Do you believe in yourself? The best way to answer this question is to look at where your life is right now. Do you have all the things you really want in your life? Are you satisfied with what you’ve accomplished? Do you believe your wishes/dreams will come true?

We may want to believe we can have anything we want, yet something gets in the way of that happening. And that “something” can be limiting thoughts. Those nasty little thoughts sneak in and keep us from feeling good about who we are.

It’s not unusual after you take on something big in your life, something you’ve never done before, to have all your doubts and fears come up. Some familiar thoughts you may have are, “Can I do this?” “What if I fail?” “Am I good enough?”

I can remember when I decided I wanted to start my business. I was so excited. I knew it was time to play a bigger game but then those nasty thoughts started to creep in. There was always this little voice in my head saying, “You don’t have what it takes. You’re not smart enough. What if you fail?” I knew if things were going to change, it was up to me to make those changes. I then took the steps to shifting my thinking forever.

Here are 5 steps I created to help you to believe you can:

1.  Love yourself for who you are. Before you can let love in, you must first learn to love who you are. We are all whole and complete just as we are. We all came into this world as magnificent human beings fully expressed. Sadly, many people walk around feeling there is something wrong with them and with the world. And, they’re never satisfied with what they have or who they are. They never appreciate what they’ve accomplished because they’re always thinking “what’s next?”

   The good news is nothing’s wrong, there’s nothing to fix, there is no where to get to because you’re already there. There is nothing you need to do to make yourself better because you’re perfect just as you are.

2. Trust. So often, we walk through life with an expectation that things “should be” a certain way. And, when that doesn’t happen, we’re upset, frustrated, and angry. We then make ourselves and others wrong. We start walking around complaining and blaming others.

   There were many times when I was frustrated about my life. I had limiting thoughts like, “Why don’t I have the things I want? I’m never going to succeed.”

   I then took on practicing a new way of thinking. I consciously changed my thoughts and focused on trusting it would turn out. And each morning, I would think of what I wanted in my life and say, “I trust it will come to me.” When I did that, the door of abundance opened up and new opportunities flowed in.

3. Appreciate your accomplishments. If you want to attract more abundance into your life, slow down and allow yourself to be present to your accomplishments. When we take the time to do this, we’re opening up a space of more of the same to come to us.

   Think about it this way. If you spend most of your time thinking about what you don’t have, what do you think you’ll attract the most? That’s right! You attract that which you focus on the most. Most times we rush through life thinking about the next thing rather than appreciating what have right now.

   When you take the time to appreciate your accomplishments, you are allowing yourself to bask in the victory of what you have achieved.

4. Be Grateful. Quite often, people dwell on what they don’t have and complain why they don’t have what they want. And the more they do that, the more they perpetuate the same. Remember, like attracts like. They focus on the future and that some day they’ll have more money or more happiness.

   It’s just as important to your happiness to be grateful for the things you have right now and have already accomplished. When you do that, you’re immersing yourself in the positive energetic forces of life that are around you. And, what you focus your attention on most is what comes to you. The more you are grateful for, the more you open yourself up to attracting more of the same.

   Here’s a brief statement taken from Joe Vitale’s book, The Attractor Factor. “Feel thankful for your life, your lungs, your home, it doesn’t matter. Once you feel grateful, you are in an energy that can create miracles.”

5. Choices. You are where you are because of choices you made. The choices we make in our lives help to make us who we are today. If you don’t like what you have, you can change it.

   Each day we have thousands and thousands of thoughts. We may not think we can choose our thoughts but that’s because we think we have no say in how we think. However, the truth is, if we don’t like the thoughts we have, we can change them and choose more positive thoughts.

   Every day you get to choose how the day is going to go. So why not make it a great one! It’s a conscious choice you make to believe in yourself and you can start today.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Breakthrough Strategist, is the creator of Your Life After Breast Cancer website and Be a Thriver Newsletter. To sign up for her free articles and teleclasses, visit www.YourLifeAfterBreastCancer.com.

We all have stories from the past we fondly remember.

A favorite story of mine happened when I was about five years old. Whenever we would have friends and relatives over for dinner, my parents would let me stay up late and sing my favorite songs to them. So there I was standing in the middle of the living room singing my little heart out. I adored the attention, applause and hugs they gave me. This is a story I can still remember so clearly. I think it’s one of the reasons I love speaking to groups.

Then there are the unpleasant stories we carry around with us that we’re unwilling to let go of. An event happens that negatively impacts our thoughts and feelings about ourselves. We hold onto these stories for so long, we believe they’re true. These stories keep us from appreciating what we have in the present because we believe it will happen again. So we stop taking risks for fear that what happened in the past will happen again. It affects how we communicate, relate to others, and even stops us from going after all the things we really want.

I can remember a story I held onto for many years. I grew up in a family of five brothers and sisters. I was the youngest one in the family. I remember having dinner on Sundays and my oldest brother would say, “Keep quiet, eat your dinner, nobody is interested in what you have to say.” I adored my brother, so I believed what he said was the truth. Nobody was really interested in what a little girl had to say. So I stopped speaking up and if I did say something, I spoke very quickly or I’d say what I thought you wanted to hear.

Through the years, not speaking up had a huge impact on my life. I was afraid to say what I thought and ask for what I wanted. In fact, I’d say what I thought you wanted to hear. If someone did something that upset me, I wouldn’t say anything. I would withdraw and be silent. I had no voice.

I was committed to breaking through this barrier. I thought about what my brother said. He had said what he said and nothing more. I had added all the meaning to it. Having this insight was a huge breakthrough for me. I was free again. I had found my voice. I was no longer a five-year old little girl without a voice. I had something to say that mattered.

From that point on, my life changed forever. I left a job I had been at for 10 years, where I did not express myself, and went to work for a training company. There I was trained to lead workshops and help people learn to speak up. I had found my voice and was now fulfilling my dream!

Is there a story that’s been holding you back?

Remember this—Successful people create each day newly. They never allow past events to stop them. And it makes perfect sense. Whatever has happened in the past is over. Just because it may have been a disappointing experience does not mean it will happen again.

When you believe it will happen again, you are sending a message to your subconscious that “I believe I will fail again.” You are giving power to something that happened in the past. And, what you believe will happen, will happen.

People that know they are responsible for creating their own successes will learn from past experiences, make the changes, and get into action.

What do successful people all have in common?

• They left the past in the past.
• They’ve created their lives newly.
• Giving up is not in their vocabulary.
• They live their lives from three words…Yes, I can!
• They’ve had to overcome struggles and adversity throughout their lives but it’s only made them stronger.
• They have a HUGE life purpose.
• They are focused, intentional, and committed.
• They believe in themselves and their purpose.
• They see life as a place where anything is possible rather than impossible.

When you let go of the past, you’re then free to create anything you want. It’s as if you have a clean canvas and from the clean canvas you can paint your life newly. You’re no longer held back by something that happened long ago and is over.

Eckhart Tolle writes in his book, A New Earth, “…nothing ever happened in the past that can prevent you from being present now. We can learn to break the habit of accumulating and perpetuating old emotions regardless of whether something happened yesterday or thirty years ago. We can learn not to keep situations or events alive in our minds but to return our attention continuously to the present.”

The past can only stop you if you choose to allow it to stop you. The past event has nothing to do with who you are in the present. What happened in the past, is over. We only have right now. And, right now, you get to say how you want your life to go.

So, what can you do to let go of the past? You can focus on NOW! What is it that you want to have in your life right now? All we have right now is this moment. Be present to your life right now—this moment. We don’t know what’s in the future. When you create what you want in your life now, you’re creating a new future.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Breakthrough Strategist, is the creator of Your Life After Breast Cancer website and Be a Thriver Newsletter. To sign up for her free articles and teleclasses, visit www.YourLifeAfterBreastCancer.com.

Does the thought of failing keep you from trying new things? If the answer is “yes,” you’re not alone. When we hear the word “fail,” we connect it to something negative and bad. For many people, the thought of failing brings up strong feelings and emotions. The feelings are so strong, it’s feels safer not to take on new things.

If you’ve read the bios of most successful people, you’ll see they’ve all failed many times over before they achieved success. Donald Trump, one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time, declared bankruptcy only to make his biggest comeback, not only in the real estate market, but by branding his name on products and television. Donald failed many times over. But to him failure is part of the game, and the game includes taking risks. Anyone who is successful is willing to take risks.

I know what it’s like to avoid taking a risk for fear of failing. I never considered myself a “writer” so I put off writing an online newsletter. I saw other people writing newsletters and envied them for being able to write so easily. I had so much I wanted to share, so I could help others, but I was afraid to take the risk and fail. This held me back for a long time.

Then, I started reading other newsletters, took classes with people who were experts at writing an online newsletter, and the fear began to diminish. I immersed myself in learning about writing. I was ready to take the risk. I finally took the leap and wrote my first newsletter! Wow, I can still remember how freed up I felt having finally broken through this barrier. From then on, it became easier each time to write. That was more than six years ago. Since then, my community of wonderful e-zine readers has grown and continues to grow monthly.

Here are 4 key steps to help you move through the fear and be willing to take that risk.

1. Identify the fear: Write out specifically what the fear is, including all the details. I believe to move through the fear; you first have to clarify exactly what the fear is.
2. Emotions and feelings: Write the feelings you’re experiencing as you think about your fear. Do you feel frustrated, anxious, angry, or hopeless? The clearer you are about the feelings connected to the fear, the easier it will be to move through it.
3. Real fear or a self-imposed fear: Ask yourself, “Is this a real or self-imposed fear? A real fear would be if you were about to be pushed out of an airplane. A self-imposed fear is a fear you’re experiencing that hasn’t happened. Once you identify that it’s a self-imposed fear and your life is not endangered, you now know you’re in charge and can take action.
4. Action steps: A powerful way to move through the fear is taking action. Once you take that first step, you’ll feel freedom and confidence because you’re taking charge of your life and the next steps become easier to take.

They say in life you’re either growing or contracting. The only way to grow is to be willing to take risks. I invite you to be willing to take a risk.

I’ve tried many new things in my life and failed many times over. As I look back, I’ve always learned something valuable from failing that has helped me for the next time. I’ve learned that failure is the stepping stone to succeeding. Had I not been willing to take risks and experience the failures, I would not appreciate the wins as much.

Rather than blaming yourself or anyone else for the times you fail, take each failure as a life lesson. Ask yourself “What have I learned from this experience that will help me for the next time?”

Here’s what Michael Jordan, the famous basketball player, says about failing. “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I’ve been entrusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And, that is why I succeed!”

Failing is the stepping stone that precedes growth, develops courage, and leads to success.

Assignment:

• Make a list of all the things you’ve put on hold because you were afraid to take a risk.
• Ask yourself, “What would my life look like if I took the risk and succeeded?”
• Ask yourself “What’s the worse thing that could happen?” (The worse thing is either it doesn’t work out or they say “no.”)
• Make this a game worth playing! Select one item from your list and find a friend or colleague who’d like to play the game with you.
• With your friend or colleague, determine how and when you are going to accomplish the item from your list.
• Support each other to do what you said you would do and “just do it!”
• And, when you do step out and take the risk, stop to celebrate the accomplishment and savor the moment. YOU have won the game, so enjoy the victory!

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Breakthrough Strategist, is the creator of Your Life After Breast Cancer website and Be a Thriver Newsletter. To sign up for her free articles and teleclasses, visit www.YourLifeAfterBreastCancer.com.

Rochelle Togo-Figa Shows Women
How to Step into Purpose and Thrive

Breast cancer saved my life. After I was diagnosed I focused on living the life of my dreams.

Rye, NY (May 17, 2010) — After the race is over, the pink ribbons are put away and the initial survivor celebrations end, Rochelle Togo-Figa shows up. As a breast cancer survivor, coach and trainer she knows the importance of turning a life around – starting with her own life. Eighteen years ago, Togo-Figa was a single woman, overworked and constantly running in the rat race climbing proverbial ladders in New York City. It was the wrong time to learn she had breast cancer. Not only did she beat the odds and survive the disease, she used all the professional tools and techniques in her sales career to redesign her personal life. Through her breast cancer journey she found the strength to do the one thing she never thought she would—fall in love after age forty and start her own business.

On June 26th Togo-Figa is kicking off a one-day workshop to lead breast cancer survivors through the secrets of living with passion and redesigning a life after breast cancer.

Togo-Figa is offering this live event inviting breast cancer survivors to learn how to be a "Breast Cancer Thriver.” Attendees will learn how to:

• Shift their mind set
• Pursue what is important
• Let go of the past and be ready to move forward
• Learn to believe that they can do whatever it is they want to do
• Identify their life purpose
• Design a step-by-step Thriver Blueprint Plan
• Walk out of the event ready to hit the ground running

Togo-Figa’s new program, Your Life After Breast Cancer, teaches women how to thrive with the tools, techniques and tips perfected from her work as a coach and trainer, and applied to personal struggles in a way to design an exceptional life post breast cancer. Togo-Figa creates an atmosphere of love and camaraderie with other women who understand the breast cancer journey. After living the life of her dreams she knows “what a beautiful gift that will be!”

Statistically, 98 percent of women diagnosed with cancer confined to the breast are alive five years later. But as Togo-Figa points out, “the 'Missing Link' in the health care system is the lack of post treatment support. After a patient ends treatment and returns to her normal life there is very little encouragement to make personal life changes to truly go after your dreams and thrive in work and life." If she has her way that will all change.

About Your Life After Breast Cancer
Founded by Rochelle Togo-Figa, Your Life After Breast Cancer helps breast cancer survivors learn how to reevaluate every part of their “new” life post breast cancer: relationships, family, career, health, and how to deal with stress, self care, and leave a legacy. It is perfect for women who desire personalized guidance and support that only a coach who has gone through the same experience understands. Women who desire a coach to show the steps to take to begin living your life purpose through: Private and Group Coaching Programs, Tele-classes, Events and Free Resources. Contact to receive your free report 8 Life Lessons to Thriving in Your Life.

More Information at:
http://tinyurl.com/intoyourpurpose
http://yourlifeafterbreastcancer.com/

As you begin to make changes, you may notice different emotions are beginning to surface. That excitement you’re feeling has changed to fear and you’re beginning to feel very uncomfortable.

You see, the second you leave your comfort zone, it’s likely you may experience discomfort and resistance. Since all positive changes take place outside the comfort zone, change can be painful. The very moment most people feel the pain, they pull back inside the comfort zone. This is the reason why many people fail to improve themselves or create lasting changes in their lives: They are unwilling to put up with the pain of change.

Here are some things to notice about change:

• Some people embrace change and some people resist it.
• Change makes some people feel uncomfortable…so uncomfortable that they may even become ill.
• When thinking about change, the mind automatically thinks what it has to give up to make the change.
• Making changes may bring up fear of losing security and fear of failure.
• People will come up with excuses, reasons and circumstances as to why they cannot change.
• If they feel the pressure, they’ll withdraw and retreat to the way it was before.

And as people about to make the BIG change in their lives and take on doing something they’ve never done before, many people hit the “Panic Wall.” The Panic Wall is the place a lot of people hit when they’ve taken on a bigger game in their businesses. We call it the “breakdown” before the “breakthrough.” Suddenly you’re flooded with self doubts, the fear of failing, and lots of reasons not to take action.

All of these things happening are not unusual. You’ve made a decision to take a BIG leap and all your fears have surfaced. There’s now a gap between where you are and where you want to be. The structure you had in place no longer supports you in what you’re up to next. Whenever we stretch ourselves and step outside our comfort zone, the “ego” will fight like crazy to keep us playing small, fearing annihilation. The ego is the part of us that wants to protect us from repeating past disappointments; therefore, keeping us from moving forward.

The Panic Wall is when the old paradigm mixes with new beliefs. Part of you really, really wants to make the quantum leap, but the other part of you known as ego is afraid of letting go of what it already knows. This is where successful people feel the discomfort and stay the course while others pull back and retreat.

At this point, many of your limiting thoughts, beliefs, and fears are screaming louder in your head than ever before. Thoughts like:

• I’m just not ready to do this yet.
• I don’t have what it takes.
• I’ll never be successful.
• I’m not smart enough.
• This isn’t going to work.
• There’s too much to do.

These limiting thoughts are not the truth. It’s your ego trying with all it’s might to keep you small. In the short term, you may feel better; however, if you let the ego win, you’ll never experience what’s possible once you get to the other side.

The only way to go from your “breakdown” to your “breakthrough” is to stay in action. Experiencing a breakthrough in your life means stretching yourself beyond your comfort zone.

When I speak about “stretching beyond your comfort zone,” your comfort zone could be the fear of losing your security or losing love. To break through to the other side and make your quantum leap, you have to be willing to be with the discomfort for a brief period of time. It takes being:

• Courageous
• Believing
• Committed
• Persevering
• Staying in action
• Being in communication with others (During this time it’s important to reach out to people you trust such as a mentor, coach, and support group.)

The Panic Wall is strongest the first time you experience it because you’ve never been to this place before. The place you’re in during this time is very uncomfortable and the discomfort can be so intense that many people will give up and retreat to what’s familiar. But if you’re willing to be with the discomfort and follow the steps I mentioned, you will make a quantum leap!

Your Assignment:

How badly do you want to take that quantum leap and be fulfilled? If you’re willing to do what it takes to make the changes, here are some ways to keep moving forward.

• Be courageous, believe in your dream/purpose, make the commitment, stay in action, and be in communication with others.
• When you hit the Panic Wall, recognize the following:
  • Understand it is only temporary.
  • You’re on the cusp of a HUGE breakthrough.
• Write out a vision of what you want to achieve and how it looks when you do achieve your vision (be vivid and specific).
• Spend some alone time reading your vision daily and visualizing how it feels when you achieve your vision.
• Declare it (write a bold statement declaring your intention, “I declare I will write that book!”).
• Share your Declaration with at least five people you trust and feel safe with. (The more frequently you speak aloud your Declaration, the more you will believe it.)

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Breakthrough Strategist, is the creator of Your Life After Breast Cancer website and Be a Thriver Newsletter. To sign up for her free articles and teleclasses, visit www.YourLifeAfterBreastCancer.com.

It’s true that breast cancer changes your life.  It certainly changed mine.

Through my journey from diagnosis to recovery, I transformed my life from just surviving breast cancer to thriving in my life.  I met my husband and soul mate, started my own business, and I love my life.  I am a THRIVER!  It’s not just enough to survive anymore, let’s all THRIVE together!

I have created the From Surviving to Thriving Tele-Summit to inspire and motivate breast cancer survivors to take charge and transform their lives into the life they wish to live.

Register here:  http://yourlifeafterbreastcancer.com/blog/surviving-to-thriving-telesummit/.

If you register for this event, you will learn from some Amazing Women Thrivers.  I am so pleased to be counted as part of an amazing group of women who will share inspirational stories of surviving breast cancer to achieve phenomenal success while creating amazing lives on their terms.

We will share how we overcame struggles and went on to create extraordinary lives.  The details are below:

April 19: Finding Your Life Purpose:
Join us for two amazing stories that will leave you motivate and ready to become a thriver.  Leave with the hope and inspiration you need to take your next step!

April 20: Following Your Passion:
Join us for an hour of “passionate pursuits” as we learn from women who have taken their diagnosis and turned it into a new path.

April 21: Finding Your Voice:
Ever wondered how to turn your journey with breast cancer into a book?  Join two thrivers as they share tips and hints on how to write the story inside you.

April 22: Being Unstoppable in the Face of Adversity:
Hear from two amazing women entrepreneurs.  Learn how nurturing an outlook of being unstoppable will help you take the next steps to becoming a thriver.

April 23: Turning Breast Cancer into a Gift:
You will leave with new ideas and new ways to view your breast cancer journey, along with the inspiration and motivation you need to redesign your life and start thriving.

If this is compelling to you or if you know someone who this would profoundly impact her life, please join the FREE call.  Registration information can be found at the following link:  http://yourlifeafterbreastcancer.com/blog/surviving-to-thriving-telesummit/.