Are you a dreamer—a firm believer or a visionary and a committed advocate? Do you only hope, wish for, talk about, and set intentions—or do you also plan, act, commit, and stay motivated to bringing your goals to fruition?

I’ve learned that every true commitment involves three parts: dreaming and envisioning, building that vision, and then sending it out into the world—putting your creation out there. Each stage along this spectrum builds on the energy and momentum of the one before.The ultimate commitment moves along from theory to action with ongoing passion, sustained motivation, and relentless dedication. It’s about taking bold, daily steps to continually advance our goals and move them forward—for it is these actions that almost always show us the next best step.

 I consider myself a visionary, and I believe wholeheartedly in the vastness of my vision. I have been learning, growing, developing my ideas, and building that vision as well as my expertise for a very long time.

My passion and knowledge around wellness and empowerment are clear, and I feel a deep obligation to teach—a duty to serve, which I accomplish through my coaching, writing, and workshops. But I have yet to crack the code on part three of the commitment process: how to deliver the goods to serve more people.

I am not alone in this struggle. For so many of us ideation is simpler than implementation. The action piece is oftentimes our weakest link. For various reasons, many of us cannot commit unconditionally.

We tend to negotiate our commitments—to move in and out of motivation, depending on our daily mindset and circumstances. In so doing, we confuse the Universe with our on/off intentions—finding ourselves stuck, unable to advance, and not knowing why.

We all have varying degrees of courage and “staying power.” Some cannot even give themselves permission to dream, while others simply can’t make it to the finish line. And, there are those who have endless grit, perseverance, and resilience that sustain the motivation and feed the dream NO MATTER WHAT!

The important piece here is realizing that this commitment spectrum exists so that we can take full ownership of where we currently are and where we would like to be. Awareness is always the first step in the change process. We need to recognize “what is” before we can fully commit to “what could be.”

We have to ask ourselves some very important questions such as, “Where do we sit along this spectrum?” and “For how long have we been sitting there—stuck in the same place—stuck in the same thoughts and habits that will likely NEVER serve us well?”

If we are stuck and find ourselves unable to move into the action piece, we do need to find out why we’re stuck—why we are unable to commit. Understanding our limitations and knowing where we fall short helps us to reclaim our power and move forward with our commitment to fulfilling our goals and dreams.

To figure this out we need to explore our patterns of thinking, our belief systems, and our stories. We need to assess our excuses, our assumptions, and expectations of self, of others, and of the world, in order to understand our behavior or lack thereof.

It is so important that we get to the root causes of our toxic stories and limiting beliefs in order to recognize just how we tend to get in our own way, remain small, and suppress our own dreams.

Some delay dreams for reasons of doubt and unworthiness. Others simply refuse to be with the discomfort and risk inherent in trying something new and uncertain. For many, it’s fear of rejection and failure—it’s all about vulnerability. And still others claim that their dreams are impractical, convinced that there’s not enough time or money. Our limitations are endless and exhausting.

But until you explore what is holding you back, it will be difficult to commit to anything, be it to a relationship, to a new habit, or to a dream.

I can say from experience that this “exploring phase” does take inner work, but it is well worth the effort. Before I committed to digging deep and asking myself some very powerful questions, I had no idea just how much my old stories were weighing me down and holding me back from full commitment.

My health story is one such “old story.” Although physical pain has always been a part of my life, this particular “old story” kept me firmly locked into the belief that it was my constant pain which was preventing me from fully committing to and taking action towards my career and building my business.

My “new story,” however, is very different. In a nutshell it reads like this: Nothing or no one is to blame for the state of my career. I take full responsibility for my reality. I am ready and willing to commit to both my healing and my career—simultaneously. In fact, one feeds off the other and, together, they allow me to serve in the best way possible.

We all suffer in our own way. Each of us has obstacles that we need to overcome—challenges both big and small that we need to manage. Unfortunately, no one is exempt from this reality!

 But if we are passionate and committed to something bigger than ourselves—to something bigger than our pain and suffering—to something bigger than our excuses and our stories, only then can we thrive and not merely survive.

My coach once said to me, “It’s your passion that extracts you from your struggles and helps you to feel human again.”

When you feel ignited from within and driven to achieve and to serve, your suffering cannot help but soften and give way. It’s one of the beautiful consequences of living a meaningful life. This has been scientifically proven over and over again in the wellness research.

Understanding what it means to truly commit, I’m now even enjoying experimenting with the action piece—playing in this new playground by taking bold steps every day in order to advance my goals and dreams.

I feel vibrant, energized, and blessed to be serving others, while continuing to nurture and heal myself as well as care for my family EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!

I encourage you, too, to reclaim your power. Take the time to self-reflect and take ownership of your life. We all have our “issues” AND we all have our “dreams.” We simply need to accept “what is,” advocate for “what could be,” and find ways to commit to managing our issues and nurturing our dreams simultaneously. You don’t have to give up on your dreams. Your courage, passions, and dreams all lie within, so seek, and you shall find.

Sincerely,
Coach Terri

P.S.: Should you require some assistance along the way, I am available to coach you through this process. I have even created my very own coaching curriculum devoted to this kind of work and consider myself to be a “Habit Change Expert.”