I can’t help but think, that someone who says this is making an excuse. Sure there are plenty of things to do in a day. The key is to manage your time, set boundaries, and take action on your priorities. If everything is a priority, then nothing really is. Focusing on one area at a time is the best way to accomplish your goals. Doing everything you want to get done in a day is not impossible, unless there are truly circumstances outside of your control. Depending on other people who are not dependable is an example of this. To know where you are wasting time, you have to audit your own schedule. Keep track of your time and what you spend it on. Are you watching four hours of TV a day when you could be doing something more productive to reach your goal? Do you spend hours at a time on Facebook? Reconsider your entertainment.

When you have a lot of bad habits, it is hard to change all of them. Actually, we don’t change them, we have to replace them. Where do they come from? How did we learn to deal with issues? What must we do? Admitting there is a problem is the best first step. Reach out to those that can help you is a good idea. Find someone with the good habits you want in your life. Find someone to keep you accountable. You can’t do it all alone. There are support groups for just about everything you want to change. What do you do if you can’t join several? Try one at a time.

David Bowie’s album is number one after his death. He was a talented singer. A creative soul. Taken after a brave battle with cancer. He kept to himself. His closest friends did not know he was battling cancer. Perhaps, he showed the world how to die with dignity and without fanfare. Even though he was famous, he was private. Maybe he taught the world humility. Who knows what his intentions were. Just maybe, he created wonderful music for the love of creating music. He passed without ever knowing this accomplishment. I think the lesson here is to always be true to yourself, even if you are a pop star with worldwide fame.

I have spent some time with a lot of amazing people. Also, I have read some other posts. I have come to the conclusion that we must go through our own struggles and face them, so that we can share our stories with others. Everyone has struggles. I does not know any color, race, station,  success level, creed, or religion. Listening to someone’s story can be empowering. Taking action to solve your problems, sets you up for winning. Realizing you don’t have to go through it alone, is priceless.

Today, I plan on meeting new people. I hope it all goes well. I am not sure what to expect. Having fun and just meeting new people is what I am attempting to do. Making a good impression is important to me. Caring what they think of me is not what I am overly concerned with. Do they think of me as someone who is confident, outgoing, and capable. We don’t get a second chance to make first impression. That is where the nerves come in. I did learn something recently. There is such a thing as a power pose. We can exude confidence by our body language. So, I am going to put that to use while trying to squash some butterflies.

I woke up early and started on a semi routine. I got cleaned up and dressed. After taking care of the animals, I went shopping. Walmart is open 24 hours a day. I did not meditate, yet. I got to my Facebook page, then to twitter, and now I am writing my blog. I will meditate and then pray. Then start my job. I did not read today. I will do that in the afternoon. This weekend we have a lot planned. It takes planning. You have to plan out your week ahead of time. Just going by the seat of your pants you can lose track of your time. Getting sucked in to something else you can waste your time. See your time as a commodity you can never get back.

In order to get what  you want, you have to know what you want. If you don’t know what you are trying to do, then you will not be very focused. Asking lots of questions help bring clarity. Why am I doing this? Will I regret that I did not do this 20 years from now? What am I trying to accomplish? How will I measure my progress? When will I know that I have reached my goal? What will a victory look like? Who can I help? What is the next step? What do I need to do in order to accomplish my goal?

This is something that I have an interest in. Most people are fascinating to me. If you stop and listen to people, you can make a new connection. Joining a group through meet up is great if you know what you are getting into. You can try finding groups with paid memberships that meet regularly with like-minded individuals. I decided to join Toastmasters. Getting out there and meeting new people is fun.  I don’t have a hidden agenda. If I just want to make new friends, without any preconceived notions other than meeting more people. Maybe with new friendships I can help them and they can help me.  Volunteering is another avenue to make new friends. Hosting a dinner party in your home or other location, to get to know your neighbors. Starting a Mastermind group is another way to meet new people. If you own a dog and go to the Pet Smart, people with other dogs will talk to you. Meeting people used to be easy for me. With “social media” it seems as if we spend more time behind our computers, rather than getting out and meeting people.

I learned about vulnerability and how it has the power to attract people, because you are being authentic and real. Being on a journey of self-discovery and change, I have to do some other actions, in order to move forward. This means I have to get out from behind my computer and engage with people. This used to be easy for me, before “social” media. Now, I think everyone prefers to text you or send a message in person. There is no more face to face interaction. There is always a chance that things won’t work out with a stranger you meet. What if it does work out? Our lives will be enriched for ever. Without any agenda, I am going to just go and meet people. Fear or no fear. Fear is a liar.

Wanting to accomplish much, but then having those nagging feels of self-doubt can crush your spirit. What do I have to offer anyone? Why would anyone listen to me? What is the point? Words like these can fill our heads at the most crucial times. Fight back. We must speak to ourselves with kindness and not allow such negative thoughts to consume us. Continue to do what is right. Keep the dream alive. Focus on what is important. When you are in the middle of the struggle, it is must not to give in to the self-doubt. How we think about ourselves is reflected in how people treat us. If we feel worthless, then people will treat us as such.