By: Gabby Bogan
From a very young age we are told to look at the bigger picture of this journey called life. Adults ask us what we want to be when we grow up long before we even start driving. We are told to dream big using our imaginations, but somewhere between childhood and college graduation this vision becomes jaded. Those same adults telling us to let our minds run wild turn out to be the ones who beg us to think realistically.
The truth is that most of society has lost the belief that they can live the life of their dreams. This is because they have let the fear of taking action paralyze them. These people tend to stay stuck in a mediocre life that is full of disappointment and it’s only because they are so focused on making the “right” choice rather than taking any action at all.
Luckily, you are an adult and you have the ability to choose differently. You can decide to take action towards the life of your dreams and conquer fear head on. This choice is ultimately up to you but here are some strategies help!
Write A Life List
Writing ideas down is a great way to begin defining what it is you want from life. An exercise that I give my clients for homework is to write a life list that consists of anything and everything that they have ever wanted to do.
This list can help provide you great clarity on what you truly want from life and the best part is that it’s based on YOUR desires. We often get caught up in the “shoulds” of life. Our mind tells us that we should be further along in our careers, or that we should be making more money, or that we should have it all figured out. Those statements are often based on what everyone else wants for us. That’s why writing this list can be a powerful tool in beginning to live a life based on what you choose.
Important Tip: Let your mind run free when writing this list. Think with your heart and intuition. Don’t hold back from writing what you feel.
Journaling Makes The Heart Sing
Now that you have a list of what you desire to do in life you may feel a sense of overwhelm and frustration. No matter what you are feeling after writing your list it is crucial to get those thoughts out of your mind and onto paper.
Journal about all the feelings that come up when you think about your dream life. Are you happy? Scared? Confused? Nervous? Just keep writing until all of your feelings are out in the open. This step will allow you to think clearly on how to get started in the direction of your dreams.
Break It Down
Once you have a clear mind it’s time to take that life list of yours and start prioritizing. Take the biggest goals on your list and break these down into small actionable steps.
Let’s say you want to start an online boutique that will allow you to quit your full-time job. Instead of thinking how big and scary this goal sounds, try writing down smaller actions you can take to accomplish it.
For example, you could start looking into online business classes or set up an account on WordPress to start a website. These are very small actions that can get the ball rolling, which will allow you to feel motivated rather than overwhelmed.
Action does not have to be perfect to make your mark in the world. Don’t let yourself get caught up in this crippling notion. Just get started!
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Accountability Is Key
Many times the only way we accomplish something is if we are held accountable. It’s important to remember that only you have the power to make your dreams come true. Therefore, it is crucial to set deadlines for yourself to ensure your action steps get accomplished.
Find a way to organize your schedule in a way that best suits you and start planning out when you would like to achieve each baby step. Some of my favorite tools for task list organization are Evernote and Google Calendar.
Try not to overload yourself with tasks because this will bring you back to feeling overburdened and you most likely won’t want to move forward. Be honest with yourself, but disciplined enough where you get your tasks accomplished.
Get Moving!
Once you have your small actionable tasks scheduled out — it is time to act! Do not even allow your mind to think; simply get to work. The quicker you commit to whatever action it is you’re trying to accomplish; the less time you will have to overthink and analyze.
Following this process is a sure-fire way to start in the direction of your dreams. However, it can sometimes be difficult to go at it alone.