Written by: Claire Niibu-Akau, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Recently, someone called me the “Comeback kid,” because of my stories of trials and triumph. My three biggest challenges can be separated into three phases of my life. As a child, I was bullied by my classmates. As a young adult, I was raped and homeless. Then by my 40’s I was suicidal, suddenly a single mom and had to rebuild my life.
Due to the challenges that I faced in life, I thought “the world would be a better place without me.” My health was declining just as quickly as my negative thoughts. Then, someone told me that I could create a life that I would love. That sounded so unrealistic, but I was so desperate that I had nothing to lose. I decided to give it a try.
The decision to learn how to create a life that I would love transformed my entire life! Here are five of the most powerful steps that started me on that journey.
1. Create a vision of what you would love: Honestly, at first when I was asked to dream build and think about what I would love, I thought it was ridiculous. I didn’t want to get my hopes up because of the endless disappointments. It was very challenging to even imagine a better life. However, once I started to imagine what my home would look like, what my relationships would be like and how healthy I could be, it was contagious. I enjoyed envisioning a future life filled with hope and inspiration. Start writing down what you would love for your life.
2. Attitude of Gratitude: By starting my day thinking about what I was thankful for, my day began to shift. I was no longer a victim to my circumstances. I started seeing all the little blessings that were around me and more blessings appeared. I encourage you to adopt an attitude of gratitude in your life.
3. Celebrate Wins: I was asked to share “what are you proud of yourself for?” I would instinctively share something that my kids did. It was so difficult to share something I was proud of myself for. It was totally out of my comfort zone to be proud of myself. I thought it was conceited or egotistical to be proud of yourself. As a child, I was told, “don’t brag. Be humble.” However, it is so important to be proud of yourself and celebrate your wins. It is just as valuable to celebrate the wins and accomplishments of others. When you celebrate with them, it attracts more wins for you as well.
4. Self-Awareness: Up until recently, I was afraid of “quiet alone time,” because I had to face myself. I used to distract myself with entertainment and busy work. I could avoid really facing my pain and hurts if I just “numbed out.” However, when I started the journey to really examine myself and to understand my life, I began to see my inner strengths and began to love myself. Once I started to journal and explore my thoughts and feelings, I began to help others on their journey as well.
5. Forgiveness: I thought I had released my anger and hatred toward others. However, as I really started to forgive, I was released from a prison that was in my own head. I thought that by not forgiving others, I was punishing them, when, it was punishment for myself. True forgiveness is real freedom. It releases baggage we don’t even realize we’re carrying. Forgiveness shifts our energy and our health on a whole different level. I encourage you to make a list of who you need to forgive. Then, write a “freedom letter” to them to release and transform your life. In my book, “Building Your Queen Life,” a template is on page 88 (it’s the most referred page in my book). The main thing is to pour your feelings into the letter and release those that have hurt you. Include a letter to yourself if you have been hard on yourself.
These powerful steps transformed my life and created a movement for others as well. Not only will these steps catapult your life, but it will also transform your business. After applying these principles to my life, I was able to build a coaching business from scratch to a six-figure business within 9 months. Now, I teach others how to create a life and business they absolutely love.
Claire Niibu-Akau, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Claire Niibu-Akau (aka Biz Coach Claire) is an author, professional keynote speaker, radio talk show host and transformational business coach. She is offering a $25,000 business grant for her entrepreneurs along with business investors and funding opportunities. Her programs help to empower entrepreneurs to overcome their most hidden blocks and gain the confidence they need to accelerate their business results. She combines her innovative marketing techniques with foundational personal development work to help entrepreneurs 10x their income.
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