Ever committed to something and found yourself falling off the wagon? At the start of 2015 I made the decision I was going to start writing and 'my journal' was the starting point. And I made it - first anniversary of writing weekly was a week ago... yeay!!

I'm doing a little dance as I write. I haven't missed a week although I have come down to the wire to write and publish in the same day – some pressure encountered along the journey, like today and I did it.

Like you, situations came up, and this week knocked me off my perch. When I was quietly waiting for an intuitive flash on what to write about, it became obvious – honoring what's important to me. And writing my journal entry weekly is.

So then why is it we start things and don't continue? I can say hand on heart it has come down to making a decision and then sticking with it regardless of what comes up.

A year back there were the challenges of doing something new - felt like 'trainer wheels on the trainer wheels'.

Not easy, once I would have stressed about this, even gone through the 'stinking thinking' stages of considering should I give this a miss or giving myself a beating on not being able to get it handled with ease. Now I keep it light, challenging myself to keep it fun when I'm tipping the other way, well Hey! I'm not perfect by any stretch, I'm human, however I'm so more conscious of what's going on when this does happen.

The shift for me was to become aware of the machine like mind and the first step to breaking free, making new choices.

Who would have thought! The machine like mind is when we do stuff like we're running on autopilot, delegating the control elsewhere unconsciously.

A great example of this is the challenge I'm on at the moment. It's a 12 week Transformation Challenge – complete with training sessions and eating plan. I'm loving the discipline because while being healthy and feeling energised is super important to me, I've lived the flip-side, putting things in my mouth that were not supporting that goal...what the hell!

That's an example of the machine like mind at it's best, running the show~ on autopilot from years of conditioning.

we can choose to take control through being conscious of these automatic reactions, instead responsive.

It's one thing to become excited about taking on something new, it's another adding it into what it is we already do, to 'make space' for it. And of course life gets in the way, things pop up we hadn't planned for and we're delayed. My thoughts on this ~ don't let a delay become a derail, got the picture?

“I’m not a product of my circumstances, I’m a product of my decisions.”

— Stephen Covey

SIX STEPS TO ADDING TO YOUR SUCCESS

If it's important to you, then make the decision ~ I'm doing it anyway.
Make the space in your schedule for this new activity to take place.
Make learning new stuff fun, keep it light, not grinding it out.
Be patient and appreciate some things come easy to us, while others take time.
Celebrate the milestones and wins ~ no win is too small.
Take stock to see how far you've come, refuel and go again!

Within each of us is the unique ability to create, to transform, or destroy what we desire.

Between you and the on ramp is the goal, the dream or the vision for a brighter future.

Now it's time to despatch any label of it as too hard. Rather enquire by checking in with 'compared to what and according to who'.

Along with that goes 'I'm trying'. Lets be straight up on this one, we're either doing it or we're not. This knocks any talk of trying out of park instantly. Think of trying as wanting to sound like we're in action to save face, a charade of sorts. Get real and own wherever you're at. If you start something and realise it's not for you then make the decision to change, quit trying.

Be choosy who you share your goals, dreams and aspirations with.

Not everyone will be a supporter and one stray comment can knock you out of the park before you start. Instead speaking what you want into reality, holding the vision, be clear on the purpose, take the action and course correct along the way.

Back to the start, everything we desire starts with making the decision and take joy in being the individual, leaving the herd to set the trail to your vision, one step at a time, putting one foot in front of the other.

Make it a great day and if it's not fun, it shouldn't be done.