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

Upcoming Workshops

Hello Dear Readers,

I am so very excited to let you all know that I will be holding workshops at the Women's Resource Centre in Beamsville.  To the left of this post is a link to the Facebook invitation.

It is very exciting to have this partnership with the centre and I look forward to meeting alot of new women who have an interest in their personal growth.

There is a nominal charge of $5 per evening to help offset the cost of the programs.  Please pre-register so that I know who to expect and I can have materials ready for you.

Come on and check it out.  Bring a friend for some great evenings of learning, growing, and sharing.

I hope to see you there.

Until next time,

Val

Our Dreams and Goals - Where would we be without them?

Dreams
Ask yourself this question, "What would I do if I had unlimited, time, money and resources?"  Go ahead and think about that for a moment, even jot a few things down.  I'll wait while you do that........

Well, what did you come up with?  Would you sail around the world?  Trek through the desert on a camel?  Write a book?  Stay at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto? (These last two are some of mine) Think of the simplest things and the wildest things you could imagine.  Dare to dream!

When you write your dreams down they are more tangible.  You get them out of your head and on to paper.  Keep a notebook handy so you can write down new dreams as you think of them or scratch off the ones you realize.  Imagine that, having a dream fulfilled.  Have you had that experience?  Didn't it feel great!?  What if you had a list of dreams and, while moving through your days you were able to find opportunities to make some of those dreams come true?  I've had that experience.  My husband and I did this exercise of writing down our dreams list.  On my list was to see a NASCAR race.  So, Stan knew that this was on my list and when the opportunity arose for him to buy tickets to a race, he was able to do that.  He wanted to help me realize one of my dreams!  Well, on his list was to visit Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to visit the grounds where the Civil War took place.  Also, he wanted to visit the Smithsonian Museums in Washington.

Well, while mapping out the geographical route to my dream, Bristol, Tennessee, he realized that if we headed East instead of straight South, we could realize his dreams and visit Gettysburg AND Washington both on the same trip. 

If we had not written down our dreams lists, neither of us would have known what the others dreams were and we would never have likely had those dreams come true. It really was an incredible experience.  We shared our dreams and had opportunity to make them happen.  What an empowering experience.  Now, not all dreams will work out that way.  One of my other dreams is to rent a mansion in California for a week or even a month.  Will that ever happen?  Not necessarily so, but it is a wonderful dream and you never know if that kind of opportunity might come along!

Goals

Now what about our goals?  We can meld our dreams into actual goals. 

The formula for setting goals is as follows:

S - specific
M - measurable
A - attainable
R - realistic
T - timely or tangible

Make your goal setting very specific - decide on the goal, for example, find a new job.  That is a pretty general goal.  Get more specific - I will find a new job by June 1.  Then set specific targets - I will visit all of the businesses in my desired work location and distribute resumes and cover letters to them all within two weeks.  After one week of giving out the resumes I will follow up with a phone call to the businesses to see if there are any questions or missing information that I could provide.  Then you can gauge how well you have accomplished your goal.  You have a timeframe, you have specific tasks and you can measure your progress along the way. 

Go ahead, give it a try.  Pick something that you want to accomplish and use this method to work through accomplishing this goal and many others.

Our dreams and goals are a large part of who we are and add to the quality and value of our lives. We own our dreams and we shouldn't allow others to take them away from us - which I have done and I know many others have as well.  Come back to you and your dreams.  They don't cost anything and they don't take up space.

Dare to dream!

Until next time,

Val