The Positive Part – How To Have the Time of Your Life!

As children we are very good at dreaming and as parents we go out of our way to accommodate a child’s desires.  “I want to wear my fairy costume today!” – well ok, if it makes you happy.  “I want to go to the park.” – we’ll find time to go this afternoon.  “I want to be a pop star.” – perhaps we’ll get you piano lessons.

Unfortunately as we grow up and take on more responsibilities, we think more about what we have to do, and not what we want to do.  What’s more, there is rarely anyone there who will move heaven and earth to help us achieve our dreams.  Or is there?  Perhaps there is, but first you’ve got to allow yourself to dream again.

Lots of people think dreams are selfish.  They find it hard to admit that they want to make changes in their life.  They think that they should be satisfied with their lot.  But there’s no harm in having healthy aspirations.  Remember that everything in life was created first in someone’s head.

Taking the time to think about how you really feel about your life and what you want to achieve is a powerful, motivating experience.  It will give you something to get genuinely excited about.

Positive Practice This exercise is designed to help you identify your dreams and to turn them into reality.  By the time you’ve finished you’ll be well on your way to making really positive changes in your life.  If you’re short on time, you can complete each part of the exercise at a different sitting.  Let’s get started! Firstly, think about what you want.  Do you have any long lost ambitions that you’d like to resurrect?  What did you really enjoy and get lost in when you were a child or a teenager? It’s time to get nostalgic. Don’t be shy.  Remember, dreams by their very nature can be big and unrealistic! Next, consider what your barriers are.  What is preventing you from achieving your dream?  Is it money, time or a lack of confidence or information? Finally, break down the barriers.  This might take some creative thinking and sheer guts and determination.  If time is a barrier, reach out to family, friends and colleagues.  Try to come up with achievable solutions that will give you the time you deserve.  Remember, the main barrier between you and what you really want is YOU – every time! If you’re concerned about approaching people to help you to achieve your dream, go www.milecastle.co.uk.  I’ve created a worksheet that gives ideas on how to make the most of people in your life. Click here to download it.

What Can You Do?

Alison from Streetly wanted to be alternative.

Alison was a nurse. She had always been interested in alternative therapies, such as reiki and hypnotherapy.  She dreamed about bringing these ideas into her work, but the bureaucracy and pressures of her NHS job seemed to make this impossible.  During her Spring Forward programme she recreated that dream of her patients thanking her for positive drug-free interventions. It totally motivated her to undertake further training and now she offers alternative therapies at work and uses with them to help friends improve their health. She now feels that she is living her dream and is getting much more from her work.

What Can You Read?

Practical Meditation by Sister Jayanti.  If you have a busy mind and focus too much on the present, this book will help you make more dreaming space.

http://www.lucidity.com/ A site full of resources about lucid dreaming - the conscious awareness that you are dreaming.  Many people use this to rehearse for success in waking life.

The Inner Game of Work by W Timothy Gallwey.  This book focuses on overcoming the mental obstacles that are holding you back at work.  The principles are applicable to all areas of your life.

What’s Happening?

Senior Women’s Development

If you have reached a plateau as a manager, team leader or senior specialist, then its time to look for your next move, whether it’s a promotion or sideways move to broaden your experience.  You may have already attended a Springboard or other development course in the past but need to take a fresh look at your goals and ambitions.  You may just be wondering “Is this it?  Is there more I can do?”  Whatever your motivation, a Spring Forward course can help you assess where you are, understand how gender, culture and managerial issues, influence communication and motivation at work, find mentoring support to match your aspirations, and become more positive and self motivating.

We are already running internal programmes for clients and we will be running further programmes later in the year.  Contact us now to find out how you can achieve your potential at this level.

Positive Praise

“Thank you for these newsletters. They are very timely reminders to relax.  I think I had a very stressful year last year but a lot of it was all in my mind and your tips are going to be very helpful to make sure that I don't fall into the same traps again this year.”

Pam

“Starting a new job soon so will really need this stuff!”

Noelle

Don’t forget you can get regular doses of positive energy by reading BlogPositive.

In next month’s newsletter we’ll be looking at your outlook on life and how it is influencing you and what you are able to achieve.