So far this year I would say the best thing that I have done is take a few risks. I am the type of person who will stay safe in the box and maybe occasionally step out. This year it has been one of my top goals to step out more often and to take (good) risks involving activities at school, extra curricular, and using my initiative to join clubs that I wouldn’t normally do.

 So the first thing I decided to do was sign I up at a dance school. Dancing is my passion. I Live to dance. I love the feeling you get when you’re on stage or on the dance floor, the music is pumping, the lights are flashing and your just letting rip having a really good time. I particularly enjoy Hip Hop.

I have been dancing since I was 7 at exam level. I have done lots of shows and won many awards. I stopped dancing at my other dance school because I didn’t have enough time and going in to High School I needed as much time as possible. But this year I thought why not join again? So I did. It was the best decision.

A week after joining they put up a sign on the door that said "Phoenix Dance Workshop Weekend" In Hamilton. I asked around and got a couple of pamphlets. It was a weekend  away with the Dance school leaving by bus on Saturday morning at 6am and traveling down to Hamilton where you would attend Dance workshops.

Sounded Amazing. So I signed myself up. I felt pretty proud afterwards because I had once again done something small to achieve my goal. After many months of waiting the weekend arrived. I was so excited, still am when I think about it. The only thing was after all my excitement when I signed up I didn’t realize that it was an audition process and you won scholarships and prizes and that the Dance teachers where world known.

My Hip Hop teacher Jet was one of the Finalists from Dancing with the Stars. So it was a big honour.It was so much more than amazing, so many feelings went through nay head as I was climbing down the steps off the bus when we arrived, excitement, anxious ECT. Also what I didn’t know is we would have to attend dance classes not just the type of dance that you do but others as well. So not only did I do Hip Hop i did Jazz, Musical theatre, Funk, lyrical, Rhythmic, Another chance to step out of my comfort zone and try something new.

That weekend i learnt so many skills and techniques when performing. I learnt heaps of fantastic dances. One of the main skills i was able to pick up in Hamilton is to worry about other people when you perform, to just let go, have fun, and go hard out. Before Hamilton, dancing by myself in front of lots of people would have terrified me. Even if i went in a group of four.

And guess what? 

While in Hamilton we got put in groups of four and had to dance in front of 150 people as it was not just my Dance school but dance schools from all over the country. When i first had to dance in the group i was scared and lots of thoughts ran through my head while they where watching.

What if they see me muck up? Do i look okay? I am i doing this right? After a couple of goes I started to get used to the feeling. While I was off the dance floor I visualized myself getting up there smiling like I don’t care and strutting my stuff and people were clapping. (Technique that my dad thought me) See blog one.

Eventually I got up there and Danced like it was my last ever time that I could dance. It felt. There are no words to describe it. My facials that I was doing to the music were insane. I felt a bit like a freak but it was worth it. I stuffed up a couple of times but I didn’t care. This was a once in a life time experience and I never would off been able to go on it if it wasn’t for that little bit off Risk Taking I took.

 Another step I took to achieving my goal was joining Stage Challenge was going to do it last year but I was too afraid and shy. This year I went and auditioned and what do you know I got in. I didn’t know a soul, but I took a step out of my comfort zone went up to a girl that I thought looked nice and said "Hi my names Jade “im a loner can I hang out with you?" and just by doing that I have made some life long friends that have helped me through the whole of stage challenge.

Those are just two if the things that I have done to get closer to achieving my goal. They were so very worth it and I don’t think I have ever had so much fun. So next time your to scared or don’t want to step out of your comfort zone. Do it, I encourage you to. Ask yourself these questions. Will I regret not doing it? Is it something I love? What’s the worst that can happen?

I have achieved many things in my life so far using goals, visualizing and creating power packs.

I started doing these techniques when I immigrated. I was seven and knew no one but with these techniques I soon made plenty of friends and became an A student.

Some of my biggest achievements however are the topic of this post. - Plus how I visualized them happening.

My very first achievement was when I was 12.

I had always wanted to be a writer and every Sunday I would sit and look at the Herald (the kids section) and wished so badly that I could write an article or submit a poem or anything to get me published.

My dad taught me a very successful technique of visualizing. Every night I would lie in bed and picture my article in the herald I could see my name in bright lights "By Jade”

In my power pack I had a card that said "I am published" and every morning I would say that quietly to myself. Then one Sunday I was reading the newspaper, like I often did and I saw on the left hand side of the page” Submit your writing and we will publish it”.

 I could hardly contain my excitement. I straight away cut that out and stuck it on my dressing table.

I soon realized that I had always thought about being published but had nothing to publish. I had written a whole lot of poems etc. but I wanted something different something unique. After watching the Secret Garden and idea came to me.  I love imagining things and I can sit for hours and hours imaging scenarios or stories. I thought I’d write a little story on what I thought was my idea of a secret garden and how I could visit there.

 I sat for hours writing, crossing out and rewriting. Eventually I had what I thought was the perfect story! I sent it off to the publishers of the Herald. But I never herd back. then one day I was reading the Herald as usual and I saw” By Jade”

Just how I had visualized it! I still have that article framed hanging on my wall.

Since then I have been published many times. I also have been on TV and radio numerous occasions.

 When I was in intermediate school we had what we called Market day where everyone gets into companies and run your own business and sell your products and at the end of it the company that makes the most money wins. Anyway we had to write a CV and hand it in to be C.E.O of the group. I handed mine in and what do you know I was elected. It was highly challenging and at times I was even in tears. Three months past and market day arrived I got the team together and gave them a good old prep talking and we where off. In the first half an hour Pop and win (which was our service) had already made $100!! Things where looking good!

Every night since the market day I would visualize my team and I standing up and accepting the prize money. A week after the market day we where called together and funny enough my visualization became reality as my group and I where called to the front as the winning company.

My next big achievement was working for a day at Girlfriend Magazine. I got invited to spend a day with Pamela the editor of girlfriend magazine. I was still crazy for writing and I have every issue of girlfriend magazine so there was no way I was going to turn down an offer like this. I spent the day asking questions and seeing how the fabulous magazine was put together, I learnt so much that day. I helped Pamela arrange her office and file old copied of girlfriend as filling and organizing is my specialty! At the end of the day Pamela invited me to come back the next day to come and help her do some work. I was over the moon and couldn’t stop smiling all afternoon! I arrived there early in the morning and got straight to work. I made a page in the magazine! This was truly the best experience ever! My new dream is to own my own magazine one day or become and editor.

Since then i have acheived many many more things,all thanks to these simple techniques.

 I’m going to write my blog on goals and dedicate it to all teenagers out there who are thinking why bother?

 When you meet people who are truly boring and don’t know what they are doing with their life and they  don’t know anything, have you ever felt like slapping them round the head and telling them otherwise.

Interesting people are going places! They are excited and enthusiastic about what they do If you want to spend your whole life floating aimlessly about, you might as well be a cat. It is possible to spend your whole life doing nothing going no where-but you bore yourself and everyone around you to death.

Goals are what you become. Sometimes we pick up a newspaper and it says "Jeff rode across the Atlantic, climbed many mountains, and explored the African jungle just to get to the United States”. We ask ourselves why not take a plane? It’s so much easier and quicker?? The answer is if you row across the Atlantic, climbed many mountains, and explored the African jungle we become a whole new person, than the one that left.Not only do you reach your destination knowing alot more about the weather, tides etc you know alot more about yourself, about your courage and your abilities. Buying a plane ticket doesn’t have the same impact!! That’s what goals are really about-what they make of us in the process of achieving them. That’s why we bother!

Some people don’t always understand this idea, so you might set your goal maybe and it be an academic or personal one and they say “what are you trying to prove?” “It’s to hard” “it takes to much time” This may be true but that’s why it feels so good when you achieve your goals, Because you have worked so hard on achieving them. If everything in life was easy it would be boring!

My favorite quote is “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing”

We set goals not for what we get, but for who we become!

When setting goals it is okay to be wrong. Finding out what you love and don’t love takes some time. You might decide you want to do drama at school and set yourself a goal to get an award for it then you try it and think "mmm acting is so not for me" That’s terrific now you have discovered something more about yourself you can now tick it off your list and say "forget Hollywood" How else would you know but by trying? We learn from mistakes as we make them.  

Failure is not an end….it is a beginning!

There are plenty bonus’s for setting goals...

Let’s say you love music. So you and your friends decide to start a little band. Here is what most people don’t realize: Your goal might be to start music but you’ll probably learn alot more than just music.

For instance...

·         You’ll probably need to buy equipment-so you’ll learn about budgeting and spending

·         You will learn something about organizing people-so that you can have your practices.

·         You will learn about hard work as you strive to making those lyrics just right.

·         You are very likely to learn something about electronics

·         In promoting your band, you will learn some things about marketing. When you begin to charge for your watchers you’ll learn about business.

 Your goal was to make music-but look where it got you and how many things you learned along the way???

 Take the plunge when setting goals...

Have you ever woken up and your mum says clean you room (which you hate doing) then you start cleaning and you find you actually really enjoy it.You wont find out until you start something. There is no point in saying ill start saving one day and never do it.. you have to start there and then and once you get into the rhythem off everything you will find you actually enjoy it and will get easier.

Set a realistic timeframe..

There is no point in saying that in 3 days I am going to become the world fittest female. Be realistic and easy on yourself! But if you want a little push set a closer time frame!

Think positively…

When you set your goals don’t think in the future think in the now! Instead of saying I will get that award say I HAVE GOT THAT AWARD ALREADY AND IT FEEL GOOD!!!

So now I have given you some teenage advice when setting goals Go for it! You have your whole life ahead of you make it rock! And do it in style be setting some great goals!!!

Even better achieve them!!

 p.s Look out for my next blog on positive thinking!!!