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Martina McGowan MD

life lived by the Book

Embrace

Embrace This Day: Birthday – Affirmation

Sooner or later we all discover that the important moments in life are not the advertised ones, not the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings, not the great goals achieved. The real milestones are less prepossessing.

They come to the door of memory unannounced, stray dogs that amble in, sniff around a bit and simply never leave.

Our lives are measured by these.

Susan B. Anthony

My birthday, which is today, gives me a chance to focus on what is important in my life.

I shy away from taking life for granted. Life is a blessing. Being able to see another year fills me with gratitude.

Time moves quickly, so I am deliberate in using it in a meaningful way. I spend as much time as possible with those whom I love the most.

Each year gives me a chance to reflect on issues in my relationships and put new plans in place to try to resolve them. Healing is an important part of moving forward in a positive light.

It is hardly worth the effort in being upset with others because the future is uncertain for us all. I choose to spend my moments with others honoring their goodness and meaning in my life.

Although I get older with each birthday, I am rarely concerned about aging. I know that it is a blessing to be able to say that I am older. Actually, to have lived longer than I had anticipted at a tender age. There are many people who miss out on that chance, so I fully embrace it.

I give my attention to the state of my heart and soul. Each birthday reminds me that I have another opportunity to align my actions with my values.

Having integrity is more important than having physical beauty and perfection. I prefer to be remembered by the content of my soul. It always shines through.

Today, it is a blessing to have another year of life ahead of me. I am committed to living according to my system of beliefs. My focus is on continuing to have a good quality of life.

Chat soon…

Martina

Choose Yourself (Poem)

Knowing yourself

is the beginning of all wisdom.

Aristotle

Choose Yourself

Would it not be delicious
To walk the earth
Free-er, simpler, differently

Not weighed down
By the peculiar appetites
Of others

Often impenetrable
And unconstrained
As if we’re constantly in training

But it is a choice we make
Or do not make
Consciously or unconsciously

To remain hitched
To old ways of thinking, acting
Walking ancient paths

Allowing others to hold us
By leash to their whims
While neglecting our own desires

Choosing to fly free
A simple no
A single step over lines drawn

Push back against the norm
Allow the wind
To unfurl your wings

Live your life
You only have one
Probably

In any case
Change is the choice
We make, or we do not

©Copyright 2021 Martina Green McGowan, MD

This is written as a followup to last week’s post about simplifying life, and fresh, new choices for the future…

Chat soon!

Martina

Make Life Less Complicated: How to Simplify

“It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease.

Hack away at the inessentials.”

Bruce Lee

Confucius once said, “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”

If we make life complicated and fill it up with things, happening, and doings, how can we ever figure out how to focus on what matters most to us?

We are all running about trying to squeeze everything we can into the few “free” hours we have when, in fact, we would likely be a lot happier and healthier if we embraced the beauty of simplicity!

Here are few suggestions you can try today to simplify your life, and maybe find more joy:

  1. De-clutter.

When was the last time I read anything from your TBR stack of books piled up on the floor next to your bed or your favorite chair?

When did I last wear my favorite hat or that scarf hanging on the closet floor?

Give that stuff to someone who needs it!

De-cluttering will give you an opportunity to enjoy the things that truly matter. Plus you’ll feel a sense of relief with a more organized working and living space.

When we choose to eliminate the clutter around us, we gain a deeper appreciation for the things we really care about.

2. Food.

Food is another aspect of our lives that can be simplified in many ways.

First, instead of worrying about the next bite, or the next meal, enjoy the taste of the food that’s already in your mouth. Savor it. Let it all sink in and try to taste each flavor.

Consider the ingredients in your food. Take your time and use quality ingredients when you cook. The end result will taste better, and more to your liking!

3. Electronics and Connection.

Think of all the gadgets in your life. Do you use them all? Do you even use half of them anymore?

The more stuff we have to “connect” us to the “outside world,” the more we tend to feel disconnected!

Take out the earbuds, turn off your car radio, and put down your cell phone. Instead of trying to be always connected to people you don’t know, or to people to who you are connected only because they can “help” you, try communicating with those around you. Nothing is more satisfying than a rewarding conversation with a family member or close friend! Granted, that may require the use of your cell phone, but you get the point.

4. Thinking.

A cluttered mind steers us away from what’s most important. Simple ideas are almost always better. By simplifying our thinking, we open our minds to new possibilities.

A simplified mind does not mean we aren’t thinking, it just means that we are choosing to focus on a thing with greater clarity.

When our attention is split into several directions, it is difficult, at best, to make rational decisions. And if we are dwelling in the past or worrying about the future, how can we live in this moment?

If we are trying to jam a week into a single day, we will feel a tension that will pull us away from where we want to be and are meant to be. Instead of wondering what’s next, savor the here and now.

Be. Here. Now.

Release the useless distractions and minutiae from your mind, and you will feel better, and clearer. You will also regain a sense of peace and harmony within yourself.

5. Schedule.

As with all the other clutter we have mentioned above, begin eliminating some of the clutter in your hectic schedule and do what’s best for you and your family, not everyone else.

Obviously, you cannot do all of these things at once. Take time for yourself. Sit in a quiet space and think about what is important to you. Once you know what it is in terms of time or family, or whatever you choose as your primary target, you can build a plan to move toward your goals. If something doesn’t work well, don’t waste a lot of time on it, move on or make a new plan for a life that has more joy and less “doing” in it.

Living life simply is extremely rewarding. When you do so, you eliminate many of the useless cares and are able to focus on what’s really important to you. Give it a try!

Chat soon.

Martina

Learning to Embrace Renewal

We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves;

otherwise, we harden.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Last week we talked about our mid-year checkin. I hope you looked into at least a few of the things you are juggling in your life. It is good to reassess and shake up our thinking and being periodically.

Today, I will share an affirmation on renewal. Near the end of this post, you will also find some prompts for writing or journaling.

I take time for renewal.

I pause during my daily life to take time for renewal.

Closing my eyes, I feel the waters of rejuvenation wash over me like a dip in a cool, clear spring.

Breathing in deeply, I inhale the bountiful air. Oxygen infuses every cell in my body.

I feel the spray of water dance across my skin. I am standing underneath a healing waterfall. Water gently cascades all around me.

I feel the cool waters bathe my brain, wash through my ears, and cleanse my tired eyes.

My mind is calm, clean, and brimming with new possibilities.

My ears hear the joy in the voices of others.

My eyes see with a fresh, new perspective.

The soothing waters wash over my neck, shoulders, and back, relaxing and loosening any stiff muscles.

I feel the invigorating water rush over me from head to toe, filling and energizing my entire being.

Any tension I feel flows out of my body in gentle waves and leaves through my hands and my feet.

Breathing in deeply, I feel the healing effects of the waterfall. I am energized.

It is a new, fresh moment and the possibilities for my growth are endless.

I am rejuvenated, refreshed, and renewed.

Today, I pause and take time for renewal.

I give my mind, body, and spirit the precious gift of time to renew and recharge.

I send thoughts of love to all parts of my body.

I am renewed and grateful.

Thoughts for journaling:

1. When do I most feel in need of renewal?
2. How can I make the time to take the time to renew myself?
3. How might it benefit others if I take the time to practice a self-renewal affirmation?

Chat soon.

Martina

Learning to Embrace Your Individuality

They know your face, but not your mind.
They understand your words, but not your heart.
They hear your name, but not your soul.
They grasp your past, but not your future.

Matshona Dhliwayo

Do you find it difficult to accept the person you are? Maybe you feel discomfort about being so different from everyone else. Or perhaps you find yourself similar to others to the point that you believe you’re boring.

Either way, it’s time to recognize that your special variety of character traits combine to create a one and only, very unique you.

Although there are many ways to accept and embrace who you are, check out these strategies to open your arms to the amazing individual you are:

1. Take note of your habits.

  • What kind of habits do you practice? Do you floss your teeth every night and consistently wash dishes as soon as you dirty them? Is your bedtime and time for arising always the same?
  • * Understand what’s important to you by noticing the behaviors you routinely do. In a sense, your habits are your “trademark.”

2. Describe your personality in detail.

  • A wonderful tool for embracing your individuality is to consider deeply the type of person you are.
    • If you had to describe yourself, in detail, to someone else, what words would you use?
      • Maybe you always in a rush
      • or, you like keeping an immacculate household
      • or, you have tons of friends and are very outgoing
  • Write down your description of yourself, being as thoughtful and thorough about your personality characteristics as you can.
  • You’re worth the time this procedure will take.

3. What is absolutely great about you?

  • Of course, you have your own special blend of positive qualities:
    • Are you an exceptional listener?
    • Do you have a good sense of humor?
    • Does everyone rely on you because you are super-dependable?
  • Write that stuff down!

4. What are your biggest struggles?

  • What challenges you?
  • If you find yourself stumped about how to handle a situation, write those situations and potential solutions out on paper.
  • Getting a real handle on what takes its toll on us helps build our self-awareness.
  • Work to improve how you handle your biggest struggles.
    • Yes, identification is great but commit to actually tackling the challenges one at a time to experience success in those areas is very important to do for yourself.
    • Why? Because you will, in time, see that you can overcome almost any obstacle you focus your mind and skills on it.

5. Remind yourself that you are a worthy human.

  • In order to embrace our individuality, we must fully accept who we are.
  • Learning to love ourselves and take us as we are is a great aid to loving and encouraging others. Yes, we have flaws, but who doesn’t?
  • But, bear in mind that recognizing that we are okay does not mean that we can’t work to improve.
    • Accepting our shortcomings and quirks and our less-than-perfect features can help us improve.

6. Embrace who you are each morning.

  • It is a brand new day!
  • We have new opportunities to make discoveries about ourselves and who you are.
  • Consider the evolving day as a setting to keep learning more and more about yourself.

Actively work each day to love yourself and your individuality.

Learn what is great about you, what kinds of things vex you, and how to handle them.

Embracing our individuality and accepting ourselves for exactly who we are can enrich our lives in ways we have yet to imagine!

Chat soon.

Martina

Mid-Year Check-in

We have made it trhough June. And, whether you do resolutions, promises, statements, affirmations, 1, 2,  or 3 words, or some other scheme, you probably told yourself that this year would be better than last year. On the surface, that wouldn’t be hard. Last year was filled with pandemic fears, vaccine woes, the seemingly interminable, lockdown, racial unrest and political turmoil.

Many people lost their jobs, or their jobs changed.  We all learned how to do more from home, and entered more zoom rooms than we care to remember. But, it was also an opportunity to meet people around the world, albeit in a little box, and share our lives.

So, think back to January, when you thought the world would be back to normal by now. How has that been going for you? Have you been able to maintain your focus? Or have you drifted a bit from where you thought you’d be by now. 

This isn’t about shaming or blaming. It has been a another tough-ish 6 months for many of us.  You have survived and hopefully thrived in some areas during our slow rise from the pandemic. 

It’s mid-year, and  we are checking in with ourselves and each other.

Mind / Mood

How is your head doing? Pretty clear? Happy with what you’re able to get done? Or are you lost in a fog? Stuck in a funk?  Having trouble rising to life’s challenges?

Concerns about needing to speak with someone outside of this forum? Here is a resource: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Reach out if you need more.

If you’ve found a way to beat the blues, please share.

Body

  • Weight-wise, last year was like the first year of college. Pretty inactive, with even less motivation to try to get moving. Most of us have packed on a few extra pounds, the pandemic-freshman 15. Remember that?  I can feel it in the clothes that don’t fit the same any more- either tighter or looser, or any of these combinations in unusual places. I tossed my scale a few years ago, so I can’t give you a concrete number.
  • Tai Chi
    • Not gym-ready. The pandemic is still upon us. The jury remains out on wehther we should be wearing masks or not. I still wear mine most of the time; but that is my decision. Anyway, between age, several shoulder surgeries, etc., I don’t think I’ll be getting back into serious or heavy weight ifting. So I’ve switched my focus to Tai Chi. Something gentler on the mind and body. Plus a little work on strenth, balance, coordination, and complex movements (also good for battling cognitive decline). Dr Adam Potts has a nice online (FB) Tai Chi flow class I am currently enjoying. He also has a free 21-day flow class starting next week. If you are interested. please let me know.
    • The point is that you should do what worksfor you in the present. Not what you may have been hooked on in the past, or that your friends think is a great think to try. Be realistic. Yu will be hapier and make much more progress.
  • Intermittent fasting – because I am not burning many calories with movement, I started intermittent fasting. This has been a success so far. It has stabilized my weight (as far as I can tell), and has improved my labwork; which makes my physician happy. Don’t know much about this? I will blog about it in the near future.

Spending

  • I know you were expecting spirit here; mind-body-spirit. We will get to that in another post…
  • Check your subscriptions, and any other unconscious spending. Are these things that are still important to you? Things like:
    • Television streaming – are you watching all the channels? Or have you narrowed it down to  4 or 5? Cancel the subscriptions and remove the apps that no longer apply. 
    • Your checkup should include internet connections, phone services, utilities, gym memberships, etc. These things often get lost in our busyness and forgotten over time.
      • Make it a habit to check in periodically, even if you’ve gone paperless.
    • Paypal – do you have ongoing subscriptions through Paypal? When was the last time you checked? After checking, remove the useless ones, especially if they are costing you
      • Personal Note: A few months ago, I was checking my paper, yes, paper bank statements, and there were some (many and frequent) small amounts of fraudulent withdrawals. I checked in with Paypal, and that was a dead end. The problem was not on their end. I Googled the company making the withdrawals. I was one of thousands being defrauded in this way. I followed up with the bank, and got monetary reimbursement for the most recent 90 days. It is amazing how quickly small dollars amounts, withdrawn daily, can really add up.

The continued joy of life is finding and doing what works for us, accepting what canot be changed, changing what we can, and understanding the difference between discipline and deprivation.

Seize the day. Absolutely!! But, keep focus on your end-game, the prize, as well.

Find your balance.

Chat soon…

Martina

How to Embrace Open-Mindedness and Fresh Ideas

Every now and then a man’s mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation,

and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr

Feeling a bit stuck in life? Work? Relationships?

You might need to think about being more open-minded about things There is a certain comfort in being set in our ways. However, opening our minds to other possibilities for new opportunities, knowledge, adventure, and even relationships could bring greater fulfillment and happiness to life.

What’s Your Motivation

To make it possible for you to embrace new ideas, that we push ourselves to try new things. But before you start, ask yourself why you want to become more open? Are you committed to it? Are you willing to take action, even if it’s a bit uncomfortable, to make that happen?

Pick One Place to Start

Which areas of your life do you want to open up to new ideas?

An example:

Perhaps you’ve grown bored with eating the same things all the time, and desire some variation in the menu. A simple and realistic approach is to commit to trying one new food or recipe every week.

Start with one small area to open up to new ideas, and then gradually include more areas of your life. Starting small helps us ease into having an open mind, instead of the sudden jolt of trying to change several things or everything at once.

1. Think First.

  • Push back against the urge to react in anger when you hear differing opinions, things you might not totally agree with.
  • Instead, take a breath, step back, and embrace the wisdom that everyone will not hold agree with you about everything.
  • Ask questions. Try putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and see things from their perspective.

2. Remain Receptive.

  • Work to avoid closing yourself off from new information.
  • Welcome new situations.
  • Think of your exposure to differing opinions as learning experiences. You won’t agree with everything and everyone. But, you might learn something!

3. Step Out.

  • Make efforts to journey out of your comfort zone often.
  • If you have certain anxieties about new situations, you should still take this step, but make these changes slowly.
  • Go to new places, meet some new people, and check out new things to try.

4. Interact, Network.

  • Stay social and make new friends.
  • You’ll find that you’re more likely to discover new opportunities to try new things when you remain social.
  • Your friends might be trying new things that they can introduce you to as well.
  • Also, when you make a new friend, they’ll likely have a unique set of interests for you to learn about to broaden your horizons.

Introvert to ambivert, sort of. I was much, much shyer and more introverted when I was younger. At the beginning of college, when I didn’t know anyone, one day, I intentionally started introducing myself to more people, entering into conversations, etc. This was a difficult and uncomfortable transition for me. By stepping out of my comfort zone, I was risking rejection, and being locked out of the non-academic side of life at college. The flip-side is that I would have intentionally locked myself out of making some great friends, brilliant study partners, and people to build life-long memories alongside.

5. If you don’t know,  ASK.

  • Stop being so afraid of asking questions.
  • Often the only way to learn more about a situation and maintain an open mind is to ask a lot of questions to better understand.
  • While you don’t want to intrude on someone’s personal life, if they’re willing to share information, you should be equally as willing and eager to listen.

6. If you haven’t done it before, TRY.

  • Avoid making random assumptions about things.
  • Go out and live an experience before you become set in your opinions.
  • Rather than blindly believing what someone else says, or assuming that you won’t like it, find out for yourself if you like something or not.
  • This exercise might be as simple as trying new foods, activities, or hobbies.

When we choose to keep a positive attitude and open our minds to new experiences, we can open ourselves up to fresh discoveries almost daily. It’s a great way to keep your life fun and add a little excitement to it!

What are you willing to try this week? Share in the chat…

Martina

Affirmation: I Embrace My Creative Spark

You can’t use up creativity.

The more you use, the more you have.

Maya Angelou

As a follow-up to last week’s post about creativity, here is an affirmation you can use to help keep your creative spark alive. Using affirmations will improve your self-talk and enhance how you feel about yourself.

Query:

First, let’s check in with ourselves. Here are a few questions to contemplate. Journal the questions and your first response answers if you use a daily journal. Or, think about starting a journal.

1. Do I often feel that my ideas are not good enough to share with others?
2. Do I encourage other people to think outside the box? How?
3. How does it feel when my creativity leads to recognition?

Affirmation: I Embrace My Creative Spark

I embrace my creativity and my creative spark.

I love being in creative spaces.

I love the feeling of having some control over what comes out of my inner creativity.

I embrace my natural abilities to make something new.

I feel mentally revived and emotionally secure when I am able to create.

Designing and conceptualizing keep my mind growing and allow me to see what a wonderfully made being I am.

When I look at my creations I feel pride, especially when others let me know how they have been touched by them.

Creativity sparks evolution and enables positive changes.

I love thinking outside the box and pushing boundaries.

I know that I am capable of so much more, and I enjoy delving into those possibilities.

I embrace my inborn ability to express myself through what I develop.

Today, I commit to being creative in more aspects of my life.

I love the newness that creativity brings and the excitement that follows each new beginning.

My goal is to do what I can to make a little piece of my world evolve continuously.

How to Use Affirmations:

  • Use part of this or all of it. One sentence, a few phrases, whatever speaks to you.
  • Write (or type) it out on a separate piece of paper.
    • Tape it to the mirror in which you spend the most amount of time.
  • Also, make a smaller version to have with you throughout the day –
    • carry in your wallet
    • tape to the back of your personal phone
    • put it on your desk near your work phone
    • put it on your dashboard
    • Use it as a bookmark for the book you are currently reading
  • Recite it at least once daily out loud.
  • The more you say it to yourself, the more your subconscious self will believe it.

Let me know how it works for you.

We will talk more about affirmations in the future. Or, if you are curious about some we have shared in the past, just check in the search box.

Chat soon.

Martina

How to Embrace and Boost Your Creativity in 30 Minutes a Day

To be creative means to be in love with life.

You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.

Osho

While it is certainly true that some people are more creative than others, every person can be innovative and original in their own way. Your creativity lies within you now. It is just waiting to be tapped.

Here are a couple of suggestions for ways to use 30 minutes of your day to unleash your creativity:

1. Think back to your childhood.

  • Did you have an active imagination?
  • Did you pretend to be a teacher or a doctor?
  • Perhaps you played as if you were the greatest race car driver in the world.
  • Assuming certain roles is a good way to demonstrate your creativity.
    • Right now, imagine yourself as the best worker at your job.
      • How would you look, dress, and behave?
      • What would you say to others?
      • How would you relate?
  • Visualize that you are the best at something for at least 10 minutes each day.

2. What is your superpower?

  • For the next 10, 20, or 30 minutes, consider your skills, talents, and knowledge base.
    • Choose one skill to focus on. Think about what makes you good at this particular ability.
  • All our skills count –
    • Maybe you think you’re great when it comes to following instructions.
      • This means you listen well. You pay attention. Everyone can’t do this…
    • Maybe your motivation is intrinsic. This means that you are internally motivated to complete jobs to the desired results.
  • When you know what you good at doing, you feel confident. And when you feel confident, you are not afraid of trying new things. a

3. Take the time to imagine something in your life.

  • Maybe a bigger house, or want to experience a serious relationship again.
    • Give yourself 30 minutes to sit back and really think about this.
      • Think about what that house looks like on the inside.
      • Picture the face of your potential mate.

4. Write out and carry a written copy of your top 3 life goals with you.

  • Giving yourself permission to dream and reach for your desired goals enhances your ability to ponder how you can achieve them.
  • * You hold the creative keys to pursue those goals however you choose. Let your mind run free with it. Think about these questions: what can you do today, tomorrow, next week, and next month to go after what you want?

5. Who is a hero of yours, or someone you admire?

  • Spend time thinking about this individual.
    • What is compelling about them?
    • How can you be more like them?
    • Choose one characteristic you want to work for the next month.
      • If possible, talk to them to learn more about what makes them who they are.
  • Trying on new personality traits lets us stretch ourselves creatively to see what is possible within ourselves.

6. Try a new activity.

  • We nurture and grow our creativity by engaging in creative endeavors.
    • So, buy a block of clay, a jewelry-making kit, or some paints and canvases at your local arts and crafts store and have at it.
  • If you get really engaged, you will probably spend more than a half-hour daily on your new activity. That would be great because you will be expanding your mind along with your skills.
  • If unsure about where to start, sign up for a beginning art class at your local museum or art center. This is exactly how I started painting (local museum),  pottery (local artists guild), and stained glass (a one-person glass shop in an antique mall).
    • If you do a little digging will find free or inexpensive classes near you.
    • There is plenty of YouTube or similar video tasters to try out in the privacy of your home.
    • Go to your local library and browse hobbies.
      • This is where I discovered Zentangle. Which coincidentally, I am starting to teach my granddaughter this week. Don’t know what that is? We’ll share in a future post…
    • Step out of your comfort zone a little and see what happens. I can almost guarantee you that you will surprise yourself!!
    • Working with your hands and mind together opens up new avenues, new thinking patterns, meet new people, and can get your creative juices moving. Some of this may even spill over into work!

You can release your inner creativity by devoting just 30 minutes to any of the above strategies or activities;  or try a combination of 2 or 3 of them.

Believe in yourself!!

Believe that you are creative and prove it by doing some activity every day to cultivate your imagination and originality.

Let me know what you tried in the comments. Or reach out if you need some resources.

Next week we will add an affirmation to help us with our processing. Stay tuned…

Martina

Why We Self-Sabotage and What To Do Instead

“I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.

Only I will remain.”

Frank Herbert

Do you embrace your success? Do you envision yourself as being healthier, wealthier, and whatever abundance means to you? Do your successes all feel small and transient, but the greater things you desire always seem just beyond your grasp? You may be a victim of a fear of success.

This fear may be lurking in our subconscious and hard to uncover without serious probing. Yet, this fear can cause us to sabotage our efforts in pursuing our most cherished dreams. 

Is the Fear of Success Sabotaging You?

Exercise:

  • Think of a goal that you want to achieve.
  • Then, take 20-30 minutes and answer the following question: “What would be different if I succeeded?” Make a list of everything you can think of – both the good and bad consequences of achieving your goal.
  • It’s important to take at least 20 minutes to answer the question. The first few answers that come to mind will be superficial. Simply keep writing for at least 20 minutes. Put down everything that comes to mind. Nothing is too ridiculous or too small. If, after 20 minutes, you’re still getting good questions, then keep on going.

As an example, let’s imagine the goal is to save  $250,000 this year. Some of the things you might include on your list:

  • Be able to pay all my bills.
  • Buy a newer car.
  • Go away on a vacation.
  • Pay more taxes.
  • A family member will want a loan.
  • People will treat me differently.
  • Maybe a new house? But where?
  • My partner will want to try to spend it all.

In your excitement, you will quickly write down some of the things you have wanted to buy, and, once you have the money, you can do that. But then, as you dig deeper into your feelings, some of the not-so-positive consequences will begin to appear on your list.

Some of these consequences will reveal things you fear.

Goals, especially new ones, are never completely free of fear. Achievement always involves change, and change frequently comes with a bit of apprehension. You may truly want to be successful, but if the feelings of fear outweigh the positive feelings in your mind, progress will be slow and challenging.

The only reason I can’t jump in and engage life is that I’ve told myself I can’t.

Yet I can’t helping wondering would happen if I told myself I could?

Craig D. Lounsbrough

Eliminating Your Fear: “What if…”

If you can find and face these apprehensions, you have the opportunity to root them out or at least minimize their impact so you can make progress better progress.

Looking directly at our fears is very powerful. The fears we refuse to acknowledge will grow stronger. Fears that are examined can be minimized, which will help us take more aggressive actions toward the completion of our heartfelt goals.

Ultimately, if we look closely at our fears, we can see that the perceived side effects are what seems scariest when pursuing goals.

So before you ditch your plans, ask yourself what would happen if you were ultimately successful.

Tackle your fears head-on and you can start achieving your dreams today!

Want to read more about success? What do successful people know and do that you don’t?

Fear can be a useful tool. But do not let it rule your life!!

Chat soon...

Martina

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