I went for run this morning, and it triggered my memory to coaching I received from my gorgeous friend Freya (a runner herself – and I’m talking BIG-time runner – cue marathons, and mountain peak trail races.)
Freya analysed my running technique on a trail run in Whistler, and noticed my feet were striking the ground heel first, which was effectively hindering my momentum of moving forward. Because instead of using my whole power to push off the ground and spring myself forward, by landing on my heel, I was limiting my projection. She coached me to land in the front and centre of my feet instead which would propel myself forward. Now every time I run I think of this rad advice.
It may sound small, but it really made me stop and think. What other areas of my life am I hindering myself in? Where am I thinking I’m actually moving forward, while simultaneously pulling in the reigns on my progress?
Do you have one foot on the gas, and one on the brake? How far is that getting you in life? Sooner or later, you’re just going to run out of gas. Your dreams are alive and kicking, but you hold yourself back – why? You don’t deserve it? You’re not good enough? You’re not ready? Perhaps you’re not even aware you are doing it, that little devil, your sub-conscious may be at work here. How are we ever going to arrive at our destination with this as our method? Talk about frustrating, and exhausting!
Have you experienced this? You may feel you are totally committed to your new direction, new goal, or new project. Yet you feel frustrated at your lack of progress so far. You know where you want to be, but somehow feel your feet are stuck in cement. Sound familiar?
We crave progress, we chase our dreams, we set audacious, lofty goals – and yet halt our progress by focusing on our current reality, or worse still, dwelling in our past.
“Stop giving 100% to what you don’t really want. When you decide to go after a new dream, you need to give less to your current reality and more to your desired reality. You set your sights on your dream, and yet, you keep giving your current, kinda-crappy situation 110% — out of habit, obligation, fear or image control. You keep putting in crazy hours at your current thing, while the New Thing just… waits for you to find the time… getting the scraps of your energy and attention. And New Thing happens a year later, or three years later — or never. Take your energy out of what you don’t want to be doing anymore so you can put it in what you really want to be doing. Obligate yourself to your dreams.“ – Daniella LaPorte
So where in your life can you step back a little, conserve some energy, so that you can dedicate it to what you really want to do? Where can you shift your focus? Scan all areas of your life right now; you may find it in your career, in your relationships, in your health or in your personal life. Let this inquiry sink in your body, and really see how it feels – you will know where the shift is required. Just listen.
Perhaps it’s not clear, maybe it isn’t even showing up in your life yet because you’ve stored your dreams high up on the shelf. You know those dreams, the ones you will get to when you have more time. When you have more money. When things die down a bit at work. When you’re in better shape. As soon as the kids finish school. As soon as you retire. As soon as . . . as soon as . . .
Why are so many of us waiting for a rainy day to embark on our passions? Delaying our dream life to focus on our sub-standard reality. Does that seem as crazy to you as it does to me? How is that procrastination working out for you? Because in case you hadn’t realised –
Someday, is not a day of the week.
Call it a bucket list, call it a dream, call it a goal – whatever it is that your soul is craving, it’s time to start really listening to your heart’s call 100%. Time to start devoting quality time to yourself and your life. Time to start really LIVING. Why? Because tomorrow is never promised.
If we focused as much of our attention, energy and resources to our passions as we do to our fears, imagine what we would be capable of? Surely nothing less than a miracle.
Use that fear to fuel your dreams.
Move forward with everything you have.
A burning sense of passion is the most potent fuel for your dreams. – Robin Sharma
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