Try and Trying Again

Setbacks and delays cannot detour the focused pursuit of a great goal. You go!

What's that dream?

Pursuing that deep dream that niggles your daytime thoughts, that haunts your nights, the one that pokes at you when life gets crazy - that's the seed of your destiny. It's calling you. It yearns to be feed and nurtured. Dare I say, it's your one, true purpose!

Right now I am working with an amazing client. She is one of the most gifted writers I've had the pleasure to know. Her unique voice gives life to deep spiritual concepts and lends humor to life's journey. In her 60's, she's just now honoring her hunger for writing. I'm so very proud of her for taking the "big leap" and allowing herself to fully dive into her life passion. She has the riches of an interesting life to incorporate into her work and has a wealth of wisdom to share. Facilitating this process as her coach is an honor.

One of the pieces of her process is to blog regularly. I'd love to have you check out her work at Limping to Jerusalem. Give Claudia some encouragement, help her with constructive feedback. She's worthy!

What's that dream that haunts you? I'd love to walk you through the process of making it happen. Drop me a note here: ShineConsulting. Together we can honor your special dream and tap into the unique powers you have to make it true.

Hold the vision

"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere, people my deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give you best anyway.

In final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway."

~~Kent Keith~~

Shine on!

Don't let words and opinions limit your dream. I like this from Mark Twain:

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." ~Mark Twain

I guess what I'm saying this morning is, get rid of limits imposed by yourself, as well as others. You have dreams, ideas, goals. Don't look for the ways you can't, look for the ways you can!

Shine On!

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexandrasnowdon/

You've got to start somewhere!

"Starting something is not an event; it’s a series of events. You decide to walk to Cleveland. So you take a first step in the right direction. That’s starting. You spend the rest of the day walking toward Cleveland, one step at a time, picking your feet up and putting them down. At the end of the day, twenty miles later, you stop at a hotel. And what happens the next morning? Either you quit the project or you start again, walking to Cleveland. In fact, every step is a new beginning. Sure, you’re closer than you were yesterday or last week..." ~Seth Godin (Poke the Box)

Image Credit: Amplified, the Illustrated Life

Today is ready cash, spend it wisely!

Yesterday is a cancelled check. Tomorrow is a Promissory note. Today is ready cash. Spend it wisely.

How often do we say "I used to be a big manager in a company, I used to be rich, I used to be thin, I used to be great at golf, I used to this, I used to that!" Cancelled! How many of you say, "when I'm not so busy, when I catch a break, when I loose 20 pounds, when I get 10 more sales, when I this, when I that." Is it just wishful thinking?

There is nothing wrong with reminiscing and reviewing the past. The past is where all the big and little choices we have made are. It's the context of today. However, getting one's identity or reality from what has been is looking backwards. How can progress be made while always bringing up what was?

Looking into the future, making plans, setting goals, and having a clear direction where you are going is very powerful. The danger is to defer what can be done now because you are waiting for the "right" conditions. Banking on what "will be" is giving away the building blocks of that future.

Today is where the cash is. Right now! The choices you make, the actions you take, the thoughts in your head, the dreams you have, all are for today. Spend today wisely and cash in big time!

Do you need help with maximizing your use of today? Shine Consulting works one-on-one with business owners, managers, and supervisors to help them understand and excel in their role. We provide tools for time management, clear communications, critical thinking, decision making, and conflict management. Contact SHINE Consulting today Because...

Today is ready cash! 

What small effort are you making today?

"What we call little things are merely the causes of great things; they are the beginning, the embryo, and it is the point of departure which, generally speaking, decides the whole future of an existence. One single black speck may be the beginning of a gangrene, of a storm, of a revolution." ~Henri Frederic Amiel

God bless closed doors

"When one door is closed, don't you know, another is open." ~Bob Marley

I read something the other day that said the devil always comes looking good.

Oh boy, did that ever hit home as I recalled the few amazing guys, the dream jobs, and the really great opportunities that, upon closer examination, were not what they initially appeared to be. When I apply my rational judgment to one of these marauders, the veneer makes sense. Why would the devil (aka guy, job, opportunity) come looking evil and menacing? Of course not, the disguise is the hook!

Yet, how often do I actually use the piercing logic of mine, that skeptical part of my brain, when I really, really want what I see? Rationalizing and yearning set in. I just know it's Divine Intervention. Maybe it's that I'm finally getting what I deserve. Or, the power of my intentions is so keen I'm manifesting my dreams.

Admittedly, it's kind of pathetic.

There were times when I pushed and pushed at the door to one of these bad situations. And, after much effort, the door opened. Throwing caution and good counsel to the wind, I eagerly walked through, only to lament my foolish actions. Wishing that I had seen what was behind said beautiful door, I rued the day I committed to that path.

There were also times when I pursued a seemingly beautiful thing. Even after using all of my skills, powers of persuasion, or whatever good thing I possess, it wasn't mine to have. When the door didn't open to me, I chose to accept that it wasn't a good option. Yet, silly me, I pined and pined that it wasn't going to be mine

Oh, for goodness sake! What a waste of time. You'd think I would've learned by now that a closed door is more often than not a blessing! Seriously, just about every time I look back I see how the devil (yes...guy, job, opportunity) would have hurt me in some way.

The closed door was my protection.

To pursue a dream requires certain necessary steps to make things happen. It often means knocking, yes even pushing, at closed doors. Yet, it's a wise person who looks at those beautiful, closed doors and examines them for what they might really be.

How does one know when to push forward and when to pursue another course? Try these:

• Seek the counsel of those who've gone before you. Talk with mentors and advisers. It's always a smart idea to piggy-back on the efforts of those who have already done the hard work. They know the pitfalls and what's behind the door. Listen to these wise ones.
• Spend time in quiet reflection, pray, or meditate. Do you connect with a Higher Power? Examine your reasons for wanting that beautiful thing. Ask for direction and clarification. Listen to what is given to you.
• Find an objective source that isn't influenced by their feelings. Counselors, coaches and consultants are trained to examine facts when facilitating goal actualization. They will also help you see your blind spots. Listen to their rational advise.

When a door stays closed, bless it and move on remembering that the devil always looks good and maybe this was one of those times. And, when that new door appears and is opened wide, you can be grateful you left the closed one behind.

You might also enjoy these : A State of Acceptance and Yay for New Doors! 

Gals, you, too, can make it happen!

Have you ever asked yourself, "If I keep on the way I'm going, will I get where I want to be?" Yeah for you if the answer is yes. For many, the answer is probably not. The number one reason for many women is that they haven't set their own goals and priorities. The wants and needs of others drive them.

Here are some additional reasons why women hesitate to set goals:

• They are not convinced of the value of goals
• They are so busy coping there is no time to think about goals
• Goals imply commitment to action
• Women are busy helping others reach their goals
• They fear they'll fail to reach goals
• They fear they'll succeed
• They don't know how to set goals

Which of the above apply to you? Are you willing to work on overcoming your obstacles? To get where you want to go, you must set your own goals and priorities. Then plan your day with these priorities in mind. Learn to say "no" to requests that are incompatible with these objectives.

When setting goals, you must make them specific, motivating, measurable, attainable, realistic, and have a specific timeframe. What would a goal look like with these attributes? Say you want to loose weight for your high school reunion. Your goal statement might look like this: "My goal is to loose 15 pounds. I will look great and feel good when reuniting with my old friends. I will be a size smaller, so will need to buy new clothes. This goal is within reach because I know how to cut back on my food intake and can fit in 20 minutes a day of exercise. Fifteen pounds is a reasonable weight loss because I have six months before the event."

Goals are necessary both at work and in your personal life. Top priorities are those activities or projects that move you toward your goals. A good question to ask is, "If only one thing could be done today, which activity would be the most important?" Set this as your top priority. Then, if only one additional thing can be done, what is next in importance? Prioritize according to importance, not ease of completion.

You may be waiting until requests from others come in before organizing your day. Then, you schedule your important activities in to the time you have left. A better way to organize is to block out time on your calendar for vital projects and protect those times. Then schedule appointments for the remainder of the time. It is important to occasionally take a timeout to see if you're going where you want to. 

Push through adversity

It takes a determined person to hold on to their vision. Push through adversity, it's a sign that things are gonna change!

Need help working through chaos and confusion? SHINE has compassion and enthusiasm for your process and is ready to equip you with tools to manage transition. Connect with us at sahepler@gmail.com.

Faith vs. Fear - The Show Down

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
~Mark Twain

What do you fear the most?
Not being respected... not having love... not being listened to... not having financial success...? The list of things people fear is endless, as the things we fear are personal and unique.


The dream thief
I do know that fear is a dream thief. It keeps us shackled and imprisoned in worry, doubt, shame, and a host of nastiness. Fear is real, it is dark, and it is immobilizing. What's the solution? How does one get rid of this evil called fear? How do we get our dreams and joy back? 


It ain't easy!
Believe me, I know it's not as easy as flipping a switch! I've heard those pie-in-the-sky types that claim it's easy to just throw off fear. I say it's not easy at all! It takes courage and resolve to acknowledge one's fear, look it straight in the eye, and say "you will not overcome!" 


Opportunity is knocking
I know that where there is fear there is opportunity. What? Yes! Opportunity to change a situation, change your life, change the world! In each of us we have gifts and a calling to make change for good. Our Creator equipped us individually with qualities and talents specifically for the challenges we face. Fear is the resistance to the glorious humans we were intended to be. 


The power of prayer
When faced with fear, God asks that we call in the big guns. He's there to shed light on His plans for us, to equip us anew with the tools and determination we need to fully and dynamically create the relationships, businesses, missions, and much more, that He planned for us. Know that He won't just step in without permission, you must ask for His powerful and amazing assistance.


Take fear head on 
Look at fear for what it is: an evil dream stealer. When you are equipped with courage and resolve, when you have faith that God is using you for powerful and good, fear recoils and slithers away. 

Let your faith be bigger than your fear! 

Making Your Wish a Goal!

Do you make lists of the things you want? Do you ever journal the dreams you have for a new or better life? Writing out what you intend is a powerful step to moving a thought into reality, be it the day-to-day achievements in the work place or when and when your want to retires.


You say you don't have time to journal or write out goals? Thinking in ink is a way to set where you want to go and to realistically track where you are in your progression. It's a powerful planning tool.


Need some help with this? SHINE is here to get you started. Drop me a note and together we'll set you on the way to making those wishes a reality!