"8 Simple Must-Do's To Reach Your Dreams"
Are dreams hard to follow? No. They aren't. What is hard is taking actions that will get you towards your dreams.
Do you feel damaged? Do you feel that your life has been ruined by what's been done to you? Here's a good news, "The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) In other words, YOU can change your life. I love stories where someone starts with a life that is messed up and dark and becomes something great and powerful. You and I can be one of them. So now, get up, my brother, my sister, and let's walk on. I have some simple must-do's that I have picked up along the way that I'd like to share with you.
1. Feed Yourself With Positive Words
Words can kill, and words can also heal. You know what it is like to be hurt by words--you know what they can do to you. It is not easy to deal with the hurt that comes from words. Be careful what you let into your heart. Be careful what you listen to--are the people you hang out with speaking positive words? If they aren't, then just leave! Yes, I said, just leave! If you continue to let them affect your mind with negativity then it will be harder for you in the future to undo all the damage! Only let positive things to enter your mind. Books, people, songs, quotes, videos. Do you want to be motivated? Listen to motivational audio files. Do you want to dream, live, and succeed? Read about them! The affirmations that you hear will form YOU. Indeed, you are what you eat and ingest. Feed yourself with positive things.
2. Put Yourself First
Nobody can love others without first loving themselves. No one can be compassionate to others unless they know how to be compassionate to themselves. Putting yourself first is not being selfish. In fact, it is something you need to do if you want to care about others. In the end, you are the only person that will stick with you for your whole life. Listen to your needs. Listen to your own voice. Tell others what you need and voice your opinions--you MATTER!! Know that you deserve good things and deserve to be treated well by others. When you make a choice about something, do not let the pressure behind it be someone else. Only do it if YOU want to.
3. Don't Be Afraid To Fail
Les Brown once said, "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears." The quickest way to success is failing over and over again. Failing is NOT the last thing you will do! If you never failed, you've never tried hard enough. See famous people that overcame great failures to get to where they are. You may be disappointed if you fail, but would you be able to handle the regret of not trying? "You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore." (Christopher Columbus)
Failures are stepping stones to success. Failures don't push you backwards, they bring you forward--because after the failure you know what you can do better on your next try. Plus, they aren't as bad as you THINK and anticipate they are!
4. Don't Be Affected So Much By What Others Have To Say About You
What others say about you has more to do with them than with you. If they say you are amazing or despicable, it has more to do with them than you. They could be having a bad day, or a hard time in their life. Do not let your identity depend on what others have to say about you. What your abuser had said about you in the past is NOT VALID. Did they tell you you are not lovable? That you are not talented? That you are not beautiful? Do you BELIEVE them? **If you had grown up hearing these words, it is very likely that you believe these negative things about yourself and it is NOT your fault. Now is the time to burn up those old lies. I don't care if it was someone who said "they knew you best", such as your parents, foster parents, relatives.... Nobody knows YOU but YOU! If you are always swaying in the waves what others say about you whether positive or negative, you won't be able to find peace nor the real truth about yourself. Don't let others limit you with words! Stand firmly on your own. Believe good things about yourself and let them BE. Because you are important, beautiful, great, and loveable.
5. Do Not Believe All Your Thoughts
Our thoughts are not facts. They are affected by our past experiences. If you have gone through child abuse, it is very likely that your brain is wired in such a way that makes you think a lot of negative thoughts. "I feel so alone.. I'm alone in this whole world." Don't believe this! You are NOT alone, no matter who you are! This comes from your past! (To learn how to get out of your negative feelings/thoughs as they come up, go to "The Art of Distraction")
Learn how to choose your thoughts instead of letting your thoughts choose your destiny.
6. Open Up--Speak Your Truth
Connecting with others is perhaps the most important thing in life. Life is all about connections. Let love be the foundation of your heart and dreams. And the foundation of love--needs to be honesty. Honesty will attract people that you need in your life. Tell your story. Tell about what you are going through and what you believe so that you can create deep relationships that will help you grow and become a better you. Do not put on a mask for someone so they will like you, because if they are liking your mask and not you, what is the point? People that mind don't matter, and people that don't mind are the ones that matter. If they do not accept you for who you are, let them go.
7. Follow Your Passion
What are you passionate about? What is that something that makes you get up in the morning and start moving? If you are not living your dream, then you are dead. You are not living! Life is too short to spend time merely on earning a living. Yesterday is gone, and we don't know if we have our tomorrow. We only have today. Make sure that you are living today to its fullest. Do you know the reason for your living? Mark Twain once said, "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." You were born uniquely for something that no other person in this world can do. No other person in this whole universe has had or will have the same DNA that you have. Nobody will have the same story that you have. Follow your passion and shine your light that this world so desperately needs.
8. Be Grateful
Be grateful for the things you have. First be grateful for waking up this morning. You have another chance. Gratitude will make your blessings greater. It will increase your portion. Cultivating gratitude doesn't take any money or much time, but its benefits are enormous. It will attract more people into your life, and make you physically and mentally healthier. Try starting your day every morning by saying 3 specific things that you are grateful for.
