Today we complete your toolbox with the final tool to help you on your journey to realizing your goals and aspirations with confidence!
Tool #3: Track Your Progress!
Journal writing is one of the best tools for organizing mental clutter, by capturing thoughts and emotions in writing. After my mentor’s wife of 53 years passed away, he began documenting their life together and the “WHY?” behind her early demise. “When I finished writing this book,” he said, “I knew I was ready to move forward. I was healed.”
You can create different journals for different parts of your journey. One may be for personal healing and insight, while another may be an “idea journal” reserved for capturing inspiration.
How do you use an idea journal? Keep a small notebook in your purse or pocket and jot down your ideas throughout the day. Often during quiet moments of reflection, you’ll find your written ideas weave an interesting tapestry.
Early morning is another vital time for journaling your thoughts! Keep a notepad by your bed—I like to call mine my morning ‘think-pad.’ Glean these early thoughts before a child or a morning hello interrupts your clarity. Never minimize the importance of capturing these early thoughts! Your heart and mind are working while you sleep, planning life’s journey! Start each day with your idea journal, capturing your morning revelation.
If you need to simplify, an electronic journal, cellphone or voice recorder can help you record your fresh ideas and the answers to your soul-searching questions!
Today we continue equipping your toolbox with tools that will help free you from mental clutter and keep you motivated toward achieving your aspirations!
Tool #2: Try a New Activity!
I am constantly learning! Why? Despite all the information we have at our fingertips, one of life’s greatest obstacles is the fear of the unknown.
Information is power to change, and education is one of the greatest sources of personal growth! The electronic age allows access for skilled and unskilled, alike. I learn through internet articles, professional journals, on-line courses and personal coaches.
What have you wanted to do but were afraid to attempt? Overcome that fear by trying ONE new activity! Why not go back to school? Or take an on-line course? Having trouble getting started? Find a coach or trainer who can motivate you in your new activity. Many free on-line training and coaching tools are available!
Are you low on funds? Become a volunteer! You can often learn a new skill while volunteering at places needing help. Volunteering has been one of my greatest learning methods! It’s totally free, it only costs your time. Get busy—you CAN do something now!
Have you ever lost an inspirational idea? Or, have you ever felt trapped in your own mental clutter? During the next three days I want to share some tips that will keep you motivated toward achieving your aspirations! Let’s get started equipping our toolbox!
Tool #1: Take a Personality Test
Personality tests can identify how we function in stressful environments, how we approach practical problem solving, whether we are competitive in nature, how well we work in teams, as well as pinpointing our best career choices. For my English speaking friends, I recommend the Kendall Life Languages test at www.lifelanguages.com. This test identifies communication style and recommends related career paths.
The internet offers many resources such as Queendom.com, providing a full range of psychological assessments that empower you to reach your potential. These include emotional intelligence tests for improving how you lead and interact with people. Recently, I found the Oxford Happiness Test on theguardian.com. From curiosity, I took one of their brief personality tests which, not surprisingly, indicated I should be a public speaker!
Today I am sharing the last two tips that will help you take control of your thoughts and attitudes:
#3: Overcome Unrealistic Expectations. Do you avoid reality? Are you so busy talking the “big idea” that you’ve forgotten to address life’s daily routines? I believe in the power of a positive attitude. But I also know a positive attitude does not deny reality, it simply gives us the ability to deal with reality!
Remember: Unfulfilled expectations are a leading cause of discouragement! True personal success is found when expectation meets accomplishment! Proverbs 13:12 says, “a fulfilled desire is a tree of life!” Ask yourself: Are my expectations realistic? If not, evaluate and revise your plans!
#4: Learn to Laugh At Yourself! Don’t take yourself too seriously! While you’re developing the strategy for humanity’s next great invention, take some time and laugh! Laughter has the ability to reduce stress and provide a feeling of wellness. Laughter helps boost self-confidence. It encourages healthy relationships and eliminates feelings of aggression, jealousy and antagonism.
My husband is a natural comedian! Or so he thinks—we often get the most enjoyment watching him laugh at his own jokes! Enjoy life! Become your own comedian and learn to smile at your mistakes! If you have trouble laughing at yourself, take some time and watch children! They laugh at everything! Or simply buy a joke book and laugh at someone else!
The Point: Start Laughing! It will do you good!
Here are my first two tips to help you evaluate your behavior patterns and begin taking control of your thoughts and attitudes:
#1 – Don’t Play the Blame Game. I learned long ago that if someone is accusing you of being the problem, it’s often their shame speaking so don’t buy into it. I also learned that if everyone is offering you the same criticism, it’s time to drop the defenses, listen and learn!
Excuses and defensive behavior are often coping mechanisms we develop to avoid real issues. You can take responsibility for your thoughts and therefore take responsibility for your actions! How do you begin? Identify 3 areas of life where it is time to stop making excuses!
#2 – Identify Negative Cycles. Do you find yourself constantly repeating the same negative behaviors? Have you asked yourself why? Repetitive cycles are often the result of unresolved issues or judgments toward ourselves or others.
For example, you might say, “My mother was an alcoholic, I will never be like her!” Yet, you find yourself adopting her behaviors! Through forgiveness, you free yourself of pain, anger and judgments, and you shift your focus from yesterday’s hurt to today’s possibility!
You might ask, how do I forgive? We have a model for forgiveness—Christ, who lived a sinless life and chose to forgive those who sinned against Him. Accept His forgiveness and discover its great power! Ask yourself: Do I have repetitive negative behaviors that require forgiveness? Write them down and start forgiving today!
Did you know that the average person has between 25,000 and 50,000 thoughts per day? And much of your behavior depends on your thoughts and attitudes! While playing athletics, I developed a saying to motivate me each morning: “I am alive, alert, awake, joyous and enthusiastic about life!”
Although I had to rise each morning at 5 am for basketball practice, I would lie awake most nights with aching joints due to my rapid growth. How did I get up each morning? I programmed myself! I learned that getting control of my thoughts allowed me to control my actions!
Behavior is defined as the way in which one conducts oneself, especially toward others. It is also defined as the way in which a person responds to a particular situation or stimulus. By evaluating our behavior patterns, both to internal and external stimuli, we discover new levels of self-awareness!
For the next two days I will be sharing some tips that can help you take control of your thoughts and attitudes and move toward a healthier you!
If I were to put a bunch of apple seeds into your hand you probably could get a picture of what could be produced from them. The same is true if I filled your hands with turtle eggs.
If I were to put the seed of a human into your hand, try and think of the possibility!
We look at the Japanese bonsai tree with its artistic, dwarfed size and shape and admire it. Most of humanity has gone through an unseen process like the bonsai tree. Humans have been restricted, confined and twisted to a shape of another’s liking. It could have been through religion, family criticism, personal inferiority and fears or the example of others that you feel dwarfed and twisted, but Jesus came to set the captives free. Each of us has an ability to dream of the possibilities in our future. It is a risk to go beyond the parameters, but no one will ever know how high you can grow until you allow yourself to reach! God has put a future in you that reaches into eternity.
Stretch for it today!
Here are some soul-searching questions to direct you toward discovering both the talent you possess, and the talent you are willing to pay any price to develop!
First, ask yourself the all-important purpose questions.
What do I want to do? What am I passionate about? What brings me joy and fulfillment? Am I living my personal values? Sometimes your very first thought is the answer you have been seeking! Liberate the idea that’s in your heart! Write it down! If you do, you will discover that with a little attention the idea will grow!
Belva Davis, the first black TV journalist in the Western United States said, “Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.”
Second, ask the vital “What If” Questions to Expand Your Horizon. What would I attempt if I knew I couldn’t fail? Most talent remains undeveloped on the trash heap of If only I had…tried that new job, achieved that degree, written that book. What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail? Think about it. Document your thoughts. Raise your expectations and dare to dream the impossible! You can get out of the box! God-given talent and desires have been placed within you to impact the world for GOOD!
According to success coach, Brian Tracy, “the key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire, not things we fear.” These ‘what if’ questions will help you Identify your fears and expand your boundaries! President Franklin D. Roosevelt is famously quoted as saying, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
Third, Ask Others Their Perspective to Gain Insight
Who knows you better than your family and closest friends? Ask a friend, family member or co-worker what they perceive as your strongest characteristic, special gifting or unique ability. Write down the names of at least two people you can consult with.
Self-awareness is having a clear perception of your strengths and your weaknesses. You might be surprised at what you discover when you give others the permission to speak into your world! Remember: People pleasers will tell you what you want to hear. A true friend will tell you what you need to hear!
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why don’t I have the talent I need? If I did, I’d accomplish my goals much faster!” However, I’ve discovered that talent is never enough! I was reminded of this during a long writing session preparing for my training seminars. It just seemed that though I love writing, if I were really good at it I would do it much faster. But I have learned in over 25 years of inspiring spiritual leaders, business people and the general public, that there are no short cuts in life! Only determined, hard work focused on a quality outcome with intentional effort will produce results that set you apart from the pack.
What is hard work? It’s not just lifting a 100-pound package or moving a pallet of bricks with your bare hands. NO! It is the discipline required to remain focused and meet your deadlines. Movie producer Stephen King says, “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”
What is a quality outcome? It is creating something worthy of your approval, knowing that you gave it your very best! It is working and reworking that piece so it stands out above the rest. It is being willing to re-edit, again and again, your thoughts and dreams! It is raising the bar and setting your goal even higher when you think you’ve already finished!
What is intentional effort? It is deliberately putting your energy levels to the test when your body, your mind and even your friends say, “Ah, you can finish tomorrow,” or “is this really worth all the effort?”
Tomorrow I will be asking some “Soul-Searching Questions” that will direct you toward discovering both the talent you possess, and the talent you are willing to pay any price to develop!
Today we continue asking some questions to help inspire the creativity in your heart:
Fourth: How do you create? Ponder these questions: Are you an avid reader? Do you enjoy researching your subject? Get busy absorbing and discovering ideas for your creative passion!
Fifth: Who helps you create? Do you work best when collaborating with others? Does a team stimulate your creativity? What talented individuals have you included in your creative process?
Sixth: Where do you best create? To answer this question let’s briefly review our CULTIVATE YOUR CREATIVITY series:
Your Environment can stimulate Creativity: Your 5 senses are a great gateway for creativity!
Adversity can be a Catalyst for your Creativity: Remember, having problems is not the issue, but thinking your life should be without problems is…
Next, recognize that the Power of a Positive Thought can open your future to bright possibilities!
Acknowledge that Creativity IS a Cognitive Thought Process: You can develop discipline of thought to master your creativity.
Remember: Stimulate Your Creativity to ACTION. A sense of urgency will motivate your creativity! Times of crisis can cultivate your creativity!
