So you’re here. You’ve found The Proud Company; we’ve been patiently waiting for you to be ready. Although we haven’t met yet, I know you have a vision of the life path you want to follow; you’re just a little blocked…

You’re working hard but feel unfulfilled. You’re tired but have the electric energy to find and do what you love. You put everyone else first, and their cups overflow whilst you leave the dregs for yourself. It’s hard; it’s all so bloody hard.

I will give you the six principles I believe are needed to ensure that the sustainable progress you want is achievable. And that it will establish your resilience, passion and your limitless potential.

These perspectives will give you clarity and fuel your desire to follow your passion with purpose and without fear.

Principle 1: Try Anyway.

A lot of the time, we let our doubts and anxieties stop us from getting things done. We tell ourselves we’re not qualified or good enough to undertake a new project. We think about why we don’t have time to learn something new or why we shouldn’t try something different. That’s okay! It’s normal to have these thoughts, but if you constantly allow them to stop you in your tracks, you’ll never be able to accomplish your goals. Instead of letting fear hold you back, try turning “I can’t do this because” into “This might be hard for me, but I’m going to try anyway.”  

There’s no shortage of reasons why we shouldn’t do what we want, but there are plenty of reasons why we should. The secret is exploring the right ones for your situation, using them as fuel for action instead of excuses not to act at all! Next time you find yourself saying, “I can’t do this because…,” stop yourself and replace those words with something more EMPOWERING.

Principle 2: Failure must happen.

Failure. Not an option. Ever. I was afraid of it; I thought, “If I fail at this once, I’ll never try it again because it’ll be so embarrassing!”

The cold truth is that failure is a vital part of success. There are no clever phrases I can give you to make this easier. You don’t fail or succeed. First, you fail. Then, you succeed. Suppose you manage to look at failure as a stepping stone instead of an obstacle; life suddenly becomes so much easier. 

Principle 3: Patience is a virtue.

So many of us could achieve our goals if we were patient enough. Patience is critical, whether losing weight, learning a new skill, starting a successful business, or building healthy relationships. We’re used to instant gratification, and we want immediate results. We work on our goals for a few days and feel frustrated and demotivated if we don’t experience change. Be honest; we know this is ridiculous.

Successful people understand that they need to work hard to achieve their goals, and they do it day after day after day. How? By focusing on the long-term benefits of their goal rather than the short-term downsides. When we focus on the big picture, we can see how important it is to stick with our goals, even when it feels like we’re not making any progress.

When working towards any goal, be patient with yourself and your progress! Small steps Remarkable results, You’ll thank me later!

Principle 4: Protect your time

We know a good night’s sleep is essential to our well-being. But what about the importance of your morning and evening routines? When we think about our evenings, we usually focus on getting ready for bed and sleeping soundly through the night. But how many of you think about how you spend your mornings? Your mornings can be just as crucial as your evenings when getting the best rest possible.

Your mornings usually dictate how your day will go, so if you start with a good morning routine, you’ll be more likely to have a productive day. The first and last few hours of your day are the most important – Protect them at all costs!

Principle 5: Social Selection

Be wise about the content you consume. Put those devices down and do the things that make you feel good, ease your worries and nourish your soul. We have access to boundless information and can find anything at the click of a button but often don’t realise what we’re programming ourselves with. We have so much coming at us with Social Media and the news (to name just two), but the more information we have, the harder it is to make use of it. How do we manage this? Don’t aimlessly scroll through ‘feeds’ for hours. Take a moment and think about how to apply what you’ve learned to your daily life. Does it fit with your values? Is it thought-provoking? Perhaps only follow a few people on social media, those you find most inspiring. Delete the nosey neighbour that spouts nonsense or shares chain mail…it doesn’t bring balance to your life. We live in a moment where many people want more: more money, friends, likes, clothes, and validation.

More isn’t always better. Have you heard the phrase ‘less is more?’ I mean fewer clothes make it easier to decide what to wear. Get rid of those distractions and focus on the few things that make a difference in life – believe in the power of less.

Don’t confuse smiles with reality. Social media is fake. FACT. Do you watch your friends’ social media and admire their amazing carefree life? You went down a rabbit hole, didn’t you? It probably makes you miserable and unmotivated and you start questioning your life, right?! We all confuse fake smiles with genuine happiness.

Principle 6: Conformity Killer

Let go of society’s expectations and focus on YOU. What do you want? What makes you happy, excited, feel alive or calm? For me, it’s stepping outside and just listening to the sounds of the world happening around me. It puts everything into perspective. No matter what is going on, it brings me back to something I was told at the most challenging time of my life’ friction still burns, and gravity still pulls.’

To succeed, we need peace of mind, a healthy body, and a few people we care about, but most aren’t willing to go the extra mile. Are you?

As always Lots of Love,

Katie