Dream Big + Steps = Success

I attended a GED graduation this evening for a client of mine and the keynote speaker was incredibly inspirational.  He challenged everyone in the audience to “Live Their Dream!”  If everyone lived their dream, think what a positive influence it would have on our individual lives, our community and our world.  The jist of his message was to:

Dream Big and then add steps and we would have success.

I know that sounds like a fairly simple concept, not to mention pretty cliché for a graduation address, but I swear – he told it WAY better than I am at the moment.   I also guarantee that one would be hard pressed to find a single soul in the audience that did not leave more motivated than they were when they arrived at the event.

I have the pleasure of working with a very talented support group facilitator and this week she opened up a discussion about “Intentional Living.”  I, of course, immediately took notice and commented at the end of the discussion how much I really “loved this concept.”  Her response back to me was that I say that exact thing every single time I hear the topic.  LOL  Sort of like my own little version of the movie Groundhog Day, I have no recollection of ever hearing it before and am wildly impressed with the concept each time she presents it.  *sigh*  Getting older is a scary place to be at times.  (wink)

Anyway – I thought I would share her handout here so that I will always be able to refer back to it and not forget, and you might enjoy it as well. 

Dr. Kathleen Hall explains intentional living as having 3 components: (1) Awareness  (2) Choice (3) Energy.

The process begins by developing awareness of the daily experiences of your life.  Listen to your life – listen to what ignites your passion and creativity, to what gives you energy.  Plus, listen to what drains you, distracts you, and irritates you.  (These can give clues to the life you have already created.)

Once you are aware that your life is the result of a series of choices, and the life you are currently living is a result of the choices you have already made, you learn to take responsibility for your life.  Victim mentality ends when you understand the power of choice.  You may not control many of the circumstances in your life, but you choose your attitude and intentions in response to circumstances.

Developing your awareness and making intentional choice creates new energy and power in your life.  When you begin listening to your life, you become more aware of what you are eating, who you are living with, and how you spend your days.  You will make new and different choices, because you now know that life is your choice, and you are the hero of your life, not the victim.  You will radiate confidence and a new sense of your power.  As you follow this energy, you will be led down the path to your intentional life.  Your energy fuels your passion and as a result you experience the joy of living an intentional life.

As we live an intentional life, we begin to grow downward and inward rooting ourselves deeply into a healthy and intentional life.  We are able to achieve a deeper understanding of the simple , the mundane and ordinary moments, which brings real happiness, inner balance and fulfillment.  Living an intentional life redefines success by creating depth, meaning and purpose in our lives.

Between sitting in on this week’s support group and listening to the graduation keynote speaker, I am hearing the message loud and clear.  Intentional focus and movement is the only way to achieve what I want to achieve.  I need to be intentional about the steps it takes for me to lose weight.  I need to throw away all of the excuses, the busyness, the denial, the fluff that is stopping me from doing what I need to do. 

I need to focus on the goal of being healthier and take it baby step by baby step… intentionally moving toward that goal.

And the time is right now.