As we come to the close of another year, it’s natural to reflect and take stock of the year that has gone by. As you recover from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I encourage you to pause and ask yourself what your hopes are for 2017? What is the one thing that you have put off? The dream you have shelved? The goal you’ve spent a lot of time thinking about but haven’t taken any action on because it seems unreachable? Yes, that! Write it down. Spend some time thinking about why you don’t have it yet. Most of the time it’s because whatever it is, seems too big and far away. It seems like something that will take a lot of work and time. And it might, and that’s ok. I also want you to write down what it would mean for you and those around you if you finally reached that goal, lived that dream, and found your life’s purpose? How would it change you? What would you feel? How would things be different? Make it real when you write it. Get excited!
My goals for 2017 are to get on the TEDx stage, to speak at conventions and conferences, and to write my book. I’ve wanted to be a speaker for years and have had the opportunity to speak here and there, but not to the capacity that I would like to. For me to elevate my speaking presence, I have to get serious about it and go after it. I’m committed to doing the work that it’s going to take to get there. I’ve hired a coach (yes even coaches hire coaches to reach their goals) to stay accountable and to help me overcome some of my blocks.
Writing is something that I’ve done on and off since I was seven-years-old. Upon reflection I realize that one of the books that are growing inside of me in a nonfiction piece. I have only written fiction in the past, so nonfiction was an idea that I’ve shied away from. Yet, it keeps coming up and presenting itself. I had to ask myself why I wasn’t willing to write nonfiction when there is a great opportunity for it. I found that I had a limiting belief that I didn’t really have anything important to say, that people don’t like reading nonfiction that no one would buy what I wrote. I also had an old picture of what I thought I would be writing that I have been carrying around in my head for years and years. Guess what? That’s an old idea that I can let go of. What old idea do you need to let go of to move forward?
Years pass. Time goes by. Life keeps going. If we don’t stop and address what we want and make a plan to get it, then we are going to live the life that we currently have. And while that is fine on most levels, it’s usually not enough to fill our deepest desires and our life’s purpose. Those things we have to go after. Those things take time. Those things are the gifts that we are supposed to give back into the world.
If you are thinking, that it’s too late, too hard, too impossible, you’re wrong. It’s never too late to live the life you want. The first step comes with making a decision. Are you ready for 2017? Do you want it to be your best year yet? If so, I encourage you to be brave enough to take a step to go after it. You don’t have to know how to do it; you just have to decide that you are ready. The helpers will appear along the way.
If you have a dream or a goal that you don’t want to put off any longer and are ready to discover your life’s purpose, contact me for a 30-minute complimentary discovery session.
The best is yet to come.
