2015 is here! It’s that time of year when so many start afresh with dreams, ambitions, goals and plans. Although I encourage my clients to reflect daily on their progress and to regularly recalibrate where they are at, January is definitely that time when people seem to pay more attention to what they want to accomplish in the year ahead.
Unfortunately all the good intentions are often very short-lived, sometimes not even making it beyond January. From my experience there are 5 main reasons this happens:
1. They do not have a LIFE PLAN – where they want to be in 10, 15 or 20 years!
2. They do not have a deep enough WHY for pursuing their goals and dreams.
3. They are not SPECIFIC enough in what they want to achieve.
4. They have not created a CLEAR and PERSONALIZED PLAN of action to achieve their goals and dreams.
5. They are not willing to continually work on themselves so they SHOW UP DIFFERENTLY in order to enjoy different results that last.
So this year, why not start off by taking a slightly different approach. Before deciding what short term goals you want to achieve – whether it’s becoming healthier, fitter, taking a course, changing careers, improving relationships – why not begin with and decide on what your LIFE PLAN is and who YOU want to BE on that journey. Decide how you are going to show up differently, what core values you want to embrace and then commit to live from and into those every day. When you have that level of clarity and you commit to putting it into action for the very long term then you will see different results unfold, most likely in ways you did not even imagine.
For me, besides consciously knowing how I personally want to show up every day and how I want to interact with others in every situation – I also know that over and above that I want my life to always be a reflection of my inner truth, purpose and contribution – that’s the legacy I’m creating and as a result I’m living my dreams. And despite the obstacles and challenges I may face every day, I’m able to stay true to my vision because I have worked to create a foundation that is rock solid – one that allows me to remain persistent and resilient and bounce back from setbacks – truly enjoying the journey I’m on and remaining very clear on the destination.
So why not get your year started a little differently this year by first creating that core foundation of knowing who you want to be and how you want to show up!
I believe far too many people are resisting living a life where they embrace what makes them different and great. They are not living their inner truth. As result, they feel as if their lives are not meaningful, fulfilling, deeply happy. And when you don’t have that sense of meaning, fulfillment and happiness coming from within, it will be almost impossible to achieve outside change. That inner void you might feel can never be filled by anything outside you. Not food. Not money. Not relationships. Inner problems cannot be solved with outer solutions.You need to embrace your inner truth. You need to drop the persona and be the real person.
How?
Embrace what makes you different to make the greatest difference – both in your own life and in the lives of everyone you encounter. I guarantee you that achieving your goals will be so much easier when you come from that place of inner truth. So take the time this New Year to reflect on who you truly want to be and how you want to show up, have absolute clarity on what the best version and expression of yourself will be and then commit to live up to that every day to the absolute best of your ability, always assessing how you are doing and how you could do better.
And then with that clarity of who you are embrace your purpose on earth. We are all unique beings. We all have a unique journey to travel and a significant role to play as we fulfill our purpose during our time on this earth. I believe your purpose is to be the greatest expression of who you and to then to express that through what you are most passionate about. So what you do in life really becomes the vehicle for that expression, it’s how you most authentically contribute to the world. So it’s not the job or title or marital status or income or house or car you have that defines who you are and your ability to contribute but rather the essence and expression of who you are in every moment of every day.
So develop the courage to every day humbly be the greatest expression of every part of your unique self – without editing out the parts you worry others won’t deem as acceptable, without trying to fit in and be like everyone else and without trying to play down to make others feel comfortable.
By doing this you have the same opportunity as anyone else to influence and impact the lives of everyone you connect with! We are all equal in this way! Each and every one of us has it within us to inspire others and set into motion the potential for a happier, kinder and more loving world.
I fully believe – in every part of my being – that the sooner we find it in ourselves to connect with and embrace our inner truth – knowing truly who we are at a soul level – the sooner we understand our unique purpose in life and recognize how we can make our contribution to this world – the easier the path will be to achieving our dreams and living the life we want and that is when we will also effortlessly make our most significant contributions and unmistakable impact on the world.
Through my journey inward and upward, I’ve learned to live by a few simple guiding principles — principles which may help empower you to this year to finally embrace your inner truth, live your purpose and make your unique contribution in this world — like listening to and trusting your own inner authority, taking responsibility for your life and the choices you make, always being kind, aiming high and with intention, owning your greatness, and inspiring others to do the same.
I hope you do take the time to reflect on all of this, to start this year from inside and then be open to the possibilities that will unfold as the year and your life progresses. Be a catalyst for change and inspire others by sharing below how you are going to show up differently this year – together let’s make this year the start of a LIFE that is different, that is significant, meaningful and successful.
Until next week – embrace your inner truth, live your purpose and make your contribution in the world.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Lauren
