Step Out In Confidence

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”

This famous quote comes to mind today as I hold in my hand something very special, the final draft of a clients book, and not just any book – it’s her very inspiring story of triumph over adversity.  It’s late at night in her country, so I can’t call to ask her what I can disclose and what I can’t so for now I’ll share a little and introduce her to you properly soon.

What I can share is that I have seen in this woman’s journey; along with many others, the outcome of clarifying your goals and stepping out on the journey (even with just a little confidence).  There are always moments along the way where you are challenged to reassess the decision to start out, always moments to renew your commitment, but the first decision is usually the hardest, but the most significant.

A Small Shift In Thinking Can Increase Self Confidence

Many goals I support clients to achieve have been a work in progress that has become buried under busy-ness or fear,  or a dream long held… a “maybe one day I could” kind of thought that never quite goes away.

When they turn up for session 2, so excited because they’re already seeing a massive shift - taking them towards their goal - I often share this magnificent quote which they really relate to .  It’s one worth reading again and again, so I share it today to help you to Step Out In Confidence.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back– Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way…

‘Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.  Begin it now.’” - W. H. Murray  (who quotes Goethe in the last line)

Step Out In Confidence!

Today I am not getting much done! Today… I know what it is to flounder. But yesterday I achieved a great deal.

So what’s the difference between today and yesterday (yes… apart from the obvious that yesterday is gone… :-))?

Well having thought about it I came up with this one difference. Yesterday I had a list! Now Kerrie has told me to write lists many times over and occasionally I have done just that. But today I really noticed the difference.

My tip for today is this.
Write a list and cross or tick it off as you go. (Feels great). I just do it on a pad of paper then scrunch it up and put it in the bin when it’s all done. (That feels even better.)

If you don’t complete your list, transfer the unfinished items to a new list (that way you still get to throw the old one out) so you can complete on the list from day before and not get despondent by not finishing.

Remember Today is a new day and has no mistakes in it.

For bigger goals I write them in my journal (the one Kerrie gave me and here is a shameless plug – Get your very own journal Click Here Now – ok… back to it). I also have a goal book, but more on that in another blog.

Hope this has been helpful and you are able to become even more productive.

Blue skies
Lyndon

You may have noticed some really short blogs in our blog feed lately.

These are coming from our Twitter account.

“What is Twitter?” you may ask. Basically it is a short update service where we are limited to 140 characters to explain what is happening. (Check out the video below this blog for a simple explanation). These “tweets” as they are called are fed into our blog to keep you up to date as quickly as possible.

If you wish to follow us on twitter we also have another account; this one does not feed into the blog but is updated much more regularly.  Follow us here. http://twitter.com/createthelife

Our hope is that this will make Create the Life Club even more relevant and helpful to you.

Blue skies

Lyndon

Click the play button below to see Twitter in Plain English.

Fantastic!!! Create the Life Club blogs are now open for comments. Try it out.

I bring you a Letter To The Bank that a 98 year old woman in the UK wrote to hers. The bank manager thought it amusing enough to have it published in the Times, and now I share it with you…

Dear Sir,

I am writing to thank you for bouncing my cheque with which I endeavored
to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three nanoseconds must
have elapsed between his presenting the cheque and the arrival in my
account of the funds needed to honor it. I refer, of course, to the
automatic monthly deposit of my Pension, an arrangement, which, I admit,
has been in place for only thirty eight years. You are to be commended
for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my
account £30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.

My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused
me to rethink my errant financial ways. I noticed that whereas I
personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, when I try to
contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, pre-
recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become. From now on, I,
like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person.

My mortgage and loan payments will therefore and hereafter no longer be
automatic, but will arrive at your bank by cheque, addressed personally
and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate. Be
aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to
open such an envelope. Please find attached an Application Contact Status
which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to
eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your
bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies
of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Solicitor, and
the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts,
assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.

In due course, I will issue your employee with PIN number which he/she
must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than
28 digits but, again, I have modeled it on the number of button presses
required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service.
As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press
buttons as follows:
1. To make an appointment to see me.
2. To query a missing payment.
3. To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
4. To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
5. To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to
nature.
6. To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
7. To leave a message on my computer (a password to access my
computer is required. A password will be communicated to you at a later
date to the Authorized Contact.)
8. To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through
to 8.
9. To make a general complaint or inquiry, the contact will
then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering
service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting
music will play for the duration of the call.

Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an
establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.

May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous, New Year.

Your Humble Client

…This is so well thought out. Have you ever wanted to write a Letter To The Bank?

Currently Reading: http://bit.ly/fE2m9

Just had a fantastic teleclass with Norma Stein. Keep an eye out for future calls. At least 1 a month.

Constant blogging goes on in my head – always thoughts I’d like to share, but obviously they don’t all make it here due to a lot of other ideas I’m taking care of too!  The current themes stem from the bushfires as I’m seeing and hearing a lot of news that provokes more thinking.   So here’s part 3!  Which really is a theme that I’ve written about before, and will do again.

As I’ve kept in touch with what’s happening in Victoria, and around the world as people respond to the “worst ever” bushfires there,  I see how the generosity of one person can spark an idea in another.   For example, on Facebook I noticed a friend had sent a reminder to give blood.  Of course!  I hadn’t thought of that.  There are so many ways we can help, and commenting on these things online or drawing attention to the great things that are happening sparks more ideas and more generous action.

What came to mind is a beautiful verse from the book of Hebrews. “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

What a thought for the week!  What are you doing that spurs people on?

Cheering you on,

Love Kerrie

PS: Click on the donate picture to visit the Australian Red Cross Blood Service website.

The Bushfires in Victoria have evoked enormous emotions in the community, regardless of whether people know anyone involved or not - and the outpouring of generosity is amazing, and yet so appropriate. Last night I watched online news stories, and over 77 million dollars has been raised in donations, and it keeps coming in, along with truckloads of clothing, food and other essentials.

It’s a beautiful picture of what I’ve read of in the book of James (in the Bible) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress”.

It’s been referred to as the Aussie Spirit, which is a great thought, but the assistance being so generously offered has come from all around the world.  We know, in various degrees, what it is to suffer, and compassion rises when we see human suffering - in this case - more terrifying than anything most of us have ever faced.

I remember when I was a child in the 80’s, bushfires raged in Victoria, and my father loaded up his truck with hay from his well-stocked hayshed and drove down to Victoria to share with farmers who had lost everything.  Not long afterwards he did this again, this time for farmers in Cobar who had suffered severe bushfires.  My older brother and I accompanied him on that trip, and I still remember the red dirt, and black trees.  That’s pretty much all there was left.

On one farm I remember the people so grateful for the hay as their remaining stock had absolutely nothing to eat.  They gave us an orphaned kitten to take home with us (to my delight and my mother’s dismay), and a cute little kid goat.  The goat “Nancy” ran across our lush green lawn at home when she saw a dead leaf to eat - we don’t think she had any idea of what she was standing on!

I guess at the time I had no idea of what destruction a massive bushfire causes, or that hundreds, or thousands of people were rushing to their aid.

Of course Dad, being my hero was ‘the one’ making a difference to those affected.  I’m so thankful for the many Dads, Mums, Brothers and Sisters who are giving this week; their time, resources, and creativity to support and help recover those affected in so many ways by these fires; and let’s not forget those townships up north so devastated by another extreme - the floods which have taken lives and destroyed property.

All of our giving makes a difference, which was a thought that really impacted me last night.  That 77 million dollars was given in so many various amounts, small and large donations - but all generously given from the heart - and all contributing to make a powerful difference.

Thank you, for the support you give those in your world.  You make a bigger difference than you probably realise.

Cheering you on,
Love Kerrie

If you haven’t seen the announcement about Monday’s Telecall with the fabulous Norma Stein from New Zealand - the first for telecall for 2009 - check out this page - www.createthelifeclub.com/teleclass and register today!

The video on the page was filmed, and edited, by Lyndon at our son Ethan’s swimming carnival (between races of course), where Ethan surprised himself by winning 3 ribbons (2 for 2nd place, 1 for 4th). Ethan raced home yesterday afternoon to tell us that his times in breaststroke and backstroke have qualified him for the regional carnival which takes place next week. He’s achieved more than he thought he could already! (Sounds like the clients I’m working with…)

Are you ready to surprise yourself with some big achievements this year? Even little ones are great - they give you confidence to take more on! To share in the excitement of setting and achieving inspiring goals, make sure you schedule the time in your diary for Monday night to join us on the phone from 7pm (NSW, and 9pm NZ) for one inspiring, insightful hour. To get more details and to register Click here now.

I Look forward to hearing you on the call.

Cheering you on,
Kerrie