Be fearless! I love this video by The Case Foundation. Allow it to inspire you. Dream big. Take a chance. Fail fast. Have fun. 

Promise me that you'll take one step toward your dream. Today. The world needs your talent, beauty and love. Tess xo

Fearless people succeed because they think, speak and act differently than those who stay stuck and make excuses.

People ask me, all the time, how I became bold and courageous. There are a couple of reasons. I was one of ten children; number six from the top. As a young child, I learned to speak up and take action in order to get my needs met.

By the time I was 22 years old, I was married and already a mom with four daughters. I traded my freedom for a ton of responsibility, without thinking much about it. I grew up very quickly. It took a lot of guts, courage and determination.

Today, I have a wonderful family and a massive amount of experience with living fearlessly.

No matter where you are in your life, you can act your way out of a fearful situation. You can thrive.

If being bold and courageous is something that interests you, here's what fearless people do differently.

1. Be authentic, scared and vulnerable. Don’t hide how you feel. Don’t pretend. Be who you are. Face and embrace your fear. Let your uniqueness shine. Being real is very attractive.

2. Learn from failure. When you mess up; learn from your mistake and try again. There is no reason to be ashamed, embarrassed or fearful. Failure builds character. It creates epic tales of grand adventure. Failure leads to freedom. Fail your way to success. The sooner. The better.

3. Challenge convention. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Leo Babauta told me a few years ago that his plan is to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.  He recently lowered the price of his Sea Change Program from $26 to $10 a month. 

4. Connect with others. Really connect. Get away from your electronics and connect face-to-face. Check in with people. Listen for what others need; meet those needs. Go the extra mile without expecting a thing in return. 

5. Speak up. Don’t be afraid to be heard. State your opinion. Take a stand. Let others know who you are and what you’re all about. You count. You matter. Fearless people know that! 

6. Take action. The wisdom and knowledge you have won’t count for much until you put it into action. Don’t read another book. Embrace fear. Act. Don’t go to another conference. Act. Put your dream on your daily to-do-list. 

7. Do what it takes. Take risks. Do the things you’re afraid to do. Dare. Go after what you want. Don’t spend your time over thinking or over analyzing. Don’t hold back; ask for support. Bet on yourself. 

8. Ask for help. Ask someone to mentor you. Ask for direction. Ask for what you want, when you want it. Most people love to help others. If the answer is “no,” ask someone else. Fearless people are good at asking for and receiving help. Fearful people stop after one rejection.

9. Learn to trust yourself. Keep the commitments you make to yourself and others. Do what you say you’re going to do. Write down your promises so you don’t forget them. Follow through. When you can trust yourself, you’re more likely to trust others. 

10. Learn new skills. Learn to enjoy challenges. When I wanted to be a better parent, I took parenting classes. When I decided to be a professional speaker, I joined Toastmasters. Currently, I’m taking a class called: “Leveraging Up,” It will take me to the next level both personally and professionally. 

11. Shrink your fear. Take your power back. Stand tall. Look fear in the eye. Mentally see it get smaller and smaller. See yourself get taller and taller. Hold your head up high, pull your shoulders back and act confident. Soon you’ll feel that way too! 

12. Expect the best. Expect to succeed. Believe it will happen. Create a mental movie with an amazing ending. What if you believed the best is yet to come? How would you feel and what would you do today?

13. Don't give up. Try again. Brainstorm solutions. Do something different. Look for the lesson. Look at the problem from a different perspective. Take a break and begin again. Go beyond the fear of not succeeding. Never give up. Never.

Please share your thoughts below. 

Guest post from Joanna Warwick

Nothing makes me feel more stuck and frustrated than delays.

Delays don’t have to mean you won’t achieve your goals but, sometimes, to achieve the end goal, you must have a detour, to experience something you need to learn, to help you get where you want to be.

A few months ago I went on a great snowboarding holiday, but when travelling home I got stuck in a series of events that had nothing to do with me, starting with missing the flight.

I just wanted to get home, but instead I had to sit in traffic for hours on a crowded bus, and then wait around for hours for another flight now having to be redirected to Birmingham, then endure a five-hour train journey to where I had originally parked my car, and then a two-hour drive to my home in Cornwall.

My journey went from an easy four hours to a frustrating fourteen hours, and added an extra £350 to my costs.

I could have seen it as my punishment for having a good time – and honestly this is something I may have believed in the past.

Life’s Resilience Tests

Instead, I just saw it as a test of my resilience: how I can cope with life’s winding path and not being in control. Actually, it turned out to be a bit of an adventure as I met some really nice people, was inspired by randomly meeting a very successful creative business entrepreneur, and even met a guy I went on a couple of fun dates with afterwards.

In the end, my travel insurance covered most of my costs and so, overall, I gained more than I lost.

With hindsight, I can make sense of it and know how it panned out – which I couldn’t see when I was in the situation. All I could do then was trust that I would get home eventually.

When it came to launching my new business/ blog site, I was again faced with delays that were out of my hands. Some were due to other people, some due to technical issues, and none were mine to resolve.

The way I coped with it demonstrated how much I have changed. How much more confident, stronger and calmer I am than I used to be. I was able to roll with it, not get stressed out, and let things sort themselves out – and, of course, everything got resolved in time.

These small reminders and tests are all part of a life lesson I’ve had to learn the hard and painful way.

I fell deeply in love nearly four years ago, but deep down I knew I wasn’t ready for what that meant.

My fears made me stubborn, so I tried my hardest to be ready and, the more I pushed to make it happen, the more we couldn’t connect, the further and further apart we became. The more I fought, the worse the situation got, and more painful it became.

The timing just wasn’t right.

I tried really hard to ignore it, because I was scared I would lose out if I didn’t hold on tightly; I was scared I would miss out on love!

It felt as if I was fighting tooth and nail against life and the universe; a mighty heavyweight opponent. I became utterly exhausted, as if I had been paddling upstream, or against the current. When I finally was too tired to fight any more, I gave in and accepted I wasn’t in control.

For a long time I believed it was because I wasn’t good enough and I was making mistakes and this was my punishment. Now, safely out on the other side of the struggle, I know the truth.

My heart’s desire was right; I just wasn’t ready to live it yet…

Gradually my life began to change and I began to see my dreams unfold, one small step at a time. As I grew stronger and more confident, my trust and patience grew also.

My journey since then, as with my whole life, has been full of detours.

Sometimes I didn’t want to take those detours; it felt as if I was being pushed and shoved by a greater force. Oh, how I resisted, and hurt and bruised myself in the process: now, I understand it was all for my own good.

Slowly I began to reconnect with my faith ~ faith in the knowledge that I am loved.

I may not have liked it or enjoyed it, but every push, shove, detour, diversion or delay was a demonstration of tough and soft love by life, the universe, by love itself, to make me ready for my dreams and guide me to my future and all that is waiting for me.

Yes, have dreams and goals, follow your heart, take action where you can, believe and really go for what you want.

When you find that life is getting in your way though, blocking your path, slowing you down or diverting you, remember it is not about rejection, punishment or even abandonment; it is simply life loving you.

Life is trying to guide you.

Yes you are worthy of your dreams and yes you may think you are ready to achieve them. However life knows better and this is life’s way of showing you you’re just not quite ready yet, but you will be…

As every good comic knows timing is everything, but in life we have little control over that. So just find a little faith, let go of your fears and trust that it will all work out in good time, just as it is meant to.

Bio: Jo Warwick is a writer, healer and believer in the magic of life…

Do you want to fall in love with life again? Discover how to bring freedom, fun, excitement, joy and love back into your life. Visit Rediscover the Magic: download for FREE  Tess Marshall’s interview part of the guest expert interview collection.

Please share your thoughts!

Everyone gets rejected, says the wrong things and experiences failure. When it happens to you, there is no reason to be so hard on yourself. 

You don’t have to be your own worst enemy. Beating up on yourself doesn’t get you anywhere. No matter what you will always be a person of value! 

Instead, choose to change;create a new habit. Learn to treat yourself with compassion, forgiveness and grace. Choose to be gentle on yourself. 

Read on and discover how to lighten up and think well of yourself no matter what happens. 

Look for the blesson. Look for the lesson. What went wrong? How can you do things differently the next time? Choose to grow forward and learn from painful situations. When you do, your lesson becomes a blessing … or a blesson. 

Make life a positive process. Believe in your worthiness and brilliance. Take small steps and go at your own pace. Forget about time, be patient and have faith. 

Change your approach.  Become aware of your self-talk and think before you speak to yourself. Quiet your inner critic with kind words and loving affirmations, sprinkled with understanding and compassion. 

Sit in stillness. Ask for guidance. Listen to your intuition. When you can remain calm, without judgment, you are ready to carry on. 

Don’t sweat the small stuff.  Beware of the temptation to make mountains out of molehills. Our egos like to make horror movies out of our errors. Ask yourself, “Will this matter six months or a year from now? Lighten up and go with the flow. 

Do the opposite. Reward yourself for trying. Spend time being creative. Do something interesting. Spend your energy focused on the important, wonderful and beautiful things in life. 

Get off the pity pot. Everybody has problems. Nobody wants to listen to you complain about yours. If you need to feel sorry for yourself, put a limit on it. Give yourself 24 hours to be miserable; then get up and try again. Count your blessings, not your troubles. 

Create a loving mantra. I am beautiful, kind and enough. Say it to yourself when you are down or when you feel rejected and defeated. Repeat it when you catch yourself falling back into self-criticism. Repeat it when you can’t sleep at night. Practice it every time you have to wait in line. 

Get excited about your future. Learn to expect the best. Remain positive. Refuse to give up. I'm on your side and I have all the faith in the world in you.

Please leave your thoughts below.

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Accepting yourself is essential to our mental, physical and spiritual health.  Yet it’s not an easy thing to consistently do.

We convince ourselves that we’ll feel more worthy when we weigh less, earn more or have a great sex life. We give ourselves more credit when we have happy kids, a lot of stuff or important friends.

Without self-acceptance we never feel that we are enough, have enough or do enough.  We complain, compare and feel empty inside. Self-acceptance has nothing to do with external things and circumstances.

It’s not something we can gather or earn.

Self-acceptance is:

• A choice to acknowledge and embrace your weaknesses, imperfections and flaws 

• A decision that allows you to be your authentic self

• A belief that you’re worthy and valuable “as is,” right now

• A choice that enables you to trust your feelings, take risks, be happy now and have faith that things will always work out

9 Simple Steps for Accepting and Loving Yourself: 

1. Be present.

Make it a practice to enjoy and live life in the moment. Appreciate each day. Let go of business and hyperactivity. Now is the most important time of your life. Let go of what you have to “do” and choose how to “be.” Learn to be your own best friend. Enjoy yourself and your life. 

2. Identify with your higher self. You are not your successes or your failures. You are not your habits or your mistakes.  You are not your past or your stories. There is nothing about you that is broken. There is nothing to fix. Your essence is goodness and love. You are a miracle. You are whole and complete just as you are. 

3. Hit delete. Replace your negativity with high quality thoughts. It's mean to belittle, judge or punish yourself. Let go of self-put downs. Learn to think well of yourself. Treat yourself with gentleness and compassion.

4. Learn to trust yourself.  Do what you say you’re going to do.  Use your intuition or inner wisdom to dissolve any problems. Keep your promises and speak your truth. Integrity wipes out doubt, anxiety and fear. As you trust yourself, you learn to trust all of life.

5. Say "yes." You either accept or reject yourself all of the time. There is no in between. Poor self-care and ignoring your needs are acts of rejection. Learn to say "yes" to yourself. "Yes" to healthy living. "Yes" to self-honoring. "Yes" to self-kindness. "Yes" to goodness and pleasure.

6. Forgive yourself. Accept that you will never be perfect. Making mistakes are a part of life. Give yourself permission to begin again. Give yourself a clean slate. When you do, your entire life and spirit shift and you restore not only your happiness but an awareness of your inestimable value.  

7. Feel good. Self-acceptance feels good. When you feel good, you notice, accept and attract more abundance in your life. Your heart opens, your cup overflows and life feels amazing. 

8. Focus on your strengths. Praise yourself for what you do right and what you get right. Learn to praise and talk lovingly to yourself. What if you did that for the rest of your life? How would your self-image change?

9. Help others. Mahatma Gandhi once said that “the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service to others.” Be kind, volunteer your time and help others get ahead. 

It is through service that you will discover your passion and place in the world. When you share from your heart, the gifts you give are multiplied. There is always enough to go around and you discover what really matters. 

Self-acceptance is about connection. When you connect with yourself, you simultaneously connect with more energy, more love and more joy. Life becomes magical.

Please share your thoughts below. Help me spread the word by sharing this post on Facebook and twitter.  

We’re all inventors. We all have the power to create something bold, something new. We can choose to create something amazing, joyful and beautiful. We can birth something that will bring meaning into the world and enhance the lives of everyone. 

Yes, we have that much power. We are inventors. 

I’ve recently been inspired by my friend Jodi Chapman to create a new habit. In May I’m going to begin each weekday with 90 minutes of writing. I’m crazy excited about the idea. 

I’ve also fallen in love with video making. It’s a wonderful way to have fun, share, and connect with others on a deeper and more personal level. 

I challenge you to create something new. Invent for yourself and invent for others. Make your inventions inspiring, wild and creative. Make them simple, helpful and available. 

The sky’s the limit for our inventions. 

Don't allow your doubts, fears and failure stop you from taking action. If you don’t know where to begin or if you’ve been struck by inertia, help is available. 

The following tips are designed to help you take action and invent something new.

That is what we are supposed to do when we are at our best—make it all up—but make it up so truly that later it will happen that way. ~ Ernest Hemingway

1. Choose a project. What is one thing that would change your life? Make it something that lights your fire and keeps you awake at night. Make it useful and bold. This is your baby!

Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines. ~ Brian Tracy

2. Set a goal and make a plan. Create a vision. Define the end result. Make a plan. You need to know how you will do it, what it will take and the deadline that you’re aiming for. 

No dream can come true until you wake up and go to work. ~ Anonymous

3. Create action steps.  Working from your plan, write down actionable steps in chronological order. It’s essential that the steps are clear and you know exactly what needs to happen.

Fear is a great inventor.  ~ Proverb

4. Flip the switch on your fears. Write down the fears that you have around this project. Use your personal power to shift your perception about each fear.  Decide how you can turn each fear into a motiving action.

A mantra can make the impossible possible. ~ Dr. Gautam Chatterjee

5. Create a mantra. Guy Kawasaki suggests we choose a 2-3 word mantra. Put it in your phone. Write it on a sticky note. Repeat it throughout the day. My mantra’s are “writing 90/5” and “videos are me.”

We were always dreaming of how it was going to be. ~ George Lucas 

6. Tell others.  Tell trustworthy family and friends about your dream. Ask for support.  Build an excitement and energy around it. Make it so amazing that they want to line up to help you.

The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.  ~ Abraham Maslow

7. Be single focused.  Do one thing at a time. If you want to write, write. If you want to read, read. If you want to study, study.  If you need to research, research. Give your full attention to the task at hand.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined. ~ Henry David Thoreau

8. Ignore the unimportant stuff. Don’t spend time playing games or watching mindless TV or videos. Don’t be distracted by constantly checking social media or email. You choose how to spend your time. Make everything count.

I use my mind to solve problems and invent things. ~ Temple Grandin

9. Focus on the positive. Make a mental movie of your desired result. Imagine yourself in the scene. Create a feeling of success and add it to the movie.  Dwell on the scene and feelings for a few minutes. Do this anytime you find yourself in a negative state.

 If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.  ~ Thomas Edison

10. Clear your head. Still stuck? Change your energy. Go for a short walk or run. Listen to music. Meditate or write in your journal. Then get back to work.

The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it. ~Elbert Hubbard

11. Track your success. Keep a daily action log. Use it to see what’s working and what’s not. At the end of every week, reward yourself for your progress.

Results? Why, man, I have gotten lost of results! If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward.  ~ Thomas Edison

12. Plan to fail. Perfection isn’t an option. Failure is an opportunity to learn and grow. Once you reframe failure, you’re free to begin again.

I invented adventures for myself and made up a life, so as at least to live in some way. ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky 

13. Be you. Don’t chase fame. Don’t try to be someone else. Allow your uniqueness to shine. Celebrate who you are. Put your own spin on your creations. Be true to yourself.

We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down. ~ Kurt Vonnegut

14. Believe.  Is your faith in, “I can” or “I can’t?” Drop your disbelief and continue to move forward. Put your energy into expecting the best. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anybody else?

I'm going to enjoy every second, and I'm going to know I'm enjoying it while I'm enjoying it. Most people don't live; they just race. They are trying to reach some goal far away on the horizon, and in the heat of the going they get so breathless and panting that they lose sight of the beautiful, tranquil country they are passing through; and then the first thing they know, they are old and worn out, and it doesn't make any difference whether they've reached the goal or not. ~ Jean Webster

15. Enjoy the journey. Success is found in the journey not the destination. Choose to feel good and do good every day. Appreciate the here and now. Count your blessings. Help others get what they want. It’s not all about you. It never was.

What are you inventing these days? Please share your thoughts below.

Please consider sharing the inspiration on Facebook and Twitter! I appreciate your support. 

Don't allow fear to control your choices.

Every day we make thousands of major and minor choices that affect our future. The choices we make influence our mental, spiritual, emotional and physical health. They affect the people closest to us and the lives of strangers all over the world. 

Our choices have tremendous power. The simple decision to eat healthy or stop an addiction can have a positive ripple effect greater than you can ever imagine. A thoughtless decision can carry just as much harm.

Poor decisions are born out of fear.

More often than we care to admit, we make poor choices out of fear. We allow fear to stop us from speaking up, making a change or following our dreams. Fear keeps us from enjoying and participating fully in life.

It doesn't have to be this way. 

It's important to remember that no matter how many poor choices you have made in the past, you always have the freedom to choose again. 

Everyone lives in uncertainty. Life doesn't come with a guarantee. It's important to remember that life is a process and you can choose to trust it.

When you have important decisions to make choose to center yourself and go within in order to feel safe. Learn to make the most difficult choices from this space. Lean into change and go with the flow.

The following nine tips will help you trust the process and allow life to unfold.

1. Live with a sense of wonder. Allow life to support you. Spend time outdoors: watch the sun rise, plant a rose bush or go for a walk. Get caught up in the laughter and movement of children on a playground.

2. Go with the flow.  Don’t deny your feelings. Breathe. Let painful emotions pass through you. Learn to detach from people, places and things that no longer serve you. Don’t hold yourself back.

3. Be resilient. Believe in your own ability to respond to life. Think of everything you have survived in the past. Move in a new direction. Decide that you’re going to survive and thrive. Be gentle with yourself.

4. Serve others. When you feel like life is against you and nothing is working out, find a way to bring others forward. Work in the soup kitchen. Pick up litter. Join a cause. Do something that takes you out of “woe is me.”

5. Do your work. Own your shortcomings. Heal your shadow side. Live with a positive attitude and a grateful heart. Authentic power comes from being responsible and accountable for your life.

6. Embrace the unknown. You are exactly where you need to be. Remove the distractions from your life and really examine where you are and where you want to go.  It’s a gift to be able to trust the unseen and intangible with a feeling of satisfaction and joy.

7. Be flexible. Be willing to change your plans and direction. Be open to "not knowing." Life changes in an instant. Change with it. Find a role model that moves through their days with ease and grace. Model their behavior.

8. Live with uncertainty. Get comfortable with “not knowing.” We don’t know why things happen. We don’t know what anything is for. Let go of your fear of change. Believe the best is yet to come. Keep breathing, reflecting and step up your personal care.

9. Enjoy the sun. The dark doesn’t last forever. Allow yourself to enjoy life. How good can you let it get? How much joy can you stand? You’re worthy of it all. Increase your pleasure quotient. Claim your abundance. Look for the light and move towards it.

10. Expect beautiful lessons and priceless gifts. When you are able to release your fear, judgment and negative reactions, you are left with the beauty of your own wholeness.

When you trust the process of life, you connect with a sense of oneness, synchronicity, serendipity and unconditional love. Your path becomes clear and you are pulled forward with a true sense of safety. 

Please share your thoughts below.

Fear is a thief. It will steal your time, energy and dreams. It makes you anxious during the day and keeps you tossing and turning throughout the night. 

Fear is crazy making; it taunts and depletes you. It keeps you imprisoned, depressed and lifeless. Fear steals your joy. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. You have the freedom of choice. Make a decision today; choose to take your power back.

Don’t let fear win. Choose to take action. Choose adventure over your comfort zone. Choose to give your attention, time and energy to your dreams. Choose to be unstoppable! 

If you’re looking for ways to make different choices but don’t know where to start, you may find these ideas helpful. 

Visualize life without fear. How magnificent would your life be? Write out a description of your best life. Make a mental movie and give yourself the leading role. Rerun your movie as often as necessary. 

Have faith. Do you faith in your fear or faith in your ability, talent and wisdom? We never lose faith; we only misplace it. Believe in possibilities and opportunities. Believe in yourself. Believe in your higher power, the universe or God. Believe that you have a part in making the world a better place. 

Delete mental garbage. Give up your negative affirmations. “I can’t do it.” “I’m not as good as the others.” “I don’t have time.” “I’m not smart enough or qualified.” Replace the garbage with positive self-talk and affirmations. 

Identify and use your resources. This can include your mastermind group, spiritual practices, strengths, skills, books, classes and anything else that will give you the courage to be your brilliant self. 

Take action. Do your most important tasks at the beginning of your day. Don’t get caught up in busy work. Stay committed. If you veer off course, begin again. If you make a mistake, begin again. Keep going and you will reach your goal. 

Persist and persevere. Don’t become discouraged by a previous failure. Instead use it as a learning opportunity.  Answer the following questions: How does this make me stronger? What opportunity does it give me? What is the next move I must take? Press on!

Trust the process. Learn to trust life. Trust that things have a way of working themselves out. Trust that the right people will be put on your path. Trust that you’ll pick yourself up if you fail. When you trust the process, you’re able to live in the present moment without worrying about the past or the future..

We were born to take risks, explore, grow and expand. We are meant to be out there living our dreams and making the world a more loving place. It’s time to let go and give life everything you’ve got. That’s my plan. I invite you to join me.

Please share your thoughts below.

I don’t need your approval to be OK and you don’t need mine. I don’t need your love and devotion to be happy and you don’t need mine. 

It took me two different therapists and several years to finally take back my power and accept that certain family members, friends, coworkers and colleagues would never accept or approve of me. Never. 

When I finally tired of holding myself back I let go of trying to win others over. I let go of trying to fit in. I let go of trying to be someone I was not. I let go of needing what I so desperately wanted—their validation. 

I’ve since picked up the shattered pieces of my heart and soul and have accepted that some people will never love and accept me. Never. 

I’m perfectly fine with it. There are over seven billion people in the world. There are plenty of people who love me and always will. There are people I haven’t met yet that will be crazy about me! 

If you’re tired of beating your head against the wall, if you’re tired of trying to be someone you’re not, then it’s time to let go of seeking validation from others. 

 It’s time to be exactly who you choose to be. That’s freedom! 

The most splendid achievement of all is the constant striving to surpass yourself and to be worthy of your own approval. ~ Denis Waitley

1. Be your own best friend. You cause your own pain and suffering when you fail to love and approve of yourself. Give yourself the love and acceptance that you want from others and your neediness will subside. 

2. An opinion is only a story. What someone thinks or says about you is only their perception. Don’t allow anyone to define who you are or what you’re all about. Don’t allow others to decide your worthiness. You have a Divine legacy. 

3. Think well of yourself. Remind yourself that the unasked for opinions of others don’t matter. Don’t allow anyone to bring you down. Treat yourself with respect. Celebrate who you are. You deserve the best that life has to offer. 

4. Observe yourself. Gently notice how you are around others and what you say and do to disconnect from your authentic self. How do you give away pieces of yourself to fit in? Learn to make the choices that are right for you. 

5. Make a decision to stop. Stop pretending to be someone you’re not. Stop hiding who you really are. Stop feeling pressured to go along with something you don’t believe in.

6. Practice being you. Lean into who you are. Don't be afraid to speak your truth. Honor what you want. Don’t go along with the crowd. Be willing to walk away. Make decisions based on what’s best for you. 

7. Find your tribe. Don’t take rejection and abandonment personally. Walk away from the people who don’t want the best for you. Have zero tolerance for those who don’t see your magnificence. Seek out like-minded family and friends. 

8. Know what you want. Hold on tight to your own tastes, values, ideas and dreams. Take risks, commit and allow yourself to fail. Live life your way! 

9. Serve others. Don’t be a people pleaser. Find the people who need your talents and gifts and look for a way to meet their needs. 

10. Be kind to yourself. Accept your shadow side, imperfections and flaws. Understand and heal the parts of you that you’d rather hide. Don’t allow yourself to be shamed. You deserve to be seen and heard. 

11. Live a life of awesomeness. Let your beauty shine. You don’t need anyone’s permission. You set the tone for your life. Be weird. Go in the opposite direction of the herd. Stand in your power, have fun and enjoy your freedom! 

How has the need for approval impacted your life?

Most of your fears place you in the future with a sense of lack. You may fear that you’ll never have enough time, money, friends, support or love. 

You may be afraid that you’ll always be stuck in the same job, relationship or place. 

Think about your top three fears. 

Fill in the blanks: 

I’m afraid of __________________________.

I’m afraid of __________________________.

I’m afraid of __________________________.

What do they say about your personal beliefs? How do they keep you stuck?

Read through the following three fears and the possible negative beliefs behind them. See if you can relate.

1. Fear:  I won’t have enough money to support myself. 

Negative beliefs:

I’m not smart or talented enough.

Nothing ever works out for me. 

There aren’t any good jobs left.

There’s not enough to go around.

2. Fear: I’ll always be alone

Negative beliefs:

I’m unlovable.

I’m not thin enough.

Nobody cares about me.

I’m not pretty/handsome enough.

All the good people are taken.

3. Fear: I don’t measure up. 

I don’t have enough.

I’m not good enough.

I’m damaged goods. 

I’m not capable.

I’m going to be left behind.

Our fears create our reality. If you think you won’t have enough, you never will. If you think that you’re not lovable, others will support your belief. And if you think you don’t measure up, you’ll always feel inferior.

You have the power to invent a bold life. Canadian author and pastor, Basil King said, “When you live boldly you summon mighty forces.” 

10 Steps to Summon Mighty Forces:

1. Reinvent your reality.

You create the world that you see with your belief system.  Choose to surrender your old beliefs and invent new ones. 

2. Decide what kind of life you want. 

Get an image of it in your mind. Write down affirmations to support your new vision. Hold your vision. Never let go.

3. Map out a strategy. 

Decide what steps will take you to your dream. Give up what will get in the way. Take action.

4. Make new friends. 

Reach out to the people that will support your new beliefs and challenge your limits. If you get rejected, try again. On the other side of rejection is a life-long friend.

5. Make a commitment. 

Be willing to do what it takes. Every day, do your three most important tasks first. Track your time. Keep moving forward.

6. Prepare for the best. 

Do what it takes. Wake up early. Focus. Do your best work. Ask for support.  Surrender perfection. Plan to have a happy ending. 

7. Challenge yourself. 

Take a risk. Don’t avoid what’s difficult. Do something different. Put yourself out there. Walk on the edge.

8. You are OK. 

Bring to mind your past successes. Remind yourself of your strengths.Bring up the “feelings” that came with your previous accomplishments.  Sit in the “after-glow” in advance. 

9. Be grateful in advance. 

Write a letter in your journal and thank your friends and colleagues, in advance, for helping you accomplish your goal. 

10. Manipulate your mind. 

Learn to shift your perception when you catch yourself in doubt and fear. See your future through new lenses. Choose to believe that the best is yet to come. Look around and notice good things happening everywhere. 

If you live in a world of fear and scarcity you’ll attract more fear and scarcity. Choose to invent a new reality. Make it one of possibility, miracles and love. I’ll meet you there!

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Photo: Arvind Balarman