Ask, Believe & Receive
by Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C.
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24 KJV
“For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].” Mark 11:24 Amplified Version
Have you ever wondered why some people are so successful and other are not? Have you ever wanted to know how to be successful in everything you put your hands to do? Well, today you are going to get a glimpse into the world of success at its best. As some of you may know, I love to pull my inspiration from the Bible and work on putting all of its teachings and principles in use in my life. The above scripture in Mark 11:24 is basis for my article today – Ask, Believe & Receive. You don’t have to be a Christian to understand this principle and it can be applied in your life as simply asking, believing and receiving.
Read more
Trust
Trust is sometimes a dirty little five letter word. It is defined in Webster as a “firm belief or confidence in the honesty integrity, reliability, justice, etc. of another person or thing; faith; hope.” Wow, what a mouthful!
To trust means to allow oneself to be vulnerable to a person or thing. It is putting your hope and faith in a person believing that they will deliver or believing to receive the expected outcome. How many of us have been burned by this five letter word, therefore resulting in what we call “trust issues?”
From a personal standpoint, I have had to face my issues with trusting. If you are like me, you want to be able to trust and take others at their word believing for the expected outcome. When you have been let down or your trust has been betrayed on several occasions, trust becomes a major challenge. After betrayal of trust how can one get over trust issues? Truly, there is no easy way to get over trust issues or challenges. There is no quick fix, step by step magic formula that works for everyone. Let’s explore one major word that is at the heart of trust issues, vulnerability.
Trusting means you will have to allow yourself to be vulnerable to someone or something at some point in your life. In saying this let’s note that there are ways to be vulnerable and still maintain control. This doesn’t mean that you can avoid all hurt. When you walk into a vulnerable situation you have to understand that there is potential for let down and you prepare yourself for both the good and the bad. Yes, I am trusting I will receive the expected outcome, but if I don’t, where do I go from here. It is knowing that that things may change and what is my plan if I don’t receive that expected outcome.
One final note I want to make with regard to trust is the need for forgiveness. To help overcome trust issues and the hurt that results from broken trust is one’s ability to forgive. Our ability to trust must be married to our ability to forgive. Forgiving someone after they have broken your trust is easier said than done, however, if we do not forgive we have the potential to become bitter and bitterness can lead to physical ailments as well as emotional distress. We must learn how to trust and forgive. It is the key to long lasting and healthy relationships.
Learning to trust builds character and strength; allowing oneself to be vulnerable has its ups and downs; knowing you can move forward no matter the outcome is giving stability to an unknown future.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
About the Author: Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C., is owner of The Total Makeover Company, LLC, working to help enhance your personal growth. You can contact the author through our corporate email: rhema-int@shaw.ca. Visit The Total Makeover, LLC, on the web at www.thetotalmakeover.com.
Live Life With No Regrets
by Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C.
What does it mean to live life with no regrets?
When I sat and thought about this topic I began to reminisce about the things that I have accomplished and not accomplished in my life so far. I could honestly say that I have more that I have not accomplished then accomplished. This took me back to my list of goals and dreams. On this list was a variation of things from education, career, family and pleasure. What was hindering me from accomplishing things on this list? I could easily start the blame game and point fingers to implicate those that I feel have hindered me or situations that stopped me from moving forward. As I sat and ponder the thought some more I realized that I was the biggest hindrance to my somewhat unfulfilled life.
I took out a pen and some paper and begin to jot down all the things that I have allowed to keep me from pursuing my goals and dreams. The biggest and first thing on my list was fear. Fear is the emotion that is the main cause or hindrance to the fulfillment of most dreams and goals. Fear can be debilitating. If you allow it to, it could ruin your life and keep you from living your life to the fullest. Fear stands for:
* Failure
* Embarrassment
* Anxiety
* Rejection
It was my fear of failure, embarrassment, anxiety and fear of being rejected that held me back from pursing my dreams or trying new things. It was these four things that kept me from moving forward. Now that I had identified the main ingredient or component to my problem, what was I going to do about it? As I gave it more thought, I decided that facing my fear was my course of action. I had to take fear by the horns, look it dead in the face and refuse to allow it to dominate my life.
The next thing I did was take each goal I wanted to accomplish and right down all the things that kept me from completing that goal. I wrote down all the steps that fear would not allow me to move past and start to complete each step. I knew that this part would be the biggest hurdle to jump. I had to do things that would send me in hiding in the past. I had to face these challenges in order to start living my life with no regrets. What would be the biggest downfall to facing these challenges? Would I be rejected or embarrassed? The bigger question was what would happen if I never faced these challenges? Would I look back years from now and think of the should’ve, could’ve, would’ve? Would I feel fulfilled not knowing if I could have succeeded in an area or if my dream would have come alive and lived?
I decided that looking back years from now and seeing what could have been was worse than the little rejection or embarrassment that I might encounter. This journey of ‘No Regrets’ is one that I am willing to face just to be able to say been there done that and I have no regrets!
END.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
? About the Author: Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C., is owner of The Total Makeover Company, LLC, working to help enhance your personal growth. You can contact the author through our corporate email: rhema-int@shaw.ca. Visit The Total Makeover, LLC, on the web at www.thetotalmakeover.com.
Live Life With No Regrets – Part Two
by Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C.
In my last article I talked about fear being one obstacle that keeps us from accomplishing goals and pursing our dreams. Let’s take a deeper look into the word fear.
Fear is one of the nastiest four letter words in our human vocabulary. This word holds power. Fear has the power to take down the most influential person. It also has the power to control every move you make. Let’s break down this word and see if we can make sense of it all.
Failure – is one of the components of fear. Fear tells us we will fail if we try. We will be known as the person who failed at this or failed at that. The fear of failure does not listen to the golden rule – If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. I can truly understand a person not trying because they fear failure. No one wants to fail, but we can’t let fear dictate our actions, calculate our every move and determine our destiny.
Embarrassment – Who wants to be embarrassed? In this very competitive world we live in it is easy to see how embarrassment can be a component of fear. Everyone is competing to be the best, do the best and have the best. I have a friend that is just about good at anything she puts her hand to. She is gifted in many things, including some things I have always wanted to try. I often find myself pulling back from trying things for fear that I will be embarrassed for not being as good as she is. The truth of the matter is we all are unique and have unique ways of doing things. Just because my friend maybe better at something doesn’t mean I should be embarrassed because I am not on the same level.
Anxiety – another component of fear that would take any man or woman down. Some goals are so big that it would cause the most confident person to be uneasy, apprehensive or even worried. Stepping into the unknown is a hard thing to do. Pursuing your dreams or accomplishing your goal may mean having to try or do things that are unfamiliar or make you apprehensive or even worried at times. That’s when you need to step back and re-evaluate your reasons for wanting to accomplish this goal, find out if the good out ways the bad and if it’s worth pursuing. If you still feel that this is what you must do, jump in with both feet.
Rejection – the last component of fear. No one on earth likes to be rejected. Everyone wants to be accepted. This can be in personal relationships and even work relationships. It is human nature to want to fit in or have a sense of belonging. Rejection is the worst component of fear. It is rejection that is sure to cause a person to walk away or give up. Hearing the word no is hard when you are reaching for something you truly desire in your heart. The biggest challenge is getting past the rejection and seeing it as just another hurdle or wall to knock down.
If you can get past all of these components of fear you can accomplish any goal and fulfill your dreams. It is time to start living life with no regrets!
END.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
? About the Author: Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C., is owner of The Total Makeover Company, LLC, working to help enhance your personal growth. You can contact the author through our corporate email: rhema-int@shaw.ca. Visit The Total Makeover, LLC, on the web at www.thetotalmakeover.com.
Live Life With No Regrets
by Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C.
Have you ever lacked the drive or the motivation to finish a goal? I think we have all been there. I am sure that most of us started this year with hopes to change and upgrade only to find ourselves at the same point a month later. What is the tool needed to accomplish goals from the most simplistic to the hardest? Well, it all boils down to motivation and the source in which it comes from. I have been doing some research on motivation and how it functions in our everyday lives. I have found that motivation comes from one or two sources: Extrinsic (outside) or Intrinsic (inside).
Extrinsic motivation is when you are motivated by external factors, as opposed to the internal drivers of intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation compels you to do things for tangible rewards or pressures, rather than for the fun of it. Do you find yourself completing a goal just for what type of reward you will receive? These outside rewards can be anything from money to employment. Most of us find it easier to finish a goal when we have something tangible in sight.
Intrinsic motivation is when you are motivated by internal factors, as opposed to the external drivers of extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation compels you to do things just for the fun of it, or because you believe it is a good or right thing to do. There is a conflict of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is far stronger a motivator than extrinsic motivation, yet external motivation can easily act to displace intrinsic motivation. Most people’s hobbies are intrinsically motivated. Notice the passion with which people collect little bits of china or build model cars. Few people carry that amount of passion into their workplace.
What is the source of your motivation?
Philippians 3:14-15 – Message Bible: “So let’s keep focused on that Goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less then total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision – you’ll see it yet! Now that were on the right track, let’s stay on it.”
END.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
? About the Author: Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C., is owner of The Total Makeover Company, LLC, working to help enhance your personal growth. You can contact the author through our corporate email: rhema-int@shaw.ca. Visit The Total Makeover, LLC, on the web at www.thetotalmakeover.com
5 Key Points to Building Self-Esteem
by Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C.
A major key to building self-esteem and developing a healthy body image is loving who you are. I know, it is easier said than done. This is a hard task when you are constantly inundated with negative thoughts and feelings about you. Getting to a healthy self-esteem or body image will not happen overnight. Just like anything else it will take some work, but it can be accomplished.
The first thing you need to do is stop the pity party. You know what I am talking about those moments that you sit, cry and complain about what’s not right. You make your own happiness. What I mean by that is you have a choice to be happy or sad. You can choose to waddle in self pity or you can pick yourself up and move forward. It is your choice.
The second thing is change your speech or the things you say about yourself. When you look into the mirror what do you see? Is the first thing that pops into your head something negative? Is the first thing you say something negative about the way you look? Stop! It is time to focus on the positive things, the good attributes. Focus on what you like and build from there.
The third thing you can do is love on yourself. Do something that makes you feel good. Pamper yourself, take a nature walk, whatever it is make sure it is something you love and enjoy doing. This not only makes you feel good, it also shows everyone else that you love yourself and take pride in who you are.
The fourth thing you should do is surround yourself with positive people. Build a support network. These are people that have your best interest at hand. Your support network can consist of family and friends that will build you up and encourage you when you are down. They will tell you the truth in love so that you continue to grow as a person. This is important and key to your transformation.
The fifth thing is understanding that everything is a process. These things will not fall into place overnight. You have to work at them. If you have a bad day, don’t go back to the pity parties. Remember tomorrow is a new day and you can start over. Don’t give up!
END.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
? About the Author: Kenya Johnson, M.P.G.C., is owner of The Total Makeover Company, LLC, working to help enhance your personal growth. You can contact the author through our corporate email: rhema-int@shaw.ca. Visit The Total Makeover, LLC, on the web at www.thetotalmakeover.com.
-
-
EVALUATING COACHING:
50 pages packed with information you should know before you make any coaching career decisions!