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August- a celebration month for me! On August 14th I celebrated my business-From Dreams to Reality Success Coaching- first anniversary! I am so thankful and truly blessed by wonderful support from family (especially my husband!), friends and community to get up and running this past year. I was truly blessed with incredible mentoring and support through Community Futures Development.

My friends and family were there to support me when I was worried, believed in me when I forgot to, and put up with the crazy schedule I keep. My coaches have helped me work through my issues, gain new insights and knowledge, and continue on with following my dream. What a year it has been- full of ups and downs and incredible growth and learning in many areas, especially in faith and persistence. A year where I was introduced to many new friends, acquaintances and mentors, many new books and courses and concepts, a whole new world in many ways, and where I was -and am still- constantly stepping out of my comfort zone and taking risks.

A favourite quote of mine is 'Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve' by Napoleon Hill. This year, I had the pleasure of reading his book 'Think and Grow Rich' with a Master Mind group. Hill believed persistence is the key to success in all walks of life, the four steps to persistence being:

1) A definite purpose backed by burning desire for its fulfillment.
2) A definite plan, expressed in continuous action.
3) A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences.
4) A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.

Many programs today are based on his beliefs, because they work. I believe these 4 steps are critical to achieving what we want in life, and are the basis of coaching. If we have a purpose without a burning desire, often our purpose does not take life because there's no flame to get it going. My whole work is about helping people connect with what is truly important to them (#1), then setting an action plan to achieve it (#2). It is the continuous daily steps, no matter how little they are, that will get us to where we want to go. I believe it is the negative and discouraging influences, either internal or external, that often stop us, so it is changing our thinking to replace the negative with positive affirming beliefs that will serve us (#3). Coaching is all about supporting you (#4) in reaching your goals, helping you overcome your barriers and live your passion, your dreams. This past year has been all about following these 4 steps, sometimes easily and sometimes forgetting and having to restart. Negative beliefs have come up a lot for me, and are something I need to continuously work at changing.

It's #4 that has really hit home with me this month, the power of support. For many years I was fiercely independent, and did everything on my own. In many ways it served me well, and in some ways it was a detriment. In addition to reflecting on all the incredible support I've had for myself and business, this past month I had the opportunity to review the incredible changes a program I took in 1986, The Excellence Series, had on my life. (Randy Revell, the creator of the series and a personal development pioneer, died last month; his original programs continue locally through a Kelowna company, C3 Training). It truly was life changing, yet, because I hadn't grasped the importance of support, in many ways I fell back into old habits. It took me from 1986 to 1999 to finally get what support meant and how it looked to me, and to be able to ask for help. It is truly amazing to me how much easier life is with it than alone! I was also reminded of support in another area of my life- weight maintenance. I underwent some major lifestyle changes about 5 years ago, including quitting smoking and drinking and starting exercising, and lost 40+ pounds. I have no desire to smoke or drink again, and now exercise regularly, but find I give way to my sweet tooth far too much. A support group through eDiets, an online community, has helped me maintain a healthy lifestyle- and I quit that a few months ago. And my weight has increased! So it's time for me to get back to eDiets and my support group.

I encourage you to enroll support in your life if something is challenging you. Find a friend, a partner, a mentor, a coach- someone who will be a positive influence to you and help you keep the faith and persist in following your dreams. My dear friend Julie Jordan Scott, who has been an incredible influence and mentor to me, recently taught me 'start- continue- start- continue- start-continue', in her group coaching Millionaires One-by-One, meaning when I do fall into old habits, I simply start again and continue with the new. Julie is starting another free 42 days of Passionate Prosperity course in October, check it out. I've participated in the last two, and it is a positive, supportive global community that meets and experiences miracles.

I thank you for your support by reading my newsletter and daily quotes. I am asking for your support in another way. I've committed myself to helping improve the lives of people with arthritis by joining The Arthritis Society's Joints In Motion Training Team to run the Honolulu Marathon. (Honolulu in December sounds good to me!) I need to raise $4000 in a very short period- I am supposed to have $3000 raised by September 15th and am just starting now! All donations, big or small, are gratefully accepted, and you will receive an income tax receipt, as it is a charitable donation. I hope you'll help me accomplish this worthy objective. I am offering a special incentive- if you donate $250 or more, I will provide a month's free coaching. You can donate online or via snail mail at the following link. Please give generously to this worthy cause- I'm sure you know many people who are affected by arthritis- over 4 million people in Canada alone!

Send me an email if you donate $250 or more so we can start with your one month's free coaching! I thank you in advance for your support!

Please donate to the Arthritis Society

This section is reserved for articles, pictures, quotes or ? contributed by readers. This newsletter is for you- please contribute what you would like to share!

Congratulations to Dorothy Polukoshko, who is definitely following her dreams! Dorothy reports 'Well, I am back from Australia! It was an incredible trip traveling with nearly 50 others, 34 of them competitors, and people of all ages. It is an amazing experience to be part of a team of athletes who are focused on the same goal. There was a real positive but simmering energy for the ten days before the tournament. Also, we lived, ate and slept together and there were very few conflicts which is amazing in itself considering the diversity of people.

At the actual tournament, I competed in: individual kata (patterns) in the women's brown belt category,and got 5th; kumite (sparring) in women's brown belt and got beaten by a Norwegian; and then in team kata (kind of like synchronized swimming, with three of us doing a kata at the same time) and we got gold! In total, our dojo of 34 got 59 medals! An experience of a lifetime!

The day before I left for Australia I was offered the job I really wanted! I start September 7th! So... three weeks to put my house for sale, pack, move and find a place to live in Vancouver!! Needless to say I am very busy!'

Way to go Dorothy!

Laurie Rockwell, a friend and also a Certified Executive Coach, forwarded this link- a great site on spirituality and health. Thanks Laurie!

J.Syrette submitted this info on M&Ms fundraiser effective Sept to Nov '04:
New Pink &White M&M's.
The makers of M&M candies has teamed up with the Susan G. Komen BreastCancer Foundation to raise funds through the sale of their new " pink &white" M&M candies. For each 8-ounce bag of the special candies sold, the makers of M&M(Masterfoods) will donate 50 cents to the foundation (up to a maximum of $650,000). The next time you want a treat, please pick up a bag (now sold in stores nationwide) - you will be donating to a great cause and satisfying your sweet tooth. Thanks J!

Lynn Wilson says 'Hi Norma, Loved your newsletter. Keep it coming. I sent the cat-a-log website to my sister in law who is the greatest cat lover I know. I really like your updated picture, seems softer somehow.' Thanks Lynn! Positive feedback is always welcome!

I am Norma Reid, a Certified Executive Coach, and owner of From Dreams to Reality Success Coaching. My dream is to help you fulfill your professional and personal dreams and live the rich, full life you are meant to! I want to reawaken you to your magnificence!

If you need some help in creating more balance in your life, connecting with your vision, values or purpose, or creating an action plan to get moving in the direction of your dreams, call me for a sample coaching session.

Thank you once again for letting me share part of your journey with you. Until next time, enjoy the incredible wonder and beauty this time of year blesses us with! If you haven't taken the time to play lately, add some playtime to your daytimer and your life! Let your spirit soar and make it incredible!

More info on Norma... »

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