As I was editing my manuscript of Unstoppable, I was inspired to share with you one of the crucial details that made a huge difference in overcoming my challenging obstacles and goals that I needed to implement. It is having “I can” mindset and inner communication. Empowering inner communication or in other words Self-talk helped me to break through the most challenging times. When my circumstances seemed totally desperate, I said to myself “For me it looks impossible, but I know there is nothing impossible for God; He will create opportunity for me.” When I heard “You can’t do it”, my response was “Yes I can. Don’t tell me what I can and what I cannot do”. When people told me “It’s impossible”, my response was “I know it’s not going to be easy, but I will try and will do whatever it takes to make it happen”. When I faced difficulties that made my goal impossible and it seemed I had no strength to make another step, I would pull all my strength together and say to myself “Inga. You can do it. It’s not more than you can handle. With God’s help you will get through this and you will see the light at the end of the tunnel”. My self-communication empowered me greatly. I felt strong enough to take any pain and difficult situation, and I had unshakable faith that what I want CAN BE done. And that was my foundation, which was like a rock that I was standing on. I did not allow difficult circumstances to break me down. And then, I took consistent action, which moved me forward.
It is very important to be careful how we interpret events and what we say to ourselves, because it determines how we feel about the occurred circumstances and our ability to handle the situation. Can you feel the difference in how you feel when you say to yourself “Yes, I can do it and I will make it happen no matter what it takes for me to get there.” and “I can’t handle it. It’s too much for me. ” Would you agree that you are going to have different results in each of these situations? Sure, without a doubt.
It is critical to pay close attention to how you communicate to yourself certain events and circumstances, and whether or not you can handle it, because depending on that you will make decisions what you are going to do about the situation. Then, your decisions will be followed by your action or inaction. Automatically, your action (or inaction) will create following circumstances and ultimately it might even give the direction to your destiny.
Always remember, that various circumstances have no power over you and they can’t make you feel in a certain way unless you allow it. You are the one, who chooses what you think about and how you look at things. Learning to control your own thoughts and your focus is crucial because it determines your inner state, your following actions and finally your results.
Cheers! đ
Tags: attitude, challenges, Choice, Committment, Communication, decision, despair, destiny, empowering, Faith, Focus, Goal, Inspiration, Never Give Up, self-talk, strength, vision
I will never forget that beautiful sunny day, when I realized that if I do not like the way it is now â I can change it. Nothing â no accident, difficulties due to my changed physical condition, or any other problems â can determine how I feel and how I will continue my life journey. This is my life, and what it will be like depends on me, and not on other people, events or some occurred circumstances. Yes, the accident created those desperate circumstances, but I could change them by taking initiative and action that will create different circumstances. I don’t have to settle for the way it is, and I believe that with Godâs help I am going to get out of this horrible place in my life.
That moment something happened within me. I felt strong and determined to change my life conditions. I had a strong desire to be connected with people, work, travel and be useful to others, and that moment I knew that this was exactly how I will live. Without any more waiting or hesitation I decided to take initiative and start making changes to get myself out of the dead-end. I was living in unbearable emotional pain for so long that I just could not stand it anymore. I hated my suddenly changed position and this endless pain so much that I was ready to do everything I could do to return to change it all. It did not matter to me how much work and efforts it would cost me. But I knew that I was not going to settle for “disabled lifestyleâ. My decision and determination was absolutely non-negotiable. I clearly realized that nothing was going to just happen if I sit and do nothing to make it happen. I knew I had to take initiative in order to implement the vision I had for my life. If I am going to be idle – the circumstances will shape my life, and it was not going to be the life that I desired. So I identified what my goals were to move toward the vision and how I was going to reach them. AndâŠI took action. I held the vision of how I want to live, and consistently worked toward my goal.
Today I literally live my dream that seemed nearly impossible. The goals and the standards that I set for myself transformed my life from not being able to do anything independently to travelling across the world by myself and building my life all over again in a foreign country. I do live a full active and meaningful life.
⊠And it all started that moment, when I realized that my further life does not really depend on the accident and its consequences, but on what I was going to do from that moment.
By writing about this I want to share this lesson and experience with you, who took the moment to read. It is not the event that has the power to determine your future, but what you are going to do about it. Know that you can change your current circumstances if you are not happy with it. Current circumstances were created by your own earlier made choices or some occurred events that you could not control. Same way, by making certain choices and taking action you can create different circumstances. Your life is in your hands, not in the hands of your circumstances. Your choice of what you are going to do about it from now on will determine your future events, and finally maybe even your destiny.
Do not allow the circumstances be in charge. YOU take charge of them and your life! Nothing is impossible for those, who have faith. It might look impossible, but with God all things are possible. God bless!! â„
Tags: attitude, Choice, Committment, despair, destiny, Dream, empowering, Faith, God, Happiness, Inspiration, Meaningful Life, non-negotiable, obstacles, strength, vision
It’s a new week. It’s a new day. With every new day we have a new opportunity to improve our circumstances, to grow and develop ourselves, to overcome the challenges and take another step forward.
Forget the past. Can you move forward by going backwards? Same way, you canât move forward in life, if in your mind you keep going back to what had happened earlier. The past events now are only the facts that cannot be changed. It’s a history. Also, going back to them in your mind wonât make you feel better nor will it empower you. In fact, you make it only worse for yourself, because by constantly thinking about your unsuccessful attempt to accomplish something, people who hurt you or what you have lost, you re-live the pain over and over again. There was a moment in my life that completely got me out of deep depression. It was the moment when I realized that by thinking about things that were painful to me, I was torturing myself. By constantly thinking about what I have lost and what I could not do any more, I lived in never ending emotional pain. I was my own worst enemy! I asked myself âWhy do I do that to myselfâŠ?â That day I completely shifted my focus and my thought pattern into a different direction â into the future instead of my past, and That was the beginning of my new life.
Every day you have a new beginning. Your faith, empowering attitude and actions that you choose today can make a change. By focusing on what you have today (forget what you have lost or what you cannot do!) and how you can improve your circumstances can even change the direction of your life. If you did not succeed a year ago or yesterday doesn’t mean you wonât today or tomorrow. Your past events cannot determine how you feel nor can it determine your future, if you decide not to dwell on your past, but move forward creating the life you truly desire.
If you canât let go the mistake that you have done or you canât forgive yourself for making that choice, try to change your perspective about it. Mistakes are not the reason for you to feel bad about yourself or beat yourself up for making the wrong decision. We all do mistakes, and itâs a natural thing for everyone. Take past wrong choices or bad experiences as lessons what you could do better in the future. Simply ask yourself what you can learn from that, close that page and move on. Next time you will do better because you had the lesson.:) And meanwhile, make necessary conclusions, learn your lesson and take another step forward. We can’t move forward by making steps backwards, right? So donât look back. Turn your sight to the destination you are going, take a deep breath, smile, and open a new fresh page of your life. Itâs a new day that the Lord has made! Have a wonderful week everyone!
Tags: attitude, Choice, decision, destiny, empowering, Faith, Future, Inspiration, obstacles, Pain, strength, vision
Happy Monday!:) We have another week ahead, and who knows what’s lying ahead of us, right? Life is like a cocktail that contains various situations. But whatever is ahead not necessarily have to determine our future. Today I want to share with you something that greatly impacted why my life has turned around from a nightmare into a sunny day đ and what helps me to deal with obstacles as I go. Simply think of it this way: you always have a Choice what you are going to do about an event or situation that occurs in your life whatever situation might be. We cannot control outside events, but we can control how we look at it and what we do about it, and Yes it will greatly impact whatâs next.
When you face a challenging situation, what do you do? Are you going to allow your fear and doubts to have control over you and make the decision for you OR are you going to look straight into fears eyes and step up forward anyway? Are you going to sit and complain about how bad it is and how hard it is for you OR are you ready to do what you need to do to overcome the obstacles that make your situation challenging? Are you going to give up when it gets really tough OR are you going to persist and go through it all until you reach your desired result? You are the one, who chooses the answer, and your choice will determine where you are going. Stay strong and make a choice that might not be the easy one, but will make you win. Have a great week!!
Tags: attitude, challenges, Choice, empowering, Faith, Focus, Goal, Inspiration, obstacles, strength, vision
This week I was reminded again how important it is to be very careful listening to other people’s opposing opinions and better yet – Not to listen them at all if you Know in your heart what it is that you are supposed to do.
It is scary to even think about where I would be in my life today, if I allowed the irony and smiles of others to change my decisions on my goals… I heard sooo many suggestions of what I should do with my choices and my life… and IF I had listened to opinions that I was crazy with my goals and intentions, and instead I should have done what they thought I should do – I would not have come to California, would not have reached my “impossible” dream goals and would not be as happy as I am.
 If God gave you the vision and opportunity to implement it – people’s opinions, fears and suggestions of what you should do must have no impact on your decision. First, we do not know Why people say what they say. We do not know what’s in their heart and what their intentions are. Besides, their opinions are based on their beliefs, their own past experiences and fears, attitudes and their perspectives. But it is theirs, not yours. This is Your life. You know what you believe in, you have your vision and only you can know what the right thing for you to do is. So hold on to your vision and your faith no matter what people say, and just keep moving forward toward your vision.
 People will say their suggestion to you, forget about it and then continue their lives. And what if you, by altering your decision according to their opinions, might miss what God has prepared for you. …Is it worth it?
Tags: Choice, destiny, God, Opinion, opposing opinions, suggestions, vision
Problems either break you or make you stronger and it depends on you where you will end up. It’s your Choice what you are going to do about them will determine the end result. You have a choice to say “Oh well, such is life..” Or you have a choice to say that this is just a challenge for you and with God’s help you are going to conquer all the obstacles. You have a choice to sit and complain about how difficult it is Or take your problem with courage and look for the best solution. Problems will always come; they are a natural part of life. It’s what you are going to do about them will determine your future. Be strong, and make it a great week! Make a choice to have it a great week.:)
Tags: attitude, challenges, Choice, obstacles, vision
This week I was reminded about one of the ingredients that went into my life pie.:) Remember, in my earlier posting I said that just like you need numerous ingredients to make a pie, it takes several important things to handle various unfavorable situations in life, overcome obstacles or achieve what you want,?:)
One of the things that helped me to get through the most challenging times was a Commitment to my vision. I did not “wish” a better life. I had a burning desire to have a better life. I wanted get back into active full lifestyle and I was committed to making it happen.
Goosebumps go through my body when I remember those years, when I was training to walk with artificial legs. It was exhausting work and endless pain. Every step I made felt like someone was stabbing me with a knife. Still, I was learning to make those steps, just so I can walk again. After walking for 1.5 hrs, my thighs were swolen, covered with bruzes, sores and even opened wounds. I would put the medicine and the bandage on the sores, and would train again. My decision to walk again was non-negotiable. Even though realistically It seemed impossible for me to walk and I was told so many times I should just leave that alone and take a different strategy for my life, I kept training and going for my dream. I was so committed that I did not even listen to people’s opinions nor did I negotiate with pain, my mood or daily “want and don’t want”. The time came when I did reach my dream. I did walk. There is no way I would have walked again, if I was not fully committed to my dream.
When 8 years ago I decided to go to California to see how I could establish myself in this beautiful land, I had absolutely no means or guarantees to implement my idea. I did not have a place to live, did not have a lot of money and did not have a job. I did not even have the right to live and work in the country. I knew English pretty well, but I hardly understood Americans. In addition to that, I had no idea how I could move around independently in the manual wheelchair, cook meals for myself with one hand and just generally take care of myself being in such physical condition that I am. The idea of living in California seemed very exciting, of course, but I was in a very tough position – I had absolutely no resources to make it happen. I had my faith in God, several Americans who loved me, my suitcase and a dream.:) That’s how I started… I put my faith in God and myself I was fully committed to make it happen regardless of how much effort and work it would take. Today I live the dream that seemed nearly impossible… In fact, I have more than I could have ever dreamed ofâŠ
The interesting thing was my mindset: when I decided to go to America. I did not go to “try” establish myself there. I was going to do it. I did not leave any alternative to myself. I knew I would live in California before I even flew down here. I had no idea how I could possibly implement my desire, but there was no doubt that I would succeed. Yes, it required determination, devotion, hard work, and persistence. I was very blessed in whatever I did and was protected from evil, but it did take a lot of effort and hard work. Of course there were times when it seemed I would have given away anything just so I can be at home in Lithuania with my family and friends. But I knew I could not just drop everything and leave.The full commitment to my dream pushed me forward through the difficult times. My commitment to the outcome moves me forward up to this day, and I am holding that standard.
âŠThe obstacles, challenges and various problems will come into your life, whether you want it or not. But if are truly committed, you will overcome it all. There might be the facts of your reality that ironically smiles at you saying that your goal is nearly impossible. But if you are truly commited to your vision – you will find a way to realize it.There cannot be âTrying to do itâ. Donât try. Just do it. Of course it is necessary to be wise about the decisions, but the truth is that you must be fully committed if you are going after some big vision, because obstacles will show up without a doubt. Itâs what you are going to do when they come will determine your result. Trying is a state of mind when you allow the possibility of not making it happen. Commitment makes your decision non-negotiable. You will achieve what you want, because then you will be absolutely determined to do whatever it takes to realize your vision.
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Tags: challenges, Committment, destiny, Dream, empowering, Faith, Goals, God, Inspiration, My Life, Never Give Up, non-negotiable, obstacles, vision
I just had a class Commitment vs Trying at International Coach Academy, and once again it reminded me that  itâs not simple conversations or thoughts about what would be nice to have or achieve will help to implement our vision or achieve some goals. It is a commitment to our goal. It is Not giving up when we face the obstacles, challenges or problems that come into our lives. It is not being discouraged when the facts show that our goal is nearly impossible. It is a commitment to do whatever it takes to achieve the goal and to realize the vision that we have. There cannot be âTrying to do itâ. When I hear people say âI will tryâ, I automatically respond âDonât try. Just do it.â đ Trying is a state of mind when you allow the possibility of not making it happen. The danger having you âtryingâ is that deep inside you already have the fear of not making it happen, and you might let it go once you see big obstacles. If you truly want something – there is no trying. You either do it or donât do it. It is giving a 100% of yourself. It is Not allowing anybody and anything to stop you. It is a non-negotiable decision.
Tags: attitude, challenges, Coaching, Committment, decision, Focus, Goal, Goals, Inspiration, Motivation, non-negotiable, obstacles
When you go home through the harsh rain and wind, you don’t stop in the middle of the way because it is cold and difficult to walk, right? You keep walking because you know where you are going, and if you just keep moving forward, you are going to get home, Â where it’s warm and cozy. In fact, you hurry to get there faster.
It’s the same with life. Hold your sight on your vision and keep walking in spite of the life storms. Don’t stop. Keep moving forward knowing that you are going to reach your vision soon or later.
Tags: Committment, destiny, Inspiration, Never Give Up, vision
What makes a difference why sometimes people overcome pain and obstacles and sometimes don’t? This question has been on my mind for quite a long time.
 As I was going through my challenges the first several years since the accident, I never really analyzed what made me do what I did and what helped handle the pain and overcome obstacles that made my vision look nearly impossible.  I just knew I would never give up on my vision and would not allow anybody to talk me out of it. I consistently moved forward in life breaking through the obstacles that I met on my way. I had my sight on my vision, was holding on to my faith and would not let anything to stop me. Only after I implemented some of my biggest goals, I started thinking about what helped me to go through my toughest times and reach that, which seemed impossible. Especially it made me think about it once I started hearing people say “I’m not as strong as you are”. Listening to them, I would ask myself âWhy do they think they are not strong enough to handle their situation or that I am stronger than they are? Â
The truth is that it is not that I am stronger or better. It is what I decided to do after I had the crash. Observing people’s comments, I see that it seems to many that I handled everything easily because I am ânaturally strongâ. Well, No it was never easy. Never. At times the emotional pain was just unbearable. I do get those hits on the ongoing basis.:) and No it is not easy. Sometimes it seems that the further I go in life, the stronger hits I get. But I keep going. I am committed to my outcome and I do not allow myself to give up on it when it gets tough.  Often I say that problems either break you or make you stronger, and it depends on you what result you are going to have. I learned something very powerful that I use to handle whatever I have to face. There are several things that are important. It is like only by putting numerous various ingredients you can make a cake.:) But today I am talking about the detail that greatly influences how we feel and how we handle unfavorable situations.
I shared in my previous post that faith is my strong foundation and it is the main source of strength to handle it all. Â Faith set the mindset that empowered me at all times. It gave me the hope and strength to move on no matter how desperate my situation seemed to be.
There is another critical part to it. It is the power of how you communicate to yourself about what happens and what you are going to do about it. Observing myself and other people, I started seeing that how things turn after unfavorable event happens, most of the times depends on how we look at it. Why? Thatâs where our journey starts either toward winning or losing the game. The reason being why it is so crucial is because depending on how we interpret the event and communicate to ourselves our ability to handle it, we will feel either low self-esteem or even helpless Or strong and empowered, and That will determine what we are going to do next. Would you agree that we choose different action when we feel helpless and doubtful, and when we feel determined and empowered?Â
Having the same event, you have two choices of how you look at it and what you say to yourself. Is this a punishment or is this a lesson for you? Is this a loss or an opened opportunity to have new and better? Does this situation show you are not capable or does this situation show there is an area where you can improve yourself, so you can do better next time? Is this a dead end or a challenge for you to find a way because you know there must be a way? Is this too much for you to handle or not? Your first choice to say to yourself is âI am not strong enough to take it. This is too much for meâ. Second choice – say to yourself âGod doesnât give us more than we can handle, and so that means I am strong enough to take it.  And I am strong enough not just to cope with it, but I will take it with courage and with Godâs help I will win the gameâ. Would you agree that communicating things that empower and dis-empower you, will deliver totally different result in your life?
So it is important to be careful with how you communicate to yourself about what happens, and what you say to yourself whether you can or cannot get the outcome you want.
Which mindset are you going to choose? It depends what outcome you want to have in your life. You are the one, who decides how you look at things and what you think about. We cannot control events that happen in our lives, but we can control how we look at it and then what we do about it.
So, be strong and choose the perspective that will empower you. You will see a big difference!
Tags: attitude, Committment, Communication, destiny, empowering, Faith, God, Inspiration
UNSTOPPABLE 