dreams – Renew Inspiration Mind Body Spirit

The mind is everything. What you think you become. – Buddha

Something to Think About – Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.

Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! Throughout life we should always make it a priority to set both short-term and long-term goals. There is no greater feeling than to achieve a goal that you have set for yourself. Would you agree? Whether it takes you one month, 6 months or 1 year, slow and steady is key to a committed goal setting process. Let’s face it, some goals will take longer to reach than others. Make your goals challenging, but always have a clear balance of planning to reach both short-term and long-term goals.

journaling, goals, goal setting, long-term, short-term — pexels

SHORT-TERM GOAL EXAMPLES

• To lose 10 pounds by Christmas 2018.

• To exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 days per week.

• To write at least 3 blog posts per week.

LONG-TERM GOAL EXAMPLES

• To lose 100 pounds by Christmas 2020.

• To join a local gym by the end of December 2018.

• To research and inquire about guest blogging opportunities by January 2019.

The past is your lesson. The present is your gift. The future is your motivation. – Unknown

GOAL SETTING

Goal setting is required if you plan to be successful in life. Goals are great because they cause us to stretch and grow in ways that we never even dreamed of. To reach our goals, we must become better and be willing to do better along our journey.

• Goal setting helps to provide focus in our lives.

• Goal setting offers a sense of direction in our lives.

• Goal setting can give necessary actions needed to achieve the goal(s).

• Goal setting helps to shape our dreams and destiny.

You must have long-term goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-term failures. – Charles C. Noble

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL GOAL SETTING

When thinking about goal setting, always remember that we all need powerful long-term goals to help us get past those short-term obstacles that we sometimes face in life. The more powerful our goals are, the more we’ll be able to act on and guarantee them to come into existence.

• Evaluate and reflect. It’s important to know where we are right now and what our current level of satisfaction in life is. Take a moment and write down the answers to these very important questions: What is my current situation? Am I happy in this situation right now? What could I change in my life to make it better?

• Define your dreams and goals. If we allow our souls to be quiet and still without any distractions, we would be able to look deep within our hearts and dream a better situation for ourselves and our families. Our dreams are hidden within. We would also be able to pursue our dreams with clear directions, plans and strategies to achieve them. Now, think about these questions and write down your answers: What are your dreams and goals? What are my plans and strategies to help me reach my goals?

• Make your goals S.M.A.R.T. The acronym S.M.A.R.T means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-Sensitive. Specific goals are not vague and incomplete. Measurable goals can be tracked so you will see progress. Attainable goals can be reached in a specific time frame. Realistic goals can be set and reached as well with effort. Time-sensitive goals would be given a timeline to track your progress.

• Have accountability. It’s important to hold yourself accountable to the goal setting process. Let’s face it, if no one else but you know about your goals, there would be no check and balance throughout the process. You could possibly be at a standstill and no one would be able to encourage you through the temporary setback. Share your goals with a loved one, a close friend or a fitness coach.

If it’s important to you then it really doesn’t matter how long it takes. It only matters that you get there. – Unknown

CREATE A PLAN

After you establish your goals, now it is time to create and follow a plan to make your goals a reality. Here’s some important tips to keep in mind during the planning process:

• Make clear deadlines for achieving your goals.

• Set personal milestones to stay motivated.

• Decide what actions are required to reach your goals.

• Put your actions into a schedule that is easy to follow.

• Readjust your goals or plan as you see fit throughout your journey.

Do not give up. The beginning is always the hardest. – Unknown

Renew Inspiration, white flower, journaling, reflection — pixabay

TIME FOR REFLECTION – JOURNAL PROMPTS

Go to your quiet place, pull out your journal and start answering some of these questions. Make sure to reflect on your answers throughout your journey.

• How often do you set goals for yourself?

• How do you determine if something is important enough to set a goal for it?

• How successful have you been at achieving the goals you have set for yourself? Discuss some successes and failures of previous goals.

• What are your biggest personal milestones?

• How well are you currently balancing life?

• How confident do you feel about who you are?

Believe in yourself today, tomorrow and forever!

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Inhale the future, exhale the past

journal is a reflection of who you are, it’s a repository for all of the things that interest and inspire you. A journal provides a safe environment to experiment with your writing style and technique. Simply put, when you write in a journal it becomes your personal journey of creative and heart felt thoughts.

Stay patient and trust your journey

Now, let’s take the journaling process to the next level. How about using the journaling process to find yourself? Journaling is a way to capture ideas and keep your dreams alive until you can put them in motion. Ideas can be found all around you. Take a moment and look around you right where you are. Inspiration is not required to knock at your door twice. We have to be ready and willing to do what’s necessary to grow, to learn, and most importantly, to find yourself.

A little progress each day adds up to big results

cup, saucer, coffee, journal, pen — pixabay

5 Tips for Capturing your Best Journal Ideas:

1. Take your journal everywhere you go to capture those special thoughts or moments as they happen. If your journal is too big, you can always buy a small notebook to use while you are on the go. Then, transfer or glue your notes in your journal at a later time.

2. Select a journal that feels right to you. You can purchase a beautifully crafted handmade journal, a hardcover book with unlined pages, a softcover notebook with lined pages, a 3-ring binder with loose paper, or just a spiral notebook. It really doesn’t matter your style, just make sure that your journal feels right to you and you can comfortably use it to capture your thoughts.

3. Handwrite your journal entries so you are unable to edit your thoughts. Handwriting keeps things more spontaneous and also gives you clues about your emotional state. If you’re anything like me, you can tell what you’re feeling just by analyzing the state of your writing.

4. Create an informal table of contents in the beginning of each journal. Number each page and try to list the topics covered as you go along. This makes finding stuff a lot easier down the road or when you just want to reflect on some of your past writings. Don’t worry about doing this each time you journal, but make sure to complete this step before starting your next journal.

5. Don’t worry about format, grammar, or spelling. Remember, this is your personal space and a written account for how you feel right now in this very moment. Don’t worry about following your traditional writing rules, just write.

dream, courage, inspire, harmony, stones — pexels

Here are 10 reasons why you should use journaling to find yourself:

1. To ponder and pen your big dreams – Your journal is an ideal place to write out all of your desires and dreams. If there were no limits, what would you want to become? Who would you want to meet? What would you have? Where would you go? Write it all down, describing in detail what your success would look like. By doing this, you can begin to put the laws of success attraction into motion.

2. To get clarity and solve problems faster – When you are unable to see a clear path in your life, it’s better to jot down all those thoughts swirling around in your head. Writing things out gives you the accurate perspective necessary to attract the right solutions. Take a moment to write down questions related to your problems. In fact, you should have an attitude of expectancy that you will find the right answers.

3. To chart what works – Journaling about your ideas, successes, and even failures empowers you to backtrack to see what’s working in your life and what’s not. It’s important to be honest with yourself and be willing to make the necessary adjustments where needed to live a rewarding life.

4. To track your past victories – Take a moment to celebrate your victories and write when and where you have excelled in life. It’s easy to remember your every mishap, but also make an effort to note what’s going right in your life as well.

5. To plan and strategize – Use your journal for both short-term and long-term planning. This process will allow you to work through specific strategies on how you will accomplish your goals. Plan everything from the week ahead to the entire year in your journal.

6. To create a success action routine – Your success action routine should consist of time for meditation and visualization, speaking positive affirmations and reviewing your goals. Visualize yourself completing your goals and feeling the benefits and rewards of doing so.

7. To take control over your future – Journaling about your ideal life and begin to act as if you have that life right now. Be descriptive and detailed in your writing. This will help you prepare for an opportunity that doesn’t exist yet, and ready yourself for the victory to come.

8. For self-improvement – Your journal is a safe place where you can truly be honest with yourself. This is your book, your story, your journey. You have no limitations or boundaries. Your journal is private so you can express yourself and get to know who you really are and what you truly desire.

9. To help you through the decision-making process – In your journal, you can list pros and cons when you are faced with having to make a difficult decision. Write out every possible outcome and use this to guide you through the decision-making process.

10. To keep you in a state of gratefulness – As you go through the process to find yourself, stay grateful throughout your journey. Express gratitude in your journal. Slowing down to make note of what you’re thankful for can relieve you of anxiety, stress, and help you to enjoy life to the fullest. In addition, the act of gratefulness also draws more positivity your way, helping you to create a cycle of success.

Still stuck in a rut and have nothing to write, here are examples of ideas to include in your journal:

• Reactions to personal situations and world events
• Goals you’re working toward (weight loss, career, personal)
• Inspiring quotes or affirmations
• Poetry that moves you
• Pictures from magazines or photos you love
• Books to read
• Music you’ve heard that you may want to purchase
• Websites to explore
• To do lists or reminders
• Topic research or exploration
• Relationship successes or problems
• Travel plans
• Dreams to explore
• Feelings, thoughts, or emotions

One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day

Journal Prompts are given to inspire you to write freely and to help you think about mind, body, and spirit as you write. But today, think of journal prompts as a thought provoking exercise to help you find yourself.

• Name 5 things that you love about yourself.
• What did you learn about yourself this month? this week? today?
• What are you inviting into your life with your actions?
• Has your mind spent more time today focused on the past, present, or future?
• What feels like a struggle at the moment?
• What do I want to accomplish in my life today? tomorrow? next week? next month? next year?
• What has been going well in my life lately?
• How can I create more acceptance in my life?
• What traits do I like about myself?
• What are my character strengths?
• How have I been holding myself back?
• How can I take a step forward?

Dream. Plan. Do.

So, grab your journal and write your ideas so you’re able to retrieve your thoughts whenever needed. Your journal holds all of your pertinent life information so you can remember and reference at any time in your future. Remember, you shape your world for success. Begin to imagine and dream. Don’t be afraid of goal setting and planning. Have courage to move in a positive direction toward your personal growth and advancement.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
If you do keep a journal, please share some of your organizing tips and techniques; pros and cons of journaling; journaling tips that help you continue your journey. We learn from one another so your comments are necessary in order for all of us to learn and grow. I look forward to reading your feedback!

Tag: dreams

Slow and Steady