So now you slowed down. You're listening for your intuition. You slept on it. You journaled it out and...

You get your intuitive answer! 

But then…you start doubting it.

I’m a firm believer, that we always have the right decisions inside us, if we choose to listen to that still inner voice. 

In order to create a life we love, however, we have to actually act on what we hear from our soul.

Have you ever tried to rationalize your way to the “right” decision?

You make the Pros and Cons list. You mull back and forth between every option, but you still feel unsettled.  You feel that get uncomfortable knot in your stomach and decide to procrastinate making the big decision.

One of the themes that’s come up in my life right now is listening to and using my intuition.  I’ve realize just how many of our decisions are made using our logical mind, not our heart and soul. When we ignore our intuition, our life feels off track.

In Part 1 of this series, I’m going to talk about how to hear that voice and in Part 2 - I’m going to talk about how to make decision with it.

As we reach for bigger and bigger things in ours lives, fears are guaranteed to come up.

At this crucial point, you can either give up or go forward. But I know that if you're reading this, you're the type who WANTS to go forward so I wanted to share some special tips today.

The Terror Barrier is this concept that when you are trying to change your life, there is a mental barrier to you must break through. You have to completely change the way you think about your life and what is possible. You have to break a LOT of old habits and unconscious ways of thinking. When you first try to do this, you subconscious mind FREAKS out. It will make you worry and convince you to that it's too painful, not gonna work, etc. 

Let me explain: (I prefer to be transparent. A lot of people make it look like success comes to me easy, but I always find inspiration from learning the behind-the-scenes of people's lives, so here we go!)

Have you every been in a funk?  There was a time recently when all I wanted to do was meditate and read, meditate and read. 

Meditate and read...

I was paralyzed by fear. 

I was worried, crying, doubting everything and criticizing myself. 

I was afraid I would never be able to get back to work. 

But then I realized, this isn't the first time this has happened to me. 

As I've committed to living my best life, I've learned that managing this fear is a natural part of the process. 

Have you ever felt like you need something to happen *first* before you can be truly happy? 

If only you could get a better job... 
If only you could finish this semester already...
If only you could afford to travel...

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that everything you need to be happy is right here, right now. 

Getting out of your current life situation isn't going to make you more happy. (I've tried finding happiness in the farthest corners of the world: it doesn't work...)

I've travelled to exotic places, I've worked from the beach, I've been at the top of the world in Bali and yet, I still wasn't happy. 

Now I get it.  

Last week I was thinking, what's the funnest way to spend my birthday?

The first thing that came into my mind was:  hangin' out with YOU!  I wanted to do something special so that we can all celebrate the wonder of life.  This party will be super high vibing, inspiring and enlightening! :) 

You're invited to the party!  Here's the REPLAY:

I could never ever have imagined 1 year ago that I would be starting off 2015 writing this email. 

Today I’m want to share with you the story of my 2014, with the hope and intention that it will inspire you to go for your dreams in 2015.  Over the last 12 months, I didn’t always know exactly what I was doing. I just knew that I was meant for more and took a few MAJOR leaps of faith.

In between those leaps, I stuck to my dreams, took tons of tiny right actions and now everyday, I get to live my dreams:
 

January 2014: I go to Singapore for my last semester of university on student exchange. I pack two full suitcases, because I’m ready to staying in Southeast Asia if I find a job..

Young people are not meant to be sitting in cubicles. We're meant to out THERE, making an impact, energized by our passions and inspiring others.  We're meant to be travelling to all corners of the world and collaborating with like-minded  young leaders.  What's stopping you from being free?

My podcast debut! I'm so honored to be featured in two of the best podcasts for our generation, Moving Millennials podcast with Dave Anderson and The Off Road Millennial podcast with Mallie Rydzik.  These were recorded months apart but they just so happen to be debuting the same week!  Love it when that happens...

When I was in university, I told myself  telling myself countless times, I can’t wait till I’m out of here! Then I can devote ALL my time to growing this blog!  Of course, now that I’m done uni, I realize that it’s not that simple.  It’s been hard to manage my schedule and learn to prioritize while I am creating a never-ending list of things to do.  

For the last several weeks, I couldn’t seem to get much done, no matter how hard I beat my keyboard.  I tried different time management tactics - Pomodoro, scheduling software, changing my environment - but nothing stuck. 

Even with calming meditation music on, I couldn’t focus.  I would start one thing and get sidetracked again and again, until next thing you know, I go from writing a blog to editing my LinkedIn Profile to cutting the grass!

After several weeks of spiralling in and out, I’ve finally got some answers.  

I just got home from a week of famjams at the cottage.  In between some good ol' sibling bickering, swimming in the lake and gorging myself on s'mores, I got a reminder to practice what I preach.

On our way out of the Sunday morning chapel, a guy comes to chat with the one Asian family.  Turns out he works for a nonprofit organization that runs a massive humanitarian ocean cruise liner.  People stay on it for 2 years as volunteers, traveling the world and helping out in every capacity imaginable.  I was hooked.  I want to do that. 

I can trace my fun internships back to couple of actions that I started doing in my second year.  It started with one little decision. One decision would build a relationship, unlock an idea, or produce a particular result and next thing I knew I was flying across continents for my last two years of university. 

I've outlined what those decisions were in my new free-guide, The 3 Secret Habits Of All Outrageously Successful Students.  

I've just wrapped up 4 weeks of leading my Ready To Rise Mentorship Program for ambitious students.  I've really enjoyed coaching these young adults and helping them make the big decisions over what they'll do next in life. 

Over the years, my students and friends have taught me that the biggest hurdle to pursuing a career we love is usually not what other people think of us.  It's ourselves.  We stop themselves from even dreaming up the kind of lives we want to live because we don't believe it will happen.  

If only summer lasted forever, the world would be a happier place.  

I, for one, would wake up more excited and reinvigorated with sunlight. I'd be more productive with more daylight hours. I'd be lighter without the sweatpants and hoodies. 

So when I was planning my student exchange back in 2012, I was determined to go for the winter semester and skip winter altogether.  I finessed course load intoshape and spent January to April this year living on a tropical island in constant 30+ degrees celsius and 80% humidity weather.

Take it from me, warmer climates do not equate perpetual happiness. Now that I've definitively dispelled the myth that I would be happier in warmer climates, I've moved on to try other things.