Tag Archives: The A-Z of Effective Change

You Are ENOUGH!

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WE HAVE ENOUGH, WE DO ENOUGH AND WE ARE ENOUGH!

Movie star Jim Carrey is most widely known for his comedic genius. More recently he is known for sharing his spiritual path which is light years away from the movie star life he used to lead.

In a recent video Jim was talking about retiring. Three sentences he spoke really hit a chord with me and have become a mantra that I am happy to carry with me every day. 

​I HAVE ENOUGH

​I’VE DONE ENOUGH

I AM ENOUGH​

Imagine having such a sense of fulfilment and contentment within yourself that all you currently have is ENOUGH, all you have done is ENOUGH and all that you are is ENOUGH.

Watch the video here,

No matter where we are in our lives, starting from this baseline of having ENOUGH, having done ENOUGH and being ENOUGH is incredibly liberating.

Starting and finishing EVERY DAY with this realisation means that everything you get, everything you do and everything you become is then a BONUS!​

I HAVE ENOUGH TODAY

​I’VE DONE ENOUGH TODAY

I AM ENOUGH TODAY

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​Having ENOUGH, having done ENOUGH and being ENOUGH doesn’t stop us from wanting to have more, wanting to do more and wanting to be more.

It does however, allow us to be happy with what we have, what we have done and what we are while we pursue all we want, want to do and want to be!

DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH TODAY?

​HAVE YOU DONE ENOUGH TODAY?

​ARE YOU ENOUGH TODAY?

Whatever you have, do and are – YOU ARE ENOUGH 😊

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If so download my free ebook  ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below and you are all signed up! 

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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Less is More

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​I have always believed in a philosophy of LESS IS MORE. 

The underlying message in LESS IS MORE is that we don’t need more to be happy, we possibly need LESS. 

Before getting MORE, we first need to be happy with what we have

For the past few years all my goals centred around LESS IS MORE principles which has brought me so much peace, joy & happiness. 

Because of this I am continuing with these valuable LESS IS MORE principles but this year but I am going into them in more detail.

The underlying message in LESS IS MORE is that we don’t need MORE to be happy, we possibly need LESS.

Here are some of the LESS IS MORE principles that create the umbrella for my 2024 annual goals,

 

  • DO LESS, BE MORE

Sometimes I find life is just one big long to do list. 

This doesn’t bring me joy, it brings me anxiety! 

I want to DO LESS and enjoy BEING & LIVING more! 

 

  • WORK LESS, HAVE MORE TIME

I love working, I really love it. For 25 years I worked for large corporate companies which brought me much joy and a certain amount of wealth.

Working so many hours for other people no longer suits or interests me. 

Also working so many hours even if I was working for myself doesn’t suit me either. 

I want to work less and spend my precious time in other areas of my life that are important to me and that bring me immense joy.

 

  • LESS EARNING, MORE LEARNING

I struggled with writing this as who actually wants to earn less money?

Me – just for this year anyway!

Actually this will be my 3rd year in a row earning less money.

This reduction in earnings has resulted in abundance of another type. I have abundance in terms of time which brings me more joy than any amount of money ever could.

With this time, I plan to learn more this year. 

Learn more about myself, learn more the world around me, learn more about what I want from my life, learn more about the work I love to do etc.

These learnings will in time allow me to earn more.  

 

  • ACHIEVE LESS, ENJOY MORE

I was never a ladder clImber but I did love what I worked at and so any achievements I had were from the passion I had for my work and not necessarily ladder climbing of any sort.

In saying that I do have ambition – ambition to work towards and fulfill my dreams.

On this journey, ENJOYMENT is much more important to me than ACHIEVEMENT. 

I do want to ACHIEVE but not at the expense of ENJOYMENT!

 

  • LESS SPEED, MORE PROGRESS

In my 20s, 30s and early 40s I lived life at a fast pace – always going, always doing, always striving, moving at the speed of light. 

A few years ago this all changed and I started to slow down. 

The fast paced life no longer suited me and I started to enjoy the peace & bliss of a slower lifestyle.

This slower lifestyle brings me more peace, tranquility and bliss than any fast paced life ever could!

Ironically I seem to be getting more done. 

Dr Wayne Dyer’s quote comes to mind ‘Doing nothing yet getting it all done’!

 

  • LESS RESISTANCE, MORE ACCEPTANCE

Eckhart Tolle says ‘It may look like as if the situations in our life are creating the suffering but ultimately this is not so –  it is our resistance to the situations that causes the suffering’. 

 I find this has deep wisdom to it and I want to practice less resistance and more acceptance.

This is not an easy practice but is one that brings much peace. Another quote from Eckhart Tolle helps us cultivate less resistance and more acceptance – ‘What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to something that already is’.

 

  • LESS RUSHING, MORE RELAXING

I really dislike rushing – rushing makes me feel under pressure and stressed.

Feeling under pressure and stressed is not enjoyable for me. 

I love relaxing – relaxing makes me feel happy and peaceful. 

Feeling happy and peaceful is immensely enjoyable for me. 

 

  • LESS CONSUMING, MORE CREATING

For many years I spent much time consuming content –  reading physical books, listening to audiobooks, listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos, reading emails I was subscribed to and scrolling social media. 

This amount of content consumption now makes my head hurt.

I still love consuming content in these ways, I just don’t love so much of it!

Consuming all of this content while working a full time job, trying to write & create content and start a business was a recipe for disaster that ended up in burnout. 

Going forward I want to consume less and create more. 

I want to write more, I want to have a deeper understanding of how to write, I want to develop more depth, meaning, openness and transparency in my writing.

 

  • BUY LESS, USE MORE 

I have enough of everything.

In terms of material things I don’t need anymore, what I have is plenty.

I used to love shopping for all sorts of things – clothes, make up, fancy toiletries, stuff for our home, books, stationary, the list goes on and on. 

The problem with this constant shopping is that I ended up with many things that I just dont use and eventually things that I no longer liked.

 

That’s it, my LESS IS MORE principles for 2024.

 

Ironically, with so much LESS comes so much MORE JOY, HAPPINESS, PEACE & CONTENTMENT.​

​What would your LESS IS MORE PRINCIPLES be?

Whatever your goals for 2024 are, I wish you success, love, peace, health and happiness.

Do you want to join my weekly newsletter?

If so download my free ebook  ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below 😀

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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Setting Dream Driven Goals

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In my blog post ‘Goal Setting Templates’ I mention SMART goals and Brendon Burchard’s DUMB goals.

I use the best of both of these templates to create my own goal setting template.

It’s high level but is detailed enough to give me sufficient direction to set goals,

  1. What are my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS?
  2. WHY are these goals important to me?
  3. HOW will I achieve these goals?
  4. What METRICS will I use to measure progress towards these goals?

I answer the above questions in detail for each category of my life. As outlined in my Wheel of Life below, the categories of my life are Sense of Self, Relationships, Health, Work, Finance, Social Life, Environment & Contribution. 

You can use this Wheel of Life or create your own version.

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  1. What are my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS

Remembering Brendon Burchard’s DUMB goals​

What are your DREAMS for each area of your life?

What would be a DREAM come true?

This is where we DREAM BIG about what we want for our lives.

There are no limits or obstacles in DREAM DRIVEN GOALS – just DREAMS!

HOW BIG WILL YOU DREAM?

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  1. WHY are these DREAM DRIVEN GOALS important to me?

Simon Sinek in his highly viewed Ted Talk and bestselling book says to START WITH WHY and that is where I start with goal setting.

Understanding my WHY not only supports the goal setting process but it also keeps me going when times get tough, which they inevitably will.

​What is your WHY?

WHY do you want to FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS in each area of your life?

WHY are your DREAM DRIVEN GOALS important to you?

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  1. HOW will I achieve these goals?

The HOW is the actions required to move closer to your goals.

What ACTION do you need to take to get closer to your goals.

What do you need to STOP DOING to move you closer to your goals?

What do you need to LEARN to move you closer to your goals?

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  1. What METRICS will I use to measure progress towards these goals?

Metrics are incredibly important as without them we don’t know how much progress we are making and whether we are moving towards or away from our goals.

What metrics will you use to measure your progress?

‘WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS IMPROVED’ is a quote by Peter Drucker that is as true today as when he said it 40+ years ago.
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Whatever your goals are, I wish you success, love, health and happiness as you live your best life every day 😊

Do you want to join my weekly newsletter?

If so download my free ebook  ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below and you are all signed up! 

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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The Real Magic of Goal Setting

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The REAL MAGIC OF GOAL SETTING is not found in achieving your goals but in the process of working towards your goals and what that process brings you.

The process of working towards your goals brings much learning, growth, enjoyment, understanding and fulfilment. Even if you never reach your goals, focusing on the process and what that brings means you are super successful before you even start!

The REAL GOAL of goal setting is THE PERSON YOU BECOME through the process of goal setting and working towards your goal.

THE PERSON YOU BECOME DURING THE PROCESS – THAT’S THE REAL MAGIC!

Not only is this a magical way to think but it totally removes any pressure that might be attached to goals. Reaching your goals then becomes an added bonus to the REAL GOAL.

If the REAL MAGIC is the process and the PERSON YOU BECOME then every step forwards and even every step backwards is a WIN!

If the REAL MAGIC is the process in terms of what you learn, how much you grow, how much you enjoy, understand and are fulfilled along the way then every day is a WIN!

‘Once you realise that the road is the goal and that you are always on the road, not to reach a goal, but to enjoy it’s beauty and wisdom, life ceases to be a task and becomes natural and simple, it itself an ecstasy’ Nisargadatta Maharaj

One of my favourite quotes explains this so well,

​‘The Journey is the Reward’ Chinese Proverb

Do you want to join my weekly newsletter?

If so download my free ebook  ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below and you are all signed up! 

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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The Power of Procrastination

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In my blog posts ‘The 9R’s to Eliminate Overwhelm’ and ‘Il Dolce Far Niente’ I wrote about ways to eliminate overwhelm, another way of dealing with overwhelm is through procrastination.

Procrastination is defined as ‘the habit of voluntarily delaying an important task usually by focusing on less urgent, more enjoyable and easier tasks instead’.

The internet has many videos & articles on how to overcome procrastination, how to stop procrastination, and how to deal with and how to cope with procrastination. All of these videos and articles have one central theme – that procrastination is a bad thing.

I think procrastination is a good thing and we can learn much from it.

I procrastinate all the time – show me something that’s boring, tedious, takes ages, or that I don’t like doing and I can literally delay it forever.

This teaches me a lot about what I like to do and what I don’t like to do.

What I delay is always, without exception things I don’t like doing. 

What I don’t delay is always, without exception things I like to do

This makes procrastination a great teacher.

Procrastination teaches us what we don’t like to do.

Procrastination also teaches us what we do like to do.

 

In terms of overwhelm there are a few ways to utilise procrastination and treat it as a friend not a foe,

 

1.Delay what you don’t like doing –  move what you don’t like doing to tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. The simple act of delaying what you don’t like to do can reduce overwhelm significantly.

 

2. Delay what you do like doing –  just because you like doing something doesn’t mean it needs to get done today! Move what you do like doing to tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. The simple act of delaying what you do like to do can also reduce overwhelm significantly.

 

3. Outsource what you can. I’m a firm believer in outsourcing everything that others can do for you. This frees you up to focus solely on what only you can do in your life and business.

Note: It’s more enjoyable to outsource what you don’t like to do but you can also outsource what you do like to do. The most important thing is that you free up your time to focus solely on what only you can do in your life and business. 

This reduces overwhelm dramatically as your ‘to do list’ become someone else’s ‘to do list’!

My blog post ‘How to Free Up Your Time Using Online Outsourcing’ can support you with online outsourcing.

 

4. Prioritise what you absolutely have to get done – My blog post The Priority Matrix can support you with this. The simple act of prioritising can reduce overwhelm significantly as you realise everything doesn’t have to be done straight away!

 

How can you leverage the power of procrastination?

What can procrastination teach you?

Want to join my weekly newsletter?

If so download my free ebook  ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below and you are all signed up! 😊

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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Il Dolce Far Niente

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Following on from my blog post ‘The 9Rs to Eliminate Overwhelm’  another concept that helps to eliminate overwhelm is Il Dolce Far Niente.

​The Italian concept of ‘Il Dolce Far Niente’ translates to

‘THE SWEETNESS OF DOING NOTHING’.​

​When I got injured skiing in Italy in early 2023 I had loads of time on my hands.

​I spent this time watching Italians practise ‘THE SWEETNESS OF DOING NOTHING’.

  • The Italians seem to take their time and savour enjoyment of the simple things in life
  • The Italians spend hours eating many courses of food and enjoying the best of coffee, wine and other aperitifs
  • The Italians walk as if time is their best friend and as if they have plenty of it
  • The Italians don’t seem to be in any rush to get to or to do anything
  • The Italians are intent on the enjoyment of time as just that – time

​When in Italy do as the Italians do and so I used this precious time to practise ‘THE SWEETNESS OF DOING NOTHING’.

I had long lazy breakfasts & lunches, I had midday naps, I sat in cafes sipping coffee and eating cake, I walked around the area we were staying in with no real direction just aimlessly wandering yet enjoying the journey.

​I sat and listened to Italians in conversation, their language is like music. The words I didn’t understand, the changing tone of their voices, their uplifting laughs, their hand gestures. You can hear their expressions of affection even without understanding the words.

​I did lots of nothing, lots of just nothing – enjoying THE SWEETNESS OF DOING NOTHING.

​While my body was sore and in pain from my injury, my mind was slowing down and becoming immensely peaceful.

​THE SWEETNESS OF DOING NOTHING made me feel good during a very challenging time and I brought this little piece of Italy home with me to savour and enjoy when I need it.

Do you practice THE SWEETNESS OF DOING NOTHING?

Do you think THE SWEETNESS OF DOING NOTHING would support you to slow down and eliminate overwhelm?

​Eat, Pray, Love was made into a film and this clip is where Il Dolce Far Niente is explained to Julia Roberts, Il Dolce Far Niente .

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If so download my free ebook  ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below and you are all signed up! 😊

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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Originality

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Image credit: The brilliant Andy Kefford

Originality. Change means doing something that has never been done before.

Being original allows us to have original thoughts which in turn allows us to behave in an original way. Lucky for us, each and every one of us is original! In the history of the world, there has never been and never will be another one of you! You are unique, different and original. Don’t be afraid of being original, of going against the grain, of moving in a different direction to the herd, of bringing the real, authentic you to all situations of life. 

The path least travelled is usually the path paved with gold! One of favourite thought leaders, Marie Forleo, is a big advocate of the importance of originality. Marie’s tagline supports that and rings true,

‘The world needs that very special gift that only you have’ 

Do you celebrate being original?

Do you utilise your originality to create your own path?

‘It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation’  Herman Melville

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Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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Never Give Up

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Image credit: The brilliant Andy Kefford

Never give up are easier words to say than do!

When creating change it is very easy to say and sign up to ‘Never give up’ at the start because it’s an exciting time, it’s all new, you cannot see the path ahead and you do not know what obstacles you will come up against. 

By the nature of change there will always be obstacles to overcome and unforeseen challenges to deal with. 

When these obstacles arise, keep your goal, intention and focus for change in mind, continue to work hard and never, ever, ever give up!!!

No matter how crazy your dreams sound to others, no matter how much people may try to dissuade you, no matter what challenges you come up against  –  follow your dreams. They are your dreams, they belong solely to you – you and the world deserve them to come true.

‘Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is true strength.’

 Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Download your free e-book ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below

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Siobhain

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Motivation

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Image credit: The brilliant Andy Kefford

Motivation is a key ingredient to ensure you stay on the path to change when times get tough as they inevitably will.

What gets us out of bed in the morning and what motivates us is different for every person.

Some are motivated by a search for inner peace, a need for freedom, a desire to help others and live a life of service. Others are motivated by money, power and status. Whatever it is that motivates you, be aware of it and follow that inner motivation until your desired change is achieved.

Tony Robbins through his popular TED Talk introduced us to the 6 Human Needs that subconsciously drive our behaviour. 

These 6 Human Needs are Certainty, Uncertainty, Significance, Love/Connection, Growth and Contribution. The Human Needs that are most important to you will drive everything in your life and knowing what these inner motivators are, is essential to creating the most rewarding and beneficial change in your life.

What motivates you?

What motivates you to make change in your life?

What are your priority Human Needs?

‘Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.’  Jim Rohn

Want to read more and join my weekly newsletter on Positive Change?

Download your free e-book ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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Confidence

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Image Credit – the brilliant Andy Kefford

Confidence. When you have decided to create change in your life you will need high levels of  self confidence in yourself and in your ability to change. 

Change often brings feelings of uncertainty, fear and anxiety. 

Every time we make bring something new into our lives or learn something new, it requires a new and higher level of confidence to deal with those feelings of uncertainty, fear and anxiety. Continuously building your inner confidence will diminish and alleviate these feelings of uncertainty, fear and anxiety. 

These are normal feelings towards change, however if we do not deal with and alleviate these feelings they will hold us back. We can procrastinate and in some instances we can convince ourselves that we no longer need or want to change. 

The best way to deal with feelings of uncertainty, fear & anxiety and the obstacles they create is to develop confidence – inner, unshakable self confidence. 

As you build your inner confidence, you will inspire others to have confidence in themselves as they navigate the ever evolving path of change.  As humans, we are capable of anything we put our minds to. The first step of achieving our dreams is having the inner confidence to believe we can. 

[tweetthis]‘Through my education, I didn’t just develop skills, I didn’t just develop the ability to learn, but I developed confidence.’  Michelle Obama [/tweetthis]

Pinky’s image below is inspired by 80s band Journey’s hugely successful song ‘Don’t Stop Believing’. Playing, singing and dancing to this excellent song at high volume will do wonders for your self-confidence! 

If you want to learn more about creating effective change in your life and/or business, download my free e-book ‘The A-Z of Effective Change’ below. 

Thanks for reading,

Siobhain

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