Minors and Majors

I absolutely love this quote by Eileen Caddy which says “Set your sights high, the higher the better. Expect the most wonderful things to happen, not in the future but right now. Realize that nothing is too good. Allow absolutely nothing to hamper you or hold you up in any way.” The reason I love this quote so much is because often time we allow our circumstances, adversities, people, and life to hold us up from chasing and realizing our dreams. Then I ask myself why? Well, we do this because we make the minors in life our majors which means we are too focused on the small things instead of the big picture hence people lose out on their future accomplishments.

So, I ask you, what are the minors in your life that you are making your major this week and how can you change your mindset so that you can expect the most wonderful things to happen to you right now by setting your sights high?  The first step is to stop asking “how” you are going to do it. In the words of Les Brown “How is none of your business”.  Just follow the plan that God has for your life. Dare to dream then take the steps necessary to accomplish your goals.

I challenge you today to be greater than you was yesterday because I see greatness in all of you!

~Dr. Miranda

Support System

This was a great weekend full of fun and excitement. I am so happy that my cousin came to visit because I was reminded on how much fun it is to live life and still be an extraordinary being. She reminded me of who we were as kids and who we have grown to be an adults and wow! The faith and positivity we bring to a room is overwhelming. God made some strong women out of our past experiences and I am grateful for her presence that reminded me of all this.

As I continue to chase my dreams and as some of them have come into fruition, I am motivated to continue the journey. God said if I asked he would give it to me, he never said it would be easy but he also never said I had to do it alone either. This is why I have a strong support system made up of some powerful and successful women. They keep me going, they are my backbone and strength when I don’t have any. They comfort me when I am going through a trial and remind me that I am going through it and it is not here to stay, they motivate me when I am stagnant in progress, they challenge me when I am sitting in my comfort zone for too long, they encourage me and speak life into my life when my cup is empty and they are my cheerleaders when I need them to be. These are the type of people you want in your life! 

As the fall season approaches, I challenge you to clean house of all the people who are not feeding you and who are not speaking life into you. It’s time to step into your new season with positivity and with your team. I also, challenge you to be that support system to someone else in your life. We all need those people. So look within yourself and see what you can bring to the table in all the relationships around you!

Happy Tuesday to all!

~Dr. Miranda 

Walking in your purpose

I love my Wednesdays. On Wednesday evenings, I get the opportunity to speak life into my clients during our coaching sessions and I am grateful for the spiritual gifts of wisdom, exhortation, leadership, and faith. I thank God that HE answered my prayers when I asked for him to reveal to me, my true purpose and to allow me to live in that purpose.

It’s interesting how a year ago I was in a very different place mentally and had to take my own advice on “if I am not getting the answer I am looking for, then I would need to ask a different question”. Before bringing it to God, I would ask myself, how I could use my skills and talents to advance my career. Although, I already had a strong feeling as to what my purpose was and what I was supposed to do with my life. It never felt official. So, I stopped asking myself that question and I brought it to God and asked him a different question. I asked him what my purpose was then I asked him to reveal to me, HIS plan for my life and for the wisdom and knowledge to fulfill it.

Since then, it has been a mind blowing experience. The journey has not been easy however, it has been worth every moment. The failures that I have experienced along the way have become the experience I needed to live a life of significance and has created the stories that allow me to speak life into others.

How are you using your life experience and walking in your purpose in order to speak life into other?

 

~Dr. Miranda

Leadership

Leadership in itself is defined as “the action of leading a group of people or an organization.” Yet, this definition does not clearly define leadership because there are many components that make up leadership including communication, influence, mentorship, responsibility, motivation, support, ethics, decision making, contribution, vision, teamwork, and management.  In order for individuals to become great leaders they must understand these components.

• Communication-Leaders understand that communication has more to do with the connection made with their listeners than it has to do with the words coming out of their mouth. Therefore, leaders take their time, listening to their followers to find common ground. Once this is achieved they are better able to convey their message in a simple and clear manner. 
• Influence-Influence has nothing to do with your position in a company or organization. In fact, anyone can have influence on someone else because influence is the ability to personally affect others’ actions, decisions, opinions or thinking. Having influence only occurs when followers feel as though a person or leader can be trusted.  John Maxwell noted that “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less” and this is true.
•  Mentorship-Building a relationship with followers is key in leadership. Becoming a mentor to followers allows the leader to teach others in his or her area of expertise but it also allows the leader to learn about each follower and guide him or her in the right direction for success.
•  Responsibility-Leaders understand that every action that a leader takes can greatly influence the outcome of their success, therefore, they accept full responsibility for the performance of their followers. In addition, leaders are not afraid to accept criticism for mistakes or take steps to address concerns and make amends with those who have been inconvenienced.
•  Motivation- Motivation is a crucial element in setting and attaining personal and organizational goals. Therefore, through relationship building with followers, leaders learn their wants and needs. They use this information to better encourage these individuals which helps their followers to become motivated in their task. This in turn develops highly effective individuals. 
• Support-Leaders understand that lending support is important in leadership for followers who may be struggling with a task. Though leaders communicate their expectations and directions while ensuring that it was clearly defined and understood. Leaders do not simply assign tasks and then receive the results. Instead, if a follower is struggling the leader works through the tasks with the follower to improve skills and talent.
• Ethics- Leaders know what they value. They also recognize the importance of ethical behavior. The best leaders exhibit both their values and their ethics in their leadership style and actions. Leadership ethics and values should be visible because the leader exhibits them in all actions. By demonstrating this through action, it visibly will create trust between the leader and followers.
• Decision-Leaders understand how to balance emotion with reason and make decisions that positively impact themselves, their followers and their organizations.
• Contribution-Leaders think about their contribution to their followers. They reflect on how their leadership is making a difference to their followers, organizations and community. Leaders recognize by asking “how their leadership is making a difference” helps them understand how their own actions have contributed to followers and their organization, whether good or bad.
• Vision- Effective leaders define a vision and build followers' commitment to it.
• Teamwork-Leaders understand that teamwork consist of collaboration from their followers and allow their followers to be heard.
• Management-Leaders understand that leadership refers to an individual's ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward organizational success. Influence and inspiration separate leaders from managers, not power and control.

Each components that makes up leadership is very important and is easily executed by a successful leader. However, if you find yourself struggling with any one of these components, it does not mean you will never become a successful leader. Leadership is teachable. All you have to be is willing to learn!

Failure is inevitable

Don't allow others to sway you into believing that in order to be successful that you will never make mistakes or fail. 

Failure is Inevitable. How you deal with it is life changing! 

Therefore, I challenge you to take a positive stance on failing and making mistakes by reminding yourself that you are human but you're also unstoppable. With that change in mindset you will realize that failures and mistakes are part of the process to becoming a better version of yourself! 

Continue to chase and live out your dreams. The power to attain your goal comes from within! 

~Dr. Miranda

 

Create a life of abundance

As I sit here and reflect on my life and think about what I need for success, I think about all the people I lead, the ones I coach, and those I train to be a better version of themselves. With those individuals in mind, it reminds me why I do the work that I do each day. It reminds me of the purpose I was given and allows me to live a life that creates abundance. It also allows me to jump over the hurdles that appear in my journey to success. Not because I'm a super human, but because I'm unstoppable in my path. I keep in mind what Peter Diamandis once said "Creating abundance is not about creating a life of luxury for everybody on the planet; it’s about creating a life of [possibilities]".

I challenge you today to create a life of possibilities and chase the dream that was put in your heart.

I challenge you to get a life or leadership coach to take this amazing journey with you. I challenge you to invest in your future self. Why? Because you were meant to do great things! 

So go out there and be great! 

~Dr. Miranda 

Pain and Hard Work

We all have past experiences that have changed us or have rocked us to the core. However, you cannot think about your future if you are still living in your past. You have to be able to use those experiences for the purpose of growing into the best version of yourself.

I have had many life experiences that I had to endure to get to where I am today. Some were good, some were bad, and others were unbearable yet, each had a lesson for me to learn. While learning in these seasons of life I learned that pain doesn’t last forever and I take comfort in the term “I am GOING through something” why? Well, because it means that the pain, sorrow, heartache, stress, and others emotions I was feeling in those moments and circumstances were not here to stay but to just pass through.

You see, most of you say you want to grow, you want to be better than you was yesterday, you want to be successful. Yet, you don’t want to endure the pain or hard work that accompanies that success. Some of you envy other people’s lives because of their fortune and wealth. However, have you ever stopped to think about the pain or work they had to endure to get where they are today? What we are seeing when we look at successful people is the result of the work they put in to achieve their goal.

So, I challenge you today, instead of wishing you had the life of someone else or wishing your life was better, focus on the dream that was given to you and take action. I challenge you to move your feet through your storm!  Karen Salmansohn once said “You are stronger than your challenges and your challenges are making you stronger”. People who have achieved their goals and have become better versions of themselves understand and value what challenges do to them.

Look in the mirror and ask yourself: Who do you want to be tomorrow? What do you define as the best version of yourself? What dreams are you currently sitting on and refuse to take action on because it requires work, sweat, and tears?

I believe you all have the potential to be great. That is why I have dedicated my career as a life coach to help others get to the other side of their potential and become the best versions of themselves.  I believe you have greatness inside of you, I believe you have the drive and desire to chase your dreams. I Believe in YOU!

Now it’s time for you to believe in yourself! You are Unstoppable!

If you see value in me joining you in your journey click the link below and see what I can offer you. Remember you are one decision  away from a totally different life!

~Dr. Miranda

http://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/sophiamiranda/