Stand Up for Your Life A Practical Step-By-Step Plan to Build Inner Confidence and Personal Power

IntroductionFor years I felt haunted by a persistent inner voice that told me I was meant to do more with my life. Although I earned a good living and enjoyed the company of family and friends, I felt restless and unsatisfied. There was so much I wanted to do with my life but lacked the courage and confidence to take action. At the prompting of a good friend who referred me to her therapist, I finally reached out for help.As I sat in his office waiting for my first appointment, my eyes stopped at a cartoon hanging on the wall. It was Snoopy, Charlie Brown's dog from the Peanuts comic strip, struggling to balance a doghouse on his back. The caption below the cartoon read: "There's nothing heavier than the burden of potential." As I stared at that message I started to cry. I too felt burdened by my unrealized potential. I was bursting with energy and desire but lacked the skills to channel it in the right direction.Once I realized that I could release this burden by taking specific actions to build my confidence and self esteem I got to work. Using the gift of guidance and a whole new action plan, I set about making the changes that allowed my true self to emerge. With each tough choice and courageous step I slowly learned to trust and act on the wisdom of my inner voice. As I did, my life began to change in ways I never would have imagined. Yours can too. In this book I'll offer you a step-by-step plan to unlock and use your greatest potential. As you do, you'll not only give birth to an amazing life, you'll be given an opportunity to help others do the same. To begin, you need only consider the possibilities...What would your life be like if you had the courage and emotional strength to overcome self-doubt, fear, or concern for what others say about you? Think about it. How would your relationships change? Would you stay at your current job? Are there any big moves you'd feel liberated to make? How would your life be different?From my work with thousands of people, I know that many feel as though they're living a life scripted or prescribed by others. They long to break out of their self-imposed limitations and lead their own lives, but they lack the courage and confidence to do so. The situations are varied. For example, one client who had a successful career in health care said: "I'm dying to start my own restaurant, but I'm afraid of disappointing my father by leaving the family business." Another told me: "Every day I fantasize about traveling throughout Europe, but I keep putting off my plans because I'm too afraid to step outside of my comfort zone." And one mom, echoing the longings of many, said, "I know that my child's welfare comes first, but I can't help feeling that there's something more I'm meant to do with my life."I understand these yearnings. For years I let fear and self-doubt rule my life, too afraid to step out on my own and follow my true desires. I designed my life according to the blueprints of others. I made people-pleasing a full-time career, trusted the advice of friends before my own, and sabotaged my success each time I came too close to doing something other than what others thought I should do. It wasn't until I faced the truth of how attached I was to the opinions of everyone else that I realized how clueless I was about my own.If you feel as though your life revolves around the needs or expectations of others, here's an important message for you to hear:You have deep within you the power to fulfill your highest vision of your life. To engage this power you must develop a solid personal relationship with yourself. By doing so, you'll tap into a wealth of inner strength that will allow you to take the necessary actions that build confidence and self-esteem. When you learn to stop hiding your power and use fear to your advantage, you'll become less attached to what others want for you and more attached to what you want for yourself. As this sRichardson, Cheryl is the author of 'Stand Up for Your Life A Practical Step-By-Step Plan to Build Inner Confidence and Personal Power', published 2003 under ISBN 9780743226516 and ISBN 0743226518.