How To Stop Glorifying Busy and Sabotaging Your Goals

by vanessa | Feb 16, 2022 | Entrepreneurs, motivation, personal development

how to stop glorifying busy and sabotaging your goals

Here’s how you can stop glorifying busy and sabotaging your goals

Many of us don’t understand the difference between being busy and productive. Because of that, we glorify busy and, in the end, that sabotages our goals. It sounds weird, but it happens to many people. Going into the new year, you need to understand the difference and how you can achieve your goals. You might have a lengthy bucket list of things you want to do in the new year. That’s great, but you also need to realize that your time is precious. If you want this year to be better than the previous year, then your habits need to change.

I struggled for the longest time with my goals. I did not know the difference between being busy and productive. What I soon realized is as a society we glorify busy. This doesn’t help us with our goals. Why? Because often we are doing everything else than what we are required to do. We focus on acting as if we are achieving something, but we aren’t. This is because we spend our time on time wasters and not on things that will push the needle forward. They are a few ways you can stop glorifying busy and sabotaging your goals. I will go through the list so that you understand if you stop this, then you are on your way to being more productive.

One thing you need to realize is it will take time to get to where you want to go. That’s alright. You don’t need to rush. Sometimes it’s alright to slow things down. Figure out what you want from life and go from there. You just need to keep that in mind. If you do, it will be easier on you and you won’t get crushed if things aren’t going as fast as you wish they would.

Reduce time-wasters

What are time wasters? This is one way you are glorifying busy and sabotaging your goals. Time wasters are basically activities that don’t help you with your goals. Let’s look at an example: if you are starting a business and then you focus on making money from bitcoin. That, in fact, is a time waster. I know what the internet is saying. Bitcoins and NFTS are the new way to make money. It’s all hype and no substance. Let’s say you have little money. How much time will you dedicate to learning about bitcoin.

Let’s say you dedicate four hours per day. Now, this has nothing to do with the business you want to start. Yet, you are focusing on bitcoins. I get it. We all want to be in the in-crowd. The problem with this is that it isn’t easy. No one will tell you that making money from bitcoin and NFTS is difficult. You will need lots of money to make money from this. You will also need to hire a coach because it isn’t as easy to make money from it. And it’s saturated. Everyone and their grandmother want to make money from crypto currency.

Chances that you will make money from it are slim, so you need to keep your options open. That means you must figure out what you should do next. Another thing that can be a time waster is spending way too much time on one activity that doesn’t count or add value. You shouldn’t spend two hours writing an email to your subscribers. If you are creating a site, then don’t think too much about it. The longer you take, the longer it will take you to accomplish your goals.

The above are examples of glorifying busy and this will sabotage your goals.

Increase income generating activities

Do you want to make more money than you should focus on increasing your income-generating activities? I learned about this phrase a few years ago. Many of us don’t focus enough on income-generating activities. We spend too much of our time glorifying busy and that sabotages our goals. Now, here’s the exact opposite of it. Focus on making money. Now, if you are just starting, that doesn’t mean you can’t make money.

Take advantage of the global market. It comes with its own problems. Sure, but it has benefits. Because of the global market, they are many opportunities out there that you might not have realized. These opportunities can open so many doors for you. So, what are income-generating activities? Okay. It has to be an activity that will produce income. Even if it isn’t today. It can be soon. Posting videos that will help your business grow or that are beneficial will help you generate income. Watching cat videos won’t. Writing emails to your subscribers weekly will help you produce income sharing Facebook videos won’t.

In the beginning, it will take time for you to figure out what an income generating activity is and what it isn’t. So it’s important that once you figure this out, you spend more of your time doing that. This will help you achieve your goals so much faster.

Have a detailed goal list

The reason it’s so easy to glorify busy and sabotage our goals is because we don’t have a detailed goal list. For the new year, you need to understand what goals you want to achieve and which ones you don’t. Often you can break it down by quarter. Have different set goals for the first quarter than the second and it goes on. This will help you avoid burnout. Glorifying busy is easy, and it is easier to sabotage our goals by doing this. Therefore, it’s important to have a detailed goal list.

For example, what are your top three goals? What also helps is to have three goals for your personal, spiritual, and business. Why? Because if you aren’t growing you are dying. We focus way too much on our business goals that we forget we need to grow in other areas. If you grow in other areas, everything will link. You would be shocked to discover you’re progressing faster than you imagine because you aren’t focused primarily on one category.

This is how you stop glorifying busy and sabotaging your goals. By having a detailed goal list for your three categories. Here’s an example of your personal category learn a new language or travel more. Then, for your business goals, it can be to have 1000 followers and the list goes on from there. Whatever it is, you need to write it down or keep it in perspective. Why? Because you then realize why you are doing what you’re doing. This is an easy way to stop glorifying being busy so that you don’t sabotage your goals.

Passive income is the way to go

Here is another way you can stop glorifying being busy so you don’t sabotage your goals. One way to accomplish your goals at a faster rate is to make passive income. Why? Because you won’t have to worry about capital coming in to help grow your business. It will also help you achieve your goals much faster. Since they are limited hours in a day, you need to make money.

They are dozens of ways to make passive income. Some vary from beginner friendly to complicated. It’s best to start with the easy ways to make money and move from there. It all depends on what you will do and how you will achieve it. Passive income is one of the best ways to make money because you aren’t working for the money. You can do something and you will still make money. Few people can say they have achieved that. This will also make your time well spent. When you are making money, your perspective shifts and you calculate your time better.

The above are a few examples of how you can stop glorifying busy and sabotaging your goals.

How will you stop glorifying busy and sabotaging your goals. Comment below.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

How to Tap Into Your Motivation Sources?

by vanessa | Feb 9, 2022 | motivation, personal development

How to tap into your motivation sources

This is why you should ditch your perfect vision to find your calling

Many of us wish our lives were movies or at least an episode of a TV show. Unfortunately this isn’t a Hallmark movie. Things happen and often we have no control of them. They will things that you had planned that didn’t pan out. 2021 was that year for me. I had a litany of things I wanted to achieve. Out of my top ten list, I only achieved one thing. Did it suck? Yes it did especially considering I had built up this excitement and then everything bombed. For many of us when that happened, it crushes us and our motivation well dries up. You might be wondering how to tap into your motivation sources.

We all have motivation sources. A well that we can use when we need a boost. Though, sometimes it inconveniently dries up and leaves you suck with the bill and no way to pay. In this blog post, I will list three sources of motivation. Before I go on here’s something you should know. Life happens. As much as that saying is annoying. It’s true. Most things are out of our control. Just like a weather forecaster can only predict the weather and not control it the same is for you. Most of us have this in build sensor that knows when danger or problems are around the corner. You know when things aren’t working out. At times you can stop things from escalating, Though, most times you can’t. That doesn’t mean you should give up. Nor does it mean that things won’t work out in the end. No. That’s not it at all. If you want to be successful, you need to learn how to tap into your motivation sources.

What does success mean to you?

We all have different definitions of success. When I was a kid success meant lots of money. The definition though has changed because of my English lecturer. He often said success depends on what you want for your life. This is one of the easiest ways to tap into your motivation source. Understanding what success means to you can motivate you. It can up fill your well. Answering this question will become your motivation source. You see our definition of success can inspire us.

Having lots of money isn’t a bad thing, but it’s a loose definition of success. Success can mean just going for your dreams. It can mean saying no to what people want you do. Success can represent where you want to go or live. As a young kid I wanted to travel the world and I still do. I wanted to live in those countries. The thing is I achieved that even before I started my business. I achieved that because I believed I could. Now, most would say that I wasn’t successful because I didn’t have money in my bank account. That’s the problem. We have this lofty descriptor associated to success.

Being hard on yourself won’t help you tap into your motivation sources. As I said life happens. They are things we can’t control so if that’s the case then you need to celebrate what you achieved when no one was watching. You need celebrate yourself because that will help you understand what success means to you. It will also guide you to tap into motivation sources so you can achieve more.

Appreciate the invaluable lessons

Some things can’t be bought. Your health and genuine relationships can’t be bought. Another thing that can’t be bought are invaluable lessons. This is another way to tap into your motivation sources. What lessons have you learned and what has it taught you about life and yourself. Invaluable lessons are like a goldmine because it teaches you so much about yourself and what you are made of. Are you made of bronze or silver? Now, you will know once you reflect on the lessons you have learned.

This motivation source can push you outside of your comfort zone. When I was in my early twenties, I went through a lot of obstacles, but you know what that gave me guts to do things I never imagined. I did public speaking, debate and even joined a talent competition. The lessons I learned pushed me out of my comfort zone. Many of us don’t tap into this motivation source. Even though, it’s one of the best. Why? Think of it like this what have you been through? What did it teach you about yourself? How did you react to it? Life is hard. Most of us have to pick up weapons to battle the obstacles that face us everyday.

Very few of us crumble when life throws curveballs. Because life has made us stronger. It has strengthened us and has pushed us. If that didn’t happen then we wouldn’t leave the house. How many people crumble when they face obstacles? You are stronger than you think. You are braver than you think. You are smarter than you believe. It’s important for you not to forget that.

Remind yourself of what you faced because that will help you to push the needle forward. If you got over that breakup you never thought you, then you survived heartache. If you managed to get up when you were fired then you can deal with anything that comes your way. This is a way to tap into your motivation sources and it will surely inspire you to keep going.

What do you want your story to be?

This is a more unique take of how to tap into your motivation source. What if a writer wants to write your biography? You are sitting opposite the writer and they want you tell them your story. What will it be? What do you want your story to be a part? We all have a choice what we write down. We all have a choice what we want our stories to be part. The thing is you might not have much control about what happens in the grander scheme of things. You do, have a choice in your actions.

Your actions are important. That determines what your story will be about. You have a choice what people will see when they read your story, Often we think or rather believe we don’t have a choice in our actions. When I was twenty-one I lived with this girl. We were friends at the time. She told me I needed to change. Back then I had issues. Guess we all do. Even though, I didn’t agree with her about most things. I realize she was trying to help me out. I hated change. I could blame it on my nomadic ways. As a kid I jumped one from school to the next. I could blame it on the people who never stuck around like my siblings. They left when I was really young.

If I’m being honest it was all on me. I was no longer a kid therefore I had to take responsibility. My story is about a girl who learned how to love herself. It’s a story about battling the odds, acceptance and resilience. At the end of my book, I want to inspire people to chase their dreams no matter how many odds are stacked up. What do you want your story to be about? This is how you can tap into your motivation source by inspiring yourself to never give up.

Also Related: 13 Ways to Stop Being a People Pleaser

Who inspires you?

This is another way into your motivation source. Who inspires you? For the longest time my inspirations were celebrities. Now I don’t have one particular person who inspires me. I do get motivated by people’s success though. Years ago that wasn’t me. I was overjoyed when my friends achieved something great. Still, I used to compare myself. Why couldn’t that be happening to me? I’ve learned to be present in the silence. I’ve learned to be present when the world was ablaze. It wasn’t easy, but I’ve come to understand the waiting period isn’t supposed to be.

When I was twenty-three, I spent a whole year waiting to go back to university. That was hard. My peers graduated. Some of them even started a business and appeared on magazines. I was stuck. Waiting. For the rain. For a miracle. For God to open the door to my life. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t easy celebrating when my life wasn’t moving forward. But I realized that their success was a testament to never giving up. I learned that to lift my glasses to celebrate their victory. The people in our lives can inspire us just as much as the top 1%. You don’t need a Tony Robbins or the big guns to inspire you. Often it’s the people who know who can inspire you.

When I started looking it like that my viewpoint changed. I started celebrating more boldly because they had achieved something that many deemed impossible. Looking at the way the world is it’s not easy buying a house. That should be a celebration dance. Here’s another thing, when the people around start doing great things that will inspire you because you will want that as well. This is why it’s important who you surround yourself with.

Here are a few ways you can tap into your motivation source.

How will you tap into your motivation source. Let me know in the comments section.

KEEP P USHING

VANESSA

Why Entrepreneurship is The New Normal

by vanessa | Jan 19, 2022 | creativity, Entrepreneurs, motivation

Why entrepreneurship is the new normal

Here are a few reasons why entrepreneurship is the new normal

When I was ten years old, the teachers gathered all the ten-year-old kids in one classroom. They wanted to find out who we wanted to be. Many of the answers the kids gave were similar. They wanted to be doctors, firefighters, police officers, athletes or entertainers. That was what was normal in the 2000s. A good job. Now, the new normal is entrepreneurship. How times have changed?

You know, the saying that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Entrepreneurship is the new normal twenty-plus years later because of many factors. Before we entered the 2020s, there was a shift. More and more people were quitting their jobs. They wanted something that offered something else than working for the MAN. I’m not against the 9-5 job, many people love their jobs and it offers them the right benefits. Though, they are people who have never been satisfied with that and the worst advice would be to follow what one else does, even if it makes you miserable.

I believe some people are born entrepreneurs. They were born into an entrepreneurship family. So, from an early age, they saw what entrepreneurship was really about. I was born into an entrepreneurial family, but I didn’t want to be an entrepreneur until I was much older. I didn’t want to do things that were expected of me. I used to fight against the status quo. Then they are people who are made into entrepreneurs. These people usually find entrepreneurship along the way and find their footing. Then they are those who are thrust into entrepreneurship. The last camp are people who have no choice but to turn into entrepreneurship because of circumstances they couldn’t prevent.

Below are the reasons entrepreneurship is the new normal.

There’s no satisfaction in the job market

As a kid I always used to hear, paper will open so many doors for you. Even though my parents were entrepreneurs, they also were extremely educated. Now, I have nothing against university. I learned a lot of great things from university. It taught me so much about myself and what I was capable of. It opened doors. Back then, colleges and universities had more credibility than they do now.

The new normal is entrepreneurship. Here’s why? Look at the job market. They seem to be far more unemployed people than they are jobs. Even if those people get jobs, they make less than a lot of entrepreneurs. I’m talking about the successful. Maybe not the top tier entrepreneurs, but they are few lower tier entrepreneurs who make $5000 per month. Think about that. That might not seem like a lot, but that income will grow faster than it does with a normal job. A lot of top tier entrepreneurs earn anything from $50,000 to $1 million per month. That seems impossible, but it isn’t. It takes time and dedication, but it can be achieved.

Entrepreneurship is the new normal because it offers room for you to grow. Unfortunately, jobs aren’t like that. You can spend 10 years working at a company and only earn a little more than you did when you started. Yes, they are people who get promoted, but that’s a small fraction. Most people won’t get that opportunity to get promoted. The job market is stagnant unless you are working in the new industries or in the science industries. Most of us go down the normal route and often those jobs don’t offer a lot of room to spread your wings.

Also Related: 19 Reasons to Start Your Own Business

Passion is the new currency

Life is precious and short. Darn it. No, it’s valuable. Passion is the new currency, and therefore entrepreneurship is the new normal. As children, many of us watched movies about the struggling passionate artist. It made us believe that your passion won’t put food on the table. Things are different now, though. I’m sure people told Elon Musk that Tesla wouldn’t work. I’m sure they told him it was impossible. He still went out and did it. Yes, Elon Musk is a genius. So using him as an example might not convince you.

Let’s look at other people who followed their passions. Look at any influencer you follow. Whether in the beauty, fitness or success industry. Many of them don’t have their own products. Yet, they are making lots of money. What about the authors you read? We often like to say some people are lucky. But that isn’t the case. Often, it is refusing to let go or settle down. Passion is the new currency because it’s harder to quit when you are passionate.

When you are passionate, you will push yourself regardless of what people say. You will push yourself past the surrounding barriers. Passion is valuable because it offers you the motivation to get up, even when you don’t want to. Entrepreneurship is the new normal because passion fuels it. The founders of Airbnb had a simple dream and now their company is worth billions of dollars. Your passion can lead you to places you never imagined.

Your why

Entrepreneurship is the new normal because the world is changing. More and more people are looking into their why. Their purpose or calling. The people who change the world aren’t vast companies. No. The ones who change the game and the world are entrepreneurs. An entrepreneur who wanted to offer kids the opportunity to learn and write started pencils of Promise. He changed the world. The people who inspire are the entrepreneurs. They are the ones who motivate the shift in the dynamic. Entrepreneurs always have a big why and an even bigger who.

They know what their purpose is and who they want to help. They understand that to truly change the world; they have to disregard their selfish desires. This is how they change the world and make it better. We all have a purpose. We all have a why. Sometimes it might not seem as great as you hoped. Maybe, the design doesn’t seem all that great. But that’s how it starts. A caterpillar never thinks they’ll turn into a butterfly. Why would they? The ugliest thing has the potential to turn into the most beautiful insect. We all have potential.

Your idea might not seem great now, but then it can change. It takes belief to push what you want to make the world better. We all have the potential to beautify the world. I believe God gives us inspiration and ideas to change the new norm. Entrepreneurship is one of the few fields that can actually do that. Therefore, it’s the new normal. It can turn something as simple as an idea and shift the dynamic. Canva was just an idea. So were the shopping malls and the fast-food restaurants. All of them just started out as ideas. Often that’s all you need.

Also Related: Why You Should Find Your Purpose

Scale and grow

What is your superpower? We all have it. Something that makes us different from everyone else. Entrepreneurship is the new normal because it helps you lean into that and helps you use it. Not every industry does that. Plus, you grow and change because of entrepreneurship. Before entrepreneurship, I had no direction. It was hard for me to solve my problems. Now, it’s easier. Entrepreneurship has given me the opportunity to scale and grow.

It has given me a chance to see opportunities I never did before. Now, I accept things I would never have accepted before. Sounds simple. Too easy. But even my clients tell me how entrepreneurship has helped them find opportunities. One of the great things about entrepreneurship is that it shows you countless ideas of how to make money online. It isn’t as hard as many people make it sound. Not saying it’s easy, like taking your dog for a walk. Nothing worthwhile is easy. Still, it will open your eyes to so many ways you can make money.

You might not have imagined these ways. Often, all it takes is a simple leap. Then you can make money from your ideas. You can change course. This is how you scale and grow. Entrepreneurship is the new normal because you can have several modes of making money. The more you scale, the more ways you can make money. There’s also something satisfying about being financially secure and free. You won’t have to worry about money. Money will work for you rather than you work for money. You can spend a few hours working on your business and still make more money than your 9-5 job. I’m not saying any of this is easy. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. You got to work at it. You won’t make it with a push of a button or pushing products you don’t believe.

If you do it the right way. Follow the right path and look at the map. Then you will succeed. If you don’t give up, then you will succeed. It takes time, but I guarantee that it’s worth the ride.

What is your one takeaway from this post? Comment below.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

4 Lessons I Learned in 2021 and How it Applies to You

by vanessa | Jan 12, 2022 | Entrepreneurs, motivation, personal development

4 lessons I learned in 2021 and how it applies to you

The below are the lessons I learned in 2021

Now that we are in the new year, thought I would tell you a few of the lessons I learned in 2021. These lessons changed the way I look at life and have shifted my direction. I hope they will do the same thing. 2021 in many ways was like the previous year. Filled with uncertainty and doubt. Many of us questioned what the future would bring. We wondered what would happen next. Life seemed to go to a standstill. And we questioned if we would ever find a way out of the doldrum that we found ourselves into.

Last year taught me so many things about myself and I grew from it. When we leave behind a year it’s important to reflect on the lessons we learn. It’s from that we can grow and become better versions of ourselves. It’s impossible to do that if we’re stuck in the past, contemplating the wrong choices we make. Sometimes the wrong choices we make can make us into better versions of ourselves. Here are four lessons that I learned in 2021.

The most valuable currency is invaluable

One of the lessons I learned in 2021 is that they are a few things that invaluable. These things are the most valuable currency. You can never replace it or replicate it. Once it’s gone you can’t buy it or trade something else for it. This is time, health and loved ones. Many of us understand the latter one. We understand how we should appreciate our loved ones. Very few of us do though. Very few of us appreciate the people in our lives.

Though, today I want to focus on time and health. I have always known on some level how important it was. Then something crazy happened. It was a freak accident. Something I never would have thought would ever happen. I started now wondering what happens if I never go back to normal. My new normal scared me. It was scary not knowing if my health would ever be the same before. It took months to recover. Almost a year to be exact. I had to go to physiotherapy. Then after months I was back to normal. Now, I realize how much time we spend on things that don’t matter. Health is so valuable. Once it’s gone it never comes back. That’s a reality many of us don’t consider.

The body can heal itself. Sure. But when you recover your health might not be the way it used to be. The other valuable currency is time. How many of us spend our time doing things that don’t matter. We waste our time with activities that don’t add to anything. That don’t push us. I learned a lot of lessons in 2021. One thing I discovered is that time is invaluable. You can do so much with it. As long as you are willing to run with it.

Don’t conform to the world

There are so many people who are conformists. They change according to the world. But society is always shifting. Certain issues that are important now might not be important in five years or more. That’s how the world works. This is one of the lessons I learned. They has to be a time when we stop trying to conform. This also means to stop trying to please people.

Many of us want to fit into a box or we want to feel as though we are in the right place at the right time. There is no such thing though. Not really. They will never be a right time or a right place. They are moments when things happen, but it happened because people pushed the barriers. It wasn’t circumstantial. Or something that happened because things aligned. Life will never be that simple. It will never be that easy. This is a lesson many of us need to learn. We need to stop trying to conform to the world.

So that means spending too much time listening or reading the news won’t help us. When I was younger my parents taught me that it was important to be informed. I thought this was so long. There’s nothing wrong in being informed, but when you allow the information to consume you allow it to conform it. It’s easier to conform to what is happening when we listen or read the news. The tactic a lot of media uses is fear mongering. That helps sells newspapers and viewership. When you are afraid, you will always be looking over your shoulder. It won’t help you to get where you want to go.

Validation is a dirty word

One of the others lessons I learned in 2021 is validation is a dirty word. What this means is that we spend so much of our time trying to get validation or for some of us approval. Yeah. It doesn’t work. They are people we admire, look up to or even respect. We all have those people in our corners. This might be controversial. But those people don’t see you the same way. That stings. No matter how I will put it. Not to say that is the case with everyone. Chances are that you have a few people you respect. You have known them for a long time. Smile when ever you scroll through their insta feed.

Those people probably don’t see you the same way. When I discovered that, it stung. It hurt but I needed to accept it because it was the truth. No one ever said that the truth was easy to swallow. That’s why they say it’s a bitter pill. Often it is. It doesn’t stop it from being the truth though. We all want approval. I know some people will say that isn’t true. I’m not saying you a people pleaser, but we have been trained to do things not to rock the boat.

So you want start a new career because of what people will say. You are too terrified to move to a new city or country because of people’s opinions. This might seem like a small thing. It still links to approval. You being concerned with people’s opinions has stopped you from going out they. We all suffer from it. Some people have found a way to ignore it. Many of us are still trying to figure it out though.

Living a passion filled life will make you happier

Passion is something that will never run out. Motivation will run dry. Even your willpower will dry up, but when you are passionate about doing something it won’t run dry. You won’t stop loving exercising especially if it makes you come alive. The same can be said for anything that you are passionate about. The Japanese have a word for that. They call it Ikigai. This isn’t just passion, Not. It encompasses so many things.

This is one of the lessons I learned in 2021 that shifted my perspective. When you live a passion filled life you will know what your purpose is. Often they are tied together. Often it isn’t neat or tidy. Then again life isn’t that then why should your purpose be.

How will living a passion filled life make you happier? When you are passionate about something that will encourage you to make it into a career. Yes. You can make it a career. And make money from it. Unless it’s so obscure that only a small portion of the population will enjoy it. But there’s still a possibility you will still make money from it. They are people who have made money from things that were really obscure. So why not you? Now, when you are doing something you love that often will motivate you. Besides that you will get a boost of the happy hormone. Dopamine. More dopamine equals a happier version of you. That’s not a bad thing at all.

You are also less likely to give up when you are living a passion filled life. No matter how hard things get. You will get up and keep moving. Why? Because you are inspired by what you are doing. Take artists who sell their art online then decide to teach people how to paint. It isn’t easy. But that doesn’t stop them from doing what they are doing.

I have more lessons that I learned in 2021. These are the four main ones though.

What lessons have you learned in 2021. Comment below.

KEEP PUSHING

VANESSA

Here’s How You Can Start 2022 Strong

by vanessa | Jan 5, 2022 | Entrepreneurs, motivation, personal development

here’s how you can start 2022 strong

These are four ways you can start 2022 strong. This will help you start the year on a strong note.

We are in the first week of the first month of a new year. You can redefine yourself start today. You can also find out how to start the year strong. Most times, we focus on how to finish the year strong. What about how to start the year strong? So much happened last year? It was a repetition of 2020. For many of us, we didn’t achieve what we thought we would and as much as that is a bummer, you can also press restart.

You can always define how you want your year to go. How you want it to be like. If you want to be more successful this year or to have to better year than you had last year, that is possible. In fact, you would be shocked to discover that it’s easier to start the year strong than it is to end it. Often, we get bombarded with so many things on our to do list when the year winds down. So it is easier to start the year strong. How you start the year also will determine how you end the year? So, in this blog post I will show you how to start the year strong.

Give the year a theme

When you give yourself a theme that helps you understand what you want your year to look like. This also gives your year a purpose and helps you to define the year. It also will help you start 2022 year strong. My theme for 2022 is “to be present even in the silence and despite the noise.” What this means is that I should never give up on my dreams, whether people are cheering me or if people are discouraging me. This has given me a new perspective on what I want my year to be like and how I want to start it.

Often, we get blinded by what people think of us that stops us from going after what we want. We allow the opinions of people to prevent us from achieving what we want. Here’s a brutal truth. As much as we want people to cheer us on, most will not. Why? Because they have their own thing going? Chances are they won’t cheer you on. That’s okay. Be your own cheerleader. Find your own footing.

A theme will help you understand what you expect from life? It will push you in the right direction. What it requires from you is that you take a chance. You need to take a chance on yourself. This is one way you can start 2022 strong.

Stop looking back

I will be honest, 2021 wasn’t the best year for me. Good things happened, but they were a lot of bad things that happened as well. I could look at that and be discouraged at how much time I lost. That won’t help me. It won’t push me in the right direction. No. Instead, it will dissuade me from now on. Often you need to take what you learned from the year and make amendments. It shouldn’t be an obstacle. No. It should be motivation.

This is another way you can start 2022 strong. You need to understand that looking back on regret won’t help you. Instead, you will be hard on yourself. That will make it harder to focus on what you need to do. What lessons did you learn from the year? Every year teaches us something. I learned that the things we take advantage of often are the best things in life. For example, time and health. We always say time and health are invaluable, but how many of us appreciate it. How many of us value our twenties when we are twenty something year olds? The same can be said when we are in our thirties.

Many of us don’t appreciate our health. Not the way we should. I learned I need to appreciate these two things more. Now, I could look back in regret that I didn’t. But like I said, that won’t help me. Nor will it help me achieve my goals. So, instead of regretting time wasted, I will appreciate the lessons I learned. Stop looking back. Stop being concerned with what doesn’t matter. Look at the lessons you learned as valuable steppingstones to help you understand where next to go.

Give yourself personal and professional challenges

Last year I learned something invaluable. When you stop learning, you stop growing. You need to learn something new, or you need a challenge. This is the third way you can start the year strong. This is how you start 2022 strong. Give yourself two challenges. One personal and the other professional. For example, a personal challenge can be to learn a new language. The professional one can be to make x amount or to be promoted or even to achieve a milestone.

Challenges are there to push us and motivate us. A challenge can help us learn something new about ourselves that we didn’t know before. When you give yourself a challenge, you will be shocked at how much you will learn about yourself. You also understand that you can do so much more than you imagined. My 2021 challenge was to learn a new instrument and language. As hard as it was getting into it. My eyes opened to the possibilities. Challenging yourself can provide opportunities you never imagined you would ever come across.

Because you took a chance on yourself. That’s what it is all about taking a chance on yourself. Once you do that, you will see doors open and you will succeed in ways you never thought you would. Many of us don’t take a chance on ourselves. That’s why we remain stuck in place. If you want to start 2022 strong, then you need to give yourself a challenge.

Be present

What does this mean? Many of us don’t understand what being present is. Society has made it too hard to be present. Here’s the thing present can mean anything. It depends on what you want it to mean to you. For me, being present is all about appreciating every moment, no matter how small or big it is. It also means being who I am when no one is watching, or even if they are. You define what it means to you. This is the last way you can start 2022 strong.

You need to be present. Look at the big or the small moments. Appreciate them. Maybe being present is about working when everyone is asleep or when you don’t feel like it. Being present to you could be about giving to the people who matter your time. Whatever it is, there’s something special about choosing to focus on the right things. Maybe the last two years have taught us that the people in our lives matter. What we stand for matters. It separates us. You know that saying that a sieve separates the wheat from the chaff. What builds you up matters? What you do with your time matters? It’s the small things in life that challenge us. It’s those things that strengthen us.

Do you remember falling from your bike as a kid? Did that deter you from choosing to learn how to ride? No. For me, it did. I gave up. Do I regret it? Yes. That thought pushed me to work harder on the things I struggle with. We all have fears, insecurities, and concerns. That should never stop us from going after what we want. It should never deter us. It should instead motivate us. Be present and realize that time is precious. What you do with it matters? Make sure you spend your time on the right things. Things that will build and not tear you down. That will give you a future and hope for a better tomorrow.

Also Related: 10 Tips to Start Living in The Present

How will you start 2022 strong? Love to know. Comment below.

Keep Pushing

Vanessa

Why You Should Ditch Your Perfect Vision For Your Calling?

by vanessa | Dec 29, 2021 | creativity, motivation, personal development

Why you Should ditch your perfect vision for your calling

This is why you should ditch your perfect vision to find your calling

We are a few days away from 2022. To think that the year is almost over is insane. But just now we will celebrate a new year. One thing I have been thinking a lot about is ditching my perfect vision. What? It does sound weird when you write it down. Here are the facts. We all have a perfect vision of what we expect our life to be. We all these dreams or visions of success. And it’s perfect because often it isn’t based on reality. When you were little, who did you want to be? When I was a little kid every year, I had a new dream. It never was the same because in my mind anything was possible. So Imagined traveling around the world. Never knew how it would happen, I just expected it to happen.

Our visions are perfect. That is the problem. It’s alright to have big dreams. That’s what keeps the world churning and moving. Dreaming big is what will get you to where you want to be. Still. Perfect visions don’t create perfect worlds. Instead, they push you past the norm and you rely on something that might never happen. Reality is based on what your calling is. That’s hard to find if you spend way too much time relying on your perfect vision. So, if you want to be successful in 2022. Then you need to ditch your perfect vision. Here’s how you can do that.

Acceptance

Acceptance isn’t a simple thing to do. If it was, we would all accept our flaws. It would be that simple. But the best things in life are never easy. One thing 2021 has taught me is that it’s okay to accept our weaknesses and rejoice in our strengths. It’s what makes life so much better. It is also how you ditch your vision. Maybe you have questions. Maybe you don’t. Either way, here’s why acceptance helps you to find your calling.

When I was a kid, I was diagnosed with ADHD. Not a big shocker. It became harder to cope when I was older. I realized it took me longer to understand certain things. Like most people, I fought this diagnosis. Tried to be someone I wasn’t. I attempted it time and time. Thinking this is when I prove that I’m not this. I failed at it. Why? Because they are things we can’t change about ourselves whether we want to admit that. They are things that are out of our control. Let’s say you want to change countries because you believe they are better things in another country. This isn’t a bad dream. But you got to accept that it might take time. Do what you can wherever you are.

Acceptance is how you ditch your perfect vision because you realize that the world isn’t perfect. So, your calling shouldn’t be. Your life can’t be perfect. Dealing with life’s hurdles is how you will succeed in 2022. Now, on to the next way, you can ditch your perfect vision.

Learn to deal with life’s hurdles

We all go through hurdles. That’s what makes life more enjoyable. Imagine if you had no obstacles. Who would you be? Where would you be? Many obstacles made me who I am today. I learned to be patient through life’s hurdles. This is how you ditch your perfect vision to find your calling. If you are like most people, you know you want a better life, but do not know how to get there. You want to be more financially secure but are unsure how you can establish that.

Well, that’s why learning how to deal with life’s hurdles is important. It will teach you how to find your calling. How? What problems did you solve? How did you do something in a short matter of time? As much as life can be a bummer, it can provide us with insight into things we never considered. It can show us a better way. Your calling is right there. Behind the stack of bills and solutions to your problems. You just have to reach and grab it. Sounds easy. But it should be that easy. We stick with this unrealistic expectation that our callings should be what everyone expects it to be. That isn’t the case. Your calling is often a problem you solved. Often because it is fuelled by passion. You want to help people who were in your situation.

The greatest start-ups and most successful entrepreneurs didn’t find their callings in their favorite cereal box. They found it fixing a problem or finding a solution. So, that’s what you need to do to find your calling. So ditch your perfect vision. This will help you find your calling.

Stop trying to please people

Many of us have lost our ways. We have spent far too much time trying to please people that we have forgotten our callings. I’m a culprit of this. As kids, we weren’t like this. We went with the flow. Did our own things. Listened to ourselves more than we do now. Maybe becoming an adult has prevented us from being childlike in wonder. We have taken that off the chessboards and seen it as stupid. There’s this notion that dreaming and holding onto our callings makes us childish. No, it doesn’t. It makes us brave.

Our perfect vision is now a replica of the ideal adult’s dream. The corner office. The prestige and status or even the huge paycheck. We all think that’s what success looks like. Of course, they some that don’t. Those who don’t have listened to their hearts. They have listened to their voices. Many of us, though, have gotten lost as we wander this world looking for an outlet or a chance to try out our perfect vision. We have convinced ourselves we would be happier, so we push ourselves so hard. We hope we’ll get promoted. Even though right now we’re not happy with where we are at. We aren’t happy working for our boss or doing our jobs. The passion has been stripped from us.

Stop holding onto a perfect vision that doesn’t exist. Not everyone is suited for the corporate life. Not everyone will be happy with the corner office. When you ditch this idea, you will ditch your perfect vision. Why? Because of that vision you created to make everyone around you happy. You didn’t mean to. It happened on instinct. Something you were taught. If you want to find your calling, stop thinking about what everyone would want you to do. This includes your parents, friends, or spouse. Whoever thinks that X or Y is a better choice doesn’t know you. Do what you feel you want to do. What will energize and rejuvenate you? Do that to find your calling.

Also Related: 13 Ways to Stop Being a People Pleaser

Keep going

This won’t be easy. Even if you ditch your perfect vision, they will be times you will doubt yourself. They will be times when you think and believe you are on the wrong track. You must keep going. You need to learn to be present even through the silence (when nothing seems to be happening) and despite the noise (when people tell you aren’t doing anything with your life.) Most people won’t get it. If they did well, then it will be easier. Often, people give up because of a lack of support. I know a couple of people who went through this.

They didn’t have support, so they gave up. And as hard as it is, you can’t give up. Keep moving regardless of what is going on in your world. Keep going even when the stacks are against you. It’s here that you will discover what you are made of. You had to ditch your perfect vision to find your calling. You did the right thing. Sometimes it won’t feel like that. Often you will question whether or not you have lost your mind. Your loved ones won’t understand you. They will even say that you aren’t serious about life. Don’t listen to them. Listen to your heart.

If you want to be successful in 2022 and beyond, you need to learn to listen to yourself more. Don’t listen to the negative voices in your head masquerading as your voice. That isn’t your voice. Just something to dissuade you from moving forward. Listen to the positive voice. That’s your authentic voice. The voice that will help you see how far you can go.

How will you ditch your perfect vision to find your calling? Let me known in the comments section.

KEEP P USHING

VANESSA