Your comfort zone is a beautiful place

Definition of comfort zone (Miriam Webster)

1. 1:  the temperature range within which one is comfortable
2. 2:  the level at which one functions with ease and familiarity

Let's be real with ourselves for a moment. Most of you would agree that your own unique comfort zone can be a great place. Within your comfort zone there is safety and little stress. Actually, staying in your comfort zone can result in consistent, steady performance.

BUT, think about it: Did you ever do something you were really proud of when you were playing it safe? Probably not. 

But who cares, right? You may be thinking " As long as I'm comfortable and safe it won't hurt anyone." WRONG!

Living within a comfort zone will come at a cost to you. Staying there is harmful to your physical, emotional and spiritual well being. Why? Because you were created to grow and learn. Your brain is 
working at full potential when you are learning. Think of a child's development. No one ever told a child just entering this world to mimic others, to try to walk or try to talk. It was an innate desire born into that child to desire to do more as that child grew in strength. Remember that child still lives in you and desires to experience and learn.

The first lie we tell ourselves is "I don't have time."

We all lead busy lives and we use our limited time as an excuse to not challenge ourselves. We often times say "I just don't have time." We use that statement as an excuse to stay the same. The reality is that claiming we don't have time is a lie we tell ourselves.

I have told myself and others this lie over and over again. BUT, I always find time to do the things I enjoy like going to the gym, shopping, watching television, etc. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

Research suggests that we don’t have a realistic perspective when it comes to our use of time. For instance, one study shared that participants claimed to only get 6 or 7 hours of sleep, when time diaries showed they were actually getting more than 8 hours of sleep. Additionally, time studies have told us that when people are asked to label their week’s time, the weeks will often add up to more than 168 hours. Unfortunately, even the busiest of us have only 168 hours a week. And what we do with those 168 hours matters.

The solution? This Wall Street Journal article suggests that you swap the phrase “I don’t have time” with “It isn’t a priority.” So let's try that. "I'm not going to challenge myself because it isn't a priority." That just doesn't seem right. Something is terribly wrong with that statement. That change will surely make you re-evaluate your use of time.

We all get 168 hours per week. What will you do with yours?

The Secret to Overcoming Fear

Do you ever long to do something spontaneous? Do something completely out of the norm for you?

What stops you from doing that? Fear is likely the answer.

Fear can be crippling. If you allow it, fear will hold you hostage physically, emotionally and mentally. Fear is the number one barrier to living confidently. It's hold on us stunts our growth and holds us back from success, fulfillment and happiness. 

We don't always like to admit it but we experience fear every day. We don't do something we want to do because of fear or we do something we don't want to do because of fear. 

The reality is that most fear is unfounded. Fears arise from events or situations that haven't happened or may never happen. They originate from false beliefs and thinking. Ultimately it
reinforces mediocrity.

If you don't remember anything else from this blog, please remember that fear loses it's power when we actively trust God more than the fear. 

Tips to live fearlessly while trusting God:

1.      Be HONEST with yourself

The first step in living fearlessly is owning up to and accepting your fear. Often, we don’t even realize how much of our time is spent worrying about something. When you become aware of what the fear is remind yourself that 80% of fears NEVER HAPPEN. By owning your fear, you then have the power to put your trust in God to overcome that fear.

2.      Be PRESENT.

Fearfulness usually revolves around living in the future. You are afraid of what will or COULD happen and often dwell on that. It is impossible to change or even predict what will happen in the future. However much we plan and hope for, the reality is that we never really know what will happen next. God has a plan for the future. Rest in that and know that it is up to you to live today to the fullest. Live in the present.

3.      Be BOLD

Find those areas in your life where you feel fear. For me, it's a fear of rejection. I'm not entirely sure what 'rejection' I'm afraid of. I think it's about wanting the acceptance and love of others and making sure that I don't do anything to jeopardize that. What have I done to punch that fear square in the nose? Your reading it, I’m writing this blog. This fear will no longer hold me hostage.

What is it for you? Look those fears in the eye, and accept a little discomfort so you can reap the great rewards of stepping out of your comfort zone.

Determine that starting today you will no longer be controlled by fear and you will start living the purpose filled life you were created to live. 

Motivation can be challenging

Friends and family who know me would probably say I'm a pretty motivated person. I can understand why. I regularly set and achieve goals. However, only those people who know me most intimately (my husband) know that I've been in the habit of setting easily achievable goals. Goals that rarely stretch me out of my comfort zone. So yes, I am motivated. Motivated not to fail.

When it comes to striving for bigger life goals my motivation wanes. I can be an expert procrastinator and I'm even better at being busy. Recently I've set a HUGE goal for myself. Insecurities have surfaced that I never knew existed. Nevertheless, I'm taking courage and pressing forward. One of the biggest obstacles, however, is staying motivated in the midst of my insecurities. Here are 7 tips I've learned to help me and can help you stay motivated.

1. Lose the negative self talk

Would you agree that it's impossible to get anything done when we're stuck on thoughts like, "I suck at life " or "I'm not worth it" or "everyone is better than me" or "I'll never follow through".

Thoughts like those make us want to never try and stay in the routine of our everyday lives. Positive thoughts are guaranteed to start you on your way to being a motivated person. If you find yourself slipping into negative thoughts (it's easy to do), stop yourself and deflect your attention elsewhere.

Try reframing your thought. For example, instead of thinking "I never follow through." Think "I will follow through this time." Also, you should display that positive thought in a location you'll see repeatedly everyday. That positive thought will become you.

2. Drop negative people 

Negative people are like leeches. They will suck the life and motivation right out of you. Now is a time to give yourself permission to be selfish for your own wellbeing. Someone else's negativity is not your responsibility to deal with. If they're bringing you down, you need to spend time away from them.

3. Be Confident 

We've all had accomplishments in our lives. Take a moment to count your successes. What do you have going for you? What have you done in the past that was awesome? What resources do you have at your disposal? Think of all the things you've achieved in the past. For what reason would you not be able to achieve what you want now?! You've done similar things before.

4. Start with small goals

Having lofty goals is tough. Instead of "I want to lose 50 pounds" think of something like "I want  2 pounds this week," or "I want to work out 4 or 5 days a week."  These will illicit  but are easier on the mind

5. Be prepared for set backs

You are not perfect. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Being a perfectionist about yourself will just leave you frustrated and tempted to give up. There will be times when you fail. You just have to know that you're capable of getting back up and, better yet, that you will. Your failures or setbacks have nothing to do with you and everything to do with being human. They happen. Sometimes they'll happen because of you, but sometimes they'll happen because of circumstances that are beyond your control.

6. Track your progress

Keep a journal of your progress. It will help you in two ways. First, you can look back at your accomplishments for continued motivation. You'll see where you started and how you've progressed. Second, you can look back and see what you tried that worked and didn't work while trying to reach your goal.

7. PRAY everyday 

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! Prayer reminds you that you are not alone. God is with you supporting you and cheering you on. When you get discouraged prayer reminds you that God the almighty is on your side and often carrying you through difficulties. 

Taking the first step to reach your goal is often hardest. Step out in faith you'll never be more proud of yourself. What goals have you set for yourself? Are you ready to take the first step to reaching that goal? You'll never know if you can or if you can't until you try. Go for it!!!

Just keep moving... Just keep moving....Just keep moving....

Just Keep Swimming. A lessons taught to young children by Dory in the movie "Finding Nemo." This is actually one of the times that us adults should take the advice of a cartoon character. Just keep going and persevere. Perseverance is a lost art. Many in today's society are fragile and lack the gumption to endure. Here are three tips to help you persevere through difficult times.

1.     Remember that "This to Shall Pass".

A former supervisor used to say this to me frequently. It was his way to encourage me to not give up or quit. Remember difficult times are just a phase which will eventually disappear. Sometimes the difficulty lasts much longer than we would like or choose. Every person on this earth deals with their share of difficulties. Therefore, you can anticipated experiencing difficulties. But the more we experience, the more we grow.

Hold yourself together and endure during tough times. We cannot choose or control our circumstances, but we can choose our attitude towards our circumstances. Realize that you have come a long way. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

2. Remember your purpose.

All of us have an individual purpose to pursue. If you don't have a purpose, I encourage you to invest in a larger and deeper life goal. A sense of purpose gives us a clear reason to persevere. When faced with difficulty, remembering our purpose will motivate us to endure. Without a clear purpose, our desire to endure will sag when faced with challenges. We will lose sight of why it is important to endure and quitting becomes an easy option. Remembering our goals, makes motivating ourselves so much easier and will help us reach our mission much faster and easier than without a clear purpose.

3. Surround yourself with positive people.

Positivity and motivation is contagious. Many of our worries come from self doubt. Self- doubt is exacerbated when we deal with it alone. Keep in touch with and confide in people who care for you and who want to see you succeed. Have open conversations about difficulties and be open to  hear advice and thoughts. Socialize with optimistic people. The moment you interact with individuals who are cheerful and upbeat, you will catch the vibe too.

Yes, life can be hard BUT persevere. You'll surprise yourself with your inner strength and ability. Also, you'll likely motivate someone else to endure. Remember motivation is contagious. 

Please comment below. I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

VISION is the key

Vision is the key.

Yes, it’s all about your clear and concise vision.

If I were to ask you what is your vision for 1 year, 2 years or 5 years, would you know? If you have the answer all mapped out and you are wildly successful than there is probably no need for you to continue reading.

However, if are not completely sure of how you would answer that question than it may be a good idea to continue reading.

Most us take life as it comes.  Event to event and deadline to deadline. We don’t often think in the long term. It is understandable that we often live our lives in this manner because the present affects us now. Think about baking a cake.  You begin with the end in mind. You would make sure you have a recipe handy along with all the proper ingredients. You would follow the recipe to reach the desired result. However, if you were to throw out the recipe and use any ingredients that you found in your pantry the results would likely not be the desired end that you imagined. So, it is with life. If you try to create the life you want without knowing what steps to take, you’ll constantly fall short of your dreams.

Creating a vision is the first step to manifesting your ideal life.

See yourself as God sees you. We have the tendency to place ourselves within boundaries that define who we can and cannot be. This mindset causes us to settle for the lowest level of our potential. However, we were created by the mightiest of creators. He put potential and gifting in us that would amaze the world. God sees you as his precious and priceless creation. We have the potential to be mighty.

Write down your objectives. We all have ambitions, and some are more significant than others. Make a list of your ten most important aspirations, and circle at least one you plan to achieve within the next year. Writing it down will make it more than just a thought that randomly passes through your mind. 

Take the first step. Putting your intentions to use initiates action. Your first step may be a leap of faith. You’ll likely surprise yourself by what you can achieve if you would only try.

Never, never, ever give up Simply having a vision does not fulfill it. You will experience bumps along the road and people who will try to keep you from succeeding. You can expect it and even anticipate it but do not get discouraged. Remember that you are on a mission to achieve something incredible.

Remember to answer this question and you are well on your way: What is your vision for 1 year, 2 years or 5 years, would you know? 

BE COURAGEOUS

“Just do it” is a Nike trademark that we have all heard.  If life were only that easy. Contrary to what some may believe, courage is not something that you just do and it is not a quality you are, or are not, born with. However, it is a quality that can be cultivated and sharpened. It is a quality that requires purposeful living. On a daily basis, many people like you and I summon courage to overcome barriers to achieve goals.

What then is courage?

Courage is the mental and emotional preparedness and ability to deal with difficult, challenging, and sometimes seemingly impossible circumstances. It is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, intimidation and other threats.

Here are a few tips to help you develop courage:

1. Have faith in God.

A large part of developing courage is having faith in God. Having the faith to know that God has a plan and will always be the victor for those who trust and believe in Him. Be confident that God cannot and will not make a mistake.

2. Acknowledge that there will be fear.

Even the most courageous of us experience fear, nervousness and apprehension. Nelson Mandela said: “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Ask any soldier who has had to go to battle or any fireman who must enter a burning building. Few would deny feeling fear and uncertainty beforehand. 

3. Make one small decision at a time.

If you have a big situation you’re facing, practice on smaller uncomfortable things and then apply that success to boost your confidence to take on the big thing.  I haven’t yet but I’m determined to complete at least one marathon soon. To get to that marathon, I must make small decision along the way starting with getting a good pair of running shoes and developing and sticking with a training plan. Also, I must decide to participate in shorter races as I build myself up to complete the full marathon. Then when it is time to run the full marathon I would have already achieved many milestones along the way so that mustering up the courage to complete a marathon easy.

Living a courageous life requires purposeful living with purposeful decisions. It is not always easy but it is possible and you can do it. 

You Are Good Enough.

The single greatest threat to any person who seeks to move from a place of mediocrity in life to a place of greatness is the mind. You may have desires to make a career move, you may have health-related goals or goals to start a business or write a book. Think for a minute. What has stopped you? I’m willing to bet that it is your negative thoughts that have stopped you or slowed you down. You may have thoughts that you are not talented enough or not smart enough. Maybe you have thoughts that you have not lived the perfect life and people will remember that.

I’m writing this to remind you to believe. Believe in yourself.

You are good enough. You have the power, the strength, the ability to achieve whatever it is you want to in life. Like millions of other people, I have dealt with low self-esteem, low self-confidence, and going after a dream feeling, at times, alone. I am not writing this to conjure up some sense of sympathy or having a pity-party, rather, I want you to know that we all have imperfect pasts. We all have tarnished reputations. We all have questionable characteristics and, at times, impure motives.

Here are a few things to remember when you think you are just not good enough:

1.   Don’t compare yourself to others.

Think of it this way, the people you compare yourself to compare themselves to others. We all have a tendency to compare ourselves to others. However, I can guarantee that those people who appear to have it all together, do not. We are all human beings. Beautifully imperfect human beings with challenges and triumphs.

Don’t compare yourself to others. You are the best version of you there is. Your life is about breaking your own limits and outgrowing your own limits. You are the only one in the race to be the best you.

2.   There is more right with you than wrong

“Until you stop breathing, there’s more right with you than wrong with you” Jon Kabat-Zinn.

We sometimes fixate on bad things that happen in our lives. Even one difficult situation can overpower all the good things if we’re not deliberate about recognizing them and realizing how blessed we are. The reality is that there is often more right with our lives. For example, there are people looking out for us who love and care for us. No, it is not a perfect world but there is a lot of beauty in this world. We have to be willing to see and appreciate it.

I challenge you to look around today and choose to see the good things. Don’t let the tiny things that went wrong distract from your pleasure. Joy is in allowing yourself to enjoy your blessings.

3.   If your reading this you are still here and able to try again.

If you have no other positive to think of at this moment, you have this one: “I’m still here and able to try again. Be positive! Be patient! Be persistent! Remember the strongest people are not always the people who win, but the people who don’t give up even when they have lost.

Believe in you. You are good enough.The fact that you have made it this far is amazing. Your life is a gift. Cherish it. You are magnificently talented. Appreciate that and show the world what all you can do.