Welcome to "Surpass Your Dreams". The goal of this newsletter is to help you recognize your potential and surpass your dreams. Reaching your dreams is amazing, but surpassing them is a miracle. I wish that you have the courage to follow your dreams, whatever they may be.

This newsletter is written for you; my friends, family and people who visit my web-site. Each topic is selected with you in mind. So, tell me what you'd like to see, and what's important to you. Are you trying to figure out what your dreams are? Have you found what they are, but are afraid to pursue them? Have you reached your dreams, and are now ready to take it to the next level? Please share with our readers what is going on with you, and how you came to the place where you are today. You can send your stories to info@surpassyourdreams.com.

Are You Afraid To Live Your Dreams?
How To Live Your Dreams
Book Corner
My Calendar
Are You Ready To Live Your Dreams?
Last Month

Are you living you dreams?

If the answer is no, then I ask "why not?" Life is short, and we never know when it will come to an end. We all came here for a reason. We all have a special gift that came from God. Why aren't you using yours?

Fear is the number one reason that people do not live their dreams. Fear holds us back, sometimes paralyzing us, and prevents us from moving forward. But, when you look back at your life, what do you want it to be about? Do you want to say "I could have" or "I did. I may have made a few mistakes on the way, but at least I gave it my best shot. And, I grew tremendously. I wouldn't change my life one bit." The choice is yours; what words do you want to come out of your mouth?

So, what are you waiting for? Are you waiting for the perfect time to live your dreams? Are you waiting for the perfect situation? Are you waiting for the perfect dream? All this waiting is an excuse not to go out and do it.

And then what happens when you get close to living your dreams? Are you afraid that once you get there then you'll have to do it. Meaning that what you've been talking about for so long will now come to fruition and you might not succeed?

What else are you afraid of? Are you afraid of making a mistake? Afraid of making the wrong choice? Are you worried deep inside that maybe you're not good enough? And what happens if people around you laugh at your dreams and don't support you? Is that enough for you to give them up?

Living your dreams is not for "other" people, it's for you. Just because you don't believe that you can do it today, doesn't mean that you can't get there tomorrow.

Taking a chance is what life is all about. There are no guarantees, but the rewards are plentiful if you believe in yourself and go for it! No one is going to live your dreams for you. It's up to you to create your own life. Why not have that life filled with dreams?

1. List Your Dreams.
   
   It's amazing how writing down your dreams gets you closer to them. So, what do you want? Do you want to climb a mountain? Write a book? Sail around the world? Be elected to Congress? Don't hold back...go for your wildest dreams...your highest aspirations. Don't critique them or ask yourself "how?" When you complete the top ten, rank them in order of priority and get ready to get started on Number One.
   
   
2. List Ten Short Term (30 day) Goals That Will Be Steps Toward Fulfilling Your Number One Lifetime Goal...Very Incremental, Easily Do-able Steps.
   
   For instance, dreaming of writing a book? Commit to a goal of putting an outline for the plot on paper in the next 30 days. Buy a book on how to get published. Set up a writer's haven. Tell ten people you are writing a book. Want to take a cruise around the world? Send away for cruise brochures. Next, open a cruise account with $25.00, $50.00 or more. Commit 10% of your earnings toward your dream. Celebrate your successes and keep on going.
   
   
3. List Ten Barriers That Could Be Holding You Back From Reaching Your Dreams.
   
   Money? Time? Education? Parental Responsibilities? Procrastination? Look for ways to overcome or compensate for these barriers. Pick the number one barrier and then list ten things you can do to overcome or minimize this barrier.
   
   
4. List The Top Ten Excuses You Use For Not Living Your Dreams.
   
   Ban the use of excuses. Post a "NO EXCUSES" sign on your desk. Fine yourself $1.00 each time you even think one of your excuses. Add the $1.00 to your "Dream Kitty." Work on eliminating excuses one by one. Awareness helps.
   
   
5. List Ten Daily Habits That Will Keep You Healthy And Reduce Stress As You Work Toward Your Dreams.
   
   Your dreams will become reality when you feel better.
   
   
6. List Ten Personal Attributes That Will Help You Achieve Your Dreams.
   
   Attributes like perseverance, courage, creativity. We often undervalue our own resources. Post this list as a reminder of your best qualities next to your "No Excuses!" sign.
   
   
7. List Your Top Ten Accomplishments In Life.
   
   We also often overlook or downplay what we have already accomplished in our personal and professional life. Looking at your accomplishments in black and white reinforces your confidence and self-esteem.
   
   
8. List People Who Will Support You In Achieving Your Dreams.
   
   They should be people who will unconditionally support, encourage, and celebrate you as you move toward your dream. They are your fan club, your cheerleaders.
   
   
9. List Ten Specific Ways Your Circle of Ten Can Support You In Achieving Your Dreams.
   
   Share your dreams with them. Ask for their support.
   
   
10. List Ten Specific Rewards You Will Give Yourself To Celebrate The Milestones (however small) As You Move Toward Achieving Your Dreams.
    
    Never underestimate the value of rewards. They nourish the soul and keep you motivated.

    About the Submitter: This list was based on a piece written by Lynne Christen, Business Coach, who can be reached at lyncoach@gnt.net.

This month's Book Corner is devoted to providing you with suggested resources to continue on your journey to being living your dreams.

Discover Your Destiny: Finding the Courage to Follow Your Dreams by Bill and Kathy Peel.

Being caught up in the everyday process of living, you don't always have the time to think about your dreams. This book poses insightful questions that help you get back on track and on the way to your dreams.

12 Secrets for Manifesting Your Vision, Inspiration & Purpose : How to Make Your Dreams Come True by D. Richard Bellamy.

Anyone that is looking for answers and wants to change their life should read this book. The exercises in the book get right to the heart of what is blocking you from being all that you can be.

Big Things Happen When You Do the Little Things Right : A 5-Step Program to Turn Your Dreams into Reality by Don Gabor.

The goal of this book is to help you use a five-step program to turn your dreams into reality. This book will guide you through the process of setting and achieving personal dreams. In addition, it provides you with the tools you need to define, commit and achieve your dreams.

1) I will be teaching a free TeleClass on "Recognizing Your Potential and Surpassing Your Dreams". It's from 8pm-9pm EST on June 17th. The details are below.

Wouldn't you love to jump out of bed each day, waiting to take on whatever comes your way? Wouldn't you love to find out what your purpose is in life is, so you can live life to the fullest? Wouldn't you love to discover what your gifts are, so you can make a difference in the world? The only thing that is holding you back is your fear, and your willingness to take a chance. Living a life filled with dreams doesn't only have to happen to other people. It can happen to you.

This 1-Hour Free TeleClass Will Cover:

1. How to live life to it's fullest
2. Why risks are the path to personal growth
3. How to identify the types of risks you take/avoid and what are your blocks to risk-taking
4. How to reduce negative self-talk
5. How to set goals that stick (short-term & long-term)
6. How to best motivate yourself
7. How you can use humor to achieve your goals
8. Live your dreams!!!

There are only 30 spots available and they will be going quickly. You can register 2 ways:

1. You can go to http://www.thomasleonard.com/teleclass/classlistmain.lasso?-nothing&skip=80, and scroll down the page for class number 309 (classes are in date order). Click on "more info" to find our more about the class, and click on "Registration Page" to register.

2. You can send an e-mail to free@teleclass.com and put class number (309) only in the subject line. Please leave the message area empty. I look forward to seeing you all then!

2) For my Long Island readers:

I was interviewed for the Sandra Lee Show on "The Power of Coaching". The show, which is through Cablevision in Long Island, NY, will be on 4PM EST Monday, July 26, 1999 (Channel 25 or 80 depending on your area). It will also air again on Channel 44 in North Hempstead, Long Island (only) on June 14 and June 16, 1999 at 7:30PM (EST) and on June 17th at 6:30PM (EST). Please let me know what you think!

Living your dreams takes hard work and perseverance. Sometimes our focus on getting to the result takes away from loving the journey.

If you are ready to move forward and live your dreams, then Personal Coaching may be right for you.

For a Free 30-minute Telephone Coaching Session, call me at (516) 432-2440, or send an e-mail to info@surpassyourdreams.com. This session will give you the opportunity to see first hand if a personal coach is right for you. My web-site is at http://www.surpassyourdreams.com

Last month's issue was dedicated to being happy. Most of us are searching for something, or sometime in the future when we will finally be happy. We tell ourselves that if we can only get to "that place", then our lives will be perfect. What we miss when we go through life with this perspective is the joy of today and all the wonderful things that it brings. To find out how to be happy today, please check the newsletter archive list at the top of the page.

Anyone can subscribe to the "Surpass Your Dreams" newsletter by sending an email with the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line to newsletter@surpassyourdreams.com. To cancel, send an email with the words "UNSUBSCRIBE" to the same address.

Your e-mail address will be kept strictly CONFIDENTIAL and will NOT be shared with any other party or mailing list.

Have a great month!

Deborah

Copyright © 1999, all rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute text from the newsletter or the content in its entirety so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author (Deborah J. Brown) is attached.

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