This past Thursday, Don shared with us his most recent presentation entitled “ Creating the Life you Want to Live”

Don began by sharing that we need to begin dreaming again with purpose. We are all one decision away from living our dream life.  If you have been thinking about making a change in your life lately, your fear of change may have talked you back into the normal. Most of us put up with things in our lives we don’t like longer than we should. Don’t forget our lives are more important than what the cynics say or what social media is telling us. Remember it is okay to make a change, but not drastically. Try taking small steps. Remember to keep your eyes on your goal and your dream vision.  Learn to dream bigger than the drama in your life, or you will get distracted. 

There will always be drama and distractions that try to overcome your dreams.  When these distractions happen, we need to find our own ways to get back on track and pursue our dreams again. 

     So you will have to ask yourself, are you ready for massive change? Are you ready to, every day, listen to you heart and soul and stay on path? We have to decide if we are ready to plot our way to a grail life, and do whatever it takes to get there, knowing that this might be the most difficult thing we have ever done. So, what does an extraordinary life look like for you? What are the problems you have standing in the way of your dream life?  How do you plan to overcome those problems? 

A purpose built on who your adult self is your grail. Designing your best possible future with a plan to get there.  Believe that your extraordinary life has no ceiling.  Do not limit your ambitions and your dreams.  Clearly define your work life balance as part of your grail. Set limits and boundaries. 

So where do we start. What is your path? 

P: passions and interests 

A:  spend more time with your unique abilities.  Document the things that you do and leave the stuff you find boring to others.

T: tenacity, do not give up on that.  Develop the skills that you need.

H: Helpfulness, be of service to others. 

So, what are some other things that will help with your dreams?

The power of energy. How will I increase my energy and use it?

The power of Physiology and Vitality. How will I take care of my body?

The power of emotional fitness and physiological strength. How will I take care of my mind?

The power of connection and caring. How can I help others and they help me?

The power of strategic planning and effective decision making. Make a plan and carry it through. 

The power of vision and purpose. Construct your dream world so you can close your eyes and see it.

The power of massive action and momentum. We can all do more. Let the progress and momentum power you when you are down. We all show resilience every day.

The power of an extraordinary environment. Let your friends help you along your way.

The power of one more. When you are tired and have had a bad day, give it one more day, give it your all, and get going down your path again.

Another thing Don shared was encouraging us to think of someone in our lives who was a lighthouse to you. Someone who was a mentor, a teacher, a guide, someone who believed in you.

Write down their name and what they taught you. Determine who needs you to be their lighthouse now. And how you can do that. Or maybe train to be a lighthouse for others? 

Decide what you are most grateful for today. 

Do not be afraid to set boundaries with others and to say no.

Decide who is on your team. Who is not on your team?

Don also talked about our personal life philosophies. We have all developed life philosophies. We have all built guideposts to keep us on track, and tell us if we are or aren’t being true to our authentic selves.

So what are some of your philosophies?

He also shared some ways to get started when we are thinking about our philosophies.

#1 we are all here, no matter what life has thrown at us. Somehow we have survived. 

We all value life and we realize life is precious and a gift. So stay engaged, stay present and focus on meaningful pursuits. Don encouraged us to take a few minutes and come up with a few philosophies of our own. 

Some life principles to think about. 

My identity: who do I think I am

My intention: what is my reason for doing any specific things I do.

Demands of the world: prioritizing what work you need to do on yourself vs. the demands of a job, family and life.

Focus: how easy is it for you to keep on task, don’t let the details derail you.

Drive: the power of your inner voice to show up, and take advantage of the opportunities in front of you.

Mentor others; pass it along, pay it forward. 

Make your principals into actions. Surround yourself with strivers on their own missions, people who have the ambition to make their own lives better. 

A few more things to consider when it comes to your dreams. 

What do you want to be remembered for and by whom?

Whatever way you change your journey, include joy, bring it with you wherever you go.

And whatever you do, do it now, and do not be afraid and leave nothing to regret.

There may be changes in your life that you have been thinking about making. Start by writing down a list of your philosophies and life principles. You may have a fear of the what if’s, and awfulizing and  blowing up a small reason for not making this change, such as maybe I’m not good enough, and that you don’t deserve it. If you think these things, you will not know for sure unless you try. 

Take a look at your ambition and visualize how much better your dream can be than today. Begin by writing down your dream. Bring the dream back into focus. Realize that dreamland you write down today is not the end. There is no arrival, no happily ever after finish line. The dreamland you wrote down is a goal and when you achieve it, there will be something else to go for, something else to achieve. Something else to keep growing toward, to get better at. Something else to test, to be curious about, to grow into.