While attending an event recently and I was given the affirmation card pictured here by Sunny Dawn Johnston, an inspirational speaker and spiritual teacher. Her words really resonated with me. I work with a lot of clients, I would say the majority of them, who tell me they have no idea what their purpose in life is. For some people, it is pretty apparent at a young age what their purpose is based on obvious signs of gifts and talents they were born with such as music, art, acting, the ability to solve problems, etc...Some of these talents showed up in their lives when they were young children.

But for the rest of us, our purpose doesn't always reveal itself to us until later in life. We have to go through the experiences that life brings our way. Those experiences  will be the catalyst for us to finding our voice.

Sometimes the bad experiences in life prove to be what one has to go through in order to help others. If I had a drug addiction, I would much rather be counseled by someone who has had the actual experience of addiction as well as recovery, than to sit with a counselor with no direct experience whatsoever but all the book smarts and framed degrees hanging on the wall.

What about your good experiences? Perhaps your gifts begin to emerge as you were constantly receiving suggestions from other that you really should write that cookbook, or share your painting skills to teach others. Maybe you have heard the same compliments for years about what a wonderful professional organizer you would make for someone?

Your purpose may even change or evolve over the years. Louise Hay was almost in her 60's when she wrote and published her first book "You Can Heal Your Life" based on the metaphysical teachings she gained from working with AIDS patients, teaching them the transformative healing power of thought and speaking affirmations over their health.  Louise went on to establish her own very successful publishing firm, Hay House Publishing, at the age of 58.

For me personally, while being in the wrong job, my purpose was revealed in a big way when I experienced an anxiety attack that landed me in the ER. I had spent most of my life in the wrong jobs, not paying attention to what would bring me fulfillment, but instead what would pay the bills. For years I felt completely lost and disconnected from myself, from who I felt I once was and I ignored the warning signs which extreme discontent can bring. It took years of personal growth and self-understanding to show to me my purpose was to help others experience the same transformation; to help them to awaken and discover their own purpose. My perfect job wasn't "out there," it was within me all along. I can now say I am grateful for the difficulties and frustrations. Those experiences have made me a better teacher and coach. I created my own business (this website was part of that vision) and now coach and teach others to do the same.

Pay attention to the experiences life is bringing you.
If your purpose hasn't revealed itself to you, be patient. Perhaps it is on its way. 

There are many keys to success. Some very important keys to success are passion, vision, courage, focus, preparation, integrity, inspiration, planning and many other steps. But in order to achieve your goal in a reasonable time frame, you must master two crucial keys. Belief in yourself and consistency. 

If you don't have 100% belief in yourself you will never reach your goal. You have to believe that you can accomplish what it is you want. It doesn't matter how much others may believe in you, if you don't believe in yourself you will manage to find a way to sabotage the outcome. Believe in yourself and it can be done. 

Consistency will get you there. Without consistency your goal is nothing more than a passing wish. Being dedicated to consistent action towards your goal is essential. If you are not consistent, sure, you may get there eventually. But is that why you set a goal in the first place? To eventually achieve it? People set goals to master something.

Some steps to take to work on Self-Belief: ·        

1. Let go of limiting beliefs about yourself. They don't serve you.
2. Say goodbye to your inner critic. Instead welcome your inner cheerleader!
3. Turn your weaknesses into strengths. Learn to excel in your areas of challenge.
4. Embrace and face your fears. The fear is only in your mind. Muster up the courage and conquer it once and for all.

Some steps to take to work on Consistency: ·        

1. Keep track of your goal in a manner that is measureable. Give yourself a report card; anything less than 100% is unacceptable.
2. Until you master it for yourself, have someone else hold you accountable.      
3. Expect obstacles, embrace change. Don't let them derail you, adjust and figure out a way to continue with your goal. · 
4. Remind yourself why you are doing this in the first place. In order to motivate yourself on a daily basis, it's important to revisit your reason for wanting it to begin with. If your WHY is strong enough, consistency will become a habit.
   

If you want to obtain your goals, (and who doesn't want to obtain their goals?) take the necessary steps to work on believing in yourself and consistency. Master these two crucial keys and success is yours!


 

Walk between the raindrops
Dance amongst the stars
Sit within the sunshine
Discover who you are
Listen to the little birds
Chirping in the trees
Hear the whispers of your soul
Being carried by the breeze 

Awaken to your spirit...discover who you are

Maureen Hayes

6/24/10

Having faith requires you to trust in the unknown. To believe that the desires of your heart will manifest themselves into your life, some how, some way. It is putting all your belief in something that you simply don't have the answers for at this time, You can't have faith and have doubt at the same time, they are conflicting thoughts that cancel each other out. You must remain positive and focus your energy and believe it will come to be.

Pay attention to signs from the angels and follow their guidance. Signs come in many forms, typically they are repetitious to get your attention. Are you hearing the same communication over and over? Have you repeatedly seen the same message? Is this message in song? Numbers? Feelings? Many times these can be messages from your angels, helping to guide you onto the right path.

Have faith in your prayers, have faith in your angels and the messages they bring. They want what is best for you. Allow them to guide you to your bliss...have faith.

Foundation. 
One simple word my husband said in a conversation we were having one morning ignited a
spark in me; what you do today lays the foundation for your future. Will you be walking on solid ground or sinking in the loose soil? Choose today what your tomorrow will be.

What is your foundation? Is it what you want? If not, what are you willing to do to lay down a more solid and secure foundation? Can you just go get foundation? Or is it something that you have to create? Can you build off of someone else's foundation? What is the source or origin of what you are currently doing? Are you aware that it is the blueprint for your future? Laying the right foundation is the difference between failure and success.

Your foundation is the core of your being. It is the beliefs you hold today that motivate your actions of tomorrow. Foundation is the values that you hold that set the course of your moral compass. It is the sturdy pillars of strength that give you the force to try just one more time. It can be your education, your history and your experiences. It is the principles you believe in and whatever else you choose to add to the mixture for the ground you stand upon. Without a strong foundation to help guide you, it is as if you are walking on quicksand, always struggling to break free and get out. Foundation can be the soft pit you sink into if enough of the  proper materials are not added into the mix, or it can be the rock you stand on when built sturdy and strong. Even if your past foundation was unsecure, you are the cement mason of how the future foundation will be created. You add the ingredients to the mixture; you get to choose your foundation. Make sure your foundation is concrete.

Be sure to check out Awaken Your Spirit ~ You, Only Better! on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Awaken-Your-Spirit-You-Only-Better/310428039056995

It might be funny but it's no joking matter. 

If you are in a job where you don't have passion, you are slowly killing yourself. Maybe you have already seen signs of your discontent such as weight gain, addiction to alcohol, depression and anxiety, panic attacks or even suicidal thoughts. Maybe it's as simple as just being in a nasty mood every day. Being in the wrong job is emotionally and physically draining and you are not doing anyone any favors by being there. 

If the reason you are at your current job is "just to get by" or to pay the bills, you took that job for all the wrong reasons. Yes, we all have financial obligations. But if your current place of employment is slowly sucking the life out of you, it's time to take a look at what you can begin to change.

Being in a career where each day your soul is slowly dying is no way to spend your life. This stress will affect every area of your life from personal to physical. Life was meant to have meaning and purpose to it! There is a way to live a fulfilling life!  Why not life your life by design? What that means is to design your day to do the things you want to do when you want to do them. It can take many steps to get there, but if you are willing to put in the work, it will be worth each step you take.

Start by discovering who you really are and what your passions are. Understand your principles and what your natural talents and skills are. Do you  know what sort of things annoy you? What are your needs and values? Are your  needs and values being met at your job now? What sort of job would bring you joy? Having this understanding can now give you direction in what sort of careers you may get fulfillment out of. If you are going to earn a paycheck, why not earn it doing something you love?

Put some meaning into your life. Discover or re-discover your purpose. Do all you can to make your dream life come true. Keep in mind your dream  job may not exist. You may have to create it! Work with a Life Coach, (See our Life Coach tab) get a mentor, take a class, work as an intern, get a feeling for what it is you believe could be life changing for you.

At Awaken Your Spirit ~ You, Only Better! we focus on all of the above. We can coach around the issues and struggles you have that you feel are currently standing in your way blocking your progress. We have exercises and tests that will bring to light the things that will bring you joy. We will discuss problems and potential, and together we can work on understanding your priorities and achieving goals. 

Go to our "Contact Us" page and send us a message or call 480-374-0614. Together we will discuss ways where you can start living and begin to take back your life!  


Unleash Your Destiny  ~  Pursue Your Purpose 
      Design & Live the Life of Your Dreams

In the past few days I've had two friends (completely out of the blue) divulge to me some extremely private and personal information about themselves. I was not soliciting from either of them, as I do like to help others with any sort of emotional issues, yet each, in their own way chose to purge what was heavy on their mind and what they both felt was holding them back. 

Is there something you could disclose to yourself or to others that would cause you to say "There! I've said it!" Do you have something that has been holding you back, weighing you down or frozen with fear? By not only admitting the issue, but outwardly expressing it, it helps bring to light the dark that has kept your worry/concern/problem lurking in the shadows of your mind.

Were you ever told you are not good enough? Not smart enough? You'll never amount to anything? You can't do what the others can do? You aren't pretty enough? You don't have enough? You don't have anything of value to say? You are not talented enough? Somewhere along the line, we chose to buy into what was said to us and turned it into our truth. When in reality, there is no reason any of us should ever compare ourselves to anyone else. There are simply too many variables for any sort of comparison to be logical.

In both instances with my friends (as I'm sure it is with most people) when you get to the bottom of the distressful "thought" they are based on some sort of fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of discrimination, fear of not feeling worthy enough or having enough. The list is endless and they are all based on fear. How to obtain emotional freedom - Get to the root of that fear. Can you go back and recall the first time you had this thought? Getting to the core of the issue is where you need to go so you can have an understanding of where it came from to begin with.

A few steps to break free from thoughts that are holding you back:

1. What is your fearful thought? Say it out loud! There, you've said it!

2. Now ask, is this true? Is this really really true? (Not just the fearful thought, but the reason you started having this thought to begin with.)

3. Ask yourself what is the exact opposite of this thought? Is that true? (I'll bet it is!)

4. What are some positive affirmations you can say surrounding your new thoughts? 

5. What are some positive actions you can take that are in alignment with your new thoughts?

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the new positive thought is now your "new truth."

Go ahead and divulge your darkest fear. Share your secret with a trusted source. Reveal what has kept you from living your authentic life. Reclaim your power! It is like cutting the ties that bind or breaking that link in the chain that has held you hostage and kept you from living the life of your dreams.


 

While doing research about what holds people back from achieving their goals, I found this article and wanted to share. Whether you want to start your own business, pay off debt, lose some weight or run for class president, the same thing holds us back from not moving forward and taking action. FEAR.

Chris Powell from Extreme Weight Loss said: "Transformation is about focusing on the things you are scared of. Focusing on the things you don't want to do. Those are the areas of our life that we need to excel in."  I ask, Are you ready to be FREE of this? Create a victory, conquer and overcome everything that gets in your way! Prove to YOURSELF how bad you want this!

Whether you want transformation in your business, your finances, your body or your life, Waldo Waldman points out on the following website http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/13575/transform-your-fear-into-focus! you must first transform your FEAR into FOCUS!

TRANSFORM YOUR FEAR INTO FOCUS
The greatest deterrent to success in life is fear. It drains our ambition,
denies us power, and strangles our ability to overcome the challenges we face in
our personal and professional lives. When we let fear control us, we are
destined to fail. When we control our fear and channel that energy in productive
ways, we win.


Regardless if you are a manager in business, leading a team of salespeople to
meet your quarterly goals, or involved in a serious relationship that is going
through some tough times, we all deal with fear everyday … fear of failing to
meet a deadline or a budgetary constraint, fear of letting down our co-workers
or our children, or fear of rejection from a loved one. These are normal fears,
but it’s how you deal with them that matters.


How do you handle fear? Does fear control you, or do you control your fear?
Do you become overwhelmed and give up, or do you take action and face it with
courage?


As a former combat decorated Air Force fighter pilot with 65 missions in
hostile territory, I had to face my fears every day: fear of getting shot down,
fear of letting down my country and my wingmen, and the fear of failing to
accurately perform my mission responsibilities. If I wasn’t able to handle this
fear and not let it control me, I would have surely failed. I had to realize
that although there was no way for me to completely eliminate this fear, I still
had the power to overcome it.
The key to my success was in my ability to direct my focus toward three
distinct areas.


First and foremost, I needed to focus on my mission. What was my mission
objective or purpose for going into battle? Why was it important that I succeed?
Who needed my help?


Second, I needed to focus on my wingmen. No fighter pilot flies a combat
mission solo! We always fly as a team, and we are all responsible for
accomplishing the mission. In essence, we trust each other with our lives, and
we need each other to achieve success.


Third, I needed to focus on winning. I had to erase doubt and think positive.
By “chair flying” each mission – mentally performing the mission perfectly in my
mind before doing it for real – I was able to experience victory, rather than
failure, in my imagination. This encouraged a positive mind-set of trust and
confidence that ultimately gave me the power to face my fear and win.


Obviously, we are all not fighter pilots flying combat missions. However, the
same lessons of focus can apply as we seek victories in our own unique
experiences. Here’s how you can apply these fundamental principles for
overcoming fear in your personal and professional life:
Focus on your mission. Accept responsibility for
accomplishing your mission objectives and feel confident in your training and
preparation. Ask yourself, “What am I fighting for?” Why are you needed, and who
is depending on you to get the job done? Perhaps it is your organization, your
family or the customers you are serving. What are the positive benefits that can
result from accomplishing the difficult mission ahead? When you take the focus
off of yourself and away from your fear, and direct it toward how your mission
will positively impact the lives of others, you find purpose and meaning in
life, and your fear diminishes.


Focus on your wingmen. Who is on your team that you can
trust to get the job done? Who are the trusted and reliable partners in your
personal and professional life? Who can you turn to for love, inspiration,
advice and courage? Perhaps it is your spouse, best friend, business partner or
even a co-worker. By focusing on your teammates and all the wonderful,
supporting relationships you have, you become more courageous and confident to
tackle life’s challenges. In essence, they absorb some of your fear and make it
easier for you to cope with life’s challenges. You don’t have to fly through
life solo…have faith and trust your wingmen!


Focus on winning. See the success you want in your
imagination first. Experience the exhilaration of winning in your mind.
Remember, the body achieves what the mind has rehearsed! If your mind thinks
failure, you are setting yourself up to fail. But if you train your thoughts to
envision winning; if you imagine with perfect clarity overcoming your challenges
with courage and achieving victory, then you are destined to win. Just as I
‘chair flew’ my combat mission and experienced victory, you can do the same.
It’s what athletes do before a tough game, and how the top salespersons prepare
for their big sales presentations. It’s not easy. Remember, WIN stands for Work
it Now!. Winners understand it takes effort and sacrifice to win the challenges
of life. And they don’t put it off until tomorrow; they do what it takes today!



Finally, the most important part in handling fear is to embrace it with
courage. Accept your fear and learn from it. Don’t fight it or attempt to
eliminate it, for it is a battle that can never be won. As Mark Twain once
stated, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.”
By experiencing fear, we become more human. Fear teaches us that we are not
perfect nor are we superior to anyone else. It makes us more compassionate as we
realize the frailty of life and emphasizes what truly is important in our lives.



Regardless if you are in business, in a committed relationship, or on a
sports team, when you transform your fear into focus – on your mission, your
wingmen and on winning – you are sure to be victorious in all that you do.

Now, focus your energy, accept responsibility and make it happen!


About the author:
Waldo Waldman, MBA, is a
nationally recognized professional speaker and author. He is the president of
The Patriot Group, a leadership consulting firm in Atlanta. A seasoned
entrepreneur and former combat-decorated fighter pilot, Waldo demonstrates
through high-energy inspirational keynotes and seminars the value of teamwork,
leadership and trust in business relationships and in life. He can be reached at
866- 925-3616 or Waldo@WaldoSpeaks.com. His Web site is www.WaldoSpeaks.com.

I suggest anytime you discover you are holding yourself back from achieving your goal, ask yourself "What fearful thoughts am I holding onto?" and explore what comes up. Then, using the above techniques, transform those thoughts into a focus-driven plan and you will soon find you will not only be a goal setter, you will become a goal achiever!