Thursday, November 11, 2010

Guest Blogger Julie Wise author of Dream Bigger: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease



Captivating Dreams
by Julie Wise, Life and Relationship Coach and Author of Dream Bigger: Reclaiming A Life of Joy and Ease (available online at Amazon)

Are you a dream, or a doer? Dreamers take a bad rap in our society and are often seen as hopeless romantics with their heads in the clouds and no grasp of reality. Doers, on the other hand, are praised as people who make things happen.
Is it possible to be both? I believe so.
People I interviewed for my new book, Dream Bigger: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease, are dreamers who have made their dreams a reality. Just like you and me, they were simply living their lives when inspiration hit. In one case, an American woman was driving down the road listening to a radio interview. The story she heard moved her to tears, and into action. She embarked on a journey with her daughter that led across the Atlantic Ocean to Africa where they met with seniors raising their orphaned grandchildren whose parents had died of AIDS. In spite of having no international experience (and still meeting the demands of a full-time job), this woman is now the volunteer executive director for a growing organization that supports three communities in Uganda.
Dreams are like that. They capture our attention and won’t let go until we take steps toward them. They also aren’t daunted by age, background, experience, education, or financial resources.
Of course, we all have lots of reasons why we can’t possibly follow our dreams – no time, no money, too many family responsibilities, job demands and so on. The biggest obstacle is usually fear. What would happen if you followed your dream?
More importantly, what will happen if you don’t? Have you ever considered the price of not listening to your heart?
I certainly paid that price at one point in my life. By setting my dreams aside, I closed off a piece of myself. Something vital was lost and, over time, I became angry, frustrated and miserable. I blamed it on stress at work or at home, but the real cause was inside me. I had to hit bottom, experiencing a lengthy illness, divorce, nearly running out of money and becoming isolated from friends and family before I finally got the message.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured. So if you’re not enjoying your life right now, it’s time to make some changes. For starters, check out the “Dream Bigger Reinvention Challenge” at http://www.dreambiggercontest.com/ and find out how people across North America are reinventing themselves and their lives. Get inspired and then take one step toward your dream today! Captivating Dreams
by Julie Wise, Life and Relationship Coach and Author of Dream Bigger: Reclaiming A Life of Joy and Ease (available online at Amazon)

Are you a dream, or a doer? Dreamers take a bad rap in our society and are often seen as hopeless romantics with their heads in the clouds and no grasp of reality. Doers, on the other hand, are praised as people who make things happen.
Is it possible to be both? I believe so.
People I interviewed for my new book, Dream Bigger: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease, are dreamers who have made their dreams a reality. Just like you and me, they were simply living their lives when inspiration hit. In one case, an American woman was driving down the road listening to a radio interview. The story she heard moved her to tears, and into action. She embarked on a journey with her daughter that led across the Atlantic Ocean to Africa where they met with seniors raising their orphaned grandchildren whose parents had died of AIDS. In spite of having no international experience (and still meeting the demands of a full-time job), this woman is now the volunteer executive director for a growing organization that supports three communities in Uganda.
Dreams are like that. They capture our attention and won’t let go until we take steps toward them. They also aren’t daunted by age, background, experience, education, or financial resources.
Of course, we all have lots of reasons why we can’t possibly follow our dreams – no time, no money, too many family responsibilities, job demands and so on. The biggest obstacle is usually fear. What would happen if you followed your dream?
More importantly, what will happen if you don’t? Have you ever considered the price of not listening to your heart?
I certainly paid that price at one point in my life. By setting my dreams aside, I closed off a piece of myself. Something vital was lost and, over time, I became angry, frustrated and miserable. I blamed it on stress at work or at home, but the real cause was inside me. I had to hit bottom, experiencing a lengthy illness, divorce, nearly running out of money and becoming isolated from friends and family before I finally got the message.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured. So if you’re not enjoying your life right now, it’s time to make some changes. For starters, check out the “Dream Bigger Reinvention Challenge” at http://www.dreambiggercontest.com/ and find out how people across North America are reinventing themselves and their lives. Get inspired and then take one step toward your dream today!


Title: Dream Bigger: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease
Publisher: iUniverse

Bio:
I believe life is meant to be enjoyed. I love to work with people, listen to their stories, and learn from their experiences.
My training is in Organizational and Relationship Systems Coaching through the Centre for Right Relationship. I am currently completing a Certificate in Conflict Management and Mediation from Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo, Ontario, and I have also completed a one-year healership mentoring program in Advanced Energy Healing and Awareness. I am a Celtic Reiki Master as well.
In addition to managing my practice as a life consultant and relationship coach, I volunteer as a mediator at Community Justice Initiatives.
When I'm not busy with clients, you might find me dancing flamenco… or wandering a beach somewhere in the world, with the wind in my face and the sun on my back!


Synopsis: When life's challenges get you down, and you feel like giving up on your heartfelt desires, it's not time to quit. It's time to dream even bigger! This book is filled with inspiring true stories, simple tools and exercises, and plenty of motivation. Learn how to re-chart your course and bring more joy and ease into your life as you pursue your dreams.

Blurb:
Most people have a dream. For some, it’s something they’ve wanted since childhood but have
never told a soul. For others, it may be something they tried once, and it didn’t work out so they gave up on it. Perhaps you have a dream that you keep dismissing because it seems risky or impractical. Our dreams make difficult times more bearable. They also bring joy into our lives, and inspire those around us. However, it takes more than a good imagination to make those dreams come true. It’s also about taking action and staying motivated. First, you need a clear idea of what you want. If you’re not sure, spend some time remembering your childhood and what you imagined you’d do with your life. The seeds to your dream are often found there. Once you know what your dream is, get to know it in detail. What does it feel like to be there? Who are you with, how are you dressed, what’s happening around you? Get familiar with it so that it’s easy to connect to that feeling whenever you need motivation. What’s stopping you from having that in your life right now? Make a list of any challenges or obstacles. The list is intended to give you ideas for actions, not to discourage you from moving forward, so don’t get too bogged down by it. Now take a look at the items on your list. What skills and resources do you have to meet those challenges? Who else can you call on for additional assistance? Talk to supportive friends and family members about your dream and see what ideas they have to help you move forward.
Take all of these ideas and resources and put them together into an action plan. This is a list of the steps you can take to make your dream a reality. Every day, check your list and pick one action you can take. Each time you take a step, celebrate, knowing that you’re that much closer to the life of your dreams.

Five Steps to Your Dream

1. Identify your dream
2. Make a list of your challenges
3. Develop a list of skills and resources
to meet those challenges
4. Create an action plan
5. Take one action each day toward
the life of your dreams

Wise's goal is to help 100,000 people dream bigger. To do this, and to celebrate the release of Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease, she invites the public to share their life dream in an online challenge. The 60-day "Dream BIGGER Reinvention Challenge" runs from October 1 to November 29, 2010 and offers contestants the chance to post a video about their dream, get votes and become eligible for an amazing grand prize. "By sharing our dreams, we'll inspire each other to ever greater heights," she explains. Go to http://www.dreambiggercontest.com/ and enter today!

Amazon Link:http://www.amazon.com/Dream-BIGGER-Reclaiming-Life-Ease/dp/1450253180/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285424479&sr=1-1

Websites: http://www.juliewiseconsulting.com/
(Book Blog) http://www.wise1coaching.wordpress.com/

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