The Most Important Question to Always Ask: Does it Help Me Achieve My Goals?

Why do so many people not get what they want out of life?

Why do so many people find themselves falling into jobs they don’t really want? Or living places that don’t make them happy? Or with lifestyles that they find stressful?

How does someone go from dreaming of being a rock star to being locked in an office to enter data onto a spreadsheet?

Well, there are many factors. But it usually starts by not clearly defining your goals or what you want. Because until you know exactly what it is you actually want, how can you possibly expect to get it?

That means it isn’t good enough to decide you want to be ‘rich’, you need to know what you want to do to become rich. What kind of work you enjoy, how many hours you’re willing to work etc.

Likewise, if you hope to become a rock star, then you might want to think about how you actually intend to make that happen. What does being a ‘rock star’ entail for you and how are you going to make it happen? What would you settle for?

And when you make all these decisions, you need to ensure that this is truly what you’re passionate about – that your intended goal is something that you enjoy thinking about, enjoy working on and can’t wait to make a reality.

• The Simple Way to Make Decisions

The reason this is all so important is that it will then allow you to make all your future decisions that much more easily. This is going to act like your barometer and your road map, to help you to get to the end destination that you want. 

Now, whenever you find yourself making a decision, the question to ask is: does it help you achieve your goals?

So for instance, if you’re umming and having over buying an expensive piece of equipment, then the simplest way to decide if it is a good idea or not is to ask if it will help you to accomplish your goals. Likewise, if you’re unsure about where to live, or whether you should take a particular job opportunity, ask whether the decision is going to take you nearer or further from your goals.

The problem with many people who aren’t quite sure what they want is that their objectives end up on a kind of back burner and that other things seem to start getting in the way.

But if you really want to achieve something amazing – if you have a dream business idea that you really want to make happen – then you need to make this your priority and you need to change the way you think about everything else.

And it shouldn’t feel like a sacrifice either. Because if you really love what you’re working toward then it will mean fully embracing the thing you really want to be doing anyway. You just need to find what that passion is…

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

Why it’s Never too Late to be What You Always Wanted to Be

Many of us wanted to be amazing things when we were younger. Some of us wanted to be astronauts, some of us wanted to be rock stars and some of us wanted to be rock stars. Maybe you dreamed of owning your own business.

Then you reached your twenties and realized that achieving those dreams was harder than you thought and that you needed money faster. So you start working a regular job in the meantime. Then you reach 30 and have a spouse and kids. Then you reach 40 and realize you’re old and tired. And in short, you realize that you’re never going to be that thing you always wanted to be.

Dreams are for younger people, right?

• Why Dreams Get Easier, the Older You Get

This is certainly the stance taken by many people but in reality, the opposite should be true. As long as you hold on to those dreams, they actually often become more attainable the older you get.

Why? For starters, being older gives you more experience and means you’re going to have a better idea of how to go after what you want. Then there’s the fact that you’ll have had longer to accumulate useful assets. That includes money – you’ll have more funds to put behind you – but also other intangible and tangible assets such as property, contacts, a better CV etc.

And if you’re retired, or if your children have moved away from home, then you’ll have more time as well.

And if you combine all that with a savvy knowledge of how to leverage your age, there’s no reason that you can’t get things done even when you’re older.

• Some Examples…

Many people want to be actors for example but never get around to it when they’re younger. When you’re older, however, you have the option of applying to appear as an extra in films and to play bit parts. You have the time now to attend and the older you are, the more in-demand you’ll find you become for smaller roles. Build up a CV and who knows!

Or you could start a YouTube channel. Silver surfers make up a massive proportion of the web and there isn’t as much content there for them. You could make a fitness YouTube channel for over 50s for example and it would likely be a huge hit.

You’ll likewise have more time to write books and more time to pursue hobbies. And if you can’t become an astronaut (admittedly unlikely), then how about signing up for a Virgin Galactic flight? If you can’t be a football player, you could certainly maybe be a coach or join an older team.

And this post isn’t just for people in their 80s. It applies to those in their 40s too. Did you know that the average age for successful startup founders is 40? Did you know that you’re twice as likely to start a successful business at the age of 55 as you are at 20-34? 

Never give up. 

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/yolatvbastos

Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

Yes! You Really Can Launch That Dream Start-Up Business

 

They say that all of us have a book in us but it’s also true that all of us have an idea in us. Nearly everyone will have at some point had an idea for a business, for a product, for an app, or for a service. We all have ideas that we think could make money, maybe even have a positive impact on the world.

The problem is that we don’t have the know-how to make it happen or the time. Or money.

So, the question then, is how you take that chance and how you build a business even if you don’t just so happen to have a ton of experience, financial backing and all the right contacts. Let’s take a look at what you need to do…

• Start Now!

The first thing to do is to start your business right now. Too many of us mistakenly make the assumption that we need to quit our current jobs and then put all of our resources, time and effort into our businesses. It’s ‘all or nothing’ and there’s no way you can start a business half-heartedly…

Except that’s not true. In fact, there’s no reason that you can’t start your business in the evenings and weekends. Even if you just start a ‘shell’ of your business, it’s better to test that the idea has legs before you invest a lot of time and money into it. 

Start a website in the evenings, start buying and selling shirts in small quantities with a small budget. Just start now and only once you know you can earn a full-time salary do you need to consider quitting your current job.

• Bootstrap

Another reason a lot of people hold themselves back from starting a dream business is that they don’t have the funds that they believe they need. If you’re planning on selling a product you invented for example, then you will probably make the assumption that you need to invest in a large order (called the MOQ – Minimum Order Quantity) to start.

In fact, though, you can once again get by without doing that. One way around the problem is to start your business with two revenue streams, or maybe three. Find a way to start raising capital through your other services or products and then only once you’re making more money do you invest in R&D or large bulk orders.

For instance, you might sell a hand-made product and use that money to invest in manufacturing!

Otherwise, you can also get funding in a range of other ways. How about Kickstarter? This way you can generate funds from the web and not even need to give away any of your equity! Or how about a PayPal loan that won’t impact your credit score?

• Fail Fast

Another tip is to create an MVP – or Minimal Viable Product – and to start trying to make money from it as soon as possible. This is simply a way to test your business model before you invest too much in it. Don’t make the mistake of investing in an idea that you have no proof will work and don’t put off getting your business up and running. You can refine it once you’re live!

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/yolatvbastos
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

How To Stay Positive In Stressful Situations

Sometimes nothing seems to turn out the way you had planned, no matter how hard you attempt. Regardless of where the stress is stemming from, it is essential to equip yourself with resources to rise above the negativity and stay positive. Maintaining a positive attitude can help alleviate stress and assist in accomplishing your objectives. When you feel like you have hit a dead end, and start to sense any negativity, stop! Here are a few tips on how to remain positive even when you are in challenging situations.

Count your blessings

Regardless of how rough things are, if you think about it, you have lots of things to be grateful for. Whether it’s having a job when a lot of people are jobless, having a supportive family, or simply being in a good health. By revisiting everything you have in your life, you can’t hold on to the negativities. You will feel confident, proud and positive. There are countless things in your life that you can be thankful for.

Reward yourself

When you achieve something, regardless of how little it is, pat yourself in the back for the job well done. The list of ways that you can reward yourself is endless. You can reward yourself with new opportunities to explore something new or to learn something new. You can even take your friends out for coffee. A positive attitude can hardly arise if you don’t even feel great about yourself.

Exercise regularly 

Another great way to manage stress and remain positive is by exercising on a regular basis. If you don't exercise, try to find something that you enjoy doing such as swimming, biking, playing golf, playing tennis, or going for a walk. Breathing exercise can also help alleviate stress. Breathing has been proven to help manage stress and can help a lot in countless situations.

Take time out

If all you think about is work, you can easily be overwhelmed by stress. Be sure to give yourself time off and read a book, listen to music or do whatever it is that you find relaxing. You can also go out with your family and friends. This will help you remain focused and positive when you are at your work station. You will ultimately thank yourself for it.

There you have it! How to always stay positive in a challenging environment. While you will not alleviate stress overnight, following these simple steps will help you develop and maintain a good attitude about your family, your work and your life.

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

Embrace and Just Be Yourself

Fears, doubts and insecurities are all around us, outside and inside of us. Sometimes it may even seem easier to "just want to be someone else" as we wrap ourselves up in these negative feelings. The grass may appear much greener on the other side based on our perceptions and ideas. Which may or may not be slanted in the right direction, based on the past or current experiences we have had. The reality is often the exact opposite and others are more afraid than we are.

What if the person you think has everything going for them looks in the mirror and hates the way they smile, or how large they think their eyes are? What if everyone else in their family has brown eyes and they are made to feel out of place for having blue ones? If the messages they have heard from family, friends or loved ones has always been negative regarding a certain characteristic or feature, their self-esteem will have taken solid hits from that.

It's comical how others are envied for superficial beauty, wealth or relationships that people would fight to trade places with them because many of them are looking at us and thinking the same thing. You appear as the smartest person around and they wish they had the same people or conversation skills that you do. That feeling of quiet desperation to "be someone else" results in the lack of confidence, low self-esteem and any hope that we can ever improve our situations in life.

This is a perception and not your reality. Rather than spend your life wringing your hands about who you can't be, or what you don't have in it, concentrate on finding out how to make things better for yourself. Ask questions and find solutions to how to be a better person and to accept yourself for who you are. You can always learn new skills, ask trusted friends or advisers for areas they think you could improve in and how.

Just because that's the way "you have always been" doesn't mean that's the way you must always remain. Taking steps to self-improvement can open up new doors of experiences and opportunities for you. Then you can, in turn, inspire and motivate others.

Get rid of the regrets in your conversations with yourself and focus on being a first-class citizen in your own mind. Accept yourself for who you are, improve what and where you can and stop constantly comparing yourself to others. All of us will always be insecure at times but that doesn't have to be a life sentence for being unhappy. Loving ourselves no matter what begins with the act of self-acceptance. Once we achieve that, contentment will follow. 

How To Use The Law of Attraction To Reduce Stress

As much as stress is witnessed in a large portion of our lives, is it important that we practice and appreciate some of the best possible ways to help us calm down the nerves? 

Stress can manifest itself in many ways causing physical, emotional, or even mental issues. It is therefore very critical for stress victims to recognize the source of anxiety and find the optimal approach to either minimize or end it.

The law of attraction together with stress management can help you achieve the much-needed balance. And although most stress reduction techniques are subjective; meaning that what may work for you may not work for another, the law of attraction can work for almost anyone. The law basically uses the power of the mind to achieve a specific outcome where the conscious and subconscious thoughts are put into focus – It is simply using our thoughts to attract what we want.  

There are four steps to be followed when using the law of attraction to reduce or end stress:

1. Focus on what you want

This is achieved by focusing on your life and find out the main cause of stress. Is it your partner? Is it school? Is it work? Would you do a different job to have a piece of mind? – You should focus on what you really want and have a rough sketch of how you are going to achieve that.

2. Ask what you want

Once your focus is on whatever it is that you want, it is now the time to put the power of your mind to work. Let the universe and the energy of your thoughts work together; Choose a different partner, apply for a better pay job, ask for a raise, or you can explore your talent. Let people feel and know your desire.

3. Visualize whatever you want

To visualize whatever you want is to feel, behave, and act as if you already have what you desire. Positive thinking is critical in the law of attraction; negativity and fear should not be within you. Your general outlook should be optimistic then relaxation will follow. Pessimism and doubt should be avoided to have the law work according to plan.

4. Let go of your preconceptions

You never know; there may be another way to reduce your stress level that you’ve never thought of. It is for this reason that you should always remain open to other outcomes to improve your life. This can mean extra cash from working overtime, getting another job, or even getting your superior’s job.

The law of attraction is often used together with other stress relief options to effectively gain the desired outcome. The power of positive thinking is indeed a very powerful option. 

Written by Yola Bastos

Women Flix, Supporting women all the way to success.

https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix

5 Tips To Avoid Being Negative

Everyone does get negative at some point in his or her life. Whether it is at work or home negative situations happen almost all the time. It is rather unfortunate that we cannot avoid them and thus beg the question of how can we change these negative thoughts to positive ones. It is important to be positive in adverse situations, even though it might sound hard or rather impossible, it is very much possible to stay positive no matter the situation. Learning the power of positive thinking assists us to remain in a positive state of mind even in the midst of a tragedy. Additionally, knowing how to convert that negative energy into positive energy can lead to a healthy and comfortable lifestyle.

5 Tips To Avoid Being Negative

I have come up with five ways of how you can avoid being negative and when you put this five key points in mind you will be cheerful and even see some light of positivity in any situation that you may encounter.

1. Stay around positive people.

Hanging out with positive people will certainly help you stay positive. You should avoid negative people because they will only rub off their negativity off on you. They will bring you down from trying to achieve positivity to be a cynical person once more.

2. Remind yourself what you are grateful for.

In negative situations, we tend to find ourselves thinking of the good things in our lives. You should voice those good thoughts and practice gratitude. Develop a culture of talking about the good things that happen to you other than focusing on the bad ones. Also, it is ideal to keep a journal of all the good things that you have done on a daily basis. By acknowledging what you are grateful and thankful for will help you nature a grateful heart and mind, even in adverse situations.

3. Own up to your mistakes.

If you mess up, take responsibility. If you do something good, reward yourself. Do not blame other people for things that are your fault. This only brings negative energy towards you by thinking about all the negative things about that situation. Instead, accept the situation as it is and move on with life.

4. Avoid drama in your life.

Drama is an unfortunate and nasty characteristic to have. Part of avoiding drama is preventing dramatic people. Avert the gossip at all cost. It will do you no good and only helps to spread negativity.

5. Be kind to people.

By being kind, you will not have time for negative thoughts. Do various acts of kindness every day. This will keep you in a happy spirit. Besides, karma will also pay you back handsomely for your kind deeds.

Conclusion.

Negativity is everywhere, heck even in weddings, days that are considered to be the happiest days in a person's life. You will most likely find some few negative people there. 

It is important to transform yourself into a positive thinker since you will end up living a happy and healthy life. So be positive, and life will be positive with you.

Written by Yola Bastos

Women Flix, Supporting women all the way to success.

https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix