Archive for the 'Goals & Dreams' Category
Saturday, September 15th, 2007
Taking risks can be so unsettling, can’t it? Sometimes when we’re faced with the choice to take a leap of faith or play it safe, we hold back because of fear.
In some cases, fear can be healthy. Sometimes we’re really NOT ready to take that leap of faith.
But other times fear can keep us from following the dreams in our heart. It can keep us from moving forward. It can prevent us from achieving anything worthwhile. And it can turn our lives into a stagnant pool of negative expectations.
And you know what happens with negative expectations: the very energy and focus we devote to them encourages them to grow.
When you are faced with a choice between leaping forward and playing it safe, it can be helpful to consider two things:
1) What do you stand to gain by taking the leap?
2) What do you stand to lose if it doesn’t work out like you hope?
Are you willing to face the consequences either way? Think about the worst thing that could happen, and ask yourself if you could handle it.
If your answer is yes, then you’ve got nothing to lose. 
Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is. - Mark Twain
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Beliefs & Expectations, Goals & Dreams | No Comments »
Friday, September 7th, 2007
When most of us set a goal or try to improve our lives in some way, we focus only on the end result we want to achieve. We see it shimmering in the distance like the Promised Land, our own personal utopia.
We fantasize about how much better our lives will be when we reach our goal, and we can’t WAIT to get there!
As great as the end result can be, we can’t forget to enjoy the journey along the way. The biggest benefit of any goal we achieve is not what we “get” because of it, but WHO WE BECOME through the achievement of it.
Think about that for a minute.
If you put all your expectations into some distant end result, you miss out on the best part. Instead, focus on who you are now and who you are becoming in every new moment. Let this awareness dictate your actions so you can move forward easily, not by force but with passion and joy.
Enjoy the journey and let each moment be its own reward. That’s TRUE success.
Forever is composed of nows. - Emily Dickinson
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Goals & Dreams, Happy Thoughts, Personal Development | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 5th, 2007
Do you ever find yourself being held back by excuses? Here’s how it usually goes:
You decide you want something, but then your mind starts spitting out all the reasons why you can’t have it or achieve it.
I don’t have enough time.
I don’t have enough money.
I’m not talented enough.
I don’t know how to proceed.
What if I fail?
I’m crazy for even considering this goal.
On and on it goes. Perhaps you can think of a few goals that you never even got started on because excuses kept you from trying?
Another problem that many people face is obstacles. If you manage to overcome your initial excuses and start moving toward your goal, you will inevitably face obstacles. They are a part of life and there is no avoiding them.
The important thing to consider is what you DO when you hit obstacles. Do you give up? Do you sigh and say that it wasn’t meant to be? Do you decide to wait until conditions are better to try again?
Those, my friend, are still excuses. 
The truth is, if you want something badly enough, there is ALWAYS A WAY to get it.
I’m not saying it will be easy. I’m not saying you won’t run into obstacles. I’m not saying you’ll have what it takes to overcome those obstacles.
But how do you know until you try?
If you’ve given up on your goals in the past, take another look at them today. Ask yourself if they are worth the effort of trying again.
Then FIND a way to achieve them. Look your obstacles square in the eye and refuse to let them hold you back any longer.
The person who really wants to do something finds a way; the other person finds an excuse. - Author Unknown
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Goals & Dreams, Happy Thoughts, Motivation | No Comments »
Monday, September 3rd, 2007
Attracting the things you want can get confusing at times. Your emotions, beliefs and expectations all play a role in what you allow into your life - or don’t.
If you think your limiting beliefs or negative emotions might be hindering your ability to attract what you want, try this fun experiment:
Try swapping desires with a friend! Ask your friend to attract your desire on your behalf, and you can attract something for her or him.
Asking for something for another person can be extremely powerful because it is a completely selfless request! You don’t bring all of your own emotional baggage and limiting beliefs into the process to muck it up.
Here’s a good way to do this exercise.
First, both of you get a blank notebook or journal so you can keep track of what you’re doing. Get together with your friend and take a few moments to write a detailed description of your desire on the first page of your new notebook. Have your friend do the same in her or his notebook.
(You might want to try this with a simple desire at first, but you can always choose bigger goals later.)
Once you are both finished writing out your desires, put the date you started at the top of the page, and swap notebooks.
Then, both you and your friend will commit to meditating on each other’s desires for a minimum of 15 minutes per day. During those 15-minute sessions, you simply read your friend’s description of what he or she wants, and call up a mental image of them having it. You can either see them receiving it with pleasure and joy, or see them already having it and enjoying it each day.
Really focus on “flowing” feelings of love and happiness for your friend, wanting them to have their desires realized. Know that anything is possible for them, and believe that their wish will be granted. Your friend will be doing this same thing for you with your own desire.
Both of you will also focus on staying open to the possibilities each day, knowing that your friend is sending out plenty of great energy on your behalf. Simply affirm daily that your friend’s energy is working in your life, and you know that wonderful things are on the way to you because of it.
When good things do begin showing up, record them in your notebook.
You and your friend can continue to ask for bigger and better things with this exercise too! Start with something simple just to see how easily the process works, and go on from there.
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Goals & Dreams, Law of Attraction, Visualization | No Comments »
Thursday, August 30th, 2007
I was reading an interesting discussion in a business forum recently that debated whether it was better for a person to take a giant leap or baby-step their way into starting a business.
Many people had a strong belief that a person needs a fire under their butt in order to really succeed, and a leap of faith is the only way to force themselves to do it. Others felt that such rash action would be sheer suicide, leading only to financial ruin and regret.
I couldn’t help applying these concepts to ANY goal we have in life, whether business or personal.
I’ve written on both topics; taking baby-steps to the achievement of a goal, as well as the benefits of taking a giant leap of faith toward your dreams.
In fact, I’ve DONE both of those myself at various times! I’ve had my rear burned by the “fire of urgent necessity,” and I’ve also taken a more moderate, gentle approach to creating what I wanted.
Which is better?
I think it depends on one single factor: how prepared you are.
In order to take a leap of faith, you really HAVE to have some kind of preparation under your belt. You have to have gone through a bit of a learning curve and gained the skills you’ll need to succeed. Once you have those skills and you’ve prepared as much as you can, there is nothing left to do but leap and pray your parachute opens.
Taking a leap of faith before you’ve laid a solid foundation of knowledge and skills can thrust you quickly into a level of intensity that you won’t be ready for. Then, one of two things will likely happen:
1) You’ll develop the skills out of sheer desperate need to save your butt, or -
2) You’ll fail.
Failing is not such a bad thing, believe it or not. Put it this way:
You’ll learn more from one failed attempt than you would from a lifetime of never trying at all.
The hardest part is knowing whether you’re REALLY ready to take a leap of faith - or if it’s just wishful thinking.
There have been times when I took a leap of faith fully believing I was ready, but I was far from ready. And yes, I failed. I wanted to be ready. I desperately wanted to begin living my life purpose and I convinced myself I was ready - but I wasn’t finished developing the skills I would use later.
As I look back now, I can see that everything I’ve done in the past has led me surely to this point in my life. All of the jobs I hated so passionately but felt trapped by have given me the skills I use every day now. The past couple of decades have been one long lesson that prepared me for what I’m doing now. You can probably see a similar progression in your own life and work - how even the things you didn’t enjoy taught you something valuable.
If you are not yet doing what you believe to be your life purpose; if you are not yet living your heart’s desires and you are tempted to take a leap of faith but not sure if you are really ready, let me offer this advice:
When the time is right for you to move forward, you’ll feel it in your gut. In your heart. Way down deep in your bones.
You’ll reach a point where doing anything BUT your life’s calling will be unthinkable. You’ll be completely out of options and unwilling to settle for anything less than what you truly want - no matter HOW DIFFICULT it might be to achieve it, and you’ll be willing to go through the fire of urgent necessity to make it to the other side. Even if it means you have to fail a few times before you get there.
The truth is, there is no right or wrong way to your heart’s desire. Some people MUST take the leap of faith because they just won’t do it otherwise. Other people shudder at the thought of such a drastic move and prefer to move slowly and steadily toward what they want.
Do what your heart says you should do, and you can’t go wrong.
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Goals & Dreams, Passion & Purpose | No Comments »
Monday, August 27th, 2007
If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven’t done much today. - Author Unknown
As you can probably tell from my recent burst of activity, I’ve got some new goals in mind. They’re not even “new” goals really, just re-defined, re-clarified, and jumpstarted again.
If you’ve never done this before, it is a POWERFUL, INVIGORATING process.
It’s easy to forget that our goals should be growing and evolving just as we do. Just like we are a work in progress, so are the dreams we carry in our hearts!
When was the last time you re-evaluated your goals?
Are you still working toward goals you set years ago?
Are you struggling to feel motivated about your goals?
Or are you still basking in the glow of past achievements?
As wonderful as previous accomplishments may make you feel, they cannot compare to what you are capable of TODAY.
Instead of looking back and saying, “I did that,” look forward and ask, “What will I do next?”
Let your goals grow and evolve along with you. Let every achievement fill you with more confidence and motivation so you can accomplish even greater things.
Here is your mission for today, should you choose to accept it:
Grab a notebook and pen and jot down your immediate and long-term goals. What would you like to achieve in the near future? Where do you see yourself a few years from now?
Be specific! Don’t just write, “I’d like to have more money.” How much money? How? When? Doing what?
Get as clear as you can about what you REALLY want (not just what you’re willing to settle for), and then write it down.
You can do this for any and all areas of your life, but start with the ones that matter most to you, the ones that would get you most excited.
Then, for each specific goal on your list, come up with a few clear action steps that you can take right now to get you moving in that direction. They don’t have to be massive action steps, just clear and focused. Don’t worry about forming a full-blown plan - just focus on your next step, and the next one after that.
Immerse yourself in the process of growth and evolvement, and make sure you take time to enjoy the journey.
Go through this evaulation process every few months. Are you still on track? Have your objectives changed? Re-define, re-clarify, and jumpstart your goals frequently.
It’s one sure way to stay motivated and focused as you turn your life into a dream come true.
Go to it!
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Goals & Dreams, Motivation, Passion & Purpose | No Comments »
Thursday, August 23rd, 2007
WOW, what a whirlwind couple of weeks it’s been. I’ve never been busier - or flying as high as I am right now!
As I wrote yesterday, I released my “new baby” (ebook) and the response has been really wonderful. What I find most funny is that by the time I finished it, I didn’t even CARE what response it received - I was just overcome with the glow of achievement!
God it felt good to do something I’ve wanted to do for years and years and years!!!! For the past few months I’ve been doing a LOT of introspection. I’ve been questioning why I hold back on so many things I want to do, why I let excuses get in the way. I know I have the ability to do these things, but I keep finding stupid reasons not to.
I’ve finally acknowledged that there is no better time than NOW to do the things I want to do. Really, what was I waiting for anyway?
And that leads me to the point of this blog. I write a lot of articles and blog posts about the importance of getting started. I’m constantly going on and on about taking one little step toward your dreams and allowing the universe to meet you halfway.
So many people are afraid to even START moving toward what they want. They keep waiting for some vague, perfect moment when they’ll know it’s the “right” time. But if they don’t begin moving forward, that time will never arrive.
I’ve done it myself too. But more recently, I’ve gotten blocked in another way. I’ve gotten really good at starting - but not so great at FINISHING. At this present moment, I have no fewer than FIVE ebooks in various degrees of completion on my hard drive. I keep starting them but not seeing them through to the end.
Time to change that. Yesterday I rediscovered the joys of achieving a long-held dream, and I don’t think I could hold myself back from doing it again.
So, what does this have to do with the title of this post? The Three Phases of Manifestation are all EQUALLY important when you are trying to bring forth something into your physical reality:
1) First, there’s the start. That’s when you conceive the dream and begin taking a few steps toward it.
2) Then comes the importance of FOCUS and CONTINUITY. You have to discipline yourself to keep working at it, day after day - even when you don’t feel like it.
3) Finally, you have to be willing to COMPLETE it. This involves two things really: putting in the time and effort to wrap it all up, AND the ability to know when to call it good. I’m a terrible perfectionist sometimes, and I think this book could have been “finished” way before now. LOL At some point you have to be willing to stop perfecting it and just let it be.
I could go on and on about this subject, but I’ll save it for another time. For now, just know that if you have a dream you want to manifest, give equal attention to those 3 steps above and it will become your reality sooner than you think!
Now go manifest your dreams!
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Goals & Dreams, Law of Attraction, Prosperity & Abundance | No Comments »
Friday, August 10th, 2007
I’ve never been good at caring for plants. Either I’d forget to water them, water them too much, or put them in a spot where they couldn’t get adequate sunlight and they’d die. I’d pretty much given up on trying to turn my thumb green.
Several months ago I was browsing through my local home improvement store when I was instantly attracted to a “Lucky Bamboo” plant. It had 26 stalks of bamboo all twisted, tied and formed into a gorgeous spiral design.
Something about it just called to me. It reminded me of gentle dancing, swaying easily to the rhythm of life. I had to buy it, I couldn’t help myself - even though I worried I was sentencing this beautiful creation to certain death!
When I got home, I read the care instructions carefully and made sure to give it what it needed. I placed it on a high shelf near my desk (far out of curious kitty reach), watered it daily and sent positive, loving thoughts to it constantly.
It has THRIVED! I’ve been so amazed at the way it’s grown, just exploding with health and vitality. (I’m still not sure if this reflects my own horticulturist abilities or the hardiness of this type of plant, LOL.)
Yesterday I noticed that the plant was getting too big for the pot it came in, so I decided to buy a bigger one. This type of plant doesn’t need soil, the roots just float in water along with some decorative rocks to keep it stable. So while I was out I also picked up some more rocks to fill the larger pot.
Once I started to transplant it to the larger pot, I was horrified to discover that the twisty-ties used to keep the stalks in a spiral pattern were cutting cruelly into the stalks! The plant had grown a lot more than I first realized, leaving deep cut marks where the ties were.
What GUILT flowed into me! Here I was being so attentive to this beautiful creature, speaking kindly, giving it plenty of water and indirect light - while the entire time it was being slowly strangled to death! Ugh.
I immediately began cutting away those restrictive ties and the stalks all fell outward, undoing the spiral design, but I didn’t care. I cut a length of soft cotton fabric to secure them upright, finished filling the new pot with pearl stones and water - and I swear I could hear the plant sighing with relief.
It reminded me of the days when I used to work in a business office and I’d come home immediately after work, desperate to shed the restrictive suits and body-squashing pantyhose. Nothing ever felt so good as slipping into a comfy pair of jeans and flip-flops!
That’s how I imagined this plant must feel, being freed from its bonds.
Here’s what it looks like now:
It may not be as “pretty” as it was in the spiral pattern, but at least it has room to grow now. I have no doubt it would have died if I’d left those ties on.
And you know me - I always see symbols in things like this! Symbols for the way we live our lives, the way we treat ourselves.
This post isn’t just about a plant. It’s about restriction, and constriction. It’s about giving yourself the room you need to grow into the person you were meant to be.
Too often we try to “mold” ourselves into something we think we should be (or what others think we should be) - but that is never as comfortable as just being genuinely ourselves.
Think about the areas of your life where you are being restricted or constricted in some way.
- Are you placing too many limitations on yourself?
- Are other people placing limitations on you?
- Are you trying to be something you are not?
- Are you avoiding being who you really WANT to be?
Think about it, and then grab your pruning shears and cut those freakin’ ties off!
Now, sigh deeply. Doesn’t that feel better?
Thrive baby, thrive!
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Beliefs & Expectations, Goals & Dreams, Personal Development | No Comments »
Thursday, August 9th, 2007
Face what you think you believe and you will be surprised. - William Hale White
You may be familiar with the concept that your beliefs create your reality, but have you explored this idea further?
What does it really mean that your beliefs create your reality?
A “belief” is a thought that has been repeated in your mind so many times that you know it to be “true.” Sometimes the things we believe really are true, but other times we have tricked ourselves into believing something is true, even if it isn’t. These illusory “truths” are reinforced because our actions day to day actually create “proof” that reinforces the belief.
Take, for example, a belief that you are not strong enough or talented enough to achieve the success and abundance you crave. If you believe this about yourself, you will feel no incentive to try to be successful so you will avoid taking action on the things that could make you successful.
If you do somehow manage to ignore your self-doubt and start working toward a bigger goal, the slightest obstacle you encounter will convince you that your original belief was correct: you don’t have what it takes! Your every thought and action will be putting forth an energy into the universe that says, “I want to be successful and happy. Wait, never mind, I can’t be successful and happy. What was I thinking?”
The universe then starts pulling back the opportunities and abundance you asked for. You have now cemented the belief in your mind because you can’t seem to make any progress, so surely you must NOT be worthy of the things you desire.
In order to alter your limiting beliefs (whether about success, money or anything else) you need to be willing to question their validity.
You need to be willing to face the fears you have, the self-doubts, the beliefs that you are not worthy of whatever you desire, and find out WHY you believe those things.
Once you are fully aware of your limiting beliefs, it’s a simple matter to begin changing them and replacing them with more affirmative beliefs.
The good news is that once you start to question your beliefs and act differently, you eventually create “proof” that the new belief is true – which eradicates the old, limiting belief! Whoop!
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Beliefs & Expectations, Goals & Dreams | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 8th, 2007
A new (yet all-too-familiar) problem has reared its ugly head in my life: Not-enough-time-itis.
I’m one of those people that gets all fired up when I’m working on something I really love. That includes my site(s), blog(s), information products…not to mention my “regular work”.
One thing I keep learning the hard way: there must be balance. I cannot work 14 hours a day and still expect to have clear focus and abundant motivation. I cannot do everything at once, no matter how badly I might want to.
The solution seems easy enough: focus on one thing until it’s finished, then move on to something else. HA! Easier said than done. First, many of my projects and jobs have no “finish” point. They are ongoing. These are things I’m very passionate about, and I don’t want them to have an ending. Then there are the things that DO have an ending, but I struggle to squeeze them in with all the other stuff I do regularly.
Ah, I just uttered a key word there: squeeze.
How much cr@p can you s-q-u-e-e-z-e into a bag before it bursts? And how much pressure builds up before it really does burst? Do I really want to live my life under that kind of pressure? NO!
So, the answer is clear: simplify.
It’s a matter of focusing on what I TRULY LOVE most of the time, and minimizing the rest so that it becomes more manageable. That doesn’t mean I have to completely give up on the extra stuff; I just need to clarify what is most important to me and act accordingly most of the time.
Another important answer: lower expectations.
I’ve noticed something interesting about myself. I just can’t wait to see the end result of whatever I’m working on, so I go full steam ahead and can’t even enjoy it because I’m too burned out!
There is no joy in finishing if you can’t enjoy the journey. I need to keep in mind the benefits of moderation, and stick to a slower pace. The finish line will still be there, even if I pause to admire the scenery along the way!
So - the point of this blog is: have you lost your sense of direction? Do you have goals you are working toward but keep finding yourself tied up in knots in the process? Or have you completely lost your sense of direction and don’t even know where you want to go?
Do these 3 things:
1) Breathe. Pause for a few moments and get your bearings.
2) Clarify. What do you REALLY want? Where do you want to go?
3) Simplify. Choose a few key action steps that will move you in the direction of what you want. Don’t try to do it all overnight. Don’t try to force yourself to stick to an unreasonable schedule. Just move one step at a time toward what you want.
Feel better? I do.
P.S. I’ve just finished adding some new e-courses and ebooks to Wings for the Heart.
There are 2 new ebooks, one on the Law of Attraction and one on Goal-Setting. Both of them are very good! Get them here: Free Motivational Ebooks
I’ve also added 4 new e-courses (totally free!). One each on the Law of Attraction, Aging, Manifesting Your Heart’s Desire, and Time Management. See them here: Free Email Courses
I guess it’s true that happiness is doing what you love. After spending a few hours reading these ebooks and exploring the e-courses, I really DO feel better. Like I’ve gotten back on track somehow - but in a much more gentle, peaceful way. YES…
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Goals & Dreams, Intentions, Passion & Purpose | No Comments »
