How successful were you with finding images or role models that struck a chord with you?  Have you been meditating on the image and how it feels to be the person you want to be? Are you starting to have periods where you are comfortable believing that this is who you are? You will never reach your goal before you believe your goal is attainable. In fact, you need to believe you already possess such traits and they will be yours.  “Be the change that you want to bring about in the world”- Ghandi. 

This Week’s Talk

“When Scrooge awoke, it was so dark that looking out of bed, he could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber. He was endeavoring to pierce the darkness with his ferret eyes, when the chimes of a neighboring church struck the four quarters.” 

I have to think A Christmas Carol would have a completely different feel if this all took place during the light of day.  Just like it always seems to be raining in movies during the scary part or during a tense scene, this book starting at night, the bleakness of winter… all help set the somber mood. I would think that it would be a very different story if it took place during the summer and things were all sunny and warm.  As it was here for Scrooge, so too it is for many of us, it really is darkest before the dawn.  This is where grit, determination and faith get tested. Continue to believe. The greater teh challenge the greater the victory.

Let’s take a moment and check in on where we are along the personal development continuum: Step 1, Recognition, must be complete, or at least well started, since you are reading this blog!  Step 2 of our change process as outlined in Week 2 is Contemplation and Introspection.  Contemplation and Introspection should be on-going regular parts of our life journey. Where am I? Am I happy where I am? Where would I rather be? What/who do I aspire to be? What do I have to do to get there? What will it be like when I am that person? What motivates me to change? How will this affect my life when I am that person?  Step 3: Preparation: Get the car ready for the trip; getting you ready to be the new you.  Have you dropped bad habits, have you been looking at cutting things out of your life to make room for new, more effective habits and activities? Step 4: Taking action. Following this blog and doing the weekly activities are certainly some of the taking action steps you should be doing. Step 5: Sustaining the effort.  Getting there is only the beginning. Once you become the person you envisioned you can take a breath… and then start thinking about where you want to go next.  We should always strive to be in the process of becoming, achieving, giving, and growing.

This Week’s Assignment

As part of your Contemplation and Introspection, stop and assess what you have done so far?

• Do you have a clear vision for who you want to be?
• How natural does this feel to you?
• Does who you want to become seem to tie pieces together and make sense out of your life experience so far?
• Does it feel like you have to make this fit or does it seem like it is a natural thing and is the real you?
  
  

See you next week…