It takes much energy to wish as it does to plan.

– Eleanor Roosevelt

Hello beautiful souls! Welcome Back! What happened? This year is flying by, we have entered March the month of clearing the old and preparing for beautiful spring already?  My apologies I cannot seem to get into the swing of banging these blogs out quick-enough – but eh, I try.  I will work towards making more of an effort. I hope this year has already brought you beautiful souls much love, peace, success and lots and lots of fun and good times. May you be blessed with everything you want in life, hoping excellent health is at the top of your list, because ultimately that’s the one wish that will make all the rest of your wishes a success. Excellent health and peace for all!

When writing out cards for any occasion, it is my standard practice to wish the intended recipient: peace, love and excellent health! Every now and again I remember to write ‘financial abundance’, but my top three are always peace, love and excellent health.  This is my wish for the entire universe – that everyone be granted Peace, that we all be surround by Love and experience Love and always be in excellent Health! As I am sure, you must already suspect I am a journal loving soul!  Journaling is my life! So, when I reflect on my journal, these are my popular three items I put most emphasis on as my wish for the coming year. Equally important, as you move your thoughts to the future and what you hope for the New Year, it is great practice to reflect on your successes and failures of the past year and most importantly what you are most grateful for?  This is not necessarily for the past year alone – but what are you grateful for, in general?

As you enter a new year and start tweaking all that needs tweaking to set yourself up for more successes, remember all the lows of years past that help you get to where you are today. The challenges in life are even more meaningful and if not the most crucial lessons because they help shape who we are today, our mistakes and our failures is what helps us grow. Without the lows, without the challenges, without the losses –we are simply just being with no set direction, we are not growing because everything is smooth sailing, we are not working towards anything leaving us with a sense of emptiness, no growth and what have we learned at the end? When we experience moments of sorrow, failures, challenges – that is when we kick it up in high gear and we learn to excel, we learn to look at things differently, our perspectives change with every challenge – more often than not in a positive direction.

Upon reflecting, I have a tendency to write these headers on my journal: Gratitude, Peace, Spiritual, Relationships, Mental / Health and Financial. These are the areas in my life, I most want to be in a continuous change, and it is most where I want to succeed. My wish or mission is always: how can I achieve more love, more peace? How can I grow spiritually and grow my relationship with God?  I begin by being grateful not only for my successes, but also for the challenges faced throughout the year that has helped me in becoming a little wiser, a little more caring, more loving – to live with more passion.

I cannot stress enough the importance of reflecting on the past as well as setting in motion of what you picture an ideal year will look like for you. I should say, that it is important to no forget to reflect on what brings you pleasure?  What is it that you would like to accomplish, what activity you would like to do, or an act of kindness perhaps that would absolutely bring you pleasure? It is imperative that you not only write it down on your journal but actually go out there and do it! We must never forget to do the things that bring us pleasure – no matter how busy we are in life. Things that bring me pleasure include: carving out some much needed time to write.  How I would love to press the pause button in my life and  be able to enjoy a week of writing straight through – no interruptions – just writing my heart and soul, out! There is something about writing that is so therapeutic – it challenges me in so many ways. There is the actual writing, to be able to put your thoughts down on paper, express yourself in the most meaningful and captivating way. Then, there is the editing process – the part that is most challenging for most – helping you grow as a writer as you carefully start trimming your work discarding what is no longer needed and then there is the final written project ready to be posted or published – allowing yourself to be vulnerable in front of others exposing yourself to be judged – this is growth and I love it!

As I write this article on my kitchen counter, I take breaks in between as I fix dinner. For most, this might be a distraction, perhaps an excuse to not finish a project – but as I navigate myself through my very organized kitchen, I put no thought to the cooking process it kind of just falls into place. My organized meal is basically cooking itself and I’m just the conduit or the mechanical process that manages to place all the ingredients together at the right time, the gas stove and well picked fresh ingredients is what determines how well this meal will be received by my family. Through this analogy, I realize that organization is key to success. Organizing, planning, setting in motion what you want to realize in your life is necessary to be successful. If January is the month you choose to set goals; a time to reflect, I urge you to make March the month to not only organize your space, but to organize your thoughts as well as your goals – your successful life depends on it!

If you decide to skip the process of organizing and just jump in to goal setting, hoping that your wishes for the year will come true, yet you are currently living in this disorganized chaos – your space is a mess, guess what will happen to your goal setting – it too will be a mess, they will certainly not come to pass as quick as you might intended. As you begin to tackle your goals, with the many challenges life throws your way in between, you will be better equipped to handle these challenges and you will have a better chance at succeeding if you take the time to organize, ditch the unnecessary and focus on what matters, focus on what will help you succeed – because you have already set a plan in motion and any derailment will only slow you down a bit, but back on track you go once the challenge is dealt with. Declutter your lifestyle and focus on the important, remember next year is just around the corner – make sure you are doing what matters now! Say no to distractions and continue to focus on what’s really important. Go back and read your organized list and do it!

I joined a wonderful writing community not long ago on Twitter and I love it! This wonderful community not only offers writing tips but they offer such wonderful support for all those on a writing journey. The best tips I have read on writing is to write. Get your first draft written and then do the hard work of editing, but write. I no longer dream about writing – I write! I no longer call myself an aspiring writer – I am writer. I love my writing community, I have learned a lot and it’s the support that gives me that push I need that will help me realize my dream of becoming a published author.

As I began writing this article (late February), I, like everyone else worldwide, got derailed with all the dark news of our Global crisis, so of course, my writing was put at a pause while I processed what me, my family, and everyone else had to deal with and do, in order to deal with this worldwide crisis. Understandably, this crisis has many worried, feeling helpless, scared, and have left us all with a fair amount of uncertainty for our future worldwide. We are relying on heads of government to create the plan of action that will keep us and our loved ones safe and get us through this black cloud. It is a moment that calls upon our faith and trust. To be able to trust and place our lives at the hands of people we hope have our best interest at hand and trust that they will keep themselves safe while keeping the rest of us safe as well. We all have to do our part to conjure our faith and trust that better days are ahead – this is the message that needs to be out there constantly, especially now. If you have the opportunity to help someone, then let that be your purpose today – to spread love, kindness, not fear.

We hope that our leaders are tirelessly drawing up an organized plan to lead us to safety once again to hopefully regain order in the not too distant future – but they need organization don’t they?  They are doing everything possible to obtain the necessary information from all levels of government enabling each of them to draw up a plan that will work for their respective countries to keep their nations safe – they are not going into it blindly, they are drawing up graphs, and consulting with the necessary governing bodies and experts in order to execute the best plan.  I say this respectfully: the only thing that appeals to me about this whole crisis, if anything, is that we are all working together. For a while, it seemed that everyone was out for themselves, with technology so accessible, the world seemingly at their fingertips – but no real connection, no sympathy, no understanding, no lending a hand to those vulnerable or those who need it – this especially from our world leaders. Given today’s crisis and unprecedented circumstances, our world finds itself vulnerable including its leaders , it is incumbent upon every nation to consult with one another, keep each other informed of their progress, their plan to how best resolve and combat this current global crisis .

If you look at history, humans have survived a great deal haven’t we? Global crisis dating so far back when technology was not available as it is today both on the medical front and as lines of communication – but we survived didn’t we? We must be grateful today that we have the resources available to us to manage and combat this current crisis however, it must be done globally. We are relying on everyone’s participation – not just front line workers – everyone! Trust and faith are, key. To trust our leaders while they organize the best plan of action to keep us safe, that we have faith in them, that they in turn have faith in their fellow constituents to execute their orders and assist with the best plan of action. In turn, our leaders must also have faith in us to ensure we follow through with orders in order to maintain safety. It is to have faith (period). To have come to a point in our lives that the circumstances have left us feeling that our lives are in peril; a time of darkness and uncertainty – that is when we must muster faith.

The word ‘faith’ alone conjures feelings of positivity even if currently there is no concise set plan – but we have faith in our leaders that one is being procured. That faith, allows our leaders to lead, knowing that there is this trust that when we needed it most, they will step up to the plate and protect us from harm and lead us to safety, thereby restoring all that is needed to be restored, to give our lives purpose once more. My faith is with my God, the laws of the universe, my higher being, and our current leader in government. My book on ‘Perspectives’ currently being edited, offers a chapter on faith and the importance of such a powerful noun that should exist in your everyday life. What are you currently doing that keeps you grounded and on purpose? What generally keeps you in good spirits and offers you that peace of mind that: “It too, shall pass?”    

It is important that during times of crisis, that we keep focused, that we all share in the responsibility and work together to help one another especially those who are more vulnerable. Now, is not the time to start pointing fingers, to critique, and there is certainly no room for unkindness. We must all be respectful of our neighbours; those with whom we share this planet, to  be kind to one another and yes, we must roll up our sleeves, support and help one another in whatever form that may be – time is of the essence, let’s do our part.

Now, that we have been involuntarily summoned to self-isolate and/or quarantine let’s go back to the organizing I talked about earlier in the opening of my blog. It seems, life often gets in the way with all of our responsibilities and we never give ourselves the much needed time to put together a plan that will enable us to better succeed or simply put – achieve our goals. Now, we have that time. Stop sitting in fear and put a list together of the future you! And not just your future you – but the ideal you! What have you come to realize about yourself or your life now that you have had the time to reflect? If you are a business owner – how have these recent events affected you and what do you see yourself doing now to better succeed? How will you innovate to withstand any future crisis? I challenge you to pull yourself away from whatever mindless activity this current circumstance has put you in and start organizing, start trimming, start innovating, what will be your strategy, what does your end result look like? We live in a very different historical moment – having access to so much at our fingertips, don’t let the opportunity to rise to the occasion slip through your fingers – now is the time to shine! Put into action what you, hope to create and what will help you realize that new and successful you!   

 So as you reflect, here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. Have I grown as a person?
2. Have I embraced the challenges I was faced with and have I grown despite the challenges or have I grown in spite of these challenges?
3. What specific action can I take today to get me a little closer to my goal?
4. Have I done my share as a humanitarian? Who can I help today?
5. How can I be more loving? How can I be more compassionate?

My list of questions and reflection is endless but I shared a smaller version with you to help you get started on yours. As you begin to reflect and implement this practice of reflection and organizing your thoughts and goals you will soon start adding to your list what is important to you of course and what resonates with you and your being.

I also, always end my daily journaling with affirmations because it is the most powerful way of ensuring that your list of wishes or goal setting becomes reality – it is a powerful tool that improves your quality of life!  By being deliberate in our intentions we can certainly guarantee ourselves success!

I would like to share some examples:

1. I know that the universe always provides for me and I am extremely grateful
2. I know that everything always works out for me in the most positive way
3. I know that God (the universe, whatever higher being you look to for guidance) has a bigger plan for me  and although I may currently not see a way I know God; the universe, knows what is best for me and I am open to its guidance
4. I am success – I allow myself to feel successful

We can choose to sit on the sidelines while we wait for daily instructions to be given to us by our nations’ leaders and for the most part we must listen to what those instructions are from a safety perspective, but we must also step up to the plate and shine as leaders, in our own organizations, in our families – to keep them safe. Stop thinking for yourself – that is not caring, it is certainly not leading, you must take yourself out of the equation and start putting others first if we are going to slowly get ourselves out of this mess! There is no room for blame, no room for chaos and certainly no room for political agendas – just solutions.  Everyone must certainly do their part.  

It was my initial vision for this blog to provide a message on the importance of organization from a goal setting perspective, but instead as life often does, I was thrown a curve ball; a harsh one at that, so I re-organized and got a little derailed but my message remains: get organized and stay focused. Leaders; lead, but they do it with a plan – start yours!  I wish nothing more than for you to succeed at whatever you choose, whatever journey, but you need to first have a vision of where you see that journey taking you, make a plan and then go for it – I promise you, you will better enjoy it or at least you will definitely see it through and if you change your vision along the way, then hey, you re-organize and execute your new plan – you owe it to yourself!  

My priority during this difficult time and time of uncertainty is to offer my support to those most vulnerable, I hope it will be yours as well. Whether it is to physically assist or simply stay indoors and do our part to help “flatten the curve” of this COVID-19 public health crisis we all have an obligation to be good humanitarians.

We are currently living this unprecedented crisis, it’s outcome filled with uncertainty but know and have faith that this is temporary, we will survive this and it’s conclusion although uncertain will hopefully leave each and every one of us personally a little better than how we started going into this crisis, of course I am not referring to financial perspective, but your internal being. That despite a global recession, despite losses suffered during these dark times, that you perhaps if nothing else, have learned to view life through a new lens, a lens that has opened doors to a new world filled with compassion, a world filled with love, kindness and peace. Yes, the economy will have taken a hit, it’s set-back a temporary derailment, despite the upset soon enough we will be taken on a new path, new trends, new ways of conducting our businesses perhaps – it is inevitable. It is my wish that as we enter this new way of life that Peace fill our minds, Love for one another, and that we experience more closeness and togetherness with our families and in general. That we of course come out of this healthy because in the end it was not the money that got us through this it was our health, it was how healthy we maintained ourselves, mind and body! So, it is my wish for you that you be blessed with much Peace, Love and excellent Health!

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your families during this uncertain and difficult time, my hope is that you remain safe and healthy .

Remember to offer love to everyone, be kind always including your loyal and faithful pets!

Until our next visit together, remember to stay kind and true to yourself.

To the powerful you,

Ana Spano

If you enjoyed this post, I’d be very grateful if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or LinkedIn. Thank you!