Are You Living the Life You Want?

July 31, 2012

Are you excited and grateful for each new day or are you simply going through the motions as days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, until finally, another year has passed. Do you wonder where the time went as you shake your head in disappointment that you still havent accomplished that New Years Resolution, or finished the latest remodeling project, or cleaned out the junk closet, or quit the job you hate, or signed up for that ONE thing youve always wanted to try?

If you want something different or something more out of life then you have to create it.

As a recovering analysis by paralysis kind of gal, I know firsthand what its like to dream about all the things you want as time continues to slip by and nothing changes. So, how can you finally make your dreams come true? These are some of the lessons (some very recent ones) that Ive learned and steps Ive taken to help launch me into a whirlpool of action. Im talking about the kind of action that is so unbelievable, yet so easy, that you wonder why you didnt do something sooner!

1) Set goals. Napoleon Hill said, A goal is a dream with a deadline. I work with clients all the time on setting short and long term goals and helping them identify specific action steps they will take each day, each week, and each month until they hit their target. Im quite skilled at helping others to break things down into small manageable steps, encouraging them to see their potential, and guiding them through any challenges or obstacles they may face. Ive seen people achieve what they once thought was impossible, and then go do something even bigger! Facilitating change and growth is what Im trained to do; however, I have found it difficult to apply those same skills to myself. Im human I get stuck spinning my wheels just like everyone else, which is why I decided to switch roles and become the client.

2) Hire a coach. Sometimes we are our biggest barriers and if wed just get out of our own way we might actually get somewhere. Obviously, if we could see the light then we wouldnt be stuck in the same place year after year wondering why our dreams havent come true. Thats why I hired a coach (who I continue to work with) and she has been INVALUABLE. In just one month I was able to achieve all that I have dreamt about (and more) for the last 10 years! Now my coach is not a magician or a miracle worker. She is a master of her craft; a skilled, trained expert in facilitating change and growth while instilling confidence in others. Just like me, she guides her clients and helps them to discover that they have everything they need to achieve the life they want. She doesnt set my goals for me or tell me what to do. She is my partner, my sounding board, my teacher, and my mentor. She walks beside me on MY journey, she listens carefully, she helps me to see and learn the lessons in front of me, and she accompanies me up that great big mountain and then screams and claps and celebrates when I claim my stake. As a coach, I know the sense of reward and joy she feels when I can say, I did it! As a client, I know the overwhelming sense of accomplishment, pride, joy, and confidence that is a result of MY hard work.

3) Believe in possibilities. Im never surprised when my clients experience success for the first time. I am always able to see their potential even if they cant. For me, learning to let go of my own self-limiting beliefs has been life-changing. Did I mention that in one month of working with my coach I achieved 10 years worth of built up dreams? LOL! That didnt happen by accident; it happened by design. Once I committed to living the life that I want instead of thinking about it and analyzing it, things began to happen. I worked with my coach to set goals, take action, and focus on possibilities instead of the what ifs? That was scary at first; I felt insecure about the perceived risks I was taking. Very quickly the fear was replaced with excitement, the excitement turned into action, and the action created so much momentum that instead of worrying about all that could go wrong I was too busy trying to manage all that was going right! That, my friends, is the Universe at work. Believing in possibilities creates a life of ABUNDANCE. Yes, it takes work; but its so much easier than you think. As my coach said, it is difficult to operate in a world of abundance when you are mentally living in a state of lack. All we have to do is open our eyes.

4) Adopt an attitude of GRATITUDE. This one takes practice; and like anything else, the more you practice, the better you become. The more grateful we are, the more we have to be grateful for. Its like a domino effect. Sometimes we have to practice gratitude in the midst of loss, failure, and disappointment. That doesnt mean that we arent entitled to our feelings, but we can choose to look beyond that one moment, experience, or circumstance and see all of the things around us that are worth celebrating. Some of my greatest disappointments and failures have taught me the most valuable lessons and in the end presented me with some of the most precious gifts. Ive learned to try to practice gratitude as much during difficult times as I do during good times. Its easy to be grateful when I get my way; it builds character when I choose to be grateful even when things dont work out how I want them to.

If you are not living the life that you want, its never too late to start. These four steps can help you get the ball rolling. All you have to do is take the first step and be prepared to sprint because your life vision might show up a lot faster than you think!