members, writing notes to yourself and so on.

3)  Do the very thing you fear.

     When you remember that fear is simply a feeling, it loses much of its power.  It can't harm you and except in truly threatening situations you can choose to ignore it and move forward anyway. 

     If you weigh the pros and cons in any situation, you may decide that the possibility of negative consequences is minimal so there's nothing to stop you from ignoring your fear and going for it!  This will be determined by you on a case-by-case basis, of course.  The point isn't to become reckless with your decision-making but rather to empower yourself to know when a fear is groundless and easily overcome.  An article that might be helpful can be found at https://www.verywellmind.com/healthy-ways-to-face-your-fears-4165487

     The simple truth to all our fears, anxieties, frets, and whatever there is that puts us into those very uncomfortable positions is the fact that we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

                             THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you first master your fears,

you can master anything!"

Attracting Money

      Most people have the thinking that “only if I had more money” all the problems in my life would become zilch!  They think that their measure of success or status in the community, at work, or even in their family is going to be judged by the size of their bank account balance.  So when people begin to think about the importance of setting goals within their lives, their mind immediately turns to finances and their need to attract more money into their lives.

     They're sick of struggling, sick of not having enough, and they're eager to find relief.  And in all honesty having those feelings makes a lot of sense.  Unfortunately, attracting money is often one of the most difficult objectives, simply because money carries such heavy emotional weight in our lives.  There's a lot riding on the success (or failure) of our goal to attract more money!  Namely, our peace of mind, happiness, security - and much more.

     Placing such strong emphasis on the outcome of money attraction only creates more blockages.  The more you think you desperately "need" more money; the more you believe you can't be happy without it; the more frustrated you get when it isn't showing up - the longer it's going to take to attract it.  And, in general, even when people reach their established goal of “financial success,” the bar becomes raised to a new level that again makes us perceive that we are still a “failure” and will never become “successful.”

     The good news is that there are a few simple things you can do to make the process easier:

1)  Lighten up!

     The more tense and serious you are about attracting money, the harder it's going to be.  If you instead look at it like a fun game, you'll be devoting a perfect mixture of light, and positive energy to the process - which is a natural prosperity attractor!  In fact, make it your mission to be lighthearted and easygoing about money and everything else in your life from now on.  Not only will you end up attracting more money, but also more love, joy, peace, fun and passion in all areas of your life.

2)  Be what you want to attract.

     Another common blockage is the perception of "here and there."  You believe you are HERE, in the midst of lack and struggle, and you are trying to get over THERE, where there is peace and abundance aplenty.  What you'll eventually realize is that there is no "here or there."  There is only right now, and whatever you are communicating to the universe right now is what you are creating in your physical reality.  Rather than focusing on trying to ATTRACT more money, BECOME a person who has all the money they could ever need.  Think, feel and act as if your goal is already achieved, and the universe will make it so!  Focus daily on feeling happy, abundant, peaceful, secure, and grateful and you will attract life circumstances that correspond with those feelings.

     You’ve probably heard the expression: “The grass is greener on the other side of the fence.”  Just don’t forget that when you get on the other side of the fence, where you think you should be and where things are supposed to be “greener”, where is the other side of the fence NOW?  Is it not where you just came from?

3)  Let go.

     Don't worry about "how" your money will come.  Don't focus obsessively on winning the lottery, receiving an inheritance or anything else specific.  Let the universe decide from where it will come and how.  Keep your eyes open for opportunities to receive more money and act on them if you see them, but otherwise detach and know that it's on the way!  This is easier said than done, but the more you try to control "how" your abundance comes, the more blockages you create. 

     Additionally, be sure to let go of WHEN money comes into your life.  You might be tempted to set a deadline, but the universe has its own timing and wisdom.  Be willing to trust and let go, and you open a gateway for immense blessings to flow into your life.

     Also, don’t forget to keep your worst enemy in check: YOU!  This will always happen because we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you think money grows on trees,

why don't you plant an orchard?"

Self-Talk

      I remember as a young boy walking around the streets of my small home town and seeing our neighbors.  One in particularly would be kind of shuffling along and mumbling to himself.  I thought, at the time, that he must be a little crazy or at least a bit odd!  Now I am more conscience that I am doing the same thing.  In reality, this is to be expected from most people!    

     Did you know that you, like most people, talk to yourself all day long?  No, not the mental chatter about activities and chores that you need to remember throughout the day.  That’s a form of self-talk too, but I’m referring more to the things you say to yourself on a regular basis; and more importantly, the tone in which you say them.

     When you make a mistake, do you berate yourself angrily?  Do you put yourself down or call yourself derogatory names?  When you have a hard time making positive changes in your life, do you bemoan what a “worthless” person you are and conclude that you’ll never do anything right?  Most people do these things and never really realize that they are doing them.

     Negative self-talk can be incredibly damaging to your self-esteem, especially if it’s a big part of your daily life.  When you keep saying things like that to yourself, eventually you begin to believe them!

     Most often these messages begin as statements uttered by the adults in your life when you were a child.  They may have said something negative about you when your actions displeased them, or perhaps they had a habit of saying unkind things even when you didn’t deserve it.  Most parents don’t realize that if you continue to repeat such derogatory statements to your children, they will probably live down to your expectations of never amounting to anything!  As painful as these experiences can be, it is even worse when you pick up where they left off and keep repeating the same negative messages to yourself over and over!

     The good news is that you can change your self-talk any time you want.  You just have to know how to become aware of the tone of your messages and consciously replace them with more encouraging ones.  Try these simple steps for starters:

1)         Develop awareness of your self-talk.  It may take practice, but if you keep “listening” in to your inner voice, you’ll begin to notice when you talk negatively to yourself.  You will become more aware of not only WHAT you are saying to yourself, but also HOW it is being said.

2)         Challenge the negative messages.  When you notice yourself saying something negative such as, “You’re such a screw-up, you can’t do anything right” – stop yourself and challenge that belief.  Is that really true?  Maybe you mess up sometimes, but do you ALWAYS mess up?  Probably not.

3)         Replace the negative messages with positive messages.  When you realize you’re saying unkind and untrue things to yourself, simply turn it around in your mind.  Using the above example, you might say, “Wow, that’s not true at all!  I do plenty of things right.  It’s true I make mistakes, but so does everyone.  I’m a good person and I try my best.  That’s good enough for me.”  “Positive self-talk is an inner monologue that makes you feel good about yourself and everything going on in your life. It’s an optimistic voice in your head that encourages you to look at the bright side, pick yourself up when you fall and recognize when you fail.”  Read more to help yourself in this area at https://7summitpathways.com/blog/what-is-positive-self-talk/#:~:text=Positive%20self%2Dtalk%20is%20an,and%20recognize%20when%20you%20fail.

     Over time, your efforts will pay off in the form of stronger self-esteem and respect for yourself and your capabilities.  It probably won’t happen overnight, but the more you work at turning your self-talk in a more positive direction, the better you’ll feel about yourself.  However, exercise patience with yourself because you are going to be your own worst enemy.  This is due to the fact that we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Always speak truth to yourself,

then make sure you listen."

Failure

      You have probably tried many things in your life: In school, at work, in your personal life or within other situations.   There may have been things that you didn’t try!  Why?  Could it have been you held back on doing something because you were afraid of failure?  Most people have!  Let’s face it; no one likes to fail.  None of us likes to feel like we’re ineffective, weak or lacking in any way, and that’s exactly how failure makes us feel.  It can almost consume us with the feelings that we can’t do anything right!  Or that our life is useless because of our failures!

     However, you may be surprised to learn a simple truth that many people never come to understand and that is: failure doesn’t exist – until YOU say it does.  In the dictionary, failure has several definitions:  1)  a failing to do or perform  2)  a state of inability to perform a normal function adequately  3)  a fracturing or giving way under stress  4)  a lack of success.  Look carefully at those definitions and you’ll probably realize they have one thing in common when it comes to goal achievement:  failure is a PERCEPTION.

     Consider the comments concerning Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light bulb. Thomas Edison’s teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.”  He was fired from his first two jobs for being “non-productive.”  As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb.  When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times.  The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

     If you believe you have failed, then you have.  If you believe you don’t have the ability to succeed, then you don’t.  If you believe you can’t handle the pressure of achieving your goals, you can’t.  If you believe you’re not successful, you aren’t.  Failure only exists in your own mind!  The moment you decide to give up or stop working toward your goals, failure is born.

     But what if you never do that?  What if you could be like “The Little Engine That Could?”  This is an old children’s book used to teach children the value of optimism and hard work.  Whatever needed to be faced, that little engine continued to remind itself, “I think I can” and so it did! 

     Or what if you could learn the teaching that Master Yoda gave Luke Skywalker in “The Empire Strikes Back” when he raises the X-wing fighter from the swamp of Dagobah?  Watch the video replay and learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3-CpzZJl8w

     What if you continue working toward your goals, one step at a time for as long as it takes?  There’s no failure then, is there?  This insight should be very encouraging if you’ve been working toward goals and are not yet seeing positive results.  Simply keep going and you cannot fail!

     Here are three tips to help you stay strong and focused on your goals:

1)         Never give yourself an out.  Most people do this without even realizing it.  They are willing to work hard on achieving their goals, until the going gets too rough or their motivation dwindles.  Don’t do that!  Commit to making your goals happen, no matter what!  Never quit, never contemplate admitting failure, and never lose your inner determination.  Or as the crew of the NSEA Protector, the starship from “Galaxy Quest” said: “Never give-up, never surrender.”

2)         Don’t get hooked on a specific timeframe for completion.  It’s okay to set a general timeline, but be aware that some circumstances will be beyond your control, so you can’t say for sure when your goal will be achieved.  If you do that, you’re just setting yourself up for failure!  Instead, get a general idea of when you’d like your goal to be completed, but then take it a day at a time and focus on making progress, not reaching the finish line in as little time as possible.  A friend once told me concerning an event that I was in expectation of, “Keep telling yourself, it will be here tomorrow!  One day you’re going to be right!”

3)         Finally, be sure that you don’t view obstacles and setbacks as failures.  The two are completely different.  An obstacle, setback or delay means only one thing:  it’s not time for your goal to be completed yet.  That’s it!  It doesn’t mean you failed; it doesn’t mean you’re weak; it doesn’t mean you’ll never achieve your goals.  It simply means you’re not done yet.  You’ve got to keep moving forward and find a way around or through the obstacle.  When you drive your vehicle to some destination and along the way encounter detours, you may be delayed in reaching your destination, but you have not failed to reach it unless YOU choose to give-up!

     The only thing that holds us back with anything in our lives is ourselves!  We are always our worst enemy.  But, then again, we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you always move forward,

you will inevitably reach your goal!"

Simpler Life

 

     When I first graduated from High School, I left a small town in Georgia (about 5,000 population) and moved to Washington, DC for a government job.  I was taken completely by surprise to learn in this huge metropolis there was a group of “day” people and a group of “night” people.  It seemed that the city was moving 24/7.  Of course, today things have not gotten any better!

     With the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, we can often find ourselves yearning for a quieter, simpler way of living, perhaps dreaming of that chance to return to that period of time in our lives when things didn’t have to be so complicated.  If your life has come to resemble an endless race to the finish line, take a look at the few suggestions below to bring a greater sense of calm and simplicity back into your life.

1.              Less is more.  It’s amazing how much “stuff” we can accumulate in our homes because we think they’ll contribute to our lives.  It’s true that we gain enjoyment from material possessions, but the more we accumulate the more burdened we often feel.  Eventually we find ourselves living under a constant cloud of confusion, scattered thoughts and stress.

     We are constantly seeking to gain more and improved “things.”  But these “things” will never truly bring happiness into our lives.  If we are not worrying about “getting” these “things.”  We are worrying about how we are going to keep them or “is someone going to take them from us.”  Begin immediately to clear out the material possessions you no longer need or want, and donate them to a local charitable organization.  This will accomplish two things:  first, you’ll feel lighter and less cramped in your home; and you’ll also feel good about giving these items to people who can actually use them.

2.             Reduce your activities.  An active life is good for you, but not if it leaves you feeling stressed and fatigued!  Most of us take on much more than necessary as far as obligations and even recreational activities are concerned.

     Take a few minutes to think about the things you do on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.  Do you really need to do all of them?  Have you taken on responsibilities that really aren’t yours?  Are you spending time on activities you no longer enjoy?  Make a list of at least a few activities or obligations that you can eliminate, and then go ahead and do so – even if you have to pare them down gradually.  It’s no disgrace to tell others “no” when you truly are not able to take on another responsibility.  Learn your personal limits and stay within them.  This will also be a great help within the workplace.

3.           Spend time in silence.  A deceptively simple way to live a life of simplicity and ease is to shut out the mental and physical “noise” of your busy life on a regular basis.  Sitting in silence for just a few minutes can drastically reduce your stress levels and leave you feeling calm, centered and happy.  Find that “special” place for you.  That place where for a specific period of time you can be alone with yourself and your thoughts.

      If you live near a park or natural setting, you can even boost the effectiveness of this activity by spending time in nature.  While not completely silent, natural settings have soothing sounds like running water, singing birds, and wind sighing through the trees – which automatically will trigger feelings of peace and well-being. 

     You may also enjoy some additional points on simplifying your life by visiting: https://www.becomingminimalist.com/simpler/  This article “7 Ways to Live Simpler in a Modern World” has several interesting points to consider.

     When it comes right down to it, living a simpler life is about learning how to slow down and connect more deeply with your inner self.  Whether you do that by simplifying your surroundings, calming your schedule, or enjoying a quiet respite each day, the result is the same – a happier and more peaceful you!  I urge you however, keep a tight mental grip on that always lurking enemy to your peace of mind --- YOU!  Because we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"To enjoy the rose,

you must endure the thorn."

Action Brings Enpowerment

      You’ve found yourself doing it!  Everyone of us has done it at one time or another.  Your life seems to going around in circles.  You are in THAT rut!  Get up --- go to work --- come home --- go to bed!  Then the next day you start all over again.  If you’ve ever been stuck in a rut of inertia before, you probably know the sense of helpless futility that takes over your life.  You want your life to change, but you feel powerless to do anything about it yourself.  You may find yourself constantly making plans to improve your life, but never quite getting around to taking action because it seems so intimidating.  You keep telling yourself “I’ll get it done, SOMEDAY!  But that day never seems to come.

     However, there is something you should keep in mind: Though taking action can intimidate and frighten you, it can also empower you!  If you learn to use it effectively, it can provide the fuel to keep you moving forward toward more fulfilling life circumstances.  When you do this, you realize the truth of most situations: that there was never anything to fear in the first place, and you’ll never get stuck again!  While there may be many ways to overcome this repetitive rut, below I have listed three simple steps that show you how to get started and to get started NOW:

1.      First, be sure you understand that your life is the way it is right now because of your hesitation in taking action!  This is important, because it will help you understand the importance of moving forward no matter how anxious it makes you feel at first.

       Then, decide on one action to take to get the ball rolling.  Think about your life right now, and ask yourself which situations you want to change first.  You might choose your career, relationships, health, financial situation, or anything else that makes you feel powerless and stuck.  Then think about one simple action you can take to inspire some positive change.  It doesn’t have to be a huge action, just SOMETHING to start building momentum.  For example, if you were considering your current financial situation, perhaps you could establish a budget that would help you gain betting control over your spending habits.

2.      Once you’ve decided on your action step, you’ll have to push yourself to take it no matter what!  This may seem incredibly difficult or even scary at first, but remember that most often the things you fear are not going to happen.  In fact, you may not even have a clear reason for feeling scared – you’re just afraid of the “unknown”.  Give yourself a pep talk or push yourself in any way you have to in order to move forward at least a little bit.  After you take that first step, be sure to let go of any expectations of the things that will happen because of it, and allow yourself to feel great simply because you did something about it!

      According to Lao Tzu (a major figure in Chinese philosophy whose historical existence is debated) is to have said: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  My father, who was neither Chinese nor a philosopher simply used to tell me: “You’ll never get finished (or the task completed) if you never get started.”  Maybe my father was smarter than I gave him credit for?

3.      Repeat with the same step, and/or others, over.  Once you’ve taken one step forward, you’ll need to keep pushing yourself to take others.  Consider this:  Even if you take a hundred small steps in a month, you’ll be putting forth positive effort to make changes in your life, which cannot help but bring about better circumstances!

     The good news is that taking action quickly begins to build momentum.  Just as chronic non-action can create a cycle of negativity and stagnation over time, being proactive can create a positive cycle that continues to grow!  It gets easier the more you do it, which eventually makes it seem almost effortless – and you continue to empower and strengthen yourself with every step you take.

    The bad news is that it is always our tendency to take the road of least resistance.  And that road is always the one the means we can do nothing.  Your biggest roadblock to advancement will be YOU!  This is because we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The greatest influence in your life

can be YOU!"

Your Day

 

    How do you start your day?  Is your day planned with activities, appointments, and other things that you have to get done?  Or do you tend to let your outer circumstances set the tone for each day?  Do you allow other people and events to trigger feelings of anger, frustration, impatience and more?  Is there anything you can do to make certain your day is one of great anticipation?

     If you don’t take charge of your day and you let others dictate how things are going to work out for you, you will never truly have an enjoyable day in your life!  By letting others set the tone of your day, you are not using the power you have available to you!  By using the Law of Attraction, you can turn every day into a great day.  One way to do that is by using intentions and visualization to create your day.  What does this involve?

     When you first wake up in the morning, spend 10 minutes or so thinking about the types of things you’d like to experience or get accomplished for that day.  How would you like your workday to go?  What kind of people would you like to meet?  Would you like to receive some great opportunities to advance your career or financial situation?  How would you like to feel for the majority of your day?

     After thinking about these (and other) things for several minutes, grab a blank journal or notebook and jot these details down!  Once you’ve gotten all the details written down, spend a few minutes vividly imagining each scenario in your mind, exactly as you would like it to happen.  Pretend you’re watching a movie in your mind, seeing it all play out exactly as you’d “written the script” in your mind.

     Most importantly, allow yourself to feel as if these events were actually happening now.  Immerse yourself in these feelings of excitement, joy, happiness and gratitude as you enjoy one great experience after another.  Use this same process for every experience you’d like to have that day.  True, it may take some time until you are able to visualize these things the way you want them to be, but be persistent and don’t give up!  By the time you’re finished you should be feeling fantastic; buzzing with good spirits and high expectations for the day’s activities!

     Then continue with your normal routine, taking special care not to be “attached” to any specific events or experiences, just simply staying open to whatever comes.  Keep affirming that great things are going to happen to you that day, and you feel great about all of the blessings and abundance in your life, however they turn out!

     At the same time, avoid getting entangled in feelings of worry, anxiety, frustration, and anger as much as possible throughout the day because those feelings will interfere with the positive energy you’ve already put out for that day.

     As often as you can remember, call to mind images of the things you visualized earlier and allow good feelings to flow over you again.  Affirm and know that wonderful things are happening, even if you don’t see them quite yet.  Be patient!  Be patient!  Be patient!

     By using this process on a daily basis, you’ll eventually start to notice that good things are starting to happen.  You’ll find yourself being in the “right place at the right time” and generally enjoying greater opportunities and abundance.

     Also remember, the greatest hurdle you will have in following through with this process will be YOU!  Keep resisting the urges to “give up” and then fall back into your “regular” routine of daily living.  Fight hard against those urges, because we’re only human!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The secret to success is to plan your work,

then work your plan."

Commit to Your Goals

 

   “As simple as it sounds, the question, what are goals, is a very important question to answer if making the best out of our daily lives is something of great concern.

     Anyone will assume they already know what goals are, they’ve probably been setting goals all their lives. However, when we get too familiar with certain concepts, we tend to forget their real meaning and essence. Hence, it is not surprising that people set many goals but achieve too little.

     When you don’t understand what goals are or what they are meant to be, you might scribble anything on paper and call them goals and then get frustrated when you fail to achieve them.” https://www.lifehack.org/863723/what-are-goals   And so starts the article: “What are Goals?  Achieve More By Changing Your Perspectives.”  You may want to read more of it at the link above.

     However, have you ever set a goal and not achieved it?  Most people have.  In fact, it’s quite common for people to get stuck in an endless cycle of setting goals and then quitting them shortly afterwards – and accomplishing nothing at all.  You may be familiar with everyone making those “New Year resolutions.”  How many of those are ever kept beyond a few months (if that)!

     Why do people do this?  One of the biggest reasons is a lack of commitment to their goal.  Without commitment a goal will gradually shrink in importance, and the temptation to quit will seem much more attractive, especially when obstacles cause setbacks and delays.

      On the other hand, if you make a serious commitment and then continually remind yourself of it, you’ll be much more likely to persevere and achieve the goal.  This applies to ANY goals whether they are large or small!  But how can this be done?

     Here’s how to commit to your goals:

1)         First and foremost, you have to make sure that every goal you set is of VITAL importance to you.  This can be tricky because we so often fool ourselves into thinking we want one thing when we want something entirely different.  Take some time with this part of the process, and be sure that you get to the heart of what you really want.  Why do you want it?  What will it do for you?  What positive things will it bring to your life?  How will it help you?  How will it make you feel when it’s accomplished?  There may be many others questions you will want to consider regarding your personal goals.  Make sure you spend the time to think about what they might be

     Then, write them all of this down, along with your answers, and keep them handy so you can refer to it as often as necessary if you feel your commitment beginning to slip. 

     Also ask yourself if your goal is worth the effort and sacrifice that will be needed to achieve it.  If you can honestly answer yes, you are on the way! 

2)         Think about what will happen if you don’t follow through.  Would nothing much happen if you don’t achieve your goal?  If not, then you need to raise the stakes!  You have to make your goal the most important thing in the world, and if you don’t do it, you’ll deal with negative consequences.  Even if you have to indulge in a bit of “make believe” in order to do this, do it.  For example, play up the fact that you’ll lose respect for yourself if you don’t follow through; or you might agree to give up something you love if you don’t make it happen.  You want to conceive of the circumstances that will result if you fail to achieve EACH of your specific goals.

3)         Then, each and every day, renew your commitment.  It’s easy to be committed when your goal is new and your motivation is high, but you need to be able to STAY committed – no matter what!  That is so often the problem with those “New Year resolutions” that are at the top of our list of accomplishments come January 1^st, but by the end of February, they are forgotten. Each day when you awaken, read through the goal you wrote down on the first day, and stress again how vitally important it is to you.  Promise yourself that you’re going to do as much as you can to work on your goal that day, and every day until you achieve it.

     When it comes right down to it, no other person can achieve your goals for you.  If you want to achieve them, you’ll have to find the determination necessary to keep going.  Inactivity and procrastination are usually nothing more than bad habits.  Turning those habits into something more positive and productive is as simple as taking it a one day at a time and working your hardest to change your life.  The more committed and determined you are to making your goal happen, the more likely you’ll do just that.  However, we always have that self-doubt working against us, because we’re only human! 

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"If you don't know where you're going,

how will you know when you get there?"