You've been putting it off forever —

that secret dream to start a business,
write a book,
run a marathon....
Whatever your desire, ignoring it means denying who you really are.
And don't you deserve better?

I did some research on the topic this week, to see what others had to say. REDBOOK had a great article that said, "Wherever you are on the dream spectrum, your aspiration may be slipping away. "We let our dreams lag because our overcommitted lives make them seem impractical," says life coach Laura Berman Fortgang, author of Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction. "We're spread so thin that it's hard to be 'selfish' and put your efforts toward something just for you." Plus, going after a goal may be scary: The fear of failure - or of how your life will change if you succeed - can be paralyzing."

You have got to  create a plan:

GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION
MAKE ROOM FOR YOUR DREAMS
SET A DATE

John Robson at The Happy Guy says, "Choice. It's all about freedom--the freedom to pick one thing over another. Are you choosing what you want from life? "

How do you typically make decisions? Do you do so based on:  

• "shoulds" – doing what you believe you should do.
  
• pleasing others – doing what others want or expect you to do.
  
• fear – choosing the safe route for fear of doing something different.
  
• habit and reaction – you don't even think about what you're doing--you've always done it this way?
  

  On the other hand, you own your power to choose when you decide on the basis of:

• desire – choosing something you want.
  
• need – responding to deeper desires.
  
• authenticity – you know who you are and what you stand for.
  
• creative expression – you strive to be more.

Empowerment arises from the three Cs: choice, courage and change. They are yours to claim. You'll be astounded at how easy it will be to take charge once you've made up your mind to do so. You have the opportunity to create a future that's very different from your past. And remember: not choosing is also a choice.