Welcome to another gorgeous Monday, friends! How’s it going so far?
My hope is that you’re feeling energized, motivated and inspired to take steps this week toward the life that you truly desire.
There’s a word that’s been on my mind this past week as I’ve shared conversations with new friends and old friends about what it takes to create the life you dream of. That word is ownership.
I was thinking about what the difference is between someone who is able to buckle down and turn their dreams into their reality vs. someone who falls just short, never able to fully realize their potential. It’s what we all want to know, right? What is the elusive secret to succeeding in one’s quest to finally start that creative business or make that big life change?
After lots of thought on the matter, I’ve decided…
The secret is YOU.
I see countless blog posts and books and coaching sessions and courses and apps promising to provide the tips and tricks that will finally get you to change for the better.
There are apps to help you stay focused on your work.
There are blog posts detailing how to start a business.
There are books to help you be more positive.
But…
Unless you own the fact that only you can find the will power within to use it, that app is useless.
Unless you own the fact that your fear is holding you back from actually doing the work, those blog posts are useless.
Unless you own the fact that you are the sole source of your negative self-talk, that book is useless.
I hope you guys know by now that I enjoy helping people improve their lives more than anything. It’s why I try to answer every email and why I continue to write this newsletter each and every week.
But I also know that there’s nothing I can say, no resources I can create, no blog post I can write, that can lead you to the life you want without your commitment to turning those insights into action.
Listen, I get it. It can be a hard pill to swallow to take all that responsibility on ourselves. Carrying the sole burden of the expansive potential of our lives can be more than a little overwhelming.
So we try to share the load.
We convince ourselves that other people share the responsibility of our shortcomings (or, on the other end of the spectrum, our successes.)
That our ex-boyfriend is the reason we doubt ourselves. That the expectations of our parents make us fear changing careers. That our kids need all our time and attention and we have no time for ourselves. That our partner feels insecure when we succeed or shine in a big way. That our big successes thus far are due to that one mentor we had.
And yes, all those things might be true.
But when we divvy up the responsibility of our choices to other people, we give away our full power to create the life we dream of.
“But when we divvy up the responsibility of our choices to other people, we give away our full power to create the life we dream of.”
There is nothing more powerful or hopeful than finally taking ownership of your life.
Every great change I've made in my life has come from the realization that I'm responsible for the way I live each day. I'm responsible for how hard I work, for how badly I want something.
Only YOU have the power to own your strengths and use them. Only YOU have the power to acknowledge your weaknesses and work on them.
If you’re wondering why you haven’t been able to finally make your vision come to life, it’s possible that you’re placing ownership in someone else’s hands. Waiting for someone to choose you. Waiting for the right tip or trick to come along. Waiting for that switch to flip.
This week, I challenge you to stop waiting and start OWNING your life and your choices.
Make a list of five great strengths you have that alone can own. Now make a list of five things you want to improve upon, with one thing that you alone plan to do to improve them.
I want the best life possible for you. I want you to live as your best and brightest self. But ultimately it’s only you that can make that happen.
Let this be the week you finally own it, okay? Okay. :)
