I attended a conference last weekend.  It was my second time attending and I can honestly say I got at least as much out of it the second time as I did the first.
I will share with you some of my learnings and insights in part in hopes that some of them may be helpful to you as well, but more personally in hopes of ingraining those learnings and insights that I might move forward and not have to re-learn them next year... and the next.

 I read a note this morning from a friend I met at the conference that read "One definition of a successful life is having different problems next year than you do this year."Oooo that hits home for me.  How many of you have goals that you feel like you really want to achieve but when next year rolls around you find you are no closer to achieving them?

Well I have changed that pattern and wish the same for you. 

 

Finding out what is holding you back is where the ball gets dropped a lot of the time.  Each of us has invisible barriers that stand in the way of us living the life we dream of.  It can be scary to push past those barriers but the freedom that can be realized once you have chosen to breakthrough are life changing.

Sherry was living with her husband and two young children in a small rental home.  For a few years now she has wanted to start her own business but had very little income, worked long days in her job and then came home to look after her children and her home with very little support from her husband.  Gary would often come home late -frequently after Sherry and the kids were in bed, asleep.  He paid the rent but otherwise considered his income his money and usually spent it going out with his friends.  Sherry had come to believe that her dream of being an entrepreneur was out of reach at least until her children were grown, secretly believing that then she would leave Gary and start a new life on her own.

With some coaching Sherry came to realize that she was the only one who could create the life she dreamed of.  By learning to take one step at a time she came to understand that she had never discussed finances in any serious way with Gary.  Her first breakthrough was sitting down with Gary and explaining how she felt she was doing everything herself to manage the house and the kids.   Gary was surprised stating they had made that agreement years earlier and he had not realized that it was no longer appropriate.   With this breakthrough having such a positive outcome, it wasn't long before Sherry was willing to share her dream with Gary of owning her own business.  At first Gary was doubtful that Sherry had the skills necessary and did not want to "waste" money for her to try out something she had never done before.  But, Sherry was getting bolder, they came up with a plan that the only change Gary needed to make was to be home a few nights per week so that Sherry could research opportunities without having to help the kids with homework and get them ready for bed.  Gary was skeptical but agreed to try it for one month.

Sherry is currently starting her own on line business, which cost her very little start up money, she can do it from home the evenings that Gary is home.  The relationships between Gary and his children has improved significantly with him spending more time with them... "He is way more fun than Mom" I am told.  Sherry and Gary have realized that their communication with each other (or lack thereof) was destroying their relationship, and have now added a date night into their weekly routine.

These changes did not happen overnight.  They were not necessarily without their challenges.  There was conflict and even a few tears along the way, but Sherry was willing to be bold.  She was willing to take action and take responsibility for how she felt and where her life was heading.  She dared to dream and believe in her ability to create her dream.  And she was willing to live with the consequences of taking a bold move, one step at a time.

We all have barriers often self imposed, sometimes learned from past experience but like Sherry we are the only ones who can change the direction of our lives.  We are never powerless to make change.  Some barriers are harder to push through than others but none are insurmountable unless we allow ourselves to believe they are.

Don't let next year roll around to find you still wanting the same things you wanted this year or last year with no action having been taken to achieve them.

You are an amazing and important part of this world, your community, your family.  Perhaps others recognize it, perhaps not and most especially whether you realize it or not.  Now let me ask you if you were able to take in that statement, really breathe it in (that means believe it).

I know it to be true.  You are amazing, you are a winner, you can achieve anything you are willing to be bold enough to create.

Break through self judgement and step into your own power.