First of all, Happy New Year! I personally love the sound and feel of 2014 and welcome it with open arms.
OK, how are your resolutions going? A little too early to tell? Not to dampen your spirits, but when FranklinCovey polled more than 15,000 customers, they found that four out of five people who make resolutions eventually break them and a third won’t even make it to the end of January. The study was performed in 2007, but most likely it still applies to today.
The most popular resolutions are: lose weight, get organized, spend less, save more, stay fit, learn something exciting, quit smoking, help others in their dreams, fall in love and spend more time with family.
Great resolutions, but why don’t they last? Why do we love a new beginning and shout from the rooftops, “This year will be different!” and then plummet to the ground with our best intentions floating out to space? Maybe our focus is on the wrong desire.
Deep within the human psyche is the heart of life — your life. It’s the seat of desire and holds the awareness of your talents, purpose and possibilities. This is where the potential for your life is held and revealed when tapped into. To acquire knowledge of this information is thrilling and uplifting and can be life-changing as you realize your personal potential.
Potential is defined as capable of coming into being — it’s the ability that lies dormant within you — waiting for you to discover and develop it.
At a young age, a teacher or parent might have acknowledged your potential. In your life, you most likely have recognized a pull toward certain things you love to do. It could be a love for animals, helping others, the arts, medicine, finance, sports, reading — a few of many areas that might resonate with you.
However, potential can be used as a protective shield in order to feel good about ourselves while not making any effort to bring it to life. It can be used as an ego-gratifying crutch as we put off discovering how we can actually use our talents and intelligence to make a difference in the world.
Potential means nothing unless it’s activated. Not using it keeps you confined to the sidelines of life watching the parade go by. Now is that boring or what? Plus, the huge elephant staring you in the face is that your potential left untouched can lead to depression, overeating, a poor self-image and general unhappiness.
Untapped potential and unknown purpose can give you the uncomfortable feeling of not fitting in. It’s like walking around in cramped shoes. However, when you honor and use your talents, finding meaning and purpose in them, you won’t care if you don’t “fit in.” At last, you will have found the shoes that fit — your own custom-made shoes that feel great.
And, guess what? Nobody else can wear them; they represent your unique imprint on life. They’re magical because when you wear them, past negative influences cannot deter you from your mission in life.
So here we stand at the beginning of 2014. Are you ready and willing to commit to honoring yourself by developing unused talents and gifts?
Ask yourself:
» What inspires and excites you?
» What sustains your enthusiasm?
» How are you using your time, energy, intelligence and abilities?
» What way of life will give you a deep and personal satisfaction?
There is a creative fire in each of us, which when lit, lights up our lives. It propels us forward, and gives us strength to master new challenges and the discipline to create and sustain a purpose-filled life.
It’s a new year — a cause for celebration. As you move forward, let your life become a cause for celebration by using your talents, skills and compassion to paint a more beautiful world.
Warning: Side effects can include contentment, happiness, peace of mind and deep satisfaction from the privilege of sharing your unique and creative expression of life.
— Susan Ann Darley is a creativity coach and writer of marketing material for businesses, entrepreneurs and artists. Click here for more information, or contact her at susan@mindsetmanagement.net or 805.845.3036. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.