Putting the List Together

When I first started putting together this list of 60 things to do by the time I am 60, I was excited and, at the same time, wondered what I would come up with.  But I also had this humongous fear I have been struggling with…what will people think?

For me that was a scary question and an even scarier answer until now. You see, I was brought up to always consider what other people will think. I lived overseas as my father worked for the government so my actions had consequences for his career. For every military and foreign service brat, this was just something we knew. And for me, it was drilled into my head.

So the question…what will people think, kept circling around my head along with these other similar thoughts:

• People are telling me this is a great idea but they really think it’s stupid.
• She is crazy to put herself out there so much.
• Her list is stupid.

But as I continued, I decided to silence those thoughts and just push forward putting items that are important to me on the list. And to be extremely blunt, it is and has been fun to stretch myself with this list.

As my list has grown, there seems to be this energy/excitement around it, propelling me forward to not only get myself in better shape and to grow my business to where I want and where it should be but, more importantly, to embrace life in a different manner than I have been.

To give you an example: Today, I had a business coaching call with Clement Pepe which is nothing unusual in my world. But what came from it was this light bulb that went off. I shared with Clement that I was putting together my 60 by 60 list for the world to see as well as to write about it. We talked about it for a bit and how these negative thoughts, sometimes insidious thoughts, evade every aspect of our mind. And then, Clement shared with me this quote from William H. Johnsen “If it is to be, it is up to me.” In other words, I’m the cause. (Now #33 on my list.)

So all those thoughts about what people will think or how I think they are really thinking is me. I was the cause of those thoughts. 

I am now yanking my power back as I am no longer willing to give that power to someone else or those “people.”

Are you willing to take back your power? To truly embrace it? And if so, what is your plan?