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!

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

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

 Chapter 1

 I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

 

Things happen and sometimes you don't even see it coming.

 

Chapter 2

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Denial will keep us from taking ownership and moving forward.

 

Chapter 3

 I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

 

You begin to see there is something different but what IS has become your "normal", good, bad, or otherwise.  You see you've just made some bad choices - you can move forward.

 

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

 

It may not be easy but steer clear of the situation in your life that is signified by the hole!

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.

 

Make an absolute change to a different attitude, a different, healthier way of living.

 

Thank you Portia! for this analagy - I have lived it!!

~ Portia Nelson ~

(There's a Hole in My Sidewalk)

Dog Days of Summer

Wow, it's so hard to believe how fast summer is passing by.  It is a busy time for all of us yet it is supposed to be vacation, isn't it? 

I hope you have all had a wonderful summer so far and are remembering to be good to yourselves as well.

It is important to make time, take time for yourself to rejeuvenate and fill your spirit so you can be the best you!

What do you do to relax? How do you find your inner peace and sanity?  Do you take care of you when you are sick?

I'd like for you to answer the questions above in the comments section so we can share with each other.  I'll look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time,

Val