If you are waiting for tomorrow, today is yesterday’s tomorrow. Your wait is over. Your time has come. ~ Dr. Sandra Y. Lewis ~
Take a moment and think about something you really want. Something that’s really important to you but you don’t yet have it. You really want “IT” but you’ve haven’t gotten “IT”.
Like many of us, you’ve probably said something like, “Next week, I will start.” Perhaps on New Year’s Day, you proclaimed, “This is my year. I’m ready to achieve my goals”. And we get to July only to find, we’re halfway through the year but we’re not halfway to our goal.
What stops you? Is it fear? Lack of resources? Uncertainty? Did the “Imposture Detective Squad” whisper, “You can’t do that,” in your ear? Or, “Nobody will listen to you”. Are you convinced that you need to play small?
So we end up saying, “Tomorrow”. Somehow we convince ourselves that waiting will make the difference in our ability.
Here are two resources to help you get your goals in order.
Make a Plan
Organization creates order. It’s easier to move forward when we have an idea about what’s next.
List the steps necessary to accomplish your goal – Chunk your goal into digestible parts. Order your steps.
Decide what resources you need – Resources include people, money, time, thoughts, emotions, gifts, ideas, etc. Which ones will you need at each step? Determine how you will access the resources you need.
Be flexible so that you can keep moving forward – Think about how you will manage setbacks. How will you use your setbacks to keep your plan in order?
Remember to learn along the way. Your setbacks and challenges are great teachers. Keep a list of the things you learn about yourself on the journey toward your goal.
Reward yourself along the way. As you achieve milestones, give yourself some praise and/or presents. This can be anything from a “Yay me” to a smiley face sticker on your calendar to a cup of tea at your favorite teahouse to a movie night in your pajamas to a game of golf to a special gift for yourself.
Get Your Mind Right
Some of our greatest resources live right inside us. They are invisible. Yet they are most powerful and within our control.
Remember that your thoughts and emotions are your built-in assets.
Think about how you want to feel once you’ve accomplished your goal. For example, if you’re aiming to accomplish a goal like weight loss, think about how you’ll feel when you’ve lost the weight.
Create one or more affirmations to help you claim those feelings. For example, weight loss may be associated with feeling vibrant, confident, alert, proud, or responsive.
Your goal is also related to your quality of life. Think about the benefits of accomplishing your goal. Will you be healthier? Will you have greater peace of mind? Will you have greater freedom?
You may end of with an affirmation like: I am proud and peaceful. Or I am vibrant and free. Or I am peaceful and responsive.
Get funky with it. Make your affirmation work for you. Put the words together in a way that feels right.
Repeat your affirmation regularly. Use the list below to decide on some practice times. I will practice my affirmation:
_____ In the morning when I awake
_____ At lunchtime
_____ While brushing my teeth
_____ At bedtime
_____ While watching tv
_____ At: ________ o’clock & _________ o’clock
_____ Other _________________________________
Our hesitation, challenges, and setbacks are among our greatest teachers. They remind us something that needs our attention so that we can move forward. They offer us an opportunity to get things in order. Go ahead. Take the first step. This is your tomorrow. It’s here for you today.
© Sandra Y. Lewis