“The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking, and don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking, don't settle.” Steve Jobs “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” Rumi As women, many of us have spent time giving TLC to others while neglecting ourselves. Somehow we feel it is "selfish" to live the life we want for ourselves.. We live up to the plan and messages given to us by society, parents, etc. We, at Shine Business, think we all need to be more than a bit "selfish." Think of the safety tips given by every airline: in case of an accident, place the safety mask over your own face first. Only then will you be able to help others. (As I, Ioana, have become a mother, I still have a huge resistance every time I hear this advice in the plane but I can see it's logic.. I think..) Are you living a life you love? If not, why not? When are you going to commit to designing the life you really want? And: are you taking care of yourself? Do you empty your internal trash can often and well? 20 years from now you will be disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the one’s you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. Mark Twain Life is going by at breakneck speed. Days and years pass with barely a notice. So many of us are rushing through time. We are constantly busy and often overwhelmed, and we keep moving faster and faster! We act like we can keep this pace up forever, but the truth is, our time is finite. Are you living your life according to your plan or the one that your parents, society, spouse, etc. made for and expect of you? Isn't it time to stop and re-evaluate just how we are spending our one precious life? If YOU were to fast forward to 20 years from now, where would you want to be? Go ahead: Explore! Dream! Discover! Ask yourself, "Where am I now and where do I want to be?" "I'm a corporate-sales professional turned writer. I went from increasing my professional value to following my moral values. I left a six-figure salary to save my marriage and follow my husband to a new location... and life. Writing is an old friend of mine. After a decade selling for corporate giants, I've returned to my first passion. " Sarah Faith Hansen Does this sound familiar? Have you ever considered packing up and going out on your own to start work that incorporates your passion? We cannot tell you it will be easy to leave a comfortable job and follow your dream, but by doing so, you'll put yourself on the path to achieve meaningful success in your life and business. "And the only thing people regret is that they didn't live boldly enough, that they didn't invest enough heart. Nothing else really counts at all." Ted Hughes Is there something you have been wanting to do in your life? If you find yourself stuck and hesitant, ask yourself, "What is it that is holding me back from moving forward into my dreams"? "Isn't it my duty to be willing to take a risk in to create something remarkable in my life?" Besides a feeling of fear, one often is stopped by the thought that it would be "selfish" to pursue one's own goals rather than following the plan and expectations set down by others. "Fear of failure must never be a reason not to try something." Frederick Smith Still, there it is: we stick around where it is safe. It's called cognitive resonance. Is fear of failure holding you back? Get over it, because once you are willing to face your fears, you will head in the direction of your dreams. History is full of the people who pushed past their failures to finally achieve their goals. Think Thomas Edison - or Tesla, for that matter. They had so many "failures" on their way to inventing the lightbulb or other great machines that help us today everyday. However, they reframed "failures" and considered them part the path that finally led them to success. Have you ever said that to yourself? Most of us have, but few of us ever begin to do what we love. We are often stuck and overwhelmed by our present circumstances and have no idea how to move forward. Worse yet, most of us don't even know what we like and want. You surely understand what I am saying. What if you were to begin the search for your own calling and life purpose? The journey begins with just a single step into your innate wisdom. Take that step! "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." Mother Theresa Do any of us ever feel good enough, smart enough, thin enough, beautiful enough? It seems to takes forever to build our self esteem and to recognize our gifts. We are normally stopped, not by ourselves, but by our own critical judgments. Have you ever thought about this? What would happen if you walked into a restaurant and heard two people talking to each other in the same way you sometimes (we hope not always!) talk to yourself? Wouldn't you be appalled? Isn’t now the time that you stop putting yourself down but start considering your strengths and shut down the critical voices in your head? |
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Ioana & CarmenShine Business is designed to be a vibrant safe community for dynamic women to find the support and encouragement needed to found, build and grow their Big Dreams. It is a place to be heard, be seen and be authentically YOU. Archives
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