Author: CLFurlong

Gratitude is a way to accept the reality and be thankful for what you have anyway. Let’s face it, sometimes life feels like it’s falling apart. Sometime’s it just all feels too tough, too hard and that your life is going nowhere…

I get it. We all have bad days, we all want to see the results now after all the effort we put in day after day. 

Today I want to remind you why, even though you may be feeling a bit like a failure, you are most definitely not.  Here are 15 signs that show you are doing well in life and that your life really isn’t that bad.

Simply read through these and see how many are relevant to you. Take a moment. Reflect, Apply gratitude and then ask yourself the question… how is your life really going?

1. You’ve lived and you have learned
2. You have a comfy bed to sleep in
3. You are striving to be better
4. You have had a job, or have a job
5. Knowledge is at your fingertips
6. You have food to eat
7. You have free will, the power to choose
8. You’ve had butterflies before, or something like it
9. You have clean water
10. You have a dream
11. Your happiness is real
12. You have clothes on your back
13. You have the ability to forgive
14. You believe in something greater than yourself
15. You have a chance, an opportunity to build global friendships

Strive to find things to be thankful for, and just look for the good in who you are! – Bethany Hamilton

Photo Credit: Instagram: @_clfurlong_ | Location: Silvan, Australia

Today you have a choice. You can keep sitting around thinking about doing something. Or, you can take action and finally take the steps to ignite your dreams. Or, just continue to make up silly excuses of why you can’t or shouldn’t.

I’m serious. What is stopping you? Like really stopping you? Why are you still sitting around? Don’t blame time and don’t blame resources. What is it that you are really blaming? What’s holding you back?

“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.” – Nolan Bushnell

If you have something you are passionate about and that you enjoy. You should chase it. You should follow it. You should make it happen.

I know it can be a little scary to chase our dreams. Look, you may even fail. But that is OK! The late and great Steve Jobs said:

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

You have limited time here and you may as well enjoy it and do what you love. Even if you do fail, everyone fails. It just depends if you will sit in it, or jump out of it and keep on keeping on.

“Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.” – Richard Branson

The more you wait around, the harder it will be to make an impact, because more and more people are following and chasing their dreams and there are people out there with some neat ideas, which I am sure will give yours a run for its money. But if you can make and create something outspoken, brilliant, yet also simple and fun, you won’t have a problem. All you need to do is put your idea into action and put some work to it.

“Work like there is someone working 24-hours a day to take it all away from you.” – Mark Cuban

These are all valid and important inspirations for any new starter or rising entrepreneur that is looking to take their idea and turn it into something tangible.

But like I have said numerous times and so did Madam C J Walker, the first self-made female millionaire in America:

“I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.”

The longer we sit around, the longer we remain comfortable. Get uncomfortable. 

Photo Credit: Instagram: @canva | Location: Unknown

Stop. Today is your day. Today is actionable Today is the time to start now. A today mindset and mentality is all it takes. 

Stop a moment and just realize that today is the mark of you now completing 60% of the year. It’s official, you have now progressed, achieved and survived 60% of the year. Now, lets buckle up for the 40% to go. 

Let’s checkpoint. You’ve come this far, so what are you going to do about the rest of the year. I personally believe you can do whatever you put your mind to. The only limitation is what you say it is, or believe it is.

Don’t hold back.

If you have already conquered your new year resolution! Kudo’s to you! See how much further you can go.

If you are still in progress, well that’s just as good, because this is the whole idea of a new year resolution. To complete it by the end of the year.

If you haven’t started because you never had a goal in the first place, or maybe you have been too lazy. Well, there is still time. Still, time to succeed. It only requires you to start today. To take action today. If you don’t start today, you miss out on getting ahead. Yes, there is always tomorrow, but with that mindset, tomorrow will never come. You will wait and wait until tomorrow becomes today and then you do the whole cycle again. Stop waiting around for something to happen, stop waiting around for you to somehow start. Decide to start. Decide to take control. 

All you need to do is make some progress each day, little by little. Every little step adds up to big results.

Do your self a favor. Start today, otherwise…

A year from now you may wish you had started today – Karen Lamb

Photo Credit: Instagram: @_clfurlong_ | Location: Silvan, Australia

Time. It flies so quickly. We have nearly passed the 60% mark of the year. I felt like it was just the other day we were discussing the mid year checkpoint.

But that’s just it! Time flies when you’re having fun! Time also flies when you are active, productive and working your magic!

I may be a workaholic and I can admit it can have its cons. But one thing I can always say is I AM NEVER TOO BUSY TO HAVE A LAUGH!

We can get so tied up with trying to do life, that we forget to stop and enjoy the little things. Don’t waste life trying to rush through it. Time can never be replaced, so tread carefully. Spend it wisely.

The irony is that we are busy doing many things that don’t matter and we have no time for things that do. Shouldn’t we reverse it? – Unknown

If you do what you love, you will always love what you do! Go, be passionate and today I dare you to laugh!

Photo Credit: Instagram: @canva | Location: Unknown

Being braver requires a to face fear in the face. Everyone has fears – it’s what makes us human. But fears hold us back from achieving our goals. If you want to be successful you need to identify the fears that are in your way and work towards conquering them one at a time, no matter how hard it may be. Even if you just be a little braver each day.

Being 1% braver each day, will have you kicking fear in the butt in no time.

It is so much easier to put the responsibilities of your circumstances and situations elsewhere. But you should understand that, in order to achieve greatness, you need to take responsibility for your situation. By taking charge of what is going on in your life, you get to be in control.

So what do you need to do?

Firstly… Stop getting in your own way and secondly…

News flash — your fear is what’s stopping you. You don’t see it or refuse to see it subconsciously because it makes you vulnerable. You are afraid of having to deal with the setbacks from your own failures. You think you are afraid of how others might react to your failure, but the truth is that you are afraid of how you will deal with your own failure.

Photo Credit: Instagram: @canva | Location: Unknown

There is an old saying;

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

This proverbial phrase suggests the encouragement of optimism and a can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. Lemons suggest bitterness, while lemonade is a sweet drink.

So when life does give you lemons (and it will), what will you do? You have a decision to make. Here they are:

When life gives you lemons,

• throw them back
• keep them, they are free lemons
• make lemonade
• throw them at someone
• grab some tequila & salt
• unless life also gives you some sugar and some water, your lemonade is going to suck
• say thank you
• plant a lemon tree
• spice up your meals
• learn to juggle
• sell them
• share them

The point is; life will give you lemons. Sometimes you will be able to use the opportunity and surprise the world, sometimes the lemons will have limited options and sometimes you may feel like there are no options and throw them away. But the reality is (as shown above), there are a number of choices you can make and even more than the ones listed. You need to decide whether you will take hold of the opportunity and make it work somehow. Or you can simply throw them away or right back at someone. But how you handle this, will define you in that very moment.

Three things define you. Your words, your actions and your attitude. – Anil Sinha

So what words will you choose, what action will you take? What will your attitude be?

Photo Credit: Instagram: @canva | Location: Unknown

Today is the day to become a better, stronger and a greater individual. Today is back for another round. Are you ready to kickstart?

Like any day, I suggest you tackle it head on, tackle it with the intention to own it and the rest of the week. I understand it can be tough, but don’t forget…

“Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.” — Marilyn vos Savant

Today I wish to share with you some mantras/some small motivational pieces, to help get your week super boosted and energized. But just remember, you are essentially the only one that can make your day and week great. You are in control.

Read these and see if they can inspire you to aspire further today. All you need to do is BEGIN! Let’s kickstart:

• Be better than you were yesterday
• It’s never too late to be who you might have been
• Life does not need to be perfect to be wonderful – Annette Funicello
• Trust your guts
• It is a good day to have a good day
• If I fall, I will get back up. If I am beaten, I will return.
• I am STRONG and I am MOVING FORWARD
• Start doing things you love
• Live your life, live your purpose
• Inspire, Motivate, Encourage
• No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. – Unknown
• Start today
• Own the day

Will you take on today with the attitude to go, to learn, to conquer and to own? Take today and make it your best. Kickstart every day.

Photo Credit: Instagram: @_clfurlong_ | Location: St Ali, Melbourne, Australia

I have always been one to have information summed up into a quick and clear form, so I can gather and take the information quickly while also knowing it is reliable. That’s what lists are all about.

Keeping track of crucial elements in your life through the utilization of lists is a perfect way to help you also grow your memory or feeble recollection.

Below I have a number of lists which have been found perfect to track achievements and ambition.

A List Of Goals

These should consist of all the items that you deem are necessary to truly respect yourself. They will be the list of things that you will want to complete in order to feel truly accomplished. Without such a list, you lose direction of where your life is heading, and we all need some inner guidance to focus on.

What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. —Zig Ziglar

A List Of Tasks

Tasks are all those milestones that lead up to a specific goal and completing these tasks would mean you have completed your goal. Depending on the size of your goal, you may have daily task lists, weekly tasks lists or a range of task lists.

Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best. —Theodore Isaac Rubin

A List Of Contacts

If you think you can do it all and this journey we call life all by yourself. You are wrong. However, at the same time, a flawed relationship can result in some unwanted outcomes as well. Finding friends and a partner can prove to be a challenge in this world. What I can guarantee you is; you will meet people who may inspire you. Truth be told, it can be arduous to forge strong friendship bonds, but having important acquaintances and becoming an important acquaintance is very much possible. This is where your list of contacts comes in. Having a list of your friends and family is important, but expected. Having a list of people you meet with skills and talents you may require assistance from, these should be in your contact list for future reference. You never know when you may need a lawyer, a programmer or a handyman. Make’s sense right?

Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit. — Aristotle

A List Of Expenses

Money comes in and goes out. Knowing the in’s and out’s and understanding how and what you are spending your dollars on is one way to ensure you are being financially healthy. There are two types of expenses: those that are necessary, (bills, taxes, food) and those expenditures used for indulging some personal cravings.  By making lists of all the monthly expenses we are obligated to pay, we’ll have a clear overview of how much resources are there at our disposal. Without the list and self-control, we can lead ourselves into a state of financial suicide. Financial success is measured by the amount of wealth and without adequate spending tactics, you prevent its accumulation.

A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart. — Jonathan Swift

A List Of Useful Tools

Society today vastly depends on technology which is usually the vessels of our details and information. Having these just stored plainly on your technology such as a phone or computer means they can be lost. Useful tools can help avoid this problem and they also make the job easier when it comes to storing information. Using the right apps and tools can make up for our lack of skills in a particular area, or simply help us manage our daily life and work life in a more timely manner. The only problem is… there are so many tools and if you use them all you will forget which tool has what information. The key here is to have a list of your tools that you are using.

If you’re the type of person who has to fulfill your dreams, you’ve got to be resourceful to make sure you can do it. —Vin Diesel

A List Of Self Improvements

This is an important and personal one. We all have things we want to improve about ourselves and this is ok. With a healthy goal, we can overcome and grow into greater success. Think about yourself, make a list of all the things you would like to improve or change, (these are some examples) then consider how to implement those changes. But I am sure you will have your own. The list is there simply to remind you which improvement to prioritize, and build up your confidence after each completion. Refusing to change can either result in a lack of confidence and depression, or becoming an overconfident and self-absorbed person that no one will tolerate for long; both of these traits will have impacts to your quest for a successful future.

The minute that you’re not learning I believe you’re dead. — Jack Nicholson

A List Of Creative Ideas

Some of my best ideas come to me in the shower – these are important to write down and save to your list of creative ideas. You may not know how to complete this item at this point of time, but having it written down, will allow you to pick up the details and run when the time is right. Not sure what it is a creative idea? For an idea to be classified as creative, it needs to be new, it needs to make sense, and it needs to have some sort of use. Letting your good ideas slide is only a wasted potential that will put your progress in a halt.

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. – Waldo Emerson

A List Of Future Plans

Similar to your first list of goals – having a list of future plans which can be both personal or just important things that are to occur in the future. These can all range from stating you want to get married to stating you want to keep up with the current trends of technology. This list can and will grow, so be flexible with it.

The future is uncertain but the end is always near. – Jim Morrison

A List Of Contingency Plans

Be ready for when things don’t go as planned. This is all about developing a good plan B. To elaborate on this more you can read some further details and examples here: being prepared for the aftermath is always a good and necessary thing. Whether the contingency is for work, finances, life, medical or family related – these should be thought about and listed.

You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That’s a part of it. — Denzel Washington

The Bucket List

Like your goals – your bucket list should be the list which ultimately should cover your life from end to end of what you want to do, experience or encounter. Now, these won’t necessarily require a task list, but this list should grow and be reflected upon regularly. It may change due to circumstances, but ticking these items off will vary through time and in seasons.

The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and for deeds left undone. — Harriet Beecher Stowe

Photo Credit: Instagram: @_clfurlong_ | Location: Melbourne, Australia

As you chase a lifestyle, pursue your passion and embark on a journey to be your dream, it is going to take time, effort and commitment. Or as some would call it. You will be required to have GRIT, be able to HUSTLE and you will need to PUSH through with persistence. But the more you move forward, sooner or later you will start to see things crack. Things will begin to happen the way you planned. It just requires you to be willing and ready.

When you stretch yourself, you’re going to have some fears pop up – but you’ll also have that magic of novelty. Of testing your edges. Of breaking into something new. Similarly, people think confidence is some magical thing that some people just “have.” That may seem true, but it’s usually simply that those who seem confident merely have more experience and have gathered more internal and external positive feedback in what they’ve been doing. You can only achieve that if you stick a foot out of your familiar zone and start that cycle.

Everyone has fear when they do that, but every time you notch a small win, that fear starts to dissipate. – Unknown

Self-esteem develops when you do your best and you see that you come out alive on the other side. Even if you didn’t bring down the house, you get to have the accomplishment of having done your best, which is all you can ever do. Self-esteem means that you say to yourself “I am worthy” because of you who you are, not because of the quality of your accomplishments.

Regardless of where you are landing, and how the day ends. As long as you have given your all. As long as you have applied the GRIT. The HUSTLE and the PUSHED through the day; fear will start to dissipate and self-esteem will begin to develop stronger and stronger. Just don’t let the set backs be the reason to slow you down, but bounce off these as opportunities.

Photo Credit: Instagram: @_clfurlong_ | Location: Melbourne, Australia

Failure is not something most people are prepared for and there are myths preventing you just as much. Failure has been a recurring topic throughout my blogs and the reason for that is because it is the number one driver which is limiting you from getting the results to success. The fear of failure is diminishing your confidence in succeeding. Aside from the improper planning and wrong decisions being made, here are some myths about taking action which may be stopping you from starting and thriving in the process.

You need to be a perfectionist

I can promise you that there is no one out there that knew it all, had all the answers or had everything accounted for before they took action. Sometimes we just need to stop making the excuses about not having it all ready and just start and take action.  Embrace the learning process along the way! For example:

Traci Des Jardins, a well-known chef, was trained by some of the best chefs and restaurateurs in the world. Traci launched her own restaurant Jardinière in San Francisco in 1997. When she expanded her restaurant empire, her biggest challenge was raising money. She had no formal training in business, so she leaned on a business partner to help her figure it out.

You need to have every detail planned out

Like the above, you don’t need to have all the details accounted for, however, the more details from the beginning can be insightful and help with decision-making, however these details can delay us from every start.

 “When people do nothing but execute a plan, they lose the ability to innovate and adjust to the changing waters of business.” – Garrett Moon

There has to be the perfect time

There will never be the perfect time to take action. We may have an advantage or come out quicker due to circumstances, however, if you spend all the time waiting for the perfect moment, you will miss out altogether. As the perfect time does not exist. No matter what; thick or thin, push through and you will come through in the end.

You don’t have the time

If it isn’t the right time to start, maybe you feel you don’t have the time to actually commit. Now there is a thin line for this and it comes down to priorities. You will always have time, but it is how you prioritize your time.  Let’s not forget that there are plenty of successful and busy people out there who manage. For example, a CEO would know what it is like to work non-stop. Now if they decided to stop this kind of life for the sake of their own sanity, they could. It is possible to still manage a company, have a family and look after yourself. It is not about not having the time, it is about managing and prioritizing your time.

You need a lot of resources to begin

You think you need to have all the right resources in check before making the leap.  Like the common excuse, “I need money to make money”. I get it, resources and money make things easier, they remove barriers and obstacles and they help whatever it is we are doing become that whole lot easier. But if you start whatever it is you want to do, if you take action and do it with the minimal, you will learn to adapt, to make do and to find ways to work around the lack of resources. In time, the resources will become available and you will have the option to apply these, but who knows, you may be happy and content with doing it the way you have managed all this time.

You need to control everything

When taking action and starting something new, we tend to become control freaks. We want to make sure we know the in’s and out’s of whatever it is we are doing. I get it, we want to make sure we have everything in order. But sometimes to have control and to have power, actions and tasks need to be delegated and segregated. Asking for help and having assistance highlights the importance of giving up control in order to build a successful dream, as it allows us not to rely on just one person – ourselves. Don’t get me wrong – self-motivation and determination will always get you far and maybe even further. But support, encouragement and even direction from a mentor, will also go a long way.

Many people struggle with making a start due to being clouded by the myths listed above. The best way to combat these is to commit to not falling into any of the above mentioned.

You can do it!

Photo Credit: Instagram: @_clfurlong_ | Location: Melbourne, Australia