Work Purposefully. Live Authentically. Dream Actively.
#WorkLifeDreamsBalance
Original Spark Location: Idabel, Oklahoma
You’ve probably never heard of it and you’ll probably never visit this small town. It is, though, where the idea of #WorkLifeDreamsBalance was birthed in my heart and mind.
The visit back to the farm my great-grandparents left their 100+ offspring sparked something in me and you’re reading this blog because of them.
From their consistent hard work, determination, and the intentional focus of keeping their eyes on the prize (leaving a legacy for their children’s childrens’ children…) my cousin, daughter, and I revisited their farm (our farm now) for a break from life and all that it had been serving that summer of 2015.
The twelve hour journey from Atlanta, GA to Idabel, OK itself was a great way to decompress from the stresses of life. We arrived and the smells of the country, the sights of landmarks I grew up seeing, and the memories of the fun and loving times spent with so many of my family members were working like medicine in my soul. Being there was a perfect way to connect all of the dots of my life and move into a space of gratitude for EVERYTHING.
We took a drive to the first house my great-grandparents lived in and on our way back to the farm we saw one of their long-time friends. She invited us in, gave us some cool drinks, and we had some serious talks about love, relationships, and life.
When the elders speak, YOU SIT DOWN AND LISTEN, right?
She told us so many stories. In the short amount of time we sat at her kitchen table I felt like I earned a PhD in LIFE & ALL IT WILL SERVE YOU ON YOUR WAY TO BEING GREAT!
The one thing that stuck with me, though, is how hard she worked in a factory for 50 years standing on concrete floors day in and day out. Sometimes, she worked 12 hour days. After retiring from factory job, she needed a few back surgeries just to be able to sit or walk for just few minutes at a time without being in excruciating pain. Worst of all, to me, was the fact that her back is better now, but not good enough for her to sit on an international flight to go visit her son in Japan. That hit home for me because I dream of going to Japan and living there for a year or two.
I didn’t ask her if she regretted working all those years doing all of that manual labor. I understand that dwelling on would’ve, could’ve, should’ve isn’t the best space. She did what she felt she had to do in order for her family to thrive.
I wondered, though, what could I do RIGHT NOW to not feel like I was too loyal to a job once I reach my age of retirement? My clients wonder the exact same thing and that’s what my coaching, resume writing, and speaking is based on. My intentions are always to empower hard-working employees to work a job that is aligned with their life goals and dreams.
After she packed up our homemade jelly and fruit preserves, we left her feeling full of some good ol’ SPIRITUAL SOUL FOOD and I began forming the foundation of my life and career coaching services – #WorkLifeDreamsBalance
Work-Life-Dreams-Balance means:
- Aligning your job with your life goals and dreams
- Using your skills and talents for the goals and dream(s) you have for your life (not just for your job)
- Creating a plan, taking actions, and being held accountable for reaching your goals
- No longer sacrificing your dreams for anybody’s job and making your job work for you while you work on your dreams.
- Knowing yourself – what you want, what you need, and what you will commit to doing or utilizing to guarantee your success
Most people have amazing ideas to do what truly brings them passion and fulfillment.
Most people, though, do not follow-through and finish what they thought and said they would. Many things get in the way of you doing what you say you will do. These things tend to find the most opportune times to derail you from the track of success you’re already on.
Those things include, but are not limited to:
- Lack of clarity on how to make your goals and dreams come true
- No written, strategic plan that can be measured or tracked
- Negative self-talk that leads to self-sabotage
- Not acknowledging your successes and only dwelling on your “failures”
- No accountability so you can get away with doing absolutely nothing
- Poor self-esteem, self-belief, and self-love
- No support system to encourage or constructively criticize you
- Fear of judgment, fear of success, and fear of failure
- Distractions that make you think you’re too busy
- Excuses that only you think are legit
- Contentment because just being “okay” is safer
- Self-fulfilling prophesies gone wrong because you do not speak life into yourself
The #WorkLifeDreamsBalance Beginner’s Kit was created to empower you to align your job with your life goals and dreams because no job is worth sacrificing your dreams for.
Your Beginner’s Kit Includes:
- Self-Workbook – Figure out all the stuff inside of you that’s weighing you down.
- Strategic Planner – Plan the big goals and map out the smaller goals that will lead to your success.
- Gratitude / Success Log – Assess what you’ve done and celebrate your wins to keep the momentum going!
You can just grab the kit and run or you can grab the kit and join a community of people who are on the same mission as you and I – #WorkLifeDreamsBalance. I want to make sure you’re doing what you say you would! I want to see you happy in your work, life, and with your dreams…no matter how many things try to derail.
No dreams left to die, right!?
No job is worth sacrificing your life goals and dreams for, but every job can be worth your while if it’s worked purposefully.
If you’re not afraid, then you will be invited to join my free, private #WorkLifeDreamsBalance group. The group will be hosted via Facebook and it is there that you will be able to connect with like-minded people, have access to coaching & accountability, and increase your chances of staying on the success track of balancing your work, life, and dreams.
The great thing about this group is that only people who grab the #WorkLifeDreamsBalance Beginner’s Kit will be invited. We’re not just taking random, nosey people who want to suck all of our energy, be a voyeur, and not contribute or participate. There will be so much more to gain from this, as I am working to align resources that will only help push you closer and closer to creating your unique balance between your work, life, and dreams.
If you’re no longer afraid to LET YOURSELF BE GREAT in your work, life, or dreams…then I look forward to seeing you in the group. The group will launch Labor Day 2016!
You can grab your Beginner’s Kit here.
Congratulations on taking the beginning steps toward aligning your job with your life goals and dreams.
It’s time to work purposefully, live authentically, and dream actively.