Welcome to "Surpass Your Dreams". The goal of this newsletter is to help you recognize your potential and surpass your dreams. This month's issue will focus on getting unstuck.

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 Stuck?
How Can You Get Moving When You're Stuck?
Book Corner
Free Newsletters
Are You Ready To Get Unstuck?
Last Month

Last month I talked about how I took a chance and made a big change in my life. It was the best thing I've done, and I've never been happier. But what happens if you want to move forward and take a chance but you don't know how?

What worked for me was knowing that I couldn't live the way I was living anymore. Yes, I was afraid, but I was more afraid of staying where I was.

So what was it that I knew for myself? I knew that I was tired of being unhappy and depressed every day. I knew that I had great skills (I told myself this even at times when I didn't believe it), and that people would want what I offered. I knew that I was a great coach and I loved to make a difference in people's lives. I knew that the universe would take care of me and that everything would be ok. (and it still is!)

So how do you get moving when you don't feel like doing so? You do something. Yes, it's that simple. When you do one thing, it leads to another, and all of a sudden you stop feeling like a victim and start gaining control of your life. Progress is made of little steps, and you get to the finish line one step at a time.

But what if you are afraid or you don't think that you could do it? I promise you that you will face obstacles, you will probably make mistakes, and you might even get stopped along the way. But at least you did something. Mistakes and obstacles are part of the growing process. They teach us what is working and what we need to adjust. They are an important part of living powerfully and should be embraced.

But what if you are still stuck? Ask yourself, "what is living this way costing you, and why don't you think you deserve more?" You deserve to be happy. You deserve to live a life you love. You deserve to live your dreams.

You have to power to make your life better. So go out and do something to get yourself unstuck today!

II. HOW CAN YOU GET MOVING WHEN YOU'RE STUCK?

It's not unusual to feel stuck, trapped, and unable to move from a situation that is making you unhappy. But in reality, it's a normal part of the living and growing process. Getting "stuck" and "going through" situations are sometimes difficult. Here are ways to shift from one to the other.

1. Step back and ask yourself what's really going on.
   When you're caught up in the stuff of every day life, it's easy to lose objectivity. It's a good thing to set aside a little time each day to seriously challenge the obviousness of what seems to be going on. Is there a lesson to be learned that you are missing? Might that setback really a step forward? Will things really turn out as bad as you are sure, now, that they will?
2. Consider whether what's happening has happened before.
   Is this a unique situation or is it one-of-a-kind, just another example, in different garb, of an issue you've failed to confront before? If it's the latter, maybe now's the time to solve it and move on.
3. Assume that present events, circumstances, etc. may be less of a "problem" than parts of a larger "process".
   There's a fair case to be made for the notion that, in this life, ALL is process rather than result. In other words, what this life is really about is growth and learning. Viewed in this light, where you're heading is not as important as how you choose to get there. (For those who are strongly goal-oriented, this may be tough to swallow.)
4. Ask yourself: What can I do "now" or "next"?
   It's the small steps that lead to successful journeys. Don't get sucked in by the suggestion that you've got to do it/solve it all today.
5. Do something, anything!
   When you're stuck, taking any step puts you in a different place and helps change your perspective. Taking action, and that's any action at all, keeps you from feeling like a victim. Once you take your power back, there's nothing that you can't accomplish.
6. Look for support, near by.
   Almost always, help is at hand, a phone call or a touch away. Only, we tend to look way out there or off into the future, thinking that the help we need is just not available to us in our present situation. If, instead, you begin with the assumption that what you need to solve the problem is close at hand, you'll be amazed at how it sharpens your vision!
7. Take the negatives, one-by-one, and toss them out.
   Negatives can be just as powerful as positives, depending on how much energy you give them. It's your choice.
8. Take one positive unselfish project and make it yours.
   Help someone else, even if you think that you're the one who needs help. And don't be surprised if, in your darkest moment, someone comes knocking at your door asking.
9. If lack is a problem, try substituting the word, "service", for profit or gain.
   You "get" from what you lack, but you "give" from what you are. When you begin to consider seriously how you can be of service, it can be absolutely amazing how much you discover you have to give.
10. Be grateful for every blessing.
    It's not big jumps that lead to greatness; it's small steps. The "little" good things that happen to us (and sometimes they seem to be VERY little) are tests of our awareness. It pays off not to flunk these tests!

This piece was written by Shale Paul, Coach, who can be reached at shale@shalecoach.com.

This month's Book Corner is devoted to providing you with suggested resources to help take a chance.

Getting Unstuck: Breaking Through Your Barriers to Change by Sidney B. Simon
Psychologist and educator Dr. Sidney Simon presents a system to help you change. Readers first discover why they resist change. Then, when a specific roadblock is identified, the book outlines exercises that offer solutions for getting to the other side.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
This book was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas.

50 Ideas That Can Change Your Life by Robert Anthony.
The best-selling author of Think, Think Again presents more practical and wise advice on health, wealth and happiness. Each of the 50 concepts discussed in this book is designed to facilitate self-evaluation and improvement.

Affirming Miracles (How to use affirmations to change your life) by Ann Lasater.
Change your thoughts and change your life. Use affirmations as a tool to change your thought processes. Use your creative mind power to create what you want. Based on "A Course in Miracles" Workbook and Text.

IV. FREE NEWSLETTERS

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Would you like to have your newsletter or e-zine listed here? Please send an e-mail to info@surpassyourdreams.com with the name, web-site address and 1-2 sentence description of your on-line publication.

Taking action towards living a life you love takes courage and a belief in yourself. Sometimes just doing one thing towards our goals helps us get closer to where we want to be.

If you are ready to get unstuck, 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

What's keeping you from living your dreams and having a life you love? It could be as simple as taking a chance and going for it.

Last month, I took a chance that changed my life. You can check the newsletter archive list at the top of the page to find out what I did, and how it can apply to you.

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.

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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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