Living Life Today – Are You living in the Shadows?

Shadows in the late afternoon. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“The Living Life Today series provides a platform to think about your Life as it is Now, enjoy what you have, review and create an even better future for tomorrow“….. Short, sharp & easily digestible.

So many people spend their lives with their talents hidden from view.

I call this “living in the shadows”. Talents hidden from view. A place of doubt, indecision & fear.

We are here to shine and by shining, we are helping others… as well as ourselves.

Our choices determine the lives we lead.

You are where you currently are ….by choice.  If you are currently ‘in the shadows’, you can choose to come out and live a life of brightness and vitality. You may need help to do this. Help is always close at hand, just ask.

Choose to live a Life where you can be seen and be heard. A life where you can share yourself with others and where you can grow.

A life where you can learn from others. A life where you can inspire, motivate and care…..and be inspired, motivated and cared about.

My friends, fellow Life Lovers…..Dream big, aim high, develop your Big Picture, embrace your Life, choose well… and shine.

Be good to yourselves

David

P.S New website and blog coming soon!

# I help men & women aged 40 & over, make their goals, dreams & longer term Visions for their Life, come true. I want You to be excited about your Life.

and YES, I coach in Australia & around the world via Skype…Contact me Today for your FREE introductory coaching session.… david@davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

#  I welcome you to Visit and “like” my Facebook page for terrific insights into Life issues that affect You

• Try a Free Coaching session or high value, low cost Virtual Coaching package…simply click on the appropriate apps on my Facebook page or you can email me …david@davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

Please join me also at:

•   www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au    AND

• I’d love you to follow me on Twitter

5 Powerful ingredients that add “Meaning” to your Goals

In a much earlier post, I specified the 5 effective steps that I believed were essential in achieving meaningful goals.

Now I want to introduce you to what I believe are 5 powerful ingredients to add real meaning to your Goals.

Passion, Persistence,  Imagination, Vision, Gratitude

These are not new and will be well known to you all. I have joined them as one defining resource or collective if you will.

When used in this way, you will create an avenue toward real meaning with your Goals.

It is however my experience, one or more of these ingredients (in some cases all) are found lacking when people set out to achieve goals. Or set out to achieve anything more than what they have at present. It’s like going on a road trip with only half a tank of fuel and expecting it to get you the whole journey.

Let’s have a closer look.

Passion

Without this your goals will fizzle…out. Passion is a vital and common ingredient amongst all successful achievement and all successful people. It can be an overused term and it’s not my intent to do this here. I struggle to give a specific description of passion however my best effort is along the lines of “when you are doing something that excites you, makes you feel fully alive and gives you a tingling feeling, then you are passionate”…..and you can see this in the people who are truly passionate.

Persistence

It’s rarely a smooth trip when chasing your goals. There will be rough patches. Hanging in there when the going gets tough is a must. Looking for a gap thru the ‘roadblock’, a breakthrough of some kind requires persistence. If you are prepared to be persistent, regardless, then the end achievement (of your goal) is the more meritorious and meaningful.

Imagination

Thinking outside the box, outside the square is a valued trait. When setting goals especially Big ones that may seem ‘out of reach’, imagining the positive end result before you set out certainly stokes the fire, gets you excited…..and that’s pretty powerful meaning at work, right there. p.s I’ve written a number of posts on “Imagination”…some links are found at the foot of this post.

Vision

Having the ability to look ahead, to stretch the boundaries of what normally is expected and create something new and powerful is Vision at it’s best. This is where the meaningful goals are created. Vision and Imagination are like identical twins. They go hand in hand and have created so much in our world. Use them yourselves and create added meaning to your Life.

Gratitude

What’s this got to do with “meaning” you might be saying? Well, in my experience being grateful adds an extra dimension to the meaning of my existence, my Life. And during this Life, I have set and achieved many goals. There is still much that I want to achieve. Being grateful for “future achievements” when initially setting my goals adds punch and confidence during the goal achievement journey.

Can this be helpful to you? I’d love to hear your comments.

Be good to yourselves

David

# Some “Imagination” links for your reading pleasure:

The Imagination Series Episode 2

The Imagination Series Episode 4

The Imagination Series Episode 7

#  I’d love you to Visit and “like” my Facebook page

• You can then take advantage of a Free Coaching session or high value, low cost Virtual Coaching package…just click on the appropriate apps on the page

Please visit me also at:

•   www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au    AND

• Follow me on Twitter

Goals, Dreams, Longer term Visions…..why they are important

Recently I wrote a post to my Facebook page…”Goals and dreams are not just ‘something to have’…..they are something to act on…..how about we bring them to Life people!”

And I stand by that 100%…

Having a sense of purpose for our Lives propels us forward. Setting Goals with meaning adds value to us and keeps the juices flowing.

Whether they be short term, mid or long, Goals provide us with a roadmap to follow. You then need to take action and follow the roadmap.

Dreams are the fabric  which we can weave into what ever is our desire. Dreams are tantalising. They urge us to grow out of our present thoughts and explore possibilities that we would not ordinarily think are possible.

I see Dreams as a form of escapism. Sometimes burdened with boring, ”logical” thought and existence, Dreams act as a ‘pressure release valve’ as we escape to other thoughts.

Importantly, dreams/dreaming allow us to create.

Dreaming with intent steps it up a notch & adds real punch to your purpose & crystallises you into action…..and action ultimately, is the key.

Meaningful Goals and Dreams help form your longer term Vision for your Life…..at least that’s the way I see it (when done with the right degree of purpose). You may not notice it at first however they will interconnect…(you can’t have one without the other, in my opinion) and this is where the real action commences…..bringing all this to Life!

Depending on which stage of Life you’re currently at, a longer term Vision may not seem important…yet. Once you arrive @ your forties, looking beyond tomorrow takes on much more significance.

There will probably be pieces to the puzzle not yet in place. (In my previous post, I mentioned brushstrokes on your Big Picture)…I like to vary the metaphors. You will have aspirations, you will have a reason to put your Life into some sort of order “before time gets too quickly away”.

If you have been gradually building your longer term “Vision” through regular goal setting and dreaming, then adding the final touches should come quite easily. Though remember to keep action always at the ready.

If you haven’t been a goal setter or ‘dreamer’, I urge you to try it…..it’s never too late to start. You can only benefit by doing so.

As a Life Coach, I help men & women aged 40 & over bring their Goals/Dreams/Visions to Life. Can I help you?

Be good to yourselves

David

P.S If you need a Solution for anything that is holding you back in Life, ask me via email, for free!…david@davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

# Find out more about me by visiting my :

• Fabulous “Virtual Coach” page here where ongoing support and life changing assistance is just a keystroke or two away. Why not sign up while you are there?

• Facebook page over there. I would love you to view & “like” , if you like

•  website @ www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

• Linkedin profile

• follow me on Twitter

Just saying it as it is….. Part 2

I enjoy ‘being in the moment’… which means being aware of my thoughts and feelings in that moment and enjoying to the max.

It is however a balancing act ‘being in the moment’ continuously and also having an eye on your future.

Imagining & Visioning how you want your Life to unfold & where you want your Life to be at a certain point ‘down the path’ is fine.

But be aware… Being ”in the moment” and being caught up in the moment are different.

Being in the moment embraces enjoyment, awareness of your thoughts and feelings as I mentioned earlier…..well, at least that’s my opinion.

Being caught up in the moment can be delightful and distracting at the same time. Delightful when you have enjoyed & know when to let go & move on. Distracting when you see nothing else but the moment that you are in……and time gets away.

If you imagine your Life to be this or that in say 10 years then what are you doing about it now?

Imagining is fine, I love it, however it is also essential to keep painting your bigger picture with constant brush strokes(thoughts and actions).  Otherwise in 10 years you will have an unfinished ‘masterpiece’, be rooted to the same spot & wonder where the time went…..and that would be a shame.

Keep painting.

Be good to yourselves

David

P.S If you need a Solution for anything that is holding you back in Life, ask me via email, for free!…david@davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

# Find out more about me by visiting my :

• Fabulous “Virtual Coach” page here where ongoing support and life changing assistance is just a keystroke or two away. Why not sign up while you are there?

• Facebook page over there. I would love you to view & “like” , if you like

•  website @ www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

• Linkedin profile

• follow me on Twitter

Related articles

• Living Life Today – Acting with Purpose…each Day (personalpower4me.wordpress.com)
• Feel like you are out of your Depth?…..A Simple way to get level with a 3 step formula (personalpower4me.wordpress.com)

The 5 Deadly Sins…..How to turn them around

There are things that you need to do and there are things that you should avoid. When speaking with my coaching clients and potential clients, there are 5 ‘problem areas’ that consistently occur and inevitably hold them back from achieving so much more (or indeed, achieving anything)…

Procrastination…..an absolute art form. Why do something when you can put it off “for a better time”…..enough said

Excuses….. there’s got to be some reason not to do this, right?

Lack of Belief…..well I have never done this before, so I guess I probably won’t be able to do this now

No Game Plan/Goals/Vision…..what?

No Direction…..I don’t know where I am actually going, we’ll just see what happens…ok?

You probably get the picture. There’s no time like NOW to repent your “sins” and get the train back on the tracks otherwise it will be ‘trainwreck’ time.

I’m not a great one for rules or regulations however there are certain ‘unwritten’ standards that are worth adhering to. Turn the 5 ‘sins’ above right around and you are very likely to start kicking some goals.

Don’t Procrastinate…..just ‘do’ or wipe it completely…you will feel better either way

No Excuses….. you might want to check this out…always be aware of the subtle ones

Start Believing…..in yourself. Start with some small victories, then build. If you don’t believe in yourself then it’s extremely hard for others to do so…it starts with you

Set some Goals…..as in above, set some small ones to get used to achievement then build…and add some ‘bite’ & ‘meaning’ to them. Create a Vision of how you see your Life in 10, 20 years and start aiming…this will build some purpose.

A sense of Direction…..certainly handy to have. Add some detours for fun but create a journey of excitement. No doubt unexpected detours will occur however they may open up further possibilities…enjoy & take some control of your Life.

Make sense?

Be good to yourselves

David

# If you need a Solution for anything that is holding you back, ask me via email, for free!…david@davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

# Find out more about me by visiting my :

• Fabulous “Virtual Coach” page here where ongoing support and life changing assistance is just a keystroke or two away. Why not sign up while you are there?

• Facebook page over there & “like” , if you like

•  website @ www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

• Linkedin profile

• follow me on Twitter

When I close my eyes…….

Now for something a little different.

This is a “live” blog post, or nearly(I couldn’t type with my eyes closed). I am recording what I saw & heard, entirely unedited.

The story unfolded this morning…..

Sometimes when I close my eyes I just see a mish mash of images, voices and thoughts…….a random collection it seems.

However there are other times, like today when I set myself up for a positive visual tour of my mind. This was my experience this morning when I closed my eyes for two minutes…….

I saw and heard:

• Waves crashing on the shore,

• a shaft of sunsine glimmering on the ocean

• a train arriving at the platform…..(what the?)

• a crisp golf shot landing on the green at my local course followed by a shout from one of my playing partners…”you lucky bugger”

• Children with their parents dancing in the park,

• Friends shaking me by the hand, patting me on the back and saying “well done, I new you could do it”

• Three elderly ladies chatting & laughing at the local shopping mall

• Walking and talking with my wife and (younger) daughters on a walking trail in the Gold Coast Hinterland @ Springbrook

• the riverfront and tree lined street @ Noosaville, Sunshine Coast

• I was walking betwen tables and speaking to (my clients) in a group session on a large timber deck in the sunshine by a river

• I am by the beach talking with four others about my 58th* birthday, the faces are not familiar

This “exercise” is not directly related to any specfic visualisation technique where one may attempt to visualise ‘things’ that they want or want to happen, which is powerful in it’s own right.

I wanted this exercise  to be an ‘open book’ examination of (positive) images & thoughts that have happened to me/will happen? and see how this would play out.

It is letting the mind meander with direction, in this case positive, picking up the vibe (of positive enjoyment)and creating a mental picture/video of the result…….maybe it’s unique to me?…..No, I think we can all do it.

Normally, I will close my eyes for a couple of minutes, 1-2 times per day which helps shut out any existing distractions around me. I will give thanks for the many positives in my Life and thanks in advance for the things that I want to happen. This commences my visualisation intent.

However, today I thought I would again experiment as I’ve outlined above. No particular focus other than on positive thoughts. My mind then played out a “movie” of particular positive/happy incidents that have occured(I’m sure) and others that I am guessing will be part of my future…..interesting. Can I predict my future? Am I seeing beyond the veil?…..I don’t know for sure……* I am still 56

However I do know that the mind is a powerful beast and there’s much about it that I still have to learn. I am now more of the belief  that I can train my mind to focus on the positive and remove the negative “at my command”…..and predict or project poitive images of my future?…..this is indeed good.

How about you?

Do you want more control over the selection of your thoughts? OR am I talking gibberish here?

be good to yourselves

David

# Check out my fabulous “Virtual Coach” page here where ongoing support and life changing assistance is just a keystroke or two away

p.s Feel free to view & “like” my Facebook page over there, if you like

# I’d love you to share this post with your Universe

# I also hang out @ www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

# Catch me on Linkedin

The Imagination series (Episode 7…final curtain call)

Well, this is the finale in my series of short, thought provoking posts on Imagination. Imagination will live on in my other blog postings however I didn’t want to overstay my welcome with this.

How can I “finish” this off, I wonder?

It’s gotta be Big, Huge even, different?…..Hmmmm

Imagine, when you wake up one morning and there is the noise of laughter and singing echoing outside. You peer out of your window……

Your neighbourhood is absolutely full of people dancing & singing, dogs wagging their tails, cats purring and birds chirping…….and of course, the sun is shining brightly……..what a sight to behold!

You go outside to investigate the “fuss”. You ask a spritely looking elderly gentleman doing a jig, “what’s going on?” and he replies……

“Damn if I know, I justed started imagining a better place and found myself here”

you ask another and get the same reply and another, same reply and so on…….

Just Imagine if the whole world started imagining like this………

be good to yourselves, see you at “Living Life Today”…….

David

p.s Feel free to view & “like” my Facebook page over there, if you like

# I don’t mind you sharing this post with your Universe

# I also hang out @ www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

# Check out my fabulous Virtual Coach page here where ongoing support and help is just a keystroke or two away

More Self Discovery Questions for Mid Life “Newbies”

About to enter “mid life” eh? Wondering what to expect? You may be a little fearful that a good portion of your Life has gone.

Don’t worry! The best part is about to start.

A little while back, I posted 21 Self Discovery Questions to enrich your Mid Life Journey. 

This post is still receiving views which is very heart warming. Therefore I thought a follow up might be in order. And just for variety, I’ll throw in some of my homegrown “guide points/feedback” for good measure.

I’ve said this before & I’ll say it again…….”mid life is golden”

You have done the hard yards. You may wish to build upon your hard work in your existing area of Life and/or work or… You may not… Choice is an amazing tool at our disposal.

• Are you now asking yourself….”is this the way I want to live the rest of my Life?”

Well I am not hear to tell you to pack it all in & venture into the unknown totally unprepared. No, what I am saying is reaching the mid life years can elicit ”a change in thinking” in some. If you are perfectly happy doing what you do then do more of it.

If not & you want to do some venturing, start asking yourself some questions before you step out  the door, like…..

• “What makes my heart sing”…….”What will make my family proud of me” …….”What will make Me proud of me…….”How will I feel knowing that I didn’t give my best shot….that I didn’t take a risk”…….”what is the worst that can happen”…….”how far outside my comfort sphere am I prepared to step”…….”am I the person I want to be” or “who do I want to be”

We are complex beings. There is a lot going on inside of us. And there is a lot more inside of us that we do not allow out. Untapped potential is what I am alluding to here.

This untapped potential can remain dormant for a Lifetime…….what a waste.

Now more than ever, is your opportunity ( there will be a lot of opportunities during mid life) to start tapping. Not your toes, start tapping in to your potential – you have a lot of this inside of you. Discovering your hidden reserves is a great start to living the rest of your Life with unlimited possibilities and endless horizons.

Time for some more questions that you may wish to consider,

• “How do I live my dream or ‘best’ Life”…….”How will I know what is the best path to follow”…….”Why am I afraid of what may lie ahead of me”…….”Who will save me if I fall”…..”how will I adapt to the changes that I want to make”

and time for some more homegrown guidance & feedback;

I discovered some pretty cool things after I turned 40. Turning 50 opened up more revelations. Learning more about myself & the endless learnings that can be explored were just two…….and they are a pretty important two. Continuing to learn will ensure that you continue to grow as a person. This forms the base, the solid foundation for the rest of your Mid Life Adventure. And learning (greater) Self Belief will go a long way to helping you answer the questions I just posed above (together with tapping in to your reserves of potential).… Don’t be afraid to fall, I know that it is scary……..

Just have the faith & belief in yourself that you will get up……. and you will. Therein lies your power. Your power to engage with & prosper from your “mid Life” years.

A couple more questions to finish,

• ”what will be the deal breaker that will get me over the hump & get me to the line”
• “what’s my end game, what do I really want, who do I want to become”

At the end of the day, the questions that I have shared can only be answered by you. However to gain the most from Life, questions are a great way to achieve this. If you need a little help kickstarting your answers, I am available to help.

The better the question, the greater the gain.

Can I leave you with this……. ‘Don’t just accept what is…consider what if ‘.…consider & open up all possibilities and have the Belief that you can do it.

be good to yourselves

David

p.s  feel free to view & “like” my Facebook page over there, if you like

check out my new Virtual Coach page here

I also hang out @ www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

Related articles

• Chasing Destiny (theromanceaddicts.com)

Somewhere…. over the Rainbow

What do you believe is  “over the Rainbow” for you?…Does there lie a ‘pot of gold’ , the Life of your dreams? OR is this just wishful thinking?

A Question beckons…….What is your ‘pot of gold’?

We often describe  Life as a journey. Nearing the latter part of our journey, most people prepare for their “niceties”  – Retirement, a trip around the world, play more golf , take up a hobby, spend more time with family & loved ones etc,

So for the vast majority, their belief is, that their rainbow & “pot of gold” lies toward the end of their journey.

They are working hard toward this end, each imagining a different pot of gold waiting for them. That’s fine.

But what if your pot of gold arrived “early”? and you missed it…….enter the “Rainbow”.

In my mind, a Rainbow can be seen as a significant “bridge” in our lives. It links the gap to where we are now and where we desire to go in the future.

It doesn’t have to be near the end…..a rainbow can materialise at anytime through Life’s journey…..it is a sign of new horizons & a brighter future to be had.

It’s a matter of being aware of this ‘sign’ & the forms in which it may come. I dare say, different for each of us.

My Rainbow “materialised” about 6 years ago( I think it crept up on me). I have since been journeying it’s length and seeking the pleasures and excitements of it’s pot of Gold. 

I have come to realise that my pot of gold is to explore these new horizons. Increase my capabilities as a Life Coach, as a parent, as a caring individual(and improve my blogging which is a little dusty).

What are you seeking as your pot of Gold.……

do you look for your “Rainbow”?…….

or are you waiting ’till the end?

Be good to yourselves

David

P.S  Don’t be afraid to “like” my Facebook page over there, if you like

I also hang out @ www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

5 Passionate Ideals for Living your Life

Image by BFS Man via Flickr

Living with Passion is mind blowing. There are so many passionate people on this earth yet there are so many more who are either 1. Still seeking the key to a life filled with passion OR 2. Don’t know that a passionate Life can be available to them.

I would like to share with you 5 of my passionate ideals for living a Life to enjoy.

1. Discover what is really important to you…….I mean really important. This requires serious introspection. This may take time however it is seriously worth it!…..look at your Beliefs, are they serving you, are they ‘out of date’?…..your Values, what are they, are you living them? Only after you have questioned & evaluated your Values & Beliefs can you begin the path to what is really important in your Life.

2. A sense of Direction…….. where are you going with your Life? Are you at the mercy of others, their needs, their wishes. Is the pathway blurred Or is the pathway clear of major obstacles and ready for you to navigate toward your end goals? The latter is more desirable, you need to know where you are going, what you want to achieve and it needs to be your journey……no excess baggage please.

Start with a broad perspective. Allow for ‘detours’ which may uncover some marvellous opportunities not previously thought of. You can then ‘narrow down’  your discoveries to  form your  most desirable outcomes as your journey unfolds.

3. Having meaningful goals……..not any goals but goals with passion, with substance, with bite. Goals that will set you alight, will make your heart sing, will add substance to your life, your existence, your legacy. Drill down to your core, what really matters to you? Set the bar to the max, add some real meaning to your Life.

4. Your Thoughts must be Positive………your thoughts determine your actions therefore your outcomes. We are always thinking, believe it or not. Everything you are currently doing, will do today, this week are determined by your thoughts. So why not think positively, think for the good, it will change your Life…..try it.

5.  Imagination………….without it you have restrictions, barriers to your existence in this Life. With it you have freedom. Freedom to choose your path, freedom from mediocrity, freedom to be great! There are no boundaries to your Imagination. ….”Imagination is greater then knowledge.” Albert Einstein….use your imagination to create a life with no limits but endless joy.

I imagine being in a vast space with happy, smiling people…..what do you Imagine?

Be good to yourselves

David

p.s  Feel free to view & “like” my Facebook page over there, if you like

I also hang out @ www.davidstevenslifecoach.com.au

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