Many people do not follow their instincts, because they either ignore them or cannot sense them at all.

As a writing professor, I read student essays on many topics. One popular topic I’ve assigned over the years is to write about a valuable time in each student’s life when they’ve learned a valuable lesson. Most of the essays I’ve received from that assignment have been lessons where students knew that one decision was better for them but they chose the opposite decision because they wanted to go along with the opinions of their friends.

That’s what many of us do, even when it comes to choosing a college degree or future major. We go with the flow of what we think—or we’ve come to expect about what—we can or cannot do. For instance, I recently interviewed a woman on my Tuesday evening USTREAM show who knew she no longer wanted to be in Detroit. Her heart’s desire was to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in entertainment public relations. She knew no one in the town, and many people suggested that she abandon her dream and maintain the security of sticking with the job she already had. She didn’t listen. She packed up her car and drove out to Los Angeles. In three months she had the job of her dreams. She now works with famous people all over the entertainment industry.

Some people fear that if they follow their instincts, the risk will be too great and success will not be in their future. It’s actually quite the opposite. If God put the dream in your heart, all you have to do is listen and believe in it. Even more than believing, you need to have an inner knowing that your inner self is right on target and have no doubts.

Why don’t some people respond to their instincts? There are a few reasons. Some of us listen to the wrong “influences” in our lives, which can sometimes be friends or even our own family. It’s like having the radio turned up really loud, so that we can’t hear our own independent thoughts. But other people’s thoughts and opinions don’t necessarily work for us. We also fill our time with too many activities. In order to better hear your inner self, take time each day to sit quietly and let your mind drift. You owe it to yourself and your destiny.

Don’t doubt it for a minute that who you are influences what you do and how you do it. Let’s use a career example to show you exactly what I mean. If I have a student who does not value education and is only in school because his or her parents told him or her that is what he or she had to do after high school, that student is going to do is the bare minimum to pass classes. This is not you’re “A” or “B” student but the student who may or may not pass the class.

The student does this is by exerting only the slightest effort. The student does not study, does assignments last minute, and does not accept tutoring services when offered. The student just described has inner conflict and is not living a fulfilled and happy life in school or in any other aspect of his or her life.

Everyone has a foundation that makes up a part of who we are created from the environment from which we were raised, our families, our friends, the society around us, our religious background, our beliefs, and our morals and values. But what many people do not understand is that our foundation can be changed. Some parts of this foundation might work well for you right now in your life. If that’s the case, keep those aspects of your foundation. But for the parts of your foundation that aren’t working in your life, get rid of them so that you can be who you want to be.

Being your true self is so important, because it allows you to expose the gifts you have to offer to the world. If you keep them inside and don’t share them with anyone else, the world will miss your contribution.

One of the biggest blocks that prevents people from being who they want to be is fear of judgment from others. Some people worry about what their parents might think about their decisions, and others fear what their peers might think about their decisions. Fear of the peers is often referred to as peer pressure. No matter what age, many people feel they have to do what everyone else is doing so they can fit in. Most people think this only happens with teens and young adults, but the truth is that for a large chunk of life we all try to fit in at work, in our social groups, and within our families.

If you fear what others might think of you and your decisions, you are not tapped into your true self. If you live your life they way you want to live it, you’ve found the freedom that has been your right since you arrived on this Earth.

Tapping into your true self takes courage, because it may go against the grain of others you know and love. But if you feel you are living life the way it is supposed to be for you, keep going. You are on the right track.

I recently took the biggest risks of my entire life. Was it easy? Not necessarily a smooth road but definitely worth the bumps and uneasiness I felt making risky choices for my life.

I lived in New Jersey my entire life. I was born there; I grew up there; I went to college there; and I lived my twenties working there. It was great. I was used to my environment. I was able to stay in touch with close friends I’d known my entire life. Although I love New Jersey and the experiences I had there, I wanted to break out of my shell and expand. I told my mother, “The entire world is my home. I have so much to offer it. I need to share my gifts with those who need it.”

So what did I do? I moved to Orlando, Florida, quit my job as a full-time professor, made my coaching business my full-time job, and signed up to work as an adjunct professor at Seminole State College of Florida. Talk about a lot of change in a month!

I talked about doing this for years, but I always came up with excuses as to why it wouldn’t be a good idea. I felt I had more stability at my college in New Jersey. I was one year away from obtaining tenure, and the college made it very clear that I was going to get it. I had an excellent health insurance plan. I had a consistent income. And even with all that I knew I was not following my heart. I did my best, but I knew that my best work would be even better if I followed my dream. Most importantly, I now feel free. I honored my heart. This is one of the best feelings in the world!

How do you feel when you wake up everyday? Are you living the dream you always wanted? You deserve to live the desires of your heart, and the world needs you to express them. Become your dream.

Be creative – cut magazine pictures, find internet images, draw
pictures, etc. Use the information you wrote down from your
envisioning exercise and include related images on your board.

Download the vision board checklist to make sure you’ve included
everything you want for your life

Principal #1, from the Dare to Dream Big audio, is extremely helpful
in putting your worries to ease. Once you figure out your life
purpose, your path gets clearer and you are able to walk
confidently down the path towards the career of your dreams.

Download your own personal life purpose journal to get started.

Use each page to jot down your thoughts on the
following questions, and then use the last page to write out your
life purpose statement.

1. What’s something you do in which time goes by quickly (without
you even checking the time)?

2. If you had all of the money in the world, what would you do?

3. What are your hobbies? What do you like to do for fun? Don’t
just think about now, but also think about when you were a child.

4. What do you like about your hobbies? What is the feeling you get
when you’re engaged in them?

5. Think about a time you felt closest to your core (your true
self). Describe it. What did it feel like? What were you doing?

6. If you had a week to live, how would you spend it?If you take the
time to answer these questions—and you are really honest!—you’ll be
surprised how easy career planning can be. You may “see” the answer
is right in front of you.

Sign up for a 20-minute complimentary session to see how coaching
can benefit you and your entire future.

Many philosophers and inspirational gurus have referred to these choices and its relation to life as a blank canvas that each of us can paint however we want. Now, if someone paints a picture he or she does not like, then there is a choice to wipe the canvas clean and start over again, learning from the previous painting you created.

For the benefit of the entire universe, it is important that each of us paints our canvas in the unique manner in which God created each of us. Although each of us are unique, we are all connected in this universe to play out a certain role we’re here to play. If we don’t play the role that lies deep within our hearts, everyone suffers because we will all miss the special gift inside of you that you were meant to share.

Wayne Dyer said, “Don’t die with your music still inside you. Listen to your intuitive inner voice and find what passion stirs your soul.”

My passion is to write. It’s something I’ve done well my entire life. During my junior year of college, I decided I wanted to write for a living. I became a journalist. Although I left the journalism field as a full-time career, I’ve stuck with my passion. I teach writing as a professor. Even now as a life coach, I continue to write all kinds of stuff. I also have a novel in the works.

The point is that life is what you make it. It sounds so cliché, but it’s so true. I always say that the world is my oyster, because for the most part I know I can do absolutely anything I want. It all depends on the choices I make each day. When I make a choice I don’t like, I just make another choice that works better for me.

You have this power, too. Be sure to use it to create the best life for you.

The Dream Purposeful Phenomenon will air Tuesday, July 6th at 9 p.m. EST. Click below to join us for an amazing interview and out of the box thinking that will transform your throughts and how you approach life.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/create-the-career-of-your-dreams-phenomenon

Most of us always know that challenges arrive in our lives for a reason, but we don’t always admit or recognize that when the challenge is upon us. All we seem to focus on is the challenge itself and  what’s lacking in our lives.

The next time you have one of those days, try this simple but helpful activity. It raises your spirits and turns your day around.

Take out a piece of paper and jot down all of the things you are truly grateful for in your life. If you don’t appreciate the things you have, you won’t be inviting more positivity in your life. You’ll only continue to generate the challenges that are driving you crazy. So shift your mindset and acknowlege all the great things going on in your life!