The process and challenges associated with accomplishing goals involve a level of personal development and introspection. Introspection involves overcoming your nature to step outside your comfort zone and take risks with potential rewards that will forever change your life.  Our belief systems are often the cause of the results in our life.  If we have an association that money only comes to people with a certain level of education, then we’ll never have money without that education. Given this level of consciousness, how do we change our belief systems to empower us and improve our lives?  How do we change our behavior or the situations around us?  Remember, the only thing you have control over is yourself; create the possibility to have everything.  What would that look like?  How would that negate the belief system instilled in you?  Are you willing to look within, do some work and change yourself and the outcomes in your life?  If so, you must start by doing some self reflection and having the willingness to be aware and make changes.  Here is a step by step process:

1.    Identify what is hard... What pushes your buttons?  When do you feel immediately reactive or defensive?

2.    Acknowledge that this situation is placed in your life for a reason, to help you develop and be the best individual you were destined to be in this lifetime.  This situational test is to help you realize that there’s something you need to learn to help yourself grow and develop.

3.    Identify your reaction… Do you feel like lashing out?  Are you upset, hurt, mad, angry, frustrated, or do you feel helpless?  Why are you experiencing this?  Would others react this way?  Are you taking it personally?  What are your assumptions as it pertains to the situation?

4.    Restrict. This might be very difficult but you must stop yourself from reacting and allow the process to happen and reflect on what went wrong.  How did this situation arise?  Don’t take things for granted; appreciate the opportunity to change through this experience.  This is an opportunity to learn from your own experiences, change your reactions and become a better person.  What is your blockage?

5.    Deal with the situation differently and change your consciousness!  Stretch yourself by changing the results.  Be aware of your reactive nature and what is causing this reaction within you. From this point forward, appreciate this learning experience and be prepared in the future to handle things differently.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing but expecting different results.  In order to change the results in your life, changing your actions, reactions and routine are the only ways to successfully influence the outside factors that influence your happiness and sense of fulfillment.  So start by looking within and being aware of how you view and handle situations in your life.

Are you living a completely fulfilling life? Do you wonder why you’re exhausted yet haven’t accomplished much? Do you prioritize others before yourself? Often in life we become distracted by our “schedule” and daily responsibilities.  Although this is a means of getting things done, have you ever stopped to think about the end result of this non-stop go, go, go lifestyle? What about you? Have you rewarded yourself for the things you’ve accomplished or are you even enjoying life?  This month, let’s focus a bit more on ourselves so we can stay sane, rejuvenated, and enjoy our existence and the miracles that are rewarded to us on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.  How? Well here are a few suggestions:

Keep a journal which includes your thoughts, intuitions, desires, feelings, daydreams, fears, and what you’re grateful for.  In order to figure out what’s missing in your life, you’ll need to connect to your core knowledge, wisdom, and experience.  With this clarity, your values, needs, and desires will become apparent.

Create an “Unconditional Yes List” of your top five priorities that need focus and attention within the next three to six months. Unlike goals and dreams, the first place to focus your time and energy when building a strong foundation is on those things that need your attention now. This could include relationships you’ve been neglecting or a financial burden/debt. Take one hour of personal time this week to cozy up and ask yourself two questions:

What needs my attention at this time in my life?
What do I need to let go of?

Make sure to prioritize the top five and focus on those for the next three to six months and keep the list accessible. You can create 3x5 index cards and post in several places throughout your home to keep this list top of mind.

Eliminate energy drains that affect you physically and emotionally. These drains could include projects that no longer hold your interest, holding on to something in the home or office that represents a difficult time in your life, dealing with a sick or aging individual alone, or making a commitment to a friend that you regret. Scan your environment for five and schedule time to handle these things. Be sure to get support for those you no longer wish to handle.

Finally, reward  yourself once these tasks are accomplished. Life can be short and challenging so why not enjoy the journey? Have Fun!!! Two times per week, prioritize “fun.”  Make a list of things you enjoy doing, and make sure to schedule them into your week. Do you like ice cream, animals (visit a petting zoo or pet store), the beach, gym, or just taking a relaxing bubble bath?  Whatever the activity, make sure you are having fun and taking time out a minimum of two times per week. This does not include working, even if you love your job; this must be an activity that doesn’t have expectations of you. Enjoy!!!

Do you have a dream, a goal…something to achieve and work towards?  If not, what drives you to wake up in the morning? 

Having the desire to be someone, accomplish something, and leave behind a personal legacy all starts with setting personal and professional goals and setting out to achieve them.  Once that concept is understood, the question becomes: “How do I stay focused on accomplishing goals without losing sight of the purpose and not getting distracted by life’s struggles and constant changes?”  This is a very common concern and often negatively effects staying on track to achieve a goal.  Here are some suggestions:  

1.       What is the goal?  Focus on what motivated you to create this goal.  Is it a health concern, financial concern, or personal goal?  Be aware of the importance and positive changes that will occur when this goal is achieved.

2. Place a reminder around you.  Either cut out a picture of the ideal body you want, home you want to live in, or career you desire.  Whatever the goal, it’s important to see it on a consistent basis so it’s not forgotten.  Place it somewhere in your home or office where it’s visible; when you pass by the picture, visualize yourself already accomplishing that goal. Experience the feeling every time you see the picture.  In order to manifest your dreams and desires, you must believe that they can occur and see your life changed because of them.

3. Break down the goal so it’s measurable and achievable, so you can work towards it on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. Set a reminder for yourself every month to track your success. You can easily create a spreadsheet to measure how far along you are.

4. Find an accountability partner whom you’ll share your progress with. Therefore, make sure this person is aware of your short term goals in order to achieve the ultimate long term goal. This way, your accountability partner can make sure you’re on track.

5. Have a backup plan in case you fall behind.  Are you willing to accelerate things one month to make up for a previous month’s shortcomings?  If so, make sure your accountability party is aware of how to motivate you.

6. Celebrate the small successes.  If you’ve worked hard for several weeks/months or accomplished half the goal, reward yourself!

7. Make sure to have fun; create a game out of it.  Track and share your progress, struggles, etc. with your accountability partner.  Allow your partner to support you and make suggestions.

8. Make sure to remember the reason you created the goal and visualize achieving it every time you loose focus or purpose.

9. Good luck and enjoy!!!