Empower Newsletter – February 2016

Welcome to the February 2016 edition of the Empower Newsletter. This month the focus is on ‘honoring the space between no longer and not yet’ if something comes to a conclusion for you this year.

Did you know?

‘2016 is a year of completion’

In numerology this year is a 9 year. The Number 9 promotes completion. It signals a time to wrap things up and bring them to a conclusion. The year 2106 is a time to consider what has not been working in our lives, and to begin doing things a little differently.

“Honor the space between no longer and not yet.”

I stumbled across this saying by Nancy Levin and it made me not only think about it being relevant as being a year of completion this year but also made me think about the familiar pain I had previously felt when something had ended. It brought up memories of when the biggest wish I had was just wanting the thoughts I was constantly thinking and the sadness I was feeling to disappear and wanting to move out of this phase as quickly as possible.

I later learnt the problem with this is that unless we deal with what happened by looking at what was, then giving ourselves enough time to acknowledge and process our feelings and see how we have grown as a person, we only really bury the feelings only for them to fester until they raise their ugly head later down the track, or worse, surface as aliments in our physical bodies. By accepting what was, what we have learnt from the experience and by fully being in the moment, it will free us up enabling us to move forward and release these feelings.

We have all been through it at some stage to some degree in our lives. It could have been the end of a job, relationship, friendship, project , loss, journey, etc.

For me this quote means that in the grieving period after something ends and before the new comes along, it is a time to reflect on what we have learnt and how we have evolved as a person. This in between stage is for us to take what we need like, empowerment, strength, self-forgiveness and release what we don’t need like resentment, anger, sadness, blame, etc. This frees us up to move forward quicker and more easily.

By focusing on how we can get the most out of this in-between period it takes some of the focus off the event itself and allows us to really concentrate our thoughts on moving forward. It’s not a time to be in control, it’s a time to allow ourselves to feel the sadness as we process it. It is a time to trust that everything will be okay!

I love the saying ‘when something ends, something new begins’. If you think about it it has to! If a space is created something has to fill that space. We have to trust that an ending is always followed by a better beginning. And how exciting is it when you start something new!

Definition

In-between

a) Situated somewhere between two extremes or categories.

b) An intermediate thing. “Successes, failures and in-betweens.”

c) A person or thing that is between two extremes, two contrasting conditions.

Something to Ponder

I like to play the grey areas in life – that’s the most uncomfortable place to be. Nobody likes to be in that in-between state where they don’t know what’s going to happen. There’s a lot of tension in that, and a lot of stuff to play with – where it’s uncomfortable and awkward and sad and scary.

~ Melanie Lynskey ~

Quotes of the Month

“Every story has an end, but in life every end is just a new beginning.” ~ Unknown ~

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” ~ Seneca ~

Affirmation Corner

‘I now grant myself the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.’

Empower Newsletter – January 2016

Welcome to the January 2016 edition of the Empower Newsletter and the start of an exciting New Year. This month the focus is on creating awareness around what we see as being a productive use of our time.

Do you know?

‘your criteria for being productive’

So many of us make it wrong to do something we really want to do, especially if we see it as being unproductive. It could be watching too much TV, reading a book for too long, spending too much time socialising or just simply relaxing.

It’s interesting how some people see some things as a waste of time and others do not. Some people can quite easily spend a lot of their free time reading, to the point that they think it is unproductive not to read. Whilst others see it as a complete waste of time.

For some people it may depend on what type of book they are reading to determine how productive it is. Our assessment may be quantified by the amount of time spent reading the book or even what time of day it is.

We all have our own criteria for what constitutes something as being a waste of time! In other words we all have beliefs around what we consider is and isn’t a productive use of our time.

Throughout our lives we have been subjected to our parents, teachers, friends and families view of what was a waste of time and we usually take these views on board as being our own. Unless we consciously think things through for ourselves and create our own criteria that serves us, we more commonly than not take on other people views.

You may have been told as a child that you were being lazy for doing something you liked and of course the inference was that being lazy was not a good quality.

Does it really matter what you are doing as long as you enjoy it and you see it as enhancing your life?

We can reframe any activity from being unproductive to being productive by changing our belief around it.

In the example of reading, it could be your relaxation time, time to recharge your batteries so you can be and give more of yourself to others. If you looked at it this way it could seem that if we did not take time out to recharge our batteries that we are actually being selfish as we cannot be at our best for ourselves and others.

If you have a negative belief around allowing yourself to do whatever it is you like to do, or for that matter have to do, why not change your criteria so it serves you!

Definition

Criteria

a) A standard of judgment or criticism; a rule or principle for evaluating or testing something.

b) A defining characteristic of something.

Something to Ponder

Are you having trouble getting out of your own way today? Depending on which productivity expert you ask, you’re either in need of a lifestyle overhaul or a new perspective.

Quotes of the Month

“I always had the uncomfortable feeling that if I wasn’t sitting in front of a computer typing, I was wasting my time — but I pushed myself to take a wider view of what was “productive.” Time spent with my family and friends was never wasted.”
~ Gretchen Rubin ~

“Being lazy does not mean that you do not create. In fact, lying around doing nothing is an important, nay crucial, part of the creative process. It is meaningless bustle that actually gets in the way of productivity. All we are really saying is, give peace a chance.”
~ Tom Hodgkinson ~

Affirmation Corner

‘I am doing what I love, enjoy and find fulfilling whilst feeling good about myself.’

Empower Newsletter – December 2015

Welcome to the December 2015 edition of the Empower Newsletter.  This month the focus is on creating awareness around ‘what’ evidence we are gathering.

Do you know?

‘what evidence you are gathering’

I have noticed lately that there has been a lot of negative talk about sharks, terrorism and politics.

This led me to think about how easily beliefs are formed. By constantly hearing about these often one sided events from media, work colleagues, family or friends, we often form opinions about them. Once we have formed our views we then start to gather evidence to support them. When we have gathered enough evidence it then becomes something we believe wholeheartedly to be true, a belief.

Are you gathering evidence to support a belief that sharks are bad or are you gathering evidence to support a belief that sharks are misunderstood? Neither belief is right or wrong, there is evidence to support both views.

Throughout our lives we have gathered evidence to support some very empowering beliefs. However we have also gathered evidence to support some disempowering beliefs that do not serve, support or nurture us.

It is certainly time to change a belief when it no longer serves, supports or nurtures us! For example, if we no longer partook in our passion for surfing or swimming in the ocean because of a fear of being attacked by a shark, it may be time to take a serious look at changing our belief.

The scary thing is we have gathered evidence to support beliefs about ourselves in the same way.

If we are looking for them, we will always find things that we are not good at, we will find something that we consider a flaw about ourselves and we will find bad traits in family and friends.

What we focus on is what we will get!

By starting to focus on positive things about ourselves and others, we will find them! We will start to see things we are good at, we will notice great attributes about ourselves, and we will find great qualities in our family and friends.

So if you want more of what you are getting keep focusing on that but if you don’t , start focusing on what you do want and gathering evidence to support it until it become your new belief!

Definition

Evidence

a) That which tends to prove or disprove something; ground for belief; proof.

b) Something that makes plain or clear; an indication or sign.

Something to Ponder

“We can’t help believing. Our brains evolved to connect the dots of our world into meaningful patterns that explain why things happen. These meaningful patterns become beliefs. Once beliefs are formed the brain begins to look for and find confirmatory evidence in support of those beliefs, which adds an emotional boost of further confidence in the beliefs and thereby accelerates the process of reinforcing them, and round and round the process goes in a positive feedback loop of belief confirmation.”
~ Dr. Michael Shermer ~

Quote of the Month

“I believe in evidence. I believe in observation, measurement, and reasoning, confirmed by independent observers. I’ll believe anything, no matter how wild and ridiculous, if there is evidence for it. The wilder and more ridiculous something is, however, the firmer and more solid the evidence will have to be.”
~ Isaac Asimov ~

Affirmation Corner

‘I gather evidence to support beliefs that will serve, support or nurture me.’

Empower Newsletter – November 2015

Welcome to the November 2015 edition of the Empower Newsletter. This month the focus is on creating awareness around disempowering beliefs about age.

Did you know?

‘we can use age as an excuse’

It is way too easy to blame not being able to do something based on our age! That is, that we say we can’t do it because we are too old.

I feel so blessed that I was not only able to do Yoga twice a day for the last week in beautiful Nusa Lembongan in Indonesia but also that it was with a great group of people with an ‘I can’ attitude! The age of the group ranged from about 30 to 70 with the majority being around 50 years old, and not once did I hear anyone talk about their age in a disempowering way.

The whole week the group pushed through physical and emotional barriers without any excuses! There were times when some of us needed props, assistance or to stick with the first level and there times when we could continue to take certain poses to the next level and then the next level. Age was irrelevant! It’s true that some of these people had been practicing Yoga for a lot of years and that is exactly my point. If we haven’t done something before or for a while we do have to practice it to get better.

Why blame age on everything! For example, “My leg hurts – it’s because I’m getting old”. Didn’t your legs ever hurt when you were younger for any reason?

Age doesn’t have to be a barrier. I am wondering if the reason could possibly be something else! People who don’t get the results they want have what’s called a “story” about what’s preventing them. The reason their results aren’t improving is because they believe in, or invest in, a story that they believe is outside of their control and influence. One of those reasons could be age.

What if you never stopped doing hand stands or cart wheels, or studying, do you think you would still be able to do them now? Probably!

If you don’t use it you lose it, which means if you did stop or never started in the first place you might need to build up certain muscles and confidence. The good thing is that you can learn to do it by practicing. After all, that’s how you learnt to do it in the first place. It may take a while but with practice and persistence you will get there.

How would it change your life if you believed that if you wanted something bad enough and you practiced you could do it or have it?

Definition

Excuse

a) to offer an apology for; seek to remove the blame of

b) to serve as an apology or justification

c) to release from an obligation or duty

d) to seek or obtain exemption or release for (oneself)

Something to Ponder

“Just stop using your age as an excuse for not doing what you love and want to do. Stop telling your body how old you are. And what that is supposed to mean, e.g. “I’m too old to fall in love, learn a language, drive at night, etc.”
~ Dr. Christiane Northrup ~

Quotes of the Month

“Sometimes, people use age as a convenient excuse, ‘I’m too old to start something new’, or, ‘I couldn’t learn that at my age.’ Other people, though, go on to achieve their greatest accomplishments in life in later years.”
~ Catherine Pulsifer ~

“Age gives you an excuse for not being very good at things that you were not very good at when you were young.”
~ Thomas Sowell ~

Affirmation Corner

‘I am an infinite being. The age of my body has no bearing on what I do or who I am.’
~ Dr. Wayne Dyer ~

Empower Newsletter – October 2015

Welcome to the October 2015 edition of the Empower Newsletter. This month the focus is a reminder on how our behaviour impacts children.

Did you know?

‘behaviours can be chosen’

Are you loving your partner well? Your children are noticing how you treat each other. You are teaching your children how to treat their partner and you are teaching them what they should expect from their partner!

We all know that our children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren, pupils are like sponges constantly learning from us and their surroundings but sometimes we forget that young ones around us, are watching and absorbing in our behaviours.

It’s no good telling them what you expect from them, they learn by mimicking or as we call it in the coaching world, modelling.

If you think about how you do everyday things such as mashing potatoes, unless you made a conscious decision to do it a different way, you probably unconsciously do it the same way your parents did it. For example, there are lots of ways to mash potatoes such as using a fork, masher, beater; adding butter, cream, milk, etc.

So if you think about it, there must be millions of things we do without thinking about it or even deciding that that is how we will do it.

It is the same with behaviour! We grew up seeing and watching how our parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, etc., did things and that’s how we unconsciously knew how to do it, again unless we consciously decided to do it a different way. An example of this is how our parents dealt with anger or stress, maybe they screamed or yelled a lot.

These unconscious behaviours are fine unless they don’t serve, support or nurture us in some way.

If our young ones are modelling our behaviours why not allow them to model great behaviours that will serve them in their lives. There are always different ways to act!

To change a limiting behaviour it could be as simple as acknowledging the behaviour and then deciding what behaviour you will replace it with. If you cannot think of different way, it may help if you think of someone you know that behaves in a way that you would like to behave and then model them. In respect of that particular behaviour, do what they do, think what they think and say what they say! With conscious thought and practice it will become a new way to behave and soon you will have the same results they have.

If children were to adopt your behaviours do you think they would serve, support or nurture them?

Definition

Behaviour

a) observable activity in a human or animal.
b) the aggregate of responses to internal and external stimuli.
c) a stereotyped, species-specific activity, as a courtship dance or startle reflex.

Something to Ponder

“Impressions pour into us and we store them in our minds; but we ourselves remain apart from them as a vase keeps separate from the water it contains. Instead, the child undergoes a transformation. Impressions do not merely enter the mind; they form it. They incarnate themselves in him… We have named this type of mentality The Absorbent Mind.”

~ The Absorbent Mind ~

Quotes of the Month

“If there is anything we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.”

~ Carl Jung ~

“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”

~ James Baldwin ~

Affirmation Corner

‘I treat my partner in a way I would like my children to treat and be treated by their partner.’

Empower Newsletter – September 2015

Welcome to the September 2015 edition of the Empower Newsletter and the beginning of Spring.  This month the focus is on being grateful for everything that happens in life.

Did you know?

‘there is a good side to adversity’

Sometimes we forget that without adversity we do not appreciate the opposite!

We appreciate more through adversity than we would if we didn’t know it. In other words if we always had the opposite we wouldn’t know any different!

It’s another great way to be grateful for our lives and what we have experienced. Without the tough times and hardships we wouldn’t be the fantastic people we are today. Adversity shapes and moulds us!

I believe everything in our life happens for a reason, and even more than that, everything happens for GOOD reasons. Sometimes we don’t know what that reason is at the time, and sometimes we will never know! We don’t need to be aware of the reason; it’s about coming out the other side with more personal growth! You see these experiences help to make us stronger and the person we are today!

The example I love to use is about romantic relationships ending! At the time we are devastated, crushed, heartbroken and sometimes lost. It feels like the end of the world, something no amount of time will change. Then time passes, and we find ourselves in another relationship that is even better than the one before! We have become more knowing about what we do want and what we don’t want in a relationship. What has happened previously has helped to mould and shape us into the person we are today. Just think if your previous relationship had not ended, you would not be experiencing the one you are in today! So the good reason that your relationship ended is so you could be in a better one!

Even if you are not aware of the reason for something happening in your life that’s okay, it’s all about having faith that it is happening for good reasons and being grateful for the opportunity of the growth.

It will also help to ‘reframe’ what something means. Reframing means to change the definition we have placed on something. I believe there is always a different positive spin we can put on a situation to make it work to our advantage.

So next time you find yourself in a situation of adversity, it will help you to get through it more peacefully and with more acceptance by having faith that it is all happening for a good reason!

Definition

Adversity

1. Adverse or unfavourable fortune or fate; a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress.

2. An adverse or unfortunate event or circumstance.

Something to Ponder

For most of us, when life throws us an unexpected curveball, we do not anticipate later feeling grateful for the experience.

Yet, surprisingly, this is exactly what the data suggests.

According to Powell and Garlington, (2012), when studying those who have gone through a traumatic experience, a substantial percentage report at least some positive change as a result of their experience.

And the most frequently reported area of change is ‘Gratitude’.

Quotes of the Month

“You normally have to be bashed about a bit by life to see the point of daffodils, sunsets and uneventful nice days.”

~ Alain de Botton ~

Affirmation Corner

‘I clearly see all there is to be grateful for in life. Through gratitude my world expands.’

Empower Newsletter – August 2015

Welcome to the August 2015 edition of the Empower Newsletter and the last month of winter. This month the focus is on creating intentions which will help to establish purpose.

Do you know?

‘your intention before you start’

At yoga this week I was in one of those contorted poses that just don’t seem natural, you know the ones where your body screams to ‘stop’, when our teacher Lissie said those dreaded words again “now get used to it because you will be here for a while,” or even worse, “how does it feel not knowing how long you will be in this pose?”

That’s when it hit me, I was okay! My body wasn’t screaming at me to get out of that particular position or even thinking of a way that I could make it hurt less as it normally does. I had come to terms with feeling uncomfortable.

You see in class one aim is to feel comfortable in a state of discomfort! To relax whilst feeling uncomfortable, to go with the flow really. To do this we are told to ‘state an intention’ to feel okay.

The theory is; the way we handle discomfort in a yoga session flows through to how we handle discomfort in our lives which translates to dealing with and handling uncomfortable situations in our everyday lives with composure and in a relaxed state.

What a great way to respond to any situation!

This lead me to think about how powerful setting an intention is. That is, ‘what’ we want to achieve from doing something without attaching any expectations to it.

It is so easy to fall into the trap of going about our business without giving any thought to what we want to get out of what it is we are doing!

Deepak Chopra believes “intention is the starting point of every dream”. He states that “everything that happens in the universe begins with intention. When I decide to buy a birthday present, wiggle my toes, or call a friend, it all starts with intention.”

So unless you know your intention, how can you cultivate it?

Thoughts create our reality so by creating an intention it will set the course and determine the direction we are headed and ultimately the results we achieve. Without an intention we are blindly accepting and tend to roll aimlessly from one situation we do not want to another.

Intentions also give purpose. A person without intention is a person without a purpose! When we actively create intentions it not only creates energy around it, it also gives us purpose and direction.

Definition

Intention

1. An act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result.

2. The end or object intended; purpose.

Something to Ponder

An intention is a directed impulse of consciousness that contains the seed form of that which you aim to create. Like real seeds, intentions can’t grow if you hold on to them. Only when you release your intentions into the fertile depths of your consciousness can they grow and flourish.

~ Deepak Chopra ~

Quotes of the Month

“Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves.”

~ Garth Stein ~

“Intention is one of the most powerful forces there is. What you mean when you do a thing will always determine the outcome. The law creates the world.”

~ Brenna Yovanoff ~

Affirmation Corner

‘I easily set an intention and then let it go at the beginning of everything I do.’

Empower Newsletter – July 2015

Welcome to the July 2015 edition of the Empower Newsletter and the beginning of the new financial year. This month the focus is on treating people in a way that you would like to be treated.

Do you know?

‘what you are attracting’

Are people in your life treating you the way you would like to be treated? Would you like them to start treating you differently (in a certain way)? Do you want them to make you feel more special, more loved, or maybe listen to you more and really hear what you are saying.

Well the trick is, when we treat people the way we want to be treated ourselves, it rubs off. In other words they will eventually start treating us the same way that we have been treating them!

“Why should I treat them this way first?” I hear you say. Well the answer is simple really, it’s because it will get you what you ultimately want which is being treated a certain way. And what is the alternative, continue waiting or trying to make the other person change?

It is up to us to change first! How can we expect someone else to change and for us to say the same? That’s the same as saying they are wrong and we are right. And everyone thinks they are right! If this is the way you are thinking then my question is “How is being right working for you, is it giving you what you ultimately want? Is it getting you treated the way you would like?”

It is the same for just about anything in our lives. Can we really expect someone to treat us a certain way when we don’t give them the same courtesy? For example, if you want to be spoken to in a nice way, a good question to ask yourself is, “am I speaking to the other person in a nice way or in a way that I want to be spoken to?”

It works the same for attracting people into our lives. If we want to be around uplifting people then we need to start being uplifting ourselves. Do you think that uplifting people want to spend a lot of time with people who aren’t? I don’t think so!

If you look around at the people you choose to associate with regularly it will give you a good indication of how you are being. If they mostly put other people down, complain, have a victim mentality, etc., more than likely you are being that way too! It’s not really who you are it’s just what you are doing. The same goes for good qualities in people around us. If they are generally happy and find the best in people and situations chances are we are being that way as well.

So if you would like more of something in your life, the trick is to start being that way yourself! Before you know it you will be surrounded by like-minded people and being treated the way you would like and totally enjoying life so much more!

Definition

Treat

To act or behave toward (a person) in some specified way.

Golden Rule

One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself

and

one should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated.

Something to Ponder

People who have great lives think and talk about what they love more than what they don’t love. And people who are struggling, think and talk about what they don’t love more than what they do love.

Quote of the Month

“Do unto others what you want them to do to you. Don’t deceive if you don’t want to be deceived. Don’t cheat if you don’t want to be cheated. Relationship is mutual. This is the golden rule for all great connections!”

~ Israelmore Ayivor, Shaping the dream ~

Affirmation Corner

‘I am the type of person I want to spend my time with’

and

‘I speak to myself and others the way I would like to be spoken to.’

Empower Newsletter – June 2015

Welcome to the June 2015 edition of the Empower Newsletter. This month the focus is on how positive energy can help you change what is not working for you.

Do you know?

‘your energy can make a difference’

Is there something in your life that you avoid, dread or curse because it, or the thought of it, causes you grief? If you are like many of us then the answer is yes!

When I talk about things going wrong I am not referring to one-off situations that don’t go according to plan in our everyday lives, I am referring to situations where the same issues keep coming up constantly.

It may be something like computers not working properly, a device continually breaking down, lawn mowers or cars that won’t start, or even something that continually goes wrong that seems to keep coming back to haunt you.

A friend of mine went through a few phones, hating them more and more every time each one didn’t work. She got to the stage where she expected something to go wrong with them and dreaded the thought.

Whatever it is, do you justify what is happening by saying things like “I am not good with technology” or “stupid thing keeps breaking down?” And then when you get a new one or get it fixed the same thing eventually happens all over again!

This generally happens because we have a whole lot of negative energy around it. “And for good reason” I hear you say! “If it didn’t happen all the time I wouldn’t dread the thought of it”.

So now I am wondering if you have ever put any energy or action into becoming better or changing it? Did you become good at doing what you do for a living by not putting any effort into becoming good at it, trying to avoid it, or by dreading it? More than likely you became good at what you do because you loved it and you put the time in to research it, practice, educate and also train in it. And by doing this you eventually became good or even better at it.

Can you imagine if you put the same sort of time, positive energy and effort into what is not working for you now the results you would get. Amazing right! Once you start changing the negative energy around it and to also put effort into it like educating yourself, researching, training or practicing it your results will change.

My friend has had the same phone for quite a while now. She started to change the energy around her phone by loving it (pretending at first) and now really enjoys all the benefits it gives her. You too can change what is not working for you by changing your energy around it and putting a bit more effort into it.

Definition

Energy

The capacity for activity or the exertion of power.

Something to Ponder

Dr. Masaru Emoto, a researcher and alternative healer from Japan has given the world a good deal of evidence of the magic of positive thinking. He became famous when his water molecule experiments featured in the 2004 film, What The Bleep Do We Know? His experiments demonstrate that human thoughts and intentions can alter physical reality, such as the molecular structure of water. Given that humans are comprised of at least 60% water, his discovery has far reaching implications.

The rice experiment is another famous Emoto demonstration of the power of negative thinking (and conversely, the power of positive thinking.) Dr Emoto placed portions of cooked rice into two containers. On one container he wrote “thank you” and on the other “you fool”. He then instructed school children to say the labels on the jars out loud everyday when they passed them by. After 30 days, the rice in the container with positive thoughts had barely changed, while the other was moldy and rotten.

Quote of the Month

“We are magnets. When we emit positive energy (thoughts, feelings, and vibrations), we attract more positives to us.”

~ Author unknown ~

Affirmation Corner

‘I take full responsibility for my outcomes.’

Empower Newsletter – May 2015

Welcome to the May 2015 edition of the Empower Newsletter. This month the focus is on having a big enough “WHY” to enable you to realise your desires!

Do you know?

‘you need a big WHY’

Have you ever really wanted something, gone for it, and then for some reason or another just stopped going after it because it became too hard, expensive or time consuming? Maybe the pain, or perceived pain, you had to go through to get it outweighed how much you really wanted it in the first place.

Whether it is a life style change, a new career, losing weight, a holiday, or anything else for that matter, if our WHY or reason for wanting it isn’t big enough, when things get difficult we lose motivation to do what it takes. We actually convince ourselves that we don’t really need it anyway or that we will try again another time.

It takes deep personal motivation to achieve whatever it is you desire. So the trick is to create a massive WHY in the first place. In other words make sure you create a big enough reason for wanting it so that it keeps you going when your journey may not be going to plan.

You can do this by asking yourself the following question. What will it ultimately give me?

When people get honest with themselves by asking this question they begin to discover a deeper meaning and purpose in their lives.

Say you want to start eating healthy. “Why do you want to eat healthy?” Think about that for a minute. Not just the surface answer. Like to “lose weight” or to “get off medicines” or to “get rid of health issues”.

Just think about the REAL underlying reason WHY you (ultimately) want to eat healthy, WHY you want to lose weight.

I can’t guess your answer but it might look something like this. Eating healthy is about keeping disease away, about living longer, about being here for your children and maybe later on for your grand-children, about being happy with how you look and about having more energy to do what you have to do and what you like to do.

It might include being confident about your body and about yourself. It may be about feeling free and in control.

Once you identify your big “Why”, you will see that your motivation will skyrocket. You will have a clear purpose and you’ll have a lot more determination to reach your goals.

If there are times along your journey when things get hard, reminding yourself of your big “WHY” will not only get you through that period but also give you back that initial motivation and determination to keep you going strong.

Definition

Why

For what?  For what reason, cause, or purpose?

Something to Ponder

Here is a checklist to see if your “WHY” is powerful enough to take you all the way to making a goal reality.

1. Vividly picture your goal in your mind’s eye?
2. What is it about your goal that motivates you to succeed and will keep you going if the going gets tough?
3. What about this goal is so important to you?
4. List all the ways you, your family, friends and /or community will benefit when you achieve this goal?
5. Are there any negatives you may encounter? How will you overcome them?
6. How will achieving this goal change your life for the positive?
7. Are you willing to spend days, months or even years working toward achieving this goal?

Can you fill up a page of why and how achieving your goal will improve your life for the better? How will this goal improve your life emotionally, spiritually, personally, professionally and financially?

Quote of the Month

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~

Affirmation Corner

‘My big WHY keeps me going.’