Do you talk a good game? How to get into action!

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Are you someone who talks a good game, but the reality is often that there’s more talk than action?

If so, you are not alone. I see accomplished people do this all the time.

They talk about starting a new, consistent exercise program, or networking more (for business development or to start a job search), or scheduling a long overdue medical appointment, or making time for a deep dive into a new interest, or meditating regularly, or researching something new.

Sometimes they’ve looked into the best places to network, but never registered to attend an event.

Many have thought long and hard about how and when and for how long to meditate, and maybe even asked around and downloaded a good app, but never actually started a meditation practice.

Some have purchased all the supplies needed for a new project, but have never used them.

The sad repercussions of never starting, or stalling out

When we declare that we want to do something — saying it only to ourselves, or telling others — and then do not follow through, a downward cycle can take root.

We feel frustrated and disappointed in ourselves. If we have told other people, we are likely to feel embarrassed, and even ashamed.

The voice of the self-critic inevitably starts to hammer away.

We berate ourselves, we lose confidence, we can lose hope. We compare ourselves to others. We can not only feel stuck, we can get demoralized.

As this kind of negative thinking continues, it becomes increasingly hard to get started, or to resume an early effort.

Action is the answer.
You can create the ideal conditions to ease your way.

I’m glad to tell you that there is a three-part formula to pull out of feeling stuck and frustrated.

Here is how to lay a solid foundation for taking action:

Begin with willingness

Change, growth, or anything you really want can only occur if you are willing to embrace the unknown and engage in the effort.

If it’s important enough to you to step out of your comfort zone, you have the first step in place.

Add belief

You need to believe that you matter, and that you deserve the thing you want, and that you can be a creator of what is important to you.

We become what we believe.

Can you believe in yourself, and believe that it’s possible to take a small step forward — even when it feels challenging? 

Now it's time to commit

With willingness and belief in place, commitment is the final ingredient that is needed to move forward from concept (thinking about it, wishing for it, talking about it) to taking consistent action that will bring results.

Three keys to implementing an action plan

The idea of taking action, when you’ve struggled, can feel intimidating. We tend to feel that big bold action is what’s needed, and is all that counts.

If you’ve been reading my blog posts for a while, you will not be surprised to read points one and two. Add the third step and you’ll be on your way to sustained action.

1. Imperfect action is the perfect way to begin

The feeling that you need to do things perfectly, right from the start, can keep you from starting at all. We put so much pressure on ourselves!

The key is to embrace imperfect action. 

When you set out to write a crummy first draft, or imperfectly test the waters in any other way, you give yourself permission to do that thing badly. With that expectation, it’s so much easier to start.

When you start anything, you are in motion. You can then gain momentum with greater ease.

2. Small steps really work

People who have run marathons (and I am not among them!), have told me how they started by deciding to go for it, and running very short distances to start. They slowly built their endurance. I have one friend who began that way and went on to complete an Iron Man triathlon — and she had never run in her youth!

Small steps are powerful. There’s no need to start big, which can lead to frustration and can make that thing you want to do feel unattainable.

If, for example, you want to start a meditation practice, you might start by planning to sit quietly for 5 minutes twice a week. Experiment. What’s the best the time of day for you? You might try both silent and guided meditation. Find a setting that works best for you. You can gradually increase the number of minutes and/or number of times per week from there. 

3. Stick with it until you hit your stride

A client of mine reminded me of this point in a coaching session this morning. She had taught yoga, and she told her students they needed to take 10 classes before they would know if yoga was for them or not.

When you experience a yoga class on different days, your body is in a different state each time you get on the mat. If you take just one class and decide it’s not for you, you miss the experience of your body opening to this new practice over time. 

As a painter, I had a similar experience. It was in committing to enrolling in a painting class for a full semester that I was able to slowly find my way and realize that I wanted painting to be an ongoing part of my life.

Is this the day you will move from talk to action? 

If you have been struggling to get something underway, try the steps outlined above. You may want to ask someone to be an accountability partner for you — to work on the same initiative in tandem, or simply be there for you to check in with, so you can more easily get started and stay on track.

And if you want focused support — and accountability — to start and sustain your efforts to bring important change into your life, let’s make a date for a complimentary Live Big Breakthrough Call. I’ll be happy to help you gain insights and new perspectives, to help you see how you can move forward in your life in exciting ways. And, if we both think the fit is right, I can share the ways we might work together.

Stay safe and well, and keep creating.

What are you waiting for?

Each day we awake with a fundamental choice.

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We can choose to go through the day much like all other days. Entrenched habits and patterns can rule us.
This leads to reacting to everything that comes along. And tolerating frustrations or relationships or jobs that drain us. And to struggling to make time for self-care, not to mention things that bring joy.

Or, you can choose a different option.

You can start each day with the energy of a creator — deliberating considering what you want to create in your life, and actively creating when you move through your days.

What does it look like to embrace the energy of a creator?

When you embrace yourself as a creator, you look at the way you have been living and decide what is working well and where you are frustrated — or are tolerating things that don't work well.

This is what can happen.

You can choose to make positive changes, like showing up as your authentic self, both at work and with people in your personal sphere.

You can learn to listen to your intuition — and trust it.

You can begin to live boldly, and play more, and not let fear or doubt stop you.

Learning to live this way means stepping up in new ways. It means being willing to make commitments to yourself to take action, to shift from living on auto-pilot.

And while it means being willing to step into some discomfort, it means trusting that you are capable of doing this work, and willing to ask for support. And it means you want to be accountable to staying on the path of positive change.

Or, you can wait.

You can wait for certainly.
You can wait for permission.
You can wait for confidence.
You can wait for magic (sometimes in the form of someone who will come to the rescue or someone to do the work for you).
You can wait for complete clarity about what you want, or what to do next, or the exact destination.


Are you content to wait, or are you ready to take action to live a life that makes you excited to wake up to each new day?

This is your decision point. You get to choose.

This can be the day you say “Yes!” to yourself and a bigger future.

If you are ready to know more about what it can look like to become a true creator in your life, drop me a note.

We’ll schedule a time to talk — no obligation, no sales pitch. Just an opportunity for me to hear about your challenges and the dreams you have for a more fulfilled life, and for you to hear about what it takes to become the creator of that future.

I can promise that this conversation will provide you with big insights and a lot of inspiration.

Scheduling this call will be a meaningful action step.

Do you want to take it?

Is this the year you’ll get unstuck?

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Here we are on New Year’s eve. 2018 is starting in just a few hours. This is a moment to bid farewell to 2017 and consider what you will create in your life in 2018.

I recently wrote to you with suggestions for end-of-year reflecting. If you missed it, it's not too late to do some thoughtful looking back — and taking that look will certainly inform your perspectives on the new year you are stepping into.

When we commit to making time to look with clear eyes at the year that’s ending, it helps us to be in the delicate moment of “in-between” — the space between the end of where we have been and who we can become. This is a rich moment for thought, for appreciating ourselves, and for creating a personal vision for the future. And, with a vision for the new year — whether it’s clear or less well-defined — you will be able to start setting intentions for what you want to create in your life this year.

As I have experienced over the years, there is a great deal to learn when we look clearly at our past — not to rehash or to sit with regret, but to see it all and have it inform our lives moving forward. Because we all have things to acknowledge and celebrate. And we all have things that trip us up and block us. 

Life gives us these challenges over and over  — and thus there is endless opportunity for personal growth and expansion. Some things tend to trip us up again and again, but with insight, guidance, and new approaches, we can learn to deal with them better over time. And, when new kinds of challenges show up, as they inevitably do, we are able to apply what we have learned and make our way with more insight, confidence, and ease.

Are there a few “quick-fix” steps I can rattle off to help you get past your personal blocks? 

No. 

We are complex beings. I know from diving into the work I have done over the years that it is possible to find the path to mastering challenges when these ingredients are in place:

Willingness 
You must be willing to engage in serious work. True transformation and growth occur when you are willing to embrace the mystery and go deep.

Belief 
We become what we believe. When you believe that you matter, you do not put yourself last. You are able to take steps to create what you desire in your life.

Commitment
It’s both necessary and worthwhile to build structure and space in our lives to create the future we desire. A deep commitment to yourself entails bringing the focus, and expending the effort, that are required to make important change.

This is what I teach my clients and share at my workshops, and yet I am called on over and over to return to the fundamentals of willingness, belief, and commitment as I expand and grow in my life. We never reach ”perfect“ and the learning never stops! This is ongoing work, but the beauty is that over time you will have tools to reach for, mindsets shifts to reflect back on, and strategies to employ. These help me — and can help you — to break through and climb ever higher. You can create an amazing future. You have the power to shape your life.

My intention is to bring you new and exciting ways to grow in the year ahead. Here are a number of ways I can serve you:

1. Experience coaching in a group. I will be launching a new group coaching program this year, following the success (and extended) coaching group I offered this year. Details will be coming soon.

2. Get support to make deep, lasting change. I am always happy to talk to you about what private coaching can look like for you. This is the most powerful way I can support you to get beyond the challenges that limit you to realize tremendous personal growth.

3. And, if you have a question, or an issue you are unsure about how to approach, I welcome you to drop me an email. Or, let’s make a date for a call. I am happy to help you think through what’s on your mind.

I would love to hear about significant insights you’ve had from reflecting on the last year, and the intentions you have for what you want to create in 2018. Leave a comment below, or email me to let me know. 

May this be your year to get unstuck and experience incredible growth and expansion!

Sending you heartfelt wishes for abundant happiness, love and creativity in 2018. Let’s all LIVE BIG in the year ahead.