Guest article contributed by Hazel Ortega.
Ever wanted to do something but you never seem to “get there”? And/Or… you see others living their life to the fullest, thinking how lucky they are and that you wish you could have it too?
I am here to tell you that it is out there! You can have the experiences and the life you want and the only one in the way is yourself.
Luck doesn’t come by chance. Yes – many people are lucky in life, but their actions are creating that luck.
Growing up in Echo Park – my childhood was about survival every day. We lived in a one-bedroom apartment in a 60-apartment building. My parents were in and out of the judicial system – often leaving us to take care of each other. There were drive-by shootings daily, and I lost friends and family members to both the gang-life and as casualties of shootings. The world I saw on TV was a world so far removed from what I lived, and it was a life I often dreamed about.
Today, I live the life of my dreams.
I am traveling the world motivating and inspiring people through my story and teaching how they can achieve their own dreams. I have several businesses and a non-profit helping children with access to education and empowering skills.
It is a far cry from my childhood, and I am here because I had people in my life that saw potential and kept pushing me. I started setting my goals and raising the bar, and learning that by removing fear – I can achieve what I set my mind to. Today, I use vision-crafting to manifest and create my life and who I surround myself with.
You can do it too!
How??
The first – and biggest step, is to stop fighting with yourself.
You may want and wish for certain things or a different path, but unless your actions reflect that desire – nothing is going to happen. Often, it is fear that stops us.
“No, that is not me. It just doesn’t happen to me”.
Fear is often a subconscious thought, lurking in the background. Most of the time, you don’t even realize that it is there.
Let me give you some examples:
- You want to get a higher-paying job – but subconsciously you think “I am not good enough, this is above my skill level or what am I doing?”
- You want a relationship and to be happy but subconsciously your mind is saying, “I am not worth that. Why would s/he like me?”.
In both of these situations, it’s the underlying fear-based thoughts that are stopping you from reaching your goal and your potential.
For many years I had a rocky relationship with my oldest sister. She would call me “stupid”, and I truly thought she didn’t love me. It wasn’t until I confronted her about our volatile relationship, (47 years later!!) that I realized she does love me, and I had created the conflicts/reality myself.
Now our relationship is the best it has been, and I have also created that. So I created two realities – one where she doesn’t love me, and one that she did – and I chose the narrative that fit at the time.
I have overcome a lot of my personal roadblocks by retraining my brain. (Don’t worry. It’s easier than you would think!)
Our brains are an amazing organ. They are built to protect us. Whenever we encounter something “new,” our brains are programmed to say, “Hold up! Wait a minute, are you sure you want to go down this path? Doesn’t sound safe”.
What happens then, unconsciously, is that your goal automatically shrinks, and you have already limited your own belief about what you can do.
I learned to “trick” my brain. I trained my brain to notice details and opportunities, and once I “saw” that – I fell in love with that vision. I would tell myself daily about what I was creating, and in small steps, I would change. I’d see things differently, holding things up to a different standard than what I used to. But most importantly, as I was doing this, I was also working on myself. And as I kept growing, I was able to remove the fear that once dominated my life.
Stop making excuses for what is happening in your life. By doing that – you only limit yourself.
Instead, learn from your past trauma and experiences and start creating a positive path and a positive way of living. Keep in mind, this process is often a marathon, not a sprint and you need to be patient.
Here’s a little exercise to get you started:
Take a moment. If possible, sit in silence and think about what it is you want to achieve and the steps to getting there. Visualize that and see yourself in that vision. Doing this takes training, it takes time – so start small. Draw it on a piece of paper, write it down, and meditate for a few minutes daily.
About the Author:
Hazel Ortega is an expert and internationally recognized speaker, specializing in the rehabilitation of injured workers. Through her Pushy Angels program, Hazel works to equip individuals they need to be agents of change and empowerment in their communities.
Connect with Hazel at:
Website: https://hazelortega.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hazelortegaofficial/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hazelortega_official/?igshid=105pzlhp0j8zn
No Labels, No Limits Podcast: Listen to Hazel!
