Joy Based Living

Ambition seems to be a touchy word in our culture, as though it means you’re selfish, self-centered, or greedy. I don’t think any of these things are true. I think ambition means that you’re taking yourself and your gifts and your contribution seriously.

In yesterday’s post, I shared a poster titled “From Powerblind to Running Free” (which I updated today, see the bold italics in the poster).

I think when people start healing from emotional trauma, the best thing they can do is to receive validation from others who can help them experience a deeply felt sensation that they are not alone, especially in regards to (the debilitating effects of) toxic shame. But it can be SO easy to stay in that stage of development. The relief of being seen can feel so amazing and so strong, that it feels like “the end.” However, it’s just the beginning.

If you don’t expand from that space, you will actually maintain a stance of victimhood which will perpetuate further trauma. And, once again, you will feel like you need to defend yourself.

While taking the risks to “GO PRO” by sharing your authentic gifts, you will probably make mistakes and you will probably get hurt. If you have not committed to the next stage of your development, which is full self-expression – then, in response to the hurt, you will shrink rather than continuing to expand. That’s why I think the solution is AMBITION.

Ambition puts you in the driver’s seat. You’re completely in charge of what you CAN control. You begin to broadcast a message to those who are your TRUE TRIBE, those people you are meant to serve, those people whose hearts are calling for your unique contribution, which is probably WHY you feel called to begin with. The more PRO you go, the clearer your signal gets. Your wins are generated by attraction. You experience more and more JOY.

When I first presented Reach Your Stars seminars back in 1999, I created a memorable acronym “I AM”, which stood for Imagination, Attitude and Motion. Today, I am updating that acronym to stand for:

• Inspired
• Ambitious
• Magical

Much love,

Happy D!