-Do not wish to be anything but what you
are and try to be that perfectly. –St. Francis De Sales
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Encouraging Words
August 2003
Welcome to Encouraging Words monthly
newsletter. This FREE newsletter is designed to encourage you
in creating a life so joyful and authentic, you radiate. Please
pass it along to friends you would like to inspire.
"You
know it’s up to you. You always have an option, to choose what
you wanna do, take control or run and hide. It’s OK to take a
fall, if you have good intentions. As long as you give it all,
you’ll feel good inside.”
--Millencolin
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Have you been stocking up? Have you
at least made a stocking up plan? After the blackout I went through
while visiting family in Detroit, I am more convinced than ever
in the importance of being prepared.
Whose Life Is This Anyway?
We have this idea that we are just
looking at our life as it bobs this way and that according to
whatever outside waters are propelling us. We think we have to
work this many hours because of our house payment, instead of
looking at it from another direction like moving into a smaller
house or finding a job with better pay.
We say I’d love to…write, travel,
paint, ride horses, learn yoga, but I just don’t have the…time,
money, energy… I think many of these “valid excuses” are just
ways to hide from risking. In Simple Abundance, Sarah Ban Breathnach
writes, “Many of us have unconsciously erected seemingly insurmountable
barriers to protect ourselves from failing or succeeding. We may
think we’re protecting ourselves by ignoring or denying our creative
impulses, but really all we are doing is burying our authentic
selves alive.”
Doing our own thing is risky. We don’t
want to risk failure- or worse looking silly. But, look around.
The happiest people are those doing their passion despite the
difficulties or fears.
What kind of barriers or excuses do
you use to keep you from the life you really want to live? From
what fears are you trying to save yourself?
So many people have worked to make
their dreams come true. They may have had to do drastic things
like sell their house and live out of a trailer so they could
travel the world. Some may have had to cut out some of their spending
in order to quit their hated job and open their own business.
Maybe you will have to take the risk of saying no to someone in
order to take time for a drawing class. Read up on people that
are doing what you long to do. Let them help you find solutions
to your barriers.
Take Action
Write down your three main excuses
for not living the life you want.
1.
2.
3.
Brainstorm ways to work around these
barriers. Research online. Talk to people who have done what you
want to do.
Look behind the barriers and journal
what fears may be behind the excuses.
Take one risk each day this week to
forward your dream.
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~==~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Self-Care Tips for
August:
·
Buy
some fantastic pens at the back-to-school sales
·
Spend
an hour doing a hobby you love
·
Eat
a fresh tomato from your garden or a farmer’s market
·
Go
to bed early every night for a week
"Nothing
happens unless first a dream."
-Carl Sandburg
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~==~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Relationship Ideas
for April:
·
Do
someone else’s chores
·
Call
a friend to go out for lunch at a new restaurant in town
·
Tape
a show for someone who is going to miss it
·
Go
on a boat ride with your partner or friend
"Begin
somewhere; you cannot build a reputation on what you
intend
to do."
-- Liz Smith
I have my own domain now! You can
visit me at www.encouragingcoach.com
I am setting up my fall list of clients.
If you would like a free exploratory session to see if coaching
is right for you, e-mail me at In your request let
me know if you prefer e-mail or phone call sessions.
I encourage you this month to live
out your passions, to be thankful every day and to stand up to
fear.
Beth Dargis
www.encouragingcoach.com
Copyright (c) 2003 Beth Dargis, Zeeland,
Michigan. All rights reserved. Feel free to use these articles
on your website and newsletters as long as thefooter is included.
Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute this e-letter
so long as this copyright notice and full information attributing
Beth Dargis is attached.
To subscribe send a blank email to:
encouragingwords-subscribe@topica.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email
to: encouragingwords-unsubscribe@topica.com
