How to Transform Your Circumstances
If you’ve read anything I’ve written, you probably know that I believe there’s an inner fire in all of us, and when we can tap into that flame, our lives will thrive. My guest blogger today lives that vision and helps other people to live their dreams.
Alan Allard is a former psychotherapist with 20 plus years experience helping individuals and organizations unleash their hidden potential. He has a unique ability of helping people realize that we all have it, but few of us find it and let it loose.
His clients have included companies such as Lucent Technologies, The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Brickman, American Cyanamid and Ashford University. Alan has trained employees from companies such as Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Kraft, The F.B.I., The U.S. Marshals Service, Hershey Hotel, Marriott, The Chicago Tribune and American Red Cross.
Alan has been quoted in media outlets such as the New York Times, The New York Post, The California Executive, The CBS Interactive Business Network BNET.com, and People Magazine. He is a frequent guest coach expert for www.womenworking.com.
I hope you enjoy his post as much as I did. And if thou do, please take a moment to LIKE my blog on Facebook. Thanks,
Casi
Several of my clients have found new career opportunities in the past year after long periods of struggle. Others have reconnected with their spouses or life partners and others have rekindled long lost dreams. I thought I would share three lessons they learned along the way.
We can create our own circumstances:
We hear all the time how bleak the economy is and how scarce jobs are. If we’re not careful, we can get hypnotized by our circumstances: “I don’t have an M.B.A (or college degree) “I am too old,” “I’ve always been overweight, I’ve tried everything and nothing works,” “It’s tough getting a job when you don’t have one,” “My history of job-hopping makes it impossible for me to get interviews” or “I can’t find another job that will pay me what I’m making now–I should stay where I am.”
If we don’t have a clear and magnetic vision for what we want, it’s easy to be hypnotized by our outer circumstances and begin to believe what we see to be “rock solid reality.” You have to give your brain and subconscious mind something to move towards—something that inspires and motivates you into action. Do you want your circumstances to change? Begin by changing where you focus your attention–shift it from your current circumstances to a vision of the best reality you can imagine for now.
As within, so without:
Our outer circumstances reflect our inner world. If we want something better, we must first imagine what that would be like and nurture that vision. Stephen R. Covey, Ph.D., taught that all things are created twice. First there is the mental creation and then there is the physical creation. Does that sound a little “woo woo” to you?
If so, let’s keep this simple. If a sales professional has five sales calls in a row that end up with a “No” and he or she expects the same thing to happen on his or her next sales call, do you think that will impact how they relate to and communicate with their next prospect? If so, does our thinking, our beliefs, our expectations and our mental movies impact our ability to create the circumstances we want in life? Maybe the principle of “As within, so without” isn’t so “woo woo” after all.
The bleaker the circumstance, the more need to let the “light” in:
In life, we can either focus on the darkness or the light. The tougher your challenges, the more light you need to shine on them. We can’t do that perfectly and we can’t do it all the time. There will be moments, sometimes days that we get lost in the darkness of certain beliefs and emotions. We’ve all been there and know what that’s like. That’s when our vision seems distant and far away and just unbelievable.
How do we let the light in? By becoming aware of the light within. We have to choose to do that and then we have to practice “letting the light in.” There were times in my life when I didn’t want to do that. If you are there now, that’s okay. Accept yourself without criticizing yourself for being where you are. Let the light in by being compassionate and accepting of yourself.
Be honest with how you are feeling and what you are thinking. Open up and share it with someone who can listen, empathize–without trying to “fix” you. That lets the light in. It’s a beginning. From there, you will begin to see other ways to let more light in. What light? Love. Faith. Vision. Love yourself and others, have faith in yourself know that others want to help you succeed, and begin to picture a future where you are learning, growing and thriving.
Alan Allard, Coach, Speaker and Trainer
Be sure to check out Alan’s newest e-book, “Seven Secrets to Enlightened Happiness.” Here is the kindle format link on amazon.com.
Please don’t forget to LIKE my blog on Facebook. Thanks,
Casi
