One of the participants at my recent Voice Your Vision retreat shared this powerful quote from Barbara Sher, “Isolation is a dream killer.”
Similarly, my teacher Sonia Choquette says, “You cannot do it alone.”
How true!
As a sensitive woman, mother, home-based business owner, spiritual coach, intuitive, hand analyst, and ready-to-take-the-world-by-storm creative writer, I can tell you that the hardest days are when I feel like I have no one to turn to and there’s no one else out there who gets who or where I am. Luckily, I’ve learned a few things about this along the way.
When it comes to making your dreams real, here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Your nascent vision is like a tiny seedling. Plant it in fertile soil, water it, nurture it, and protect it. Don’t put it somewhere it could be trampled on. Share it only with your best supporters.
2. Get the right support from the right people. You must have “believing eyes” to witness your project into wholeness. Do not allow the naysayers and doubters to topple your tiny creation before it learns to stand on its own two feet.Get in touch with your supporters when you need them, and do the same for them. Make sure you have a balanced, equal exchange with people who are emotionally whole enough to truly be there for you.
3. Dream big or stay at home. Don’t hold back from your vision — go all the way with it. Push yourself to your creative edge. Ask, “How can I take this to its next greatest level of expression?” If you need help pushing yourself to that precipice, you’re in the right place. You’ll be seeing more from me modeling this very, very soon (stay tuned!).
4. Don’t take your critics too seriously. Like most of us, you probably make the mistake of listening to criticism (from yourself or from other people) far too early in your creative process. Your inner critics are speaking from fear and doubt, and your outer critics are doing the same. Very often, your outer critics are simply projecting their own fear and excuses onto you. So take it with a grain of salt. And turn to your supporters to get you back on track when you make the mistake of listening to the wrong voice.
5. Trust yourself, first. So often you dismiss your greatest, deepest truths because you think they are too simple, too complicated, too unrealistic, etc. But if you simply allow yourself the permission to explore what your inner voice is telling you, miraculous things can happen. You may want and need to have your inner truths heard and witnessed before you’re willing to give ourselves that permission.
That’s where your supporters or coach come into play. Either way, sometimes allowing yourself to voice your vision to the right listeners is just the powerful kick-start you need to make your dream become a reality.
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Did this spark anything for you? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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What’s Jenna Up To?
~> November 22nd, 2010. Leading a private in-person half-day retreat in Berkeley, California.
~> November 29th, 2010. Mark Your Calendar! My annual birthday sale is coming up — one day only. Details to be announced soon.
~> November 29th, 2010. Also on my birthday: Doing a photo shoot for my new website photos with the fabulous Lindsay Miller.
~> January 21st & 22nd, 2011. Voice Your Vision Mastermind Retreat. In-Person Workshop in Berkeley, California. Clarify your unique vision to implement your Life Purpose in a specific, step-by-step plan. FOUR SPOTS remaining. This small group retreat is perfect for you if you know your purpose but you’re wondering, “What’s next?” For details, send a blank email to: coach115-557948@autocontactor.com. Early registration ends November 26th.
~> January 27th & 28th, 2011. “Powerful Strategies to Slay Your Inner Critic Demons So You Can Leap Into the Creative Spotlight.” Appearing as a guest expert at Baeth Davis’s “Claim Your Spotlight” program in Los Angeles, California.
~> Spring 2011. Virtual Workshop: Claim Your Calling: 5 Steps To Get You Back On Track With What You Were Put Here To Do. Dates to be announced shortly. Details: www.ClaimYourCallingWithJenna.com.
