This post is part of the Blog Tour for Richard Dedor’s new book, Anything is Possible. Want to learn more about Richard?  Visit his blog, Finding Focus & follow him on Twitter to keep in touch!

Writing this book, Anything is Possible has been an inspiring trek for myself and those who worked on this project with me. My three wonderful editors have (at least I hope they have) been inspired by not only my work and vision, but by their involvement in shaping the final product. The journey was long and even painful at times, but in the end, we arrived at something I believe can change your life. But first… what does it mean to be inspired?

I sat down for coffee with one of my editors about a month ago in Des Moines, Iowa. Karith was my tenth grade English teacher, and the woman who first got me involved in competitive speech. She will always be Mrs. Humpal to me. It was Karith who pushed me to join the team, and ultimately earn All-State honors my first year out. I tend to believe she saw something in me, and through my success, my classmates saw something as well. The following year our team nearly doubled in size. Did I inspire that? Maybe.

As I pulled out a proof copy of the book, I saw Karith holding back her tears. She was so excited. I am sure it is how I looked when I got my first copy in the mail. A year of my life in 170 pages. My heart and soul on the pages; words that I hope will inspire change in your life, just as they have mine.

A recent inspirational quote from JBrady’s Qwotable Twitter feed reads, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams

Holding the book in one hand, Karith reached over and patted my knee, and I could see the pride in her eyes. What was once one of her students is now a published author. I guess that means that anything is possible!

Certainly you have it in you to do one of the four tasks Adams mentioned. Dream. Learn. Do. Become.

This journey of writing and publishing this book has shown me that anything really is possible. It has proven that if you dream, if you are honest and hard-working, good things can happen.

To be inspired means to be moved by something so you take action. You do something. You work to achieve something – anything. It’s simple, but life changing. Each and every one of you has it. I believe it to my very core.

If you dream, if you learn, if you do, if you become, you will inspire.

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Want to win a FREE copy of Richard Dedor’s book, Anything is Possible? Send your name, email address, and favorite motivational quote my way via email. Two lucky winners will receive one copy of Anything is Possible!

UPDATE: Congratulations Carly Wells and Kyle Matthews, recipients of the Critically Acclaimed Anything is Possible book giveaway!

Critically Acclaimed is proud to host my close friend, Richard Dedor tomorrow (March 4, 2010), with a guest post designed to inspire! Stop by tomorrow to get inspired, and have a chance to win one of two copies of his book, Anything Is Possible!

My friend Allison posted this fantastic article that breaks down the goal-setting process and helps put things into perspective. All-too-often, a new year means a new list of unattainables for many people. Check out these “10 things you can do to help yourself stay in a mindset to make positive changes in the coming year” from CNN - I plan to apply them to my goals for 2010, in order to be more realistic, specific, and accountable.

Cheers!

Having trouble coming up with some fancy goals for the next decade? You could certainly make use of fantastic Goal Setting websites that provide some structure and added motivation, like Lululemon’s GoalTender, or 43 Things - an online community of goal setters and motivators. You could also snag a copy of Starbucks’ motivational book, One: How Many People Does It Take to Make a Difference? (which you’ll have to grab quickly, as it just went on clearance) - a fantastic workbook-style guide to discovering your passions and encouraging the reader to dream big and change the world!

Alternatively, you could check out Monina Velarde’s 2010 New Year’s Resolution Generator. Much simpler - and quite fun!

Enjoy!

I love Twitter. I find all sorts of fantastic people to follow by browsing through friends’ followers, and I end up stumbling across a handful of fantastic bloggers, authors, and all-around inspiring people.

In my efforts to find something inspirational about goal setting (after a fabulous catch-up conversation with one of my best friends, @JLively), I found this fantastic blog from back home discussing the power excuses play in preventing us from achieving our goals. Blogger and Certified Fitness Trainer Dennis Blair writes about the 55 IFs as identified by author Napoleon Hill in his book, Think and Grow Rich - statements that all-too-often are used as excuses. A few notable IFs, include:

IF I only had time…
IF conditions around me were different…
IF I could meet “the right people”…
IF I only knew how…

Check out the rest of the list at Core Fitness and Nutrition’s website. As I read through the list, I noticed a few I could relate to. Do you relate to any of the IFs listed? What’s preventing you from reaching your goals?

Whether you’re setting resolutions for 2010, or simply struggling with finding the motivation you need to succeed, I hope reflecting on these IFs helps you identify and remove any road blocks as you get started!

During my last year of graduate school, I attended a yoga class on-campus irregularly with a couple good friends from my cohort, and really enjoyed the experience. I wasn’t quite a yogi, but I was enjoying the occassional hour of guided stretching, breathing, and relaxing.

Last Winter, my book club read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love (now one of my favorite books), and I was inspired to pick up the exercise again and commit to regular yoga classes, making much better use of my gym membership I purchased in February 2008.

In January 2009, I began attending a yoga class 2x/week, and quickly fell in love. My instructor is fantastic, and guides us through a fantastic series of poses, and I leave every session feeling relaxed and ready to tackle the next big thing.

After a two-month hiatus from yoga (working university orientation programs keeps me busy…), I returned to my class last night, and realized that I’ve lost a lot of my flexibility I’d gained from my previous five months of practice. Regardless, it was great to be back!

In learning more about yoga culture, I quickly found my favorite store for yogis and other types of athletes - Lululemon. The only problem? They’re a little on the pricey side… so for now, I’m just excited to own a pair of Lululemon Kung Fu II pants someday.

Why do I like Lululemon so much? Just read their manifesto (pictured above), and you’ll get a great sense of their philosophy. Also, they’ve recently created Goaltender - a fantastic goal setting resource - to encourage people to set realistic goals and achieve them. That’s my kind of optimism, for sure!