Photo credit: Zach Werner

“We don’t have an eternity to realize our dreams, only the time we are here.”  – Susan Taylor

It’s almost Memorial Day weekend and summer is upon us… a typical time for creating new adventures by taking breaks, visiting relatives, entertaining friends, taking up new hobbies or athletic endeavors, beginning home projects, playing outdoors, attending concerts and enjoying all life has to offer while the weather is warmer and there is a vibrant energy in the air. It is often a time when people can take time off from the day-to-day, and do something different and fun-filled. Summer also offers us the chance to fulfill our dreams… the really big ones such as taking that amazing vacation, buying our ideal home, writing a novel or having a new romance.

So, what is your heart’s desire, and have you started making plans? Are you dreaming big and have you begun taking steps to make your life vision a reality?   If not, what are you waiting for?

As a Life Coach, I am hired to get people moving, but in that process, I encounter people who are a victim of the “some days” or find themselves saying, “I’ll get to it later,” “I am too busy now” or, “After this, I will start that.” Many people wait for the perfect partner, a different playmate, more money, the children to grow up, or the house to be clean. They think “I am the only one who can accomplish something, others can’t do it without me or there is no one else to get ‘xyz’ done.” Many of these people put things on hold indefinitely, make up excuses for not getting started and procrastinate, causing unnecessary stress and constant disappointment.

I understand the need to balance life’s demands and responsibilities. But I wonder why so many people don’t get started sooner and become fierce for their dreams?

Even while visions are being created, strategies are being planned, motivation is being sought after and fear is being worked through, life continues to unfold and happen. Someone gets sick or goes away, a home repair costs more than expected or another project at work comes up. Don’t get me wrong, there are often legitimate reasons why the timing is not right to move forward on a project. Waiting can be a benefit when it allows one to gather more information, adjust the vision or save more money in order to avoid debt.

But when days turn into weeks, months or even years, then perhaps it is time to make a courageous change, a daring move and decide to boldly move forward anyway. And, I think the beginning of summer is the perfect time to get started.

Suggestions for Moving Forward Faster:

• Start with the Big Picture in mind. What’s the compelling reason to choose this? 
• Prioritize. Create a Life List and make sure you ask yourself, “Is this what I want?”
• Use a Brain Dump to get out of the spinning in your head. Write everything down by thinking it and inking it. If you would like a “Brain Dumping” coaching exercise, e-mail me to get one sent to you.
• Do the BIG thing first and get started. Do something, do anything, just get going. You can adjust later.
• Create structure, attainable goals and celebrations along the way.
• Make expectations real.
• Be scared and try something anyway. Face your fears and keep going.
• Learn to say no often so you can say yes to things you really want. Don’t forget to ask yourself, “Is this what I want?”
• Do one task at a time, being fully present in that moment.
• Ask for help and learn to delegate–enlist others or hire someone.
• Be proactive with the tasks you need to get done instead of reacting to the demands of others.
• There is no good time and no bad time to get started when it comes to pursuing your passions, so anytime will do.

Get started, get going, just do something, anything, to move toward what you truly long for and desire. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Move boldly in the direction of your dreams.”

It is up to you to embrace your dreams and not only wish for them, but to actively pursue making your world as big and wonderful as you want. Life continues to move forward, with or without you on board, and there are ALWAYS good enough reasons not to do something and choose to wait. However, we also do not know what tomorrow will bring us, good or bad, so really, THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE. Tomorrow, it might be too late…so, get going today.

Coaching Questions to Get You Going:

What do you hugely desire to do, see or experience? What’s going to ignite you and get you moving in a bold, fierce, “got to have it” way?

1. Define what you want, now and later. Do you have an inspiring life vision that includes fun, happiness and meaning?

2. Know the difference between a wish and a goal. Are your actions inspired by a compelling goal, or are they still hopeful wishes? What steps have you taken to move towards your dream?

3. What excuses do you make to keep you from having these things? How have you withheld yourself from life? How do you limit yourself or hold back? Name your “stoppers,” and refute them, prove them wrong and deny their hold on you.

4. Powerfully interpret your current situation, and decide what you are going to do to “get going”. If you were at your best, what would you do next, and go do that.

Meet Jennifer: Life Coach, Inspirational Speaker and Author Jennifer M. Blair is founder of Excavive™ Coaching and Consulting, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Her work focuses on empowering people to pursue their passions, increase their self-confidence, communicate powerfully and build the kind of lives they want to live. If you love these Blog posts, many have been adapted from her first book, The True You: Tools to Excavate, Explore and Evolve, published in 2011.

Comments: