DAY 13: 9/11 A Shattered Identity

Eleven years ago on 9/11 our American identity was shattered with the unexpected attacks aimed at the twin towers. We were forever changed. We would fear the "unknown." We would fear for our lives and the lives of others. We would hesitate to board a plane again. We would never be the same again, as a people and as a country. 

Eleven years ago I was not living in NYC but today I am and with that I must say that I understand the wound a little more...This city is humanity: exposed, vulnerable and out there...we live together, we ride subway cars together, we breath the same air, we walk down the same blocks, we stare at the same twinkling lights. Yesterday, as I looked up into the sky and saw airplanes flying overhead, I gasped a little, for fear that the same nightmare would happen all over again. 

I have not written for a week and there is a reason for it...I've thought about giving up on my venture of business building and financial change. The past 12 months have literally been hell, everything I thought I knew turned out to be something else. With each blow, rejection letter, failed relationship, career set back, my self esteem and identity shattered just a little more until I found myself broke on the ground. And as I pursue this new direction of becoming what I want to become, to seeking true happiness, financial prosperity and career satisfaction, I look back on the past and gasp. I see all the shattered pieces and think, I can't do this! I can't repeat the same nightmare! 

After 9/11 our country turned into a defensive bubble aimed at the "unknown terrorist," it became a place with "red alerts" and raised eyebrows at anybody who looked Middle Eastern. Fear escalated and so did control!!! OUR IDENTITY HAD BEEN SHATTERED AND WE WERE TRYING TO HOLD ONTO THE BROKEN PIECES! 

It is in times of destruction that our true nature is called forth and beckons us. WHEN WE SEE OURSELVES BROKE ON THE FLOOR WE MUST FACE OUR OWN HUMANITY.

We look down into the precipice of death and ask ourselves, "Why am I here? What is truly meaningful? Who am I ? Have I helped the world in some way?" When all that we know is lost, we latch onto control, familiarity and fear, hoping to turn back the clock. But time can not be reversed, we can not prepare for the unexpected, we can not re-do the past, we can only accept the present moment and move forward. 

WE MUST LOOK AT THE SHATTERED PIECES AND SAY GOODBYE! 

"One can experience an unconditional affirmation of life only when one has accepted death, not as contrary to life but as an aspect of life. Life in its becoming is always shedding death, and on the point of death. The conquest of fear yields the courage of life. That is the cardinal imitation of every heroic adventure--fearlessness and achievement." - Joseph Campbell 

"If you want release, you must affirm and not deny your suffering in your life and through it you can become a noble creature." [paraphrase] - Joseph Campbell 

THE IDENTITY WE HAD BEFORE IS NO MORE! We shed our old layer of skin and find our new selves among the broken pieces and pink, exposed flesh. WE DIE TO OURSELVES TO FIND OUR NEW SELVES!  STRONGER and FREE! FEARLESS and BRAVE! 

THE PAST IS OVER! THE NIGHTMARE HAS GONE. NEW DREAMS LIE IN WAIT.

"We have not even to risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of time have gone before us. The labyrinth is thoroughly know. We have only to follow the thread of hero path, and where we had thought to find an abomination we shall find a god. And where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves. Where we had thought to travel outward, we will come to the center of our own existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we will be with the world." -  Joseph Campbell

To those who lost their lives.

To those remaining.

To a new future.

ERIC THAYER/AP

The Tribute in Light spotlights aimed heavenward as a reminder of the fallen Twin Towers, illuminated the city on the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/tribute-light-installation-illuminates-new-york-city-pays-tribute-9-11-victims-article-1.1157368#ixzz26HP904iZ

Day 12: The Final Frontier

It has been a week since I have written and much has happened. My business is officially open and launched.

• Articles of Incorporation - check
• Business Plan - check
• Checking Account - check
• Website Up - check 
• Marketing Strategy - check 

The last seven days have been fraught with emotions...from excitement, anxiety, dread, fear, joy and anticipation. I have pulled 12 hour days, I have cried tears of fear, I have avoided opening up a bank account and I have worked with bated breath. This journey of starting a business and being financially free is definitely not what I expected; in many ways it is easier than I anticipated. I feel like all the crappy jobs, temp jobs, mediocre jobs and side jobs have taught me how to run a business. Only until now have I come to realize that my humble background as a executive assistant has prepared me for this moment. So how easy is it to start your own business or go after a dream? It's as easy as making the bed, people have been doing it for years!

But be forewarned that pursuing a dream or opening a business is also challenging and requires a great deal of COURAGE and VULNERABILITY. I imagine it is like going into outer space, black and unknown, you can't see the horizon just emptiness and in that emptiness lies the birth of possibility. 

Space Business: The final frontier
These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise  Whitney
Its  Her 5 year mission
To explore strange new worlds
To seek out new life and new civilizations  financial freedoms
To boldly go where no (wo)man has gone before *Star Trek

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN is one of the first challenges people have to face when they chase after their dreams. Being an entrepreneur means that you no longer operate under the comfortable structure of a corporate entity. Above all it means CHANGE and with change arises anxiety. Giving up something familiar can be challenging at first, especially when it gives us comfort. 

Last week, I had to give up my FEAR OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS. I've lived my whole life getting by: paying the bills, having a little left over for a drink and maybe a used pair of sunglasses, no health insurance, no savings, and a tiny portion for miscellaneous expenses. Who wants to live like that? Apparently me, I have only known the "getting by" way of life and deep down I'm afraid to live a "financially successful" way of life. This became evident to me when I found the simple task of opening my business bank account daunting...I avoided it for 3 days! And I kept wandering why??? 

What was I so afraid of? 

CHANGE! THE UNKNOWN! Meth addicts love their drugs even though they know it's killing them. When they are offered an opportunity for a new life, they're terrified...because all they have known is meth. (I've been watching a lot of "Intervention" lately) I don't want to be like a Meth addict, killing my financial self and sabotaging all my dreams. I WANT TO BE POWERFUL INSTEAD OF POWERLESS. Therefore, I must make choices that are going to make me powerful. How do I do this? FACE THE UNKNOWN and DO IT BRAVELY & BOLDLY! 

So I mustered the courage and walked into the bank and opened my new business checking account. In doing this simple task, I developed a relationship with a bank manager and learn all sorts of things about banking; I must say that I am a better adult and entrepreneur for it! But it wasn't all roses...I had to answer an array of questions about my financial history and the truth is it was kinda of embarrassing. FACING THE MUSIC CAN BE DIFFICULT BUT IT MUST BE DONE IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD. There I was confessing all of my spending habits, business intentions, credit score, income and projected deposits, etc... I HAD TO FACE THE CROUCHING DRAGON AND HIDDEN TIGER in my life and in turn I BECAME POWERFUL!

Leaving the familiar can be difficult at times and confessing our frailties can be even more daunting but WE MUST FACE OURSELVES IN ORDER TO SAVE OURSELVES. And in doing this we develop SELF TRUST and RESILIENCE, the two components that are essential to survival in the unknown frontier. 

I leave you with this, an inspiring poem from a man who faced the unknown with an astounding amount of resilience and belief.


Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul. 

By, Invictus

Please visit my company website at: www.fairydustphotos.com   and show your support by LIKING the business Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/fairydustphotos

DAY 11: Goodnight Moon

Last night I went to my rooftop and gazed up at the faint stars between the buildings. I thought about how many times I've looked up at those stars hoping and dreaming, sending wishes out into space. This time the stars seemed so far away, so faint, so few. Then I wondered if all our hoping fades with time, with each year that passes the stars grow dimmer and our dreams fade into the background. Our innocent countenance turns to wrinkles and the nights waiting for Santa Claus are no more. And yet...I still dream, I still believe for if I do not dream then I will disappear behind the curtain and be no more. 

Any why do I write with such a contemplative tone? 

It is imperative that we not forget that the sun will rise again and all those remorseful memories, so called failures or mishaps will be behind us. The sun will greet us again. 

http://www.npr.org/2012/08/24/160006508/lance-armstrong-when-a-hero-lets-us-down?utm_source=NPR&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20120824

The chief beauty about time
is that you cannot waste it in advance.
The next year, the next day, the next hour
are lying ready for you,
as perfect, as unspoiled,
as if you had never wasted or misapplied
a single moment in all your life.
You can turn over a new leaf every hour
if you choose.

Arnold Bennett

British Novelist

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Steve Jobs

Co-Founder and CEO of Apple Computer

---

Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is anew day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on yesterdays. Ralph Waldo Emerson American Poet

DAY 10: Little Miss Sunshine

Good Morning Sunshine, wait it's more like Good Afternoon Grumpy face! I have never been a morning person, you can ask anyone who knows me. During my teenage years my mother would attempt to wake me up every morning by tearing off my covers, yelling and as a last resort throwing a glass of water on me. Even when I was the host of a slumber party my guests would have to shake me awake in the morning. Don't even get me started on how I have annoyed my half asleep boyfriends or roommates with my insistent three alarm clocks. So the question is, why is waking up early important? 

In the last couple of months I have made drastic changes to my lifestyle and habits. The new healthy habits I have developed have created a new healthy life. I say "NEW HABITS NEW LIFE."  My days are filled with setting goals, building a business, exercise, eating nutritious food, yoga, socializing with friends, walking in the sun, writing, spending quality time with my pets, volunteering and blogging. WOHOO! That's a lot. Don't get me wrong my life has improved in such a beautiful and fulfilling way but now I'm running myself ragged. I've skipped blogging a couple of times because it ends up being 2AM and I don't have anymore energy left. And starting a business is way more time consuming then I ever imagined, weekends no longer exist and tasks that you think will be easy sometimes aren't. Also, more now then ever the phrase "time is money" actually means something to me. My business depends on my ability to produce therefore more hours are required of me. But I believe in balance and I have lived 28 years going a million miles an hour with sleep deprivation, bad habits and low energy. My aim at running a business goes beyond making profit, for me it's about a healthy and happy lifestyle, so getting rest has to be priority.

"Every aspect of human life depends on the awareness we bring to it. The more aware we are of our environment, the safer we are. The more aware we are of our thoughts and feelings, the better we handle our relationships. The more aware we are of our body- its needs and its reactions to our dietary habits and lifestyle -- the healthier we are." http://www.depressionproofyourlife.com/

Right now my body clock is totally off, I'm waking at 10:30 AM and working until 2:00 to 3:00 AM. BAMMMMMM! Not good. Although I'm being productive I know that my body innately senses that something is off, maybe it has something to do with the rhythm of the rising sun and moon; I don't really know all I know is that I want to make a change. When I envision habits of successful people and entrepreneurs, I always imagine them waking up early reading a newspaper, writing goals down, running on the treadmill and eating breakfast before the sun has officially risen. Actually this helpful link proves my theory is correct: http://www.businessinsider.com/successful-early-risers-2012-1?op=1

Of course we all know Benjamin Franklin's saying "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." He is also quoted as saying: "The early morning has gold in its mouth."

I believe that if I'm going to be a successful business owner and healthy individual that I'm going to have to change my sleeping patterns. I'll be honest, this getting up early thing seems nearly impossible. I did it a couple times in college when I had a 8am class that I had to commute to and get up at 5:45 every morning but this...Plus, I work for myself in my home, so technically I can roll out of bed anytime and start working. 

Deep down I know that I have to slay the slumbering dragon! This has been a 28 year battle that I'm going to win! I just have to remind myself it's like changing any other habit. I managed to do a back bend in 2 months, I CAN DO THIS. My new personal and professional goal is to wake up 5:30AM every morning (ekk! even on weekends) and go to bed by 10PM. Here is some helpful advice for becoming an early riser: http://thinksimplenow.com/productivity/how-to-wake-up-early/ and http://zenhabits.net/10-benefits-of-rising-early-and-how-to-do-it/

WISH ME LUCK! I'll report back via my blog. 

NOW WHAT SLUMBERING DRAGON DO YOU NEED TO SLAY? Something that you have wanted to change for years but just haven't mustered the strength...

DAY 9: Back Bend

I was never flexible even when I was an athletic youngster and I always envied the girls who could do a back bend while smiling; even my high school boyfriend could do it and I couldn't even manage to bend my elbows. But today I was victorious!! I have been doing yoga on a regular basis for the last couple of months and honestly it has truly transformed my life on all levels. Two months ago I promised myself that I would be able to do a back bend before my birthday in September. 

Today when my yoga class was coming to a close the instructor encouraged us to do whatever final pose we desired. I didn't want to attempt a back bend in front of all those flexible people and make a complete fool of myself. I also feared the grunting noises that might arise along with my possible public collapse. I had tried and failed a week prior while alone in my apartment. But then I thought, what the hell why not give it a try and face my fear dragon! Next thing I know I'm in a back bend! Three weeks ahead of schedule! I not only managed one back bend but three!  I was victorious! 

To tell you the truth, I really thought that I wasn't the type of person who could ever do a back bend, I thought that my body just didn't work that way. But with daily practice I began to see that my body could do more than I could imagine and that I am way more capable than I think. If you think you can't lose 20 lbs, you could be wrong, YOU'RE A LOT MORE CAPABLE THAN YOU THINK. If you think you can't save money, TRY! 

YOU'RE A LOT MORE CAPABLE THAN YOU THINK. 

Ironically, I hated my first yoga class! I struggled with every move and holding down dog was agonizing. I kept going to yoga because I was reaping a long list of benefits: improved posture, overall vitality, flexibility, clarity, awareness and increased energy. Never in a million years would I've thought I could manage a half decent back bend but with CONSISTENT PRACTICE and PERSISTENCE I did just that.

What does this have to do with business and finances? 

Well, I'm now a business owner and how am I business owner? With DAILY PRACTICE and PERSISTENCE! I don't know everything and I can't foresee the future but I do know that if I apply myself everyday to building a business that results will happen and money will come. It's scary to try something new. I was scared of yoga and scared of starting a business but now I'm doing both. DIVING IN HEAD FIRST is sometimes the best way to get started. Even if you hate the task at hand or are scared to death DO IT because you will reap the benefits from all your handwork. 

DONT OVER ANALYZE! DON'T OVER THINK!  

JUST DO and DO IT UNTIL YOU MASTER IT! 

YOU WILL SEE THE REWARDS OF YOUR LABOR IN TIME! 

It takes times, ONE DAY AT A TIME! This morning my fears started gnawing at me but then I remembered that "Thinking breeds fear and ACTION overcomes it!" So I went to work and ignored my negative pressing thoughts. 

In order do a back bend or run a business you must be FLEXIBLE. Today I hit several bumps along the way and as a result my launch date has been pushed back two more days. The old me: the inflexible, perfectionist control freak would've wallowed in self pity. The new me knows that a couple bumps along the way aren't going to kill me and that I will be ready in due time. DEADLINES are IMPORTANT but remember to KNOW YOUR LIMITS. 

Sometimes we reach our GOALS EARLY and sometimes we HAVE TO TAKE A DETOUR and other times we have DELAYS but if it is something we truly want then we must trust ourselves and know that WE WILL ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS and see the FRUIT OF OUR LABOR. 

Onwards and upwards my friends! Now go try something new and scary! 

DAY 8: Know Your Limits

Part II of Risky Business

Disheveled hair, smeared mascara, cryptic text messages, falling asleep with your clothes and one shoe still on...Does this sound familiar? Last night that was me and this morning it feels like someone is dancing on my brain. As I write, my whiskey headache pounds and the beaming light from the computer screen pierces my swollen eyeballs like a laser. Was it worth it? Don't get me wrong I'm not a total stick in the mud, I have had amazing times with amazing friends over a bottle of booze but this time it felt different, maybe it's because I'm different. 

WHEN IT COMES TO RISKY BUSINESS KNOW YOUR LIMITS! I don't know what it is about me and booze, if it's there I'll drink it, if it's free I'll definitely drink it and if it's a weekend I'm totally in. Last night I had a great time but once the mixed liquids settled in so did my neurosis. As a person prone to depression and recently recovering from a bad episode, drinking too much is risky business. 

In my previous blog post http://brokechickrichchick.blogspot.com/2012/08/day-7-risky-business.html  I said without risk there is no reward. You can't play defensively and conservatively. You can't take calculated risks with the intention of failing or protecting yourself. You have to put it all on the line. All of this true but YOU MUST KNOW YOUR LIMITS. We humans do have defensive mechanisms for a reason, to keep us alive! Remember defensive driving class and all those scary videos...The choices you make effect your life and the lives of others.

Writing this mere blog is proof of that, I have propelled my personal dreams forward by being accountable via cyberspace and I have received a ton of positive feedback from my readers. My choices have effected my life and others. 

KNOW YOUR LIMITS! Does the idea of not having a consistent pay check scare you? Then maybe going into business for yourself isn't the best idea. Do you want to invest your money but don't want to risk losing it? Then investing in a junk bond is probably not a good idea.

IN ORDER TO KNOW YOUR LIMITS YOU MUST KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVE. What risk are you taking to get what reward? What is your goal? 

My objective is to maintain overall mental and physical health, build a business and to be debt free. By drinking too much last night, I lost sight of my goals and passed my personal limits. Everyone has different limits! If you love shopping and have loads of debt then going into a mall with a burning credit card in your wallet is surpassing your limits, especially if your goal is to pay off your debt and start saving. 

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TEST YOUR LIMITS TO KNOW YOUR LIMITS. Pushing the limits is human nature. Remember when mom would always tell you not to touch the stove but you did it anyway...you wanted to see what the fuss was all about so you burnt yourself in return and still have a scar to remind you. SCARS ARE LESSONS THEY SHOW YOU YOUR LIMITS. 

I encourage everyone to take risks but don't forget your limits. As for me, I think its going to be a two drink max for awhile.  Ending on a high note, I've been working really hard on my website and business plan! 2 DAYS TO LAUNCH DATE! 

DAY 7: Risky Business

Sometimes things don't go exactly how you plan. I had arranged for three families to have free photo sessions prior to my website being launched on August 20th...Things haven't gone accordingly due to exterior circumstances (bed bugs and in-laws). Unfortunately and fortunately, my photo sessions have been rescheduled for September. To tell you the truth, I hate curve balls. I'm a perfectionist who wants things to go a certain way to get a certain result aka control freak. But in order to live life fully you can't avoid risk both personally and financially! 

I would consider myself a risk taker. I've done things that the average joe would call risky: traveled the world on a ship, went to Paris solo, I finished my college degree, I sold everything and moved to NYC not knowing anyone. All these risks involved positive and negative results. 

1. My ship got stuck between two storms and we were hit by a huge rogue wave, nearly shipwrecking us. We survived!!! I traveled the globe and met my life long best friend along the way. 

2. I got lost in Paris and couldn't find my hostel along with not being able to make bank transactions. I found my hostel, regained control over ATM withdrawals and had the time of my life! 

3. I moved to NYC with only a questionable craigslist sublet and luggage. I established an extraordinary group of friends right away. I had a job that I hated with an anger boss, I quit my job and now I'm on my way to starting my own company. 

4. I completed college with two degrees in FILM but post graduation was not what I expected. I had a year of utter sadness and disappointment, with one bad thing happening after another, like colliding dominoes. All areas of my life were coming crashing down: guys, career prospects, finances, and a complete identity crisis. I nearly ended my life. But I have since risen like a phoenix and rediscovered my true self. I can say without a shadow of a doubt I'm happier then I have ever been in my life!  

I could pat myself on the back and say to the world, "Look at me, I'm a risk taker!" But the truth is there are areas in my life that I'm terrified to take any risk. Ironically, they are the things that I hold dear to my heart: love and prosperity. When it comes to love and prosperity I've always played defensively and conservatively. 

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. 

– T. S. Eliot

If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary. 

– Jim Rohn

We all excitedly open up fortune cookies anticipating a wonderful fortune and hoping that it will all magically come true. But without risk there is no reward. YOU CANT PLAY DEFENSIVELY AND CONSERVATIVELY. You can't take calculated risks with the intention of failing or protecting yourself. You have to put it all on the line. 

The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely cut open.

 –Chuck Palahniuk

Ask yourself, what is it you truly want, deep down inside? What are you afraid to seek? As for me, I want to increase my CASH FLOW AND LOVE FLOW! 

How how do I do that? 

Accept that life is a trial and error experience and not everything can be planned. Also, enjoy the process of life and try to catch some curve balls along the way, you never know where they may lead you. I naively thought that my brilliant ideas or talent would catch the attention of someone who could confirm my value and then give me a million bucks. I also thought that if I play it safe Mr. Perfect was going to land on my door step.  BUZZ! WRONG ANSWER! 

I gotta play to win and in order to do that I have to take some risks! When I play chess, I always play conservatively and defensively that's why I SUCK AT CHESS! The ultimate goal of chess is to capture the king. People who are good at chess risk their pawns, knights and even their Queen to win! 

Marcel Duchamp

When it comes to love and prosperity I'm playing to win without reservations! It's trial and error time and I can't let my need to be perfect or my fear of failure hold me back from getting what I really want out of life. So next time I see a cute guy, I'll smile and talk to him as opposed to trying to play hard to get, which is actually a defensive and conservative move. So what if I talk to the hot gym instructor while smelling like sweaty socks; if I score a date afterwards my imperfections won't have mattered. If he's not interested then he's not the one. 

And when it comes to running a business, I'll "keep calm and carry on." At least I'm putting it all out there: my blog, my life, my dreams and my work...it may not turn out exactly how I planned but I bet the journey and the results of my hard work are going to be spectacular! 

My website will be up and running on August 20th with the materials I have. Next goal: my first sale and a date! ;) 

Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing. – Denis Waitley

It is better to risk starving to death then surrender. If you give up on your dreams, what’s left? – Jim Carrey

There’s something liberating about not pretending. Dare to embarrass yourself. Risk. – Drew Barrymore

I DARE YOU TO EMBARRASS YOURSELF THIS WEEK!

DAY 6: Down the Rabbit Hole

Today my objective was to solidify my business plan. I hunkered down and worked for several hours writing down my target market, who I'm selling to, when I will make profit and reasons why anyone should buy from me. I completed the tasks at hand and soon discovered that I have quite a big dream that involves a lot of elements: employees, subsidiaries, franchises, and corporations. I was amazed at how my tiny dream of owning a portrait studio turned into a beautiful but complex dream.

Soon I was falling deep down into a rabbit hole, further and further. I looked up and yelled, "where am I?" I ate the magic cake and my dreams kept getting bigGER and BIGGER. There's nothing wrong with dreaming big but soon I found myself tumbling deep down into la-la land. My focus was scattered and soon my clothes were bursting at the seams. How was I ever going to get out of this self made rabbit hole?

“No dreamer is ever too small; no dream is ever too big.” – Anonymous

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

If you don’t have a dream, how can you have a dream come true?” – Jiminy Cricket

There is nothing wrong with dreaming big, I'm a firm believer! But when the time comes, which is usually sooner rather than later, you have to pull yourself out of the rabbit hole. 

I knew I couldn't cry my way out like Alice. I also knew that IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET OUT OF THE RABBIT HOLE! When you feel overwhelmed and like you're sabotaging yourself or failing miserably, just realize that it's NEVER TOO LATE, you can change everything NOW! 

Soon I recognized exactly what I was doing and how I got into the rabbit hole in the first place. Knowing yourself and recognizing your imperfections is one of the best methods of change. You must know your tendencies, habits, needs, positive and negative characteristics in order to harness yourself and accomplish your goals. 

This can be applied to any area of your life. For example, if you want to work out at the gym five days a week but when the time rolls around you always gorge yourself at dinner and say, "I'll go tomorrow;" you are holding yourself back from accomplishing your goal by two self evident tactics: 1) sabotage and 2) excuses. Once you recognize your own defense mechanisms, habits and tendencies you can choose to change them for the better. DONT FORGET TO FORGIVE YOURSELF & MOVE ON. 

I know that my creative and overly analytical mind can get away from me and in order to accomplish the short term goals I must harness that energy and re-focus. So I scribbled my big dream down and kept working toward my small tasks. 

As dreamers, we will all experience the magic cake and drink effect. When we eat the cake our dreams get real BIG and when we drink the magic potion our dreams get SMALLER. It is a balancing act that we all must face day in and day out. The only way to make our dreams come true is to dream big, set realistic goals and accomplish small steps everyday. 

“At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable.” 

– Christopher Reeve

“If I can dream, I can act. And if I can act, I can become.” – Poh Yu Khing

“All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.”

 – Brian Tracy

Tidbit

http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/224161?cam=Dev&ctp=Carousel&cdt=17&cdn=224161

DAY 5: A Fist Full of Dollars

A Fist Full of Dollars and A Few Dollars More are great movies but not a great way to live financially. With my new pursuit of prosperity and business success I'm starting to realize that I have to let go...let go of my past thinking and habits. Isn't it strange how we humans get attached to doing things a certain way even when it isn't good for us. We know we should floss but we don't. We should say no to a second helping of cake but we just can't resist. And we think maybe five drinks is excessive but say to ourselves "it's Friday night."  

As for me, I can't keep holding onto to money with a tight fist; scared to lose it, scared it will never come back. The same is true of becoming a entrepreneur, I have to let go of the idea of a regular 9-5 salary position with "security".

I have to COMMIT to SUCCESS both financially and emotionally. The definition of the word commit is "to devote oneself unreservedly." This means holding absolutely nothing back; giving 100% of everything to achieving your goals. No excuses, no ifs, ands or buts...

This can be applied to many areas of life. If you want to meet a great guy, then you commit to saying no to all the temporary temptations and losers. You make different choices! You give 100%, you act differently to get different results, because whatever you were doing before was getting you what you didn't want. You stay the course until you meet Mr. Right. You let go of old dating rituals, thoughts, and insecurities. It's do or die time. You are committed! 

I have made a decision to be prosperous, debt free and a successful entrepreneur but have I committed? 

I want to commit but how do I commit? I make different choices to get different results. I let got of my old ways.

1. I no longer believe in just getting by "paycheck to paycheck." That's no way to live.
2. I let go of my fears. Fears that there isn't a enough money to go around. Fears that my needs won't be met.
3. I release my fear that I will fail.
4. I no longer believe that I can't finish what I started. 
5. I stop believing that the past dictates the future.
6. I let go of the belief that I can only achieve a certain amount of success within my social and economic circle. 
7. I no longer say to myself, "This is how it's always going to be." 

So how do I unclench my fist around those sweaty dollar bills? ACTION!!!

COMMITMENT IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH ACTION. 

Write a list of things you want and then do something about it! JUST DO IT!

THINKING breeds fear, ACTION OVERCOMES IT.

My white knuckles are letting loose as I commit to change, as I commit to success. 

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

~ Dale Carnegie

It is my belief that successful people are just as afraid as the rest of us but instead of running away, stalling or avoiding what they fear, they step toward it. They throw a punch. They slay the dragon. 

We must do what is counter intuitive until it is intuitive.  Once we've conquered the dragon, it won't have mattered that we wet our pants while doing it. 

"Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it."

~ Bill Cosby

So what to do...

1.  Commit to killing the dragon. It's either him or you, and you're not going home without his head in your hands. 
2. Release old habits and thoughts.
3. Trust yourself and realize that you are adequate for any situation.
4. ACT NOW! Take small steps everyday.
5. Don't be afraid to make mistakes or pee in your pants along the way.

Now off with his head! 

References:  http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Millionaire-Mind-Mastering-Wealth/dp/0060763280