beauty.
Chapter 3: Be Hard-Core
I haven't written in a while because I have been forced to take some unforeseen Heather time.
Just a refresher. I am that Girl is a book about speaking your truth (owning who you are) and discovering your purpose --- while, forcing you to remember you are good enough. I am going through the chapters and sharing my thoughts with you all. Girl Power!
This was a fantastic chapter to return to because it dives into becoming hard-core about our dreams and the path to achieving them.
Right now, one of my biggest dreams is to lose weight; however, I am dealing with some obstacles. After intensely working out for a couple of weeks and subsequently injuring myself, my doctor has restricted my workouts. This has forced me to reflect on situations (in and out of my control) that have led me to this place in my life (because I think too much). This chapter focuses on excuses, specifically those that hold us back from our dreams. I am holding these steps below very close in mind as I focus on my dream despite my current adversity.
Excuses come in all shapes and sizes - procrastination, fear, pain, and the list goes on. In order to be hard cord about what you want, you simply can not make excuses.
She highlights four steps to becoming hard-core (removing excuses from our lives):
- Let your past hurts fuel your fire.
- Trust yourself.
- Be honest.
- Redefine perfection.
Pain from our past can hold us back. Pain can come in many different forms. For the author of this book, it was in the form of her friend's sudden death. It could be the betrayal of someone close. The list is endless. But instead of using it to place blame or use as an excuse, we have to let that pain go and use it to fuel our fire toward our dreams. A life lesson came out of the pain --- learn it, hold it, and use it to move forward.
You can be your own worst enemy. In order to achieve your dreams, at least one person has to be on your team - you. You must trust that you can achieve your dream --- or you will become your own excuse. How often do we hold back because we don't believe we can do something. I desperately wanted and still want to be a broadcast meteorologist. I can say whatever, but the truth is I never pursued that dream because I didn't trust myself. I didn't trust myself to achieve it, so I took the easy way out - no risk. It is essential to trust that you can achieve your dreams in order to actually achieve your dreams. Don't be your own enemy!
Time is money or in this case, time is your dream. How often do we use time as an excuse for not achieving our dreams? I was just too busy...I had so much going....Instead of packing your schedule full, take the time to really look at your time. Don't let time, which you have control over, become an excuse. Be honest with your friends and family about your time --- then, the time you spend with them will be more meaningful time --- and you can forge on toward your goal.
Approval-seeking and perfection...need I say more? Rip these two excuses off like a band aid immediately. Only seek approval from yourself --- you are the only person that matters. Focus on quality is okay. Obsessing over "perfection" can quickly become an excuse. Don't let anyone tell you what perfection is. Redefine what perfection means. Set new parameters for yourself and remember that perfection lies in imperfection (whatever that means to you).
As a hard-core chick, you must have integrity. Be a person who strives to do the right thing (even when it is difficult) --- stop making excuses for your mistakes and own them. We all make mistakes. We all have shortcomings. Accept them and move on. Integrity is a quality that is highly respected --- and a key part of being hard-core.
Last but not least, dream big --- and live with no regrets. We put self-imposed limitations on our dreams because we don't want to take the leap and fail. Big time excuse. We have to stop making excuses and start allowing ourselves to dream big --- risk big --- to achieve big!
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