Earlier this morning I was on Twitter moaning about the snow and wishing that I had a truck with 4-wheel drive to make getting around easier. I nearly got stuck three times this morning, and today is only the first real snow of the season. But wanting a truck is nothing new… I’ve been droolin’ over other peoples’ trucks, mostly F150′s and Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cabs for the better part of a year now.

And no, before you ask, I haven’t really done anything about getting one yet except whine about how much I want one. That’s the whole point of this post.

I’ve had a wake up call … one of those magnificent ah ha! moments. As I was about to post a status update on Facebook wishing for a new truck, it hit me. It is so time to stop droolin’ and start doin’ something to get what I want.

My little voice was yellin’ at the top of its lungs, “C’mon, get real Lena. You write about taking action all the time, but you’re not doing it yourself.” (I really hate it when that voice is right!) I’ve been doing this stuff long enough that I know that all the wishing in the world isn’t going to make things happen if I don’t take the action necessary to make it happen.

So starting right now, this minute I am focusing my energies on attracting a truck like this one or something better. And I’m gonna use all the skills and knowledge I have at my disposal to make sure I do my part in making sure it happens. At the very least I figure I’ll end up with a shiny new truck to play in the snow with, as well as a good head start on achieving my goals for the new year too.

If you want to keep track of how I do, feel free to either subscribe to my feed, or follow me on Twitter. I’ll be posting regular updates there too.

Making a New Start on the Path to Personal Growth

It sounds cliché, but the path to personal growth really does begin with a single step. What many people don’t realize is that the first step isn’t an actual physical step. It’s the mental preparation that you do before you start a new personal development journey that determines how successful you are in making the changes you desire.

Having an optimistic mindset means letting go of any baggage from your past that could be holding you back. I realize that it’s hard to let go of some things — heck, even I’m still hanging on to things from the past that would be better put to rest — but the whole purpose of this journey you’re about to embark on is to grow. And it’s harsh to say, but some things really are better off left in the dust as you move forward.

With that being said, I want to give you three tips today that you can put to use on your path.

1. Be kind to yourself.

Everyone makes mistakes, but only a fool lets those mistakes stop him/her from trying again. Don’t be afraid to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again. (Yes, I swiped that line from the old song ‘Pick Yourself Up’.) Whatever you do, don’t beat yourself up over what went wrong. Be kind and encouraging to yourself as you make a fresh start.

2. Retool your plan.

No matter how hard we try for the perfect plan, it just ain’t gonna happen. Life gets in the way and sometimes the goals we set for ourselves just aren’t reasonable. Many a plan has failed because its creator over-estimated what they could accomplish at the time. Don’t be afraid to sim;plify to get your desired results. Try setting three goals instead of thirty, and you’ll find it’s easier to achieve them because it’s easier to focus on them. When you complete one, add another to the list and before you know it, all thirty of the goals on your original list will be met and you’ll be creating another new set things to accomplish.

3. Take Action Now!

It’s important to get moving once you make the decision to move. The last thing you want to do is procrastinate at taking the first step. The more you wait and watch the days go by, the harder it gets to start and the more depressed you begin to feel. Don’t worry if your first few actions don’t work quite the way you intended. You’ll know before long if you’ve made a totally wrong move. And if that happens, you simply start over at step one — that would be dusting yourself off, in case you forgot already — and repeat the process. After all, your plans aren’t set in stone — or at least they shouldn’t be — and you might just have stumbled upon an awesome opportunity that you never would have if you hadn’t taken action.

So there you have it, an easy three step plan for starting down the path to personal growth. I look forward to sharing a few steps with you and hearing about your journey. (Hint: that means don’t be shy — leave a comment!)