Chapter LVIII – Reflections and The Relaunch
The Relaunch
I am Jude. It’s time for a redesign! Judeclyke.com and The Book of Jude are under construction.
I’m not sure what that means right now and I don’t expect any dramatic changes but I’m ready for something new. I’m looking forward to the unknown and the next iteration of both the blog and the website.
It’s amazing that even after a year, all of this still feels strange and completely surreal.
But here I am. Breaking Free and Being Better. Conquering my fears and self-doubt and committing to my ongoing personal development.
I am writing regularly, sharing my thoughts with the world and I have a growing circle of support who are invested in my success.
“You have to do it by yourself, [but] you can’t do it alone.”
Martin Rutte
I am putting in the work and finding unexpected joy in the process.
I am constantly learning, becoming more confident in my abilities and evolving in ways I could never have imagined.
It’s truly been a blessing.
Unshackled Solutions Life Coaching and Consulting
I continue to grow as a coach and a small business owner. Consequently, my social media platforms need to provide a landing spot for my professional services and better reflect my willingness to help others in this capacity.
If I am going to serve others in the ways that I want to, everything has to continue to evolve.
Stay tuned for the relaunch of The Book of Jude 2.0 and the Unshackled Solutions Life Coaching and Consulting website update.
It won’t be long.
I am too invested in building my business and I have developed a need to continue expressing myself through my writing.
Reflections
It’s been over a year since I posted ‘The Beginning’, the first entry in The Book of Jude.
When I began, I had no particular purpose or anticipated outcome, I simply felt the need to express myself.
What is surprising is that I have never had any previous interest in writing and I certainly didn’t consider myself creative.
It was a significant part of my career as a parole supervisor and I have been a lifelong reader but I never envisioned I would be sharing my thoughts in a blog.
It’s been a struggle at times but I have realized that I love the challenge of bringing words to life.
Language can be elusive and completing the weekly blog posts has required a significant investment of time and energy. However, for me, the struggle has been rewarding and somewhat addictive.
I have grown in ways that I could never have imagined and I am experiencing more joy and fulfillment in my life than I ever have before.
And The Book of Jude has contributed to that abundance.
The process has been therapeutic. It has required self-reflection, focus, commitment and a significant emotional investment but I am beginning to see the results.
I am developing a better relationship with myself, I have much more confidence in my skills and abilities and I am convinced that through hard work and the right intentions,
I can accomplish just about anything. Regardless of what anyone else thinks.
Guiding Principles
Over the past year, I have adopted some expressions that capture what I value and express how I want to live my life.
These concepts are simple but profound. My sincere hope is that they can also provide you with inspiration.
Own Your Mornings
Mornings are my favorite part of the day. It’s when I feel most alive, have the most energy and usually get the most accomplished.
I enjoy the QUIETUDE and I have learned that the opportunity to practice self-care and set the right intentions for the day is invaluable to my mental wellness and overall happiness.
I utilize the time to create positive energy through exercise, meditation, reading and self-reflection: rituals that promote optimism, gratitude, focus and perspective.
And it’s been working.
This new regimen has been providing me with much more joy and contentment and I am more prepared to confront the demands of the day, regardless of the circumstances.
Practice Mindfulness
Today, in many ways our lives are busier than they have ever been. There are ever-increasing demands on our time, energy and attention and we are tormented by negative thoughts and self-limiting thinking.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed.
I believe mindfulness can help.
Being mindful can be defined as a state of active attention with a specific focus on the now.
It’s simply becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings and emotions and more attuned to what is going on around you.
It provides us with PEACE by quieting our inner critic and insulates us against negativity, judgement and self-sabotage.
Freeing our minds encourages us to accept that pain, uncertainty and hard work are inescapable parts of the human experience.
Our responsibility is to accept them with openness and equanimity.
If you already haven’t, begin making mindfulness a regular practice. Dedicate time to quieting your Monkey Mind and finding more peace and well-being.
Do Hard Things
Many of us avoid the things we know we should be doing. We create justifications, take short cuts and choose to remain comfortable.
What’s unfortunate is that, in doing so, we often end up living a life that is less than fulfilling.
That’s not acceptable to me anymore.
I am realizing we have unlimited potential. However, we can only actualize our unique superpowers through personal development and our willingness to challenge our fears.
WE NEED TO DO HARD THINGS!
They create new possibilities and promote a mindset that is characterized by confidence in your innate abilities and the courage to take on new experiences.
Taking on challenges encourages us to grow and evolve and in doing so, we redefine ourselves.
All Things Come to Pass
Life is always changing. In fact, it’s the only constant in the human condition. Situations and circumstances are fluid. Nothing lasts forever.
Accept your current reality knowing that it won’t last.
Develop practices that encourage temperance and mindfulness. Remember that disappointment and struggle are inevitable and that we can never avoid the winters in our lives.
Nor should we want to. They always provide necessary lessons and unexpected blessings.
We need to celebrate the good times knowing they won’t last and understand that if things have been going sideways for you, better days are coming.
All Things Come to Pass.
Incremental Improvements Lead to Exponential Results
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Sustainable change requires consistent effort, the right intentions and reasonable expectations.
Our relationships, health, and happiness are determined by the choices we make. The cumulative weight of these decisions defines how we view ourselves and the world around us.
Taking small steps to Be Better has significant consequences in how we live our lives.
The benefits are rarely immediate and require an investment of faith and effort. However, the results over time are remarkable.
Continuous progress leads to exponential growth. For instance, if you continuously get 1% better at something every day for all 365 days a year, you would have improved by 37 times.
Start with one push-up, one healthy meal, one walk, one chapter or one act of kindness. Consistently repeat these actions and gradually increase their frequency as your body and mind allow.
Believe me it works.
I am utilizing this growing inventory of principles to shape my thoughts and actions.
Setting my daily intentions; remaining mindful; doing hard things; understanding that nothing lasts forever; and staying committed to Being Better everyday are proving a useful formula.
It is allowing me to make the impossible possible, one small step at a time. I am Jude.
