focus – Ruthann M. Wilson

Master Prioritization: Align Your Actions with What Matters

“Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.”—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Prioritization is a powerful way to bring clarity and focus to your life. Becoming aware of where you have gaps between what you say is important and what you actually do on a day-to-day basis is the first step to creating better alignment between priorities and actions.

This week’s challenge:

🔸Begin each day with a list of your three most important priorities and actions.

🔸End your day by reviewing your priorities and actions.

🔸Did you focus on your most important priorities? If so, make note of what helped you stay focused on your top priorities. If not, why not? Use what you learn to make changes/adjustments.

If there is a gap between your priorities and action, see it as an opportunity for personal growth. Recommit to your list of priorities and take action.

The same practice of prioritization that brings clarity to life also strengthens your ability to focus on career goals and professional growth.

All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Embrace Your Career Journey: The Power of Being Present

In addition to being a writer/author, I’ve had a long and fruitful career in corporate America. I had an opportunity to speak with a group of graduating students about my work and experience growing a career in a corporate setting. The students were a part of intensive training program that provided them with technical and professional skills. I love new beginnings and the energy of new graduates about to embark on their careers. I recall graduating from college and being excited about my first job post graduation. I had a very supportive supervisor and transition into my career.

One of the six career lessons that I shared with the graduates is to be where you are. The lesson was shared through a corporate lens; however, it’s also a powerful life lesson.

My message as it relates to being where you are in a corporate setting is to know what is expected of you, do your current job really well, and be open to new assignments/opportunities that can help you stretch and grow into the next role. Oftentimes, when people are early in a career, the goal is get to the next level quickly. The focus often becomes getting promoted/getting to the next level instead of learning, growing, excelling, and enjoying their current role. Moving too quickly can be problematic when an employee is promoted and not prepared for their next role. I encouraged them to be fully present and embrace the journey of growing into their next role.

The bigger life lesson is to live in the here and now; not in the past or in the future, but where you are right now. You can make the most of where you are by cultivating habits and practices that enable you stay grounded and present in your life. A few things to consider:

Give thanks for your life, even if it’s not exactly as you wish it to be
Reduce multi-tasking and focus on doing one thing at a time
Give other people the gift of your full attention
Spend time in nature and literally put your feet on the ground
Be intentional with your time
Breathe deeply
Meditate/embrace silence

Being where you are is about making the most of where you are right now. It has a way of opening doors and drawing people and opportunities to you.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. You can receive notifications of new posts by clicking on the follow button or click here to join my mailing list to receive email updates. If you know someone that might benefit from this message, please share by clicking on a share button below.

All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Transform Doubts into Actionable Steps for Success

Let’s shift & move forward.

Replace “I doubt it will happen” with “I believe it will happen”

Beliefs are powerful things; they are the vehicles through which we create our lives and filter our experiences. Whatever we believe to be true is the reality from which we create our lives. Fear and doubt are a part of life, but they don’t have to rule your life. The best way to move through fear and doubt is to take action.

Exercise: Today’s challenge is an invitation to renew your belief in your ability to succeed. Identify something that you have been putting off because you doubt it will actually happen.

💥 Envision a desired future state and write it down and/or find an image that captures what you envision. Keep your vision in a place where you can see it on a regular basis.

💥 Outline the steps needed to bring your vision to life as well as a date for completion.

💥 Create an affirmation that aligns with your future state and work with it on a daily basis.

💥 Each day, commit to taking three actions to move toward your desired future state.

💥 Hold yourself accountable by assessing your commitment to action at the end of each day.

Don’t wait until you are “ready” to begin. Start small, gain momentum, and bring your vision to life. Plan and prepare for it or something better to happen. Believe in your ability to succeed.

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All the best,

Ruthann

Shift Your Mindset From ‘It’s Too Hard’ to ‘I Welcome a Challenge’

Let’s shift & move forward.

Replace “It’s too hard” with “I welcome a challenge”

Our thoughts are powerful. They shape our reality each and every day. If we think something is too hard to accomplish, it will, in fact, be too hard to accomplish. When faced with something that appears be “too hard” to accomplish, shift how you are thinking about it. One of the ways to shift your thinking is to declare “I welcome a challenge”. Welcoming a challenge activates your creativity and problem-solving skills.

Exercise: Think about something in your life that feels too hard to start or take the next step. Declare “I welcome a challenge”. Welcome [whatever it is] as an opportunity to learn and grow. Identify at least one thing you can do today and take action.

All the best,

Ruthann

Shift Your Mindset: From ‘Have to’ to ‘Choose to’

Let’s shift & move forward.

Replace “I have to” with “I choose to”.

The power to choose what is best for our own lives is our greatest power and means of changing/transforming our lives. If your life is filled with “I have to”, it’s time to shift how you think about what you are doing or stop doing things that don’t enrich your life.

Exercise: Write a list of things that you are doing that are draining your energy and/or feel like obligations in a less than positive way. Reflect on why you are doing the things on your list. What is the benefit to you or those you love/care about? Write the benefit next to each activity that you have listed. It will serve as a reminder of why certain activities are important and why you are choosing to do them, even if they are challenging. If there is no real benefit to you or those you love/care about, consider eliminating it.

What will you shift or eliminate today?

All the best,

Ruthann

Shift Your Mindset From ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can’

Let’s shift and move forward.

Replace ‘I can’t’ with ‘I can’.

In order to move forward, we have to believe that we can. Stay open to possibility by shifting your thinking from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can’.

Exercise: Write a list of wants/needs/desires that ‘I can’t’ thinking is keeping you from pursuing. Pick one of the things on your list to work on this week. Write down all the reasons you can’t do it and then tear it up. Write an affirmative statement ‘I can [insert whatever you picked]’ three times and commit to taking action, starting today. Post your affirmation everywhere to remind you that you CAN! Celebrate your accomplishments along the way.

Let the shift begin!

All the best,

Ruthann

Reclaim Your Power: The Impact of Daily Choices

Your ability to choose what is best for your life is your greatest power and means of evolving your life (i.e., relationships, finances, career, etc.)

In the busyness of life, it’s easy to operate on autopilot and forget that we create our lives one choice at a time and we can make a different choice, at any given moment, to change our lives. Sometimes we don’t realize we’re on autopilot until we suddenly ‘wake up’ and realize we’re not making progress on the things that matter the most to our lives. Busyness can sometimes give us a false sense of progress.

Indecision is also a choice that keeps us from making progress. Indecision begins with small things and can become a way of life. Do you find yourself saying “I don’t know”, “I don’t care”, “It doesn’t matter”, or “You decide” frequently? If so, begin to reclaim your power by making decisions for your life, even in small matters.

If this topic resonates with you, I invite you to create awareness of the choices that you are making on a daily basis and the impact they are having on your life. Keep in mind, not making a choice is also a choice.

Questions for Daily Reflection:

What choices did I make today? Why? Were they empowering or disempowering choices?

Empowering choices are in alignment with your values/what is most important to you, affirm your sense of worth and personal freedom, boost your energy, and help you move forward. Disempowering choices are the opposite. They may or may not be conscious.

Life is all about choices. Use the power of reflection to bring awareness to what you are choosing for your life.

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All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Create a Theme for Your Year: Focus on What Matters Most

Creating a theme for the year is a powerful way to stay focused on what matters most.

Create a short phrase that sums up what is most important to you this year. Use your theme to create 3-5 goals. Ensure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time bound), use positive language, and affirm what you want to create versus what you want to avoid.

Review your theme on a daily basis. It will serve as a source of motivation and inspiration throughout the year. Consider using images and/or symbols as a visual reminder of your desired outcome.

Need help setting SMART goals? Check out my post SMART Goals: Bring Your Desires to Life.

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All the best,

Ruthann

The Power of Affirmations: A Mindset Shift for Clarity and Focus

Affirm what you want to create in your life.

In this video, I share how affirmations can help you shift your thinking and stay focused on what you want to create in your life. I outline four ways to make affirmations most effective: keeping them goal-focused, written in the present tense, using positive language, and making them short and memorable. You will also learn how to create a daily practice that makes affirmations a natural part of your journey.

Link highlighted in the video https://ruthannwilson.com/affirmations/

All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Live Simply and Authentically Through Your Values

SIMPLY: without ambiguity, clearly

Simplicity is a principle as well as a practice.

As a principle, simplicity is foundational to our lives—a core value from which we build our lives. When our aim is to live simply, truth becomes our guide. We tap into our personal truth with questions like “What is true for me?”, “What do I value most in my life?”, “What is best for my life?”, “What matters most in my life?”.

As a practice, simplicity is a process of staying focused, planning, organizing, and letting go of things that no longer bring you joy or serve your highest good.

Living simply is not about living without. It’s about living with intention from the inside out. Take the first step—identify, clarify, and prioritize your values.

Do you need support? Be True to You is designed to help you clarify what truly matters and create the life that you desire.

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All the best,

Ruthann