Are you ready for some good news? Here it is. You really can GET and KEEP fired up professionally and personally. Sound unrealistic? Let's break it down. It's simple…and easier than you think. Small steps taken every day bring huge results. It's like climbing any mountain-it takes just one step at a time no matter how high the mountain is. Are you feeling a spark already?
Today is the perfect time to get started. Here's the first step:
1. REACH into new ways of thinking!
Everything begins with a thought. Our thoughts propel our actions, so first we've got to align our thoughts with our goals. Sounds good…but how do we do that in real life?
First we have to understand that what we think about is a choice. We can't always choose our circumstances and challenges, but we always choose our response. What we think about and focus on…flourishes. It's the law of attraction that everyone has been buzzing about. If we're fired up and think positively, more positive results come our way. Thinking negatively brings us more of what we don't want. Did you ever notice how a negative person can brighten up a whole room just by walking out of it? You get the picture. When we're encouraging, hopeful, and positive- we're easier to work with, more productive, and our personal lives go smoother. Everybody wins!
We can reach into new ways of thinking by choosing to fire-up our attitude. Every day, we can take small steps to make it happen until it becomes a habit. Here are a few valuable tips to get there:
A. Spend more time with supportive, encouraging people.
B. Read books and listen to CD's that inspire you.
C. Listen to upbeat music with great lyrics. It feels good.
D. Offer to help someone who's more stressed out than you.
E. Make a gratitude list of everything going right in your life.
F. Do things that make you laugh. C'mon, lighten up!
2. RISK new actions.
When we have our thinking lined up, we can take the next important step. You already know that in order to get different results, we have to do something different. There's no way around it. Action makes it happen.
What might keep us from risking powerful new actions? Fear! And fear will detour our dreams every time…if we let it. We need to be courageous and strong to keep fired up. Having courage is the key-it's feeling the fear and moving forward anyway. Remember the old adage of overcoming your fear of falling by getting right back on the horse? It's true.
Action is the most successful way to overpower our fear. Here's a memorable example: the creators of the mega-popular Chicken Soup For The Soul® series were turned down by over fifty publishers. Did they give up after forty-nine? No, they kept taking action until they found a company that loved their concept. It worked. They've sold over 100 million books to date! You probably have one or two copies on your bookshelf.
Worry is another culprit. It's a vague feeling of anxiety that something bad will happen. You have plenty of details to oversee on the job and at home. But worrying won't change the outcome. Again, action will bring the best results every time.
3. REFUEL. You can't run on empty!
Our cars have a lot of sense when it comes to fuel. When they run out…they stop. They don't care if we're on a busy highway in the rain-they just quit when there's no more fuel in the tank. We can learn an important lesson here. When we try to run on empty, we not only lose our fire, we get burned out! That's when we might get sick, fatigued, depressed, and stressed to the max. We need to get back in balance, and that's an ongoing process. Just as one workout won't make us fit, we need to take steps every day to keep our tank full.
If we don't take time for ourselves, everything else will suffer. Isn't this kind of selfish? No! Self-care is vital for our health, happiness, and productivity. When we have balance in our life, we're on top of our game and can give our best… to ourselves and everyone else.
What can we do to keep fired up and balanced?
a. Take timeouts throughout the day to breathe deeply and slowly.
b. Go for a ten-minute walk (or longer) at lunchtime.
c. Eat nutritious foods that give you energy: nuts, fresh fruit, etc.
d. Drink lots of water.
e. Get more rest.
f. Learn to say “no” to things you don't need to do.
g. Help others who are facing bigger challenges.
h. Spend more time with your family and friends. Have fun!
You can start today to REACH, RISK, and REFUEL. If you follow these three simple steps regularly, you will see results. You're worth it. Now is really all we can be sure of. Make the most of every moment. This can be a great day and lead to the best year of your life. You hold the key. You are the CEO of YOU. Choose to get fired up for good!
Carol Grace Anderson, M.A., is a motivational expert, best-selling author and a popular keynote speaker. Associations and corporations benefit from her powerful and thought-provoking programs. Call toll-free: 800-758-2964 or visit her website: www.GetFiredUp.com
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Carol Grace Anderson is a popular, dynamic speaker and author of the book: Get Fired Up… Without Burning Out! ® This former Psychology teacher and performer has worked with many entertainment legends including Johnny Cash, Roy Clark, Willie Nelson, and Sandra Bullock. What great stories she shares!
Along the way, she's faced some big life challenges and has learned first-hand how to get and stay fired up. She shares her solutions with organizations like… The Mayo Clinic, FedEx, State Farm, Microsoft, Tennessee Health Care Association, American Marketing Association, Century 21, American Heart Association, NY Nurse Practitioners Association, National Student Nurse Association, Coldwell Banker, and many others.
Carol is a member of the National Speakers Association and is the CEO of a successful publishing company. She has shown thousands how to get fired up without burning out!