Show Those Goals Who’s Boss!

When it comes to achieving goals, most people have something to say about it. Which is good, becuase most of us look for advice. Setting goals isn’t hard. Reaching them is another story.

Here’s an inspiration movie with tips on reaching goals. Just some friendly reminders to help keep you on track. Enjoy!

Are You Ready to Set (and Reach) Your Goals?

Tired of setting goals, going at them with full force, then losing momentum so quickly it makes your head spin? Does it seem like you’re great at setting goals but not at reaching them? Are you ready to finally learn simple, practical ways to set and reach your goals?

From losing weight, to finding love, to getting promoted, to going back to school, there doesn’t seem to be a lack of goals we set in our society. After all, we’re a goal-driven culture, focused on achieving and acquiring the next best thing. But so many people have difficulty reaching their goals. We get side-tracked. We get overwhelmed. We get discouraged. But it doesn’t have to be like that.

If you’re ready to get real about reaching your goals, please join me for the August FREE Teleseminar… “Getting It Done: How to Set Goals (and Really Reach Them).”

In this teleseminar, I’ll cover:

• Why Most Goals Are Never Reached (And How You Can Reverse That Trend)
• How to Tell If You’re Really Ready for Change (or Not)
• How to Set Yourself Up to Succeed at Any Goal You Ever Set For Yourself
• A 4-Step Model for Setting (And Reaching) Any Goal

Don’t delay. Sign up today. The live call is coming soon. But don’t worry, if you can’t attend live, you can still sign up and get access to the recording. Simply go to the REGISTRATION page and enter your name and email to get signed up.

Are You Really Ready to Change?

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” ~ Larry Elder

What do you want in your life RIGHT NOW? Better health? Better relationships? Education? Career? Family? Are you working toward it or just thinking about it? Wishing it would magically appear with little to no effort or pouring your time and energy into making it happen?

Setting goals is easy. Reaching them is another story.

There are several reasons we might not reach a goal, but in the end it really comes down to one thing – whether or not we’re really ready for the change required to reach the goal. Sometimes we get tripped up into the amount of time, energy, money, sacrifice, or whatever it will take to reach the goal. Sometimes we think about what that change will mean – how it will affect our lives, relationships, and routines. One thing to always remember when figuring out whether or not you’re ready for change is that it’s okay if you’re not ready right now.

Because our society is so goal-driven, there can be a stigma associated with not reaching goals. There are expectations (spoken and unspoken) about what we SHOULD do (as well as when and how). My response to that? Stop SHOULDING all over yourself (and allowing others to should all over you too).

When you’re ready you will know. How? You will:

• Weigh the pros and cons of changing, and realize the benefits outweigh the costs
• Have some doubts you can do it, but look for ways to overcome them (rather than let them talk you out of what you want)
• Start making small changes to create the right environment to help you succeed
• Ask for help if you need it
• Go for it!

For more tips on how to tell if you’re ready for change, please join me for my next monthly FREE Telseminar, “Getting it Done: How to Set Goals (and Really Reach Them).” Simply go to the REGISTRATION page at https://krylyn.com/free-teleseminars/getting-it-done/, and enter your name and email to get signed up. Even if you can’t attend the live call, you will get access to the recording of the call, but only if you register.

Photo: Start Starting Line Americorps Cinema Service Night Wilcox Park May 20, 20117 © by stevendepolo

Isn’t Life Delicious?

Juicy. Poignant. Bitter. Sweet. What other words can you think of to describe this journey called life we’re all on?

I love words, phrases, mantras, affirmations, anything that touches on one or more of the senses and draws me in. For some reason the term “isn’t life delicious” popped into my head recently. Have you ever heard that before? This was a slogan on a TV commercial for Lifesavers candy back in the 1980’s/1990’s (watch the video below). And a catch phrase that resurfaces for me from time to time, especially during profound change. So it wasn’t surprising when it came back to me recently as I am definitely dealing with some profound personal changes right now.

One of the things I love about that phrase is the images and metaphors it evokes. Life as something to be devoured, savored, and enjoyed. How many times do we look at life or our circumstances (family, jobs, responsibilities) as anything less than delicious? Possibly foul tasting and repulsive, putrid, or any other negative description you can think of? I think many of us have a tendency to focus on what tastes bad and discount the simple delicacies of life.

Each time I say this phrase, either out loud or silently to myself, I can’t help but smile. It’s a reminder to shift my perspective and not take things too seriously (which is something I often need to be reminded of).

So, how delicious is your life right now? Here’s some ideas to help you taste the yumminess, rather than the ickiness:

1. Write a list of all the good things that happened to you today. They don’t have to be big things or necessarily important things. Make a goal of writing at least 5 things, then 10, then 15, and so on. It may be challenging at first, but it will get easier the more often you do it. Once you complete your list for the day, say all the good things aloud, then say thank you.
2. When someone around you is complaining for the sake of complaining, look them in the eye, smile, and say “isn’t life delicious?” They may just smile with you.
3. Create some yumminess for yourself by engaging in something you truly enjoy, something that you generally find delicious. One of the things I do on a regular basis is get a massage. It helps me slow down, relax, and be in the present moment, all required for tasting the deliciousness.
4. Spread the deliciousness around. Do something to add flavor to someone else’s life. It could be a family member, friend, colleague, or stranger. It could be something big or small. Get creative with it.

I’d love to hear how you created a more delicious life. Leave a comment below.

Lessons from My Mother: The Legacy of Relationships

As my family and I prepared my mother’s memorial recently, the whole idea of legacy kept coming up. The legacy my mother left behind and the legacy my sister and I are creating and will pass on to the next generation.

My mother’s mantra in recent years was “be peace.” She signed off every email with it. She even had it on her license plate.  It colored her actions and her way of being in the world.

My mother strove for peace – in the world and within herself. As I have mentioned before, my mother was mentally ill. She battled depression among other things stemming from the loss of her own mother when she was 5 years old. While listening to her friends describe her and the work she has done to help others, I couldn’t help but wonder how hard it must have been for her.

While she touched many lives and had many acquaintances, she did not have many close, peaceful relationships. She didn’t allow herself to get deeply close to many people and it seems most people got a little piece of her, but not the whole her. Those who she allowed close to her (family and a handful of friends) experienced her very differently than those she kept at a distance. Her close relationships were often marked with turmoil and drama. Yet she longed for peace. The relationships at arm’s length got to see her as she longed to be – peaceful, compassionate, and dynamic.

Anyone whose life has been touched by mental illness can tell you it’s a long and winding road. My mother’s and my relationship was challenging in the last years of her life. In order to create the balance and peace I longed for, I had to maintain distance from her, yet I still wasn’t able to see her as she longed to be. The mother I knew struggled with intimacy. She was demanding, critical, and harsh in her quest for peace, expecting others to conform to her unrealistic expectations about how things should be.

As I mourn the loss of my mother (both the mother I had and the one I longed to have), I am struck by the similarities in our paths. My life’s work involves helping others, just as my mother’s did. And I too long for peace, both within myself and in the world around me. I am deeply saddened that I didn’t know the woman many of her friends knew.  However I feel my heart softening with time, realizing she did the best she could. And remembering how difficult it must have been for her to live such a duplicitous life.

My mother leaves behind an incredibly important legacy of peace. While she had difficulty realizing peace in many of her close relationships, she was an inspiration to many. I am proud to be a part of and share her legacy, and to carry it on in my own way.

Be Peace.

Laughing: The Best Medicine?

I dare you to watch this video and not laugh. I can’t do it. There’s just something about this man’s laughter that is pure and infectious. And did you know that laughter has a ton of healing benefits? It can help relieve stress and tension, lighten your mood, lift your spirits, connect you with others, etc. For more information about the healing benefits of laughter, please see “Laugh Your Way to Stress Relieve and Creativity.”