Revised Finding Your Purpose Living Your Dreams

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Copyright 2015 by Joanne Elliott

www.joanneyoungelliott.com
Table of Contents
 Introduction………………………………………………………………………3
 5 Ways to Discover or Get Clear on Your Calling………………..4
 4 Things You Must Do Before You Live Your Dreams………….9
 How to Make Yourself Attractive to Your Dreams…………….12
 How to Develop the Courage to Change Your Life…………….14
 5 Things You Can Do to Boost Your Confidence………………..18
 The Secret to Building Confidence…………………………………….22
 Awareness is the Doorway to Success……………………………….24
 Pay Attention – Your Success Depends on it……………………..28
 Daydream VS Envision………………………………………………………30
 What’s Holding You Back from Living Your Dreams?...........33
 5 Ways to Tap Into Gratitude…………………………………………….34
 Using the Creative Process………………………………………………..36
 It’s Your Life. Love it. Create it. Use it………………………………..37
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Within these pages you’ll find a collection of blogs I wrote over the period of a
year to help people discover and live their dreams. As a Word Priestess you may
need to get clear on what it is you have to share. You can use the “5 Ways to
Discover or Get Clear on Your Calling” to help you do that. Maybe you need to
build your confidence to take those steps in the direction of your dreams of being
an author and helping others. There are chapters to help you build confidence.
There are also sections to help you create the life you dream about. I offer this to
you so you may step into your role as Word Priestess and build a life you love.
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5 Ways to Discover or Get Clear on Your Calling
There is something that you feel is yours to do in the world. It feels like it’s so
close and yet so far. It’s not easy to grasp for some of us. And you can have more
than one calling in a lifetime.
Why is it that some people are born knowing what they are here to do and others
seem to always be searching?
I think it’s because some callings have a ready form to fit into and some don’t.
For instance, my step-son seems to have always known he was a musician and
specifically a guitarist. He had fine motor skills as a baby and when he finally got a
guitar in his hand at 12 he was off and running. He’s a death metal guitarist with
his own band and they have four albums to date.
Some of us have a calling that doesn’t have a readymade mold or one that is
rather nebulous. And some of us have to create the mold which can cause
confusion and difficulty in pinning it down.
To add to the confusion a calling is often bigger than simply expressing as a

musician, minister or life coach. Someone called to heal could be a doctor,
minister, herbalist, Reiki Master, life coach, etc.
For instance, I feel called to empower and inspire people. I’ve tried on many hats
in which I did these things, but it wasn’t until recently I finally found one that fit.
There have always been clues, though. I just happened to be a little slow at
actually following my intuition since I have a strong connection to my logical
brain. But my intuition is hearty and wouldn’t let me ignore it forever.
To help you move through the confusion here are some ways to gain clarity on
your calling.
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Revisit your childhood
I think this is one of the best ways to gain clarity on your calling. Our childhoods
are rich with clues.
Get a pen and paper and start writing about all the things you loved to do as a
child. And I mean loved to do. You’re going to use that blissful feeling to help you
get clear on your calling.
This needs to done as if you’re writing an essay or story. Just writing a list can
stunt the process of gaining access to all the nuances, feelings and little clues that
are in your memory.
Once you have written a couple of pages, you can create a list to help you see any
patterns. Often one will emerge.
Now ask yourself if you still do any of these things. Think hard on this because you
may still do them but in a slightly different form. If you don’t, ask yourself why
that is.
With one or a few things now brought forth from your memory, see if there is a
pattern or if the one thing is specific. See if it applies to an overarching theme.
For instance, I remember that I enjoyed making up stories with my dolls and later
I wrote them in my head and on paper, I loved to learn and pretend I was in
school as both teacher and student, and I was endlessly curious about the
spiritual world.
Telling stories was a way to understand the world as well as inspire and empower
others. Playing school was a way to learn more and empower others by teaching
them what I learned. My curiosity about the spiritual world was about learning so
I could tell people about it. I always wanted to learn and then teach. My calling is
to inspire and empower.
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Take a good look at what you do now
Some people have a hard time digging around in their past. You don’t have to go
there in order to discover or get clear on your calling. You can look at the present
and see the clues.
This is kind of like the exercise above except you stick to what you do now. It’s
okay to go back to 10 years ago when you used to hike or bike or did something
that you loved but for some reason no longer do.
Again write it as an essay or story. This time think of those things that truly put
you in the flow.
Flow is a mental state of pure concentration in the moment on what you’re doing.
It’s happiness in action. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a professor of psychology and
management, created the notion of flow. You’ve probably felt it when doing
something so well that you seemed to do it effortlessly and lost track of time.
Pull from your story or essay those things where you get in the flow.
What patterns do you see? What stands out? Do you see an overarching theme?
Your calling is something that puts you in the flow, makes you happy and is
something you would do even if you never got paid. In fact you’re probably doing
it at the higher theme level now even if you don’t think you know your calling. It’s
just harder to pinpoint at that level.
Do a visioning
Visioning is not about experiencing an inner picture of what you would like.
Visioning is a process of going within and surrendering to what the highest
outcome is to be for yourself or any project. It’s being open to Spirit and the
messages that come through.
These messages can be in the form of words, phrases, images or feelings. You
then take what you receive and see how it can be implemented in your life.
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You do this process by getting centered and ready to receive. Then you answer
four key questions:
1. What is the highest unfolding for my life?

2. What do I need to release to bring this vision into manifestation?
3. What do I need to embrace?
4. Is there anything else I should know?
Receive answers to each question individually letting what needs to come

through come through. Stop and go to your receptive mode in between each
question.
Once finished, take time to contemplate your answers until you see how you may
implement.
Take a typology test
Aptitude tests or typology tests like the Myers Briggs certainly don’t tell you
exactly what you’re capable of, but they can help you see patterns and give you
some ideas. Only take from it what resonates.
Take the Myers Briggs test here.
Visit the future
Do a self-guided meditation where you imagine your life 10 years from now. The
distance from the present will allow your mind to move into daydream or pretend
mode where you’re freer to let loose.
This envisioning process has a little bit of the message from Spirit that visioning
does as well as your own ideas and feelings. Of course, when we’re in alignment,
these two are the same.
Ask yourself:
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What does my life look like? Paint a picture or describe to yourself where you live,
your house, etc.
What do I see myself doing every day? Imagine what a day in your life looks like.
How do I feel during this day? Conjure up the feelings you’d like to feel every day.
All of these processes will make your calling clearer. Sometimes you’ll have that
A-ha! moment and sometimes you’ll need more time to ruminate. Talking with
someone who can be objective can help you get clear faster. And doing more than
one of these can help, too.
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4 Things You Must Do Before You Live Your Dreams
In the dim background of our mind, we know what we ought to be
doing but somehow we cannot start.
-William James
You’ve made what seems like a hundred false starts and you feel like you’ll never
be able to make a living doing what you love.
Whether you want to start your own business or change careers, you find that
you just don’t know where to begin anymore and the advice to just start rings
hollow in your ears.
So now what?
Well, it is possible to do this. I’m living proof. I spent years spinning my wheels
and getting nowhere fast. Now I’m in the flow of forward motion. I’m scared and
there are days I want to run and hide, but I don’t. I keep moving. That’s key. To
keep moving. It’s so much harder to start again and again.
So let me share with you the things you need to do before you get started. Our
starts often don’t work because we haven’t laid the ground work.
Free Up Time and Energy
If you’re anything like me, you’ve said yes to too many projects and volunteer
opportunities. Or maybe you have children or other family members to look after.
All are important, but so are you. You need to make room in your life for your
dreams. Even if it’s 15 minutes a day to start. And the way to do this is take away
as many excuses as possible.
Since the beginning of this year I’ve been slowly finding others who could take
over some of my volunteer duties. I’m still working on clearing my path to make
room for the time and energy I need to build my business, but I have freed up
quite a bit of it.
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What can you clear from your schedule? Can you get a babysitter for an hour? Is it
possible to drop one activity from your child’s schedule? Do you have to volunteer
for three things at once? Can a family member cook or do laundry?
Talk to Your Family and Friends
Let the people in your life know what you’re up to. Tell them about your hopes
and dreams if you think it’s safe to do so. It’s important to only share with those
who will support you because in the beginning, it’s challenging enough without
bad vibes to throw you off track.
You do this to get support. You need the cheerleaders and accountability as well
as the physical help for the things mentioned above. No one lives up to their
greatness without help. Get the help you need. The best place to start is at home.
Get Professional Support
Now maybe you can’t afford a business or life coach, but start thinking about it. If
you can’t hire someone just yet, then start to surround yourself with people who
are working towards similar goals or are doing what you want to do. Find a
mentor and or join an accountability group.
This is so important. It can make all the difference as you move along your path.
Make Sure Your Dream Sets You on Fire
Sometimes we’ve been dreaming for so long about something that we don’t
realize our feelings have changed.
Maybe you’ve dreamed of being a reporter and winning the Pulitzer. But when
you start to move in that direction you find that you’re not fired up about it so
much anymore. We change and so do our dreams.
I believe our life purpose is something broader than being a reporter or doctor or
coach. It’s an overarching theme that we’ve been living all along as I mentioned in
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the above article. You’ll need the fire of doing something you absolutely love to
keep going.
When you are actually ready to make your start, here are a couple of things to
keep in mind:
Begin with Something You Love
I think it’s important to build a strong foundation, but those tasks may bore you. If
you’re starting a business you need to do some market research. If you’re
changing careers you may need to go back to school. Some of these things you
may love and some you may not. Make the first thing you do something that fires
you up, something that is at the heart of your dream.
If you do something that makes you feel like you’re already living your dream, you
will feel motivated to keep going.
Start Small
Often the reason you don’t start is because you are overwhelmed by a long list of
tasks. Pick something you love, like mentioned above, and then put away the rest
of the list for now.
Take your one task and break it down into steps and make a plan. Plan to do one
step in that hour you freed up by hiring a babysitter or by getting a family
member to do the laundry. When you’ve completed that first step of a single task,
make a plan for when you’ll do the next step and then celebrate.
Once you’ve begun, keep going by keeping it simple. You’ll get there as long as
you keep moving forward.
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How to Make Yourself Attractive to Your Dreams
Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken -winged bird that
cannot fly.
– Langston Hughes
You ignored your dreams for so long that they seem like distant memories. Now,
when you think about them, there isn’t as much energy as there once was.
This is what happens when we neglect our dreams. And it’s not only our dreams
that become distant. We distance ourselves from our souls when we ignore our
purpose and callings.
If you want to live your dreams now, you’re going to have to make yourself
attractive to them.
You may be wondering what the heck that means. I thought it was strange when
the phrase first came to me, too. But now I know it means that you’re going to
have to court your dreams and your soul. You’re going to have to begin to think of
those dreams as if they are that special someone.
The first thing we often do to make ourselves attractive to a potential mate is to

dress up and make ourselves look nice. But what do you find truly attractive in
someone? What pulls you in? Is it things like they listen to you, respect you and
make you feel important to them? Well, that’s what your dream needs from you.
This is how you make yourself attractive to your dream.
Respect
This encompasses the following. By showing your dreams that you honor them,
they’ll begin to awaken in you again.
Listen
Take time to meditate or simply go within and just listen to yourself, your soul
and see what it is that you really want. If you’ve been ignoring your dreams, you
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may find there are other parts of yourself you’ve been ignoring. Self-awareness is
the key to making your dreams come true. Now is the time to really get to know
yourself. It will make the work easier in the long run.
Make your dreams feel important
Make space in your life for your dreams. Give them support. Create a calendar
devoted to the time you will spend on your dreams. Engage in goal setting. Set up
a daily, monthly and yearly plan. Keep a journal to help you understand the
process of developing your dreams. Create a ritual to honor them and set up an
altar to remind you of why you want to live your dreams.
Ask your dream what it wants
This is similar to listening, but it really has more to do with the specific dream
rather than listening to your general desires. This can include meditation and
contemplation on your dream or visioning to get in touch with it and to get some
next steps.
Protect Your Dreams
When you first start to work with your dreams again, you and they will be
vulnerable to negative feedback. So be sure to only share with those who are
supportive. It’s also important to not over share, which can zap the creative flow.
You need time to build the relationship again and to enjoy the honeymoon period
where ideas will come fast and furious. This incubation stage is very important in
the process of becoming a doer of your dreams.
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How to Develop the Courage to Change Your Life
“When you find your path, you must ignore fear. You need to have the
courage to risk mistakes. But once you are on that road... run, run, run,
and don't stop til you've reached its end.”
― José N. Harris
The word courage comes from the Latin cor and the Old French coer which
denotes the heart as the seat of feelings. I love Brené Brown’s definition in this
TED Talk: To tell the story of who you are with your whole heart. The key is to
connect to your heart and innermost feelings and then be willing to be vulnerable
and share who you are.
When we finally decide that we’re not going to live a life void of meaning
anymore. When we decide that we want to love our lives and make a contribution
to the world. We start to move and often we come up against resistance.
Most humans are not fans of change. We’re creatures of habit.
Habits are not a bad thing unless the behavior is causing us pain or getting in the
way of our goals. Habits help us to routinely brush our teeth, get to work on time,
exercise regularly, etc. Many of us humans like the familiar. When we try to
change a behavior we balk. It feels like so much work.
Even if we’re trying to change our lives in a way that matches our dream life, that
sluggish feeling can show up.
So what can you do to develop this thing called courage?
First get in touch with your heart and with who you really are. Ask: What brings
me joy? What are the activities in which I lose myself? Begin to tell the story of
who you are with your whole heart and be willing to share it with others. Be your
authentic self.
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Next, create a vision of your new life and make sure that it encompasses who you
are and not what you think it should look like based on what others have or say.
This vision will be your pull, the thing that draws you forward.
Now, because many of us are creatures of habit you may need to go deep inside
your pain points. These are your reasons for wanting to change, the things that
push you into your dream life. I learned this from Tony Robbins.
Take some time to really feel the pain. For instance, if you’re trying to move
towards the dream of being a coach or painter you could go deep into how bad
you feel ignoring that side of you. Maybe you think about how small your life is,
how bored you are at your current job and how much you hate wasting your life.
Let the pain push you away from the life you don’t want towards the one you do
want.
Here are some more tools you can use to continue to develop your courage and
stay persistent on your path.
Make small changes
Sometimes we’re ready to take the leap. We feel excited and make a big change
like quit our job or put out big bucks on a coach. These can be great catalysts, but
often we lose our momentum when it comes to doing the actual work.
To keep going or to simply begin you can make small changes, easy commitments
that will keep you moving forward. Make it simple so you’ll do it. These small
changes prime you for larger ones. A big leap will then have a foundation under it
in both a physical way and feeling way.
For example, you decide to not just quit your job, which can feel euphoric at first
but fearful later. You create a plan and make small changes like saving a little
money for when you leave and building your confidence by doing some research
and trying out the new work you plan on doing. Momentum builds and when you
leave your job you know you have a good chance of making it work, which keeps
you motivated.
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Being broke can motivate you, as well, but often it just puts you in fear mode and
unable to think straight. It’s still possible to make it, but it may mean more hustle
than you’d like.
Put the As If Principle to work for you
There is a book called “The As If Principle” by Richard Wiseman. In it he talks

about how our bodies and behaviors can create feelings in us and how that can be
more effective than just changing our thinking. I think using both ways is best, but
here are some ways you can use your body to help you persist through change.
Tense your muscles. This makes you feel like you’re working hard. Studies
showed that people who did this persisted longer at solving a puzzle or other
difficult tasks.
Cross your arms. This pose also helped people to persist longer at a task. It is
acting as if you’re persistent.
Sit up straight. This also helps you to keep you going. Studies showed that people
who sat up straight for three minutes and then were told to solve a puzzle spent
twice as much time trying to solve it as people who were told to slouch.
Do something different. This technique convinces us that we’re not creatures of

habit. The thing you do differently doesn’t even have to be related to your new
life. It just has to be a change to something that you do habitually.
For instance, take a different route to work or change up your morning routine.
What studies showed is people who did something different changed how they
viewed themselves. They no longer saw themselves as someone who blindly
follows a routine but as someone who was able to take control of their lives.
Use your mind
Many of you have heard the saying: Change your thinking, change your life. It
does work.
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Use affirmations. An affirmation is a statement that affirms something you want
to see in your life. For instance you can say: I am a successful coach. Make the
statement positive and in the present tense.
Now maybe you don’t believe that yet and so you find your mind going into a
negative affirmation: I’m no good at coaching or I don’t know enough. First ask
yourself if this is true. It’s good to be realistic. The truth may be that you don’t
know if you’re good because you haven’t tried. Maybe you need to get some
training or practice. Do it and continue to affirm that you are successful at it.
Envision your new life. By using your mind to envision your new life you create an
opening for it to manifest. Make sure to use all of your senses and really feel how
good it will be.
One of the reasons this works is because it has been shown that our brains don’t
make a distinction between practicing something in real life or in our minds. We
can spend a few minutes every day “practicing” our new life and it will seem to
our brains that we’re living it. This will help you embody the change faster.
I hope you found this helpful and will continue to gain momentum in moving
towards your dreams.
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5 Things You Can Do to Boost Your Confidence
"Low self-confidence isn't a life sentence. Self-confidence can be

learned, practiced, and mastered--just like any other skill. Once you
master it, everything in your life will change for the better."
~ Barrie Davenport
You know those moments when you’re faced with something you don’t want to
do like talk to your boss about a raise or a client about what you have to offer?
Those moments when your heart is pounding and your hands are sweating and
you’d rather be doing anything else?
There is a way to instantly feel more confident in those uncomfortable moments.

The techniques I share below are not just ways to calm you down like deep
breathing. Though deep breathing can help the process, these techniques can
actually make you feel more confident.
I’ve been reading a book called “The As If Principle” by Richard Wiseman. In it are
many studies that show how even though our body is responding to a situation
like the ones mentioned above, our bodily responses, like the fast heart rate and
sweaty hands, are common to many situations. The context in which we find
ourselves having these responses triggers us to feel an emotion that matches the
context.
We can also choose how to feel just by positioning our body a certain way. For
example, when we put our face in a smiling position, we begin to feel cheerful
even if we didn’t feel that way to begin with.
So here are a couple of techniques you can use in the moment to express and feel
the confidence you need to get that raise or make that sale.
Reframe what’s happening in your body
As mentioned above, our bodies have very few responses, so the excitement of
love and the fear of asking for a raise trigger the same response. What happens is
we are conditioned to choose an emotion that fits the context based on past
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knowledge. With awareness we can choose any emotion we want once the body
begins responding.
So let’s take the asking for a raise example. You’re waiting for your boss and you
feel nervous. Your hands are sweaty and your heart is racing. Take a few deep
breaths and tell yourself that you’re excited about getting this raise. You know
your boss is pleased with your work. If you can keep your focus on that for a
minute you will begin to feel the excitement. I’ve tried it in other fear situations
and could get myself to actually feel excited.
Take on a confident pose
This technique also comes from the book mentioned above. Our bodies do affect
our emotions. One study showed that people felt less pain from an electrical
shock if they “acted tough” like nothing was going to hurt them and they put their
bodies in a relaxed position.
Let’s say you’re getting ready to make a sale. Stand tall, chest out, but don’t make
your body rigid. Keep it relaxed. In a less formal situation, like a party, you can
lean back in a chair with your arms draped over the back or behind your head.
When you have more time here are some other ways to boost your confidence:
Plan and rehearse
Before your next meeting or the next webinar you give, take some time
beforehand to plan what you’re going to say and then rehearse it. Do it out loud.
Get members of your family to listen to you or enlist a few friends. Every time you
do it you’ll feel more self-assured.
If you’re going to a party where you don’t have a planned speech, you can
visualize successful interactions. Smile and hold your confident pose while you
visualize for an extra boost.
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Do something that you are a good at and love to do
There are times when we fall into comparison thinking and pull our confidence
way down. Or sometimes someone says something that sets us off into a spiral of
self-doubt.
One of the best things to do when this happens is to take action and do
something that you’re great at and love to do. There’s nothing like being in your
zone of genius to boost your confidence.
Read positive statements about yourself out loud
One of the studies in the book mentioned above had two groups of volunteers
read statements out loud. The first group read statements like, “Saturn has rings.”
The second group read positive statements about themselves.
The second group came out of the experiment feeling great!
The statements below are a little different from the example in the book. I’ve
geared these towards inspiring confidence. I encourage you to create your own
once you’ve got the hang of it and to use them to read out loud when you need a
confidence boost.
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Statements that can help you increase your confidence
1. I am a great ______________.
2. I can do _______________ well.
3. People love what I do.
4. I have confidence in my ability to ___________.
5. I help people ____________.
6. I am loved and appreciated.
7. I feel enthusiastic about life right now.
8. I get along with most people I meet.
9. I am optimistic about my future.
10. My work is going well.
11. I am successful at _______________.
12. I feel happy and secure in this moment.
13. People love to be around me.
14. I am full of energy and doing what I love.
15. Today is going to be a fun and successful day.
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The Secret to Building Confidence
I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances

confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life
which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in
common hours.
~ Henry David Thoreau
Thoreau is essentially saying that we will meet with success if we act as if we are
already living our dreams.
Maybe you don’t feel confident in your ability to be an author or a coach or

whatever it is you dream of being. Now what? How can you advance confidently?
The answer is simple, but it’s not easy. The secret to building confidence is to take
action. Maybe you don’t feel that confident in that action at first, but I promise
you that once you’ve done it, you will begin to feel confident. See how that
works?
Dreaming is great. We must dream first before we do, but to remain in the dream
phase means that we’ll never make our dreams come true.
Doing is made up of both inner actions and outer actions. Mindset change or
getting clear on how you will express your dream are inner actions. Doing
research about where to get your training or creating a business plan are outer
actions. Both of these are important, but the inner actions are the most important
because they are what will fuel your outer actions.
This worksheet will help you take those first actions towards your dreams.
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1. Some of us have many dreams, but I want you to think about the one that
would leave you in regret for the rest of your life if you didn’t act on it. In
detail describe what life is like doing this dream. This is your first inner
action.
2. What is one small outer action you can take today that will get you one
step closer to your dream? Make this something simple and measurable
within a certain time frame. For example, you could research what you
need to do to start your own business or make an outline for the book
you’d like to write. In both cases set a time frame. You’ll know five things
you need to do to start a business by the end of the day or you’ll have a
simple outline for your book by Friday.
3. Once you take your actions, check in with yourself. How did you feel while
taking the action? Was there any resistance? How do you feel after taking
the action? Were you able to take the action or did you let it slide?
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Awareness is the Doorway to Success
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your
eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities
and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other
life but this.”
― Henry David Thoreau
You must live in the present. If you want the success in life and in business that
you say you want, then you must do this and not look toward another land.
That other land could be the someday moment when everything is perfect or
thinking you’ll only be happy when you make $5,000 a month. There is no perfect
someday and it is only now that happiness exists.
Stop reading this for a moment. Look up. What do you see, hear, feel, smell? If
you’re eating while reading this, what do you taste? When was the last time you
ate without doing something else and really tasted your food?
And don’t start to label what it is you are experiencing. Just experience it. Don’t
say that was a truck that rumbled by or that you love the taste of the mayo on
your sandwich. Just experience it. Not easy. Our brains want to label and
categorize. We have filters in place. We think we’re experiencing when what
we’re really doing is conceptualizing. Stop it for minute. Even for just one second.
Now that wasn’t easy. I just tried it. But I have learned to experience things as
they are rather than to just name and move on, at least part of the time. It’s a
great practice. The implications are far reaching. What I mean is that our
prejudices get disrupted, and for a brief moment we can be aware of them. This
means we might not act on them.
At this point maybe you see where I’m going with awareness being the doorway
to success. When you’re in the present moment and fully aware, you’re not in
some idea of what you think is going on. You’re not telling a story about it. And
usually it’s that story or idea that gets us into trouble.
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Let me give you an example:
When my husband is late getting back from somewhere I worry. He was in a car
accident a few years ago and so that comes to my mind. The thing is I know
nothing about what may be keeping him. The worry stems from the story I tell
myself about the situation. My mind conjures up images of accidents. I get scared.
I create a stress response. And then he walks in the door. Nothing happened. It
was all in my mind.
I don’t want to do that anymore so when I start to go there I give myself other,
more probable scenarios to think about or I keep myself in the present moment. I
relax into reading my book or getting some work done. It helps and I don’t waste
time worrying. I get my studying done or a blog post written.
So you can see where not being in the present moment can thwart your success.
How can it help you be successful?
The present moment is a point of power. It is the only place from which you can
act. You may be visiting the past or future when planning, but when you take
action, you are acting from the present. If you keep in the present and take stock
of the facts around you, your actions will be clearer.
Here comes another example:
A friend calls and leaves a message that they don’t want to go out tonight. You
thought they were looking forward to it. They didn’t leave an explanation. Your
mind starts to think that maybe they are tiring of you or that you did something
wrong since they’ve been acting strange lately, so you begin to avoid them. The
friendship ends.
The thing is you based your decision on a story you made up. You didn’t know
what your friend was thinking. If you had called the next day to check on them,
perhaps they would have told you that they were exhausted by work for the past
month. Instead you made an uninformed decision that ended the friendship. This
may be extreme, but you get my point.
25
We make assumptions all the time, but we need to have enough awareness to see
when we’re doing it and to check them out.
The best thing to do is to just stop making assumptions or at least catch ourselves
in the act. To live in the present moment more often is to give ourselves the space
to watch our inner workings. When we can see what’s going on inside, we can see
when we’re telling ourselves untrue stories. This awareness is freedom. It’s a
doorway to success because our decisions and actions will be based on the facts
and not lies or preconceptions.
Thoreau spent a lot of time in the woods. He took in his surroundings and wrote
about them and his inner workings. Here are some things you can do to help
create greater awareness. I’m sure Thoreau would suggest them as well.
Experience your surroundings
Take time to just be. Ask yourself this often: Am I present or is my mind a mile
away? If you’re not present, come back to the moment and take a deep breath.
Notice without naming.
Journal
Journaling is a great way to be present. You can write in detail about what you see
or hear or smell. Maybe you’ll write a poem. Poets don’t live in their
preconceptions. Well, the good ones don’t anyway. It’s also a way to be present
to how you’re feeling at any given moment.
Meditate
Meditation, especially mindfulness, meditation is the best way to train you mind
to be in the present moment. It’s the training that will help you ask that question
above: Am I present or is my mind a mile away? During mindfulness meditation
you keep brining yourself back to the breath or some other point of focus and you
stay mindful of what’s going on in your mind.
26
Give them a try. I promise you that with time and practice your life will begin to
shift. Awareness truly is a doorway and not just a key to success. It’s a threshold
and on the other side are clarity and the confidence to move forward.
27
Pay Attention – Your Success Depends on it
“To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.”
― Mary Oliver
You know how it is when you’ve got 10 things to do and then find yourself
distracted by Facebook or Twitter. After an hour goes by you kick yourself for
wasting time and then spend the next 20 minutes trying to figure out which task
to tackle. And the thing is you’ve even done some study of time management.
WTH!
Why do we let our attention get hijacked by all those things that won’t get us
closer to accomplishing our goals?
Sometimes it’s procrastination brought on by fear of failure or success.

Sometimes we’re tired. And sometimes we’re just so overwhelmed that it’s easier
to goof off than try to get through our long list of things to do.
No matter what reason we have for getting distracted, we can always bring our
attention back to the present moment. With practice we can become aware that
we’re distracted and leave Facebook after only a few minutes instead of wasting a
whole hour or two.
Our mind likes to think and jump all over the place sometimes. That’s okay.
Paying attention isn’t about being able to stay on task so much as it’s about
being able to come back to the task after being pulled away.
What I just described is mindfulness. I practice mindfulness meditation most days

and have learned to carry the practice into my everyday life. I practice staying
aware of where my attention is and then placing it where I want it.
So don’t get mad at yourself for getting distracted. Instead, practice coming back
to the task at hand and continue. No judgement, just return.
28
And if you find yourself getting angry that you got distracted or you became
aware that your attention was averted for a long time, acknowledge your anger,
don’t repress it. Just notice. Usually awareness takes the sting out of feelings.
Accept the anger as a part of you. Let it be heard. Write down how you’re feeling
even to help you get some distance from it.
At some point you’ll notice that a part of you is watching the whole process. Put
your attention there. This observer is your higher self. Let it guide you.
Success is in the practice of paying attention and in the willingness to stay open to
what is right in front of you.
If you’d like to learn about and practice mindfulness meditation, I recommend

joining Susan Piver’s Open Heart Project. She’s a wonderful teacher and the
practice will help you live a more meaningful and successful life.
29
Daydream VS Envision
“I live not in dreams but in contemplation of a reality that is perhaps
the future.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke
It’s easy to get lost in a daydream. Well, it’s easy for me. I used to daydream a lot
about some distant future. Often it was of living on an estate surrounded by all
that I had ever wanted. It felt impossible, but I liked to dream.
Now, I believe that all is possible and that we can and do make dreams come true,
but it’s not by being in a state of wanting or wishing. We do it when we intend
and know that all that we dream of is here now. Though I like Rilke’s quote, his
“perhaps” isn’t quite what is needed to create. It’s a sureness and then a
willingness to let it unfold.
About a week ago I was looking at a water damaged wall in our bathroom. The
landlord had mentioned that he would get it taken care of months ago. We’ve
been so busy we hadn’t reminded him as he tends to forget. But that day I just
knew it would be taken care of and could see it fixed. Then I let it go and didn’t
think of it again. I just knew it would unfold as it needed to. I was busy and went
about my tasks.
Two days later, the landlord came by to pick up the rent and mentioned the
damaged wall. He hadn’t mentioned it in months and now he said he had thought
about it recently and wanted to get it taken care of. Today the contractor came
and looked to give him an estimate. It will be fixed in the next two weeks.
This isn’t about some large item or my dream, but because of that it was easy to
manifest. Sometimes when it’s something we really want, we get scared. We
wonder if it is possible or if we deserve it so we fall into daydream.
When we daydream we distance ourselves from our dream. Think about the
subjects of your daydreams. I find it’s often things that I wish I could have but am
afraid to really believe as a possibility.
30
What can we do instead?
We can envision what we would like to have or experience. The definition of

envision is to imagine as a future possibility. There is a sense that something is
possible. Both daydreaming and envisioning can look the same, but to envision is
to intentionally imagine something and know that it is possible. The creation
process goes one step further. To know something is possible is just the
beginning. When you envision, it’s necessary to know it as true now.
So how do you get from daydreaming to envisioning and finally to sureness that it
is so now?
You’ve probably been daydreaming about the perfect house, your soulmate, a
successful business or something else. All of these are big dreams that can put
many of us on guard. When you think of this big dream you may not be sure it’s
even possible based on where you are now. Maybe you don’t think you even
deserve something so wonderful and so you distance yourself from it by
daydreaming about it. At a safe distance you don’t have to question your feelings
of unworthiness or overwhelm of how to even get it.
The key is to face those feelings of unworthiness or impossibility and overwhelm.

Make a list of reasons why you don’t think it’s possible and soon you’ll see if
you’re just overwhelmed by how big the dream is or if you feel unworthy. Maybe
it’s a bit of both.
Once you know what’s stopping you from believing in the possibility of your
dream you can address it. If it’s overwhelm, you’re worrying about the how. It’s
not your job to think about how you’ll make your business successful or how
you’ll meet your soulmate. You just have to believe it’s possible and when you do
it’s easier to envision it as if it is true now.
Once you set your intentions, envision what you want in a way that feels as if it is
so now and then just allow it, you’ll be guided to take the actions needed. The
how is the unfolding that you allow.
31
If you think something is possible but don’t think you deserve it because you were
told as a child that it was wrong to want so much or that you were unworthy of
anything good, then you need to build your self-worth. You can do this by listing
all the ways these things aren’t true. Then you can write about all your amazing
qualities. Also take a look around and see you are no more worthy or unworthy
than anyone else that has the kind of life you want. We are all perfectly imperfect
humans and here to express our souls, our dreams.
Once you’ve convinced yourself that you’re worthy and or that it is possible, you
can begin to envision your dream as mentioned above. In both cases it’s
important to truly feel what it is like to experience the dream, but when you have
felt unworthy it’s important to boost your envisioning with feelings of worthiness.
You can do this by knowing that you are made of that creative energy that creates
all. There is no separation between you and the Divine. There is no separation
between you and your dream.
You are a powerful creator and deserve to live your dreams. Know this and live
from a place of allowing all that you dream to flow through you. The Divine is a
great field of potentiality, which means that all is possible. You’re here and you’re
a walking miracle. That shows just how much is possible. So dream big, know all is
possible, know that you are worthy and allow it to unfold.
32
What’s Holding You Back from Living Your Dreams?
What can you do to make room for your dream? Is there something you can give
up or can you rearrange your schedule?
What do you have to lose? What will your life look like if you don’t live your
dream?
What will your life look like if you do live your dream?
33
5 Ways to Tap Into Gratitude
Gratitude is a necessary step in manifesting your dreams. It helps uplift your
energy so that the Universe knows you want more good in your life. Gratitude
also just feels wonderful. If you are ever down, just get into that gratitude groove
and watch your mood shift and lift.
Here are five tools that help you get back to that gratitude feeling when you need
it most.
1. Hold the image of a loved one in your mind. Feel the joy and gratitude of
having them in your life. Where in your body do you feel the emotion? Rest in
this feeling for a moment or two.
Now let the image fade, but hold onto the feeling. Remember it so you can
easily tap into that gratitude feeling when you need it. Loved ones make the
best gratitude triggers. A gratitude trigger is what you use to bring yourself
into gratitude fast.
2. Imagine your favorite piece of clothing. Think about all the people involved in
its creation. The person who sewed it, the designer, the weaver of the fabric,
the farmer who helped bring forth the cotton or silk. Imagine all the sunshine
and rain that helped those things to be.
Now think of all the people who brought this article of clothing closer to you.
The buyers, the distributors, the store owners and sales people. There is so
much to be grateful for in one piece of clothing. You can do this with your food
or any other object to expand your sense of gratitude.
3. Think about a time in the past that you thought was challenging. Looking back,
can you see that you learned a lot, became a better person or gained more
because of it? Explore your thoughts and feelings around this. It’s important to
find gratitude in everything because when another challenging time arises
you’ll be able to quickly move into gratitude and out of fear.
34
4. Take time to commune with the Source of All Life, the Creator, Spirit. Just a
few minutes each day in the silence brings a deep peace and gratitude for life.
If you find silence difficult, bring your focus to Spirit by saying the many names
of God to yourself, kind of like a mantra. At some point let the mantra go and
simply be. Find what works for you.
5. Spend time in nature. Feel the breeze, the rain, the cold, the sun. Just be with
whatever is and remember that it is all good. Nature is our home; we are a
part of the great circle of life. Touch a tree and say that you are grateful for it.
Nod to the bird singing in the tree and say you’re grateful for its song and
presence. Move to each thing or being you see and say this. Know it. Feel it.
35
Using the Creative Process
Our beliefs and our deep-seated convictions inevitably out-picture and
reflect themselves in our experience and environment, both in the
physical condition of the body, and in the larger world of our affairs.
What we outwardly are, and what we are to become, depends upon
what we are thinking, for this is the way we are using Creative Power.
~ Ernest Holmes
What we are thinking impacts our actions and our thinking is impacted by our
beliefs. When we don’t like what we see in our lives it often stems from a belief
that may be hidden from our view. If we are not aware of what is going on inside
us, it is all too easy to mistake sources outside ourselves for causing what is wrong
or even what is right in our lives.
On the Universal level the creative process is Creative Energy that moves from
potential into form. Behind all things and beings is the stuff of life, this Creative
Energy. This is why we can say that all is One, that all is connected and that there
is no separation. If there is no separation and we are that which creates, we too
are creative.
We don’t create in the exact same way the Universe does, but we have the
inclination and the ability to use this One Power of Creation. And we’re doing it
now and in every moment. This is how the world works. Whatever is in our
consciousness creates our experience. This is why it is so important to become
conscious of our inner workings.
Remember there is no judgment or blame. There is only awareness. The more

aware we become of how we are using the creative process, the more we can
focus our lives in the direction of our dreams.
36
It’s Your Life. Love it. Create it. Use it.
Love it.
All change begins in the present moment. No matter what your life looks like now,
you need to love it. Even if your bank account is negative and your relationship is
on the rocks, you must love your life and yourself.
This doesn’t mean that you have to love the experience itself. Though being able
to see it as an opportunity to learn can help you love it. Just love your life. Show
yourself some deep compassion for where you are now.
The energy of hate creates blockage. There is no way you’ll be able to create the
changes you need to make if you are blocked.
Create it.
Yes, you create your life with the help of the Universe. You did not create
yourself, but you create the experience you call your life. You are not a victim.
You are a co-creator with the Creative Energy. You are creating your life in every
moment whether you are aware of it or not. The point of power is when you
realize this and begin to consciously use the creative process.
You can begin to create the life you know you deserve once you are able to love
your life and are working to remove any blockages. As you engage in conscious
creation many of your blockages will present themselves to be cleared. In the
actions healing will take place. As long as you can remain in love you will be able
to move through the process and begin to live the life of your dreams.
Use it.
Use your life to make a difference in the world. By doing this you will fill a basic
need, the need to be needed. When we contribute our gifts, ourselves to the
world and when we act from a place of service, most of the fear evaporates. It’s
not all about you anymore and that’s the most empowering thought. This is the
key to lasting fulfillment.
37
Word Priestess & Founder of the
Sisterhood of Word Priestesses
Joanne is a writer who has always

been attracted to all things
spiritual. From an early age she was
playing with words and wondering
about the world of spirit.
Today she calls herself a Word

Priestess. That is someone who
believes in the power of words to
heal. She’s the founder of the
Sisterhood of Word Priestesses and offers spiritual guidance as well as book
coaching and editing services to women who are called to bring forth their story
and teachings in the form of a book.
You can find her online at www.joanneyoungelliott.com
38

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Copyright 2015 by Joanne Elliott

To add to the confusion a calling is often bigger than simply expressing as a

1. What is the highest unfolding for my life?

Receive answers to each question individually letting what needs to come

Take a typology test

Take the Myers Briggs test here.

Visit the future

Free Up Time and Energy

Talk to Your Family and Friends

Get Professional Support

Make Sure Your Dream Sets You on Fire

Begin with Something You Love

The first thing we often do to make ourselves attractive to a potential mate is to

Make your dreams feel important

Ask your dream what it wants

Protect Your Dreams

Most humans are not fans of change. We’re creatures of habit.

So what can you do to develop this thing called courage?

Make small changes

Put the As If Principle to work for you

There is a book called “The As If Principle” by Richard Wiseman. In it he talks

Do something different. This technique convinces us that we’re not creatures of

Use your mind

"Low self-confidence isn't a life sentence. Self-confidence can be

There is a way to instantly feel more confident in those uncomfortable moments.

Reframe what’s happening in your body

Take on a confident pose

Plan and rehearse

Read positive statements about yourself out loud

The second group came out of the experiment feeling great!

2. I can do _______________ well.

3. People love what I do.

4. I have confidence in my ability to ___________.

5. I help people ____________.

6. I am loved and appreciated.

7. I feel enthusiastic about life right now.

8. I get along with most people I meet.

9. I am optimistic about my future.

10. My work is going well.

11. I am successful at _______________.

12. I feel happy and secure in this moment.

13. People love to be around me.

14. I am full of energy and doing what I love.

15. Today is going to be a fun and successful day.

I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances

Maybe you don’t feel confident in your ability to be an author or a coach or

Here comes another example:

Experience your surroundings

Sometimes it’s procrastination brought on by fear of failure or success.

What I just described is mindfulness. I practice mindfulness meditation most days

If you’d like to learn about and practice mindfulness meditation, I recommend

We can envision what we would like to have or experience. The definition of

The key is to face those feelings of unworthiness or impossibility and overwhelm.

Remember there is no judgment or blame. There is only awareness. The more

Joanne is a writer who has always

Today she calls herself a Word

You can find her online at www.joanneyoungelliott.com

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