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Continually grow as a person and find your work/life balance

Thrive Despite Life’s Ups and Downs by Learning to Weather the Storm

While sailors have to live in the moment it also requires planning and foresight to weather the storms, which is a good analogy for life's ups and downs.I’m fascinated by sailing — you’ve probably noticed that theme on my website. I think it interests me because it’s a highly dynamic activity, so while sailors have to live in the moment it also requires planning and foresight. We’ve learned through life’s ups and downs in 2020 that we can’t control “the weather” but we can learn to use self-leadership tools to navigate through the elements and head in the direction we want to go! 

Does it feel like you’ve been blown off course — maybe a little or maybe way off course? It’s difficult to stay inspired day after day, no it’s not difficult. It’s impossible! There are days where we just don’t feel inspired. It might be the world situation or it might be something going on in our personal life. So then what, do we just let the wind blow us in any direction?

No, even on days where we don’t feel particularly inspired we can stay the course. Let’s talk about two things that will help.

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What Is Your Legacy?

To live a meaningful life is to consider what is your legacy that you’ll pass onto others now and in the future, in a way that makes a difference. “All good men and women must take responsibility to create legacies that will take the next generation to a level we could only imagine.”  ~ Jim Rohn

When most people are asked, “what is your legacy?”, they immediately think of something they leave behind once they die — money, a business, a strong stock portfolio, or even a benefactor’s name on a hospital’s wing. Their focus is on leaving something as a legacy, but very few people think deeply about building a legacy. 

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Learn How to Be Vulnerable to Expand Your Full Enjoyment of Life

We often build walls to keep others away, so we don’t get hurt. Those walls are not protecting us. They are trapping us! Here’s how to take baby steps toward opening up again.“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” ― Brené Brown

“I was badly hurt once. I’m not letting that happen again! I’m putting up walls to keep people at a safe distance and I’m not revealing my true thoughts or feelings so I’m not betrayed or ridiculed again!” Can you relate to these expressions? Many people I’ve talked with are afraid to be vulnerable to one degree or another. (In this article, I am not talking about the pain from sexual, physical or emotional abuse, as the healing of these often requires the assistance of a mental health professional.) 

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Thrive Under Pressure — What 2020 Has Taught Me

to thrive under pressure is possible when we keep our heads up, facing the wind. It is only then that we will see obstacles and avoid them or see opportunities and take them.When you feel pressured by others or adverse circumstances, you may feel like all you can do is tuck your head in and weather the storm until it blows over. While it’s good to find a safe place from which you can make an assessment of your present circumstances, 2020 has taught me that waiting out a storm like COVID isn’t practical to the lives we live today. We can’t stop making a living or shopping for food. And we definitely can’t stop caring about others and reaching out to connect in meaningful ways. It has brought home to me clearly that to thrive under pressure is possible when we keep our heads up, facing the wind. It is only then that we will see obstacles and avoid them or see opportunities and take them.

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Do You Have What It Takes? Yes, If You Know What to Commit Yourself to

Do you have what it takes to be a success? You do if you know yourself well, create boundaries, make a plan and work it, as you honor your commitments."Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." ~ Steve Jobs

Do you have what it takes? That can be a scary question to ask yourself, fear and doubt can show up before you answer. Can I really make a success of this relationship? Can I start and run my own business? Can I make a real difference in the world? What if…?

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How to Step Forward to a Future You've Created

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