Saturday, January 18, 2014

A Motto to Remember

Now that 2014 has a few weeks under its belt, perhaps it is time to assess how well you are staying on the course you set for yourself for the next eleven months or so. If you haven't given it a thought, fear not, since it is never too late to find some sort of inspiration, that not only helps you meet your goals, but will assist you being your best. 

For about ten years now, I have created  a motto for myself in the beginning of each year to serve as a personal reminder on showing up at my best and to keep myself on a positive track. 
Here's a few  of my all time favorites from past years:
"Good Enough is Not Enough" served me at a time when I was trying to break the habit of thinking I accomplished all I needed to in my life and that there was no need to strive to learn or do more. I was tempted to stay in the state of the familiar, rather than stretch into the unknown. When I thought about this motto, it was energizing and reminded me we are never done. Learning and growing will continue as long as we're open to possibilities. As it turned out, I was just afraid I might fail, so playing smaller was easier than taking chances. This motto brought out my boldness and served me well to take some leaps into the unknown.
"Welcome" was intended as a reminder to be open to new learning, opportunities, abundance and even uncomfortable challenges, since that is where I sometimes learn and grow the most. It was pivotal in teaching me to be open to new ideas and to not resist the things I cannot change.
"Grace and Ease" reminded me to be gentle rather than forceful. It helped me practice peaceful acceptance of whatever was showing up, rather than holding stress as I met challenges and difficulties. It also taught me to trust that everything will work out.
My motto for 2014 is "Playful Presence". This is a fun one since being playful is the most natural, joy-producing way of being I know. It hits me at the core and embodies ease along with a light hearted way of living and working.  It reminds me not to take anything (or anyone) of a potentially negative nature too seriously. When I am embodying this motto, I am having fun and am at my creative best.  The word presence holds significance  since it means pause, be aware, notice, be tuned into the moment. Without presence, the true joy of playfulness can be missed. 
So, if creating a motto sounds intriguing for you, I suggest you pause to think about how you want to feel and be this year. Write down some goals you would like to accomplish and then imagine yourself successfully completing them. Next step is to assess what words of inspiration will keep you in a positive mindset and feeling how you want to feel.  Your motto will also serve by helping you get back on track f you slip off course into an old way of responding to life and its challenges.
There are no rules to creating a motto if the words speak to you in a deep way. Other people don't have to understand it. You don't have to explain or defend your motto. You simply have to feel it's power. If it doesn't move you when you think about it, keep on playing with other options until you land on one that is speaking directly to you.
To deepen the power of your motto, writing some specific examples of how it speaks to you will serve as a handy reminder and can give you a jump start on those tough and challenging days when you lose sight of your dream and how you want to be through the year.
The bottom line of my Motto Message is make it yours so it will guide you through the year when you lose your way.