ReLaunch 101

There comes a point in every woman's life when she pauses to take stock of where she's been, where she is now, and where she wants to go. And often it's one gigantic (and disturbing) wake-up call.

It goes something like this. "Whoa! How the heck did I end up here? This is NOT the life I wanted. Help! I don't know what to do about it. Is it too late to change course?"

ReLaunching Your Life is all about charting a new course and creating the life you were meant to live. For a lot of women that means finding ways to be their own boss by turning their interests into income. For many, it means finding more freedom, more joy, more abundance in their lives.

The thing is, ReLaunching goes much deeper than creating your own business doing what you love. It means taking strategic steps to reshape your life so you're in control. So you love your life again. So you are moving in the direction you want. It means you have to hold yourself accountable for doing what it takes to have the life you truly want.

What's the BIGGEST obstacle to successfully ReLaunching Your Life? It's the F-word. (No, not that one!) It's F-E-A-R. And as I've said many times before FEAR stands for False Evidence Appearing Real.

What's your FEAR? Failure? Rejection? Not making enough money? Boredom? Embarrassment? Maybe it's all of these, maybe it's something else. Are your fears reality-based or are you letting the Big Fat Bully in Your Brain convince you that you CAN'T do what you want? It's time for a quick fact-check about those fears. If they aren't based in reality (and believe me, most of them aren't), it's time to do something about them.

You CAN control your thoughts -- yes, you can. If you allow fearful, negative thinking to hang around too long, you'll become fearful and negative in your outlook. It will color everything you do. It will stop you in your tracks. Keep you from your dreams.

But, if you make a conscious effort and reframe those negative thoughts into positive affirmations, you can re-program your subconscious to find the positive in each situation. It takes consistent practice, especially if you've been living in fear and negativity for quite a while. Try it yourself, not just for a day or two but for at least 30 days. Consistently. Every day. Eventually a positive outlook and an "I CAN do this" attitude becomes second nature. What a difference this will make in your life!

Here are a few more ReLaunch 101 tips:

• Course corrections are not only OK, they're essential throughout your life. Don't be afraid to make them when necessary.

• Build on your strengths, talents, passions, and gifts instead of always trying to "fix" your weaknesses. ReLaunching can be scary sometimes, especially if you stay focused on what's "wrong" instead of building on what's right.

• Maintain the faith and belief that you can achieve your goals through preparation, consistent action, and persistence. In other words, don't give up so easily!

• Find a support group or a partner who will hold you accountable for taking small steps every day toward your goals.

• Get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, and exercise to keep yourself fit. If you're not feeling healthy and energetic, it's hard to move ahead.

Bonnie Pond is a career change expert. She helps women over 40 who want to be their own boss find ways to turn their interests into income. Her goal is to help every woman love her work, love her money, and love her life again. Visit Bonnie's web site at www.relaunchyourlifecoach.com. While you're there, sign up to receive her FREE weekly newsletter. Tune in to her Blog Talk Radio program every Monday morning at 10 AM (CST), www.blogtalkradio.com/relaunchyourlife.