There is something to be said about beginning again, starting fresh. Jumping out of the shower this morning with my hair wrapped in a towel and without makeup on I look at myself in the mirror. In that moment I felt it, it was my fresh start. I wasn’t planning on making some grand new venture or some life altering decision. The hot shower after a long day of putting out fires and catastrophes just helped remind me that each day no matter what time of day, we have the opportunity to start again. To let the past be in the past, make better choices, make amends, try again, to be a better person. It all just starts in one small moment.
To get what you want in life you have to identify what you want and be passionate.
So for you my friend, my reader if this applies to you and you have a desire stirring I have homework for you. The first part of the assignment is to get quiet today. Seriously. Our world is so loud! Turn off the phone, the television, maybe even the lights and focus on your breathing. No other sounds, no outside distractions just you alone in your thoughts.
The second part of the assignment is you need to get a calendar or planner (one you can write in) and some type of notebook for journaling. I know exactly what your are thinking…journaling (insert eye roll). It may sound silly but it is very important to be able to write things down and go back months from now to not only look at your progress but hold yourself accountable.
Once you have your journal I want you to write this question down :
What do I WANT?
Really, what do you want in life? Not what is expected of you, not what you think you are supposed to want but what do YOU want right now in your life? List it out. Right now! Come on if you don’t do the assignments you won’t see the results. Go make a list no matter how trivial you think it is I want you to list out what it is you want in this life personally, and professionally or both. Be very specific! If you want to be happy that is great but that is to vague. What will make you happy? When will you know if you are happy? The more specific you are the better.
Then after you make your list I want you to write this question down:
Why?
I know this may sound silly and simple but for each thing above that you wrote down I want you to write why do you want it? There are really two reasons it is important to write down the whys. Mainly it is to identify your needs. We will get into those later but each of us has fundamental needs that need to be met. Sometimes asking the why you want something helps identify what needs are not being met in your life so you can not only realize that but learn to adjust your life so you can meet those needs and be a happier, healthier you. The second reason to write down the whys is so you can build determination and passion. Let’s be honest if you don’t know why you want something then there will be no reason to do what it takes to get it. Your hunger, your passion for why you want something is going to help carry you through to meet your goals and dreams on the days when you can’t get outta bed. On the days when you want to give up, when everyone tells you it’s to hard. You need to look back on this why list so you can remind yourself why you are pushing yourself, why you are getting up and trying again.
We will later come back to this journal entry and start figuring out what it will take to make what you want a reality!
One of my dearest friends shared a comic strip with me one day at work. It was a man asking the question : How do you eat an elephant?
Answer: One bite at a time.
Congratulations and Thank you for joining me on this journey! Now in your your planner I want you to mark today’s date in it. There is no better time then right now to start moving towards your goals!
