"Lots
of people limit their possibilities by giving up easily.
Never tell yourself this is too much for me. It's no use.
I can't go on. If you do you're licked, and by your own
thinking too. Keep believing and keep on keeping on."
-
Norman Vincent Peale, Protestant Clergyman and Writer,
1898-1993
"Keep
on beginning and failing. Each time you fail, start all
over again, and you will grow stronger until you have
accomplished a purpose - not the one you began with perhaps,
but one you'll be glad to remember."
-
Anne Sullivan, teacher to Helen Keller, 1866-1936
Check
In
Greetings!
Throughout
my life, I have been in many situations where I was tempted
to give up. Times where the struggles seemed too hard or
the odds seemed to be too stacked against me. Times when
there seemed to be no life energy left in me and I questioned
why I even bothered to get out of bed.
Even at
the darkest times, though, there was a part of me, no matter
how minute, that would not let me give up completely. Call
it stubborness maybe?
I believe
at the very center of the human spirit, at the very depths
of our soul, we want to live, we want to succeed, and we
want to leave some kind of legacy in the world.
And that,
deep down, is why we keep on keeping on.
Some of
you have shared your struggles with me in the survey. How
to keep on going amidst these struggles seems to be a common
theme.
So I'd
like to share some of my thoughts on that in this issue.
Enjoy
the rest of the issue!
-
Becky
P.S.
If
you haven't filled out the survey yet, I invite you to do
so by clicking
here.*
Questions are answered completely anonymously.
*(Survey
opens in a separate window. After you finish, you'll be
taken to www.surveymonkey.com, the service I used to make
this anonymous. Just close that window to come back to the
newsletter.)
Four
Steps to Keep on Keeping On
Find
Something to Look Forward To
I learned this early in life. I HAD to have something
to look forward to as a way to keep me going and keep
my outlook positive. If there was nothing, no outside
event in the horizon, then I made up something - or
found it inside me.
In
other words, I had to have a goal - whether it was learning
to play a challenging piece on the piano, or finishing
a piece I was composing, or looking forward to an overnight
get together with a friend, I needed something to work
toward.
This
kept me motivated and moving forward.
What
are you looking forward to in your life? Do you have
goals you're moving toward?
"Every
morning I wake up saying, I'm still alive; a miracle.
And so I keep on pushing."
-
Jacques Cousteau, French explorer, 1910-1997
Look
for the Gift
You've
heard the saying, "every cloud has a silver lining,"
and I believe it does - you just have to be willing
to look for it.
Life
experiences are how we grow and develop mentally, emotionally,
and spiritually as human beings. Every life challenge
offers a gift. We accept or decline this gift through
how we choose to perceive the situation.
We
can choose to see it as a hardship, complaining and
commiserating with friends and family, looking for someone
or something to blame.
Or
we can choose to look at how we can use the life challenge
to improve ourself.
"In
school you get the lesson and then take the test...
In life you get the test and then get the lesson."
-
Unknown
When
you find yourself in one of "life's challenges"
ask yourself: What could be the gift in this situation?
Spend some time journaling on the possibilities.
Get
Outside of Yourself and Look at the Big Picture
It's
easy to get caught up in the busyness and the details
of life. When life's irritations step into our path,
we tend to focus in on the details of the situation,
mulling them over and over in our mind.
But
in doing this, we lose site our sense of purpose and
direction in life. And we end up living our life either
going in circles or putting out fires.
Taking
a step back and looking at the bigger picture is critical
to gaining a sense of control and putting us back in
the "driver's seat" of our life.
Do
you have a purpose, a big picture of where you're going
in life?
"The
trouble with many of us is that we just slide along
in life. If we would only give, just once, the same
amount of reflection to what we want out of life that
we give to the question of what to do with a two-week
vacation, we would be startled at our false standards
and the aimless procession of our busy days.."
-
Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Take
time to reflect on the big picture of your life. Ask
yourself these questions:
What
gives your life meaning right now?
What
would you do if there were no limits?
What
are the secret longings in your heart?
If
this were your last day on earth, what would you
regret not doing or being?
"We
need to learn to set our course by the stars, not by
the lights of every passing ship."
-
Omar Nelson Bradley
Be
Gentle With Yourself
Then...
there are times sometime when you're so down that just
lifting your head is an effort, or you're just plain
stuck in enertia. I know, I've been there.
This
is when major self-care is needed. When I was in these
places, my friend and mentor would remind me to "be
gentle with myself."
Know
that things are progressing and evolving just the way
they should be, and that you are exactly where you need
to be. Sometimes we just need to go through a "gestation"
period.
If
you are in this place in life, I encourage you to do
one or more of these things:
Remind
yourself daily, "This too shall pass."
Fill
your mind with positive literature, lectures, and/or
music. There are tons of self-help, motivational
CDs available. Listen to them constantly!
Do
something nice for yourself every week - a long
hot bath, dinner with a friend, go see a funny movie
Get
moving! Do some exercise, take a walk. When you
feel you don't have the energy, that's when you
need it the most!
Meditate,
still your mind and give the mind-chatter a rest.
Listen for that "still small voice" inside.
Find
a trusted friend or a coach to mentor you through
this period. If I can support you in any way, give
me a call.
Go
Deeper, Reach Higher
The
Power of Choice
"We
are both burdened and blessed by the great responsibility
of free will - the power of choice. Our future is determined,
in large part, by the choices we make now. We cannot always
control our circumstances, but we can and do choose our
response to whatever arises. Reclaiming the power of choice,
we find the courage to live fully in the world."
-from
The Laws of Spirit, Dan Millman
How
will you exercise your power of choice this week? Will you
listen to your deepest intuition - that still small voice
inside, or will you let impulses, fears, and habits run
the show?
Our
choices are made in every moment and reflect in the actions
we take.
There
is always a choice. Even if you feel stuck. Feeling stuck
means simply that you haven't made the choice yet for something
different.
What
choices will you make for your life this week?
What's
Happening
Journaling:
an Adventure in Self-Discovery
October
22, 29, November 5. In this 3-part teleclass series
you will learn a 4-step journaling process to help
you get more in touch with that "still small
voice" and help you find more clarity and meaning
in your life. Class size is limited to provide the
greatest benefit for participants. Click
here for more info.
Are
You Ready to De-Stress Your Life?
Take
the free, quick De-Stress-Test
to find out. You'll also receive a free Stress Tips
eCourse.
Already
know you're ready to De-Stress?
Then
I invite you to check out the De-Stress Process.
It's a 7-step journaling process designed to help
you uncover the reason or cause of your stress, explore
possible solutions, and give you action steps to take
as you move beyond the stressful, upsetting situation
or unhappy feelings. There are also 5-minute or less
de-stressing suggestions. The whole package comes
with a guided meditation for relaxation and de-stressing
plus a bonus special report, Tips for Releasing
Stress In-The-Moment. It's
on sale now to the first 50 people for $29.95
- a $49.95 value!.Get more info here.
So,
what is this coaching thing, anyway?
I've
had lots of people ask me this lately, and I've got
some ideas brewing for a peak into a live coaching
session.... But in the meantime, visit Coaching
101. It will give you the nitty-gritty
of what coaching is and what it is not. And as always,
if you have questions, please email me!
Feedback?
I
would love to hear your comments. Do you like the
newsletter? Are there any specific topics you'd like
to see discussed? Do you have any questions? Feel
free to send an email and let me know what you think!Newsletter
Feedback
About
My Practice
Create
a Happy 'Tude is published bi-monthly on the 2nd
and 4th Tuesdays of each month. Its purpose is to
inspire and motivate readers to keep a happy, healthy,
prosperous attitude by providing articles, exercises,
tips and resources.
Spiritual
Coaching Center specializes in helping clients
move past their fears, discover their true selves,
and get on with the passionate pursuit of their dreams.
If you are ready to stretch beyond your current limits
and create a more authentic, happier life for yourself,
I would love to talk with you. Send
an email or call 256-348-5236 to set up a free
Discovery Session.
My
personal mission is
to tell the truth, to live with integrity, to be my
real, authentic self, and to inspire others to do
the same. If I can help bring a smile to someone's
face, offer a different perspective, or inspire just
one person to get a move on, then I will have taken
one more step toward fulfilling my purpose in life.
-
Becky Waters, Certified Life Coach
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