The Power Within: Claim It!: Six Simple Strategies to Unlock Your Inner Potential

By Debbie Miles

Life is a gift meant to be enjoyed, but most people think its defined by problems that they need to solve.

Its time to take a new approach that allows you to start walking down a path that will lead to accountability and success. It begins with six proven strategies:

Build a strong personal foundation.
Develop a life philosophy.
Recognize whats holding you back.
Pursue your purpose and passion.
Unleash your personal power to initiate change.

Inspired by everyday people who live ordinary lives, this guidebook for growth shows how self-awareness can change all areas of your life, how to find the courage to take charge of your destiny, and how to handle challenging situations more effectively.

The only thing standing in the way of the future you want is the decisions you make. Stop coming up with excuses, and start taking action to overcome self-doubt, fear, and insecurities by finding The Power Within.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Oct 4, 2012
• ISBN: 9781475931235

Debbie Miles

Debbie Miles has worked as a registered nurse for more than twenty years. She is now a licensed clinical social worker in private practice and a life coach. Debbie is president of The Sky Is The Limit Coaching. She is a coauthor of The Gratitude Book Project: Celebrating Moms & Motherhood and A Celebration of Personal Heroes. Debbie lives with her husband in Pensacola Beach, Florida.

Book preview

Testimonials

So many people seek out therapy as a means to reconnect with what is truly important in life. Debbie does an incredible job in showing the reader, step-by-step, just how to do it. If you feel like you deserve a happier, more fulfilling life, The Power Within: Claim It! will help you get there.

Dr. David Swanson, psychologist and author of

Help My Kid Is Driving Me Crazy:

The 17 Ways Kids Manipulate Their Parents

and What You Can Do About It

If you feel the situations in your life are wearing you down and you see life as a problem to be solved, read this book! Debbie Miles, through this simple guidebook loaded with valuable resources, shows you how to develop your inner self, become who you would like to be, and reap the benefits! Discover your inner strengths, remove the barriers, and finally choose to live life your way.

Donna Steinhorn, life and business coach

Debbie Miles has done a splendid job providing the reader with a practical step-by-step approach to giving more meaning and purpose to one’s life. She challenges the reader to embrace a series of bold and courageous changes in mind, body, and soul, and to cast off the perils of apathy, indifference, and compromise in life. This book is rich in inspiration and encouragement, and reveals Debbie’s deep compassion for people. Her practical tools and strategies are vital ingredients for helping people throughout their journey to wholeness. The reader will be enriched and blessed by this special woman who is genuine in her passion to offer hope.

Hiram Keith Johnson, MA, LCSW,

author of Tragic Redemption:

Healing the Guilt and Shame

Motivating, uplifting, and inspiring! Those are the words used to describe Debbie Miles, the work she does with others, and this wonderful book in your hands. Whether you want to find your path again or discover the brand new one awaiting you, you will definitely benefit from applying her simple strategies. The wisdom and practical advice in this book will provide hope, something especially needed for change. Debbie will help you see your challenges differently—as opportunities for discovery and change!

K. Alesia Willis, LMFT, LMHC

Debbie Miles has developed an excellent how-to book, filled with therapeutically sound and practical knowledge. Her work is hopeful and upbeat. Her book encourages readers who have been exposed to significant hardships in their lives to never lose hope. She provides well-designed, practical tools, which enable individuals to move forward with their lives. This work will be a welcome addition to literature in this field.

Glenn E. Rohrer, PhD, LCSW,

professor and director,

University of West Florida

Inspiring! The wisdom and practical advice in this book are uplifting and provide hope for everyone. No matter what you go through, you don’t have to accept it. You can turn your challenging life situations into stepping stones to a new and wonderful journey. Apply the material, do the exercises, and you will once again own your life!

Laura Levitan, LCSW,

coauthor of BooksasBridgesInc.com

Debbie’s book, The Power Within: Claim It!, is truly a powerful book for helping all of us not only to identify our inner strengths, but to apply them in all areas of our lives. Debbie has included simple strategies that can guide and encourage you to take action so you can live a more abundant life, and to empower you to be the driver of your life as you discover your unique strengths and talents. She challenges you to strengthen your faith and to experience spiritual growth as well. The strategies are not untested, but are ones that she has developed as her life has unfolded. She has experienced the highs and lows of life, and using these strategies has helped her maintain her equilibrium and fulfill many of the goals of her life. As a nurse, counselor, and life coach, she is well qualified to offer this book as a guide to all who are interested in improving their lives.

Chuck Randle, Pastor,

Pensacola Beach Community Church

THE POWER

WITHIN:

CLAIM IT!

SIX SIMPLE STRATEGIES TO UNLOCK

YOUR INNER POTENTIAL

DEBBIE MILES

iUniverse, Inc.

Bloomington

THE POWER WITHIN: CLAIM IT!

Six Simple Strategies to Unlock Your Inner Potential

Copyright © 2012 by Debbie Miles.

The Power Within: Claim It! is a work of nonfiction. Client names and descriptions have been changed, however, as have identifying details of individual histories.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

iUniverse books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

iUniverse

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.iuniverse.com

1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them. The author, similarly, cannot be responsible for third-party material.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4759-3122-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-3124-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-3123-5 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

iUniverse rev. date: 11/16/2012

Contents

Testimonials

Acknowledgments

INTRODUCTION Are You Settling for Less?

PRINCIPLE 1 Build a Strong Personal Foundation

PRINCIPLE 2 Develop Your Life Philosophy

PRINCIPLE 3 Recognize What’s Holding You Back

PRINCIPLE 4 Pursue Your Purpose and Passion to Create Your Unique Life Path

PRINCIPLE 5 Unleash Your Personal Power to Initiate Change as a Bridge for Personal Growth

PRINCIPLE 6 Create and Design Your Life Story

CONCLUSION Take Your Show on the Road

Author Bio

Endnotes

Resource and Book Recommendation List

To my amazing husband, David, who gives so much of himself to others, and to my wonderful sons and their families, who make my life complete.

To my many clients who inspire me much more than they will ever know, with the hope that they too live fulfilled lives with the love and compassion from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who fills us with the zest for life.

Especially in memory of my sister, Linda, who inspired so many people with her sweet smile and compassionate heart.

Acknowledgments

The opportunity to write this book has been a blessing for me. I hope this material inspires you, the reader, to make a difference in your life and the lives of others with whom you associate. I wrote it for you and for my many coaching and counseling clients, who have taught me so much through sharing their experiences and life stories. I am thankful that my calling and profession allow me the privilege of serving people who desire to live more fulfilling and peaceful lives.

Much love to my husband, David, who encouraged me to write this book and allowed me to take over his office during this entire book-writing process. I am most appreciative of the encouragement and feedback I received from my many clients and friends. They stimulated my passion and motivated me to share this material with whoever decides to pick this book up and read it.

To Arthur Cole, my very good friend, who brought his expertise and literary magic to the project and assisted in making my dream come true. I couldn’t have finished this book without his insights and support. I thank D. J. Zemenick for her expertise and patience in taking my photo for this book. She can truly work magic in her profession.

Lastly, to all of you who know that there is tremendous power within you that can guide and mold you into the wonderful person you are meant to be. Your life can be better than you ever imagined, and you can be who you want to be if you take advantage of The Power Within.

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

Margaret Young

INTRODUCTION

Are You Settling for Less?

There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.

Nelson Mandela

Do you know who you are and are you comfortable being you? Can others look at you and know you are a confident and well-adjusted person? For many of us the answer is, No, I’m not too satisfied with who I am right now. My life could be much better.

Did you know that hundreds, even thousands, of people wake up every day and continue to give up their rights to have a successful and bountiful life? It’s true. Certain people choose not to meet the challenges of everyday life because it takes too much thought, time, and energy. These are the people who are settling for mediocre lives instead of living the exceptional lives that are inside them.

Whether you realize it or not, you face a variety of mixed messages and tough expectations every day. There are 1,440 minutes in a day. Most of us have roughly nine hundred minutes (fifteen hours) every day when we are awake and alert. If you make five decisions a minute, that is easily 4,500 decisions a day! After awhile all of this decision making can wear you down and cause you to doubt yourself. That’s when the caution light starts flashing, warning you of impending doom, that you are in danger of wasting your valuable life.

Let me ask you some questions. How well do you know yourself? What makes you happy? What brings contentment into your life? Years of experience as a mental-health counselor and a life coach have taught me to ask questions that force a person to dig deep from within in his search for self. If a person can’t tell me who he is and what his life philosophy is, then that’s my cue that this person has somehow lost his belief in himself. The inner self that directs the outer self should cause you to feel energetic, passionate, and full of inner peace, which includes the ability to reach any goal.

On the other hand, if you don’t know exactly who you are and what you stand for, then how will you be able to live your life to the fullest? Will adversity and uncertainty about your decisions throw you into a whirlwind of diverse situations that end up controlling your life? After I have gathered information from my clients, all of them—men and women alike—have voiced frustration and disappointment in themselves and said that their lives seem impossible to manage. Many say, My life is not my own! They feel lost and alone.

Since you are glancing through this book, maybe you too feel overwhelmed and unhappy. Your life is too demanding. You don’t enjoy daily tasks. You feel confused and unsure of which direction to go. You find yourself thinking, How did I get to this point in my life? or What happened to the old me that could handle anything? or When did my life get so complicated and out of control? or simply I do not know who I am anymore. If so, you are not alone!

This book is written to encourage and inspire you to take charge of your life. Today more than ever, men and women of all socioeconomic levels struggle with the feeling that they are trapped in their life circumstances at home or at work. They don’t feel capable or confident enough to change things or to even entertain the idea that they have a choice. They can’t see beyond their present circumstances ending up in what I call the dungeon—a deep, dark place where depression and other fears surface.

On the flipside, in today’s society of instant gratification, no one wants to wait for change. If the results we seek don’t come quickly and aren’t exactly what we expect, we push aside that goal and decide to move on to something less challenging. It’s easier to strive toward a goal that is simpler and less stressful. What happened to fortitude and the determination to succeed even if you have to wait? When the commitment and dedication that normally drive us to success is gone, it’s easy to say Forget that goal and settle for less than what we deserve.

What about you? Have you reached a point in your life where you prefer someone else to make your daily decisions simply because you do not have enough faith in yourself? Maybe you feel too drained emotionally, mentally, and spiritually to deal with your life. You too might be running away from life instead of running your life!

Is your belief system holding you back? Do you believe that great success and the good life are meant for others, not for you? Have you given up on moving up in the world? Too many people feel they have no choice or control over what happens in their lives. When you decide to settle for less, you give away your right to envision and then reach for your dreams. I want you to know it’s never too late to start over with your life. You can regain control of your life. It begins with one thought.

When I was going through my life-coach training, my mentor coach told me that everyone has the same problems, they just have different solutions. I have found that to be so true in my counseling and coaching career. It doesn’t matter what nationality, socioeconomic status, or age a person is. Everyone experiences the same types of problems. These problems do affect each person differently, but the way you view your own circumstances can interfere with, or change, the way you view your life.

Each of us sees the world according to our unique perceptions. How you think and believe and how you interpret your life situations come from what you have experienced previously in your life. All of us are conditioned to see life a certain way, and it is difficult to view it any other way. You might prefer a better life, but that requires getting out of your comfort zone. That thought alone can be threatening!

This returns us to the original question I asked you: Who are you? Many people admit that they do not know who they are anymore. They have been too busy building a successful career or just trying to pay the bills that they somehow lost the most important part of them. They no longer live by their honorable values, morals, principles, and beliefs. Have you thrown your values by the wayside? If so, you may need to reclaim them. If you count on others to speak for you or solve your problems, you may be living your life by someone else’s standards.

Being uncomfortable or unhappy with themselves or the direction of their lives is usually when people begin to do some serious soul-searching and make some changes. It might be deciding to have more time to do the things they really enjoy, living a simpler life, or having the freedom to be who they want to be. Everyone has the right to feel good about their lives.

You deserve the freedom to be yourself as well as the opportunity to improve the quality of your life. It is important for you to understand that when you decide to take charge of your life, you will face many challenges. You can expect difficult times ahead because change will require you to endure certain hardships. It will be worth it.

Are you ready to change?

The decision to