You Just Never Know!

My Gratitude Journal, for the past week, is overflowing. I am so blessed, and grateful, to be doing the work that I truly love.

As an entrepreneur, however, there are those moments and those times when I sit back and wonder......am I really making a difference? Does my work really matter?
And the Universe responded – not once, but twice.

I have just recorded a new CD: "Finding the Confidence and Courage To Live Your Best Life – At Any Age!" I am very committed to sharing my message, along with the 'how-to' for living your best life based on my own life, and on what I've learned in working with some of the leading research psychologists from around the world.

When I was in Florida last month, meeting with my business coach and with my master mind group, I (once again) created, and committed, to some lofty goals. I have the potential! What holds me back, some times, are the same things that hold YOU back from being the best YOU that you can be – habits, attitudes, beliefs and expectations. One of my goals is to become an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker – drawing crowds upwards of thousands of women. That's the dream. Then comes the self-doubt.....as I mentioned in my note above: does my work really matter? Am I really making a difference? Who wants to listen to me? For me, these self-doubting thoughts don't usually last very long; but, I'm human too and it happens.

Last week two things, in particular, happened to change those doubts. First, 'out of the blue', came a heart-warming, inviting e-mail from a gentleman in Africa. He was saying that the content on my free CD was meaningful, relevant, inspiring and practical. We are now in dialogue to work together to help educate women in Africa – with the potential for me to be involved in one of his Global Conferences. Then, on Thursday, I was the guest on a tele-seminar: "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway!" (pretty much my life motto) – hosted by Sue Papadoulis in Australia. When you do these tele-seminars, you never know who is 'out there' listening to you and, for sure, what impact you may be having on the audience. One woman took the time and the interest to write to me, saying: "Yesterday I listened to a recorded interview you had with Sue Papadoulis from Perth. I live in Queensland, Australia and was unable to listen to the 'live' version. I need to tell you that was one of the most empowering and powerful interviews I have had the pleasure to listen to. I know this may sound 'frilly and fluffy' but I connected with you on that call because you have been where I have been and still am at the same place, and you did it with sincerity and humor. Thank you. You don't know what a difference you have made......and I need to take a huge step into the unknown and do what I love to do and that is life coaching/counseling - and then you appeared out of the blue in an email from Sue! So I have decided that if you can do it I can do it too! I may well be 60 but I can re-invent myself one step at a time, one day at a time. So, thank you, thank you, thank you for your inspiration, honesty and for 'being real'! And as soon as I get my dollars in order I will be ordering your program. I can't wait." DW

Now, here's why I share these 2 stories with you:
1. It is essential that you are living your life purpose – and doing work that you love.
2. In doing so, you can change lives.
3. As a woman, it is important that we internalize the comments/notes/feedback because that is absolutely one way in which to build our confidence and courage.
4. It is important to hold on to the dream – people need to hear your message and we must not let our own self-doubts hold us back from helping others on their journey.
5. We are more alike, than different, in this world – as demonstrated by the 2 stories above.
6. Yes, there will be times when habits, attitudes, beliefs and expectations may get in the way of our dreams – find a way to get around those obstacles! Study. Get into a master mind group. Get a coach. Do whatever it takes!
7. When you have heard someone speak (via teleseminar, in person, etc.) and the message impacted you, be sure to send THEM a note. From my message here, today, you can see the impact that it has – coming full circle. We all appreciate being validated.
8. Continue to develop the confidence and courage you need to live your best life! This is not a dress rehearsal.

There will always be times when we doubt who we are, why we are here and what we are doing. Developing the habit of keeping a Gratitude Journal helps me to stay focused on all the many blessings in life and also helps me to build my confidence and courage – to continue the important work that I do.

Where are you making a difference? How can you step up, and step out, and get past some of the self-doubts that are holding you back?

Assignment
1. Give some thought to who inspires you – an author, a speaker, a coach, a neighbor, a friend – and send them a note to let them know.
2. Where is fear and uncertainty holding you back from living your best life? What is one step you can take, today, to build your confidence and courage?

Do some of these exercises and I guarantee that you will start to live your best life. When you try new things, you are developing the confidence and courage to move forward and invent the life you truly want to live.