Start With Why

Why I started BlessedAbundance

Simon Sinek’s book, Start With Why, started a movement and shook people and corporations at its core. In his TED Talk in September 2009, How Great Leaders Inspire Action, he talked about the Golden Circle – What, How, Why. Most people start from the outer circle of what they are doing, then how they are doing things – but very few people know, or stay true, to the Why they are doing the things they are doing!

The Golden Circle provides compelling evidence of how much more we can achieve if we remind ourselves to start everything we do by first asking why.

Simon Sinek

So it begs the question of why I have started BlessedAbundance? I had this idea a personal blog a few years ago but gave lots of excuses for not starting it. It took me a long time to overcome my limiting belief that I am not good enough and/or I don’t know enough to share. I believe each of us have a unique story to tell, and more importantly, each of us can inspire and be inspired. Just as I am constantly inspired by books and articles that I read, I can also inspire others to overcome their limiting beliefs and fear of failure, and do what they have always wanted to do! Even if I just inspire one person, I believe that is a very good start!

Congruency

I first heard of the word ‘congruent’ in the Live Your Legend course, ‘21 Days to Discover Your Passion’. Congruency means the ability to act in direct accordance to your dreams, values and strengths. It got me thinking about the values that are important to me, and evaluate my life in relation to them. For example, health is an important value to me, however, am I eating healthy, exercising regularly and having enough sleep every night? Truthfully, no.

So I started writing down the top 5-10 values that are important to me, then ranking them, which was challenging. I realize that having these values written down will help me make better decisions based on what is important to me. I believe that it will give me greater clarity and help me live my life’s purpose.

Now or never!

Is it human nature to always procrastinate? Giving reasons when there are actually excuses and justifications? Is it human tendency to seek the easy and least resistant path? I do so admire those people who stop procrastinating and really get things done!

If you don’t do something now, now just becomes later, and later just becomes never…

Chelsea Dinsmore

I felt like being slapped in the face the first read the above quote, coz it was so true for me! How many ‘later’ have not materialized in my life? Chelsea’s quote made me realize that if it is important to me, and I don’t do it now, it will end up never done. In fact, this quote inspired me to get this blog started, as I didn’t want it to be a ‘never’!

For any of you still ‘pondering‘ on your passion or interest, the time to start is now. It’s so okay to start and fail, and learn from your lesson, rather than not trying at all due to fear of failure. Through my failures, I have learnt so many valuable lessons, and looking back, it was more like adventures to me! So, start now! And share your stories with me, yeah?

To Cherish…

How often we hear the words in the wedding vows, ‘To love and to cherish‘, yet we tend to think mainly of love. In Gary Thomas’ book, ‘Cherish: The One Word that Changes Everything for Your Marriage’, he summarised the meaning of Cherish as ‘to go out of our way to notice someone, appreciate someone, honour someone, and hold someone dear‘.

One of the ways to cherish our loved ones is to be grateful for who they are – with their imperfections – knowing that we are imperfect as well. To thank them in specific ways for the big and little things they do for you, to encourage them when they need support, to inspire them to be better persons, and to help them achieve their dreams. Be intentional in cherishing them – so that they will definitely feel the warmth of your cherishing heart.