This is a social media blog at heart, but sometimes I like to show off the multi-passionate side and introduce you to people who are out there doing good in the world. Nailah Blades is one of them. She’s graciously offered up this guest post and it’s with crazy amounts of excitement that I’m posting this today… Read on!
A couple of months ago Marian wrote an awesome post about how she found her “London” – that place where you feel at home, where you’re happiest. At the end of the post she charged all of us to go out and find our own passions or “Londons.” She’s totally right – we all should be doing whatever it is that makes us authentically happy – but I’m willing to bet that there are some of you out there who have squarely identified your “London” but have no idea how to get there. Figuring out what makes us over the moon happy can be a difficult and soul-baring experience but oftentimes figuring out how to get to that happy place is even harder. Here are my 5 Simple Steps for Getting to your Happy Place:
Get Crystal Clear
Get clear on what it is exactly that you’re shooting for. Are you looking to quit your day job and go out on your own? Do you want to move across the country? Or do you simply want to begin incorporating more creativity into your lifestyle. Whatever it is, be sure that you have complete clarity on what makes you happy – this is where the soul searching comes in.
Face your Fears
We all have limiting beliefs and blocks that may leave us terrified to take that first step. Identify where your blocks are coming from. Create a list of each of your fears. Then counter the fear in the column next to it. Ask yourself ‘what’s the absolute worst that can happen?’ and write it down. Most of the time we realize that the absolute worst thing isn’t really that bad and we already have a viable solution to the problem.
Bridge the Gap
In order to take the first step, you need to know where you’re going. Look at your goal and then identify where you currently are. What is it going to take the bridge the gap between your current situation and you goal destination? Do you need to take a course? Start saving up money? Or maybe learn a new language. Start taking the steps to close the gap between you and your dreams.
Do your Research
Immerse yourself in whatever it is that you’re looking to do. Talk to people who are living the life you’d like to live. Ask them how they got from point A to point B. Read books and blogs. Join forums. Do all the necessary research you need so that when you’re ready to take your big step, you’re nice and prepared.
Take Action!
Here’s the fun part: Start planning your action steps. Set mini milestones for yourself and start making progress on your overarching goal. Fight overwhelm by breaking up the larger goal into smaller, more manageable chunks. Sure, it’s great to say you’ll quit your job by January 17th but you should also have smaller milestones along the way to meet so that you don’t get overwhelmed and lose steam.
We should all be living the life of our dreams. Don’t forgo doing it because you get stuck along the way. With a clear vision and a good roadmap, you’ll be there in no time!
Nailah Blades is a Los Angeles based life coach who specializes in the quarter life experience. She is currently launching The Authentic Happiness Guide, a 4-week workshop to living life authentically, and would love for you to join her. She writes about personal growth, authentic happiness and everyday joy at PolkaDotCoaching and can be spotted on Twitter at @NailahBlades.
