By Irsan Kao
Article recommended by Janet Schlarbaum.

What kind of goal motivates you? Maybe if you aim for a “big” goal, then you can easily adjust it to the specific situation you are in. However, if the “big” goal is too far-off to achieve, then you can become discouraged. What is meant by a “big” goal of course is a goal that has an overall outlook.

These goals must be challenging. If you truly appreciate the importance of your goals, then you can be easily motivated. But remember, these “big” broad goals must be identified with their parts. You have to “break” apart these huge goals into manageable pieces. This can keep you from having a nervous break down, since if you focus only on the broad goal, you can be overwhelmed more easily.

Once you have broken your goal/goals, then, you can start identifying the steps to achieve these. Whenever there are problems that keep you from achievement, then these steps will guide on how to face the problem head on. A time period is also essential to taking these steps. With perseverance, your motivation will lead you to achievement.

For instance, if you want to pay all your debts, you have to ascertain the steps to attain that goal of paying your debts. You may want to set aside a certain amount for each month in order to pay off your debt in a way that you can assess your progress. Of course, the steps must be carefully aligned to this one goal. If you have other goals, construct other steps to achieve them.

You can also choose to reward yourself. Small rewards will do-like a meal in your favorite restaurant for example, every time you have fulfilled a certain step towards your goal. Of course, once the big goal is achieved, then you can prepare yourself for a big reward. Rewards are ones of the oldest and most effective ways of motivating oneself. You have to imagine rewarding yourself in order to successfully motivate yourself with this technique.

Do not underestimate small rewards. Sometime you may be too hard on yourself. When you reward yourself, you are telling yourself that each step is vital for the attainment of your goal. An obvious example is that if you have eaten healthily for a week, then at the end of the week you can reward yourself with the most delicious and healthy meal you like. Small rewards can do wonders-and they motivate you towards your goal.

Midlife Women in the Age of Miracles from Janet Schlarbaum By Dr. Toni LaMotta
Article selected and published by Janet Schlarbaum.

Are you living your life’s dream right now? Women, midlife can be the age of miracles for you. If you are not yet living your dream but are still alive? There’s still time!

Victor Hugo once said “Each one should frame his life so that at some future hour fact and his dreamings meet.”

There is a story told that years ago, while unearthing an ancient Egyptian tomb, an archaeologist came upon seeds buried in a piece of wood. When they were planted, the seeds realized their potential after more than 3,000 years!

There are seeds of possibility in all of us still. Allow yourself some waking DREAMING… what do you see for yourself?

It’s becoming clearer and clearer to me how we create every aspect of our lives – and when we get truly alert – or conscious, we begin to see how we get to SEE in life only that which we have already SEEN in mind..

Do you know where you’re going to?
You’re going wherever you SEE yourself going…
Take time this week – randomly set an alarm during the day – and when it goes off ask -

is what I’m doing right now taking me where I want to go?

Do you like the things that life is showing you?
It’s showing you what you were able to see in the past.
If you don’t like what you are seeing – Start SEEING it differently.. Scripture tells us – without a vision, the people perish… Without knowing where you are going – you’ll dissipate the energy on things that are meaningless…

How do you see yourself? Where do you see yourself in a year? What are you doing? Who are you being? In 5 years? And ultimately – what’s your REAL AIM in life? Women in midlife have the perfect opportunity to ask these questions.

SPEND Time EVERY day picturing what you would have your life to be…

-Create Treasure Maps if you’re visual -

-Tell yourself if your auditory…

-Test drive the car if your kinesthetic
You KNOW to do these things– are you doing them? And,
If not, why not?

You probably have about one third of a lifetime – at least – left. Don’t let being a woman in midlife stop you.

This truly can be your age of miracles.