We all have turning points in our lives that changes us for the better! I know I have had several moments that I can pinpoint that has changed me for the better. One of these times was when I attended a Time Out for Women (TOFW) a couple years ago. TOFW is a weekend conference chucked full of inspiring speakers, great music, and great company.
There was a moment at this conference that I believe was a changing point for me as a person. A singer from Mercy River was sharing some fun advice, in between their songs, when they showed a picture up on the screen. This picture was of a stick figure standing at the edge of a big pit. At the bottom of this pit was one word……NETFLIX. On the other side of the pit were the words, YOUR DREAMS! At the time it was funny because I could relate. My sister in-law and I, still to this day, joke often about this “pit that is stealing our dreams!”
I have contemplated a lot about this and decided I wanted to make a change in my life. There wasn’t very many days that would go by that I didn’t turn on Netflix. Before bed, doing laundry, taking an afternoon break…..somehow I always found time to watch something. I loved series because they were short, but yet season after season consumed me. After this conference I realized I didn’t want that pit to keep me from my dreams. I didn’t want to be an average person who got lost in another persons world. I wanted something more for my life.
At this point I decided I was going to control the amount of Netflix I watched, and not watch it during the day! It was HARD! I wasn’t always successful. It wasn’t easy to find something else to do that was productive. However, since then I have started doing things in my life that bring me happiness and closer to my dreams. We started homeschooling our boys, my friend and I started a non-profit organization that provides weekend food kits to children in our area, I am currently writing my first E-book, and I started this blog. I have much more to grow and so many more dreams I’m chasing. Some of these weren’t always a dream for me. Homeschooling wasn’t ever something I ever thought I would do. However, for me I can honestly say it has made me a better mother, and person! (Here is our homeschooling story)
I don’t say all of this to get a pat on the back or say that my dreams need to be yours. Your dream is completely different with a completely different outcome. On my wall I have a saying that says, “Average is the ENEMY to Excellence!” All it takes is a dream and removing whatever it is in your pit. Figure that out and start running.
I decided to create my own version of the graphic from the TOFW Conference and I then added my own twist to it! For me my pit was Netflix, for you it could be something completely different.
Here are a 5 things to help you to be successful in your journey to reach your dreams and get out of “the pit!”
#1 – Identify what is in your pit
Really evaluate this and decide what is most important in your life, and where you want to end up. This change does not come easy. I started out by not watching Netflix during the day. Now this is easier for me because I have found other things that I love to do to replace it.
#2 – Start removing that item in your pit from your life
This may take time! Every habit takes time to break! You need to replace that urge with something else. If you have a dream, focus on that dream. You want to start a business……..focus on that. You want to be present for your kids……..focus on that. Maybe it’s getting in shape……perfect…FOCUS ON THAT! That focus will be your reserve when your gas runs out!
#3 – Begin moving and taking the necessary steps to reach your dream.
For me, I didn’t know what my dream was initially. It took time til I found my passion. I learned that I love to write, inspire, and help others. That meant putting myself out there, which is completely out of my comfort zone! My happy place is in my own home. I LOVE being home! I have told my husband many times that I want to move up in the mountains on a big ranch and live in solitude! HA HA RIGHT! As lovely as that sounds, I don’t think I would be truly happy. I am being stretched in doing things that are uncomfortable to me. For example, social media is so not my thing, but is a must in the blogging world!
#4 – Learn all you can from others about your dream
READ READ READ all you can! There are so many other successful people out there that you can learn from. I love to learn from others who have been through it. Be inspired by these people!
#5 – If you fall and fail that is OK!
I recently attended a blogging conference where we listened to a key note speaker talk of her failures in her business. She focused on her failures for 1 reason. You can not succeed without first failing! As long as you are moving, either forward or backward, you are learning and trying! Just NEVER stop moving! She learned how to be successful during the times that she failed. We don’t know something is going to work until we try! If you fail at reaching your dream and you fall in the pit…..THAT IS OK!! Just get back up and climb out!
I love this quote by President Dieter F Uchtdorf
…..As the poet lamented, these are among those unfortunate souls who “die with [most of] their music [still] in them.”2
No one likes to fail. And we particularly don’t like it when others—especially those we love—see us fail. We all want to be respected and esteemed. We want to be champions. But we mortals do not become champions without effort and discipline or without making mistakes.
I hope this inspires you to find the music in you to make a difference in the world around you! It starts a day at a time, little by little, until you suddenly realize you have climbed the mountain!