by Suellen | Meeting the Challenges, Vision and Goals
Do you know your purpose in life? Or are you unsure about it? So many wonder about this.
Acts 17:26 tells us that God, our Creator, set the time we would live and the boundaries of our existence. There is a reason we are here right now.So you have a purpose. You have a unique set of gifts. You also have a unique set of desires which are part of your makeup.
If you are having trouble finding your life’s purpose, you aren’t alone;. Many people have trouble with that. Most people don’t get the proverbial bolt out of the blue that tells them what they’re meant to do. Most of us find our life’s purpose slowly, little by little as we go through our lives.
Here are 6 ways that will help you speed up the process. Keep an open mind as you proceed with this. You never know when you’ll find your perfect “fit.”
1.) Pray. And pray often.
Your Heavenly Father is the one who knows it all. He knows everything about you, and He will guide you if you allow Him to. Ask Him to show you as you continue with these ideas. You will learn to recognize that still, small voice within your heart. That’s Him urging you to go one way and not another.
2.) Check out your interests
What kind of things are you interested in? What are some things you like to read about? Are there things you collect or would like to collect? If you could talk to someone about anything, what would it be?
Your interests are clues to your life’s purpose. Start spending more time on them and see what comes up.
3.) Ask for advice
Talk to people in your life who know you the best. Ask them what they appreciate about you and what they think you should do with your life. Then listen to their feedback. If they know you well and are honest, they should have some interesting answers.
Often others can see things in you that you take for granted. When it’s your gift, it’s easy to think that everyone thinks that way.
4.) Read widely
Reading opens your mind to new horizons and possibilities. Go to the library and explore. Browse both the non-fiction and the fiction sections. Pick up any book that appeals to you and read it. This will lead you to new interests and new activities.
5.) Volunteer at church or for a charity.
In addition to helping those in need, volunteering has many benefits for the volunteer: it improves your self-esteem, increases your confidence and makes you grateful for what you have.
It also shows you new things about yourself and the world. Find a cause or two that you care about, and volunteer.
6.) Accept the Uncertainty
It’s hard not knowing what your life’s purpose is when you feel like you should know it and know it now, if not yesterday. That uncertainty is one of the hardest things for many people to accept. But one of the truths of having a life’s purpose is that you can’t force it.
Trust that God is leading you. Proverbs 4:16 says that the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn. It shines brighter and brighter until the noon day. As you continue to pray and do what seems right, you will find your clarity growing.
As you trust God, you’ll find doors opening to you that you never knew were there. Ideas popping up. New gifts being discovered.
In the meantime, relax and realize that God is directing your steps. Treasure each day and know that clarity will come as you go along.
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by Suellen | Meeting the Challenges, Success
Let’s clear something up right now! When we talk about Growth Mindset, we aren’t talking about perfectionism. In fact, tryingto be perfect can hinder your mindset.
Read on and I’ll explain.
There is a difference between excellence and perfection. You will never be perfect. Nobody is! However, you can strive for excellence!
Some mistakenly think that cultivating a growth mindset is a form of perfectionism. That’s not true. Growing your mindset is about improving and achieving excellence, not perfection. We aren’t perfect and we never will be!
There is another misconception. It says that, even if perfectionism isn’t part of a growth mindset, being a perfectionist is an aid to achieving a growth mindset. To this I would say, “No! No! No!’ Perfectionism actually works against achieving a growth mindset.
It’s a problem, and let me show you how.
Perfectionism is Compulsive
Again, no one is perfect, and no one can become so. Perfectionists not only deny this essential facet of the human experience, but they continuously try to disprove it. The desire to reach beyond the boundaries of the good into the realm of the perfect isn’t just a desire for them -it exceeds that and becomes a compulsion. T
his is a legitimate mental illness that often needs professional help to overcome. Even when it’s not that severe, compulsions aren’t compatible with a growth mindset.
Perfectionism Doesn’t Mean Growth
Not only are they different, these two are almost opposite one another. Perfectionism is about achieving a single goal of perfection and staying there. That’s impossible.
Growth, on the other hand, is about constantly growing and changing and trying to improve. They aren’t the same thing.
Perfectionism Is Driven by Fear
The driving force behind perfectionism isn’t a desire to improve oneself or to do better, much less to grow. The driving force behind it is fear, usually fear of failure.
This is unhealthy and can lead to serious issues such as burnout, stress, and depression. It can even result in the failure the perfectionist fears so much.
Perfectionism is Often Counterproductive
People who are perfectionists tend to believe that doubling down on the things that have worked in the past -working more hours, getting more credentials, etc. -is the surefire way to future success. This sometimes works -for a while. But eventually, it stops, because the rules of success change at different levels, and the end result is depression, anxiety, and burnout.
Is there any hope for a perfectionist? Yes.
Relax. Realize that no one – including you – is perfect.
Take a deep breath and think of some small changes you would like to make. As you love yourself and others while you love your work, you’ll accomplish more than you thought you could.
And let me say it again, “relax!”
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by Suellen | Meeting the Challenges, Online Success, Vision and Goals
Remember: Success doesn’t just happen, it comes to those who pursue it! And part of that pursuit is periodic monitoring of progress.
Some might call this “reflection.”
Reflection is an important tool you can use to grow your mindset. Use it regularly, and you’ll see great benefits. You should aim to reflect at least 2-3 times a week and preferably daily. This will help you identify what you’re doing right, what your current issues are, and where you should correct course.
These reflection questions are designed to help you do that on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Keep track of your progress by writing out the answers in a notebook or file and keep them to look back on later. Periodically you can review your old answers and see how far you’ve come.
Just a few minutes: 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 30 minutes, respectively will do the trick. You’ll be glad that you took that time!
Daily Questions
1.) What is one thing that went right today and why did it go right?
2.) What is one thing that went wrong today and is there anything I can do to change the outcome when this situation presents itself again?
3.) What did I do to improve myself today?
Weekly Questions
1.) What was my biggest success this week? Why did I succeed at it? How can I replicate this success in the future?
2.) What was my biggest failure this week? What caused it? How can I change things to prevent it from happening again?
3.) What did I do to improve my mindset this week?
4.) What did I learn this week?
5.) How much progress did I make toward my goals this week? Did I meet this week’s milestone? Why or why not?
Monthly Questions
1.) What went right this month and why? Is there a pattern to my successes throughout the month? How can I keep these things going in the future?
2.) What went wrong this month and why? Is there a pattern to my failures this month? How can I change to stop this pattern from repeating next month?
3.) What are the most important lessons I have learned this month? How can I implement them into my life for next month?
4.) What have I done to improve my mindset this month? Is it working? Should I try something else next month?
5.) What progress have I made toward my goals in the past month? Am I closer or farther away? Are there obstacles that have arisen? What can I do to speed up my progress?
These simple questions can be powerful if you check them routinely.
Course correction is the key one of your keys to success in anything. Your mindset will grow and your vision will increase with these simple periodic checks.
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by Suellen | Meeting the Challenges, Success, Vision and Goals
April had decided to go for the challenge to grow her mindset. As was often the case, she read the posts and dove into the work necessary to grow in her ability to see herself doing extraordinary things. She truly wanted to change her mindset.
Well, along came her family reunion. It was fun seeing everyone. They reminisced and laughed about some foolish past episodes. It was a wonderful time, and April was glad that she had put in the effort to go.
Yet there was an unexpected downside. When April got home, she fell into her old routine. Old habits. Old mindset.
When you are working through a challenge – especially about your mindset and your thought processes, it’s easy to slip back at such moments. You lose your momentum, and often there’s the “oh what does it matter?” danger.
But you want to do this, so here are three tips for getting a reboot on your journey.
There are several things you can do to start the process quickly. A few of them are outlined below. Be warned, though, that these aren’t for the faint of heart.
They’re also risky, in that if they are too ambitious, they can backfire and set you back. Know yourself and your probable reaction well before attempting any of these kickstarts!
1.) Volunteer for something new
New experiences and tasks are one of the things most likely to help change your mindset. Instead of starting small, you can go big, and one of those ways is by volunteering to do something new at home or work. It can be anything from a project committee at work to joining the school PTA to coaching your son’s soccer team.
There’s only one requirement: it must involve a commitment, so you can’t just back out when you have time to reconsider.
2.) Try something you normally wouldn’t consider
This means trying something way outside your comfort zone. Do you have set food preferences? Try the strangest dish on the menu. Are you a homebody? Call a friend and schedule an outing at a museum or concert.
Again, it can be big or small, but it needs to be something that involves a commitment so you’re not likely to back out. It also needs to involve something you wouldn’t ordinarily do.
3.) Do something daring
You have a bucket list. Everyone does, even if it’s not written down. What are the things you most want to do that seem out of the norm. Pick one and do it. Or commit to doing it.
Do you want to go back to school to change careers? Apply to the school.
Do you want to travel to India? Book the trip. (Or buy some books about it).
Do you want to write a book? Sit down and begin your outline. Who, What, and Why do you want to write? This one can really jumpstart a whole new chapter in your life!
This is the riskiest but most rewarding of the three options. It can make or break your attempt to change your mindset.
But if it works, the benefits will be spending the rest of your life having done something important to you. You’ll have the adventure of a lifetime -and a new growth mindset to boot
Help yourself and your Clients Overcome Limiting Beliefs
by Suellen | Meeting the Challenges, Success, Vision and Goals
We say change your mind and change your life. Let’s face it: It takes hard work!
Changing your mindset is one of the hardest things you can do. There are going to be ups and downs along the way. You’re going to run headfirst into challenges. You’re going to fall down. You’re going to fail.
Uh oh! Let’s get real – you need help.
That’s why you don’t want to do this alone. You’re going to need support from other people. Humans are social creatures, after all, and we depend on our social networks to keep us going and get us through hard times.
How do you find support? Many people who have changed to a more productive mindset have left some clues about finding help from others.
1.) Join a support group
These go by many names and can be focused on growth mindset work alone or personal development in general. Most of them are free or only cost a small fee. There are both in-person and online groups. You’re bound to find one that fits you if you look.
There are Meetups or groups in local business organizations. You can also check out Facebook groups.
These groups will give you a place to get advice or just a place to vent when you need it! If you choose the right group, the people are working through the same issues you are.
2.) Surround yourself with positive people
You are a reflection of the people closest to you. Make sure those people closest to you are positive people. Try to do this in both your personal and your work life. This will help you stay positive in the good times and help lift you up when times get bad.
3.) Alter or end toxic relationships
I’m not talking about getting a divorce or quitting your job. But there are some friends who aren’t good for you. If you find yourself in a toxic relationship (of any sort from romantic to work) do your best to turn it into a positive one. Don’t allow their negativity to influence you.
There may be some friends which you will see less often. That’s ok. Pray for them,
Finally, don’t let anyone cause you to feel depressed or “less than.” If there is someone in your life who says negative things about you, learn to shake those things off. Don’t drink the poison.
Forgive them and know that God sees you differently.
4.) Find a Life Coach.
Sometimes we all need a little one-on-one help to overcome our issues or figure out how to get around an obstacle. There’s no shame in seeking help. In fact, being willing to ask for help is one of the characteristics of a growth mindset.
So, if you need to, seek out someone who can help you. The rewards will be more than worth the time, money, and effort.
