Surround yourself with people who keep you motivated and focused. We all have times when we just don’t feel like we can keep going. Having a strong “why” is important and so is having a strong support system in place as well. No man is an island so don’t think you have to go this journey alone.
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Plants have to be moved into larger containers as they grow because the roots of the plant become cramped and form a tightly packed mass that inhibits growth. Like plants, as we start to grow, we eventually need to be re-potted. Learn to embrace change. It’s a sign of growth.
Everyone has a story to share. I did not learn this valuable lesson until I joined Toastmasters. It takes courage to share but you never know who might need to hear your story or who you might inspire along the way. In the great words of Les Brown, “You have greatness in you.”
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Let the magnetism of your dream pull forward. I hear so often people say I “have” to do or I “should” be doing but if you allow your dream to pull you, you will find yourself doing things you want to do. The healthy habits you consistently do each day is what will bring you the happiness and the success you are looking for.
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Blinkers are also known as blinders. They are the piece of horse tack that prevent the horse seeing to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. Trainers believe these keep the horses focused on what is in front, encouraging them to pay attention to the race rather than other distractions, such as crowds.
To keep moving forward at times you will need to put your blinkers on to stay in your lane.
Sources: Wikipedia / Photo credit: click here.
Time is a precious commodity so the greatest gift you can give to another is your undivided attention. Put your cell phone down when talking to others or address people by their name and watch their reactions. People will engage with you. We all have a desire to be heard and that we matter.
When I walk pass someone I know, many times they stop and tell me they recognized my gait. My walk is distinct just like my brand.
“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” ― Dalai Lama XIV
By meditating on a regular basis I become aware of my thoughts. The more aware I became of my thoughts the more I started making wiser choices on what I paid attention to and where I focused my efforts.
The first thing that captured my attention was the commercials during television shows. I started paying more attention to what was being advertised and I realized that most of the commercials are fear-based messages that try to coerce you into some type of action, which is primarily to sell their product like the latest dish washing liquid doesn’t kill enough germ causing bacteria. Another thing I started noticing was a commercial with a catchy jingle isn’t quite so annoying by the 3rd time you hear it. I started putting the commercials on mute.
The next thing that I started noticing was the amount of negativity in everyday conversation. The more I tried to focus on eliminating negativity from my conversations the more I found reasons to celebrate even the littlest things. I found myself singing to the radio and actually dancing around the house as I did such things like vacuuming and cooking. I eventually stopped watching TV all together.
My days have been more productive and less stressful. I have more time to relax and enjoy things like lying in my hammock, taking morning walks in the park and spending quality time with my family. I started exercising and found a desire to start cleaning out my garage that has been on my to-do list for two years.
What I found is that when you find the joy and appreciation for who you are there is no way anyone can steal that joy from you because it comes from deep within.
We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves. – Lynn Hall
I just came back from an eleven day trip that took me to Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. I spent some much needed time with family in San Francisco. I had a chance to step back from my work and see where I was headed. I was getting frustrated not at my clients but with myself.
Each week I try to share a lesson learned. This week I learned the power of clarity. When I stated my business a few years ago, I really had no clue in the direction I wanted to take. I had this great notion that I wanted to be of service and basically that’s all I really understood. I started managing social media sites for clients that needed help building their audience. I did not have any set price or service plan in mind. I worked hard on building a relationship with my clients and I can honestly say that it worked for me in the beginning.
I would say it took about a year for a frustration to set in. I felt like the clients were taking advantage of my kindness, but I would never address this concern. It wasn’t until recently that I realized it wasn’t my clients that were taking advantage of me, it was that I didn’t value myself to raise the standard.
Lessons Learned:
People are not mind readers. They will not give you more of anything unless you ask. In the same token, it’s their right whether they choose to continue to work with you or not. It’s nothing personal, it’s just business.
Sometimes people will respect you more for being honest in what you won’t do instead of saying yes and botching it up. If you know in your heart you don’t want to take on a particular project, just say so. You have the right to say no in the beginning.
It’s ok to change your mind. It truly means you are growing. There is nothing that says you can’t change your mind. Figure out what works and change what’s not. Don’t beat yourself up!
Not everyone will like the change, but the empowerment you will gain is priceless.
Quote source: http://www.quotegarden.com/change.htm
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. ~Joseph Campbell
Many times during the walk I come across a flock of Canadian Geese.
Most of the time they are on the pond or on the lake. On a few occasions these birds are close to the walking trail or crossing it. As I come up on them, my heart starts racing and fear of them attacking me comes to mind.
I had a little run in with these birds a few years ago when I was going into one of my favorite retail shops, I accidentally walked to close to a nesting ground. The male bird started to fly towards me, squawking at me. I knew I was definitely in the wrong place. It frightened me and many of other patrons that tried to enter the shop that day. Ever since that incident, I try to stay mindful of their presence and respect their space.
Recently, I have decided to give these birds names. 
My names are not meant to be harmful to these birds in any way. My names are meant as a visual reference for the fears generated in my mind. Instead of the sign saying “Caution Feeding Wildlife Can Be Harmful” I see “Caution Feeding Your Fears Can Be Harmful. For instance, in the picture above, I would name these birds confusion, worry, criticism and doubt. By giving the geese these names, I started learning to recognize the emotions that fear generates inside. By feeling and accepting the racing heart beat and the nervousness that arises, I recognize these are feelings of fear. It’s not that the fear will disappear, it is the fact that I have to feel the fear, breathe and keep on moving.
Goose Photo Source: This image was created by Matthew S. Staben http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_goose#mediaviewer/File:Geesespokaneriver.jpg
Quote Source: http://www.quotegarden.com/fear.html
Sweet N Social 
