How To Make Your Dreams A Reality?
Today I want to share my process to make things happen.
Over the years I have been known for my motivation and my ability to inspire change in others.
So what does it take to make something happen? Below is my process and the video to one of my recent Live Training sessions in the Manage Your Critic Group which has been getting some great reviews.
Why Planning Doesn’t Work Without Reflection?
The truth is that goal setting, planning and thinking positively on it’s own won’t work because it only provides one of the 3 perspectives.
It is purely focused on the future and yet in every moment we are experiencing present, past and future.
Besides the future is over there, in the distance and often means you are working towards something. As the saying goes “tomorrow never comes” Continue reading Why Planning Doesn’t Work Without Reflection?
Why Is Christmas A Trigger?
Christmas is always intended to be a time for joy, laughter and connection and yet for many it can be a time of triggers and frustrations.
So why is Christmas a trigger?
For those that know my line of work – you know that I work with you to gain clarity of what you want and the confidence to ask for it.
Your 5 senses are processing information all of the time and it is your 5 senses that are used to recall memories.
And sometimes memories are triggered involuntary because of the association with certain smells, tastes or touch. It could be the sound or tone of something or someone that triggers a thought. You might be aware that certain words or epxressions push your buttons and annoy or frustrate you and for some the response is one that cannot be explained with words. You know those moments when you respond emotionally and even you know that the response is not rationally. Continue reading Why Is Christmas A Trigger?
This Made Me Cry
I received an email from a client a few days ago saying they were not going to be doing Clarity and Confidence Retreats with me next year (aka power groups)
Then I got this email today.
“Sheryl, I know I said I was going to stop power groups but I’ve changed my mind, I’d like to carry on as they are brilliant and a really warm supportive welcoming space with fantastic people. I might not do all of them but at least one a quarter. I’ll have a look at the calendar and will let you know which ones are my top choice.
Many thanks for your love and support and true genius of getting us to achieve all that we want and reducing doubts.”
Why does this make me cry?
The tears are what happen now when I receive love. My heart and mind are so open that I actually hear and feel the words of kindness in this email. I remember saying as a “I ‘know’ my parents love me but I don’t feel loved.”
It is only through the Clarity process that I discovered when someone said they felt loved I imagined a physical sensation or sense of someone touching must happen. And that certainly wasn’t happening for me. Then I told myself lots of stories about what I thought love was and looked for evidence of that and couldn’t find that either.
Attention
I would check in with myself and I would think “I don’t feel anything”
Then I noticed one day that I would say ” I feel really hurt by that.”
When I became curious about what I meant when I said “I feel really hurt” I discovered it was like I had been kicked in the stomach with a massive size 10 steel toe cap black boot and I was really winded. I mean it actually took my breath away even though it was just words and there was no physical contact from the other person.
I physically felt this whoosh of emotion that came at the stomach and then went up and over my whole body.
This would happen when I thought I had upset someone or when I felt misunderstood.
This got me thinking – if I can feel it when it hurts how come I don’t feel love or joy.
At first in my frustration of not being able to make sense of everything I blamed others of not loving me, not showing me love and yet when I really thought about what love was to me, I found it hard to describe.
What do you hear and see that would tell you that you are loved?
I asked my husband and he said “I don’t look for anything I assume it is there”
That threw me a little as I really wanted to ‘feel’ something.
Strategies work until they don’t
Over the years I developed strategies to avoid the hurt of being criticised.
I started to pay more attention and I soon noticed a pattern
What I discovered is that it hurt most when the criticism was unexpected.
Therefore one strategy was to put myself down and criticise myself – that way it wasn’t such a shock when other people criticised me, however what I didn’t know then, but do now, is that when people didn’t correct me it also hurt.
A Bind
Add into this mix, that I was born to a generation that thought talking about your strengths and your successes was bragging or big headed, I didn’t really have much awareness of when I was doing anything right.
How I learn at my best is to see it, hear it and then experience it. And I certainly did not get to see compliments, hear them and then experience them.
Plus I then developed this amazing strategy to attempt to block out criticism which also meant that I blocked out any praise that came my way too.
Sick of criticism
If you are sick of criticism and you want to live your best life and you are determined to reduce criticism of yourself and others then please do comment below “I am in” and let’s arrange a time to chat in Jan 2018 and make sure next year really is your best year ever.
I am about to close the office for a month from 9th Dec to 8th Jan and open my home and heart fully to my family whilst giving myself time to truly embrace all that is great in my life now that I am 50.
You matter, you make a difference and I care that you feel heard, understood and of value at all times.
I care that you feel safe to speak and that you don’t get trapped in that space where you have to be positive and happy to motivate and inspire others, which can leave you with no space to express yourself fully. Actually talking about what criticism was like for me gave me the clues I needed to break a pattern of behavior that was no longer serving me.
And if you keep adapting yourself to please others you can slowly but surely lose sight of who you are and what life is all about.
If you are asking yourself questions like:
Who am I ?
What’s the point?
When is it my turn?
Who is taking care of me?
What if I say how I really feel and they think less of me?
What if they judge me and I lose their love and connection?
What if ? What if?
And you are sick of that voice in your head and ready for absolute clarity and confidence to ask for what you want, then please comment below.
Also check out our 2018 retreats here.
Please share below your thoughts as google likes to know you like me or join us for more private conversation in our closed Facebook group Manage your critic
If you are struggling to be heard and understood and it is preventing you from doing your best work and living your best life then please do book a 30 minute call today with no obligation and I will be happy set you up for success.
I might be part of the solution you need and I might not, but you will you know your next best step.
And you can purchase a copy of my book here
About the Author – Sheryl Andrews – The Strength and Solution Detective
Sheryl Andrews, Founder of Step by Step Listening, is well known for her fast speaking and her passion to make things happen. But what many of you may not know is that in private behind closed doors she was also no stranger to lapses in self belief and an overwhelming sense of not being good enough.
That was until she learned the importance of being heard and asking for support. In her book she describes the step by step journey she took to learn how to manage her critic turning her overwhelm into clarity in 7 steps.
Sheryl now runs retreats that encourage you to really listen to what you need to work, learn and live at your best with others and the confidence to ask for those needs to be met.
Follow Step By Step Listening on Social Media
The Power of Pronouns
Working, learning and living with others is dependent on us having clarity of what want and the confidence to ask for it. And yet no matter how much you might practice what you are going to say or think before you speak somehow you can still be misunderstood.
When I am working with clients I notice language patterns and ask questions of specific words to help them gain clarity and insight. Sometimes they are not actually saying what they mean.
Standing Tall – An Introverts Perspective
Over the years I have worked with extroverts that talk fast and rapid and end up exhausted because no matter how many different ways they express themselves they still cannot get themselves heard and understood.
I have worked with introverts who get frustrated that by the time they have formulated an answer the conversation has moved on.
Whatever your natural way of processing and making sense of the world, it can be challenging to find your voice and speak with clarity and confidence all of the time. Continue reading Standing Tall – An Introverts Perspective
Reputation and Public Relations
50 days until I am 50 – Charity Challenge still on to lose 50 lbs before I am 50 on the 15th Dec 2017 – so far 17lbs lighter and now writing daily to stay accountable.
Yesterday was a busy day so didn’t really have time to over eat and failed to get any fitness in.
My proud of moment was when I said no to cake at the Women’s Business Club Lunch where Lorna Jackson from Advance and Get Noticed was speaking about everything PR. Continue reading Reputation and Public Relations
Honesty Is A Lie
51 days until I am 50
Yes I ate cake yesterday. No I don’t feel bad. No I didn’t lose weight today. What you probably don’t want to know even though it is the truth is the ins and outs of my decision making process yesterday and why I don’t feel guilty or why I know I will lose weight this week. Or maybe you do?
On a whole other level of honesty, you probably don’t want to know but I am going to tell you anyway. One of the reasons I think I didn’t lose weight today is because I got weighed earlier due to commitments today so it was before my ‘normal morning bathroom routine’ Yes I know too much information for some – but fact and quite relevant I think too.
How Honest Do You Want Me To Be? Continue reading Honesty Is A Lie
Do Numbers Motivate You Or Terrify You?
52 days until I am 50 years old.
It is interesting as I listen to all kinds of stories of how different people respond to or react to a ‘BIG’ birthday.
Personally I am really looking forward to this next transition. As I become more curious about the power of the universe and how I can get what I ask for – I am being very clear I want to live to 100 and so that means at 50 I am only half way.
I am also marking this day as a day to step into the whole of me fully.
To fully embrace the whole of who I am and who I want to be. Continue reading Do Numbers Motivate You Or Terrify You?
No More Excuses
Having dreamed of writing a book for years and finally becoming a published author last year, I decided to use the book launch as a catalyst for change.
With this in mind I set myself a massive challenge this year to raise £20,000 for my chosen charities.
As the year comes to an end I have ‘only’ raised £2426. I started to feel I had run out of time and I found myself more and more frustrated with my lack of motivation and commitment to the goals. Continue reading No More Excuses
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