Forward planing to achieve your goals

Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope...This is actually the definition for a tool called PATH. I love this tool and have a large copy on the wall in my workspace. It's basically a visual planning tool that can be used for problem solving as well as forward planning for short or long term life goals, whatever they may be. Weight loss, fitness goal, work achievement or life achievement, and the list goes on.

"A goal without a PLAN is just a wish"

I use to utilise this tool within my previous job roles with clients but it's a great tool for anyone to use in their personal life.

If you use this tool it an help you make immediate or direct action.

The tool is self explanatory but i will explain how to use it. You can redraw my template into your notebook, diary or on a larger piece of paper and stick on your wall. So let's  start by following the number order of the chart,

1. What is your dream,? make this as big or small as you wish
2. What is the goal that you are trying to achieve, this maybe something that you take from your dream
3. Look at where you are now in terms of being able to achieve this goal, what is your position and how do you feel now about where you are in the scheme of things
4. Now look at who can help you to achieve your goal. This maybe a person/s an organisation a service etc
5. Look at how you can build on your strengths, the skills that you have already that can help you on your journey
6. In order to move closer to your goal/dream what actions do you need to take over the next days, weeks or months. Break it down into realistic actions. Look at the people identified in step 4 to see where they will fit into your plan
7. Put a realistic and achievable plan together for what you need to do over the coming weeks/months (remember this isn't set in stone and can be adapted depending on how your actions pan out.
8. In order to achieve anything you have to start. So commit to taking the first steps. 

To get yourself started have a look at my previous post on How to live a productive lifestyle

Good Luck with planning and achieving your dream/goal  and remember

"You don't have to get it perfect,  you just need to get it started"...  

Joe Schoeder

Dispelling Negative Emotions

A friend once said to me "right you've had your 75 seconds, now tell me 1 positive thing.."

Sometimes we can find ourselves holding onto negativity, whether it be a thought, a memory and incident or how another individual has made you feel.
According to author 'Russ Harris', 80% of our thoughts contain some form of negative content. So in the right context and for short periods of time these thoughts / feelings are natural. So it's quite normal to have them but the difficulty comes when we start to believe them and can't let go.

Anger, Jealousy, fear, resentment, frustration, grief and anxiety

By holding on we don't allow ourselves to move on and therefore can be stuck in what i refer to as 'sinking sand' It ends up dragging you down and drowning you.

Imagine that each time you hold onto something negative it anchors itself into the ground and you have to drag that wherever you go. And it just builds up and builds up and before you know it, it's like being stuck in quick sand.
Being in a negative emotional state for lengthy periods of time, can have an impact on your health, both physically and mentally by putting extra stress on your mind and body. This can sometimes manifest into sickness and disease.

If you hang onto negative thoughts, beliefs, memories in the end it can become too much to bear. So try and let go.

I truly believe that if you allow yourself  a time limit for this, your baggage will be a lot lighter.

These negativities manifest themselves in anger, guilt, self doubt, self loathing. All these can stop you from succeeding and fulfilling your full potential.
It's not a case of total avoidance...no...acknowledge the presence of that feeling/emotion. Without negative emotions it would be like living in a 'happy bubble' where everything is always happy and smiley
The challenges that we face and the bad experiences we have, can help us to develop in many ways and become stronger.

"turn your wounds into wisdom" Oprah Winfrey

The KEY is to start sorting out your emotional baggage, especially the more difficult one's. Start working through them one step at a time.

We all know that life can be serious, some things are avoidable. But we need to allow ourselves moments of joy, happiness and peace
Feed your soul with positivity-revisit things you used to enjoy doing, include a form of physical activity, try something new... 

Any positive changes that you make, no matter how small will change how you perceive and deal with your baggage and will start to produce different results.
There are a lot of self help books available on this topic to help you start your journey.

Thanks for visiting my blog today and please feel free to leave comments on topics covered. I would love for you to join me next time where i will be looking at methods to ease negativity and encourage positivity.

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