Mirror, mirror...

Tonight was my last regular call with my personal coach, Lisa. The first phase of my coaching program was 12 weekly calls to get started and stay accountable to heading in the right direction. I have 9 months to go, but now it's up to me. 12 weeks ago, that prospect would have given me the vapours! Now I'm excited because I know I can do it!

At the first of my program I wrote in this blog that I couldn't wait to look in the mirror in 12 weeks to see if I recognized the person looking back. Oddly it took some thinking to decide if there were any real changes, but with a little thought and reflection, I'm not sure it's the same person at all. So what's changed?

I have determined my life purpose. Ever ponder that one? It's amazing what a behemoth that is. Think about it...the reason you were put on this earth. Heck, 12 weeks ago, I figured I was just dropped here randomly to share as much love as I could and maybe go to a nice place and sleep when it was all over. Now I know what my life's purpose is and I work toward it every day. It's incredible!

I have actually written down goals. Another monumental task! The assignment asked for 101...I think I got to 15! But I am amazed at how much closer I feel to these goals now that they are in writing and I can look at them and think of them and be more aware of them should any opportunities come knocking!

The biggest challenge for me was organization and time management. When I first started working on these modules, I never thought I would learn. Guess what! I did! I will never be super-organized or a time-management genius, but the shocking thing is that I am better at both and neither intimidates me now. And I find the less fear they invoke in me, the easier I find them both to conquer. I know now that if I get off course on organization or time-management, I just have to regroup and get back on track. I also recognize how much easier my life is and how much less forgetful I am now that I have a plan for my days and I am so much better at staying on track!

My biggest fear in starting this program was my PREVIOUS inability to stick to anything! One of the biggest attractions about this program was the unwillingness of Jack Canfield's people to let me quit. It's simply not an option! Normally by now I would have lost interest, run out of time or found some great rationalization or just a big CAN'T in the middle of the road and thrown my hands up and said, "fine, you win, I'm out". The fact that I have made it this far without even thinking about quitting is a huge accomplishment and one that is an enormous lesson it itself!

Conquering goals and changing my mindset along the way have been two of the most amazing accomplishments of my life. I have seen such a shift in my attitude in the past 12 weeks that it's astounding to me. And now that I have overcome some challenges and I have seen how using Jack's methods and philosophies can work for me, I am ready to tackle other challenges. So far I have been focusing on business challenges. In the new year I intend to hone those skills I have already learned and implemented and focus them in other directions. Next up is my health. I am committed to setting weight loss and fitness goals in the new year, only I have faith it will work this time because I have a new plan and a new outlook. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. I am finally learning that it all doesn't have to happen at once. I don't need to rule the world in the next five minutes. Persistence is the key and I am learning to take baby steps to keep the pressure off myself and exercise that nasty stick-to-itiveness muscle!

So, the girl in the mirror. She looks very much the same, but there are differences. Her eyes are a little brighter, her smile a little more sincere. Some of the edges are smoother and she looks kinder and more loving. She looks like the kind of person I would very much like to hug. I may learn to love this girl someday after all.