How can an In Demand Woman also be a dreamer? With all the demands on your time it is easy to get caught up in the routine of everyday life and not take time for the side of yourself that wants to dream, explore and self-reflect. When you are running from place-to-place and taking care of those in your life who need you most, is it even possible to carve out time for you? Do you have the energy and audacity to say, “I’m worth it!” and make yourself a priority just like you do for others in your life?
As part of the Sassy Healthy Fit community of In Demand Women….our answer to these questions is “YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT SISTER!” You are worth it…without a doubt! And we want to help you find the ways to bring back the dreamer side of you so she isn’t forgotten.
BE AUDACIOUS
First things first. You must prioritize yourself and allow yourself the freedom to dream. Audacity is about daring to be bold. Not worrying what others think. Announcing to yourself (first) and the world (second)…”I am here! I am making things happen.” But while that’s all well and good…let’s be S.M.A.R.T. and practical. How can you be AUDACIOUS when you have deadlines at work, kids that need dinner and laundry that has to be done? It’s simple…block time in your calendar daily for self-reflection. You are worth it and deserve the 20 minutes/ day to self-reflect. Whether it’s before the sun comes up or after everyone is in bed or somewhere in between…take out your calendar and block out that time EVERY SINGLE DAY. We call this The Audacious 20. If you use a digital calendar this is super easy to set up on “repeat every day”. If you use a paper calendar, take out your pen and start blocking!
CHOOSE JOY
There is so much research showing that happiness and joy are based on choice, not on circumstance [1, 2]. How can you find joy in the mundane? When you are at work and you are asked to take on another project you can consider it a burden that causes you stress OR you can re-frame your attitude and feel proud that you are trusted with an important task. When your child writes on the wall with pen you can get angry and let it ruin your day OR you can use the opportunity to teach your child a lesson and secretly laugh about it when he/she isn’t looking. By choosing joy, your heart will be lighter and your mind will be more open to possibilities. Make this practical by writing down 5 things you are grateful for daily. Choose joy in the simple and mundane, and on days you need a boost, look back at your lists and you will feel warmer inside.
BE OPEN-MINDED TO A FAULT
If you think that the way you do things in life and the experiences you have are the only ways that exist, you will be sadly unfulfilled. As one person on this Earth, in this Universe, we are all merely a blip of existence. But the wonderful thing about being human is that we LIVE IN COMMUNITY. We are social beings that thrive by being around others. And by living in community and being open-minded to not only others’ view points, but also to other possibilities for your own life, you open up yourself to so many possibilities. The next time you hear a friend or co-worker or family member say something that makes you think “Wow! She is CRAZY”, take 5 minutes to reflect how you could consider her view point and apply it to your own life. You might be surprised by the way you change your perspective.
YOUR DREAMS MATTER, BUT THEY MATTER MOST TO YOU
No one is ever going to care about your dreams as passionately as you do! That’s worth repeating:
NO ONE IS EVER GOING TO CARE ABOUT YOUR DREAMS AS PASSIONATELY AS YOU DO!
And that’s OK! Your dreams are for you and you have every right to pursue them (as long as you are not hurting others along the way!). So don’t get caught up in what others think, if others support you or even if others care about your dreams. If you care about them…that’s what matters! Write down your dreams every day to reinforce their value to you. Create a vision board and hang it somewhere you will see it daily (like your closet or bathroom) and remember what you are working toward. And then write down the steps you need to take to achieve each dream so you can make them reality.
In Demand Women are amazing for so many reasons. You are called “super woman” and told “I don’t know how you do it all”. Don’t let the fact that you have many demands on your time take away from the most important person in your life…YOU! You didn’t become In Demand by coincidence because you just sat back and let life happen. So don’t let your dreams, ambitions and passions go by the wayside just because you have built a demanding, thriving life for yourself.
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