Intention without action is powerless.
Like a hot air balloon without hot air, it isn’t going anywhere.
I don’t want to live a life of wishes, intentions, and regrets. I want a life of mistakes made, actions taken, dreams realized. A life fully lived.
Imperfect action is necessary to learn.
It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to try.
First steps are not pretty. They’re not perfect. They’re messy. Uncomfortable. Even painful.
But without the first, you can’t take the next.
Sometimes, when you want to create something, you wish it would spring forth fully formed. But that’s just not how things work.
You have to start small, string together a bunch of little steps, and make plenty of mistakes… but eventually you’ll find that you’re actually going somewhere.
Sometimes it happens fast… you get into a creative whirlwind and ride your wild donkey until it’s done, through late nights and early mornings, notebooks and notes and thoughts and everything coming together until you have completed your goal, albeit imperfectly. Oh, the thrill of creating!
And sometimes it happens more slowly. I find that I’m on the slow track most of the time, sometimes making faster spurts of progress, but mostly getting there one tiny turtle step at a time. But that’s okay. That’s where I am right now.
When my children are a little older, I may have more time to work more and work faster.
For now, I’m happy to be making as many mistakes as I can, happy to try things even when I’m scared, happy to learn and meet my goals, even if it takes a while.
You can, too.
If you don’t try at all, you’ll definitely fail.
Failure isn’t making mistakes. Failure is not trying.
You want to do something? Get started, make a plan.
Or don’t make a plan. But definitely start. You can plan as you go.
Whether you want to start a blog, write a book, learn ballet, or start a new healthy habit, you can do it.
Even if all you have time for right now is the planning, that’s okay.
My Story: Shining Biz + Life Academy, Starting My Blog, and Coaching School
When my youngest daughter Rose was a newborn, I started reading about blogging and freelance writing. My blogging dream was in the incubation stage, and I enjoyed reading, learning, and thinking about what I might want to create.
Around that time I found my way to Leonie Dawson’s Shining Biz + Life Academy. In addition to gaining access to tons of inspirational and educational courses, when you join you become part of the most amazingly loving, encouraging, and helpful community of women from all over the world.
(And just so you know, a recent development in the Academy is that now you can join just for the life products,if you don’t need the business and marketing resources. Every year I enjoy using the Life Planner, and the Radiant Goddess e-course is one of my favorite of the life courses.)
Anyway, one thing led to another, and I decided to go to coaching school to become a Mama Bliss Coach. Coaching school was such a joy, and I am so excited about offering the gift of coaching to other mamas. Becoming a coach is perfectly aligned with my desire to help and support other mindful mamas in living their happiest lives.
Working with a coach is an excellent way to find support in moving towards your dreams, one small step at a time. Not only is it really helpful to have that one-to-one support, it is such a source of joy in itself. I always feel happier after working with my coach. I feel that I have been heard and understood, supported, and nurtured, and I know I’m not alone in my journey.
Mama Bliss Coaching is a special type of coaching which focuses on supporting mamas through strengthening the Four Pillars of Mama Bliss, which are self-care, creativity, values, and simplicity.
Are You Ready to Grow Your Life and Business?
If you’re a creative entrepreneur who wants to create a life of purpose, mindfulness, and self-care, I work with a very limited number of coaching clients. At the moment, I have room for 2 more private coaching clients.
Want to know more about Leonie’s Shining Biz + Life Academy? Do let me know.
You can also check out my 2016 Shining Academy Review to learn more about what I love about Leonie and the Shining Academy. I have loved being a member.
And if you join using my affiliate link, I have some extra special goodies for you: a copy of my upcoming course, to help you create lasting self-care habits, plus a group coaching call in November to help show you around the Academy and help you get comfortable. It will be fun!
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What can you do this week to take action on your dreams and goals?
Even if your dream is in the incubation stage, you can take small steps towards your goals. Each small step takes you a little bit closer.
And there is joy in the journey.
Happy mistake-making, learning, and growing!
Love,
Heather
Jayne says
Another great thought-provoking post Heather. I’m finding that I’m moving forward on my goals – some weeks a little slower than I’d like but moving forwards all the same!!
I’m becoming aware of how much time I actually do nothing! or waste time (even worse). Since it has been getting me down I’ve decided to do something about it and this weekend I’m going plan my weeks. I have printed off a planner and I will be marking in my time: family time with my teenage daughter (won’t have that soon so have to make the most of it now), working on website time, main income job time and some down-time/me time.
I’m hoping it will help me to be more productive. I’m sure I’ll FEEL more productive just doing it lol.
PS: Check your Life Planner link (I got a 404) :-)
Love & Light
Jayne
Heather says
Dear Jayne,
Thank you for reading! I think just being more aware of how we spend our time is at least half the battle. that sounds wonderful to plan and track how you’re spending your time, and so good to prioritize time with your daughter while she is still at home. It reminds me to be as present as possible with my daughters, because each stage passes so quickly. We can’t hang on to it, so the best course is to “be here now,” you know?
That’s also awesome that you’re prioritizing your down time/me time. I heard something recently in which a woman was saying that we really need three times the rest that we think we need. I think that’s true for me. I don’t know if I can regularly up my me time to that level, but it does help me to remember that it’s good and necessary to make time for ourselves.
Let me know how it goes with your new time plan, and good luck with your work on your website, too! I can’t wait to see it! :)
(Oh, and thank you so much for letting me know about that link! <3 )
Anna says
Lovely post. Yes, sometimes it’s just a matter of taking baby baby baby steps to find our way <3 :)
Heather says
Thank you, Anna! <3
Zoe Younger says
We all need a reminder every now and then. Thanks for the reminders. Intention without action is powerless.
Heather says
You’re welcome, Zoe! :)
Ari says
I love your acceptance of mistake making, so important!
Heather says
It really helps me to have the mindset of *trying* to make mistakes… I often approach life from a perfectionistic standpoint, so trying to make more mistakes really helps me take action rather than being paralyzed by fear.