THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SETBACKS

Here is an experience I had recently. You know that feeling? Life is working well for you. The goals you are working towards are starting to show results and then bang, life rears it's ugly head and knocks you for a six, I know that we have all been there on more than one occasion.

So what do we do when life deals us a blow?

Here are some practices that I have taken on board and found helpful when finding myself in such situations.

#   Steady yourself and gather your thoughts.

#  Keep your eye on the prize

#  Remember what you have already accomplished

#  Go back to your why. A strong emotional attachment to your why will see you through  many 

    challenges.

#  Recover quickly. Don't let your current circumstances be the roadblock that prevents you from accomplishing the very goals that can set you free. 

A little inspiration can go a long way too. Here are some of my favourite off my Pinterest board that I go back to time and again. May they inspire you too.

MAKING EACH DAY COUNT: LIVING THE LIFE YOU DESIRE

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"The best way to predict the future is to create it". Peter Druker

I remember watching my brother and his wife one day when I was going through a difficult patch and thinking to myself, "you know life works so well for them, they really do have life nailed". Then it occurred to me that they have life nailed because they have made life work well for them.They are where they are because they have planned, set goals and then they have gone to work on their plans. The result is a pretty good life. So completely unbeknownst to them they taught me some valuable lessons on how to take your life in the direction that you want it to go. I say thank you.

Below are some of these valuable life lessons that they have taught me.

They plan and know their why.

They plan. They set goals and then they plan how they are going to accomplish those goals. Those goals have ranged from investment properties paid in full, to taking a years sabbatical to travel with their daughter, to  my sister- in-law having just completed her law degree and starting her articles.

They take action

 Once they have put a plan into place, they act upon it,and continue the necessary action with discipline and consistency until their goal is achieved. They know that a dream needs to be acted upon.

They are willing to pay the price.

They are willing to pay the necessary price to make their dream or goal a reality. Often our plans and dreams fall by the wayside as reality kicks in and we begin to realize that our dream life is not going to happen without some sacrifice and dedication. Lets be honest, very little if anything that is really worth having comes easy. It takes some sacrifice, work and discipline.

They make each day count

As they work towards their goals, they continue to make each day count. Enjoying life does not stop because they have a goal and are focused on making it happen. They still find pleasure in everyday life and make each day count.

I would like to end with a quote. When I told them that I would like to share the lessons that I had learned from them, I asked if they had an ultimate dream or goal in life for now? Here is their answer.

 "Not sure if  we have an ultimate dream or goal. If anything we just want to live a life that is full and interesting. My one insight into life has been that the vast majority of ones life is lived on the day to day and so we have sought to make that day to day as alive as possible".

Each on of us is unique with dreams unique and special to us. What is your most precious dream, and what price are you prepared to pay to make it a reality? My wish for you is that you live an extraordinary life.

TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR CHOICES

Have you ever looked at your business or life and thought to yourself, how on earth did it ever get to this? Why do I keep going from one crisis to the next? I know I have, on countless occasions. I have had to learn some very harsh and painful lessons along life's way and I dare say there will be more to come. It is not easy admitting to yourself that you are where you are because of the bad choices that you have made along the way. Granted, there are times when life deals us cruel, cruel blows, but I have learnt that whatever the circumstances may be it is how we choose to respond to these setbacks that will be critical to the outcome.

However bleak things look now, take heart. All is not lost. If we have the courage to take responsibility for our bad choices our lives can change. If we don't and insist on blaming everything and everybody but ourselves, nothing changes. It stays the same or it gets worse.

So, we have done the right thing and taken ownership. Now comes a whole set of  new challenges. We need to exit our comfort zone and do what is necessary to make the changes that will take us from where we are to where we want to be. This is not going to be easy, but your future self will thank you for this.

There are numerous practices that one can take to bring about the necessary changes. These are the ones that I found good for myself.

1:   Take a long hard look at what you did to get you here in the first place

2:   Why did you act as you did

3:   Know what has to change

4:   Make the necessary changes, however difficult.

5:   Don't make the easy, fun choices. Make the right choices. However difficult.

Know that  both now and in the future every choice you make will have a consequence. Be it good or bad. Our lives will always be a reflection of the total number of choices we have made. Let  your choices be good and may you live an extraordinary life.

GRATITUDE

I love life. I love life with a passion. It excites me. I am so grateful each day that I wake up to this wonderful gift of life and all that it has to offer. Each new day offers us all a chance to start again. To make ourselves available to the many opportunities and possibilities that present themselves to us daily, if we will take the time to recognise them.

Granted, life is not always easy. Far from it. I will be the first to admit that. There have been many times that I have had the wind knocked out of my sails or a kick in the gut so hard that I could hardly breathe. But you know what? thats life, Life happens to us all. When I look back now, and this  is not to sound cheesy, each experience has taught me something valuable. Although I could not see it at the time each experience has helped contribute to who I am today.

What excites you in life? What excites you so much, that just thinking about it makes you scream with excitement?  Is it travel, adventure, sport, or business. Whatever it is go out and make it happen. Life is an adventure. Life is short. Live it well.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Hall at Pearl Wanderings

A GOOD READ

  I love to read. I am an avid reader and I read constantly. I believe every home should have a good selection of books. Not just for decoration but to read. My bookshelves are full of different topics that interest me, history, photography, self-development, and biographies which are my favourite. Yes, I put my hands up, there is also a fair collection of novels too.


I would like to share with you three books that are among my favourite with regard to business, leadership and life.

WORDS OF WISDOM

No Fear, written by the legendary golfer Gary Player, is one of my favourite books that I go back to time and time again. Gary shares this verse which I think is both beautiful and wise. As this is the Easter-Weekend a time of renewal and re-birth, I would like to share it with you. I hope that you find it as inspirational as I do.

                            "I've always got a reason".

                             None shall sleep.

                             But when he does, it is to a silent prayer.

                             I asked for strength.

                            And God gave me difficulties to make me strong. 

                            I prayed for wisdom.

                           And God gave me problems to solve.

                          I asked for prosperity.

                          And God gave me brains and strength to work.

                          I prayed for courage.

                          And God gave me dangers to overcome.

                          I asked for love.

                          And God gave me opportunities.

                          I asked for humility.

                        And God gave me experiences not to be proud of.

                         I asked God to grant me patience.

                        And God said "No".

                        He said that patience is the product of tribulation.

                        It is not granted. It is earned.

                        I asked God to spare me pain.

                       And God said "No".

                       He said, "suffering draws you apart from worldly cares

                      And brings you closer to me".

                       I received nothing I wanted.

                      I received everything I needed.

                     My prayers have been answered.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Hall at Pearl Wanderings

  

NO LIMITS

I have a burning desire to become a no- limits person. I am not there yet but I work on it daily.  To often we are scared to take the next step because of the self-limiting beliefs, that we have imposed on ourselves and allowed to accumulate over time for one reason or another. These self limiting beliefs stop us from achieving so much more than we are capable of.

The  next time you find yourself putting a limit on what you can do, Stop.  Breathe deeply and take that next baby step forward. Then the next and then the next. As your confidence grows, these baby steps become bigger steps, then large steps. Before you know it, you will surpass the old limits that you set yourself and a whole new world of opportunities will open up before you. Just keep moving forward. It is how magic happens.

I would like to share these words with you that I read from the late Ayrton Senna. You may or may not like motor sport the but the message is powerful. I wish you  incredible joy and success on your journey to becoming a no-limits person.

                                     

                                     "On a given day, a given circumstance, you think you have a limit

                                        And you touch this limit, and you think, Okay, this is the limit",

                                        As soon as you touch this limit, something happens and you

                                        suddenly can go a little bit further. With your determination,

                                        your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high".

Ayton Senna 

                     

LET LIFE BE EXTRAORDINARY

Do you ever get that feeling deep down inside that you are just bursting to do something different? Something extraordinary? Like myself, and so many others, do you catch yourself looking at people who are living their dream, living life on their terms, and think to yourself  how lucky they are. Finding yourself secretly wishing it was you? In reality however, the chances of luck having played any part in their success is very small.

 Success doesn't just happen. You have to plan it, work for it. Therefore you can be certain that the person who is living their dream, living life on their terms, is doing so because they had a dream, a goal, and then went to work to make it happen! They did not think long and hard about their dream only to put it on the back burner never to be seen again, because they believed that dreams like theirs do not come true for people like them, that they only happen to others. Nor did they collapse back onto their favourite sofa when they realized that work and probably some sacrifices in the beginning were necessary. Instead they went to work to make it happen, despite any deep fears and uncertainty that they were feeling.

  This realization is powerful and important for us, because it enables us to open up our minds to the reality that all these amazing possibilities and opportunities are there waiting for us, if we are prepared to put in the work and effort to turn them from dreams into reality. Unfortunately, this is where most of our dreams die, because too often, when we see what is involved we walk away. 

Don't let that be you. Don't let that be me.

Time is Precious. Use It Well.

When I was visiting Suffolk a while back with my family we were touring Constable Country. We stumbled upon a small very old and quaint country church and went inside to explore.  I came across an anonymous poem printed onto a beautiful little card that you could buy.  I have kept it ever since and read it regularly because they are some of the wisest words that I have ever read.  I thought that I would share them with you.  I hope you enjoy the words as much as I did.

Hello

Thank you for visiting my blog. This is my first post. I studied Sociology at Exeter University and loved every minute of it. People, their thoughts and their actions have always been an incredible source of interest to me.

Facing my own challenges in life, and seeking solutions to them,led me even more to try and understand  why we do the things we do. What  keeps many people victims of their circumstances, while others rise above life's circumstances however difficult the challenges are that they face?  We all have that choice. Do we stay where we are or do we make things better?

I look forward to sharing these thoughts with you and much more. Life is good. Lets live it well.