Daisy Swan, now a contributor to
Find Bliss Magazine!

Read her article in the June 2013 issue, here…

Believe in yourself to light the spark of excitement

“There is no scientific answer for success. You can’t define it. You’ve simply got to live it and do it.” Anita Roddick, Founder, The Body Shop

Lately, when I first open my eyes in the morning, I remember what day it is, and do a quick mental scan of what I have planned. Then, as I’m enjoying those final moments with my pillow and quilt, I feel the simultaneous pull of excitement to enter my day.

by Daisy Swan

Taking that action to step into the day isn’t always easy; it doesn’t always seem so inviting that we leap into it with a burning desire to make something of it. I’ve had mornings when, lacking in energy, I didn’t believe the rest of my day was going to make much of a difference for me or anyone else. We’ve all had those mornings that, if we’re not conscious, can snowball into days of simply going through the motions. Those are lousy days. When I think back on them, I reflect on moments that had the potential to ignite in me a little spark to act; to start or finish something that may have eventuated into an accomplishment. This realization is important – it’s the identification of that almost imperceptible thought-moment of, “What if?” and doing something with it. Careers, companies, books, products, services, websites, and designs are borne out of moments like this.

When we don’t love our work, it’s likely we see a dull opaque blur in front of us. Just as dust settling on a wet windshield blocks our ability to see anything in sharp focus, we may not be able to identify what we are longing to sink our teeth into in order to feel satisfied. We may experience a hollow feeling that we’re missing what everyone else has (comparison deepens the sense of lack), creating an even deeper trough to dig ourselves out of. This stagnant place offers a most important message: By paying attention and taking action to gain back our belief, our trust, and our confidence, we have the ability to do something that matters. It’s this belief in our selves, or something beyond the self, that can light the spark.

The mystery is that we don’t always know what to do to jumpstart ourselves when we have hit that dark, dank place. Taking a step, even a little one, and committing to something challenging, in a fun and even eccentric way, can re-engage us. It could mean picking up a hobby from years ago, or taking a new interest in people who you had lost touch with. Perhaps offering to help someone you never would have thought to talk to before, or choosing to start a project you’ve put off for far too long. The act of “doing” makes the difference. Human resilience is amazing – we really are all wired to bounce back, and action brings us back to life. Even if we aren’t quite clear on what our purpose is, when we take one step and then a second, we’re moving towards it. A shift in perspective or curiosity can make all the difference.

Trust in the knowledge that in waking up with a sense of excitement for the day ahead, all it takes is a moment of thought and a subsequent action to effect a change. All of sudden it is happening. It found us, or we found it. It doesn’t matter because we’re doing it.

Daisy Swan, founder of Daisy Swan & Associates and author of Making Work Work: Secrets from a Career Coach’s Office works with clients of all ages who are motivated to find the lifestyle that authentically works for them: daisyswan.com.