Spring is a time of year when farmers are preparing for their planting season. Animals are getting impatient as they dream of roaming the green pastures or breaking out of the house for a romp in the backyard. It is the time of year when "spring fever" approaches--a feeling of restlessness, yearning ... to hear the birds sings, the flowers blooming, trees awakening, a walk in the park, the warming of the sunshine ... the smell of spring.

This is also one of the best times of the year to take a look at what "action" do you want to take ... the past few months have been a time of reflection ... we are now coming to that time of "rebirthing."--to bring to life that of which we are dreaming of.

Wheel of Life Exercise: The following ten sections represent balance in our lives. Rate each on a scale of 0 (no satisfaction) and 10 (most satisfaction) with each life area:

• Physical Environment
• Fun and Recreation
• Personal Growth
• Significant Other/Romance
• Career
• Money
• Emotional Health
• Physical Health
• Friends and Family
• Spirituality
  
  

Develop an affirmation for each of the ten (10) areas that reflect your desires (e.g., Personal Growth: I am confidently taking risks that encourage positive, healthy changes that enrich my personal and professional life).

Pick one area that you would like to focus on for the next three months and develop an Action Plan to accomplish your desire and dream.

• My goal (action plan) is ... TO ____________________
• What is the purpose of this goal?
• What skills, abilities, beliefs, or knowledge do I need to achieve this goal?
• What obstacles are in my way of achieving this goal?
• What immediate action can I take?
• What steps are necessary to achieve this goal?
• What will this goal do for the quality of my physical, emotional, and spiritual life?
• Who will hold me accountable for achieving this goal?
• The date I will reach my goal is ____________________
• I will track my goal _______________(e.g., daily, weekly, monthly)
  

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Mindfulness as a Journey ... the journey of living mindfully begins with a single moment of commitment, saying "YES" to the impulse within you that wants to grow, to expand, to embrace your largest possible self, to make your largest possible contribution to the world. Mindfulness is about developing a quality of life worth living.

Saying "YES" does not mean you know how to handle each moment of the journey--and it certainly does not mean you (or anyone else) knows how the journey will end. What you do when you say "YES" to the desire to live a more mindful life is to create a field of possibilities around you and within you.

Mindfulness is an attitude toward living. Mindfulness has everything to do with waking up and living in harmony with oneself and with the world--examining who you are, with questioning your view of the world and your place in it and with cultivating some appreciation for the fullness of each moment you live.

"Faith plus dynamic dreams plus real working at it is a go-ahead formula that gets you where you want to go "(Norman Vincent Peale). Take the challenge ... make your action plan today and take that first step ... enjoy your journey!