Ron Tustin – New Dreams and Goals

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"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start now and make a brand new ending."

Hello and welcome to the first newsletter of 2011. Many of the people I have spoken to this year have said that they are hopeful and optimistic about this year. Nowhere has this been stated so well as in the saying ‘let the problems of last year become the compost to grow the flowers for this year.’ With that thought in mind I am summarizing a few points you may wish to focus on as you start this year with new dreams and goals.

These ideas provide a blueprint for creating what you may want for yourself this year.

1. Keeping Our Balance.

We are often reminded of how important a balanced life really is. Keeping our lives in balance enables us to see a world full of possibilities. But, in reality, we are often knocked off balance, then it is our responsibility and our choice, to get back on track or not.

So when we do get knocked off balance, and it happens often to all of us, it is up to us how we choose to experience and deal with these periods of balance and imbalance alike. The best way to experience a more balanced life is to often think about what we really want.

Don’t worry about the how, detail-by-detail. That will be revealed to us in due time. Instead, stay focused on what it would look like to have a better job, to improve a relationship, or to explore an interest (like travelling) or a hobby.

A very useful technique is to imagine for a few minutes on how it will feel to begin to achieve the things you desire for your life.

2. Change Our Point of View.

By our point of view I mean the way we look at life. We tend to look at life through a lens we acquired at a young age, which may keep us from experiencing the world in the way it actually exists.

One point of view is characterized by logical and rational interpretations, by our beliefs. The challenge is to shift to a more uncommon point of view one that we may not be familiar with. That way we are being open to new ideas. Then we can step back and ask if what we are experiencing is effective and working for us.

3. Move Outside of Our Comfort Zone.

Staying within our comfort zone is, well, comfortable, But growth and development happens on the other side of our comfort zone. We are often fearful of making that move. Taking the first step and getting through the fear is a fundamental step to creating the life we want.

What is our comfort zone? Well, it is based on particular events or circumstances that have happened in our lives. It may be about continuing in a job or relationship too long because the fear of changing, or moving on, may cause us anxiety, depression and sometimes misery.

What is it costing us to remain in our comfort zone? In order to take that first step, we must identify what we want in life. The journey from fear to growth is a gradual one but it begins by taking the first step.

4. Erase the Old Tapes Playing in Our Heads.

Some of these old tapes may be telling us we are ‘up to it’ and that we can’t do or have what we want. Replacing this old belief with the truth is the mechanism to erase these old tapes. The truth tells us that we are indeed ‘up to it’.

5. Let Our Environments Do Most of Our Work to Change Us.  

By environments I mean our home, car, office, what you read, friends, colleagues, networks, nature, tools, feelings, thinking, etc  Choose environments that will serve not hinder us –change in us occurs as we adapt to such environments.

6. Surround Ourselves With People Who Are Changing Too.

They will encourage and spark us. We spark them. That makes the change effortless.

7. Spend More Time in Nature.

Getting out of the house (or the office or factory) and into a natural environment nourishes us and helps us to retune ourselves.

8. Know Our Gifts and Our Passions.

Rebuild our lives to fully express them.

9. Make What We Don’t Know More Interesting Than What We Do Know.

Become committed to being a life long learner.

10. Putting it All Together.

Before we step forward, it’s also important we don’t analyze where we have been in the past, or even analyze where we might be going. To live and to experience the moment, the here-and-now, can be challenging. But it’s essential we tune into what it is and get a realistic handle on what it is that we really do want to have.

Please contact me at info@rtc.org.nz if you wish to have a private conversation about how you can make these ideas a habit and thrive in 2011.

"Optimism is a cheerful frame of mind that enables a tea kettle to sing though it's in hot water up to its nose."

Ron Tustin
Revive and Thrive Coaching

Read Ron's Blog
www.reviveandthrivecoaching.com
info@rtc.org.nz
Ph 0800 003679
 
Motivating baby boomers to see the world with fresh eyes.