Making Dreams a Reality through Hard Work
Do you want to make an impact on others? Do not fail to love.❤
Do you want to live an abundant life? Do not fail to love.❤
Do you raise kids who go after God’s own heart? Do not fail to love. ❤
Do you want to help others succeed? Do not fail to love.❤
Do you want to leave a legacy? Do not fail to love.❤
Following watching Rachel Hollis’ Made for More Encore last week, I am covering the 5 items to success that she covered in her training at the end.
What is your Community like? Who are the 5 people that you spend the most time with on a regular basis? Are you the smartest person in your group? Think sincerely on who you surround yourself with on a regular basis.
Are you surrounding yourself with positive, like-minded people? What does like-minded mean? For me, it means someone that applies Christian principles, someone who wants to work hard for their goals, someone who is kind and thoughtful of others, someone who continues to learn, and someone who doesn’t let other people’s opinions get in the way of going after their dreams.
Rachel says that Proximity is Power. If you are surrounding yourself with negative people, then you will be negative. If you are surrounding yourself with people that are lazy sloughs, then you will become lazy. If you surround yourself with positive, determined, hardworking people then you will run after your goals too!
Do you need to clean out the negative, lazy people from your life. Most likely the answer is yes! If they are family, that may not be so easy, but you can limit the amount of time they can influence over you. I’ve had to this myself, and quite frankly, I’m glad that I did! Through prayer and personal development, I’ve become more confident, more courageous, and more determined to grow spiritual and mentally. And the people that I surround myself with encourage me to go for it all! Find your tribe!!
Most people live a average life. They are born, they learn, they work, they raise a family, the retire, and then eventually die. That’s average…typical or usual. Most people are okay with this. Most people are average.
However, when we think about average, let’s put it into another context. Do you want an average meal, or a great meal? Do you want an average doctor, or the best doctor? Do want to see an average movie, or the best movie ever? Do want an average marriage, or an amazing marriage?
I am not average. I want MORE. I want the best, I want to be the best, and I want to leave a legacy for my family! I want to live more and give more! I want a great life, filled with amazing memories with my husband and boys. I want to make an impact in my community.
An average person doesn’t do these things. A person determined to succeed can do these things. I am determined!
What are your thoughts on dwelling on the What Ifs in life? There are teachings that you should NEVER dwell on them; you should just focus on putting in the work. There are other teachings that you should ALWAYS consider the What ifs; if you can dream it then you can achieve it (Walt Disney).
Here are my thoughts. If you are dwelling in the past and considering the What ifs, then yes, you must let it go. However if you are thinking about the What ifs for the future, then dream away! The What ifs for the the future will motivate you, challenge you, and give you ideas to move forward.
What if you were made for more? What if you crawled out of your comfort zone and pursued a dream? What if you didn’t let your current career define you? What if you didn’t let the opinions of others guide you in your dreams? What if you turned your dreams into reality?
I dream big. I am determined to turn my dreams into reality. I will continue to think about the What ifs…and let them turn my life into something amazing!
So I’ve been asked why I am willing to put my Before pictures, and starting weight and inches out to the world? One word, ACCOUNTABILITY. See, I’ve done this before. I’ve taken pictures, I’ve weighed in, and I’ve taken measurements, and then I’ve placed them in an area where very few people, including my husband can see them. While it weighed on my mind, there was no one to hold me accountable.
This year, I’m determined. This year, I will change, and it will be for the good. I know I can do this. I know that God wants us to live life abundantly, so I’m ready to stop living in the shadows where I hope no one will notice. I’m ready for others to notice. I’m ready to help others live the life they deserve, and I will go first to set the example! The potential is real and I’m ready to make it tangent.
So here it goes:
My goal is lose 140 pounds and go to the gym 5-6 times per week. I’m thankful for my premium nutrition that will help me to achieve these goals! Now it’s time to put in the work!
For the last 6 years as a Business Process Improvement Coordinator, I have repeated this phrase many, many times. Usually to others, but sometimes to myself, as words of encouragement during a time of change.
Times of change get us out of our comfort zone and gives us the opportunity to learn new things! When we learn new things, we grow! We grow in knowledge, we can grow in confidence, and we can even grow financially.
Technology is a huge catalyst for change for most people. However, there are some people, like my dad, who live afraid of it to a certain degree and will never make a purchase online. I, on the other hand, have embraced it and run 2 business with a device that I hold in my hand! Technology allows us the streamline and accomplish tasks quickly and on the go if needed.
While change can be hard during the learning curve, usually looking back over the journey it was not that hard. We have three capability to adjust, if we allow ourselves to do so.
Today, I am changing my life. Today, it will be hard to say goodbye to coworkers who are like family. However, thanks to technology, they really won’t be that far away. Today, change is hard, but I know tomorrow will be good. I need to be reminded of these words of encouragement.
What do you vision your dream life to be like? Focus, be real, and think about what it would look like to you.
Now think about what your life is like right now. What would you change? Think about financially, physically, emotionally. Think about relationships with family, friends, coworkers and teammates.
To help me create and maintain a vision of my future, I create a vision board each year. I can’t wait until after Christmas to work on my 2019 board! I’m already thinking of what I want to put on there! There will be some repeats from the last couple of years (I think big!) and there will be new goals and dreams to add.
For the past 2 years, I’ve wanted the income of my side hustles, yes I have 2 businesses, to pay for my boys select soccer expenses along with the expense of sending them to Pine Cove each summer. I have achieved these goals! However, starting next week, my side hustles will become my main hustle as I leave my full time job at the end of this week. So my main financial goal for 2019 is much bigger!
Personally, I’ve focused my mind and thoughts to Choose Joy. Life throws you curve balls, you have control on how you react. Will you be bitter, resentful, or angry, or will you rise above the chaos, control your thoughts and choose joy? I refuse to let others control my thoughts and emotions. I have removed, or at least lessened my time around people who are negative. I don’t want to be that way, and I won’t spend time with people who are either.
You cannot control other people’s actions, but you do have control over yours. You have to make the choice to change. You can design your own life through change. It’s up to you. What are you waiting on?
Public Service Announcement: Don’t point out other people’s flaws in order to sell them something! It’s just rude. No one wants to buy anything from a rude person.
I know, I know, you have something to help them. You are just trying to help, because you care! I understand that, but until they care enough to help themselves, it doesn’t matter! They also could have accepted the flaw as part of who they are naturally.
See, that was me 3 years ago. I’ve been overweight most of my life. I didn’t need anyone to point that fact out to me. I’m smart, I can read and study for myself the dangers of being overweight, and the solutions for how to lose weight. However, I didn’t care, nor was I motivated to change.
Then we moved 3 years ago. I was tired and exhausted from the process of moving, and yet still had to be a wife, mom, and employee. I would come home from work, and if I sat down, I didn’t want to get back up! Yet, my boys, in effort to fit in and make new friends, tried out for select soccer. Of course, I wanted them to make the team and achieve their goals and dreams… but I was the one stuck taking them to soccer practice 4 nights a week! I didn’t want to go to the grocery store, and I certainly didn’t want to cook, so we ate out all of the time!
My husband was picking up the slack in my failings, yet I was resentful of him having all the “fun” with the boys. I felt like I had become a spectator in my own life while everyone was living life around me! My husband kept asking, what is wrong, and I would look at him like he was crazy for not being able to figure it out!
I knew something had to change, and that change had to start with me! I was finally ready for something different, and no pushing or prodding by others could force me to make that change. It was up to me!
For the last 3 years, I’ve taken the baby steps necessary to make positive changes in my life. Through personal development, I’ve learned, over time, that the only person I have control of is me, and I needed to be in control… not time demands, not food, and not others. I’ve gained my health back. I’ve got energy to go to the gym, cook, and interact with others, even after a long day.
Through watching others, I found help, gently… not a quick fix, but a lifestyle change. True change, on my timing, with God’s help. I’m participating in life again, and I’m finding joy in the journey. I’m excited about changes for the future! I’m a very different person than I was 3 years ago, and I can’t wait to see what the next 3 years bring! The next changes for me are giant leaps; baby steps are no longer enough!
Determined Hustle 