Where to Begin?

January is the king of months for those looking to make new beginnings. After the reflections and indulgences of December, the excitement of a new year unfolding brings contemplation of better days ahead.

Unfortunately for many, contemplation is where the party ends. As the clock ticks over into February and then unwinds into March, hopes of transformation begin to fade, the habits of old return, together with the routines of years past. Not because of a lack of enthusiasm or good intentions mind you, but rather a lack of knowing where to start.

The best place to start.

What I am going to say now may sound radical as well as a little simplistic, but the best place for you to start is from exactly where you are right now. Take some time to actually let these words sink in, as they contain the seeds of your own personal greatness.

'If only'.

You've probably caught yourself contemplating at one stage or another what it would be like 'if only' you could start somewhere else. I know that I have felt this way at various stages in the past. The type of internal ponderings I am talking about here are things such as 'if only I'd gone to University', 'if only my parents hadn't got divorced', 'if only I had more experience', then maybe, just maybe I'd have what it takes to go after my dreams.

If you find yourself engaging in this kind of dialogue, then start to build your awareness around it. Regardless of the experiences that you've either had to relish or endure in the past, they have given you one magical ingredient. They have prepared you for now. All your disappointments, triumphs, hopes and fears have brought you to this moment. In acknowledging and accepting them as they are, you consciously begin to reclaim your power to take control of your own life.

Know where you want to go.

Once you have accepted where you are, you have to decide where it is you want to go. If no particular course of action immediately resonates with you, then begin to more fully explore the things that you enjoy doing most. Think about what your life would be like if you spent more of your life experiencing the things that you really love. We all have the power to achieve this within us, you just have to be prepared to be open to it.

If on the other hand you're not enjoying anything at this present time in life then it is time for you to start being a little more experimental. Begin to do things that you've never done before. Enroll on a photography course, strike up a conservation with someone you don't know or go and spend some time in nature. Make sure whatever you choose to do is outside of your present comfort zone. When you continually broaden your experience of life, you create the opportunities necessary to re-ignite your passion for living.

What are you prepared to change?

To get from where you are now to where you want to go you have to go through a process of transformation. It doesn't mean you have to change everything all at once but it does mean you have to change. Take some to time to think about what it is you are 'prepared' to change in order to move in the direction of your dreams. So many of us focus on what we feel we 'should' change. For example, if you are a smoker and for whatever reason you feel it is something you 'should' change, just ask yourself whether it is something you are 'prepared' to change. As soon as you are 'prepared' to change, you will find a way to give up smoking forever.

Find support.

When you are making changes in your life one of the most important things you can do is find yourself support. Support can come in many different forms. It may come in the form of an inspirational book, a workshop, a community group, an evening class, a trusted friend or family member, a work mentor, a personal trainer, a website forum or even a coach. Whatever the source, make sure that it feels comfortable for you, not just at an intellectual level but also from an intuitive level as well.

Having your essential support structures in place will give you the confidence to stride boldly in the direction of your dreams. All you have to do next is start from exactly where you are.

Copyright Damien Senn 2005. All rights reserved.

About the Author: Damien Senn is a Life and Business Coach as well as a fully qualified Chartered Accountant. He helps professionals, artists and entrepreneurs create compelling futures.

He is the author of the 'Senn-Sational Success Journal' and has developed his own coaching model called the 'Senn-Sational Success System'.

For more information see http://www.senn-sational.com or email ezines@senn-sational.com.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Coaching Information:

Related Articles

Why Daily Planning is So Important for Adults with ADD
For adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), details are a drag. We tend to see the big picture and want to jump straight to the finish line, wishing we could skip all the steps in between.
Personal Power
All of us would love to have personal power - the power to manifest our dreams, the power to remain calm and loving in the face of fear, the power to stay centered in ourselves in the face of attack.Our society often confuses personal power - "power within" - with "power over," which is about controlling others.
4 Ways To Avoid Looking Stupid When Making Small Talk
The fear of saying something silly and feeling embarrassed stops many of us from contributing more to discussions at work and when we are relaxing with friends.And ironically the more we worry about it, the more tense we get and the more likely we are to say something stupid.
Resolving Conflicts Effectively
Every relationship has conflicts. In some relationships, conflict is a serious problem; in others, differences seem to be resolved without creating a major incident.
Anger: To Control or To Learn
Many of us will do anything to avoid another's anger, yet may be quick to anger ourselves. Many of us dread another's anger yet continue to use our own anger as a way to control others.
Courage and the Agony of Coaching Employees
Coaching employees on sensitive and personal topics like performance or contribution to the organization can be as difficult and agonizing as telling a young son or daughter about sex for the first time. You end up playing the same mental games in your head over and over again: "What should they be told? How much do they already know? (Or how much do they want me to think they know?) How much detail should I go into?" If you are unable to answer any of these penetrating questions, you tend to put the task off for another six months.
More Money & Less Stress?
At 2pm last Wednesday, I got a call from one of my clients. Before I could barely utter my "hello," she launched headlong into her story - "I am so frustrated! I have this client who has been dragging her feet at every stage of our project.
How Do You Build Momentum in Your Business and Life?
A few weeks ago at a "Leadership from the Ground Up" conference, Donald Trump spoke about the ingredients for success. I found his topic on momentum very intriguing.
A Call To Do Better
I'm calling you out. Issuing a Challenge.
4 Quick, Easy Ways to Say No to People Who Take You for Granted
No matter how wonderful you are sometimes other people will try to take advantage of your good nature. They will push you, get you to do more than your fair share and keep asking you to do even more.
Managing Your Perfectionism
What Is Perfectionism?This is the first of two newsletters that address perfectionism. In this issue, we will explore what perfectionism is and why it is destructive.
Your Responsibility
The other day I decided to skip cooking dinner and ordered fast food, and I ended up finding an insect on it. My husband and I were shocked, grossed out, disappointed, and I do not know what else.
Going On a Mental Diet
Diets are always in style. Every time you turn around, someone is coming out with a new and improved diet.
Finding Peace: A Taste of Mindfulness
When we are ill and don't know it, we are in a state of ignorance or delusion. We don't view ourselves as sick, so we don't believe it's necessary to go to a doctor or take any medication.
Strategic Checklists
I've been through a couple of checklists in the past few days, and it's reaffirmed my faith in their effectiveness as a communication tool.Now, there are at least a couple of ways we can look at checklists in a communication context.
Integrating Life and Work
Organizations are finally creating cultures that support a work and life balance for their employees. After years of demanding high productivity and increasing on the job hours and expectations and not achieving the hoped-for better results, companies are finally embracing polices and procedures that support employees in integrating their life and work experience.
What Dost Thou Speaketh? Hey, Affirm This Way!
Articulating repetitive statements with emotion will inevitably connect you to your primary focus. Your destiny is guaranteed, when you repeatedly, decree a seed.
Cause and Effect! Choose a Path
Three steps to your Personal Transformation:Awareness and PerceptionLaw of Cause and EffectLaw of AccumulationThese categories are what you need to understand in order to be in total control of your being!Most go through life never reaching their potential because they never take control of all their faculties or abilities.This information is designed to help you gain complete control of your life!So lets get into it1) Awareness and perception.
How Empathy Can Reduce Your Anger
Jim, a 42-year old engineer was teaching his eight-year-old son how to fly a radio-controlled airplane. As the airplane was taking off, Jim instructed his son to push the control stick on the radio to the right.
The Harvest: Shared Power
The fall harvest comes upon us once a year. The farmers collect the sometimes-scant rewards of their heroic efforts begun months before.