Take Action: Move Towards Success

                                                          
Copyright 2014 Joan Y. Edwards
"Take Action: Move Toward Success" by Joan Y. Edwards


Here we are in the second month of the year. How is it going? Are you moving towards your goals? 2014 is a year marked as one for your publication success. Don't sit on your dreams. Do your part. Move toward your goals now.

Here are 7 ways to help you keep moving to your goals.
  1. Be Thankful
  2. Accept Yourself As You Are
  3. Relinquish Control
  4. Have Faith in Yourself
  5. Exercise
  6. See with Different Eyes
  7. Celebrate

1. Be Thankful

  • Albert Schweitzer quote: “In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
  • Buddha quote: "Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."
  • Thornton Wilder quote: "We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."
  • Yogi Bhajan quote: "Gratitude is the open door to abundance."
If you want something other than what you have, be grateful for what you have. If you are unhappy with the situation you are in, be grateful that it's not worse, and believe that it will get better. Focus on what you want. Be thankful for what you have.

2. Accept Yourself As You Are

For the last four years I studied Hale Dwoskin's Sedona Method about letting go. Letting go of expectations allows you to enjoy the moment as it is. Letting go of wanting and trying to get control of the people in your life, frees you to enjoy the gifts another person offers to you. They might not have the gift you demand and expect from them. When you put a block out and don't accept others as they are, you may never recognize the gift they reach out to hand you. Because your Mother or Father was a certain way, you may think a prospective mate might be that way. Look for the good in people. Let go of your unreasonable expectations in yourself and others.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't set goals for yourself. It means to stop spending all of your energy resisting the way things are. When you take back your energy, then you make a better pathway for your new and improved life to enter.

I think a lot of unhappiness comes from not enjoying things as they are and wanting something else.
The saying is very powerful and healing: "It is what it is." Accept it. Make plans to improve the situation in which you live. Love. Reach out in kindness. Look for the good in others. Look for the good inside yourself.

3. Have Faith in Yourself

The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen...Frank Lloyd Wright
  • Don't feed your mind with negative thoughts. If you do, you will come to believe them...Catherine Pulsifer
  • If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning...Gandhi
  • It is not so much what you believe in that matters, as the way in which you believe it and proceed to translate that belief into action...Lin Yutang
  • Believe in yourself and try not to take anything personally...Chris Kattan.
  • Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string...Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Believe in yourself. Your belief will take you to your goal. When you stop believing in your ability to get there, something happens. You crumble. In order to meet your goal, you have to stabilize your belief system so that it gets you where you want to go.

4. Relinquish Control

It's amazing how much human beings want control of things. When you don't know how it's going to turn out, you are afraid to venture into the "unknown." If you know it's going to turn out okay, then you are willing to take a chance. When you get your belief system straight, you realize that all events lead you to your goals. They may be interesting detours, but if you reset your beliefs and restate your goals, you will get there. Why do I say that? Because inside your mind, you have an automatic success mechanism. Maxwell Maltz explains this in the Psycho-Cybernetics book. Like airplanes with automatic piloting systems, when you set your goals and believe you can do it, your automatic success mechanism goes to work and takes you to your goal.  If you stop believing, it takes you in the direction of failure. Believe in you and your goals. Believe in you.

5. Exercise - Move your body

When you move your body, you also help your mind. This keeps your emotions from going haywire. It keeps your body in shape. It keeps your mind's gears moving smoothly. Do what you can. Move to your own rhythm. Dance, jog, walk, sit and move whatever you can. Just move it. You'll get ideas to solve problems. Your stress levels will decrease. You'll be healthier. Try it. You'll like it.

6. See with Different Eyes

It's possible to get to your goals, you might need new skills. If you've lost your zest for your goals, perhaps you need to find a path that's fun for you.  Look at things differently.  You need to look at the situation with a different eye. Talking with a good friend sometimes opens up possibilities of ways to get there that you have never heard of. New roads can be built to your goal. Build them in your mind. They will take you where you want to go.

7. Celebrate

It is great to celebrate any time and every possible moment in your life.Oprah Winfrey said, "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."
Help others celebrate, too. Fill yourself with as much joy as you possibly can. There's one thing about joy, it is contagious. It spreads from you to another person.

Have you ever noticed what happens when one person starts laughing uncontrollably. Oh my goodness! That is such fun. Others who are close to them will also start laughing. Pretty soon, endorphins (good feeling healing chemicals are dancing inside your body and mind. Try it. Here's a recording of me laughing. I hope you start laughing with me: recording of my laughter.

Record a spontaneous laughing session with your whole family.  Record you and two of your friends laughing. Play it back on days when things are tough. It'll help you remember that good things are coming your way.
  • Have a picnic on your living room floor.
  • Read your favorite book.
  • Call a friend.
  • Sit at the edge of your yard and watch for wildlife.
  • Sit at a window and rejoice that you are comfortable.

Right now. List 10 things you can do to move closer to your goal. Go ahead. Send a letter to yourself.  Text yourself. Each time you take action say to yourself, "This is getting me closer to publication of my book."



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Thanks for reading this post. I'd love for you to share your goals and the steps you've taken or plan to take to succeed.

Celebrate you.
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards

My Books:
Flip Flap Floodle, even mean ole Mr. Fox can't stop this little duck
Paperback, Kindle and Nook
Joan’s Elder Care Guide, Release date June 2014 by 4RV Publishing

Copyright © 2014 Joan Y. Edwards
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10 comments:

Karen Cioffi said...

Joan, what a wonderful post. I love the quotes and you provided lots and lots of reasons why and how-tos to get us where we should be - reaching our goals.

This post should be read over and over!

Shirley Corder said...

Thank you Joan, I loved this. As for your recording, that's priceless! This is something I hardly ever do - laugh aloud. I wish I understood that but it's a fact. I'm a happy person, and I chuckle, and sometimes get the giggles but a real belly laugh? Treasure that ability - and thanks for sharing!

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Karen,
Thanks for not only reading the post, but also writing a comment. I'm glad you loved the quotes and the many reasons why and how to get you to your goals. I wish you much luck and courage to take that next step to get over the little hump in the road!

You are a fun person!
Never Give Up
Joan

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Shirley,
Thanks for reading this post. I appreciate you taking the time to write a note, too. I'm glad you liked my laughter recording. I had fun doing it. You can do it...the belly laugh. If you don't, it's okay. Giggles and chuckles are healing, too and loads of fun.

Do what is fun for you!
Never Give Up
Joan

Linda Wilson said...

Hi Joan, I'm going to keep this post because it has so many things to help keep me going! I think I accomplish steps 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 pretty well--I keep trying. But steps 3 and 6, hmm, could use some help. I will cut out those parts and put them on my bulletin board and work on them, thanks to you! I have a request. Would you explain in a future post how you put together your terrific images? I noticed you copyright them. I could use an explanation on how you do that, too. Thanks for being you, Joan. You're terrific!

Linda A. said...

Joan,
Nice collection of tips. It's important to celebrate each success. My first magazine activity was sold to "Celebrate" magazine. How about that?

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Linda Wilson,
Thank you for writing. I'm proud that you're doing great with 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7. Good luck with doing more believing in you and seeing with different eyes. I believe in you. Hmm. You'd like to know in a future post how I create my images. I'll do that in the future. For now, it's a secret. I'm really glad you like them. Several people want a workshop in that area, too. It may be awhile for that. I do like creating the images for my blog. It is fun. I sometimes draw them myself, but most of the time lately I've created from different areas. I'm glad you like them well enough to ask how I do it. You made me smile.

Celebrate you
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Linda Andersen,
Thanks for writing. I'm glad you liked the collection of tips. You do a great job of celebrating each writing success you've had. That is interesting that your first article you had published was in "Celebrate" magazine. They helped you remember that very important part of living.

Celebrate you
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards

Kathleen Moulton said...

Joan, you're fantastic! I always look forward to your posts. I literally felt "lighter" while reading. I agree with Karen. This needs to be regularly read.

Kathy

Joan Y. Edwards said...

Dear Kathleen,
Thank you for writing. I am glad you like my posts. I hope you find words to make you feel lighter every day of your life.

Never Give Up
Joan

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