Week #3: 7 Key Lessons for Experiencing Your Potential
January 13, 2008
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This Week's Topic: Topic
Dear Friend, When I was growing up, we had a framed piece of wisdom that hung on a wall: Don’t regret growing old. It is a privilege denied to many. As
I celebrate my birthday this week (Jan. 15th!), that piece of wisdom is
one of many that continues to inspire me. I’d like to share with you
this week just a few more lessons that may be just what you need to
hear right now. There is nothing new under the sun, as King Solomon
once said, but every now and then, we need to be reminded of what we
already know. These are five philosophies for experiencing your
potential: 1. You are here for a reason.
If you are
alive, there is a purpose for your life. Your purpose answers this
simple question: “How is a person’s life better because they crossed
your path?” Your purpose may be to bring joy to others, provoking
thought, educating, inspiring, teaching or connecting people with one
another. Whatever it is, it uses your natural gifts, talents, passions
and experiences (both painful and joyful) to make a positive impact on
the world. 2. People can change (but you can’t change them).
We
all have the capacity to change, but lasting change comes from within.
External pressure may effect a temporary shift, but true transformation
occurs from the inside out. Out of the heart flows the issues of life.
Until one’s heart changes, transformation is impossible. It requires a
personal commitment to facing truth and walking through fear in order
to step out of habits and behaviors inside your comfort zone. So don’t
waste your time trying to change others. Focus on changing yourself and
praying for others. 3. Change is a process.
Occasionally,
change happens “suddenly.” There’s the cigarette smoker who stops cold
turkey or the person who becomes fed up and makes a major life-changing
decision. But most of the time, change does not happen overnight. Give
yourself permission to fail, learn from mistakes and try again.
Eventually, just as you learned to ride a bicycle or read, change will
take root and won’t take as much concentrated effort. Adjust your
expectations so that you give yourself the space to improve over time. 4. Fear is inevitable.
Expect
it and keep moving forward. As you may have read in my book, What's
Really Holding You Back?, fear is the emotion that threatens to keep us
from our dreams – if we allow it. One of the keys is answering your
“what if?” questions: “What if I fail?” “What if I’m wrong?” “What if
they say ‘no’?” “What if I’m not good enough?” Answer the questions
that conjure up fear and you’ll begin pushing through your greatest
fears. 5. Baby steps will get you to the finish line.
Getting
stuck is a vicious cycle. Fear keeps you from taking action. Not taking
action leads to poor results. Poor results convince you that you cannot
succeed. Consider your vision for this year and identify a simple step
you can take this week to move you closer to it. Lastly, I’ve
learned that happiness is a choice. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Most
people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Studies
have even shown that when people attain the things they believed would
bring them happiness, their level of happiness increases only
temporarily, then falls back to their previous level. Having more
money, getting married, having a baby, landing your dream job – these
are all wonderful milestones, but they are not the key to happiness.
You hold that key. It is your choice to acknowledge your blessings,
love fully, conquer your fears, maintain perspective, nurture
relationships and live your divinely-appointed purpose that brings
happiness. My challenge to you this week:
Embrace the
change you are trying to make in your life as a process. Don’t beat
yourself up for not changing perfectly, succumbing to your fears or
taking baby steps. Allow it to be a process – with ups and downs –
until you get to your finish line. Journaling assignment:
How
is a person’s life better because they crossed your path? With regards
to a change you want to make in your life, what is your biggest fear?
What baby step could you take forward despite your fear?
Until next time ... Warm wishes,
 P.S. Encourage your friends and family by sharing this newsletter and invite others to subscribe! Just send them to
www.valorieburton.com, where they can enter their email address on the home page. Valorie
Burton, a life coach and speaker, is the author of Listen to Your Life,
Rich Minds, Rich Rewards, What's Really Holding You Back?, Why Not You?
and her latest, How Did I Get So Busy? The 28-Day Plan to Free Your
Time, Reclaim Your Schedule and Reconnect with What Matters Most.
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