Rip Fear off like a band-aid

Fear is a funny thing, it can stop you from living your dreams, prevent you from doing the things you know that are good for you and trick you into staying in that boring old comfort zone.
On the other hand, fear is a great thing. It protects us from dangerous situations and sends alarm bells to us as a precaution.

The thing is, they both feel the same. The fear of real danger & our perceived danger. If you are walking in the countryside and you think there is a snake next to your leg, you will feel the fear the same as if you were mistaken and it was only a rubber hose.

Often when I make decisions in life, I ask myself is it good for me, good for others & good for the greater good. Now if all these boxes are ticked then what shows up next is that this task that I need to action may initially feel good doing it or it may not. If my decision is that I am going to start running for the first time, at the beginning it may not feel good as my body gets used to the process of that action however the feel good will be there at the end when I have achieved my goal.

To achieve our goals & create the life we desire, we often may need to extend ourselves & start tasks that may not feel good to begin with and this can relate to your own fears. You may have a fear of rejection when calling up new potential clients on the phone however you know that this can help expand your business. If you let your perceived fear control you, then you will never conquer all of the goals that you dream of achieving.

It's time to nip this fear in the bud. You must take action. Just rip that fear off like a band-aid. Focus on your end goal & take that first step forward in controlling your own life. Once this first step is completed, whatever outcome you achieve, pat yourself on the back for giving it a crack. Get straight back on the bike and do it again. With action comes momentum and you are building confidence within yourself as you know that you didn't burst into flames by taking that action you feared in the past.

Think of what you would achieve in your life if you had no fear. It's up to you to choose to make fear your friend, thank it for protecting you but know that you are the one that makes the decisions and controls the direction of your life. This is your life, make it spectacular.

This too shall pass

Recently, I was talking to a beautiful lady that had lost her very much loved daughter from suicide. This is such a tragedy for all involved. There can be many reasons for people making the decision to end their life however what I do know is that most people are focusing on dis-empowering thoughts & have the delusion of lack of choice at that moment of decision.  

Life is an ever learning journey of self discover. You can have your highs where you want to jump in the air with excitement and then you can have your lows when you might feel like covering your head in bed with a doona & staying there for eternity. You think of your wedding day, when a child is born or winning that award with a smile on your face & then there may be times in dealing with a relationship breakup, grief or financial hardship. The thing is that no-one in the world is immune to the challenge that is Life. Life is designed with problems built in, it is how we see these problems & the strategies we implement to overcome them that is the key.

Please remember that when life is tough & you feel that you have no other options, know that you do. You may not see them just in that moment. I love the saying, "This too shall pass", remember this when you have a challenge & know that there is always tomorrow, next month, next year that things will look different than they do today. If you feel stuck, get professional help and if they do not help, find someone that does. You do not have to face this challenge of life alone. This is your life, make it fabulous :)

Is this You?

It's been a hectic week. In the last few weeks you have been Flat Out. The phone seems to be attached to your ear, there is yet another meeting to attend & those emails just don't stop. You're proud of the role that you have got and at first, the perks of going into the Qantas lounge, parking in valet parking & staying in fancy hotels gave you a buzz. Even though you still enjoy it, it can feel like a chore sometimes and you often wake up in your hotel bed and forget what city you are in.

You are a perfectionist, great at what you do and the person you compete with most is yourself. Achieving is very important to you and you put in the hard work & the long hours to ensure you get the best results. On the outside, you are seen to have it all. The luxury car, holiday house & kids at private schools but it can feel like you are in a time warp of busyness. You worry about sales in your business, controlling costs and getting that bottom line profit. Sometimes the pressure of being successful seems like you just have to keep working harder to keep that success. One of your biggest fears is losing it all. Then you think of work life balance & you laugh to yourself, AS IF. It's only when you are on holidays with your family that you say to yourself, "You know what, this is great, I really need to get more balance in my life". Your family agree and then 3 days back from holidays, ground hog day starts again & you forget your intention until your next holiday comes around.

Travelling away from home & being in a busy role means that you haven't got as much time with the people you love. Your friends ask, "Where have you been stranger?" Family have left messages on your phone & still waiting for you to return their call. You get home exhausted and then you have your partner wanting to catch up with you on all the news you have missed & the kids are wanting your attention. You nod your head pretending to listen as you balance the emails on your laptop & the text messages on your phone. The kids run off, knowing that you are again Too Busy & your partner mumbles something that you think was, "You never make time to listen to me". Even your dog gives you a concerned look as if they don't know you anymore.

Often people live in a world of being busy that they don't stop to live in the moment. We often label our own identity with the role that we have. We are a CEO etc but you are SO much more than that. You may be a mother, a father, a sister, a brother, a son, a daughter, a friend, you have many roles to play. You may have heard stories of people that have been in a role for a long time & retire then feel completely lost as they don't know who they are anymore. Their physical or mental health can take a toll as a consequence. The thing is, it doesn't have to be this way. Can you have a successful career, be a high achiever & have more harmony in your life. Hell yeah!!

Often it is the high achieving successful people that don't put up their hand for support. They can see vulnerability or getting support as weakness where it is actually the highest form of courage. You may think, no-one can help me unless they give me more hours in a day, you think this because that is all you know. When I coach my clients I often talk about the 3 areas of thinking. 1. What you know you know. 2. What you know you don't know (which is the area most people focus on to grow) and the most important area is 3. What you don't know, you don't know. Tapping into this third area is where the Gold is. Stretching your boundary of thinking so that you can Be More, Achieve More & have even more of a happy & fulfilling life.

You never see anyone's tombstone saying, "John Doe, worked 50 hours a week & was a successful General Manager". This is your life and relationships are the key to happiness. There is always room for self growth and to have a strong understanding of self & others, together with strategies that will enhance your life, these are all available to you.

If this person sounds a bit like you, it doesn't have to be this way. You deserve better.

Find your voice

Have you ever sat in a meeting & had some valuable insights but didn't speak up?
Is the word Yes coming out of your mouth when you really mean No?
Do you allow others to make decisions for you so that you don't ruffle any feathers?

When you do this, you dis-empower yourself. You are saying that you are not worthy. Your thoughts and opinions are not good enough to be heard. By saying Yes when you mean No, you are not congruent with your beliefs, mission or values, instead you are in conflict. Allowing others to make decisions for you takes away your control of where you truly want to head in your life and yet, conveniently it can also have the payoff of not taking responsibility for your actions, which we know is a cop out.

I remember hearing the saying "Speak the truth even if your voice shakes" and this powerful message is a good one. Yes, there may be times where you tell the white lie to make someone feel good "No honey, your butt doesn't look too big in those jeans", but what about when you have something important to say and you keep suppressing it. Let me tell you, you are doing not only yourself injustice but the world.

We all see the world in our own unique way because of the diverse experiences that we have had together with how we filter information. Your opinion counts. Your insights count. You saying No & backing yourself counts. You deserve to be the Strong Leader in your own life.
How boring would the world be if we all agreed on everything and saw everything in the same light.
You owe it to others around you to be able to challenge thinking & expand each others minds.

It's been said that if you haven't had someone not like you at some point then you haven't stood for anything.
Stand up for You. Share your true self and allow the expression of your views expand how others see the world & be open to being challenged as this is how you grow.
Find Your Voice & Inspire others to find theirs.

Mind your own business

I remember as a child watching Bewitched on tv and laughing at the nosy neighbour that was always immersing herself in what was happening across the road. We are all addicted at some level to drama. It is a natural human behaviour however we need to ensure that we fulfill this need in a resourceful and sustainable way. Be mindful of the boundaries of other peoples lives.

When I first started going out with my now husband, the question people asked me was, "When are you getting married?" Then after we got married it was "When are you going to have a baby?" Then after the birth of my son the question was "When are you having another baby?"
It didn't bother me at the time with most people but then you would come across some individuals that would really put the pressure on, it would feel as though they had the spotlight on you & an interrogation was in progress.

We are inquisitive human beings and we naturally crave knowing about other peoples worlds. It is important to always remember that it is their life, their belief system & their journey to take. Now I'm not saying that you can't guide and support your loved ones but there is a fine line. If people are in danger then of course you can choose to intervene however most of the time we need to step back, let them make their own decisions & allow them to learn from any mistakes they make along the way. We need to learn to listen more & talk less.

Now this may press a few buttons for some of you.
Your son has broken up with his wife. Give support, guidance & love and "Mind your own business."
A friend tells you that another friend has put on 10kg & is ready for a gossip fest. Zip it up and "Mind your own business."
The neighbours daughter has left school at 15. Be there as a sounding board if they need you and "Mind your own business."

Make yourself available for people but refrain from judgement & unsolicited advice. When you come from a place of love & non judgement, you will be surprised how people will be drawn to you and then ask you for support.
Refuse to involve yourself in water cooler gossip. When you feel that urge of excitement, when some saucy news is told & you want to give your 5 cents worth remember, mind your own business, look after your own backyard and focus on more acceptance & less judgement.

Be an adult - Take Responsibility

Have you ever not got back to somebody because you didn't have the courage to say what you know that you needed to say? It's like, let me sweep this under the carpet, pretend it is not there and eventually it will go away. Well, guess what, the situation may go away at the time but what won't go away is your inability to step up and take responsibility for your life.

As a child, you may have told the white lie to get out of trouble, blamed the dog or knew that by throwing a tantrum you can get what you want. It may have worked for you at the time but guess what, you are not a child anymore. 

I remember a long time ago, I met a Director who offered me a role in his business. It is a fantastic Icon Brand and I was excited by what I could bring to the company. It had come down to the discussion of salary and that is where he was feeling uncomfortable. I asked him to come back to me with an offer. Then nothing. No phone call, no email and no return communication when contacted. 

Now, he may have not been able to afford me or too uncertain of an offer to put forward, I have no idea to this day. What I do know is that he did not step up and take responsibility & unfortunately is known for it in his networks. 

The thing is, that feeling is always there, you know the feeling where your actions don't sit well with your values. It doesn't go away. You keep avoiding taking responsibility and you feel it in your gut. It doesn't feel right. You think that you are avoiding pain but you are enhancing it.

Be true to yourself. Have those challenging conversations even when you are fearful. Stand up to your responsibilities and be transparent with your communication & values. Hiding behind an invisible shield of avoidance shows people what level of responsibility you are willing to take on and therefore how much trust they can have in you.

The results that you achieve in your life is You. The great results, that's You. The crap results, yep that's You. The Actions & Non Actions, yes that is You. When you step up and own your behaviour, it is an evolution of learning. Best of all, you are true to yourself & people will respect you for it.

Dream

When faced with a serious situation that can challenge you in life, it can feel like a tug of war between reality & hope. The narrow minded path that you can direct your focus, may create a perceived reality that is limited & in turn, you may have a false sense of feeling like there is a lack of choice.

The meaning of hope can simply mean having the courage to back yourself in any situation, whatever the end outcome may be. Knowing that you have all of the resources inside of you to handle anything that comes your way, is empowering. Have you ever heard people say that they didn't know how strong they were until they were truly tested? By knowing that you have this inner strength to tap into at any time and that your reality is only your perception, what possibilities does this open your mind up to?

Practice questioning your perceptions & allow yourself the ability to be creative with your thoughts, so you can expand your thinking and push through any limiting barriers that may be holding you back.
Sometimes the right side of our brain where our logic sits, gets in the way of what is truly possible.
Give yourself permission to dream because it is the dreamers who can see options that others may not.

Make your One day, Today.

Do you start your sentences with "One day" as you express the dreams that you have for your life? As if they are out there in a special Wonderland waiting to be discovered.
Why don't you make the choice to grab them right now?
Yes, it can be scary stepping out of your comfort zone & it will take some work but imagine if you never went for it and gave that dream up.
Many people self sabotage their goals as they either unconsciously don't feel worthy or they haven't linked it to a big enough Why (Your purpose).
Stop making excuses to feel safe & justify staying small. Step out & start the first action that will support your dream. Get that momentum flowing. Link it to what this will mean to your life and know that you deserve every success. Take each hurdle as a challenge & a learning knowing that it is contributing to your growth. Once you do all this, you will be unstoppable.

Celebrate your uniqueness

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you look for the greatness or do you nitpick & search for areas of perceived imperfection? We often judge ourselves harsher than anyone else. Beating ourselves up because of how we look or the behaviours that we action. What about if you decided not to do that anymore. Instead you became your own best friend, cheering You on and coaching yourself through every challenge that life sends your way.
Loving yourself right now not once you lose 30 kilos, get a partner, score that job, the list goes on. How would this make a difference in your life from how you feel about yourself to the opportunities that you will allow yourself to experience?
We all have a special gift to offer the world. It is your mission to find out what this is and commit to your own personal growth & embrace the wonderful qualities that are already inside you.

"Be your own best mentor, not your worst critic." - Janelle Johnston

Reach Out, you don't need to go on the journey alone

This week I had a health scare. I developed a dark mole looking lump at the bottom of my foot. When I had my ultrasound, the nurse recommended that I get my results Urgently. In that moment, I felt like time stood still. As though I was in this silent vacuum that sucked me into a world that no-one else existed in. I somehow couldn't believe that the world was still operating as normal whilst I was dealing with my news. My outside facade was that of "normal" too, smiling at people as they walked by as I disassociated myself from my challenge. It was as though I was watching a movie of myself & fully detached from the reality of the moment. I went to the doctors straight away to be told that I had 2 hours to wait until the results would be sent through. As I waited in my car, thoughts flooded through my mind & all the "What ifs" came to me with lightening speed. I felt as if I was in a tug of war with my life skills strategies that I know together with facing reality. My educated logical mind told me to face reality as the nurse would not have told me to go to the doctors urgently if this wasn't life threatening. I suddenly felt so lonely in my thoughts & decided to reach out to a friend who gave me loving support on the phone. I then decided to dig deep, take one bit of news at a time to deal with and focus on what is rather than what may be. As I sat in the doctors waiting room, I felt numb. I read the same page of the book that I had with me at least 5 times, not being able to process the incoming information with any clarity. When it was my time, I prepared for the words that were going to come out of the doctors mouth, It's a melanoma. However, my logical intelligent guess was thankfully wrong. He told me it was probably just an object stuck in my foot & promptly took it out. Tests will be back from pathology this week but the learning's that I have gained from this experience is enormous. It's normal to feel vulnerable in times of challenge & your unconscious mind is great at blowing up your sense of reality to protect you. Regardless of your strategies that you have in place to empower yourself, feel that you can always reach out to others for support when you need to. Vulnerability is the highest form of courage and love is a powerful healer.

Hold yourself to a higher standard

When your behaviour is congruent with your values & beliefs, you are building trust within yourself and reinforcing that you hold yourself accountable by your own standards.
Have you ever set a goal & in your gut you haven't believed that you can achieve it? Maybe you have broken that trust with yourself in the past & now are skeptical of being able to commit to this goal whole heartedly as you don't trust You.

Hold yourself to a higher standard than anyone else would. Do the right thing when no-one is watching. Remember, your own unconscious mind is always with you, by your side & experiencing whether you are being true to yourself or not. If you promise yourself a commitment, see it through.
You know how amazing it is when you achieve a goal that you have set & you support yourself the whole way through, believing in your mission & backing yourself all the way to achieve that goal. How great does that feel? Choose to do more of that.

You have the inner strength to handle anything

We often don't know how strong we are until a challenge in life is thrown in our direction and we are forced to dig deep. You are not always in control of your environment but you are in control of your thoughts & the meaning you give experiences in the world. How you communicate to yourself is crucial in maintaining & developing a healthy sustainable relationship with the person that stares back in the mirror at you every day. We have all of the resources inside of us to support us in times of challenge. Yes, crap things happen in life but we have a choice to either succumb to misery or rise up stronger & wiser than ever before.

It is important that we have a strategy that works for us that will direct our communication with our self so that it is as empowering as possible.
55% of how we communicate is through our physiology (our body language), 7% our words and 38% the tonality of our voice. By knowing this & also being aware that mind & body are connected, it is important to notice how you are communicating to yourself at any given time. If it's working for you, great, if not, change it.

What words are you saying in your head when you are faced with a challenge. Are they something like "Why me", "Life's unfair". Listen to your self talk and have some strong empowering questions in your repertoire that will support you in tapping into your inner strength. You could ask "What will I learn from this", "How can I make this better", "Who do I need to become at this time". This will help direct your mind into an empowering state.

Hear the tonality of your self talk. Make it empowering, strong & loving.
Ensure you have a physiology of excellence. Shoulders back, head up, eyes up & if strutting down the hallway at this time gets you into an empowering mindset, Do that.
Be your own source of strength & support. You owe it to your best friend, You.

Be a Dog with a bone

Life is created with problems built in. Intelligence, education or skill alone will not create the success in your life that you desire without persistence. You will be tested, stretched & challenged in life. There is no such thing as failure only feedback. Be aware of what the universes feedback is for you and learn by it. You may even be tempted to say Why me and sink into a mentality of victim. Ask yourself empowering questions in those challenging times like, What will I learn from this?, How can I make this better and Who do I need to become to raise to this challenge?
Never, Ever Ever Ever give up on your dream. If you try one idea and it doesn't work, try something different. If that doesn't work, try something different and if that doesn't work then go back and try something different again.
Many people give up on their dreams when they are so close to achieving them. Sometimes the goal can feel like it is unreachable at times & the challenges outweigh the reward. This can make you feel defeated. This feeling too shall pass if you get straight back on focusing on your mission.
Be like a dog with a bone with your dream. Hold on tight, fight for it and resist the urge to bury it.

Surround Yourself with Outstanding People

To be successful in life, we need to have a healthy view of our own self worth. We need to stretch our self so that we can learn, grow & reach our full potential. To support us in our journey, we need to have empowering role models around us. People that are our biggest cheer squad in life. Ones that have high standards & will challenge us so that we stretch our comfort zones to achieve the goals that we desire.
They are people who have achieved great success that you would love to be like. Whether they are a great role model as a mother, husband, friend, business entrepreneur, health guru, financial expert etc. If they have the results that you would like, then immersing yourself in learning their strategies will escalate the results that you will achieve.
These role models all share an empowering mindset & will be genuinely disappointed with your losses but will whole heartedly celebrate your wins. They see the potential in you and eagerly wave the flag for you in support.
What we expose our mind to externally will have an effect on how we think & the decisions that we make. If you haven't got your ideal mentors in your circle yet, it's time to seek them out.

There's no fun in playing too safe

One of our six Core Human needs is Certainty. We all need to feel safe & secure but sometimes it is at the detriment of living the fulfilled & enriched life that we deserve.
Are you waiting for all your ducks to line up before you take a step forward or are you living the motto that most successful business people live and that is to say Yes, then work out How.
When is the last time that you set yourself a goal that really scared you, one that would stretch your comfort zone & challenge you to face your fears head on.
Are you docked at the harbour, playing small and not allowing all of your resources that you already have inside you shine?
Embrace uncertainty & take steps forward to achieve that goal that you know once achieved, will make a tremendous difference in your life. Stop the excuses & back yourself like your best mentor would. The time to live your dream life is Now.

Love strategies

How much effort are you putting into your relationship?
Our relationships go through cycles similar to the weather where there is growth, definition, birthing and hibernation. Many couples seek the feeling of excitement that they first had at the beginning of the relationship, not knowing that by effective communication, the relationship can grow into a much deeper and even more fulfilling level.
It is important that we commit to unconditional love & compassion. If you both put each other first & place importance on understanding each others world, communication becomes much more flowing and your connection is strengthened.
Great relationships have great strategies. What lights up your partner? Is it when you surprise them with a gift for no reason? Or when you do a chore around the house? Is it when you hug them? Is it when you say I love you or spend quality time with them?
It's important that we don't get into the busyness rut. Too busy for the little things that can mean so much. Being fully present when your partner is talking to you. Giving them a big hug & kiss when you greet them & when you say goodbye. When is the last time you looked into their eyes?
Make it your mission today to take time out to increase the dose of the love you give your partner. Love is surely a great medicine.

Above the line thinking

Have you ever met someone who is often the victim in life? "Why has this happened to me mentality". This person often believes that emotions just come to them without having any control themselves over how they can feel. They may let outside influences affect their life so if it is raining outside for instance, they make it mean that they are going to have a bad day. In return they may get attention from others & have the added bonus of not having to take responsibility in their life. This may work for a while, until they dig a deeper hole and the feeling of disempowerment overcomes them.
We have a choice, we can be the victim or the warrior.
By choosing to take responsibility for your life & how you will respond to whatever challenge life brings you, it allows you to step up, learn & grow. An empowering way to operate in this world designed with challenges built in.

3 Universal Fears

The 3 universal fears that apply to us all are
1. Fear of being found out or not being enough.
2. Fear of not belonging.
3. Fear of not being loved.
These fears play out in how we make decisions & can affect our behaviour.
Many people may think that they are the only ones with these fears & may even think they are strange for having these thoughts. These fears are normal & we all have them on some level.
The important thing here is if these fears are holding you back from achieving your goals. With this knowledge it gives us awareness on how our unconscious mind works. That little mini me voice that can have the ability of holding us back if we let it. Knowing these fears for what they are, we can choose to feel the fear & take action anyway when it serves us to do so.

Relationship building

To be successful in obtaining a fulfilled & happy life, strong relationships with others is paramount. The 3 key abilities that will help you develop your relationships to an even more deeper level are
1. Learn how to enter other peoples worlds.
2. Speak their language that will make sense to them. One that lights them up, motivates & inspires them into appropriate action.
3. Be able to predict someone's strengths, weaknesses & actions by knowing what to specifically look for in their world.
When you develop these skills & put them into your everyday communication, you will not only enrich your relationships, you will also open yourself up to a world of learning & positively impact the results that you achieve in your life.

Judge and you will be judged

The more you judge the more you will be judged.
Everyone has demons in their closet that they are challenged by. As a coach I hear things like, I'm too fat, I'm too skinny, I'm too short, I'm too tall, I have bad skin, I'm going bald, I'm going grey, I'm too old, I'm too young, I'm not smart enough, I'm too shy, I'm too loud, No-one likes me, I can't spell, I'm not a good speaker, It's because I'm female, It's because I'm gay, It's because I'm Asian..............the list goes on.
STOP RIGHT NOW!
Love yourself for who you are now. Not when you've lost 30 kilos, not when you get a partner, Right Now. Be your biggest mentor not your worst critic. Then seek to understand & accept others for who they are. Find the goodness in them & yes I know sometimes that can be challenging. You only see the outside shell of others. We have no idea what battles they are facing even if they are behaving badly and even if their values are different to yours. The choice is yours. Something to ponder.

Choose the front seat

It's your choice to sit back, take a back seat, play the game of life conservatively safe and take yourself too seriously. Or, you can choose otherwise.

The power of your Ego

The Ego is there to protect us however, it does not always serve us in an Empowering way. The 6 needs of the ego are, the need to know, to judge, to justify, to be right, to look good & to get even. Notice when your ego is popping up & notice if by listening to that mini voice, if it is in fact leading you to your goals if you choose to listen to it. Or you can choose otherwise.

Drive your own bus

You are the one that drives your own Life bus. There will be speed bumps along the way & you may even feel that you are lost at times but you have all the resources inside you to overcome any challenge & make your lifes journey truly amazing.

Respect yourself

To grow, sometimes we need to do things that are uncomfortable or challenging to achieve our goals. To create a life that we desire, we also need to choose what we need to do more of & what we need to discard. The expert in your life is You. Be the best version of yourself & make any changes that you know will benefit your life and those around you.

Direct your energy

Be mindful where you direct your thoughts & put energy towards, as you often get what you focus on. If you immerse yourself in your goals & dreams, you leave little room for any disempowering thoughts.

What are you focusing on?

Life was created with challenges built in. If everything was smooth sailing, life would be boring & we wouldn't stretch ourselves to grow. Focus on your mission, your why, your purpose and take each obstacle that gets in your way as an opportunity to become the best version of yourself.

Be present

Give the gift of your complete presence. What does it mean to be fully present? Shut out all distractions & focus fully on the person in front of you. Practice Empathic Listening, which means seek to understand the persons world without judgment, right or wrong or advising. Make it all about them. You will be surprised at what you learn & how even more richer your relationships become.

Leave a little sparkle

You know that person that you meet that lifts people up. The person that seeks & brings out the best in you. The one that puts aside their Ego to be truly present to others. The person that lights up the room when they walk in it, spreading, inspiration, encouragement & seeks to understand others rather than judge. The person that makes a positive difference in so many peoples lives, that they are even unaware of the phenomenal ripple affect that they have. You know that person. Be that.

You are unique

We often compare the best of the outside of others, to the worst of the inside of ourselves. What does that mean? It means if we continue to do that, we will never measure up. Never put others on a pedestal or below you. We are all one level & unique. Often with my public speaking training people say, I'm not a great speaker. I ask, who are you comparing yourself to. Everyone, I mean, everyone has the ability to be a great speaker. We all have a message that we are passionate about that we can deliver and no-one in this world can deliver it exactly just like you. Celebrate your uniqueness & focus on becoming an even more better version of yourself. If you can't nurture yourself then where else are you going to live. Everyone else is taken.

 

Be careful what you focus on

Often in life, what you focus on is what you get.

Terminal Seriousness

When's the last time you jumped in a puddle, stomped on crunchy leaves or had a turn on a swing. Do you dance around at home with your favorite music? Do you run around playing chasey with your partner? Or have you chosen the Adult Life of terminal Seriousness. The beauty of a childs world. They question with insatiable curiosity, they are open to possibilities & they live in a world of creativity & playfulness. We all have this inside us & by utilizing this, we are an open learning machine & our world becomes an adventure. Choose to tap into your childlike wonder & see how different you experience your world.

Procrastination will hold you back

Is procrastination holding you back? It could be that you have a fear of success or fear of failure. Are you not stepping up and taking responsibility? Do you want certainty in your life and practicing the strategy of trying to control everything in your life. You can squeeze life or life will squeeze you. Make the decision today to Take Action & do that thing that you know you have been putting off & build that muscle of strength. You deserve to achieve your goals.

Embrace vulnerability

Some people equate vulnerability with weakness. In fact, vulnerability is the highest form of courage there is. When you embrace vulnerability, you open up your heart space & this allows for true connection with self & others.

Take that first step

Every goal starts with the first step. Some coaches will say take massive change in your life right now but I don't believe that your first step needs to always be a major leap. Decide to achieve that goal that you know will make a positive difference in your life. Take a step forward & even if on the journey you take a step back, know that momentum can be achieved by getting back on that path. It's all about the journey & the lessons you learn along the way. Be kind to yourself.

Who are you taking advice from?

Be mindful of who you take advice from. Often there are people around us that give us well meaningful advice on things like parenting, relationships, career, health, finance & our vision or dreams that we may have. Respectfully, in your mind you should ask these 2 questions. Who are they and what have they done. If they are giving advice on finance yet are not financially enriched in their own lives then question if their advice is of benefit or will it hold you back. You can choose to thank them for their input and get other advice from those that have achieved the results that you desire.

Keep an open mind & open heart.

We all have different values, beliefs & rules that we live by. Often, we can be rigid with how we see the world through these filters, as we believe these to be our truth. This is only our perception of the world. Before you judge others, seek to understand & even challenge your truth. You may just learn something that will help you grow, expand your mind & enrich your life and those around you.

How do you see the world?

How you choose to see the world is up to you. An obstacle can be a problem that makes you a victim of circumstance or instead can be a challenge for you to stretch & grow. I'm not just talking positive thinking here, if you have weeds in the garden, there are weeds in the garden people and you need to get rid of them. Take responsibility for everything in your life, the good, the bad and the ugly. It is so much more empowering than sitting back, feeling sorry for yourself & complaining about it.

Life is about creating yourself

Who is it you want to be? What is the best version of yourself that you can create? What is your purpose, your why? If you have a big enough why, the how will take care of itself. I love the saying, if it's meant to be, it's up to me. What are you waiting for. No excuses, go do it.

Be a giver of significance

One of the Human Core Needs is Significance. We all need to feel Significant in our lives. My question to you is, are you a Getter of Significance or a Giver of Significance? A getter may put others down so that they feel superior & a giver... will lift people up. I love the analogy of your own personal bucket. We have the choice to fill up other peoples bucket with significance, encouragement, positivity & love. It's also important to fill up your own bucket by being kind to yourself with your own self talk. Have you been a Giver of significance & filled up someones bucket & your own personal bucket today?

Mistakes are part of the journey

To learn & Grow we need to embrace uncertainty and give our self permission to make mistakes. If you are not making mistakes in life, chances are you are playing it safe and not stretching yourself to your full potential. There is no fun in playing small. If you think about it, most goals that really excite you that you have achieved, have been through taking a risk, stepping out of your comfort zone & feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Enjoy the journey & take each mistake on your learning curve as a step closer to mastering your goal - Janelle Johnston

Create empowering ripples

We all create ripples in our lifetime. It's like the saying goes, one bad spice spoils the broth. Ok, I know its supposed to be cooks but you get the message. You are the spice in peoples lives. You can either choose to be that bitter spice that effects the other ingredients in a negative way or you can be the spice that brings harmony to the mix & creates an even more spectacular blend. Your choices & actions don't just effect one of the ingredients, it has a ripple effect throughout the entire mix. What ripples are you choosing to create? Empower one, empower many. - Janelle Johnston

Importance of relationships

Relationships are a partnership & if you take them for granted, then expect them to be mediocre. When you invest in nurturing them & your open to working together in bringing out the best in each other, they can be a rewarding & enriching experience. How are you investing in your relationships. Are you truly present when you are with others. Do you hold back judgment & seek understanding into their world? Have you shown appreciation lately? Choose to take your relationships to an even more deeper level today.

The Need to be Right

One of the needs of the Ego that is within all of us is the need to be Right. There are times that require us to stand up for what we believe but have you ever continued to argue over a trivial matter because you wanted to prove that you ar...e right & the other person is wrong? Sometimes you need to let stuff go. It doesn't always matter if you are right. If you live your life always proving that you are right then you are heading for a world of pain. Build the muscle of letting go of righteousness & be the example for others. People will respect you for it. - Janelle Johnston