In Honour of Your Freedom (Part 1)

(2014 March 28) Inspired by Nisha Moodley’s Fierce Fabulous Free blog post “

Lessons from a year of courage

”, I’ve only included here what complements my message, but I hope you get time to read it yourself.

You – Put “ME” On That Checklist

Put

“ME”

at the top of your checklist – enjoying “me”, grooming “me”, loving “my” appearance, exercising, eating healthily, drinking water, learning “me” – simply being “me”. Every aspect of “ME” is

critical to your success,

so you need to be consciously “ME”. It is a whole version of YOU that

can recognize and enjoy success when it comes.

YOU are important.

Boundaries – Not Walls

ME-time reveals

boundaries,

your comforts and perceived limitations. Sure “get out of your comfort zone” to explore your potential, but

‘know your comfort zone’ first.

Boundaries keep you

safe, comfortable

and

confident in your

right to be

– spirit, soul (mind, emotions) and body – while allowing you to

let the right experiences and people

in – or out.

Walls keep whatever’s inside in, and whatever’s outside out; you don’t want that.

Get to know YOU – THEN you’ll be more effective at saving the world.

Live Courageously

Courage is not the absence of fear,

but the drive to push through it. Being true to yourself about your

emotions, thoughts, underlying beliefs

that drive you, goes a long way in helping you

face and then conquer your fears.

Common fears:

Forget failure – fear of

success,

fear of

man

and fear of

emotions.

However impossible your dream,

you will never know what’s possible unless you try.

If you don’t, that will be your greatest regret at 90. Fear of man

(people’s disapproval of your ‘audacity’)

should never hold you back. Emotions – no, no – not just the ladies. This fear is even greater for men.

Emotional IQ (EQ)

is a most sought after leadership trait because when you can

manage your own emotions,

it makes you very effective at dealing with others’ emotions.

No need to run from your fears. Face them and do it anyway.

Learn the Right Lessons

Don’t learn the wrong lessons

from your experiences.

Learn the empowering lessons.

Scenario: You fall off a horse.

Lessons:

This is dangerous. I should be more careful. I should stop riding horses. So often we have an experience and we say,

"I’ll never do ‘X’ again".

Now that that wall is up, what happens when the perfect opportunity comes and “X” is what’s needed to get it?

Learn the empowering lessons and start implementing.

Have One “Thing” You Won’t Give Up

As a workaholic, I can genuinely relate to what Nisha talks about in her

6th Lesson, “It’s good to have a “thing””

.

Working all the time makes you boring

– even if work is fun. I work in social media; boring = sure death.

My one thing is Dance.

I cannot explain the things dance – its kinetics, expression, choreography – does to and for me.

What is your one thing? Why not just do it?

Acknowledge Your Broken Heart

Whether it’s

a break up,

or

the loss of a loved one,

'to thine own self be true.'

In

acknowledging every single feeling

as it comes, you're able to face it. You will heal faster than if you'd tried to bury it. That would be like

trapping a wild cat inside,

rather than letting it out and keeping an eye on it.

The claws will do far more damage inside than out.

If you're true, not letting pride or ego hold on to rage and resentment,

love truly is the outcome of healing.

KEEP DREAMING

It is so easy to lose sight of your vision,

when the horizon doesn't look anything like the image in your head.

It's easier still when you don't

make the time to dream often enough.

The human imagination is among the most powerful things anywhere.

You are your only limitation.

You will be surprised what solutions come when you rest – remove anxiety – silence your negative thoughts (the hard part) and just let options come freely.

NEVER STOP DREAMING.

PART 2 OF HONOURING YOUR FREEDOM

Before you run

to part 2

,

I want you to really

take the time (21-30 days)

to process this and work it into your schedule. Find out who you are, what you're comfortable with and what you want - what freedom means to you - then go into you with others.

Part 2 addresses the role of Community in attaining Freedom.

Get past fear & Just do it

Did you reach for the ball?

September 4, 2013 Facebook by Mashable | 

http://on.mash.to/1aiUCA4

In life, even if you are a go-getter, you wouldn't be first in line to get your face smashed by a baseball. It is clearly a metaphor, however, for the world we live in.  How many of us really reach for our goals regardless of the obstacles?

What are your obstacles?

Time, money, partnerships and other resources... or fear? Other challenges are more readily addressed, with a wider range of possibilities, when we get past fear. Be honest about what your fears are and discard those first. Fear of failure, success, dealing with family response, doing it alone, having to collaborate, uncertainty, public speaking - the list can be endless.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear."

(Franklin D. Roosevelt). Facing the fact that fear will be a life-long companion - overcoming one to learn of another - can be discouraging.  It can, if you choose, let it be liberating. Now you know the goal is to work past it, not to eliminate it.

You'd be surprised how quickly you persevere in eliminating the other obstacles once fear's dealt with.

Working past fear

I found a few tips that work, but you should really add a few more that may be unique to you:

1. Throw away your negative thoughts (Observer, 2013) - literally, write down the real or imagined thoughts that stop you from going after your goals, and then through them away.

2. Get organized (Connolly, 2009) - when your mind is in disarray, your space often reflects that. Take the time to tidy up and get organized. You'll feel less overwhelmed, more optimistic and the temptation to procrastination, fear's nasty accomplice, recedes.

3. Make a list - be honest about where you are and what you need to get where you want to go. Daily, do one thing to get closer to your goal. If you do more, great, but one a day is huge.

4. Speak to yourself - no, it's not for crazy people. It's probably, actually, the secret to staying sane. When you start giving in to fear and negative thoughts, say the opposite truths out loud. I can see your face - just try it!

5. A support system - surround yourself with people who actually support you. They feed your dream and show you that some mountains are really molehills. They aren't always who you think they should be.

6. Document your successes - small or large, your mind has no problems dredging up failures, but this helps keep successes top of mind. This is really a great way to stay encouraged.

Share your success

Come back and share your success in the comments, to encourage others.