What a Week

This has been quite an incredible week in my life.  Right up there as one of THE most incredible weeks in my life! (The births of each of my children take top spots)

I have made so many positive, encouraging, and empowering connections that, with each one, my head simply spins.  I am hearing the same affirmations over and over again, "You can do this!", "I see your passion!."  Things are falling in to place for me to get phenomenal training and personal and business coaching.  All I can say is WOW!

My journey has brought me to this place not by chance but with work and determination to get here.  I feel that I am on the threshold of success and I just need to take those critical "next steps" to do it.  I am using every resource that I have available to me in order to do that.  I thank those who have given their time, expertise and encouragement, you've changed my world!

Let me give you a little background.  In 2001 I was a single mom working as a custodian at a private high school.  One morning while mopping the floor I decided that I wanted more out of life.  I asked myself if I wanted to retire doing that job or if I even wanted to be doing it a year from then.  The answer was very clear, "No!"  So, I took the steps I needed to take in order to move forward.  I knew I needed more education ( I only had high school) so I enrolled in college at 38 years old.  I was suffering a great lack of self esteem and self confidence so this was WAY out of my comfort zone.  The first day of classes I asked myself what I was doing there.  Ultimately I graduated and began an Administrative Assistant career.

Between 2004 and now alot has happened in my journey.  I have overcome my lack of self esteem and built up my level of confidence.  It has come from the inside out.  I determined, again, that I wanted something better for me personally.  I wanted to be stronger, healthier and happier with who I am.  I took opportunities to step outside of my comfort zone and really challenge myself.  In many cases early on it was others believing in me that gave me the faith and confidence for the challenges.  I am SO glad that I believed and took those chances.  I have grown and developed as a person and I AM healthier and happier than ever before.  The support of family, friends, peers and acquaintances makes all the difference to one's success or failure.

So here I am now at this juncture in the journey with new possibilities and challenges ahead.  A new set of "next steps" to be taken and I am ready to embrace them and forge ahead to the success that awaits me.  I am learning the steps, taking the steps and I will reap the benefits of the work I am putting into it. 

I have far too long been sitting on my dreams, it's now time to take ACTION.

A-ccountability
C-onfidence
T-rust
I-nspiration
O-utcomes
N-ever say never

Are you ready to take ACTION in your journey? 

Until next time,

Val

An attitude Of Inclusivity

In discussion at the end of an anti-bullying workshop yesterday we were talking about differences in people.  That discussion prompted a memory for me. 

When I was at the hospital with my mother a couple of years ago there was a woman in the emergency department with her little baby about 2 years old.  I don't know for sure what condition this precious child had but what comes to mind is Progeria - the disease where people age rapidly at a very young age.  I couldn't imagine how this poor mother felt until I actually went over and spoke to her.  I said hello and then spoke to her baby who immediately took my finger and smiled at me as most babies would.  This mother said to me, and I quote, "Doesn't she frighten you?"  How horribly sad is that?  This poor mother lives in this world with her child and she worries that this angel of a baby frightens people.  I said, "No, she doesn't frighten me she is your angel."  I asked her name and the mother said it was Rachel.  The weariness showed in this poor lady.  I wish I had asked to keep in touch with her to support her if I could.

What we should remember as a society is that regardless of this child's looks there is a beautiful and precious soul in there that needs all of the same things we do.  She, her spirit, needs to feel love, nurturing and acceptance just as we do. Her soul will desire to experience success and fulfilment just like we do.  The fact that she looks different on the outside does not change who she is on the inside until she is treated differently, or horribly, by those who interact with her.

Much the same can be said for those with physical disabilities like having to use a wheelchair or assistive devices or have visible scarring.  They are beautiful, wonderful spirits who have challenges that we don't have but they also have the same desires that we have.  The same goes for different cultures, races, religions and sexual orientations.  They are spirits/souls and we should be conscious of that and not mistreat them.

So in light of the workshop, who are we to bully others?  Who are we to judge or offend others with our reactions to them?  Let your spirit acknowledge their spirit.

Let's appreciate and accept others regardless of circumstance.  Let's be all inclusive people!

Ah Ha!

Have you ever had an Ah-Ha moment?  I have and I hope that every person has at least one in their lifetime. I'm hoping that I have more as the feeling is totally incredible!

About a year or so ago I began writing a book.  I chose a title and outlined the chapter headings and even started chapter one.  I liked the title but it just never felt like "it".  I kept letting it rumble around in my head and didn't get back to writing too much.

Well recently while getting ready for one of my workshops in my head I was addressing the women and telling them that I am a work in progress.  Ah-Ha, A Work In Progress, that's "it"!!!!  So I have now restructured all of my chapter headings and written a new introduction and begun new, and improved, chapters.  In that Ah-Ha moment, I also envisioned the cover of my book in relation to the theme.  It was VERY clear and visible in my head.  I couldn't be more excited about this project.  On my dreams list is to be an author and so my dream is closer than ever before.

I could never have imagined the power and impact of such a moment even if someone had asked me to describe such a thing.  I didn't force it to come, I didn't try to make it happen.  It just finally did.  I knew that I wasn't quite there but now I know for sure where to go with it.

My book will be a stand alone, self help book with fill ins from each chapter so the reader will want to really understand the context.  Then there will be a self assessment page for relating the topic to the reader's life experience.  I also plan to create a keynote program around the book that I could present at women's groups, conferences and ladies days.

Now I just need to get writing and let my book fully come to life.  I'll keep you posted.

Until next time,

Val

Become Who You Want To Be!

Take a few minutes to really think about the question below.  Take out a pen and paper even and write your thoughts down.

If you could DO anything, BE anything, what would that look like?

Think about what is keeping you from moving from here to there.  Might it be an internal thing like self-esteem and/or self-confidence?  Do you think your age makes it impossible to begin following your dreams? Oh money is so often a huge road block to getting where we want to be. Actually writing these things out will let you get a more concrete idea of where you want to be and what is standing in your way.

Next, write down what you need to move forward as a topic heading and fill in below each one.  For example, if you need money what might be some options for getting it?  A loan? Savings?  Sometimes making that sacrifice, biting the bullet as they say, is a means to an end in accomplishing your dreams.  Who do you need to help you?  Do you need the support of your spouse or family?  Will they give you the support you need?  If not, what other options might you have.  Friends can be an amazing support system to us.  Is it geography?  Do you need to physically be in another place to make it work?

Set a timeframe for success.  In thinking about all of the above, how long might you need to get these things in place?  Most often we can't just jump from point A to point B but with planning, time, effort and determination we can make the changes necessary to follow our dreams.  You'll find that the stronger your desire to make a change the more opportunity you will find to achieve it.

It's never too late to pursue your dreams!  I have only just begun my business at age 48.  I personally know another woman who graduated university and began a new career at a stage in life even beyond mine and she is very successful!

We can find any manner of excuses to keep us from finding ourselves, finding our dreams.  Sometimes simply being in a rut is enough of a crutch.  Well, the time is now to stop making excuses, stop sitting where you are dreaming and wishing about something different.  Start making changes and move toward the true you, doing and being who and what you were meant to be! 

Go on now, go!!!

Until next time,

Val

Noticeably You on Facebook

The Nurturing Project - A New Start

Well, I did cut down my little plant as you can tell.  It had gotten so top heavy, as you saw in my last post, that I didn't really have much choice.

Sometimes what we need is a new start.  Getting rid of old habits and behaviours, perhaps limiting time spent with people who are not our greatest supporters, or making changes in a romantic relationship that really isn't working anymore.  That doesn't necessarily mean ending the relationship though sometimes that is the ultimate decision.  Otherwise, work at rekindling feelings, spending time together, TALKING about what works and what doesn't.  I know from experience that that is not always a possibility but in many cases it can be a start.

I'd like to think that my little project has inspired some to see what needs feeding, nuturing, pruning in their lives and enables them to make some changes to enjoy a happier, healthier self and relationships around them.

Until next time,

Val

The Nurturing Project - Look How Far We've Come!

So here is my plant a little more than a month from the beginning of this project.  Just look at my little plant go! 

I have been faithfully watering and feeding this little plant and now it is becoming very top heavy with alot of new leaves.  Can you see how the weight is now shifting? In the first photo what stood out were the long, dead stems devoid of many green, healthy leaves. The plant quickly began to recover and started growing more and more leaves.The long, dead stems are becoming less significant in light of the new growth, the nurturing, that is creating healthy and strong leaves. So it can be with our lives. Sure we have a past and some are far more challenging than others. 

If our past has been, or our present is, less than ideal our focus may just be on the bare stems since there isn't very much new growth going on at the top. If that is the case we need to change our focus, to look at nurturing ourselves - good soil (surround ourselves with good, positive people), food (self-improvement workshops, personal development activities, challenging ourselves for growth), sun and air (have some fun, learn to live not simply exist! Breathe!)

We can overcome when we nurture ourselves, challenge ourselves to become strong, full beings reaching our fullest potential. Then, the challenging past, perhaps the less than ideal life can become much smaller and less significant in contrast to the new growth, the new knowledge, the new us.

Sure, the past is a part of who we are but it doesn't necessarily have to be a part of who we become if we decide to leave it behind, to overcome it.

So how do we go about nurturing ourselves? I'm glad you asked! Find something that you love to do and DO IT! Find your passion, and take time for it.  Even if you can't do it full time due to work, family, whatever.  Take care of your body. Eat right and exercise to keep healthy and strong.  Feed your soul.  Find faith, spirituality, whatever brings your inner being peace and happiness.  Challenge yourself to step outside the box, out of your comfort zone.  Surely at some point in your life you have had nervous excitement.  Didn't you feel alive and energized?  Wouldn't it be great to continue to have that feeling on purpose?  Educate yourself.  Take classes or free online courses to feed your mind and gain new knowledge about the world around you.

All in all, take time for you.  It's not about neglecting what needs to be done, simply putting importance on what is good, nurturing, for you.  The healthier we are, the happier we are the better we are able to nurture and encourage those around us.

You deserve it!

Until next time,

Val

What I Have Learned From My Plant, The Nurturing Project Continued

This is a new photo of my plant taken the end of March.  I hope you can see that there are many more leaves that are stronger and healthier.

What I see with the damaged, neglected stem is how our lives can be if we have been neglected, mistreated, damaged. We cannot change what was, we can only change what is. I may have to cut the top of the plant off and re-root it so it will grow healthy and strong from the bottom up.

Sometimes in our lives we have to make the hard decision to make a cut from the past, or present, that keeps us from being strong and healthy from the inside out.  That can sometimes mean coming t a place of forgiveness with the people or circumstances that have affected our lives. Only then will we be free to live and thrive. We must nurture ourselves, love ourselves, and have a proper environment and good food to keep us moving forward.

That is all for now. I will give this plant a little more time but I am pretty sure I will have to make the cut and replant it so it will be completely healthy from the bottom up. I will continue the Nurturing Project in future posts. I will include it in my book one day.  Thanks for reading!