A Guide to Help Girls Embrace Who They Truly Are and Believe It

The longest journey we take as human beings is from our head to our heart.

Unknown

Dear Amazing You,

Believe it or not, being a girl is not easy for any girl, but by practicing and improving your positive self-talk and patients with yourself you can and will become who you truly are and BELIEVE IT.

Life as a girl, teenager, female is very complicated at times, especially when it comes to body image. Our community of females and males for that matter, are so caught up in social media, models in a magazine, ads on television and so many more untruths, that we get lost in our negative self-talk and belief that what we read, see, and hear are truths rather than simply someone else’s beliefs and ideas of beauty.

The good news is that you can and will, with practice and guidance, begin to see the falseness of the information out there and you can and will turn your negative mindset into a positive one where you can believe that you are a one of a kind, unique and amazing person, and gain the self-confidence you need to help you feel less anxious, less sad and more resilient when it comes to life as a girl.

Will it be easy? No, it won’t, but it will be so worth it. You deserve to be happy, healthy, and full of life because life for a girl should be full of self-love, adventure, confidence, and happy days.

So, let’s begin because the sooner you see how AMAZING you are the sooner you can share the tools you are about to learn with another girl who may be feeling just like you do right now, who thinks she is all alone too and that her life is very hard to face. Because that’s what girls should be doing, right, lifting each other up with their encouragement and love.

I Am Who I Say I Am Growth Tips and Tools

1.Feelings: A temporary emotional state that comes and goes, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes full of anger, envy or even hate. Sometimes you’re on top of the world and sometimes you just want to sit around and cry. This is normal, all normal, however, you do have to live within your feelings. Living in them means really feeling them and recognizing that they are trying to tell you something, so listen to them and see if you can hear what they are trying to tell you.

Is the feeling trying to tell you that you are lonely, ugly, tired, apprehensive, frustrated, confused, heartbroken or disconnected? Because if it is then you need to listen up and figure out if those feelings are caused by a thought that is indeed true or just a belief that you’ve told yourself was true.

An example of this might be:

“I always feel so embarrassed when I have to wear shorts in gym class because all of the other girls look so good in shorts and I look so gross.”

Is that a truth or a belief? How do you know it is a truth?

You see when you stop to really think about it you will likely realize that it’s just you that believes it and that quite likely other girls in your gym class are having the same negative thought as you. These thoughts that go through your head like a tornado can be very powerful, so it is very important that we take a minute to really figure out if it is a truth or just a belief.

Tip: Is that feeling/thought a truth or just a belief? Take time to figure it out. Make a list of your beliefs and then decide which are true and which are just your beliefs.

2.Self-talk: the way we talk to ourselves has the greatest impact on us.

Girls so often talk to themselves in a negative way, a way that they would never talk to anyone else. Is that you? Do you tell yourself you are dumb, fat or that you are a terrible person? Can you imagine talking to a friend that way? No. You would never talk to a friend in a way that made them feel sad about themselves and you should never talk to yourself that way either, but that’s what we so often do and that is what we have to STOP doing. Think about what you would say to a friend if she told you that she wasn’t as pretty as other girls. I’m quite confident that you would encourage your friend, not put her down. You’d likely point out all the things you think are beautiful about your friend. Well, that is how you need to talk to yourself; like you would talk to your own best friend.

Tip: Write down five things that you like about yourself such as, I have beautiful hair, or I encourage others and I am a great listener or, I really like my smile.

Now print that on your mirror on in your journal or in your school binder and repeat it many times a day because even if you do not believe it right now, your subconscious mind believes everything you tell it, and your subconscious mind will soon have you believing it too.

3.Write down three affirmations. (Affirmations are strong, short, powerful statements that encourage you when the going gets tough.) Ex. I am a strong, confident person. I am calm and in control. I am unique and I love who I am. I can and I will get through this.

Affirmations are like a best friend who encourages you when you need it most. Remember, the more you repeat them, the more you will believe them.

Tip: Repeat one or all of your affirmations when you need some help through a challenging time.

4.Journal: Writing in a journal is a fantastic tool to help you recognize what is going well in your life or what isn’t.

Tip: Take time to write about what is bothering you most. Then read it over and see if it is a truth or just a belief.

Next, pick an affirmation that you can have ready to use when this worry is taking over your life and write it several times in your journal. You need to be ready to replace your negative thoughts with a positive affirmation. (You can find many awesome affirmations for girls on line.)

5.Use gratitude: You cannot be sad, worried, or any other negative emotion while you are practicing gratitude.

In your journal write about three things you are grateful for or as many things as you can think of that you are grateful for. This is a fantastic way to build on your self-confidence or self-esteem.

So, if you are not happy with the shape of your body, write about the other parts of your body you are grateful for, like your beautiful fingers that help you play piano, or your gorgeous, thick hair, or your smile that people are always complimenting you on.

Tip: Write down gratitude for the things you may not even believe you have but would like to have because this kind of gratitude just makes you happy to think about.

Ex. I am so grateful for my beautiful, strong legs and gym shorts.

There is always something to be grateful for.

6. Self-care: This is an easy way to remind yourself that you matter and that you are in control of your body, mind and spirit. It’s like telling your body you love and respect it.

Body: eat healthy food, exercise or take a walk in nature.

Mind: read a great book, listen to inspiring music, repeat a positive affirmation, take a nap.

Spirit: time to breathe and be in the moment, maybe through meditation or yoga.

Tip: Create a self-care plan so that it is ready to use when you need it most.

Remember, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, everyone is going through some sort of emotion right at this very moment and that’s normal, feelings cannot hurt you unless you let them. Using the information you have just read can help you get through your challenging thoughts of comparison, feelings of lack or just loneliness but you have to do the work and then you will see the magic happen. You will see and begin to believe that you truly are an amazing person, and that life is meant to be filled with happiness and when it isn’t you can use these tools to help you ride the waves of uncertainty that come with being a beautiful, strong, courageous, lovely girl.  And don’t forget to share them with other girls because that’s how we grow and become an amazing tribe of beautiful, strong women.

Always Believe,

You Are Amazing!

Tammie

Need more inspiration? Check out my web page for other materials meant to lift and inspire you to live your very best life.

Smile. You’ve Got This! BELIEVE!

Just For Today...

I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don’t intend to waste any of mine.

Neil Armstrong

JUST FOR TODAY…

Just for today know that you are enough just as you are.

STOP…

*wishing you could change the way you look, your character/personality traits, or your choices to fit the mold of others. You are perfect just as you are!

*wishing you had someone else’s life. Be careful what you wish for, you have no idea what their ‘real’ life is like.

*trying to gain the approval of people whose opinions really do not matter. Only your opinion matters!

*picking away at your minor imperfections that make you who you are…UNIQUE.

*being ungrateful for all your body does for you to get you through the day. It does not take a perfect body to hug another human and make them feel that they matter.

*living in the past of what if and if only. Life is not lived in the past, only in the present moment. Make your present moments count.

*believing you are not worthy of the life you dream of. EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE HAPPY.

*focusing on what you do not have and start focusing on what you do have. Count your blessings, you have many.

*being angry for what you feel you should have and start taking responsibility for your choices that can and will get you what you want. Happiness is a choice.

*letting your negative thoughts run your life, they will get you nowhere. Your thoughts create your life, choose happy, positive thoughts.

*believing that everyone else has it all together, they do not.

*thinking you must have a spotless house and perfect children. That is not a home and children are not perfect.

*believing you have nothing to offer the world. You are here for a reason, or why else would you be here.

*thinking you must be the perfect friend, sibling, child, person, partner. No one is perfect, NO ONE.

*fretting about meals not made from scratch, that do not include all the food groups, or are not hot out of the oven. Any meal served with love, eaten together, and filled with laughter is not only nourishing for the body but good for the soul.

*saying you do not have time for yourself. Start putting ‘you time at’ the top of your to-do list because your health and happiness matter to you and to those who love you.

*worrying about what others think of you, they are not thinking of you, they are worrying about themselves.

*feeling unloved by people who do not matter. Look around you, there are so many people who love you and need you in their lives.

*thinking you have failed yet again. Life is full of second chances that are there for the taking. Get back up and try again. You are human, and human’s make mistakes. Learn, grow, and move on.

START…

*choosing to be authentic, real, beautiful, healthy, fearless, hilarious, adventurous, courageous, wild, grateful, worthy, tenacious, strong, optimistic, deserving, or grumpy and tired, if that is how you’re feeling today because you are you and that makes you someone very special and loved by many, YES YOU…

YOU ARE AMAZING. YOU ARE ENOUGH. YOU ARE LOVED.

YOU are the REAL DEAL and THAT MAKES YOU MORE PRECIOUS THAN YOU KNOW.

Always Believe…

You Are Amazing!

Tammie

Creating A New Year's Resolution/Revolution for Positive Change in 2021

Not all of us can do great things. But we can all do small things with GREAT LOVE.

Mother Teresa

CHANGE BEGINS ONE SMALL ACTION AT A TIME; this is my affirmation, my goal for 2021.

When I thought about 2021 and all that lay before me, I wondered what goal I could set, what could I do mentally, physically, spiritually, to leave the negativity and hardships of 2020 behind, what positive change could I create for myself? It was through that time of thought and prayer to be all I could be that I realized that what I really wanted was to do something for someone else because I know that by doing something for someone else, I am creating so much joy, hope and gratitude not only for them but for myself.

Yes, giving to others is actually a gift to yourself, a gift that keeps on giving because that one small action just may be the defining moment in that person’s life, the moment they decide that they are worthy and that their life has hope because if we have hope we can hang on just a bit longer, we begin to believe in our future, we can begin to believe in ourselves. It may be our kinds words, actions, or moments of caring that turn that beautiful soul’s life around. Knowing that we can all change the world for the better through one small thing is a feeling like no other. Being of service one small action at a time is a goal anyone can accomplish. Being of service builds our feelings of hope, self-love, and pure joy and isn’t that what we all need in our lives? Is that not a worthy New Year’s Resolution or even perhaps a New Year’s Revolution, all coming together for the common good of others?

Often the sadness of what is going on just seems too overwhelming and we see no hope and feel we do not have the power to change that but, WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, every last one of us. So that is what I decided to do, create a list of small things to remind myself and others that there are many, many things that we can all do, small things that will in turn create a huge ripple of change especially when carried out by a passionate group of like-minded people. This is a goal we can all achieve, and this is a goal that will help all of us create a year of hope and happiness in 2021.

Spread love everywhere you go,

Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.

Mother Teresa  

SMALL WAYS TO BE OF SERVICE

*Wave at your neighbor or a stranger, they will likely wave back with a strange or perhaps a happy, surprised look on their face.

*Buy a small bundle of flowers and then put them into a young mom’s shopping cart just because you know that parenting is a struggle sometimes. I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples. MT

*Give someone your shopping cart because they like you at some time, may have forgotten their coin or do not have one or simply need that coin that is in your cart.

*Drop a nice card in someone’s mailbox with a word of encouragement, gratitude, or simple kindness.

*Buy that coffee for a stranger.

*Throw a few extra toiletries into your shopping cart and donate them. Love cannot remain by itself-it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service. MT

*Open the door for someone, a simple act that reminds them that they matter.

*Call a friend just to check in. Yes, with an actual phone.

*Text a compliment to someone or just a few words of encouragement to let them know they are not alone. The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved. MT

*Offer to shovel your neighbor’s driveway or just do it while they are away.

*Ask someone how they are doing and then make eye contact and really listen to what they have to say. We all have five minutes to listen.

*Bake cookies for your neighbor with curbside delivery.

*If you read a great book drop it off in someone else’s mailbox for them to enjoy.

*Fill a small gift bag with a bath bomb, magazine and chocolate and give it to someone who may be going through a rough patch or struggle of some sort, or perhaps just a friend to remind them that they are amazing.

*Drop off a meal for a family. If you can’t feed 100 people, then just feed one. MT

*Pop a handwritten letter in the mailbox to an old friend or just someone you know of that needs your kind words right now.

*Invite someone to go on a walk with you (socially distanced of course) to enjoy each other’s company, some fresh air and the beauty of the great outdoors.

*Offer your children’s or your own gently used clothing to a family in need.

*Leave cards/letters with encouraging words at a senior’s home. Share a story about your family with them or even a funny story about your pet. It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving. MT

*Buy a hot chocolate for your local gas station attendant.

*Walk your neighbor’s garbage or recycle bin into their yard for them.

*Send a surprise email to a teacher, frontline worker, or a person in your community/workplace/family to thank them for all they are doing to help us move forward in our new normal.

*Take a box of non-perishables to the foodbank or local church.

*Tell a young person working at a restaurant or retail store how much you appreciate their pleasant attitude. Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. MT

*Clean out your closet and donate it to a women’s shelter.

*Take the time to tell a new mom what a great job she is doing. Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. MT

*Buy a few bundles of men’s socks or toiletries and donate them to a cold weather shelter.

*Offer to read a book to someone who is in a home or quarantined via your phone or through Zoom.

*Drop a word-search, magazine, box of tea, flowers, or a puzzle off for an elderly neighbor or anyone who has been staying at home alone due to Covid.

*…………………………….

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

Mother Teresa

So that dear friends, is my start to following through on my New Year’s Resolution of being of service one small action at a time. It is my hope that you too will find many small ways to be of service in 2021 because in doing those small things we can all be a part of the huge ripple of positive change, not only for others but for ourselves.

So, cheers to you and an amazing 2021.

Always Believe,

You are Amazing!

Tammie

P.S.

It is also my goal to create a PDF list of at least 52 small ways to be of service that I can share with all of you, to be shared with your community, because wouldn’t it be fantastic to be a part of the ripple of positive change for 2021? So, I humbly ask that if you have other ideas for ways to be of service (which I know you do because YOU ARE AMAZING), that you share those with me via email or message me on Facebook and I will use all of the ideas to create a list to be shared with all of you and anyone else who would like to take a small pebble and create a huge ripple. YES. WE. CAN. Because, TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER!  2021 BRING IT ON!!!

tammie.leonard@yahoo.ca Facebook.com/tammie lee Instagram@tammie_leonard

Thank you!!!  

Family Gratitude Scavenger Hunt

FAMILY SCAVENGER HUNT- THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR

GRATITUDE CHANGES EVERYTHING

Daily gratitude practice is my antidote to negativity, anxiety, worry and sadness. It turns who I am and what I have into enough. It is a mindset tool that should be practiced at any age. To find joy in life is to find gratitude for all things .

Below I share a scavenger hunt for gratitude because in these crazy times of COVID 19 gratitude is needed more than ever. So, have fun and be grateful because gratitude really does change everything.

Scavenger Hunt Suggestions:

*You may choose to find as many items a day as you like or see who can find the most items in a week or choose one a day for a month. Or perhaps have your family each choose 2 things that the rest of the group needs to find. Or post a couple a day on your fridge or use a dry erase marker and post on your bathroom mirror with what you find to be shared at supper time or have findings shared on the mirror.

*Get the whole family involved and then meet on Zoom or some other social distancing connection to share your items.

*Be Creative. Have fun.

Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude. -A.A. Milne

***************************************

2-happy memories

2-things you get to do with your family

2-awesome things about you

2-people doing random acts of kindness

2-random acts of kindness you have done

2-things that can’t be seen but are felt by the heart

2-ways you have cheered someone up

2-things about COVID 19

2-things that make you unique

2-foods in your cupboard

2-things that keep you healthy

2-friends

2-things in nature

2-things nature gives you

2-things you have that someone in the poorest countries in the world don’t have

2-books

2-fun things you get to do

2-small/tiny items

2-large items

2-things about your home

2-things about your favorite season

2-pets/animals

2-things run by electricity

2-things you love about your parents/grandparents/spouse/siblings

2-pieces of clothing

2-things that make you laugh

2-things you have to look forward to

2-things about your chores/responsibilities/job

2-delicious things you can taste

2-things you can smell

2-things about your body

2-things that are free

2-things that have made you a stronger person

2-things that God/Creator/universe has given you

GRATITUDE TURNS WHAT WE HAVE INTO ENOUGH.

Cheers!

Remember, together or apart we are strong.

Always Believe, You Are Amazing!

Tammie

**Send an email to tammie.leonard@yahoo.ca and I will send you a PDF for the scavenger hunt that you can print off.

QUARANTINED VS. QUALITY TIME OUT

ATTITUDE IS A LITTLE THING THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. Winston Churchill

In these crazy times it’s so very easy to let our thoughts run wild with negativity and fear. During this time however, even though it can be very difficult, we can and must choose to feed our thoughts with positivity and hope.

I choose to replace quarantined with QUALITY TIME OUT. Yes it’s hard, but we all have choices. I choose to not whine or wallow in a negative mindset knowing that there is always someone out there who is worse off than I am. 

It’s a hard season but it’s the best time to plant healthy seeds of positivity and growth, of gratitude and hope. So I JOURNAL every morning, five quick things I am grateful for, be they small things like a sunny day or big things like the health and safety of my family and friends. I choose GRATITUDE. And then I take ten minutes to clear the negative, fearful, noisy confusion in my head by dumping it all out in my journal freeing up space for some healthier thoughts and decisions creating a better ATTITUDE for my day. A better attitude helps me to FOCUS on what I can control. No I cannot control this pandemic but I can control my actions and reactions through my mindset and healthy choices.

I choose to use positive affirmations to create a happier mindset, to get in some daily physical activity, to drink lots of water, to eat healthy, to give back, support and connect to my community, and to stay connected to my family and friends through technology or yes, even snail mail.

I choose to have a mindset that believes that time passes and so will all the craziness that is happening around me right now. I choose to see the good in this season of chaos. I choose positivity and hope and so can you.

I choose QUALITY TIME OUT.

YES. YOU CAN.

ALWAYS BELIEVE,

YOU ARE AMAZING!         

Tammie

**Affirmations to Set You Up With a Positive Mindset**

I AM COURAGE. I use my mental strength to overcome my fears and worries.

I AM MINDFULNESS. I stay in the moment, learning from the past, looking forward to the future.

I AM MY ATTITUDE. I bring a positive attitude to this day.

I AM FAITH AND HOPE. I believe there are better days ahead even though I cannot see them.

I AM HEALTHY DECISIONS. I nurture my spiritual, physical, emotional and mental health.

I AM BLESSED. I have many people who love and support me. I reach out when I need help.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR MY LIFE. I show and share gratitude.

HABITS.....We Are Only As Successful As The Habits We Build Our Lives Around

The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.

                                                                           Steve Jobs

Perhaps changing the world is not your desire but changing who and what you are might be. Change starts very simply with a plan that must be backed up by a habit. And did you know that we don’t choose our earliest habits? We actually follow the path cleared by our friends, family, our community, and even our school. Is that you? Have you ever really thought about it? Well if you are reaching for a goal, a dream, a change, you do have to think about what it is that drives you to your choices and, are your habits actually helping you or are they a road block to your success?  Are you mindlessly following the pack or are you blazing your own trail with strong consistent habits?

A habit is a behavior that has been repeated so many times that it becomes automatic, no thinking involved really and those habits create and recreate who and what you are. So if you are not happy with who you are and what you are doing with your time then it’s time to CHANGE. The most effective way to change those unwanted habits is to focus all your attention not on what you want to achieve, but on who it is you want to become.  This will be your BIG WHY.

Every HABIT you choose is creating the type of person you will become. And those habits are choices that can stalemate you or they can be used to change your beliefs about yourself. So ask yourself, ‘Am I becoming the person I want to become?’ ‘Who is it I really want to be?’

To become who you really want to be then, requires you to decide what type of person you want to be and then prove to yourself that you can be that person with your small daily wins, wins created through your small daily habits.

Most often people do not truly think about who it is they want to be when they set out to make a change in their lives. Yes, they write down their goals with the actions they believe will get them there but they do not understand that it is their beliefs that drive those actions, negative beliefs that when not changed will continue to sabotage their success. You cannot change your habits if you do not change those underlying beliefs that have created your present reality.

To change your present situation, you must change your belief in who you are and your ability to get what you want.  The real reason you fail to stick to new habits is that your self-image fails you. Your habits tell your subconscious mind who you are. So if you exercise often then you are telling your subconscious mind you are committed to being healthy. If you make your bed every day, you are telling your subconscious mind you are an organized and tidy person. Or, if you eat a doughnut for breakfast and wash it down with a pot of coffee, you are telling you subconscious mind that your health is not all that important.

To change who you are is to change what you do. Habits and small daily wins help you to believe in yourself and what you can accomplish. Each habit won in the present allows you to achieve more of what you want in the future, to believe in what it is you are capable of.

A simple way to succeed with a new habit is to tell yourself, ‘When this situation arises, I will do this.’ You need to first figure out the basic details of how you will overcome your previous challenges.

A great success strategy is to write down the desired habit with a time and location for the habit. This brings clarity to your action..   

When you state a specific when and where you will perform a new habit you are more likely to carry through with that habit. When you do not succeed it is most likely that you are not clear on who it is you want to be and where it is that you are headed.

Another strategy is habit stacking, taking a habit you already do each day and attaching it to a new habit you want to implement.  Change does not happen in isolation. Each action you take becomes a hint that triggers your next action.  It goes like this, ‘After I pour my morning cup of coffee, I will write in my journal.’ ‘After I walk the dog, I will do 15 minutes of stretching.’  This simple habit makes the behavior obvious and it is related to a consistent time and place. The key here is that our success is not tied to motivation or willpower, but to the obvious choice. The obvious choice is visible.  When your habit is tied to a visual cue you are more likely to experience success, this small change in what you can see can lead you to a big change in what you will do. So if you want to drink more water, fill up a bunch of water bottles and leave them in places you will be throughout your day. So simple, yet so effective.

To sum it up:

Habits are about making your success easier to achieve through repetition, so create an environment where doing the right thing is as easy as possible. It takes practice more than actual planning. You need to first decide who it is that you want to be and what it is you want to accomplish and then create, build, stack your habits around that. Focus all your attention on the actions you need to take, actions that should only take a small amount of time but will have a lasting impact on your success, actions that give you an immediate feeling of success because that feeling will build, create and grow a mindset where you believe anything is possible, and it is. YES. IT. IS. POSSIBLE.

There is no absolute remedy for success, but when you make it obvious, easy and satisfying you will have a definite jump on achieving your goals. Small changes lead to remarkable results. You don’t need to move mountains to be successful, you simply need to build great habits.

We are what we repeatedly do. EXCELLENCE, then, is not an act, but a HABIT.  Aristotle

So what small change will you implement today that will build better habits and bigger wins into your tomorrows?

 Remember, consistent, small wins, lead to big results.

Cheers! 

You’ve got this!

Always Believe, You Are Amazing!

Tammie

Helping Your Child Build A Growth Mindset For Back To School Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health challenges for youth and children, and in the last decade there has been a drastic rise in anxiety related disorders especially for girls. When untreated those children who suffer from anxiety can be at a higher risk of doing poorly in school, experiencing negative social experiences and lack of resilience.

On the bright side, yes, there is a bright side, this can be changed, healthy emotional and social development in the early years can lay the foundation for positive mental health and resilience. As parents, educators and people living in the village that helps raise that child, we have the opportunity to change the way our children see themselves and their environment.

Behind every child who believes in themselves is a parent who believed first.

Back to school should be an exciting time for students but often it also brings up anxiety, fear and stress for parents, children and teachers. I have been on this roller coaster of emotions as a parent, teacher, and personally throughout my life.  Enter, the power of the subconscious mind.

No matter what is happening with your conscious mind, it is the subconscious mind that dominates mental activity. The subconscious mind can create a growth mindset that helps students cope with setbacks, points them to good strategies and leads them to act in their best interest. Students need a growth mindset and not a fixed mindset which keeps them in that anxious, fearful state.

So how can we help our children overcome their anxiety and fears that come with those first days back to school? How can we give them the confidence and courage to believe in themselves and their abilities to create happiness and feelings of excitement for school?

 We can give them the power of using their own positive mindset.

The goal of creating growth mindsets is helping children whose heads are filled with limiting thoughts, a fragile sense of belonging and a belief that other people’s opinions define them, begin to understand and believe that they can be happy and successful, their lives have value and they have the power to succeed.

The growth mindset instills the beliefs that:

*you can make a mistake and still learn and grow without feeling like a mistake.

*skills and abilities can be developed to help reach goals.

*there is a way through, around or over any obstacle or challenge.

*hard work means you get what you put in.

*success is learning and improving.

*you can and will persevere through the rough spots.

*there can and is achievement with setbacks.

*failure is not a sign of stupidity but a lack of experience and skill.

*prejudice is just someone else’s view.

*you are not the negative opinions of others.

*it is their effort that deserves praise. (Lowering standards does not raise self-esteem.)

*success does not come to you, you go to it.

*they need to improve their behavior to grow.

*when you learn new things, your brain gets stronger. Every day we learn and grow.

*success is simply being your best self.

*you can use your positive self-talk to build success when challenged by school or peers.

*they have the courage to embrace their goals and challenges.

*anxiety is a normal healthy function.

Students with a growth mindset feel good about themselves, they tend to stay true to their values, stand up to peer pressure and go after their dreams. Feeling good about themselves, their courage and their ability to face life is incredibly important to a student’s success in school. Belief in self is key.

So how can we as parents help our children build a growth mindset? Parents can actually help a lot by simply listening to their child’s fears without judgement or comments, just listen, reassuring them that they can handle this new time in their lives and then prompting them with the tools they need to face and conquer their fears.

‘I hear you, your fears matter,’ usually brings a child to a calmer place where together you can discuss the anxiety and fear and then come up with a plan to figure it out. Those plans encourage the child to trust themselves and their abilities as well as the knowledge that life is not always easy, fair, or without stress but they have the power within them to succeed and overcome whatever it is they face.

The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.

Below are a number of ways that I have found to be very successful, that encourage positivity and growth with students. Each suggestion will vary with the age of the student. (Keep in mind that we do not want to solve their problems for them but help them with their self-talk so they feel they are in control.)

·        * Spend time before school starts brainstorming all the positives of the first week back.

·        * Have them visualize their first day back. (Walking into their classroom, recess, eating lunch, learning new things, being with old and new friends, meeting new teachers…) This is the perfect time to let them share their fears and a chance to discuss how they might choose to deal with those fears.

·       *  Write 3 positive affirmations they can repeat when faced with fear or anxiety at school.

I am stronger than my fears.  I’ve got this. I am courage. This will pass. I am learning and growing. I am not the negative opinions of other people. I am an awesome person.  I am a hard worker.  I will keep trying.

·        * Practice their positive self-talk and affirmations.

Whatever we tell our subconscious mind it believes.

·         *Post a different affirmation each day on their mirror or the fridge door or leave themselves affirmation notes in their backpacks or lunch kits. Older students may choose to write them on or in their binders or notebooks

·         *Write out their fears in a journal. Let them read it to you and discuss if they would like.

·        * Have them draw funny pictures or cartoons of what happens at school.

·         *Write about their biggest fear and then talk about the reasons that it likely won’t happen.

·        * Make a list of all the things they are good at.

·        * Let your child choose their top fear and brainstorm with them how they might be able to deal with that fear. Letting them come up with their own ideas is empowering.

·         *If they fear feeling anxious then walk them through that anxiety and create a plan should that happen, like using their positive affirmations or breathing.

·        * Create a morning or evening ritual where your child repeats an affirmation for that day. Starting their day with positivity creates a ripple effect for that day.

·         *Write or repeat three things they are grateful for every day. Gratitude just makes us feel happy.

Hang in there, this takes practice and A LOT OF PARENT PATIENCE. The anxiety youth feel from facing their challenges and fearful thoughts is actually how they develop their strength and resilience. Never forget that you are doing the best you can as a parent and the best we can do for our children is to listen and provide them with the tools needed to face life while building their courage muscle.

The only things kids wear out faster than shoes is their parents.

You’ve Got This!

Remember…

Always Believe, You Are Amazing,

Tammie

Helping youth face their challenges with positive self-talk is my passion in life.  You may also be interested in checking out my CHOICES Student Success Planners for your student or my self-talk journal, Let’s Talk Self-Talk. Two great ways to give your child the power over their day.

I hope in some way this blog has given you a few tips and tools to help you with parenting your anxious child.  Send me an email and I would love to send you my five favorite affirmations and the ways they can be used to build your child’s positive self-talk, resilience and growth mindset.

I Can. I Will. End Of Story!

RETIREMENT- the act of leaving your job and stopping working, usually because you’re old.

(Cambridge Dictionary.)

 HELL NO!!!

Three years ago this month I retired/TRANSITIONED from a 31 year teaching career into a second career that has brought me so much joy and inspiration, Inspired Action Motivation and Consulting.

Now teaching was a career that I had loved for 31 years but I knew it was time to transition into the next journey of my life.  A transition that has brought with it many firsts, many challenges, but also many opportunities to learn and grow and stretch me beyond my comfort zone. However, it is in our discomfort that we find our greatest gifts and I found the gift of writing, creating and sharing my love of growing positive, growth mindsets.

Often when you think you’re at the end of something you’re at the beginning of something else.

Fred Rogers

For the most part, new beginnings are a time for amazing growth, connections, contributions and endless possibilities. I however, have run into a few glitches along the path of my transition; I have been challenged by health conditions (a hip replacement and two smashed wrists, yes not one but two in my first year of retirement/transition), run into a ton of road blocks on my journey, had my ego yelling in my ear to STOP, and faced countless challenges as I learned to navigate the world of small business.

It. Was. Hard.

My transition however, has also gifted me with the time to write and create, to share my passion and material for creating positive mindsets and to share my story of overcoming anxiety, agoraphobia, self-doubt, and navigating the fears of cancer, and I have met the most amazing, beautiful people of all ages along the way. What a wonderful, growth filled transition. And to think, I would have never had any of these incredible experiences had I not believed in my ability to transition, believed in my ability to fall down and get back up over and over again, or had I not stuck with my vision of creating positive change in the world one beautiful mindset at a time. A vision that has taken on a mind of its own and become so much larger and more wonderful than I could ever have imagined.

Too old? Hell no! Too late? Hell no! Too hard? Hell no! Too impossible? Hell no! Too big a dream? Hell no!!!!!

TRANSITION-the process of changing, or…. a change from one form or condition to another.

(Cambridge Dictionary)

HELL YA!!!

We can all and I mean all of us, transition from fear, from a worn out job, from a failed relationship, from anxiety, from lack of fitness, from unhealthy habits, from fear of failure, from lack of self-worth, from ego, from negative self-talk. We can all transition into anything we put our minds to.  We can all transition into our vision of our best life simply by choosing how we talk to ourselves, choosing growth over fear, choosing self-love over self-hate, choosing to grow from our mistakes and setbacks rather than quitting on ourselves, choosing to say ,”HELL YA!” I can and I will do this because time passes and I am worth the effort. I CHOOSE to let no environment, age, social status, negative self-talk, past mistaken beliefs, past mistakes, gender or excuses keep me from who I am destined to be, happy, healthy and  amazing.

My journal, Note To Self…You Are Amazing, is what I call my transition journal. It is here that I record my daily gratitude and my dreams and goals both humongous and minuscule. It is here that I tell myself over and over again that I can and I will make that transition to a life I love, to a life where I can be of service to others, to a life where I can create positive change in the world one beautiful mindset at a time. It is in this journal that I am inspired by the affirmations of I AM CAPABLE, I AM COURAGE, I AM BELIEF IN MYSELF, I AM A PRIORITY, I AM CHANGING, I AM 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR MYSELF, I AM ENOUGH….

So here it is…. if you fear your transition into something better for yourself, I encourage you to sit down right now and begin by journaling what it is you dream of for yourself, what it is your soul craves, that ONE THING that would change your life forever, and no ‘what ifs.’  Journal about your hopes, your goals, your fears, your vision of a life you choose. A life you choose, not one chosen by fear, or family or any other excuse you come up with.

YES. YOU. CAN.

Just grab a journal (I know of a really awesome one you could use. Wink. Wink.), and start writing. Today. Right now, because….TIME PASSES.

Every thought you think, every word you write, is creating your future.

Your life. Your story. Create, edit, delete, but always remember, your words nourish or deplete your vessel.

TRANSITION…..HELL YA!!!!

I CAN. I WILL. END OF STORY.

So what transition do you choose? One with endless possibilities I hope, because your time is now, after all there is no other time. We only have this moment, use it to create your best possible life.

Remember…

Always Believe, You Are Amazing,

Tammie

P.S. Peeps,

Shoot me an email and I will forward you a free PDF of Journaling Tips that will get you successfully on your way to using journaling as a success tool that will change how you think, speak, and act. 

YES. YOU. CAN.

And while you’re at it check out Note To Self…You Are Amazing on my web page because…..

YOU ARE AMAZING and journaling is the tool that will help you create your success story!

Cheers to your success!

The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect is a term based on the idea that if you tracked the path of a hurricane from its inception, you’d find that is was all caused by a change in air pressure from the flap of a butterfly’s wings three weeks prior and halfway across the world. It serves as a metaphor for life in a chaotic world, suggesting that small events can have very large effects.

We all live in chaos, whether we will admit to it or not, and we all handle it in different ways. We can be grateful for that chaos because out of chaos comes growth and possibilities or we can let ourselves be swallowed up by it.

When dealing with chaos, some will ignore it, keeping their head down working harder and harder to stay afloat. Some will try to battle through the chaos, doing everything in their power to create a life that is perfect on the outside because maybe that will create the same perfection on the inside. And others will be overcome by it, overwhelmed by the simplest of events. In the past I have used all of the above to deal with my chaos until I realized that I had a choice and I had a voice.

So my point in sharing this is that we can let the chaos of our lives which is inevitable, blow in and take over our hopes and dreams, our thoughts of the life we want to live or we can look at the metaphor that small events like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings are part of the creation we call life.

Dreams and plans create chaos, so we need to affirm that we are courage and strength in the midst of the chaos. That we can overcome the chaos. That we too can be transformed through our small, daily, repeated positive words and actions.  

The butterfly is also a symbol of transformation. It represents endurance, change, hope and life. I believe it is proof that what starts out as chaos in the beginning, as dreams and plans often do, can transform into something incredible as well. Adjusting your thoughts and mindset can work wonders. You see, if the butterfly chose to stay a caterpillar because the chaos of transformation was just too difficult, she would never know what she could have become or that she had the ability to fly. Had she not chosen to face the fear, the anxiety, the period of transformation chaos, we would never have known her beauty.

Just when the caterpillar thought her life was over, she began to fly.

 We are all meant to fly. Time passes, be patient. Use your positive self-talk to create growth from the chaos, choose your chaos battles, find the help you need to deal with the chaos be that a friend to talk to or time to yourself to set your priorities in place, you, are a priority remember. Whatever it is you need to do, do it, but never give up on the dream. Never give up on the beautiful results of transformation from chaos. Never give up on your ability to transform and fly.

You can and you will get through the chaos and come out on the other side ready to fly.

Remember…

Always Believe, You Are Amazing,

Tammie

OUR LIVES ARE ONLY CONFINED BY THE WALLS BUILT FROM OUR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

OUR LIVES ARE ONLY CONFINED BY THE WALLS BUILT FROM OUR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS.

Self-talk-the thoughts we use to frame our lives. If we are always sending our subconscious mind negative messages we then begin to develop automatic thoughts that create automatic negative emotional reactions.

I recently had to walk the talk as they say and practice what I preach; positive self-talk. Yes, while I know the value of positive self-talk I often have to work at it just as hard as everyone else. Positive self-talk gets easier and more automatic with use but it is something we will all have to practice for the rest of our lives if we want to lead a happy, successful life.

Many years ago I was diagnosed with a melanoma which is skin cancer.  I was very fortunate that it was caught early, however, the fear of that diagnosis has been very difficult to shake after all these years and this feeling of fear often rears its ugly head when I find a mole I feel may be changing.  So that is exactly what happened on my vacation this month, I found a mole that I thought was changing and I immediately had that reaction of pins and needles, tons of negative thoughts, stomach churning, anxiety ridden reactions. Yikes, this cannot be happening, I’m on vacation. Enter the positive self-talk…..you always wear sunscreen, you have yearly check-ups, if it is cancer you will have caught it early, you can do nothing about it now so enjoy the moment, you have a fantastic skin doctor.  Sure enough, I was able to talk myself out of the fear and  I didn’t  waste my precious vacation time with negative thoughts about the past or the future and I am happy to say that when I returned from vacation and had the mole checked it was fine.  Yes, get those moles checked regularly or if you notice any change at all in them and don’t forget the sunscreen.

Did you know…..Research is showing us that negative self-talk can affect us in some pretty damaging ways. Studies are linking negative self-talk with high levels of stress and low levels of self-esteem. This in turn can lead to decreased motivation and feelings of helplessness which in turn leads to depression.  Not a pretty picture, however, this can be turned around with positive self-talk which is a great predictor of success.

Now whether your negative self-talk is fear of a medical appointment, fear of trying something new, fear of setting a goal, or even the fear that you are not good enough, all of those horrid thoughts and nasty body reactions can be turned around with a little positive self-talk. ‘How do I do that?’ you ask.

SELF-TALK TIPS

*Identify your negative self-talk traps…body image, intellect, past experience….

*Find the humor…say that negative thought aloud and you may just hear how crazy it is.

*Check in with your thoughts…break the cycle of negative thoughts by taking a moment to STOP and   

          listen to yourself, really listen. Or wear a rubber band on your wrist and give it a tug every time you 

         catch yourself having a negative thought.

*Surround yourself with positive peeps…support is crucial in your journey.

*Create positive affirmations…be prepared to replace those negative thoughts with a positive

          affirmation. ‘I am doing the best I can.’ ‘This too will pass, like a kidney stone but it will pass.’ (Love

          that one, funny but often true. Hang in there, time passes.)

*Don’t say anything to yourself you wouldn’t say to someone you love.

*Give yourself a break, be gentle and encouraging…change takes time.

*Remind yourself that thoughts and feelings are not always true…challenge your negative thoughts

          because they are often an exaggeration.

*Be relentless with your positive self-talk… it is what changes your self-image, self-esteem,

         self-development, self-love and your happy ever after.

OUR LIVES ARE ONLY CONFINED BY THE WALLS BUILT FROM OUR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS. Never forget this, say it, write it, post it, and repeat it.

Cheers to your positive thoughts and self-love. You’ve got this.

Remember…

Always Believe, You are Amazing,

Tammie

FYI…As you may know, I have a passion and commitment for helping youth, this passion has led me to writing my latest book, Let’s Talk Self-Talk.  This is a journal for youth that uses the power of affirmations to inspire positive self-talk. If you know of a youth who could use a bit of inspiration shoot me an email and I can get that sent to you.  For other inspiration check out my books and affirmation card decks here on my web page. Knowledge is power, positive-self talk is power. Let’s talk. 

Share The Love...Random Acts of Kindness

Let’s talk love.  Seems appropriate, right? I mean, it is Valentine’s Day, the day of love when many women share their photos of beautiful gifts received and dinner out with their perfect man.

Now, I do not have anything at all against Valentine’s Day as I have received many beautiful cards and gifts from my husband and children and I have gone out for some rather special Valentine’s Day meals but, I must say that while I love gifts and delicious food, I much prefer Random Acts of Kindness Day which happens to be Sunday, February 17th.  You see on this day, we get to share the love with anyone and everyone, no one is left out, no single women or men for that matter feel at a loss as to what to do with themselves on this day, no single moms or dads or less privileged feel lonely or unloved.  So, the theme is still love, however, it’s about sharing that love with those who need it most, for those who feel lost or alone, for those who are just having a tough go of it right now, or even for those with whom you share a common link or a personal history with and you want to show your appreciation for having them in your life with a simple RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS.

LOVE; closeness, togetherness, relationship, friendliness, companionship, warmth, understanding, assurance, cherish, value…..the list of adjectives for love is endless.

LOVE; the feeling that a person’s happiness is very important to you, and the way you show this feeling in your behaviour towards them.

KINDNESS; goodwill, affection, warmth, concern, care, understanding, modesty, compassion, heartedness…

KINDNESS; the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

So as I see it, Random Acts of Kindness Day just might trump Valentine’s Day because we share the day with everyone, and you may want to argue with me on that view but that’s okay because that just means that not only are you reading my blog (yah!!) but it also means that I have now awakened your awareness of doing random acts of kindness and not just on February 17th but on any day of the year.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

Aesop

Kindness versus love, there should be no competition really. Life should simply be a matter of sharing our love and kindness on any day, of any month. Whichever day you choose to celebrate, I wish you much love for self and others. Cheers to having a special someone in your life to share love with or to that awesome feeling we get when someone shares a random act of kindness with us. 

So my challenge to you this month is simply to Share the Love. What can you do to create a little more kindness, love and joy in the world?

Remember…

Always Believe, You are Amazing,

Tammie

Vulnerablitiy...The True Measure of Courage

New Year, New You, or Not?

CHOOSING COURAGE OVER COMFORT

January is the time of year I actually struggle the most with my mindset and there are many reasons for this. Reasons like: It’s dark and cold.  I start to feel lack. I see others pumped about the New Year and all they are aspiring to be, do, or have.   I struggle with setting goals, perhaps because I fear not reaching them or simply because it’s the time of year we tend to set over the moon goals that may be difficult to accomplish and therefore we feel completely overwhelmed, perhaps we feel like failures for not accomplishing our goals. Or, perhaps, we don’t really want to set any new goals as we are still working on last year’s goals and setting more just adds to the anxiety and fear we feel.  Whatever the reason, I do know that, ‘time passes,’ and so will these feelings that drag me down and so I often wait to really dig into my goals until later in the month.

Often, for many of us the fear is about setting resolutions, or goals of any kind, because it means putting ourselves out there and being vulnerable. Feeling vulnerable is okay, we’re human.

Vulnerable: to be easily physically, emotionally, or mentally hurt, influenced, or attacked.

It’s very hard to set goals and put yourself out there be it privately or publicly when fear is your traveling companion. When your mind is on a windy road of negative thoughts. ‘I’m not enough.’ ‘Who am I to think I can change and grow?’ ‘What will others think or say when I fail?’ ‘Others will judge me.’

These are all just thoughts that threaten our ego and beat down our feelings of self-worth, and that is not living in our true power, which means putting on armor so that we do not have to face the challenge of growth.

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.’

Joseph Campbell

What is the treasure you seek? Is it to have less fear and anxiety? To accomplish new and exciting goals for yourself? To feel valued and loved? To live a life of fulfillment? To become unstuck?

Our lives are so often defined by feelings of emotional exposure, uncertainty, and fear of risk. Being vulnerable often makes us feel weak, but being vulnerable is where real growth happens. To choose courage over comfort is truly the only place that growth happens, dreams are realized and life is a joy to live. Being vulnerable means being open to hurt but it also means being open to growth, success and love.

Am I willing to sit in my discomfort?

No one else has the rights to our story, it’s ours to write, edit, and own. However, we must have the courage to take pen to paper and write that story no matter how messy, confusing, or unhappy it is. If we don’t own our story, it will own us, and that is a tragedy.

Courage does not mean never falling, courage means being comfortable in falling and getting back up. Courage is knowing that we can face a life of uncertainty because in facing the uncertainty with courage we will live a truly meaningful, empowered and successful life be that spiritually, physically or mentally because we are willing to not only write our story but own it as well. And in owning our story we will face and conquer fear because that is what happens when we write our own story, we are then able to create the life we envision for ourselves even if it means we must sit in our discomfort for a while.

“Courage is vulnerability. Vulnerability is courage. Like shadow and light, neither one can exist without the other.” Wai Lan Yuen

Yes it takes practice to stay in the present moment, to talk kindly to ourselves, to give ourselves a second, third and fourth chance, to not be defensive of other’s opinions, which by the way are none of our business, but isn’t this what we would encourage our own best friend to do? Why is it we shame, criticize or belittle ourselves when we would never do that to another person?

“You yourself as much as anyone in the entire universe deserves your love and affection.”

Buddha

So let’s sit in the self-compassion seat for a while. If we are not supportive of ourselves, if we do not have the ability to be our own best cheerleader, we certainly shouldn’t expect others to do it either. Let’s sit in our discomfort just for a moment because time passes and so does anxiety, fear and negativity when we choose to recognize our negative self-talk and start practicing self-kindness. When we decide that we can be vulnerable and write our story our way, that we are willing to risk it all, we will find our courage to shake off the armor and live a life where we are comfortable and happy in our own skin. When we are the authors of our own happily ever after we will find no need for armor, no need for fear of failure, no need for days filled with anxiety and certainly no need to judge ourselves or to fear feeling vulnerable.

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy and creativity.”

                                                                                           Brene Brown

So can you do it? Can you sit in your discomfort for a while? Of course you can!

I so encourage you to try it because something truly amazing happens when we face our discomfort with courage, when we shut out the noise of negativity, and the feelings of vulnerability.

The magic begins when you enter the cave you fear because it truly does hold the treasures you seek.

So choose self-compassion. Choose to set goals whenever the spirit moves you. Choose courage, and yes discomfort. Choose to be brave and unafraid because that is the only way you will find joy and meaning in your life. However, no matter what gets done or not done, YOU ARE ENOUGH. You may be imperfect and you may feel vulnerable or even afraid, but that does not change the fact that YOU ARE WORTHY OF LIFE’S RICHEST EXPERIENCES.

Cheers to you and a year filled with I AM worthy, fearless, blessed, beautiful, brave, strong, excited, grateful, enough, and loved.

Remember…

Always Believe, You are Amazing,

Tammie

Christmas...Love In Action For Self and Others

Maybe Christmas he thought, doesn’t come from a store.

Maybe Christmas, perhaps, was a little bit more.

Dr. Seuss

Christmas, this time of year is beautiful, and yet can be, a very stressful time of year. We love the ‘season,’ and yet we do not look forward to(or at least I don’t), the stress of shopping for the perfect gifts, baking everyone’s favorite treats, decorating a sparkling, beautiful tree, planning for the tastiest meal, attending all the functions, finding the perfect outfits, CREATING THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS.

  STOP!!!! This is not what Christmas is about or at least it shouldn’t be.

 When I sit in quiet reflection, I like to recall first, the Miracle of Christmas, the beauty and simplicity of the manger, the gift of LOVE.  I recall my precious childhood memories of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree, the family gatherings where we are packed into a small house that was filled with love and laughter, the Christmas Eve church service where Mom would leave a special something for a family less fortunate than us, the Christmas morning delight of digging through my stocking (Dad’s work socks) filled with candy and a Christmas orange, the fun times spent with cousins playing board games, hugs from grandparents, the smile on my parent’s faces when they opened my gifts to them that although they were not expensive, they were wrapped with much love and excitement, the gift of a used ski doo snowmobile that brought us endless hours of fun. The true magic of Christmas was found in the moments, not in the gifts wrapped in fancy paper, glittery ribbons and fancy bows. The gifts of LOVE. Nothing was perfect, and yet, everything was perfect, as perfect as the beautiful glow from the star that sat atop our Christmas tree.

 Christmas, keeping it simple, for in simplicity lies life’s greatest gifts and precious moments.  How do we do this and still feel we are honoring Christmas traditions, family gatherings, and creating those special Christmas memories?  

                            LOVE…. Love in action, not reaction.

  “My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple, loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas?

Bob Hope

 LOVE…. Love costs us nothing and yet means the most.  Love in action.

 LOVE that is shared through priceless gestures and simple acts of kindness.

Gifts like:

*Taking time to visit. Time to give someone your full attention, an old folk’s home perhaps.

*Sharing a simple hug. A hug that says, you matter.

*A compliment that brings a feeling of warmth and worth.

*A simple text. Merry Christmas! Love you!

*Sharing a meal or a batch of cookies with those who can no longer do this for themselves or do not have the financial means.

*Donating a gift to those less fortunate.

*Sharing a smile with a stranger. You never know what that can mean to someone who is having a tough day or a Christmas alone.

 The list is as endless as your LOVE.

*And of course simple acts of kindness and time just for you.

Time to take in the joy of Christmas, the joy of just being in the moment, the joy of knowing that when Christmas is about love, all the stress, all the craziness, all the worries simply fall away and it is there that you will find the greatest gift that Christmas brings, LOVE. Love for self. Love for others.

Christmas is not a time nor a season. Christmas is a state of mind, a heart filled with love.

May your gifts this year be the blessings of peace, the comfort of faith, the beauty of hope, and the spirit of LOVE.

Cheers to you and a blessed Christmas filled with much love.

 Remember…..

 Always Believe,

Tammie

Finding Your Voice

NOTE TO SELF…YOU ARE AMAZING

“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” Melinda Gates

Many years ago I was on my couch in the fetal position suffering horribly from anxiety, panic attacks and agoraphobia which is fear of everything. I still shudder recalling that feeling of hopelessness and fear.  Since that time I have gone on an incredible journey to heal my body and soul and more importantly to find my voice so that I can use my past experiences to help other women, women who are not necessarily plagued by anxiety for their present situation but by the anxiety of fear and lack of courage to live a life they are deserving of.

In the book LEAN IN, Sheryl Sandberg writes, ‘Fear is the root of so many of the barriers that women face.  Fear of not being liked. Fear of making the wrong choice. Fear of drawing negative attention. Fear of overreaching. Fear of being judged. Fear of failure. And the holy trinity of fear: the fear of being a bad mother/wife/daughter.’

Is that you? It has definitely been me. So what I had to do was to ask myself what I would do if I weren’t afraid and then face that beast head on. Okay so it wasn’t exactly head on it was more like two steps forward and three steps back, but I got there eventually and it was a feeling like no other.

I conquered the beasts of fear and procrastination and excuses and I won!

There will be other beasts of course, but my voice is getting louder and louder with each battle and now I hear more words like, ‘I am endless possibilities.’ ‘I am courageously facing my challenges.’ I am brave.’ I do not let my insecurities speak louder than my truth.’ ‘I am positive and strong while I trust my journey.’

WHY NOT ME?

We constantly underestimate ourselves, compare ourselves to others we see as successful and judge ourselves for our lack of perfection, and to top it all off we talk to ourselves like we would no other human being.

STOP THAT!   WHY NOT YOU?

So what does one do when trying to conquer the beast and live a happy, fulfilled life?

We must use positive self-talk filled with affirmations that inspire us to believe in ourselves, move forward with confidence and slay that beast.

There is no other power for change like the power of self-talk and positive thinking.  Our subconscious mind believes everything we tell it so tell it something amazing and inspiring and truthful.

The power of the mind is amazing. So be positive, be excited, a great life is for everyone. It all starts with you and the thoughts you have and the story you tell yourself. Get up every morning and tell yourself a great story.

Your thinking creates your reality. Your beliefs become self-fulfilling prophecies because your beliefs drive your actions.

Choose your words wisely, they influence the life you live, they influence who you become. Be positive and speak kindly to yourself because words become things, never forget that.

Find your voice, and then use it to create the change and growth you know you are capable of. Put on your Super Girl cape, pick up your sword and slay the beast of negativity, fear, procrastination, excuses and live that, ‘Happily Ever After’ you are so deserving of.

I challenge you to make a list of five positive words that describe you and then write one affirmation that you can use to banish that noisy negative chatter that is creating your now.

I am brave, smart, successful, confident, enough.

I release my negative thoughts and embrace positivity and optimism.

You’ve got this. WHY NOT YOU? YES YOU CAN!

Cheers to you and…

Always Believe,

Tammie

Decluttering Your Mind to Create Clarity, Balance and Peace.

Fall always reminds me of fresh starts, tidying up and decluttering, decluttering not just your closet, yard or junk drawer but DECLUTTERING YOUR MIND. 

The happiness of your life truly depends on the quality of your thoughts. Clutter is not just the noisy thoughts like the ‘to do lists’ or the grocery shopping and laundry that needs to be done. Clutter is the worn out beliefs, ideas, habits and even relationships that fill that beautiful mind with daily turmoil interrupting everything you should be striving for like peace of mind, a strong self-esteem and growth.

Your mind is like your home.  So like your home, when was the last time you tidied up and decluttered it? Make today be the day you let go of things that no longer serve you, those negative, self-defeating thoughts that are weighing you down and stopping you from moving forward with your fresh, new start. Clutter is simply heavy, stuck energy. How can you move forward with positivity, exciting new plans, visions of success and happiness if you are being weighed down with all that clutter? 

Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions. When a decision has been made we feel true empowerment step in to take over and clean up all the mess created by those postponed decisions.

So make the decision to declutter that beautiful mind of yours. Make the decisions that need to be made. Who belongs in your circle, only those people who love and support you of course? What needs to be done to feed your soul? What thoughts are sucking the life out of your self-esteem?

If it doesn’t make you feel awesome, don’t do it, don’t buy it, don’t keep it and for sure don’t think it!

Make those tough decisions needed to declutter your mind and feel the power that takes over working away to help you create the life you were meant to live.

You’ve Got This!

Spend time with people who feed your soul.

Be kind to yourself.

Let go of trying to control everything.

Get rid of your feelings of guilt or fear.

Take time to visualize what it is that is important to you.

Decide what no longer serves you and let it go.

Create the life you dream of using the planner I created just for you…The Vision Book Planner.

Fall…a time for exciting new beginnings, so declutter your mind and let the noise that weighs you down become the music that lifts you up and inspires you.  Yes You Can! 

Remember…

Always Believe,

Tammie

WHO AM I? Shelly J.

Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child's eye-it is very beautiful.

K. Satyarthi

Guest Blogger- Acquired Brain Injury Creative Writing Class Participant - Shelly J.

Sitting on my steps putting on my walking shoes. My mind was full of thoughts, since my stroke two years ago… I wondered Who Am I? What is my purpose in life? What am I going to do now? Decided to go walking on this nice warm day instead of going to the walking track.  The grass is green, leaves are out, sun shining nice and bright, children everywhere, in yards and playgrounds, it is the little ones who don’t yet have cell phones or I Pads that are out and about.  It got me thinking in my already filled mind, how times have changed. Made me smile watching the children of all races playing together, laughing and playing games.

Memories crop up of my childhood, living in a small town back in the 60’s and 70’s as I walk.  All the children played together while the older children were in school.  We did not care about skin color, race, or culture. We just had fun.

I knew that people spoke a different language. My parents and grandparents spoke both Cree and English. I never thought much of why they spoke a different language or why my grandmother was dark and my grandfather white looking. Nor did I even think why they spoke only English to my siblings and me.  I thought it was just normal. I was told I was Metis, but in a 5-year-old child’s mind, I did not comprehend that we were of a different race, or that the children I played with spoke a different language as well.  All that mattered was that having good friends and laughing playing games.

Entering school was an exciting time for all the 6-year-olds. (We did not have kindergarten back then). We were all so excited just walking to school and meeting up with all your friends in new clothes, and books. We all met up at the path leading to the school. When we got to the school, buses came along from out of town, and from the Reserve.  Some were scared, some happy, and others stood by themselves, unsure of where to go. So many different emotions.  Bell rang and we were told to go inside.

Once inside the school, it was scary and exciting at the same time. We were told where to go. Once in the grade one classroom.  We all took a desk.  When the teacher came in, she introduced herself. Then she said for everyone to stand up.  She then separated all the children and read out names as to where everyone would go and sit.

I remember feeling sad because my best friend and I could not sit close together.  She sat up front. And I in a row near the back.  I remember wondering why and asked the teacher if I could sit in the front. She said no that I was not a White. I wondered what she meant by that.  Once everyone was seated, I looked to see if any of my friends were near me. They were all spread out.  The teacher had separated all the children into rows according to their race.  I noticed that the First Nations children all sitting in the back of the class, and all the white children in front and the few who were of Metis sat towards the back in a separate row. I had no idea what was going on, and just accepted everything the teacher said. “She was the teacher and knew everything, was what went through my mind.”

Recess time came, and we were lead outside and told where to play.  We were not allowed on the Southside of the school, only the white children were.  The First Nation children were told to play in the soccer field and the few of us who were Metis played in a corner by the school.

As a grade one child, I could not understand why we could not play with each other. As the years went by we all grew, and the friends we had as 5-year-old children were no longer our friends.

The older kids would bully each other, fights would break out amongst the different races. There would be name calling. White children and the First Nations would fight, or the First Nations would pick on the Metis. Metis would pick on the whites or First Nations.  Teachers would come out and send the First Nations and Metis to the principal’s office, we would all get the strap.

I started hating school and would find every excuse to stay home.  As I got older, it got harder and I wished I could be five again.

I never did finish school there. My parents moved away, and it was the same thing in the new schools.  By then it was the norm that I was inferior to the white children and not wanted by the First Nation children or the White children. We would get made fun of by both groups of children. Saying things like, you’re not White or First Nations, you’re a “Halfbreed.” I and my siblings stuck together and played together. We had no idea what they meant by halfbreed until a few years later in older grades.

That’s when I started learning about racism and segregation.

As an adult, I went on to become a teacher and an Assistant Director in a Multicultural Daycare. I made a point of pairing up children in groups no matter the race or culture, and have them talk about their culture. I did not want anyone feeling bad about who they were. Parents appreciated it and became involved. We would have cultural days twice a year.  You could see how proud these children were by their smiling eyes, and grins, when they spoke about their culture. 

As I go for my walk, I see these children and feel good to see them have fun. At any age now.  It makes my heart sing to see how everyone should treat each other. The Children of this world are the smart ones. They see only another person and don’t judge, that’s what adults should be learning from our children.

I look at the sky, grass, trees, listen to the birds, children’s voices as they yell in glee.  I give thanks that my grandchildren have the choice and opportunity to be who they want to be without getting that slap on the hand for being proud of who they are!

I Keep walking with a new fresh mind, I learned more today on this walk than I did yesterday on my walk at the track.  Bless our children!

Shelly J.

Never Give Up On Something You Can't Go A Day Without Thinking About. Winston Churchill

NEVER GIVE UP ON SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN’T GO A DAY WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT.

 WINSTON CHURCHILL

When is it time to throw in the towel on our ideas, dreams, goals and visions?  Now that is a question I have personally faced many, many times.  I sometimes feel like I am a mad scientist as my mind is overflowing with ideas, visions, goals and dreams.  Where do I start? When do I stop? Why do I even care? So when this happens I must stop my noisy mind and ask myself what purpose these ideas, visions, goals and dreams serve. What is my BIG WHY in their pursuit? If the answer is that they make my body, mind or spirit happy and healthy, if they bring me joy and contentment, if they make not only my life better but someone else’s life better than I am on the right track. Be clear why you’re here.

Had I not believed in myself and a life better than I was living all those years ago I would still be in the fetal position on my couch, fearful of having a heart attack, fearful of the ‘what ifs’.  I would never have overcome my anxiety and agoraphobia, I would never have authored books that have helped others believe and overcome their own fears and obstacles and I would never have chosen a new career at the age of 55. Yes, there were many, many times I wanted to throw in the towel but in the end I visualized, I acquired knowledge, I practiced gratitude, I set goals beyond my wildest dreams, I stepped way out of my comfort zone, I consistently used positive affirmations, I met failure and heartache with renewed courage and action, I had faith as small as a mustard seed and I believed if God had put that idea, dream, goal or vision in my head then I had best listen to Him.

Yes, sometimes I rant and rave that I am going to throw in the towel, then stomp on it and even burn it, life isn’t fair, this is too hard, I can’t keep doing this, but then I take a big breath and I go back to my BIG WHY. We all have those moments, hours, days, when we want to give up.  Challenges are temporary and dreams and goals don’t always have to have a deadline if in their pursuit you feel happy and healthy, body, mind, and spirit, if they bring you joy and contentment and a reason to get out of bed. Listen to not only your soul but to your body. Do you simply need a break or a time out? Do you need to talk with a friend? Should you go back to the drawing board and tweak your vision? If you take a moment to really listen to your heart and body they will tell you if they have another day in them to move you one step closer to your dream.

OUR GREATEST WEAKNESS LIES IN GIVING UP. THE MOST CERTAIN WAY TO SUCCEED IS ALWAYS TO TRY JUST ONE MORE TIME.  THOMAS EDISON

You must believe it before you see it. Most people go through life thinking they have to see it before they will believe it and that is why so many people give up when the truth is you have to believe it before you see it.  I can. I will. I am. Never forget…whatever follows your, ‘I am,’ follows you. Striving for what you want is hard work.  But know that inside you lies courage and strength. It has been the belief in myself when I sat alone with my fears that I could not achieve my goals or face the demons of failure and negativity that kept me in the game. It was getting up every single day with a prayer of gratitude and belief that if I was given another day to achieve my dreams then I damn well better get on that.

GO FOR IT NOW. THE FURTURE IS PROMISED TO NO ONE. WAYNE DYER

Your first five minutes dictate your day. So start your day with a prayer of gratitude for the ability to face another day, for the chance to make not only your life better but possibly even someone else’s life better. It is our belief in hope and purpose for ourselves that keep us moving forward when we would much rather take the easy road and give up.

Every day will be a struggle if you have a negative mindset. Every day will be a challenge if you do not believe in yourself and your ability to succeed be it at losing weight, getting an education, overcoming your anxieties or fears, starting a new career or running a marathon.  Whatever it is you visualize for yourself, it is achievable. And whatever you do, never let anyone else’s negative opinion cause you to second guess the path you have chosen or your ability to achieve your goals. They do not know what it is that lives in the depths of your soul or sets your heart on fire. Only you dwell in that magical world of dreams and possibilities for yourself. You are the keeper of your heart’s desires, the master of your fate.

So, when do you give up? Never! Unless the dream is causing you mental, physical or financial distress, never give up. The key is to face your challenges with a positive mindset. Connect to others who you can share your goals or ‘what ifs’ with. We are never alone. Reach out to others.

I always say that time passes so you might as well be doing what it is you enjoy because whether time brings you struggles or successes, time will pass. Life if full of hills and valleys, believe in your ability to live a happy life. You’ve got this! Why Not You?

Remember, a bamboo seed will sit in the ground for five years appearing to not be making any changes. Then, over a six-week period, it will grow 90 feet.  That’s how life often works. Suddenly, the pieces of our journey all come together and we are reaching, growing, achieving. NEVER GIVE UP!

IT ALWAYS SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL IT’S DONE.  NELSON MANDELA

Remember…..

Always Believe,

Tammie

SOMETHING TO TRY… I AM CHALLENGE

Copy down the words I AM 5 times and behind each I AM write down a positive descriptor of you. Then take the time every day for a week to read those descriptors over and over or post them where you will see them each morning and evening.

Remember, whatever follows your, ‘I AM,' follows you.

CALL TO ACTION…

I would love to hear how the, I AM CHALLENGE worked for you.

Did this tool work for you to help you create a more positive mindset? Have you used this tool before? Did you share the idea with a friend? Would you like additional tools included in my monthly blog? Are there other topics you would like to read about? I’m listening.

tammie.leonard@yahoo.ca

COMING SOON….52 WEEKS OF INSPIRATION

Spring Is A Time For Transformation

Spring is a Time for Transformation

 April 2018

Imagine being an energetic body where every cell is able to relax. A mind uncluttered of its cares and worries. A life that you have designed with your happy thoughts and transforming actions. A soul that is transformed by your core happy thoughts and inspired action.

Spring is a time of transformation. Spring shows us that miracles really do happen. Miracles might be a tiny mad idea or a simple shift in perception. Miracles begin to happen the moment we choose to perceive our lives with our core happy feelings of balance, strength, and peace, that’s really all we want from life. We want to feel happiness, joy, satisfaction, success, worthy, love… but these can only be felt because of our actions.

Miracles happen every day, change your perception of what a miracle is and you’ll see them all around you. Jon Bon Jovi

 Miracles can only happen when we get rid of the concept of “impossible” and allow ourselves to experience the magic of knowing. Knowing that everything has a season and a purpose. Knowing that we have the power to transform our lives into whatever we want or do not want because we do have that power. We hold the power until we give it away to friends, family, fear, anxiety… It’s time to get back your power!

So many of us are literally stopped dead in our tracks by doubt, fear, the anxiety of not succeeding or succeeding, lack of focus, lack of gratitude, feelings of lack…The truth is that our thoughts both positive and negative really do become our reality.

So ask yourself:  What’s the best outcome of taking this action? What’s the worst possible outcome of taking this action? Is the best outcome worth the risk? If the worst thing happened could I live with it?

You have to take risks. We only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen. Paulo Coelho

When I was at my lowest during my time with my severe anxiety and agoraphobia I was terrified to exercise because I thought I might have a heart attack and yet I knew that exercise was the best thing for my anxiety. Seriously, I was sure I would drop dead with the least bit of exertion. Yikes! So my mom suggested that I go for a walk in the hospital parking lot so if I did have that heart attack I would be close to the doctors. Yes, it made me laugh and solved my worst case scenario.

The key to achieving your heart’s desires (including letting go of your fears and worries) is to take action with the belief that you can and you will be successful or you will learn and grow if you don’t. So the best place to start is to focus on what you can do. For me, I couldn’t run a marathon but I could walk one. Even if I would have had to crawl the marathon the feeling of accomplishment would have been accelerating. You can’t walk a block, start by walking down the street, but just start.

Whatever you do simply take some small action.  Success feels fantastic no matter how small.

So, start with the transformation you want to achieve that would create that balance, strength, and peace in your life. Write down the goal and the steps you will need to take you there. Make sure to include your BIG WHY because without it you won’t get far.

Your why will trump your willpower every time. Those brick walls will only be smashed down with a BIG WHY.

Then journal all your feelings about the transformation, every last one of them, really dump that baggage onto the pages. Journaling is like cleaning out the junk drawer, it’s a way to make space for what really needs to be put into that beautiful mind of yours. Vent your true feelings, express all of your concerns and divulge your innermost thoughts because that journal will not judge you, interrupt you or try to give you advice.

But do not stop there. Journal about what it is that makes you special and unique. Make a list of your amazing qualities and successes. I know you have many but you just never take the time to really think about them. This is your time to really brag about yourself.  

And lastly, start a Gratitude List. Gratitude is the key to your happiness. It’s like sitting on the beach and feeling the warmth of the sun and the peace of the waves. We all have something to be grateful for even in our most fearful moments. Yes You Do!

So, every decision you make comes down to a choice. You choose whether nothing is a miracle or everything is a miracle.

Did I believe I would ever get past my fears and anxieties? Well truthfully, not at first, but with each miracle, I saw I let more sunshine into my darkness. I believed there had to be more to life. I believed in my transformation and that led me to see more miracles and more transformation.  I felt gratitude for every success and saw miracles in every moment. And then, before I knew it, a transformation was taking place and I was alive again. My mind was becoming uncluttered of its cares and worries. Miracle of miracles!

 So you see, it really is a miracle what the mind is capable of. What a waste to not use your mind to create the life you truly want where you feel balance, strength and peace.

Spring…transformation, miracles, growth. 

What are you waiting for? This is your season. This is your time. Believe!

Many people are alive but don’t touch the miracle of being alive. Thich Nhat Hanh

Remember…

Always Believe!

Tammie

Looking for more Inspired Action?  Send me an email at tammie.leonard@yahoo.ca and I will send you a free pdf of Daily Affirmations.

 Or check out The Vision Book Planner on Amazon.ca or one of my other motivational books here on my web site. They can all be found in Saskatoon at McNally Robinson or Indigo on 8th Street.

Cheers!

I CAN SHAKE OFF EVERYTHING IF I WRITE, MY SORROWS DISAPPEAR, MY COURAGE IS REBORN. ANNE FRANK

JOURNALING 101

I CAN SHAKE OFF EVERYTHING IF I WRITE, MY SORROWS DISAPPEAR, MY COURAGE IS REBORN.  ANNE FRANK.

It is said a picture paints a thousand words.  Well, I can’t paint, okay, I’ve never actually tried but writing a thousand words has changed my life.  Writing has healed my soul, given me strength when I felt I couldn’t go on, allowed me to breathe and helped me re-group.  It has given my life direction and purpose when I saw only darkness.  Writing has helped me express myself when I felt frozen to the ground, when I was screaming inside my head and no one could hear me.  It was my way of tracking daily accomplishments that may have seemed minuscule to some but were major milestones for me.

  Journaling has been a constant in my life.  It has revealed so many things about the real Tammie Leonard.  It keeps my life on track and helps me to focus, time and again it brings me back to task.  It has a way of intertwining my dreams and goals.

 Through many difficult life experiences, I journal and through my journals I can trace my personal growth. I have journaled about nothing and everything never knowing where it would take me. I just knew that writing gave me an amazing place to escape to.  My journals were like the coat of many colors. Just like the coat’s colors, each journal contains something different but together they brought me to this place where I feel incredible peace.  You too can enjoy the amazing benefits of journaling.  You don’t have to be a writer as you just need a few minutes or any minutes and a pretty little notebook. (Excerpt from, Thoughts to Give You Wings-author Tammie Leonard)

Why Journal?

Well, my heart knows me better than I know myself, So I am gonna let it do all the talking.  K. T. Tunstall

Types of Journals.

Your journal is a place to write, sketch, craft, doodle or play with your imagination, record your feelings, thoughts, interests, and intuitions. There is no right or wrong way to journal.

GRATITUDE  AFFIRMATIONS  IDEAS  GRIEF  FAMILY  FITNESS  NUTRITION  QUOTES  MOOD HISTORY  POSITIVE SELF-TALK  HEALING  SPIRITUALITY  VACATIONS  GOALS  DRAWINGS  MEMORIES CHILDHOOD  WORDS  LETTER WRITING  DREAMS  LISTS  ASPIRATIONS NAMES….

Growing requires tools, tools that help us learn about our true selves.  Writing out whatever comes to mind can give us a powerful picture in our minds, giving us deeper insight into the mysteries of our fears, hopes, and dreams that drive us.  And from this, we can build on what it is that would make our spirits soar.

CONVINCED?

If you are not convinced yet that journaling is a life-saving tool, drop me a message in the comments section or just email me at tammie.leonard@yahoo.ca and I will happily forward to you a free PDF on reasons to journal, quotes and topics to journal or writing prompts to get you going.

When I sit down to write time seems to vanish.  I think it’s a wonderful way to spend one’s life.  Erica Jong

Remember….

Always Believe,

Tammie

As Your Days Unfold, So Do The Years Of Your Life.

Inspired Action 2018

AS YOUR DAYS UNFOLD, SO DO THE YEARS OF YOUR LIFE.

February…already?  This is what I mean by, ‘As your days unfold, so do the years of your life.’

Did January bring with it inspired action?  I know, we are all gung ho on January 1 but by February 1 our inspiration has often fizzled out.  Not to worry, you can change things around. YES YOU CAN!

Every single day is a chance to start over.  Yes, we often stop and start many times but there is a reason for that as well as a solution. Don’t give up! Don’t ever give up!

When I wrote 365 Days For Me, I was inspired to change one mindset at a time. That’s actually my goal, one day at a time and sometimes it’s one minute at a time.  Profound change comes not from setting goals but the cause and effect of them.  How will your goals impact your body, mind and soul?  What is it your soul desires, happiness, health, love? What can you do in this moment?

We all need personal understanding of our WHY.  We need to be honest with ourselves so we can get very clear on our WHY and our brick walls and then take INSPIRED ACTION. Once you are clear on your priorities (WHY) you can take the steps of INSPIRED ACTION to challenge your negative thoughts and live in the moment, a moment where anything is possible. You need a big heartfelt WHY to move forward successfully.

Now when we are pursuing our BIG WHY we can still hit brick walls but as I said there is always a way around them.  In 365 Days For Me every day is a chance and a choice to live your best life. Sometimes however we need a little encouragement because often even our best intentions start to fade away with our daily living commitments of care giving, work, children, cleaning, cooking, the list is endless but if you are true to yourself you need to put you first. This is where I can help you.

In my book 365 Days For Me you will find inspiration every day to face and conquer the mindset beast. Like I said there is always a solution. So here from my book are….

15 Simple Ways To Slay The Mindset Beast

1.       Take 100% responsibility for your life.

You are the only one responsible for the quality of your life. This is so empowering and scary but how fantastic that you are in control. Yes You! No blaming, whining, excuse making.  100% You.

2.       Be clear why you’re here.

You have to know where you are and where you want to be. Take the time to actually figure it out. (The Vision Book Planner is a fantastic place to start getting clear on what matters most to you.)

3.       Decide what you truly want.

Decide what it is you want most in life and then organize everything else around it. Goals should be scheduled into your day like everything else. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

4.       Believe it is possible and believe you are worth it.

You have to give up the, ‘I can’t.’  It’s never too late to do anything. Your happiness is worth the time and effort. This is not a dress rehearsal.

5.       Unleash the power of goalsetting.

Set a goal worth working for, a goal that will change your life. A goal that sets your heart on fire. Don’t just write the goal down however, you have to include the steps to getting there including the brick walls that will try to stop you and the negative mindset beast you will have to slay every day. You can do this but you actually need a plan.

6.       Release the breaks.

Let go of your limiting negative thoughts and fill your subconscious mind with new and amazing thoughts and images. Nothing worse than a negative mindset. Transform you limiting beliefs.

7.       Visualize.

See what you want and get what you see.  Visualization makes the brain achieve more, it activates your subconscious mind to create solutions for your goals. Sit back, close your eyes and take the time to really see what it is that makes you happy.

8.       Take inspired action.

We are rewarded by our actions. Our most amazing vision means nothing without action. You need to get off your ass-ets to make change in your life.

9.       Be brave and lean into your fears.

Good stuff requires work. Success asks us to step out of our old habits and comfort zone. It’s okay to start with baby steps, before you know it you’ll be running towards those goals.

10.   Let your WHY steer you.

Be willing to pay the price knowing it’s never easy but always worth it. You’ve got this.

11.   Clean up all distractions and incompletes.

Get your excuses out of the way.  Create a successful environment whether that means getting rid of the junk food in the pantry, cleaning out a closet or finishing up those little projects that call you away from your goals.

12.   Be your own best cheerleader.

Our negative thoughts actually control our behaviour. Change it up. You don’t need anyone to tell you how awesome you are.  Celebrate all victories big and small. Even those tiny accomplishments are paving the way to your success.

13.    Practice gratitude.

When you are in a state of appreciation and gratitude, you are in a state of abundance.  You can focus on what you do have instead of what you don’t have. Happy mind. Happy heart. Better choices.

14.   Change your mindset.

YOU CONTROL the thoughts you focus on, the images you visualize and the actions you take.

Change your mind and you change everything.  MINDSET MATTERS.

15.    Never give up. Life will never be easy, but no matter how difficult the journey, NEVER GIVE UP! You are worth it, or why else would you be here?

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you couldn’t hang on a minute longer, don’t give up then, for that is just the place and time the tide will turn.

Harriet Beacher Stowe

Remember….

Always Believe,

Tammie

Comments? I would love to hear from you. Send me a message here in the contact section or send me an email at tammie.leonard@yahoo.ca.

You can also find my latest book to help you gain a ton of clarity for your goals and the inspiration to achieve them on Amazon…The Vision Book Planner.

 Cheers!