When I was a little girl, my early memories of my mother were of procrastination. Always putting things off that could be enjoyed now and then waiting so long that she never got the chance to enjoy them.  It was never the right time.  Always waiting for… “a special occasion” or…. “when I lose weight” or whatever reason she came up with to deny herself the enjoyment.  It was as if she didn’t feel she deserved nice things. That always struck me as such a waste. What if she died tomorrow or even today? All that stuff that she saved or put off would go to waste.  I remember buying my mother nice, pretty things for Mother’s day or her birthday, and she would never use them. She would always save them for that “special occasion” that never seemed to come.  It would irritate me so much. I remember promising to bury her in all the nice things she saved so that when she died she could finally use them. That would be a “special occasion”, right?  My husband, on the other hand, uses his gifts immediately.  Sometimes while still in his pajamas. It’s one of the things I love about him. Life is now and to be lived and enjoyed now. Tomorrow may never come. Carpe diem! Seize the day!

I recently read a book about getting organized, well, about half of the book (ha, ha!). It’s called, “Getting Things Done, the art of stress-free productivity” by David Allen. What struck me the most was the suggestion that, if it can be done in 3 minutes or less, do it now and don’t put it off. That will be one less thing you have to do later.  Well, that’s great for small tasks, but what about our dreams and goals in life. We certainly cannot accomplish those in 3 minutes or less…. or can we? Every great journey starts with one small step. What small, actionable steps can you take in getting closer to your goals? Do you even have goals? If you do, what steps are you taking to achieve them? Do you find yourself putting off working towards those goals? What’s keeping you from moving forward in the pursuit of your dreams and goals?

Could it be lack of confidence in your abilities? Perhaps, lack of support from loved ones. Fear…excuses…circumstances…time….money, etc. I know that I’ve felt them all.  In what ways are you talking yourself out of living the life of dreams? The life you deserve?

Imagine for a moment, if you didn’t have those limiting beliefs and fears. What would your life look like? On a scale of 1-10, what would life look like for you if you lived life at a 20? How would your example effect the lives of those around you? Living the life you love has a positive effect on everyone around you. Your spouse, your kids, your loved ones and even your co-workers. Happiness, contentment and fulfillment tends to be contagious. Energy is contagious, be it positive or negative. Be that source of positivity for those in your life. But, that cannot happen if you are not living the life you deserve.

One thing I always told my children when they were younger, “if mommy’s not happy, no one is happy.” I needed to take care of myself, physically, mentally and emotionally to be able to raise my children in an atmosphere of love, comfort, joy and safety. I could not do that if I didn’t feel that way myself. My greatest joy comes from when my children tell me how I inspire them. How they look up to me and continue to seek advice from me. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery and so is having love, respect and admiration from your family.

DREAM  DECLARE  DELIVER

Don’t die with regrets! Don’t die with new stuff in a box. Live all out! Smile, laugh, love and be generous with yourself and with others. You are here for a purpose. Learn, grow, live, love!

What do you declare for 2017? I’ll share mine with you. “I declare I will be the healthiest me I can be in 2017!” I owe it to myself and my family. This is not a resolution, it’s a declaration of how I envision myself living my life in 2017. Healthy, happy and full of energy to live life to the fullest.

My life is now and yours is too! MAY YOU LIVE A LIFE YOU LOVE!

@The_Style_Mogul