Are you feeling unhappy or worn down by the pressures of life? Are you overwhelmed by your job or home situation? As you reflect on these things, maybe you’re not where you thought you would be at this stage of your life. You might even feel like running away. Like you, I’ve had my ups and downs and struggles. If we’re honest, we know there have been times when we’ve been in the bathroom crying and other times when we couldn’t wait to get up in the morning because life was so exciting.
1. Don’t let stress overwhelm you
I remember a time of depression when I was not enjoying life at all. Instead, I was stressed out. I’d lost my confidence and was existing rather than living. Stress had turned me into a person I barely recognized. I started yelling at my son and hating myself for doing so. I forgot about all the successes I’d once enjoyed.
The success I had as an athlete came through hard work, focus and discipline.
Through sport, I learned how to manage stress. My drive to be the best enabled me to push past the physical pain. I remember pushing myself so hard during one workout that I had to run to the bathroom and throw up — not a pleasant sight. Five minutes later, however, I was back on track doing a high-intensity workout. Sometimes after a workout, I couldn’t even walk. In fact, my legs would shake on the drive home.
I drew from my experience as an Olympian and elite athlete to renew my faith in God. I pushed through my limits to access the kind of power I could apply to every situation and retook control of my life.
I lost 30 pounds in three months, became more positive, started exercising, and began to eat better. My stress at work and home decreased as I found myself again.
I’m not perfect, nor is my life’s journey complete, but today I am perfectly happy in who I am. We all have an inner champion. Call upon that inner champion to give you the strength to reach your goals.
2. Have a Purpose
To step into your power, you must have a purpose in life or a passion for helping people. That way you’re not living for yourself — you’re living to make a difference in the lives of others. In my case, my passion was to help women become more confident and step into their power.
When you have a purpose, you feel happy, energetic and more successful. You begin to realize you can achieve anything you set your mind on.
When I found my passion, I realized I had two big goals: I wanted to write my mother’s fantastic story as ananthology, and to start a podcast.
Well, I’ve accomplished both goals. I wrote my mom’s story as an anthology, I am still here: Trials Turned into Transformation. Now I’m an international bestselling author! I also launched my podcast, Sprinting To Success, in iTunes on January 5, 2019.
You too can reach your goals in life. Start by finding your passion, your purpose, your light. What excites you in this life? When you see your passion, it will change the way you think, and you will have a positive impact on others.
3. When you’re afraid, do it anyway
Because my passion is to empower women, I needed a platform to reach them. So I decided to put myself out on social media to talk with women. The thought of going live on Facebook scared me to death. All the negative things I had once thought about myself resurfaced. I was afraid of what people would say or think about me. So I called on my Olympian self, stepped in front of the camera, and did my Facebook live. I rejected my fears and shut down all the negative thoughts swirling around my brain.
My attempt to do Facebook live was not perfect. I wasn’t even sure how to go about it. But I did it. And after I did, I realized the fear I had felt was not real; it was only a perception.
So I say to you: if you have a goal, you need to step out of your comfort zone and make a start. If you wait until conditions are perfect, they never will be.
4. Don’t let others tell you who you are
Sometimes when you share a goal or dream with others, they will say you can’t do it. Or they will laugh. The reason they respond in this way is that they don’t have goals or dreams of their own. They will project their aimlessness on you and tell you that you are too old, too young, too stupid, too tall and various other things. Don’t listen to these negative people. They want to cause doubts to stop you in your tracks, so you stay exactly where you are.
Decide on your own who you are. It’s time to conquer those worries about what people think about you. Stand in your power and find people who will support your big goals and dreams.
5. You are gold
Stand into your power and live with purpose.
You need to know that you are precious, like gold. When you think of yourself as highly valuable, you will begin to act that way. The thing is, if you don’t believe you have value, nobody else will either. So walk with your back straight, chest out and head held high. This is not to boast—it is merely to carry yourself with pride. You have been created for a purpose, and you are special. God never makes trash.
