Building Your Empowered Steps

by LM Preston

Overview

Building Your Empowered Steps is your guide and personal mentor in making your life into the experience you desire. A tool to use to redirect your way of thinking about your ability to change and your worth in reaching for it through active exercises and simple bites that when taken can guide you in building your dreams and aspirations, one step at a time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781717081353
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	04/15/2018
Pages:	74
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.15(d)

About the Author

LM Preston is a former professor, engineer, author in several genres, sports creator, mother, wife and positive thinker who has risen from impossible circumstances and motivated her kids to excel beyond traditional standards in their chosen passionate fields. She seeks to help others realize they can do it also. Join her in Building Your Empowered Steps.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Empowered Steps

Empowered Steps is a quick, easy to read roadmap for making your wildest dreams become your reality. This book should work as an active reading guide that helps you realize and create the adventures that you want to shape your life experience. It is modeled after my own personal growth and vision awakening through my relationship with God, love of life, and openness to the possibilities of living at my best, yet learning from my worst. This isn't about my journey but you discovering yours. Here and there, I will share my personal experiences, just as an example. My hope is that you use my stories as a way to show you how easy changing your life and your purpose can be.

I've read my share of books that are uplifting and that motivate a person to greatness. Your importance doesn't have to be in changing the world, being a millionaire or jet-setting everywhere. It should be changing yourself to grow to a point where you are satisfied, and your perspective on your life has changed. Where life can be an adventure of exploration of yourself and this world.

My life started with being a product of a teenage pregnancy. Both of my young parents had their own struggles and challenges, but I witnessed how strongly they never gave up on their possibilities. Therefore, I didn't. Even though I had teen parents and spent a lot of time alone or with family members, I never dwelt in negative spaces or the pitfalls of my sadness. I kept looking forward while figuring a way beyond my reality to plan or counter-plan to do something else and to be somewhere else. Although, to be honest, I didn't know what or where that was; I just was willing to try many paths to get there.

We are all so different and have our place in this world. I usually had a positive outlook and never wanted to focus on the challenges in my life. I had friends who loved looking back at struggles they'd overcome, or better yet, decided to stay in that recollection space. There is something to be said about sitting in, dealing with, and fighting through those dark areas in our lives. It's called growth, conquering, and surviving. That is a journey that, when finished, tells an amazing story. The thing is, I had that journey. My perspective about it was just different than some.

My viewpoint for surviving and imagining myself in a position of strength and ability to change my situation was how I persevered. When I went through difficult times during living in my car, surviving college classes while homeless, being in abusive relationships, I imagined myself as a conqueror. Yes, in an outfit and all. I would replay my situation in my head, over and over again, in different ways with different outcomes. Without realizing it, those replays in my dreams became my pathway towards my empowered steps. Then, just when I thought I had my problems figured out, I'd be sucked down again. But I would find my way and float up again. Then a realization of a dream and a way out of my struggles would be revealed that I hadn't even considered before. If it wasn't for prayer, or my belief in God, I don't believe thinking positively would've been easy for me.

Those moments where the hope for something unobtainable got bigger than my comprehension were where God entered. When I couldn't comprehend a better path through my circumstances and got sucked into a direction that was so dark that I didn't think I could ever make it out, I prayed. I had long conversations with God, like a friend who followed me everywhere.

Usually, when we have problems and barriers to our dreams, we feel alone and without support. It was those times I prayed the most. But my prayers weren't done in quiet rooms, on my knees, or in churches. They were done as an ongoing conversation with God every moment I had. All the moments where I had silence, I prayed and thanked God for bringing me as far as he did. I was alone many times as a kid, teen, young adult, and young woman. I didn't like it, and prayer filled many lonely hours.

Taking the time to discover yourself, regarding the things you need and want to change, is a step in the right direction. Breaking down those roadblocks that stand in the way of you taking the first step towards changing your life sometimes is the hardest one. Most of the time, taking that look in the mirror isn't very fun. In the case of building the life you want, it has to be done. I did it many times. I didn't always like what I saw, and there are many things I had to resolve that I may never have the time to address in my lifetime, but I have been honest with myself about them.

Now, I am living at a point in my life where I am no longer searching for that next big dream or step. Why? I have made it to a point where my list has been fulfilled over and over again. Now, I am open to wherever God takes me. Let me tell you; the journey for me is getting so much more interesting since He guides me in directions I never ever could have imagined.

My life has changed, as it will for you.

Are you ready?

CHAPTER 2

THE TOOLS

When redefining your life and way of thought, you can utilize some of the tools I have used through the years which have worked for me. I prefer quick and easy recall and visual stimulation to get me started and focused on a new adventure.

The tools are to be used as methods to remind you daily of your focus, your direction. They reflect your openness to pursue those things in your life that will give you the opportunity to push beyond barriers holding you back from your desired change.

They are very important and, although easy and seem simplistic, they are invaluable.

Here is the list of your arsenal to build your Empowered Steps.

Your Personal Power Pack

1. A journal which has a picture or photo on it that speaks to you, makes you want to pick it up and write in it.

2. Medium poster board: this should be cardboard and well made or be something that allows a frame for a picture. This will hold pictures of your dreams, your Empowered Words and your Empowered Steps.

3. A Yearly planner with Month, Day, and Week breakdowns. It must have room for you to add extra pages and a sturdy cover you can replace or recover easily.

4. Sturdy Paper that can be laminated which will have your Roadmap and Empowered Steps

5. Sticky Notes: these will be where you write your Empowered Steps and move them through your planner.

6. A free mobile application that you like for reminding you of your goals, your Empowered Words, your Empowered Steps, your future aspirations.

Each of these tools play an important part in the discovering of yourself, your desires, your limitations, and an expression of where you want to be at the end of this portion of your journey.

Have your arsenal ready so we can create your empowered path.

CHAPTER 3

GET TO KNOW YOURSELF

The most important part of the experience in finding your empowered path is getting to know yourself. Yes, you, and only you, can figure yourself out. Even though we are always moving through different phases of growth within our lives, taking time to evaluate the 'you' where you are at NOW is most important. Doing this yearly is even more helpful.

Having a full, unrepentant, honest understanding of yourself will help you to better realize your dreams and make them a reality in the way that is best suited for your makeup.

Exercise of Evaluating Yourself At This Point Of Your Life

Grab your journal, something fancy that you keep for reflection every so often and update when you are ready to position yourself for a new empowered path.

Journal Visualization

This is where you allow yourself to just doodle, picture, and reflect about yourself at this phase of life. Make sure your journal is something you want to write in, touch, and see. The exercise of writing it out in your own hand is part of the process of taking it slow, reflecting, and doing something very personal.

Purpose: Quick expression of how you understand yourself. Write these aspects and evaluations of yourself in your journal as a reflection tool.

Building Your Journal

Within your journal you will create 'title' pages that walk you through the understanding of yourself and what makes you move, think, find your happiness, and grow, and gives you the will to pursue your empowered path.

I also suggest placing 'sticky tabs' that have your aspirations on them. Place them further along in your journal for review and your reflections at later times when you are re-evaluating yourself and your growth from the previous six months or even years.

Strong Qualities Others Have Told You that You Have

Create a title page for this in your journal

Draw or jot down a word or picture that shows your strengths or good qualities that others have mentioned about you. These are not to be just the great and wonderful words you want to hear, but also, note areas that you want to change or minimize. Make sure you only write out feedback from people who are coming from a healthy and loving place. Also, consider the words before you write them to make sure they aren't based on a specific situation, a bad day you had, a wonderful experience that doesn't usually show you at your natural state, or that isn't an unhealthy word or feedback on which to dwell.

Strong Qualities You Know or Feel that You have

Create a title page for this in your journal

These are specific words that reflect how you view yourself. Write several words that pop up in your head when you think of yourself. Speak and write about yourself in third person, as though you were giving someone a short-biography about the person you are. Write those words in your journal in a bold expression of what you feel about yourself, without consideration or validation from others.

Those People You Care Most About

Create a title page for this in your journal

This is where you list people you need in your life. People who are a great impact on your journey, and who speaking or communicating with on a consistent basis is a positive experience for you. These people are your support system. They build you up, give you comfort, fill your heart with admiration.

Your Values and Beliefs

Create a title page for this in your journal

On this page, put the values that mean a lot to you. Things you won't change in your beliefs no matter what anyone tells you. For example: marriage, spiritual beliefs, the right and wrong in your life by which you measure yourself and others.

What or Who Comforts You

Create a title page for this in your journal

In this section of your journal, think on what gives you comfort after a stressful day, or when you awake in the morning, or that allows you to just relax. It can be a person, a thing, an activity, or all of them.

What You like about your life, your job and location

Create a title page for this in your journal

We can always find aspects of our lives that we enjoy just the way they are. You may love the type of work you do but not the limitations of the location of that work. Just point out the aspects of your life, your job, your current living or working locations you love. This is about defining the parts of your environment that make you feel good inside. If there is a place that doesn't make you think positive thoughts, jot those down on your sticky notes as possible changes you want to make in your life.

Your Inspiration and Motivations

Create a title page for this in your journal

When you get stumped, or bored, or unmotivated, what pushes you forward? What inspires you to go beyond your 'normal?' It can be your children, your love, your faith in God, or your desire to finish something. If you don't have any motivations or inspirations, that's okay. I'll give you one. Go on this journey to explore and find your motivation and inspiration. You may just have to discover them.

Your Passions and how You want to realize them

Create a title page for this in your journal

This is where you share your passions. What you like to do in your free time that doesn't seem like a chore, work, or task. This is something you could do for hours and you enjoy. If you haven't found something like that in your current life, think back to when you were a child. Reflect on what you enjoyed doing. Also, take time to do some web searching. Gather videos on trip reports, experiences, hobbies, and places that seem interesting to you so you can find the answers to these questions.

New activities and experiences You want to try

Create a title page for this in your journal

Are there things you would consider having on your bucket list? Come up with experiences, activities; places; people you want to meet this year, next year, before your time on this earth is up. This is your mega list of experiences, empowerment, and shape-makers for your path. If you were to leave this world today, what would you regret not experiencing?

Create Your Powerful Song List

Create a title page for this in your journal

This page is for your music list. When I am in deep thought, or need to motivate myself, music is my encouragement. Name this your Empowerment Playlist. This song list is for you to build on, so leave a page or two after this so if you hear a song that makes you want to get up and knock down walls, write it. Then take this list, and create a playlist on your cellphone, computer, YouTube playlist and more. Make it a point to wake up to these songs.

Create Your Feel Good Movie List

Create a title page for this in your journal

Who doesn't love a feel good movie? My favorite is 'Last Holiday', and I tell you; I never get tired of watching it. Find a few movies that inspire which you don't mind watching more than once. Those movies belong on this list, and on your movie shelf in your home.

Take a breath, and Review

After you have taken the time to build this wonderful journal, listen to the playlist that you created to get you ready for your journey. Watch those movies that motivate you and bubble that feeling of hope and adrenaline within.

Once you've done that, read your journal, reflect, and consider the new direction you want your life to go.

Cha-Changes to Make. Your Empowerment Experiences

Create a title page for this in your journal

This is the transformation section of your journal. After reflection on the previous items, consider those changes you want to make in yourself, your life, and your empowerment. This is a personal change. Something you have to work on in order to realize your dreams and the life you want. This isn't about material things in life. It's about your inner self and satisfying that person. For example, in order for me to start on my empowered path, I needed to commit to finding time for myself to reflect, to pray, and to plan my empowered path. Then I had to make time with my spouse to work on areas our paths needed to work together.

Promise to Yourself

Create a title page for this in your journal

This journey is a lifelong journey. It doesn't happen in a day or a month. It's about opening yourself up to growing, no matter how long it takes.

This is the last page of your journal. It is a promise you will make to yourself. Only a few sentences, a picture, or words that express a personal outcome you want to gain from this experience.

After you have built each section in your journal, the reflection of yourself should be clear. Take a few days to review, fine-tune, update, and ask deeper questions. In the end, make your journal up-to-date and honest. You need to be truthfully raw here, to purge, renew, and rebuild. Consistently update this as you grow, evolve, and discover new areas that are ready to be honed and built up.

Now that you know yourself, it's time to work on the perspective of your life, your world, and what you consider 'happiness.'

CHAPTER 4

EVOLVING YOUR PERCEPTION AND PERSPECTIVE

To make a change in your life, you must first assess how you think. If you own your perception and perspective of your life, your dreams and direction, you own the key to define your happiness and fulfillment. This is something I have done under the cover of my belief in God and with seeking the things in my life that really matter and give me peace.

Are you ready to understand your ability to change your world and to shape it into what you want?

Perception: Your interpretation and understanding of a situation, place, or thing.

Perspective: Your 'point of view', of viewing the glass 'half- empty' or 'half-full.'

Perception

"It is the perception of our reality that governs our perspective towards our life' ~ Quora Dictionary.

Your insight, interpretation, and awareness to your world around you will define your satisfaction with your position within it. The value of anything is the perceived value, which is subjectively based on the cues within us, or external to us, that interact throughout the communication between our world and our acceptance of it.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Building Your Empower Steps"
by .
Copyright © 2018 LM Preston.
Excerpted by permission of Phenomenal One Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Copyrights,
Sypnosis,
Acknowledgments,
1. Introduction,
2. The Tools,
3. Get To Know Yourself,
4. Evolving Your Perception and Perspective,
5. Explore Possibilities Outside of Your Box,
6. Build Your Empowerment Picture,
7. Create Your Empowered Steps,
8. Knocking Down Roadblocks,
9. Changing Direction Is Not Failure,
10. Turning the Noâ&8364;(tm)s Into Yes,
11. Being Open To Unplanned Adventures,
12. Finding Your Peace,
13. Closing Reflections By The Author,
About the Author,