Goals are not trends

Goals are personal action plans that celebrate your uniqueness! Goals may seem similar to others, but the reason you set your particular goal is unique to you.

The reason why you want to accomplish a goal is the force behind accomplishment tailored specifically to you.

Dedicate time to discovering why you want to accomplish a certain goal and the action plan will develop. You will set steps in motion to achieve your goal or develop your positive habits.

I’d love to hear what goal you are working on! Share below or email me successencourager@gmail.com

Today my journal planner is 40% OFF! Find more about it here.

The unique calendar journal (planner) will help guide you on your daily journey during this ‘year in the life of…’ YOU.

Keep goaling!

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Goals are not complicated or stressful

Setting a goal should feel encouraging, empowering, renewing! A goal should not cause stress. Pushing your limits can feel a bit uncomfortable, but should not be so stressful that you dread doing it. A goal or positive habit should bring you closer to your self, promote self-care and self-love. Goal setting is not about searching out the most popular goal trend and following it. Goal setting is a form of soul searching!

Get excited and discover what truly makes you happy, brings you joy and fills your life with purpose. Then incorporate steps that are doable with your current lifestyle allowing those steps to evolve as you evolve. Listen and be in tune with your wellbeing and allow your goals to encourage that focus.

What goal are you setting to focus on your wellbeing?

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Take action to create you

In another post, I defined the word empower and a few other words. I’ve been asked to give more details and focus on the actions needed to accomplish goals. Taking action toward a goal that will bring more joy to your life is how you create the future you truly want. Your goals create you. Taking action empowers you. As simple or grand as your goals may seem they are uniquely yours; uniquely you.

One form of action is to learn as much as you can about what your passion and what brings you joy. Ask yourself:

  • What hobby or activity brings me the most joy and/or peace?
  • Do you feel relaxed when you create? What is your favorite creative outlet (writing, drawing, baking, crafting, etc.)?
  • Is there a class or online tutorial I can take to advance my skills even further toward this hobby or activity?
  • Are there clubs or groups that I can join to help incorporate this into my daily routine and become even more comfortable with it?

Another form of action is to set goals that promote your own well-being. Questions to ask:

  • What life category do you feel is the most important right now at this time your life? For example, if Spirit is the most important to you right now have you set aside time to meditate, journal, stretch or truly unwind at the end of each day? What goals can you set and easily fit into your current daily routine that promotes your own well-being? What time of day can you dedicate to accomplishing this goal or these goals?
  • Do you have someone in your support circle to set this goal with that is encouraging?

Action empowers you to create the life you want to live. First defining your goal focus and then creating just one step daily that gets you closer to that focus gives you control to accomplish what is most important to you. Check out my week-long process in my previous post if you need to define your main goal focus.

I’m very excited about my newest project and I will be giving away a copy of my goal journal very soon!!!

Keep goaling and reach out and let me know what goal you are focused on right now!

 

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Taking care of yourself – Empowering

I think there are some misconceptions about what self-care truly means.

Self-care is defined as “self-care is any necessary human regulatory function which is under individual control, deliberate and self-initiated,” by Wikipedia.

And ‘selfish‘ is defined as “concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others,” by Merriam- Webster.

While we are on definitions I’d like to confirm one other one; Empower – “to encourage and support the ability to do something and to give someone official authority or the freedom to do something,” according to dictionary.cambridge.org/us.

SO how better to empower ourselves and others than through self-care?

  • Learn as much as we can about what we are passionate about.
  • Set and accomplish goals that will promote our own well-being so we can either care for others or encourage others to focus on their own well-being
  • Create art, resources, tips and guides, and shrae it all with others

How is any of that selfish or self-centered? It’s time to focus on goals and empowering not only yourself, but those around you and those seeking information and encouragement.

Thoughts?

Dear Vulnerability,

June 7, 2018

 

Dear Vulnerability,

Your rare appearance the other day was actually a welcome sight. I have spent years avoiding meetings with you even taking a longer path or avoiding a journey entirely at just the slight chance we may have briefly interacted.

I’ve grown over the years though. I’ve learned from heartache, forgiven my wrongs and those of others and grown confident despite my insecurities. Through these lessons I have realized just how beautiful you are.

Without knowing you, learning from you and sharing that knowledge with others there is no way to truly discover love. Without your insights I don’t think I’d truly know myself which is key in letting others know me.

Your teachings are valued beyond what my words can express. Thank you for the enlightenment. I believe we will be seeing a lot more of one another, my dear friend.

 Respectfully,

Dana

 

More information about me on my ABOUT ME Page!

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Dear Rudeness…

June 2, 2018

 Dear Rudeness,

You show up in the least likely of places at times. I admire your boldness, but you still surprise me periodically. Yesterday, after a calm productive morning filled with errands and appointments, I let my guard down. I assumed my full afternoon would be as enjoyable, but you had other plans, didn’t you? In the midst of one of the simplest errands, the shortest interaction of the day, you stepped up.

Your cold words felt like a slap across my face. The chill surprised me and as much as I wanted to slap back, I didn’t. Your attack was not personal; it said more of you than me. I saw in your eyes that my smile and lack of words struck you harder than a ruthless matched comment could of. My well wishes for a pleasant afternoon to you as I walked away seemed to shock you into a speechless frozen state of confusion.

Thank you, Rudeness, for reminding me how even simple phrases can hurt and to take care of what I say to others. Thank you for awareness, especially with strangers whom I only have a brief moment to leave a positive memory with. I pray whatever pain and negativity you are struggling with is replaced with healing and love.

I am sure our paths will cross again and you may lash out, but I will pause before reacting and share patience and positivity in hopes that you will do the same when given the next opportunity.  

 Kind regards,

Dana

Do you have any tips for handling rudeness?

 

More information about me on my ABOUT ME Page!

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Image by Joanna Kosinska http://www.instagram.com/joannakosinskadesign

Enthusiasm at work. Why?

What’s the point? I’ve heard this question in small groups and at a recent conference I attended. Let me boldly tell you the short answer to this – YOU, you are the point.

Of course, an employer benefits from your professionalism, enthusiasm and productivity, but your own well-being benefits much more. In a fast paced deadline driven world it’s time to view a job well done as a benefit to one’s self. Your performance is an opportunity for you to express yourself while sharing your original skills that got you the job in the first place. Be enthusiastic not just about the duties you perform, but about your own performance and amazing offerings! Once this is realized and accepted your entire work environment will change and your well-being will improve!

How so? There have been numerous studies relating mental and physical illnesses to stress. Taking care of yourself is no longer a luxury or an option, it’s a requirement. And one very important way of doing that is self-care and decreasing stress. Options include meditation and exercise, but there are also many other ways to reduce stress including positive attitude and affirmations. Bringing that positivity to your job empowers your entire being. Go ahead let your inner brightness shine blindingly. Be awesome, it benefits you no matter where you choose to shine (current position, promotion, at home, new position, volunteering, or while meeting with your trivia buddies).

Think of the last time you were stressed at work. Was it a stressful, day, week…full month? Next, break it down. Was it stressful because of another person’s view of the situation, was it work overload, maybe major changes occurring? Or possibly being too focused on the negative aspect of ‘what’s the point‘? Ask yourself how could the situation have been different if you had focused on personal care & reflection with a more positive outlook?

Aligning your goals both personally and professionally encourages you to be more confident at work, acknowledge the skills you possess and were hired to share while keeping a positive attitude that flows through your work hours and at home. I know my day flows much better when I start my mornings with meditation, self-reflection and visualization. When a stressful situation occurs at work I can focus on the actions needed to fix it while staying positive.

With a self-care routine you can…

  • Let go of the negative thoughts that creep in during a stressful day
  • Reconnect with your inner awesomeness; your personality shines through even if your position or company changes
  • Not dwell on being a good employee, but instead concentrate on bringing your unique skills to a job that craves your originality – achievement will undoubtedly come

You are not just an employee; you’re an entire being that spends a certain amount of hours providing your experiences to a work team. No matter what your title is, you contribute to a team by being yourself, sharing your skills and recognizing your offerings.

Your offerings consist of several attributes…

  • Personality
  • Experience
  • Training and/or education (institutionally or self-paced)
  • Demeanor
  • Professionalism and so on – share and embrace each one!

By carrying your offerings into your work environment you become more connected with yourself and deal with change in a more positive way by not letting it change the core of who you are. This allows you to confidently share ideas, maintain a positive reaction to negative situations and view your position as one with many opportunities that you can control, create and accept.

What offerings do you share with your team that brings joy to you professionally and personally? Do you have a morning routine that makes your day less stressful?

Thank you so much for reading. You’re awesome.

Check out more about me & the professional services I offer on my ABOUT ME page!