encourage

You could be your Dream’s Greatest Obstacle
by

You could be your Dream’s Greatest Obstacle

Perhaps you’re in a place where you’re wondering why your dreams just seem to be playing hide-and-seek. There are a number of outside circumstances that can affect their ability to come true, yes, but have you considered that you might be the greatest obstacle?

It might be a tough thought to grasp, but grasping it can be the first step to shifting that dream-limbo reality. How might you be the greatest obstacle?

  1. You’re discouraged by missed opportunities. Discouragement is a rough thing to combat, and it never truly seems to go away even when things are looking up. After a series of unseized opportunities, it can shape your perspective into one that believes you’ve lost all opportunities and it’s time to give up. Nevertheless, discouragement can be beaten, and it doesn’t have to hold you back.
  2. You lack the motivation. I’ve come to believe that some people are more naturally lazier than others, and those individuals do have a tougher time getting places. Though not necessarily something to be ashamed of (we’re only human), it’s not something to be proud of either. A lack of motivation could be the cause, and so it would help to find some, a kind that will truly have a significant longterm effect on you so that it’s powerful enough.
  3. You restrain your potential. Either if it’s done unconsciously or with reason, holding yourself back just doesn’t make sense. There is no such thing as being “ready” for anything, so it will always be expected in vain. There are some mysteries about yourself that you haven’t uncovered yet. You’re never 100% discovered.
  4. You don’t take responsibility for failures. A lack of money or uncooperative people can easily suppress a dream, but putting the blame on them for your unfulfilled dream won’t resolve anything. The thing about those factors is that they can be adjusted with enough nitty gritty effort.
  5. You hang with the wrong crowd. Being around people who aren’t very motivated or goal-oriented is going to really hold you back. Seek out those peers who are innovative, independent, creative, and you’ll find yourself inspired to be the same.
  6. You keep your options a little too open. Quoting from an intriguing article I recently read by Psychology Today: “…our stress befalls the generation with the most optionality yet. This blessing could also be our curse.” It talks about how the stress present in the millennial generation comes from having an endless list of choices, from picking a breakfast cereal to choosing a career path. It’s been proven from research that the more options that are offered, the less likely someone is to make a solid decision. Rather, it makes us shy away and do nothing. Perhaps your dream isn’t happening because you’ve considered too many options. Even though they’re there, and they’re all equally achievable, it doesn’t mean they all should be achieved. You have to pick one path, and stick to that path. (read the article; I highly encourage it)

So, why isn’t your dream happening, you ask? Maybe it’s a matter of time, and maybe it’s something you can do. If you’re in the way, then step aside.

Your 3 Verbs
by

Your 3 Verbs

I’ve talked before in a past post on how to create a personal mission statement for yourself. Part of that process includes choosing three verbs that are most meaningful and exciting to you, three verbs that you believe will help you accomplish your core value. I shared that my three verbs came out to be Encourage, Inspire, and Support. I believe that these verbs, these actions, will help me achieve spreading my core value of Influence.

What do these verbs mean, and what do they mean to me or you? Verbs are a specific form of action. By choosing three certain verbs, they represent specific actions that we choose to focus on. Focusing our actions gives way to better and faster results. It achieves more specific results. If you’re determined to accomplish a certain goal, or simply spread a certain value, it is highly effective to hone your actions.

So what are your three verbs? If you don’t know what your core value is, more than likely choosing three verbs that inspire you the most will shine some light on it. It helps to begin with a big master list of verbs to pick from (courtesy of “The Path” by Laurie Beth Jones):

accomplish acquire administer adopt advance affect
affirm alleviate amplify appreciate ascend associate believe bestow brighten build
call
cause
choose
claim
collect combine command
communicate
compel compete complete compliment compose conceive

confirm connect consider construct contact continue counsel create
decide defend delight deliver demonstrate devise
direct discover discuss distribute draft
dream
drive educate
elect embrace encourage endow engage engineer enhance enlighten

enlist enliven entertain enthuse envision evaluate excite explore express extend facilitate finance forgive foster franchise further gather generate give
grant
heal
hold
host
identify ignite illuminate implement improve improvise inspire

integrate involve
keep
know
labor
launch
lead
master mature measure mediate model
mold motivate move negotiate nurture
open organize participate pass perform persuade play
possess practice praise prepare present produce

progress promise promote provide realize receive reclaim reduce
refine
reflect reform regard
relate
relax
release
rely remember renew resonate respect restore return
revise sacrifice safeguard satisfy
save
sell
serve
share

speak
stand summon support surrender sustain
take
tap
team
touch
trade translate travel understand uphold
use
utilize validate value venture verbalize volunteer work worship write
yield

 

If it’s hard to pick three, start with nine, and then eliminate. Give it a try 🙂

How to create a Personal Mission Statement
by

How to create a Personal Mission Statement

You’ve probably heard the term “mission statement” thrown around from time to time. Certainly from businesses, at least. The idea of an individual person having a mission statement probably isn’t a common concept.

A personal mission statement may seem like something pointless or frivolous, but if you create one, you’ll have clearer direction in life. What is a mission statement? Businesses and organizations all have them. They’re meant to help focus the business on a single purpose that it intends to achieve. This is the same function of a personal mission statement; it answers what you believe your purpose is and states what you intend to achieve during your lifetime.

With that in mind, the thought of figuring all that out seems daunting. But there are a few steps that will eventually get you to a clarified Personal Mission Statement.

  1. First, ask the question, “How do I want to be related to?” Identify a few things that people can best interact and relate to you. What do you value the most in others? For me it’s be loyal, be…
  2. Distinguish a metaphor illustrating how you want to be seen. For me, it is the image of a cheerleader on the sidelines, cheering people on, ready for when someone needs to run by for an encouraging hug.
  3. Identify your values. It helps to have a list of common values, like wisdom, honesty, benevolence, nobility, excellence, comfort, etc. From those values you pick, pair it down to one Core Value. What do you most want to represent in the world? What is a principle you’d be willing to die for? When I identified mine, it came to...Influence. This is my core value.
  4. A mission involves action. From a list of verbs, select a few that stand out to you and inspire you. Then, from those few, select three distinct verbs that are the most meaningful, purposeful, and exciting to you, three verbs that you believe will accomplish your core value. My three verbs? Encourage, Inspire, and Support.
  5. Ask yourself the question, “What do I want to see happen to others as a result of me?” I know you know something about this. Try to be as specific as possible. For me, it would be: I want to see people pursue and achieve their dreams because I encouraged and supported them.

By putting together all these pieces, a personal mission statement begins to emerge. It may change over time, get more detailed, become more clear, but a mission statement is meant to grow with you. And once you have this personal mission statement, your steps in life begin to have more meaning. You’re here for a reason. It’s exciting to figure out what that reason is 🙂

My personal mission statement?

My mission is to inspire purpose, encourage discovery, and support others in their pursuit of dreams.

So, what do you think your personal mission statement is?

by

I am resilient…

I don’t know many people who get as excited as I do when learning something new about themselves, but it’s always something worth getting excited about. I don’t know about you, but the more I know of myself, the more I feel capable of being successful.

It’s kind of recently where I’ve come to discover some things about myself, all related in some way to same concept: I can’t go down. Those moments of weakness where I’m so convinced I’m at the end for sure, I can never stay. Here’s a confession: I’ve actually attempted to stay in depression before, as if it’s going to help me. And here’s the funny, and very good, thing: I naturally cannot! When I think about that, I frown at myself for being so silly in the first place. And then I thank God that I’m too stubborn to let myself give up. Here’s what I’ve learned:

I am resilient. 

I hold integrity very high. Very high.

I am fiercely loyal. 

I am fiercely protective. 

I am innovative. Sometimes too much…

I am unwavering. I cannot be convinced that God is not with me.

I see potential everywhere. 

Discovering these things about myself has helped me identify where my strengths lie, and it also just establishes my purpose even more: to be an encourager, an inspirer. Being a resilient, loyal, protective, seer-of-pontential gives me the ability to identify the strengths of others and point out the potential that lies in them.

I want to be that person, the one in the background who gave the little push that put someone on stage, the one they turn around to and smile as I’m hiding behind the curtain, a smile that says, “Thanks, you made a difference.” And I smile back, an exchange only between me and them. Because to me, if I can but change one person’s life, then I will have done everything I was meant to do.

by

That’s what I’m here for

I’m here! I’m here!

I am ashamed of my absence as of late. I seem to be playing incognito. I hope you can forgive me 😦

There’s no point in saying, “things have been crazy lately…,” because that’s what everyone says. And not to mention it’s incredibly generic and prone to turn one’s interest and sympathy away.

And though here I am, saying this and that, all is well, so and so, I still can’t guarantee a lot of posts in this certain period of time. Perhaps you can relate? When life turns into a mouth and goes “OM NOM NOM” to your time and lifestyle? I know. That’s probably no excuse. I am on a journey, you see. A major self growth journey. Many important things in life have been needing my attention, but myself more than anything. Everyone needs a sabbatical, eh? My writing has taken a back burner, most tragically, and I want to fight to bring it back to front and center. This fight is expecting a lot of me, but now I think I am willing to give whatever it takes. Basically, have you ever had your moments when your dream seemed almost to turn to mist? It got close for me. It’s still a little close. But I’m not going to let it go.

I hope to still always inspire and encourage you. That’s what I’m here for. And I’m not going anywhere 🙂

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. -Isaiah 43:19

by

Future 15 (Last one!): Strive to Inspire

My life dream

One of my ultimate life goals is to inspire. Inspire anything; mainly creativity. I want to move people to think and create. Part of me believes I was meant to be so, to be an encourager and inspirer. It’s a lifelong goal, so I’ll always be going after it.

Don’t ever give up on your dreams. Like C.S. Lewis said, you’re never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.